gracious Redeemer that you would be reconciled and that you would befriend your selves and accept of the forgiveness of all your sins I intreat you that you would not through neglect of pardon and perseverance in a sinful course irrecoverably ruine and damn your Souls methinks my heart doth yearn over you and Bleed for you who are wounding your selves and rushing on inconsiderately towards the place of everlasting weeping and wo from whence there is no coming back no coming out for ever Sinners why should you be so hard to be perswaded without any further delay to be reconciled unto God Why do I need to use so many intreaties May I at length prevail with you that you would not be miserable and prove your own Murderers that you would be blessed here and hereafter through your ready acceptation of pardoning mercy What answer must I carry back to my Master who sent me this day to proclaim in your ears the blessedness of forgiveness and to use intreaties with you in his name that you would become thus blessed Must I complain Lord there are a company of obstinate sinners whom I have intreated to accept of pardon but there is not the least spark of ingenuity amongst them nor the least sense of their sins upon them had I been to preach to Beasts or Fowls to the Earth or Stones they would have been as much moved as these sinners Lord I spent my strength and pains my voice and lungs for nought I know not how to perswade I know not which way to prevail with them I thought thy beseechings would have taken with them that the intreaties of God like a sweet flame would have melted their hearts as Wax within them I thought that when thou didst vouchsafe by me to request them to leave their sins and be reconciled unto thee that this would marvellously have affected them and that they would readily have complied in a thing so necessary for them and so much for their own happiness I did begin with terror to them and yet they were not affrighted but I hoped when I came to end with Mercy and to speak in the soft and sweet Language of thine entreaties and to urge th s most winning Argument of thy Requests unto them that then they would immediately have yielded and most thankfully have accepted so gracious proffers made unto them But alas Lord I found it far otherwise than I expected if their ears were open their hearts were shut up and they would not receive my message which from thee in faithfulness and tenderness I delivered unto them And what may I farther hope will prevail with them if thy intreaties be thus disregarded Must I thus complain or may I have occasion to say Lord I have been preaching the blessedness of forgiveness which I backed with thine intreaties of sinners that they would accept of it and through thy blessing the Arguments I used were not altogether in vain some sinners that had stouted it out a long time against thee began at length to relent and yield when they heard thine intreaties of them to be reconciled Lord I heard scalding sighs break forth from such and such whose hearts were breaking within them for their sins I saw brinish tears trickling down from some eyes proceeding from a spring of godly sorrow within newly given them by the Spirit how did they look and seem to long after thy Salvation how greedily did they hearken even like the condemned Malefactor when he hath first tidings of a pardon I hope they are gone home to intreat that of thee which thou hast by me been intreating of them to accept of O Lord grant them their desires be reconciled to that Drunkard and unclean wretch forgive the iniquities of that Swearer Sabbath-breaker and profane Sinner What do you say Sinners will you send me back to my Master sadned or rejoyced Accept of my Message and it will be the joy of my heart yea it will be the joy of Angels in Heaven and however it will cost you some grief and tears in your repentance of sin at the first yet if you so seek after this blessedness of forgiveness as to obtain it the issue will be joy to your selves you will have the beginnings of joy here and in the other world your joys will be full ineffable and eternal Methinks some of you seem almost perswaded O that you were quite perswaded without further delay to put in practice the Directions given for the obtaining the blessedness of forgiveness How we may overcome inordinate love of Life and fear of Death Serm. XXX Acts 20.24 But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear to my self that I may finish my course with joy c. THE Context tells us that the Apostle was now at Miletus v. 17. and from hence he sends to Ephesus and calls for the Elders of the Church Now these Elders were not Timothy and Trophimus for they were in his company already v. 4. and had been with him in his journey hither but rather those twelve men on whom he laid his hands and bestowed the Holy Ghost in order to their Ministry at Ephesus Acts 19.1 2 6 7. and the rest whom Timothy had ordained whilst he was there From v. 18. of this Chapter we have the Apostle's Farewel Sermon wherein he clears himself by close and smart addresses to their Consciences and Experiences as to all charges and surmises of ministerial miscarriages among them v. 18.27 and works them all within the Conscience of their ministerial charge and trust from God to imitate his Ministerial faithfulness by urging such significant and cogent Arguments as were apt and proper to startle and engage them to and in their work And these Arguments are drawn from the present and instantly succeeding circumstances and concernments of the Church of God They were in danger of Wolves breaking in upon them and seducers arising from amongst them They were the Church of God the price of his Blood committed to the care and guidance of these Ministers to whom the Apostle spake and therefore the interest and worth of Souls and their relation to them and all those sad and dangerous exercises underminings and obstructions which they were sure to meet with in their Pastoral work did call aloud upon them for all possible circumspection activity and resolution in and for their work of all which the Apostle was an exemplary and awakening instance and example My Text is the Generous Heroicism of an awakened and prepared heart occasioned by the Tidings that were brought him by the Spirit v. 23. Who told him there that bonds and afflictions did abide him in every City Here you may see those sinews cut of hopes and fears which might obstruct his Faith Diligence and Perseverance he is mortified to all that love of Life and fear of Death which possibly might controll his better prospect hopes and work In the Words we have the Apostle concerned in reference to
learned by the Ministery of the word (i) As you also learned of Epaphras Col. 1. 7. and the Philippians learned by Paul Phil. 4.9 (k) Those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do the things that are to be heard by the Ministry are matters of Faith and matters of Practice and if by hearing the Word we gâ—t a good understanding in things that are to be believed by us and the things that are to be done by us then we profit by it But if we remain ignorant as to these things after mercy received then we hear the Word without profit II. For Conversion God hath appointed his Word Act. 26.18 (l) To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to ligâ—t and the Angel speaking of John Baptists ministry saith Luke 1.16 (m) And many of the Children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God now the Word turns man unto God 1. As it discovers sin If the Scripture be dextrously handled they will search into the very secrets of mens hearts 1 Cor. 14.24 25. (n) And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest the Baptists preaching discovered to the Jews their carnal security in trusting to Abram Mat. 3.9 (o) And thiâ—k not to say within your sâ—lves we have Abraham to our Father their want of charity their covetous and humorous disposition Luk. 3.11 (p) He that hath two Coats Let him imâ—art to him that hath none and he that hath meat let him do likewise it discovered the Publicans exactings v. 13. (q) And he saith to them exact no more than that which is appointed you and the souldiers violence v. 14. (r) And he said unto them do violence to no man 2. As it brings people to the confession of sins the Baptists Preaching brought his hearers to confess their sins Math. 3.6 and so did Pauls Act. 19.18 (t) And many that believed came and confessed and shewed their deeds 3. As it works a kindly mourning and sorrow for sin Upon Peters sermon the Jews were pricked at the heart (s) And they were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins Act. 2.37 the people wept when they heard the word of the Lord. Nehem. 8.9 After the children of Israel had heard these words they wept for the perverseness of their nature Jer. 3.21 the word which they heard was v. 20. surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her Husband so have you dealt treacherously with me O house of Israel saith the Lord. 4. As it works amendment and reformation the Word turns people from their sins 1 Thess 1.9 (u) They themselves shew of us what manner of entrance in we had unto you and how you turned to God from Idols to serve the living and the true God and makes them fruitful toward God Col. 1.5 6. (w) Which is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit now then if the Word converts you to God if it discovers your sins if it causes you to confess them to mourn for them and to leave them then you profit by the word But if under Hearing you do not see the sins that reign in you as pride covetousness passion if you do not confess them heartily before God if you do not mourn kindly for them nor leave them you hear without profit III. God hath appointed his Word for the building up of those that are called converted and sanctified Act. 20.32 (x) I commend you to God and the word of his Grace which is able to build you up Apollos by his Preaching helped them that had believed through grace Act. 18.17 (y) And he went over all the Country of Galatia and Phrygia strengthening the Disciples the Word doth not only serve for the implantation of grace but it excites strengthens and draws out the graces of Petitioners Pauls Preaching strengthned the Disciples Act. 18.23 Gods Word is compared to meat Luke 12.42 (z) Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his Lord shall make ruler over his Houshold to give them their portion of meat in due season and meat strengthens and nourishes the body and so the Word of God 1 Tim. 4.6 Well then if by the hearing of the Word you are built up and grown by it (a) Thou shalt be a Good Minister nourished up in the words of Faith and good Doctrine if your Faith grow exceedingly if your Love abound if you bring forth much fruit then you profit by it but if your sins grow not vveaker and your graces stronger then you hear it without profit 4. And lastly to name no more the Word was appointed for Consolation 1 Cor. 14.31 (b) You may all prophesie one by one that all may learn and all be comforted the Samaritans rejoiced at Philips Preaching Act. 8 5.8 (c) Then Philip went down to the City of Samaria and preacht Christ to them and there was great joy in that City and so did the Eunuch v. 29. and so did the Jaylor at Pauls preaching Act. 16.34 (d) And they spake unto him the word of the Lord and he rejoyced believing in God with all his house now the Word comforts as it opens Gods Attributes such as his Mercy Wisdom Faithfulness and Power Secondly As it discovers Christ the Promises and Priviledges of the Saints Thirdly As it discovers and reveals the marks and Characters of Gods Children Fourthly As it answers the doubts and fears of Saints well then if in hearing the Word you find that it supports strengthens and revives your hearts like a Cordial then you profit by it But if you find nothing sweet nor refreshing in it you hear it without profit I come now to the third thing how we shall profit by hearing of the Word that is how shall we attain the benefit from the Word of God for which it was appointed It was appointed for instruction conversion edification consolation How may we hear it so that we may obtain these things by it I shall give you four directions and conclude 1. First Hear it attentively Christ in the beginning of his Sermons calls upon his auditors to hearken Mark 4.3 (e) And he said unto them in his doctrine hearken and so doth Paul Acts 13.16 (f) Men of Israel and ye that fear God give audience and Rev. 2.7 (g) He that hâ—th an ear let him hear what the spirit saith to the Churches and you read Luke 19.48 all the people were very attentive to hear him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they hung upon him hearing that is they hung their ears upon his mouth that they might receive every vvord and miss nothing This phrase is common in Greek Authors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Latine warrantis conjux pendet ab ore viri and Augustine speaking of his hearing Ambrose saith verbi ejus susâ—endebar intentus and one
such a prayer as this O that the Lord would lengthen this triumphant day and the (c) Jos 10.12 Lord heard his voice The tribes beyond Jordan in a (d) 2 Chr. 5 23. battel with the Hagarites Jehoshaphat in a sore strait (e) 18.31 at Ramoth Gilead Sampson ready to perish at Lehi (f) Judg. 15.18 16 28. with thirst and when blind exposed to contempt in the Temple of Dagon David near (g) 1 Sam. 30.6 stoning at Ziglag and when flying from Absalom in the ascent of (h) 2 Sam. 15.31 Mount Olivet Elisha at Dothan compast with a Syrian host (i) 2 King 6.17 Lord open the young man's eyes In the midst of lawful and laborious callings Boaz to the reapers (k) Ruth 2.4 the Lord be with you we may pray that our Oxen (l) Psal 129.8 may be strong to labour no breaking in or going out nor no complaining in our streets It sanctifies the plow as Jerom said of the fields of Bethlehem quocunque te verteris Psal 144.14 ad Marcellum p. 129 T. 1. arator stivam teneus Alleluja decantat c. The tillers of the field and the dressers of vineyards sang David's psalms it keeps the shop and inclines the hearts of customers it bars the doors it quenches fire it blesseth thy children (m) Psal 147.13 within thee it preserves thy going out and coming in (n) 128.1 Jacob found it to rest upon his children going a journey (a) Gen. 43.14 to Egypt it closes the eyes with (b) Psal 3.5.4 8. sweet sleep it (c) Job 3â— 10 Psal 139.18 given Songs in the night and wakens the soul in the arms of mercy It sits at the helm when a (d) Psal 107.28 Jon. 1.6 storm rises at sea it gives strength to Anchors in roads and prosperous gales to the venturous Merchant When in the palace at dinner Nehemiah presents the cup to his prince he presents also a Michtam a golden (e) Neh 3.4 2 Chro. 34 27 Luke 17.5 Gen. 49.18 2 Chron. 2 4. Act. 7 60. prayer to the King of Heaven at the reading of the law Josiah was heard as to some secret cries to Heaven At a holy conference in a journey the Disciples occasionally pray Lord increase our faith Jacob on his dying pillow predicting future events to his children falls into a holy rapture I have wait ed for thy salvation O Lord. At sacred death in martyrdom Zechariah cries out the Lord look upon it and require it and Stephen under a showr of stones melts in prayers for the stony hearts that slung them Lord lay not this sin unto their chage and our blessed Saviour in his greatest agonies makes a tender hearted prayer Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23 34. 1 Sam. 1.17 and lastly in the distresses of others Eli puts a sudden petition for Hannah the God of Israel grant thee thy petition In these and many like cases the holy word stores us with patterns for ejaculation in all extremities which I cannot now digest and improve only in a few words lets take a view of the usefulness of such a sudden flight of the soul to Heaven 1. It helps us to a speedy preparative for all duties Lam. 3 4â— with such an ejaculation le ts lift our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens 2. It is a guard against secret sins in the first risings and the first assaults of temptation 3. It suffers not divine mercies to slip by unobserved in a wakeful Christian and proves a fruitful mother of gratitude and praise 4. It sanctifies all our worldly imployments 1 Tim 4. â— 5. it fastens the stakes in the hedge of divine protection and turns every thing to a blessing 5. It s a Saints buckler against sudden accidents a present antidote against frights and evil tidings It s good at all occasions and consecrates to us not only our meals but every gasp of air c. 6. It s a sweet companion that the severest enemies can't abridge us of Outward ordinances and closet duties they may cut off the little (a) Ezr. 9 8. nail in the holy place they may pluck out But no labyrinth no prison not the worst of company can hinder this coelo restat iter in the very face of adversaries we may lift our souls to God No more of this le ts briefly conclude with some uses Vse Vse Cant. 4 12. To convince such of their dangerous state that neglect sacred duties that have no heart-communion that draw no water out of this sealed fountain But all they do is in publick only it 's a suspicious token of hypocrisie since the kernel and soul of religion lies so much in the heart and closet mark the phrase in the text how it varies thy Father that is in secret be sees in secret God's eye is open upon thee in the closet and if thy eye be open upon his thou mayst see a glorious beauty The excellency of grace lies in making conscience of secret sins and secret duties 2. To examine such as perform secret duty but not from a sincere principle like Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.2 that prays but not with a perfect heart like Ahab they mourn but with Crocodile tears such as do it only because they find precept or example for it and therefore to quiet conscience will into secret but converse only in the shell and trunk of a duty that rest in the naked performance but matter not whether they tast of the sweet streams that flow in from heaven in the golden pipe of an ordinance what account can such render that go into their closets but like Domitian to catch flies only Sueton. in Domit. c. 3. and when the doors are shut to the world their hearts are shut to heaven and communion with God He that sees in secret beholds the evil frame of such a heart and will one day openly punish it 3. To excite and awaken all to this excellent duty and to manage it in an excellent manner Would ye live delightfully would ye translate heaven to earth then keep up communion in secret prayer to know him to discern his face to behold the lustre of his eye that shines in secret Remember the glorious person that meets in your closets all the world yields not such a glittering beauty as a gracious person sees when he is in a happy frame at secret prayer Shut your eyes when ye come out for all other objects are but vile and fordid and not worth the glances of a noble soul O the sweetness the hidden manna that the soul tasts when in lively communion with God! Psal 31.19 Part of that which is laid up for Saints in glory let us a little relish our spirits with it 1. Consider what amorous agonies the soul delights to conflict with in serret fears that raise confidence humility that exalts tremblings that embolden bright clouds
to us all if God had spared him her or them if your house had been consumed by flames and God had turned you all out of doors before morning would you not have said It would have been a mercy if God had safely preserved us and our dwellings and caused us to rest and sleep and rise in safety Why Sirs will you not acknowledg mercies to be mercies till God hath taken them away from you and if you do should you not give the praise daily unto God Was it not God himself that watched over you while you did sleep and could not did not watch your selves When you all did sleep you knew not where you were nor what dangers you were exposed unto nor how you might prevent them but God then was good unto you and should you not conjunctly acknowledg this when you do wake and rise and see that God hath kept you and do enjoy the comfort and the benefit of his watchful Providence over you Psal 127.1 Except the Lord keep the City the Watchman waketh but in vain 2. for so he giveth his beloved sleep And as you have had many Family mercies in the night to bless God for in the morning so you have many Family mercies in the day to give thanks to God for at night before you go to bed If you see not cause to acknowledg God's goodness towards you you are blind if you do and have not hearts you are worse Methinks you should not quietly sleep till you have been together on your knees least God should say this Family that hath not acknowledged my mercy to them this day nor given me the glory of those benefits of which to them I gave the comfort shall never see the light of another day nor have the mercies of one day more to bless me for When sleep doth close their eyes so shall death too they shall live no longer and rise no more this night they shall go to their beds and the day or two after shall be carried to their graves I wonder Sirs that you do not dream of an angry God because thus slighted by you I wonder that you do not dream of some sore judgment or other that might overtake you before the Sun doth rise What if God should say unto you when you are laid down in your beds THIS NIGHT your Souls shall be required of you you that went to bed before you had given me the praise of the mercies that I had given unto you all the day and before you had prayed for my protection over you in the night and should send some suddain sickness to make you feel that he is offended with you for this neglect might not God say shall I keep and preserve that Family till the morning that would not so much as ask me so to do and if I do will not acknowledg it to be a mercy or a kindness to them Take heed though God be patient do not provoke him Reason 2. You should pray to God daily in your Families because there are sins committed every day in your Families 2. 2. Ad candem à defectibus nostris excitamur Do you indeed sin together and will you not pray together what if you should be damned all together Doth not every member of your Family commit many sins every day How great is the number then of all when considered or put together What! so many sins every day under your roof within your walls committed against the glorious blessed God and not one Prayer one sin should be lamented with a thousand tears but you have not one tear shed by one and another by another in Prayer together for a thousand sins Is this to repent daily when you do not confess them daily Would you have God to pardon all the sins of your Family say would you or no If you would not God might justly let you go to your Graves and Hell too with the guilt of sin upon your Souls If you would is not pardon worth asking for Would you have it and not beg it at the hands of God would not all judg that man worthy of death that being justly condemned might yet have life for asking for and will not How do you how can you quietly go to your beds and sleep with the guilt of so many sins upon your Souls and have not prayed to have them blotted out What do you take to make you sleep What is your pillow made of that your heads can rest upon it under the weight and load of so much guilt Is indeed your bed so soft or your heart so hard that you can rest and sleep when to all the sins of commission in the day you add this sin of omission in the evening Lay to heart your daily Family sins and you will feel a reason why you should pray to God in your Families daily Reason 3. 3. You should pray in your Families daily unto God 3. Ad eandem plerisque tum cerporaelium tum spiritualium bonorum indigentiis premimur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indiget vir viro sed omnes Deo etiam Hercules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Od. lib. 8. Omne bonum Dei donum because you have many daily Family wants which none can supply but God God wants not your Prayers but you and yours want God's mercies and if you will have them should you not pray for them Can you supply your Families wants If they want health can you give it them If they want bread can you give it them except God first give it unto you Why then did Christ direct us to pray Give us this day our daily bread If they want grace can you work it in them or do you not care though they die without it Is not God the giver of every good gift Jam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights Mercies are above and good things are from above and prayer is a means appointed by God to fetch them down Jam. 1.5 If any man want wisdom let him ask it of God Do you think you do not want wisdom to discharge your duties to God and man that you do not want wisdom to manage your family for their temporal spiritual and eternal good If you think so you are fools and if you think you want it not by those very thoughts you may discern your want of it If you think you have enough it is plain that you have none and should you not ask it of God if you would have it If you and yours want health in your Family should you not ask it of God Can you live without dependance upon God or can you say you have no need of God's help to supply your wants then you speak contradictions for to be under wants and not to be dependent beings is a contradiction to think you do not live in dependence upon God is to think you are
esse non cogitans quia Deus ludibrio habetur rogando semper inopiam nostram verè sentiamus ac seriò cogitantes omnibus que petimus nos indigere Generalis quidem confusus necessitatis suae affectus illuc eos ducit sed non cos sollicitat quasi in re praesenti ut egestatis suae le vamen petant Calv. Inst 3. Direct Get and keep upon your hearts a true real lively sense of your sins and wants and mercies Hereby shall every part of prayer confession petition and thanksgiving be more profitably managed and you better disposed for the work you have to do upon your knees Know your sin in the intrinsecal malignity of it the vileness of it in its own nature as it is sin Know it also and understand it as to the dreadful consequents of it in its several kinds acts and aggravations of them Get also a sense of your wants and of the necessity of the things you are to pray for If you want grace know that you want it and are undone without it and pray accordingly Pray as persons that believe you must be damned if you are not sanctified that you must perish if you do not repent and pray as men that do believe it And if you have grace already in truth know how much you want of it in respect of growth that you love God but a little which is your shame and Oh what a blessed thing were it to love him more Pray as those that would get at least one degree of love to God more by every prayer you make Think seriously what a little grace you have 1. to what you may have 2. to what you might have had 3. to what you ought to have 4. to what others have 5. to what you need And that 1. to fight against such strong corruptions 2. to resist such strong temptations 3. to bear such afflictions that might befall you 4. to perform such duties as are required from you 5. that you dye at last with peace comfort and joy Know also your mercies personal to body to soul relative what mercy you have one in another by being made mercies one to another Mercies for this life and the life to come think how many how great how precious how suitable how durable how sufficient how satisfying good God hath given you himself Son Spirit promises priviledges much in hand and more in hope and all undeserved A real abiding sense of these things will make you think and say Why me Lord why me and will wind up your hearts to lively praises too much neglected in Family duties so that you shall find the benefit and sweetness of drawing near to God in prayer Direction 4. 4. Direct Realize invisible things to yourselves Istuc est sapere non quod ante pedes modò est videre sed etiam illa quae futura suâ—t prospicere Ter. Adelph Act. 3. by believing of them as certainly as if you saw them with your eyes When you are going to pray look into the unseen world stand and take a view of departed souls and seriously think what is their state and what they are enjoying or suffering that are already gone into eternity and from thence fetch arguments to quicken your hearts when dull and to be laborious when slothful and lively and fervent in your duty O how would a believing view of souls in Heaven and Hell help you to pray in prayer Suppose then you saw the glorious Saints in Heaven and the happiness they there enjoy in that they shall sin no more and suffer no more and be tempted no more and sigh and sob nor weep nor sorrow any more for ever all sin is expelled from those glorious souls and all tears are wiped from their eyes and now are full of love to God solacing themselves in the perfect perpetual and immediate suition of the chiefest good and then think this is the state that I am hoping for and looking longing waiting for and that now I am going to beg and pray I may be fitted and prepared for and hereafter be possessed of and then pray as becometh such that unfeignedly desire to be partakers of their joy and felicity Again stand and take a view of poor damned Souls and suppose you saw them with your eyes rolling in a lake of burning Brimstone full of the fury of the Lord Suppose you heard their direful execrations their doleful outcries their hideous roarings and bitter lamentations ringing in your ears saying Wo and alas that ever we were born that are come to this place of torment to this place of torment Oh! it is it is a place of torment In scipsos furenter exordescent damnati assiduè sibi ipsis iugubrem hanc caâ—tilenam occinent O tempus rerum omnium preciâ—sissimum O dici O horae plusquam aurcae quò evanuistis aeterium non rediâ—urae nos coeci excordes obstructis oculis auribus libidine furebamus mutuis nosmet exemplis trahebamus ad enteritum post longissima annorum spatia nihil de poenis nostris accisum erit sed iterum quasi ab initio pati tormenta incipiemus aâ—que ilà sine interruptione sine fine sine mâ—do volvetur assiduè nostrorum tormentâ—rum rota ibi erit calor ignis rigor frigoris erunt ibi perpetuae tâ—nebrae eâ—it ibi fumus perpetuae lachrymae erit ibi aspectus terrificus daemonum erit clamor in perpetuum O aeternitas interminabilis O aeternitas nullis temporum spatiis mensurablìs Quam grave est in mollissimo lectu per triginta annos immobilem â—â—cere quid erit in sulphureo isto lacu triginta millia millium annorum ardere O aeternitas aeternitas tu sola ultra omnem modum supplicia damnatorum exaggeras Mor erit sine morte finis erit sine fine defectus sine defectu quia mors semper vivit finis semper incipit defectus deficere nescit Quid gravius quam semper velle quod nunquam erit semper nâ—llo quod nunquam non erit In aeternum damnati non assequenâ—ur quod volunt quod nolunt in aeternum pati cogentur Gerhard Meditat. sparsim Once we had praying time and hearing time but we did not improve it for our good else we had not been now in this extremity of pain no we had not no we had not We did pray but we did but triflle in our prayers and did but dally with that God whom now we find and feel to be to us consuming fire and yet we burn and are not consumed we were not in good earnest in those prayers we were at but now we suffer in good earnest and are damned in good earnest Oh! this place is hot it is hot it is exceeding hot Will not God pity us will not God have mercy on us we once thought he would but we did flatter and deceive our selves and thought it would be well because we lived
ordines Alsted Qualis est enjús quo domus talis est universa civitas 5. Consider that Family Reformation is a necessary means to publick Reformation and to hand down Religion from one generation to another Reformation begins with Persons thence is carried on to Families thence to Parishes thence to Towns and so to Cities and to Kingdoms but when these consist of Families how can there be a reformation of Cities and Kingdoms without a Reformation of Persons and Families You complain of the badness of the times and age in which you live and that no more care is taken to mend what is amiss why do you not reform your own houses Why do you not amend what is amiss in your own Families If you have not power to reform a Parish City or Kingdom yet you have a power to reform your own houses If Religion die in Families will it not die in Cities too and in Kingdoms too Will not you do your utmost to keep Religion alive to recover it when decaying or shall it be extinguished with this Generation God forbid Or do you see nothing amiss in your houses to be reformed what no praying there and yet nothing amiss there Certainly there is Let yours then have a pattern and example of Family-Prayer from you to do the same in their houses and their Children from them and so let it pass from one age to another An effectual way to keep the City clean will be for every house to sweep before their own door MOTIVE VI. 6. If Religious Duties are not set up in your Families Neglectis urenda filix innascitur agris Horat. Sermo lib. 1. Satyr 3. there will be the more sinning there and wickedness abounding in them How much cursing is there in many Families where there is no praying The field that is not dressed and manured is full of weeds and thorns Where God is not served the Devil is If in your houses God hath not a Church the Devil will have a Chappel What hopes will the Devil have Da mihi quaeso animas caetera sume tibi that he shall have Souls out of those Families where there is much sinning and no praying And if he might have their Souls he will be content that you may have all the rest If your houses be not nurseries for Heaven they will be breeding places for Hell If Souls under your roof are not prepared for Salvation they will there be fitted for Damnation and is this nothing to you Awake arise you drousie Governers of Families to your work and duty MOTIVE VII 7. It would be an effectual way and means to make those in your Families more obedient and better towards you if you would call on them to serve the Lord and you were more in Prayer with them You cry out of stubborn ann disobedient Children They grieve and break my heart saith one I have a Child that is my daily wound and sorrow saith another and Servants never worse is your often complaint Who is all this long of do not you read your sin in your punishment If you had taught them better their duty towards God they would have made more Conscience of their duty towards you if you had prayed with them God might have bowed their hearts as a return to your Prayers to have walked more suitable to their relative duties I have read of a young man going to the Gallows desired to speak with his Mother in her ear who bit off her ear with his teeth crying out against her as the cause of his death by your negligence saith he I am come to this woful end If you are alike careless of your Families if you do not lose your ears by your own Children yet you might lose something that is better MOTIVE VIII 8. If you make profession of Religion Aliud in titulo aliud in ptxide Pelliculam veterem retines fronte politus Astutam rapido servas sub pectore vulpem Pers Sat. 5. and yet do not pray in your Families it is base and cursed hypocrisie When you hear with God's people and pray with them and receive with them and seem to be devout abroad and do not pray with your Families at home is not this to make others believe you are what you are not Do you not profess by your joynt duties with God's people in all Ordinances that you are devoted unto God and doth not he that sincerely devotes himself to God devote also all he hath to him but is your Family devoted to God when there is no worship there It would be well if you were found out that you were denyed the Supper of the Lord for want of a sufficient credibility of a sound Profession But is it your way to be zealous abroad and negligent at home Let your house speak for you Sed videt hunc omnis domus Introsum turpem speciosum pelle decorâ MOTIVE IX Plus valet humanis viribus ira Dei Ovid. Trist Anno 1584 terra motu mons quidam in ditione Bernatum ultra alios montes violenter latus pagum quâ—ndam nonaginta familias habentem contexit totum dimidia domo excepta in qua pater-familias cum uxore liberis in genua provolutus Deum invocabat Polan Syntagm de terrae mot 9. The neglect of calling upon God in your Families will bring the curse of God upon them Jer. 10.25 Pour out thy fury upon the Families that call not upon thy Name 1. The persons threatned are Families which if in this Text comprehendeth many housholds or yet more largely taken yet there is the same parity of reason to a proper Family 2. Their crime is not calling upon the name of God 3. The thing threatned the fury of the Lord fury is fervent anger anger in it's height and rage 4. The abundance of it it shall not fall drop by drop upon prayerless Families but pour down in great showrs upon them Whereas the way to have God's blessing and protection over you and your houshold is to set up the worship of God therein There is a passage in a worthy Divine of a remarkable Providence of God to this purpose concerning a Town consisting of ninety houses that was in the year 1584. destroyed by an Earthquake except the half of one house where the Master of the Family was earnestly praying with his Wife and Children upon their bended knees to God Obj. But we see no such thing we perceive not but those Families prosper that have no Prayer in them as much as those that do Answ God is often angry when he doth not strike and punish presently the Offender but his wrath hangs over your house and you are never safe in your greatest prosperity N n est quare cuiquam quem dignum poena putaveris optes ut infestos habeat Deos habet inquam etiamsi videtur eorum favore produci Senec. Epist An Heathen could say If a wicked man prosper you need not
medicinable Let the thoughts of old sins stir up a commotion of anger and hatred We feel shiverings in our spirits and a motion in our blood at the very thought of a bitter Potion we have formerly taken why may we not do that spiritually which the very frame and constitution of our bodies doth naturally upon the calling a lothsom thing to mind The Romans sins were transient but the shame was renewed every time they reflected on them †Rom. 6.21 Whereof you are now ashamed they reacted a detestation instead of the pleasure so should the revivings of old sins in our memories be entertain'd with our sighs rather than our joy We should also manage the opportunity so as to promote some further degrees of our conversion * Psal 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies There is not the most hellish motion but we may strike some sparks from it to kindle our love to God renew our repentance raise our thankfulness or quicken our obedience Is it a blasphemous motion against God It gives you a just occasion thence to awe your heart into a deeper reverence of His Majesty Is it a lustful thought Open the floud-gates of your godly sorrow and groan for your original sin Is it a remembrance of your former sin Let it wind up your heart in the praises of him who delivered you from it Is it to tempt you from duty Endeavour to be more zealous in the performance of it Is it to set you at a distance from God Resolve to be a light shining the clearer in that darkness and let it excite you to a closer adherence to him Are they envious thoughts which steal upon you Let thankfulness be the product that you enjoy so much as you do and more than you deserve Let Satan's fiery darts enflame your love rather than your Lust and like a skilful Pilot make use of the violence of the winds and raging of the Sea to further you in your spiritual voyage This is to beat the Devil and our own hearts with their own weapons who will have little stomach to fight with those arms wherewith they see themselves wounded There is not a remembrance of the worst objects but may be improved to humility and thankfulness as St. Paul never thought of his old persecuting but he sank down in humiliation and mounted up in admirations of the riches of grace 4. Continue your resistance if they still importune thee and lay not down thy weapons till they wholly shrink from thee As the wise man speaks of a fool's words so I may not only of our blacker Eccl. 10.13 but our more acrial phancies The beginning of them is foolishness but if suffered to gather strength they may end in mischievous madness therefore if they do continue or reassume their arms we must continue and reassume our shield * Eph 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking up again Resistance makes the Devil and his imps fly but forbearance makes them impudent In a battel when one party faints and retreats it adds new spirits to the enemy that was almost broken before so will these motions be the more vigorous if they perceive we begin to flag That encouraging command Resist the Devil and he will flye from you †Jam 4.7 implies not only the beginning a fight but continuance in it till he doth fly We must not leave the field till they cease their importunity nor encrease their courage by our own cowardise 5. Joyn Supplication with your opposition Watch and pray are sometimes linkt together * Mat. 26 41. The diligence and multitude of our enemies should urge us to watch that we be not surpriz'd and our own weakness and proneness to presumption should make us pray that we may be powerfully assisted Be as frequent in solliciting God as they are in solliciting you as they knock at your heart for entrance so do you knock at heaven for assistance And take this for your comfort As the Devil takes their parts so Christ will take yours at his Father's Throne he that pray'd that the Devil might not winnow Peter's faith will intercede that your own heart may not winnow yours If the waves come upon you and you are ready to sink cry out with Peter Master I perish and you shall feel his hand raising you and the winds and waves rebuked into obedience by him The very motion of your hearts heaven-ward at such a time is a refusal of the thought that presseth upon you and will be so put upon your account When any of these buzzing flies discompose you or more violent hurricanes shake your minds cry out with David Psal 86.11 12. Vnite my heart to fear thy Name and a powerful word will soon silence these disturbing enemies and settle your souls in a calm and a praising posture 4. A fourth sort of directions is concerning good motions whether they spring naturally from a gracious principle or are peculiarly breath'd in by the spirit There are ordinary bubblings of grace in a renewed mind as there are of sins in an unregenerate heart for grace is as active a principle as any because 't is a participation of the divine nature But there are other thoughts darted in beyond the ordinary strain of thinking which like the beams of the Sun evidence both themselves and their original And as concerning these motions joyn'd together take these Directions in short 1. Welcom and entertain them As 't is our happiness as well as our duty to stifle evil motions so 't is our misery as well as our sin to extinguish heavenly Strange fire should be presently quench'd but that which descends from heaven upon the Altar of a holy soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polycarp Epist ad Phil. terms holy persons must be kept alive by quickning meditation When a holy thought lights suddenly upon you which hath no connexion with any antecedent business in your mind provided it be not unseasonable nor hinder you from any absolutely necessary duty either of religion or your calling receive it as a messenger from heaven and the rather because 't is a stranger You know not but you may entertain an Angel yea something greater than an Angel even the Holy Ghost Open all the powers of your souls like so many Organ-pipes to receive the breath of this Spirit when he blows upon you 'T is a sign of an agreeableness between the heart and heaven when we close with and preserve spiritual motions We need not stand long to examine them they are evident by their holiness sweetness and spirituality We may as easily discern them as we can exotick plants from those that grow naturally in our own soil or as a palate at the first taste can distinguish between a rich and generous wine and a rough water The thoughts instill'd by the Spirit of adoption are not violent tumultuous full
to take up a Reproach against a man's Neighbour I answer It is a defective manner of expression and therefore is diversly supplied but especially and most reasonably two ways and accordingly a man may be guilty of taking up a reproach against his Neighbour two ways 1. When he takes it up into his mouth The Hebrew word is often so used As Exod. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain Not take it that is not lift it up upon thy Tongue or not take it into thy Mouth So Isa 14.4 Thou shalt take up this Proverb against the King of Babylon that is thou shalt take it up into thy lips thou shalt utter and publish it Thus Ezek. 26.17 They shall take up a lamentation for thee which is explained in the following words and say to thee how art thou destroyed And therefore elsewhere the word Lips or mouth is added as Psal 16.4 Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips Psal 50.16 What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant into thy mouth And this phrase of taking up may possibly respect the scituation of the Mouth above the Heart which according to the Opinion of the Hebrews is the seat of the Understanding As if he had said If there should rise in thy heart any evil thought or device against thy Brother let it die there let it never come up into thy mouth Now in this respect a man may be guilty of this sin of taking up a reproach against his Neighbour two ways 1. When he is the Author and first raiser of a reproach Such as Sanballat was Neh. 6.8 There are no such things as thou sayest but thou feignest them of thy own heart 2. When a man is the Spreader or Promoter of it Suppose it comes from another Fountain if thou art the Conduit-pipe by whom it is conveyed to others thou art guilty of it Lev. 19.16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a Tale-bearer among thy people 2. When a man takes it into his Ear So some expound these words thou shalt not receive not admit not endure a reproach against thy Neighbour You know the Receiver of stoln goods is as obnoxious to the Law as he that takes them away So then a man may be guilty of this sin not only by speaking but also by the hearing of a reproach against his Neighbour and so he may be three ways 1. When a man quietly permits it and gives no check to it This is certain the great Law of Charity commands me not only to do no hurt to my Neighbour but also to suffer no hurt to be done to him which it lyes in my power to prevent or remove If another set his house on fire I must lend my help to quench it I must pull my Neighbour's Ox out of the Pit though another man hath cast him in and consequently when the good name of my Neighbour is invaded by another if I patiently bear the reproach I make my self guilty 2. When a man hears a reproach against his Neighbour greedily and with delight It is a sin and that of no small size for a man to take pleasure in the sins of others and therefore the Apostle makes it an aggravation of sin Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but also have pleasure in them that do them 1 Cor. 13.6 Charity rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth Consider I beseech you the commonness of this sin if a reproach be fastned upon one who is a man's Enemy or of another Party men commonly hear such reproaches with delight not considering that this is not only a blemish to his own Party but also a blot to Christianity a reproach to the Protestant Religion a sin against God and against the Gospel a scandal to men and these things should rather call for tears than laughter and approbation And therefore when a man seems to approve another man's reproach and encourage the reproacher he involves himself in the guilt of it It is the saying of a very Learned Man upon the Proverbs That it is not easie to know whether is a greater sinner or whether is the greater plague to a Commonwealth he that spreads a reproach or he that willingly receives it 3. When a man easily believes a reproach It is said indeed 1 Cor. 13.7 Charity believeth all things but the object of this belief is the good of my Neighbour and not his evil Charity readily believes well concerning its Neighbour where there is the least colour or foundation for it but it is slow to believe evil concerning him and when a man is prone to believe evil concerning another man it is a great sign of an uncharitable disposition the reason is because men do most readily believe those things which comply with their own desires and inclinations as in Wars and differing Factions every man is apt to believe good tidings concerning his own Party Good men are the least suspitious and slowest to believe evil of others of which you have a remarkable instance in Gedaliah when Johanan told him of Ismael's design to murther him it is said he believed him not Jer. 40.14 And when it was pressed upon him a second time and Johanan offered to punish the Conspirator and to prevent the Execution of the Treason he said Thou shalt not do this thing for thou speakest falsly concerning Ismael verse 16. You may observe how backward fond Parents are to believe any ill report concerning their Children and whence doth this proceed even from an inordinate love and kindness to them and therefore on the contrary men's credulity unto evil reports concerning their Neighbours doth proceed from want of love and affection to them So much for the Explication 2. The Proof of the Doctrine shall consist in the representation of the sinfulness and injury of this practice of censuring back-biting and reproaching of others And that I may more effectually disswade and affright my self and you from it I shall discover to you how pregnant a sin this is There is a complication of injuries in it It is injurious First to God Secondly to your selves Thirdly to the Party censured or reproached Fourthly to other men 1. To God and Christ in divers particulars 1. It is an invasion of God's Prerogative You know how dangerous a Crime this is when it is committed against an Earthly Prince nor can you in reason think it less criminal and hazardous when it is committed against him who accepteth not the persons of Princes and who is greater than the Kings of the Earth And therefore observe how severely God rebukes this sin in the Epistle to the Romans Chap. 14. when men did censure and Reproach one another either for the Observation of dayes and meats as guilty of Superstition or for
and light transient tasts and relishes are no evidences we must have these better things to bear up our hearts against the coming of the Bridegroom It sufficeth â—ot to be enrolled among Professors and to enjoy the charitable thoughts and approbations of the wisest Virgins under Heaven It is singular mercy to be rightly guided in self-esteem and valuation for they that measure themselves by themselves or compare themselves among themselves are not wise The Apostle 2 Cor. 10.12 would not have us to take up with the positive degree of good things but to take our aims by the comparative of better These good things are more light ineffectual and superficial and too often like the Seal that is impressed upon bare Paper whereas these better things are like the Seal's impression on the Wax Yet let no trembling Soul or broken reed be affrighted at the end of these foolish Virgins to see the Door thus shut against them the tender heart of Jesus Christ aimeth not at our consternation but awaking and to prepare and hasten us unto Glory before the Key be turned Nor doth his Apostle in the foresaid place despise the day of small things but his real scope and purpose is to excite Professors to look carefully to their foundations and then to go on unto perfection Heb. 6.1 And blessed for ever be the Lord for the second part of that sixth Chapter to the Hebrews in the close whereof we may see the afflicted heart tossed with tempests and not comforted yet hoping in Mercy and fleeing to Jesus as his Refuge and casting the Anchor of his floating Soul within the Vail whither the Fore-runner is entred for us who himself was once tossed in the Ship of the Militant Church albeit without sin but is now gone ashore to heaven as our fore-runner both to look to our Anchor which is fastned there and to hold all fast and to draw our tossed Ship to shore and to see all safe that where our fore-runner is there may we be also And thus the sweet conclusion of that Chapter doth fully recompence the severity of its beginning Let us comfort our selves and one another with these things Thirdly You have heard the miserable condition of such especially Professors of the Gospel and Pretenders to Christ who have Grace to seek at his coming As for the hapy state of such as are ready to enter in with him into the Bride-chamber of eternal peace and joy I shall speak a little in the Close Now therefore in the remainder of this Exercise it will be expected as seasonable that it be considered What gifts of Grace are chiefly to be in exercise in order to an actual Preparation for the coming of Christ by Death and Judgment For his coming is first by Death and then by Judgment And I say an actual Preparation because there is always a general and habitual preparedness to meet Christ Jesus in hearts that are truly godly but not always a particular actual fitness And this we see here in the five wise Virgins who are found in their midnight-sleep with Lamps that have need of trimming at the coming of Christ Thus Hezekiah was fit to dye as to a general and habitual fitness in that he could assert his sincerity before God when the message of death was brought him but he was to seek of a particular actual fitness in that he begs for longer life with prayers and plenty of tears The Message of Death awaked him and the holy man is startled and hath his Lamp to trim for the tidings of his death at hand was as much in effect as if it had been said unto him by the Prophet Behold the Bridegroom cometh go forth Hezekiah to meet him The nature of his distemper which some by the remedy a lump of Figs applied to the Bile conceive to have been the Pestilence and this considered with the shortness and sharpness of the Message and the Prophet Isaiah's quick abrupt departure from him that the King had then no Heir to succeed him in the Throne and also that he was now at the full strength of Nature being but nine and thirty years of age and his fear also what might become of his Kingdom and of his former Reformation after the grand Apostasie of his Father Ahaz I say these considerations made him to apprehend that there was a rebuke of God in this present Dispensation and therefore he is loth to dye under a temporal frown albeit his a vowed integrity would at the worst have seen him safe at heaven For though a Child of God cannot dye in his debt yet he is unwilling to depart under the sense of his temporal displeasure so as the good Prophet did whom the Lion slew at his return from Bethel to Judah 2 Kings 13.24 When David therefore was under God's rebukes for sin and even almost consumed with the blow of his hand he betakes himself as Hezekiah did to prayers and tears saith he Psal 39.10 11. to the end Hear my prayer O Lord and give ear to my Cry hold not thy peace at my tears for I am a stranger with thee and a Sojourner as all my Fathers were O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence and be no more Thus you see that the dear Children of God who have a general and habitual fitness to meet Jesus Christ when he is coming to them by Death and Judgment may yet be to seek of a particular actual preparation 2. Before I come to the answer of the Question let me premise this also That though a state of Grace is here supposed seeing Grace cannot be exercised where it is not yet there may be need to have it cleared inasmuch as the want thereof is a great hinderance in the way of this Duty You know that one that feareth God and obeyeth the voice of his Servant Jesus Christ may yet walk in darkness and see no light Isa 50.10 and he may say with Jonah he is cast out of God's sight and his soul is filled with troubles when his life draweth nigh unto the Grave wherefore let your eye be not only on your Lamp but also on your Vessel and examine your Oyl as well as mind your light For though you have received an Vnction from the Holy One and felt the sweet influences of the Spirit and have had the witness in your self yet the Comforter which sometimes relieved your Soul may at the present be far from you and suspend his testimony for Grace inherent is not self-enlightning but like the Moon which holdeth forth Light no longer than the Sun shineth upon it and though the Diall hath its Lines and Figures to declare the time of the day yet you will be to seek if the Sun withdraw hiâ— Light Even thus though the Spirit of God hath drawn the Lines and Figures of his Gifts and Graces in your heart yet if he also do not shine upon them you will not know what
conformity with the will of God which is the highest liberty where the x 2 Cor. 3.17 spirit of the Lord is there is liberty It is a poor liberty that consists in an indifferency Do not the Saints in heaven love God freely yet they cannot but love him As the only Efficient cause of our loving God is God himself so the only procuring cause of our loving God is Jesus Christ that Son of the Father's love who by his Spirit implants and actuates this grace of love which he hath merited for us Christ hath a Col. 1.20 made peace through the blood of his Cross Christ hath as well merited this grace of love for us as he hath merited the reward of glory for us Plead therefore Dear Christians the merit of Christ for the inflaming your hearts with the love of God that when I shall direct to rules and means how you may come to love God you may as well address your selves to Christ for the grace of love as for the pardon of your want of love hitherto Bespeak Christ in some such but far more pressing language Lord thou hast purchased the grace of love for those that want and crave it my love to God is chill do thou warm it my love is divided Lord do thou unite it I cannot love God as he deserves O that thou would'st help me to love him more than I can desire Lord make me sick of love and then cure me Lord make me in this as comfortable to thy self as 't is possible for an adopted Son to be like the Natural that I may be a Son of God's love both actively and passively and both as near as it is possible infinitely Let 's therefore address our selves to the use of all those means and helps whereby love to God is b Fovetur augetur excitatur exeritur nourished encreased excited and exerted I will begin with removing the impediments we must clear away the rubbish e're we can so much as lay the Foundation Impediment 1. Self-love Impediments of our love to God this the Apostle names as Captain general of the Devil's Army whereby titular Christians manage their enmity against God in the dregs of the last dayes this will make the times dangerous Men shall be lovers of their own c 2 Tim. 3.1 2. selves When men over-esteem themselves their own endowments of either body or mind when they have a secret reserve for self in all they do self-applause or self-profit this is like an errour in the first concoction get your hearts discharg'd of it or you can never be spiritually healthful the best of you are too prone to this I would therefore commend it to you to be jealous of your selves in this particular for as conjugal-jealousie is the bane of conjugal love so self-jealousie will be the bane of self-love Be suspicious of every thing that may steal away or divert your love from God Imped 2. Love of the world this is so great an obstruction that the most loving and best beloved Disciple that Christ had said (d) 1 Joh. 2.15 love not the world nor the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him and the Apostle James makes use of a Metaphor (e) Jam. 4.4 calling them Adulterers and Adulteresses that keep not their conjugal love to God tight from leaking out toward the world he chargeth them as if they knew nothing in Religion if they knew not this that the friendship with the world is enmity with God and 't is an universal truth without so much as one exception that whosoever will be a friend of the world must needs upon that very account be God's enemy the Apostle Paul adds more weight to those that are e'en press'd to Hell already (f) 1 Tim. 6.9 10 11. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves thorow with many sorrows but thou O man of God flee these things c. when men will be some-body in the world they will have Estates and they will have honours and they will have pleasures what variety of vexatious distractions do unavoidably hinder our love to God when our hearts are hurried with hopes and fears about worldly things and the world hath not wherewithall to satisfie us how doth the heart fret under its disappointments and how can it do otherwise we would have happiness here Sirs I 'le offer you fair name me but one man that ever found a compleat happiness in the world and I dare promise you shall be the second but if you will flatter your self with dreams of impossibilities this your way will be your folly though 't is like your posterity will approve your sayings (g) Psal 49.13 and try experiments while they live as you have done but where 's your love to God all this while 't is excluded by what Law by the Law of Sin and Death by the love of the world and destruction for Christ tells us all that hate him love death (h) Prov. 8.36 Imped 3. Spiritual sloath and carelessness of Spirit when men do not trouble themselves about Religion nor any thing that is serious Love is a busie passion a busie grace love among the passions is like Fire among the Elements Love among the Graces is like the Heart among the Members now that which is most contrary to the nature of love must needs most obstruct the highest actings of it the truth is a careless frame of Spirit is fit for nothing a sluggish lazy slothful careless person never attains to any excellency in any kind what is it you would intrust a lazy person about let me say this and pray think on 't twice e're you censure it once Spiritual sloath doth Christians more mischief than scandalous relapses I grant their grosser falls may be worse as to others the grieving of the Godly and the hardning of the wicked and the Reproach to Religion must needs be so great as may make a gracious heart tremble at the thought of falling but yet as to themselves a sloathful temper is far more prejudicial e. g. those gracious persons that fall into any open sin 't is but once or seldom in their whole life and their repentance is ordinarily as notorious as their sin and they walk more humbly and more watchfully ever after whereas Spiritual sloath runs through the whole course of our life to the marring of every duty to the strengthning of every sin and to the weakning of every grace Sloath I may rather call it unspiritual sloath is a soft moth in our spiritual wardrobe a corroding rust in our spiritual Armory an enfeebling consumption in the very vitals of Religion Sloath and
carelessness without an Epithete bare sloath without any thing to aggravate it ordinarily doth the Soul more hurt than all the Devils in hell yea than all its other sins Shake off this and then you will be more than Conquerors over all other difficulties shake off this and there is but one sin that I can think of at present that you 'l be in danger of and that 's spiritual pride You 'l thrive so fast in all grace you 'l grow up into so much communion with God that unless God sometimes withdraw to keep you humble you will have a very Heaven upon Earth Imped 4. The love of any sin whatsoever the love of God and the love of any Sin can no more mix together than Iron and Clay every Sin strikes at the being of God (i) Deicidium The very best of Saints may possibly fall into the very worst of pardonable Sins but the least of Saints get above the love of the least of Sins we are ready to question Gods love unto us as Dalilah did Sampson's love to her if he do not gratifie us in all we have a mind to but how could Dalilah pretend love to Sampson while she comply'd with his mortal enemy against him how can you pretend to love God while you hide Sin his enemy in your hearts as it was with the grand-child of Athaliah (k) 2 King 11.1 2 c. stoln from among those that were slain and hidden though unable at present to disturb her e're long procures her ruine so any Sin as it were stoln from the other Sins to be preserv'd from Mortification will certainly procure the ruine of that Soul that hides it can you hide your Sin from the search of the Word and forbear your Sin while under the smart of affliction and seem to fall out with Sin when under gripes of Conscience and return to Sin as soon as the storm is over never pretend to love God God sees through your pretences and abhors your hypocrisie (l) Job 34.21 22. His eyes are upon the ways of man and he seeth all his goings there 's no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Come Sirs let me deal plainly with you you are shameful strangers to your own heart if you do not know which is your darling Sin or Sins and you are Traytors to your own Souls if you do not endeavour a through Mortification and you are wilful Rebels against God if you do in the least indulge it never boggle at the Psalmist's counsel (m) Psal 97.10 ye that love the Lord hate evil Imped 5. Inordinate love of things lawful and in some respect here 's our greatest danger here persons have Scripture to plead for their love to several persons and things that it is a duty to bestow some love upon them and the meer stones are not so plainly set as easily to discern the utmost bounds of what is lawful and the first step into what is sinful and here having some plausible pretences for the parcelling out of their love they plead not guilty though they love not God with all their hearts souls and minds whereas they should consider that the best of the world is not for enjoyment but use not our end but means conducing to our chief end Here 's our sin and our misery our foolish transplacing of end and means Men make it their end to eat and drink and get estates and injoy their delights and what respect they have to God I know not whether to call love or Service they shew it but as means to flatter God to gratifie them in their pitiful ends Having warned you of some of the chief Impediments I shall propose some means to engage your hearts in love to God which you may confidently expect to be effectual through the operation of the Holy Ghost and you may likewise expect the operation of the Spirit in the use of such means The means are either Directing Promoting or Conserving Means to attain love to God 1. Directing and that is Spiritual Knowledge this is beyond what can be spoken in its commendation A clear and distinct knowledge of the love and loveliness of God in the amazing yet ravishing methods of its manifestations and the clear understanding of the heavenly priviledge of having our hearts inflam'd with love to God this will do I would fain perswade you to try I am not able to say how much to direct you in this case plainly get and exercise this twofold knowledge 1. The knowledge of Spiritual things did we but perfectly know the Nature of the most contemptible insect nay did we but know the Nature of Atoms this would lead us to admire and love God but then to know those things that no graceless person in the world cares for the knowledge of e. g. the inward workings of Original Sin and how to undermine it the powerful workings of the Spirit of grace and how to improve it what are the joys of the Holy Ghost and how to obtain them would not such things insinuate the love of God into you add then 2. The knowledge of ordinary things in a Spiritual manner so as to make the knowledge of Natural things serve Heavenly designs Thus Christ in all the Metaphors in all the Parables he used To value no knowledge any further than it is reducible to such an use this would lead us into the loving of God Thus I name but one directing means promoting means are various not but that Spiritual knowledge doth singularly promote the love of God but it 's proper work lyes in directing The several things I shall name for inward means your way of managing must make them so 1. Self-denyal this is so necessary that no other grace can supply the want of it It is among the graces of the Soul as among the members of the Body one member may supply the want of another the defect of the Lungs may be supplied by other parts The want of prudence may be supplied with Gospel-simplicity which looks like quite another thing but nothing can supply our want of love to God nor can any thing supply our want of Self-denyal in order to our loving of God We can never have n Fo◠fotidissimus suo 〈◊〉 horribilissimum stercus vermis nequis simus Bonavent stimul Amor. p 153. too low thoughts of ourselves provided we do not neglect our duty and let go our hold of Christ Those very things that not only we may love but we must love 't is our duty to love them and our sin not to love them yet all these must be denyed when they dare to stand in competition with our love to God o Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Christ would have us count what Religion will cost us
taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Again O let not the Lord be angry and I will speak (z) Psal 89.7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Methinks that passage of Christ to his Disciples with the circumstance of time when he spake it just upon the most servile action of his life may for ever keep an awe upon our hearts (a) Joh. 13 12 13. Know ye what I have done unto you Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am When God deals most familiarly with us as with friends let us carry it reverently as becomes servants 3. Obedience to the commands of God and to those commands which would never be obeyed but out of love to God (b) 1 Joh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous e. g. to obey those commands that are unpleasing and troublesome Those commands that thwart our carnal reason and so part with things present for the hopes of that we never saw 1 Joh. 2.5 nor any man living that told us of them Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby we know that we are in him Once more hear what Christ saith He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him Joh. 14.21 23 And again if any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 4. Resignation of our selves to God whereby we devote our selves wholly to God to be wholly his (e) quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be every way disposed of as he pleaseth (f) 2 Cor. 5.14 15. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them c. This resignation is like that in the conjugal relation it debars so much as treating with any other it as it were proclaims an irreconcileable hatred to any that would partake of any such love God doth not deal with us as with slaves but takes us into that relation which speaks most delight and happiness and we are never more our own than when we are most absolutely his 5. Adhesion and cleaving unto God in every case and in every condition (g) Psal 63.7 8. in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce my soul followeth hard after thee Methinks we may say of the law concerning (h) Deut. 22.6 birds what the Apostle saith of the law concerning oxen doth God take care of birds for our sakes no doubt 't is written to instruct us against cruelty but may we not learn a further lesson the bird was safe while on her nest our onely safety is with God Now to cleave to God in all conditions not onely when we fly to him as our onely refuge in our pressures but in our highest prosperity and outward happiness when we have many things to take to whence the world expects happiness this is a fruit of great and humble love this demonstrates an undervaluing of the world and a voluntary choosing of God this is somewhat like heavenly love 6. Tears and sighes through desires and joys when the spiritual love-sick soul would in some such but an unexpressable manner breath out it's sorrows and joys into the bosom of God Lord why thus loving to me and why is my heart no more overcome with divine love those that never receiv'd so much from thee love thee more O I am weary of my want of love O I am weary of my distance from God! O I am weary of my unspiritual frame we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life i Here when the heart is ready to dye away through excess of love 2 Cor 5.4 't is passionately complaining of defects Dear Lord what shall I say what shall I do what shall I render O for more endearing communications of Divine love O for more answerable returns of love to God! Thus much of effects as to God The onely effect I shall name as to us is a seeking of heaven and things above with contempt of the world and all worldly excellencies One that loves God thinks he can never do enough in heavenly employments A person that abounds in love to God is too apt to neglect secondary duties which are in their places necessary they are apt to justle out one duty with another e.g. those duties wherein they have most sensible communion with God bear down lesser duties before them whereas could we keep within Scripture-bounds and mind every duty according to it's moment then this is an excellent effect of divine love e. g. to be afraid of worldly enjoyments lest they should steal the heart from God yet at the same time not to dare to omit any worldly duty lest I should prove partial in the work of Christianity To make conscience of the least duties because no sin is little but to be proportionably careful of the greatest duties lest I should prove an hypocrite such a carriage is an excellent effect of divine love this is fruit that none who are not planted near the tree of life can bear Mutual effects are these and such like as these 1. Vnion with God Union is the foundation of communion and communion is the exercise of union The Spirit of God is the immediate efficient cause of this union and faith is the internal instrument on our part but love is the internal instrument both on God's part and ours (k) Eph. 3.17 Christ dwells in our hearts by faith we being rooted and grounded in love This union is most immediately with Christ and through him with the Father and Holy Ghost It is an amazing and comfortable truth that our union with Christ does much resemble the personal union of the two natures in Christ I grant 't is unlike it in more considerations because of the transcendency of the mystery but yet there 's some resemblance e. g. the Humane Nature in Christ is destitute of it's subsistence and personality by it's union with and it's assumption to the divine so the gracious soul hath no kind of denomination but what it hath from its union with Christ It 's gracious being is bound up in its union with Christ Other men can live without Christ but so cannot the gracious soul Again in Christ there 's a communication of properties that is thâ—t which
yea drink abundantly O beloved q. d. Thou shalt no sooner ask than be answer'd I accept thy graces and duties thy bitter repentance and thy fragrant holiness they are most sweet to me notwithstanding their imperfections and ye O my Friends whether blessed Angels or gracious Souls do you chear your selves with the same spiritual dainties wherewith I am refreshed This is much but there is more in the next expression I shall name (w) Cant. 6.5 Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me q. d. I am ravish'd and vanquish'd by thy fixed eye of faith in short see the Spouse's closing request (y) Cant. 8.14 Make hast my beloved and be thou like to a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of Spices q. d. as I began this Song my dearest Saviour with passionate desires of thy first coming by the Preaching of the Gospel so though I thankfully praise thee for all the communion I have had with thee yet I cannot my Lord but more passionately long for thy glorious coming to take me with thee from these bottoms of death and valleys of tears to those eternal heights where nothing springs but life and glory that instead of this Song I may sing a new one to the Lamb and to him that sits upon the Throne unto all eternity Thus but in a far more Seraphick manner than I am able to express the Soul-loving God as the God-loving Soul (z) Zeph. 3.17 are rejoycing in each other with joy till they rest in each other's love In short the Soul that loves God is never so well as when most immediately with him and while there 's any distance many a love-glance passeth between God and the Soul even in the greatest croud of business and diversions 4. A putting a love-interpretation upon all things God looks upon the very miscarriages of those whom he loves as their infirmities and puts a better interpretation upon them than they dare do themselves (a) Mark 14 37 â—8 40. The Disciples slept when Christ bade them watch they wist not what to answer him Christ himself excuseth it better than they could in saying the spirit truly is ready but the flesh is weak And the loving Soul is as loath to take any thing ill at the hands of God when 't is never so bad with the Soul he blesseth God that it is no worse God and the loving Soul do those things towards each other which nothing but love can put a good interpretation upon the truth is without love 't were intollerable e. g. God requires that Service of the gracious Soul that he requires of no other viz. to bless God when persecuted to rejoyce in tribulations to hope against hope c. God puts the Soul that loves him upon those trials that he puts upon no other viz. Those chastisements from himself those reproaches from men those buffetings from Satan which are peculiar to Saints but the Soul heartily loveth God under all these Again the Soul grows upon God in prayer and the more it receives from God the more insatiable it is and God loves the Soul the better for it When afflictions are extream those that love God put the affliction upon the account of God's faithfulness On the other hand when the poor Soul is foil d and Satan runs with the tidings of it to set God against him God pities the Soul Zech. 3.1 2. c. and rates the Accuser And he shewed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him and the Lord said to Satan the Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee Joshua was cloathed with filthy garments take away the filthy garments from him c. Here 's Joshua the High Priest while executing his Office in offering Sacrifices and Prayers for the people Satan arraigns him as a Prisoner at the Bar and the accusation being true and vehement Satan takes the upper hand but now Jesus Christ as well the Patron as the Judge of Saints cuts him short with a vehement reproof and tells him those sins could not make void that choice which they could not at first hinder and farther Christ as it were tells him they had been severely punished half burnt and wasted by the heat of Gods displeasure and would he now re-kindle that fire No Satan thy charge is as it were thrown out of the Court his sins shall be pardoned his graces multiplyed and upon the well-discharging of his office he shall have places to walk among them that stand by Alluding to the walks and galleries about the Temple q. d. Thou shalt walk with these glorious Angels they shall be thy Companions and Guardians where Satan hath no place So that Christ loves a Soul the more not the less for Satan's accusations To all these effects add these Concomitants or those things that have agreement with or are near of kin to Divine Love which do not really differ from it only express some part or manner of it In short 't is love under some other form or notion I shall only mention two Concomitants 1. Devotion which is an absolute delivering up of our selves to Gods Worship and Service so as by no flatteries or dangers to be diverted (e) 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all Herein lyes the strength of Religion and the spiritual pleasure of it herein the Soul can say with some kind of triumph (f) Isa 12.2 3. Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and Song he also is become my Salvation Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation Christians we must not only be barely frequent in religious actions but we must act as those that are given up to God we must mind the fervour of Religion We must be exceeding watchful over out thoughts to keep them from vanity and over our affections to keep them from entanglement I would therefore commend it to you to single out every morning some short passages of Scripture or some encouraging promise that hath affected you to roll in your minds or to lye upon your hearts all day to maintain this holy fervour nothing works and keeps such an impression upon the heart as Scripture 2. The other concomitant is Zeal which is the most intense degree of desire and endeavour to please and honour God 'T is the boiling up of the affections to the greatest heat this must be the companion of every grace now Zeal is exprest against sin or in duty In the exercise of Zeal against sin I beg of you to observe this Rule viz. Whatever act of Zeal you express towards others double it first upon your selves whatever evil you reprove or would reform in others be doubly strict against it in your selves
is so far from forsaking God that he will forsake all things for God yet he may till he recollect himself be more moved with some petty loss In short he may have some violent Gust of Affection after other things but the constant breathings of his Soul is after God 2. We must distinguish between the solidity of our Love and the flashiness of it between a superficial and a lasting Joy e. g. A Covetous man may laugh more when he is tickled than when you give him a thousand pound but he is a thousand times more joyful of his thousand pound than of his being tickled The Souls love to God is Well rooted (b) Eph. 3.18 As a sick man is pleased with one that will sit with him and alleviate his pains by diversion but he is more pleased with that man that shall cure him While our Souls are in a sickly frame we are pleased a little with variety of Diversions but we soon see their emptiness and charge our Souls to return unto God for a perfect cure 3. We must distinguish between our spiritual love and our sensible love while we live in this world such is our weakness through the remainders of Sin and imperfection of Grace that our Animal and Vital spirits are more affected with sensible things than with spiritual The things of the World are neer to us and we cannot live without them but yet he that loves God never sayes upon the Enjoyment of them (c) Luk. 12 i9 Soul take thine ease Oh no he is angry and grieved that he is at all pleased about such things 2. Complaint I hope I am not wholly destitute of this excellent Grace yet I am afraid to own that I have it Is it impossible to get my Heart above this uncomfortable uncertainty O that my heart were more raised and fixed above this anxious temper I 'le close all with an Essay to answer this Complaint onely premise Let not any thing that shall or can be spoken be wrested to give the least encouragement imaginable to any thing of Sin take heed you do not upon any account gratifie your sloth or indifferency of spirit or any sins of Omission keep off this Rock and then thy solicitude about thy fickleness gives thee grounds of hope to get above it Take therefore these short Directions how to get and keep the most certain constant comfortable spiritual frame of Divine love that is to be had upon Earth 1. Keep a severe Watch against all sins yet give not way to drooping Fears because of unavoidable infirmities (d) Psal 130 3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared 2. Observe your own temper what it is that most draws out your love to any person or thing in this world and improve that very inducement to love God (e) Cant. 5.16 He is altogether lovely that is Imagine or name any thing that is most desirable most worthy to be loved and admired and that 's he 3. Endeavour to love God out of Duty when to your own apprehension you cannot love him out of Grace I would commend this to you for all your gracious carriage towards God and for all the kindness you would receive from God e. g. Repent as 't is a duty even while you fear you want the Grace of Repentance Believe as 't is a duty while you think you cannot act Faith as a Grace So justifie God i. e. acknowledge God to be Righteous though he condemn you when you fear God will not justifie you Sanctifie God i. e. celebrate God's Holiness when you fear he 'l not sanctifie you i. e. not make you holy So set your selves to love God i. e. take heed you do not offend him do all you can to please him take up with nothing on this side himself In short Let God find you in a way of Duty and you 'l find God in a way of Grace 4. Study Christ What Divine love we either receive or return 't is through Christ You may look for encouragement from Christ for every thing but Sin In every thing have recourse to Christ (f) Col. 2.10 for the performance of every Duty for the attaining of every Grace when you fear Grace is withering Christ will revive it (g) Cant. 3.10 In a word pray and strive that you may feel what it is for Christ to be all in all Christians practically mind these four Directions and they will be as the Wheels of Christ's Chariot that 's pav'd with Love to bring his Beloved to Glory How ought we to love our Neighbours as our selves Serm. II. Math. 22.39 Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self THE Apostle bids us consider Christ Heb. 12 3. who indured (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emphati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posuit declarans magnitudinem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aretius such that is so great contradiction of sinners against himself It was from a great spirit of this kind that his adversaries used to propose so many captious questions to him We find him no less than three times opposed in this one chapter First by the disciples of the Pharisees and the (b) Forsitan in populo tunc qui dicebant oportere dare tributum Caesari vocabantur Herodiani ab his qui hoc facere recusabant Vide Drus com ad voces N. T. L. De Dieu Herodians about the lawfulness of giving tribute unto Caesar again the same day by the Sadduces with a question about the resurrection which they denied When he had so well acquitted himself of both these that the first marvelled and left him and the last were put to silence behold he is again set upon by the Pharisees who seem to have chosen out one of their number to oppose him with a question Then one of them which was a Lawyer asked him a question tempting him ver 35. The same person is by another Evangelist called a Scribe Mark 12.28 One of the Scribes came c. There were two sorts of Scribes among the Jews viz. Scribes of the People who were Actuaries in and about matters of publick concernment and Scribes of the Law whose business was to read and interpret the Law of God unto them such a one was Ezra who is said to be a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses Ezra 7.6 and upon this account they are said to sit in Moses's seat of this last sort was the person in the Text Math. 23.2 as plainly appears by joyning both Evangelists together Mark says he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the Scribes Matthew says he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lawyer if we put them both together they say he was a Scribe of the Law And the question that he tempted Christ with is concerning the Law Master Luke 2.46.47 which is the great Commandment in the Law v. 36. He who was able at
of that which is our duty is hardly discerned by us yet there is no man whom the light of nature doth not move to love himself we find a Law of self Preservation stampt upon the whole creation of God it is plainly to be seen in all the Creatures whether animate or inanimate and in man in a special manner To this end God hath placed affections in mans Soul that he might use them as feet to carry him forth readily to that which is good and from that which is evil or hurtful to him Hence it is that when any thing is represented as good there is not only an inclination to it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pursuing of it when evil and destructive there is not only an aversation but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a flight from it It is said of the prudent man that he foreseeth the evil and hideth himself and of Noah that being moved with fear he prepared an ark And even Christ himself who was altogether void of sin when they sought to destroy him withdrew himself as he did hide himself at another time when they took up stones to cast at him thus he did till the hour was come John 10.18 when he was to lay down his life according to a command that he had received from the Father 2. Although there be no direct and express command saying Thou shalt love thy self yet all the Commands of God do vertually and implicitely enjoyn it No man can comply with that first and great command of loving God with all his heart (g) Diligere Deâ—m est diligere se ergo cum precipitur ut Deum diligâ—mus praecipitur eidem operà ut no metipsos dilâ—â—â—mus Davenantius Psal 19.11 but in so doing he loves himself because in the fruition of God is a mans greatest happiness The like may be said of every other commandment in proportion for as it is good in it self so it will be found to be good for us David had experience of it when he said that in the keeping of them there was great reward And when he prayed that as God was good and did good he would teach him his statutes Yea all the promises and threatnings in the book of God do suppose that man May and Should love himself in the Promises God sheweth us something that is good for us and so draweth us to himself by the cords of a man when he Threatens he shews us something that is evil and bids us fly from present wrath or wrath to come whether he threatens or promiseth it is that we chuse the good and refuse the evil I have set before you life and death Deut. 30.19 blessing and Cursing therefore chuse life It is the will of God that every man should make the (h) Non tam Lex tibi ô homo qâ—à m tu Legi adâ—ersaris â—â—ò 〈◊〉 p o 〈◊〉 est tu conâ—ra illam â—ec contra illam tantùm â—ed eâ—iam cont a re Salv. de Guber Dei lib. 4. Luk 18.19 best choice for himself and every man doth so when he is regulated in it by the will of God the sum which is this that we love him above all and our neighbour as our selves 3. We come now in the third place to lay down four short conclusions about our love to God our Neighbour and our selves 1. Conclu The first is this that as God is to be loved above all things else so he is to be loved for himself There is none good but one that is God None originally independently essentially and immutably good but he and therefore he only is to be loved for himself It was well said by one of the Ancients (i) Bernardus Causa diligendi Deum Deus est modus sine modo diligere The cause of loving God is God himself The measure is to love him without measure 2. Conclu That Creatures may be loved according to that degree of goodness which God hath communicated to them not for themselves but for God Prov. 16.4 who made all things for himself As all waters come from the Sea and go through many places and countries not resting any where till they return to the Sea again So our love if it be right hath its rise in God acts towards several Creatures in due manner and measure but rests in God at last bringing into him all the Glory of that goodness which he hath derived to the Creatures 1 Cor. 10.31 Whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God We may neither love our selves nor our neighbours for our or themselves (k) Amor fruendi quibuscunque crea uris sine amore Câ—eatoris non est à Deo August contra Jul. lib. 4. but for God that God in all things may be glorified I do not say that in every act of love we put forth it is necessary that we actually mind the glory of God but that our hearts be habitually disposed and framed to glorifie God in all 3. Conclu No man can love himself or his neighbour aright while he remains in a state of sin until a man come to himself he cannot love himself or any other man as he ought the reason is manifest from what was said before l Amor Dei quo pervenitur ad Deum non est nisi à Deo Patre per Jesum Christum eum Spiritu Sancto August contr Jul. lib. 4. Gal. 5.22 Eph. 6.23 He doth not he cannot love either in God and for God when the Prodigal came to himself and not till then he said I will return to my Father Love is a fruit of the Spirit and therefore is never found in any who are destitute of the Spirit The grace of Love flows from Faith and therefore the Apostle prayed for the Ephesians that they might have faith and love from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ 4. Conclu The most gracious souls on earth though they may and do love God themselves and their Neighbours truly and sincerely yet by reason of the relicts of corruption in their hearts there are many m Qualis est fidei habitus talis est charitatis si fideihabitus esset perfectus Charitatis habitus esset etiam perfectus Camero 1 Thess 3.10 defects in their love to God and much inordinacy in their love to themselves and to their Neighbour As there is always something lacking in our Faith so also in our love We come now to the Question How ought we to love our Neighbour as our selves For the resolution of this question we shall first lay down these two general propositions 1. In the same things wherein we shew love to our selves we ought to shew love to our Neighbour 2. After the same manner that we love our selves we ought to love our Neighbour First In and by the things that we do and may shew love to our selves we ought to shew love to others It is not possible to enumerate all the
so he must minister the same to the souls and bodies of others 1 Pet. 4.10 Jam. 2.15.16 1 Joh. â— 13 If a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them Go in peace he you warmed and filled notwithstanding you give them not the things that are needful to the body what doth it profit A man would find little profit in it himself if he should feed himself only with good words and wishes True love is not in Word and Tongue only but in Deed and in Truth Contrary to this endeavouring others good is to stand up in the way and stop the passage wherein good should flow in upon them and to be (a) Invidentia est aeg iâ—udo iuscepta p opter alterius res secundas quae nihil nocent invidenti Cic. Tuâ—t qu. l. 4. envious at the prosperity of others if they be able without our help to attain it Many men think themselves not well unless it be ill with others (b) Novum ac inaestimabile nunc in plutimis malum est parum alicui est si ipse sit felix nisi alter sec in infelix Salvianus de Gub. Dei it is not enough for them to be happy unless they see their brethren miserable 2. We have seen now in what things we do and may shew love to our selves we come now to speak of the manner of loving our selves and to shew that after the same manner we ought to love others also 1. We do or should love our selves holily i. e. in and for God we may not have a divided interest from God though God allows us to love our selves it must be in order to him and to his Glory Our love to our selves as it must be regulated by the will of God and extended or restrained according to that So God must be our utmost end in it whether it be exercised about the obtaining things temporal or spiritual for body or soul Salvation it self although it be our end must not be our last or utmost end but that God by it as by all things else may be glorified Therefore in this manner we must love others as God hath an interest in them and is or may be glorified by them and there is no man in the world but God is or may be glorified by him Every man is a creature upon whose Soul there is in a sort the Image of God and doth him some service in the place wherein he stands Isa 44.28 and 45.1 God calleth Cyrus a heathen his Shepherd and his Anointed and he did him eminent service in his generation The same may be said of every other man in some degree and proportion God hath given him some gifts whereby he is and may be serviceable to him at least in the affairs of his providential kingdom Besides all men having immortal souls within them are capable of blessedness with God for ever in the kingdom of Glory they who are at present enemies to God may be reconciled and made friends what was the most glorious Saint now in heaven but an enemy to God once when here on earth We our selves saith the Apostle were sometime foolish disobedient deceived Tit. 33.4 serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Obj. How could David then say do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am I not grieved with these that rise up against thee Psal 139.21.22 I hate them with a perfect hatred He says that he hated them perfectly and approves himself to God in the thing Do not I hate them O Lord Ans There is a twofold hatred Odium simplex Odium redundans in personam as the Schooles speak a simple hatred and a hatred redounding to the person A simple hatred which is of the Sin of any man is our duty Psal 97.10 ye that love the Lord hate evil but to hate the Person of the sinner would be our sin as we are to abhor that which is evil Rom. 12.9 so we must cleave to that which is good David who was a man after Gods own heart knew how to distinguish between the sin and the person See how he expresseth himself elsewhere I hate the work of them that turn aside not them but the work of them Psal 101.3 he hated their sin saying it shall not cleave to me Hear him again I hate every false way this shews us plainly Psal 119.104 that he hated sin perfectly he hated sin so as that it should not cleave to him he hated it where ever he found it Every false way For what is perfect hatred Austin describes it very well He est perfecto odio odisse ut nec homines propter vitia oderis nec vitia propter homines diligas This is to hate with perfect hatred not to hate men for their Sins sake nor to love the sin for the mens sake This is one manner how we ought to love our Neighbour as our selves it must be holily 2. Our love to our selves is or should be orderly we must first and chiefly love our souls and then our bodies The Soul is of far greater worth than the body A world of things for the body will stand a man in no stead if his soul be lost and where the soul goes either to a place of bliss or torment the body must follow after and therefore when we are charged to take heed to our selves we are charged to keep our souls diligently only take heed to thy self Deut. 4 9. and keep thy soul diligently if the soul be safe all is safe if the soul be lost all is lost In like manner we ought to love our Neighbour we must desire and endeavour that it may be well with him in every respect both as to his body and outward estate but chiefly that his Soul may prosper and his outward concerns as they may be consistent with that third Epistle John ver 2. I wish above all things that thou mayst prosper and be in health as thy soul prospereth 1. We must seek the conversion of those that are unconverted lest their souls be lost for ever If we can be instrumental in this we shew the greatest love imaginable to give a man bread when he is hungry or cloathing when he is naked is somthing but to convert a soul to God is a greater kindness by much Brethren Jam. 5 19.20 if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death He speaks of it as a great thing when he says Let him know that he
drinking recreations or unclean objects What (b) Laâ—rtius in Empedoc Empedocles said of the Agragantines holds too true of many now adays They give themselves to Luxury as though they would die tomorrow and yet they build houses as if they were to live for ever O! how happy would it be for England if those Sumptuary Laws commended by Plato (c) Plato Repub 3. in his Commonwealth were establisht amongst us for regulating our excesses in feasts Habits Houses and other sensual pleasures O! what seeds and causes of sorrow are there in sensual pleasures How is the Love of sensual Sinners inveigled with the worlds Golden Pleasures Such there were in the Apostles times even in the Churches So Jam. 5.5 Ye have lived in Pleasures i. e. as the Fish liveth in the water Pleasures have been your Element the food of your sensual life your hearts have been steeped immersed drowned in them as the spring of your life and happiness Thence it follows Ye have nourished your hearts as in the day of slaughter Or we may by a metonomie read it as in the day of Feasting So the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred And so it alludes to the Solemn Feasts after Sacrifices so common among the (d) See court of the Gent. part 1. Book 2. c. 9. Sect. 10. Gentiles as well as Jews Their great days both of slaughter and Feasting For when the sacrifice was slain and offered they Feasted on part thereby to denote their communion with the God they sacrificed unto And so the sense is this you nourish your sensual Appetites daily with Feasting as those that feast on part of the Sacrifice in the day of slaughter O! how much doth this pampering of the flesh tend to the starving of the soul And what is this but to make pleasures our God So Phil. 3.19 whose belly is their God and 2 Tim. 3.4 lovers of pleasures more than of God Which refers to sensual professors in these last perillous days Unto which also our Lord seems to refer Matth. 24.38 39. 2 To love the world is to lust after Riches for themselves as our Last end and choicest Good This John includes under the Lust of the Eyes which is well interpreted by that Character which Solomon gives of the avaricious man Eccle. 4.8 neither is his eye satisfied with Riches O! how greedy is the covetous man's eye after gold and silver and other Riches and what Complacence doth he take in the view thereof It 's true Riches do not immediately affect or pamper the flesh yet are they the Caterers of the flesh they lay in provision for it For money is the measure of all things And albeit Riches are remote as to the flesh yet are they the proper object of the eyes lusting which takes in things remote 3 To love the World is to lust after or pride our selves in any worldly Grandeur or Finite Excellencc as our Last end and best good So much the pride of life denotes Aristoteles Rhet. l. 2. describeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When any boast what they have and rashly promise great things of themselves arrogating to themselves the deeds of others For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 primarily signifies a vain gloriation or boasting of having or doing great things from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Boaster which Grammarians derive from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wandring and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 liver Such as your Mountebanks and Vagabonds are who go from place to place boasting what great things they can do It here signifies a vain-glorious affecting or assuming to our selves some created excellence as the chief matter of our happiness This is the great lust of more elevated refined generous Spirits who peradventure scorn to defile themselves with sensual pleasures or Riches yet are not without violent and impetuous lustings after some worldly Grandeur or humane Excellence Under this pride of life we may comprehend also the mind's lusting after Knowledge or any other Mental perfection for it self as our last end Jans August Tom. 2. l. 2. c. 8. fol. 132. which is the grand lust of Philosophers School-men and other great wits of the world This Jansenius rangeth under the former particular the lust of the eye 2. Prop. Predominant Love to the world in regard of its subject consists in an habitual pondus weight or violent Bent of heart toward some inferior good for it self Look as in nature there is a Centre of Gravity unto which all ponderous weighty bodies by their Gravity and weight naturally tend So in corrupt Nature Love to the world or Concupiscence is that lustful Pondus or weight whereby the heart is violently impelled and inclined towards the world as its centre of Gravity This seems lively exprest Hebr. 12.1 Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us This verse with the three following are wholly agonistick alluding to the Grecian games as it appears by the several terms They who ran in the race were to lay aside every thing that might burden or hinder them therein Thence saith the Apostle let us lay aside every weight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies a ponderous weighty gross heavy body and it is here applied as (e) Grotius and Hammond out of him the learned conceive to the love of the world which as a great pondus or weight presseth down the heart towards the earth as its centre of gravity and so hinders its Christian race heaven-ward O! what an infinite weight is love to this dirty world with what an impetuous and violent force doth it press the heart downward even unto Hell this also is well expressed by a Bent Hos 11.7 And my people are bent to back-bsliding from me i. e. Their heart stands strongly bent towards their beloved Idols and worldly allies Their hearts were in suspence as to God so the word signifies but strongly bent towards the world How doth the voluptuous man's heart stand bent towards his pleasures the avaricious man's heart towards his riches the ambitious man's heart towards his honors as his God this bent of the heart towards the world discovers it self in an insatiable infinite thirst after worldly good for it self This we find greatly exemplified in profane Esau Hebr. 12.16 Or profane person as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his birth-right What birthright was it that Esau sold why it was his birth-right to the promised land Canaan in the type but Heaven in the Antitype And for what did he sell Canaan and Heaven for a morsel of meat or a poor sensible pleasure which his greedy lust thirsted after You find the story at large Gen. 25.30.34 v. 30. And Esau said unto Jacob feed me I pray thee with that same red potage It is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that red that red namely potage note here that the repetition of
Love to the world is spiritual Adultery and thence incoherent with the Love of God The jealousie of God will not admit of any corrival in the bent of the heart but Oh! how doth love to this world run a whoring after other Lovers so Ezek. 16.17 18 38. and 23.5 11. and Aholah played the harlot when she mas mine c. The like James 4.4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendsh p of the world is enmity with God Which implies that love to and friendship with this whorish world is spiritual Adultery and so hatred against God O! how soon are those that love the world killed by its adulterous imbraces hence 6 Love to the world is a deliberate contrived lust and so habitual enmity and rebellion against God Acts of lust which arise from suddain passions though violent may consist with the love of God but a deliberate Bent of heart towards the world as our supreme interest cannot The single act of a gross sin arising from some prevalent Temptation speaketh not such an inveterate bitter root of enmity against God as predominant love to the world James 4.4 whosoever therefore will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God Oh! how much of contempt rebellion and enmity against God is there in friendship and love to the world 7 Love to the world forms our profession into a subservience unto our worldly interest and so makes Religion to stoop unto yea truckle under lust Now what can be more inconsistent with the Love of God than this This was the case of the carnal Jews Ezech. 33.31 With their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness They shew much love in profession but O how little have they of sincere affection and why because their avaricious hearts made the whole of their profession to conform to their worldly interest Thus also it was with unbelieving Jews in our Lords time John 5.42 But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you I know you There lies a great emphase in that you you who profess so much and yet have so little love in you They had much love to God in their mouth but none in their heart this appeareth by v. 43 44. where our Lord tells them in plain terms that their worldly honour and interest was the only measure of their profession This also was the measure of Judas's Religion John 12.5 6. where he pretends much love to the poor but really intends nothing but the gratifying his avaricious humor The like Hos 10.11 Ephraim loveth to tread out the Corn c. because there was profit liberty and pleasure in that but Ephaim loved not plowing work because that brought her under a yoke and brought in no advantage to her Love to the world brings us under subjection to it and so takes us off from the service of God What we inordinately love and cleave unto we are soon overcome by Now subjection to the world and subjection to God are inconsistent Mat. 6.24 8 Love to the world is the root of all sin and therefore what more inconsistent with the love of God To love God is to hate evil Psal 97.10 therefore to love evil either in the cause or effect is to hate God Now love to the world has not only a love for but also a causal influence on all sin And that 1 As it exposeth men to the violent incursion and assaults of every tentation so 1 Tim. 6.9 But they that will be rich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that have their wills biassed with a violent bent or vehement weight of carnal love towards riches This Solomon expresseth Prov. 28.22 By hasting to be rich What befalls such why saith Paul such fall into tentation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction and then he gives the reason and cause of it v. 10. For the love of money is the root of all evil c. i. e. There is no sin but may call the love of money Father whence Philo calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Metropolis of evil 2 Love to the world is the cause of all sin in that it blinds and darkens the mind which opens the door to all sin It is an observation of the prudent moralist (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch that every lover is blind about that he loves which he himself interprets of love to lower goods And oh how true is this of those that love the world what a black veil of darkness is there on their minds as to what they love hence Paul calls such mens love 1 Tim. 6.9 foolish lusts They are indeed foolish not only eventually but causally as they make men fools and sots 3 Love to the world stifles all convictions breaks all chains and bars of restraining grace and so opens a more effectual door to all sin We find a prodigious example hereof in Balaam Numb 22.22 40. where you see at large how his predominant love to the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 stifled all those powerful convictions of and resolutions against sin he lay under 4 Love to the world is the disease and death of the soul and therefore the life of sin 1 Tim. 5.6 she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 5 Love to the world (u) Amor est quidam ingressus animi in rem amatam quae si fuerit ipso amante ignobilior polluit Dignitatem ejus Jansen August pollutes our whole Being Animal passions defile the soul inordinate lustings after things lawful pollute the most of professors more or less 6 Love to the world puts the whole soul yea world into Wars Confusion and Disorders so James 4.1 From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your Members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of your pleasures i. e. by a Metonymie from your lusts after pleasures and superfluous things that war in your members Hence note that all extern wars and confusions come from the wars and confusions of intern lust in the heart Now all intern wars and disorders are inconsistent with the love of God which is peaceable and orderly In these regards love to the world impedes and hinders the love of God 9 Love to the world is inconsistent with the love of God in that it causeth Apostasie from God The Conversion of the heart to the Creature always implies its Aversion from God He that cannot part with the World will soon part with God The world draws Men from God at Pleasure because it doth engross your best Time Thoughts Affections and Strength in its service How many professors by being bewitched with love to the World have lost many hopeful blossomes and beginnings of love to God How little do Spiritual Suavities savour with Carnal Hearts Yea do not the Flesh-pleasing sweets of this World make all
the Image of God the first-born of Faith the soul of other graces the Rule of our actions a summary of the Law an Angelick life a prelibation of Heaven a lively mark of a child of God for we may read God's Love to us in our love to him But O! how opposite and black are the characters of Love to the world nothing deserves the name of Love but that to God 2. Hence also infer that Love to God and Love to the world divide all mankind There is no middle state between these two opposites neither can they ever consist together in their perfect degrees If thou art a lover of the world in John's sense thou art a hater of God and if thou lovest God thou art an hater of the world Hereby then thou mayest make a judgment of thy state whether thou art a Saint or a sinner a Godly or worldly man And remember this that to love any worldly good more than God is in the Scripture's sense to hate God Mat. 6.24 3. This also instructs us that all natural irregenerate mens Love is but concupiscence or Lust Do not all men in their natural state prefer the creature before the Creator are not the pleasures profits and Honours of this world the worldly man's Trinity which he adoreth and sacrificeth unto Have not all men by nature a violent impetuous bent of heart towards some one or other worldly Idol are not their souls bound up in something below God Do not all men naturally esteem love use and enjoy the creature for it self without referring it to God and what is this but Lust 4. We are hence likewise taught that a regular and ordinate love to and use of this world's goods is very difficult and rare Alas how soon doth our love to creatures grow inordinate either as to its Substance Quantity Quality or Mode yea how oft and how soon doth our love to things lawful grow irregular and unlawful what an excess are most men guilty of in their love to and use of things indifferent how few are there who in using this world do not abuse it as 1 Cor. 7.31 where is that person that can say with Paul Phil. 4.12 Every where and in all things I am instructed both to abound and suffer want 5. This also informs us that where predominant Love to the world is notorious visible and manifest we cannot by any rule of judicious Charity count such a Godly man It was a Canon common among the Jews mentioned by Rabbi Salome that (x) Populus terrae non vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hasid the people of the earth are not called Godly i. e. the Lovers of the world may not be called Saints And Oh! how many worldly professors are cut off from the number of visible Saints hereby It is to me a dismal contemplation to consider how many follow Christ in profession and yet have the black mark of worldlings on there foreheads O! how much love to the world lies hid under the mask and vizard of professed love to God It is not the having or possessing of the world's goods but the over-loving of them that bespeaks you worldlings It 's true a Saint may fall under many preternatural heats yea fevers of Love to the world yet in time love to God as a sttonger fire expels such violent heats and noxious humors 6. Hence in like manner we may collect That worldly minded professors are composed of a world of Contradictions and Inconsistences Such Love God in profession but hate him in truth and Affection Their tongues are tipt with Heaven but their hearts are drencht in the Earth They pretend to serve God but they intend nothing but to serve their Lusts They make a shew of confidence in God but place their real confidence in the world They make mention of God in Name but exalt the world in Heart They Conform to the Laws of God in outward shew but Conform to yea are transformed into the world in Spirit Finally they hate sin and love God in appearance but they hate God and love sin in reality Ezech. 33.31 7. This also instructs thus That for professors of love to God to be deeply engaged in the love of this world is a sin of deep Aggravation O! what a peculiar Malignity is there in this sin How much Light and Love do such sin against What a reproach and disparagement is cast on God hereby Are not profane worldlings justified in their earthly-mindedness by the worldly love of Professors Yea do they not hereby take occasion to blaspheme the holy Name of God Lo say they these are your professors who are as covetous as over-reaching in their dealings as much buried in the Earth as any other And is not God hereby greatly dishonoured Do not such worldly professors live below their principles profession convictions covenant-Obligations and the practice of former Professors 8. This gives us the genuine Reason and Cause Why the word of God and all the good things contained therein find so little room in the Hearts of many great Professors It is to me a prodigious thing to consider among the croud of notional Professors and Hearers of God's Word how few entertain the same in an honest heart And where lies the main bitter root of this cursed Infidelity but in love to the world So Mark 4.18 19. And these are they which are sown among thorns Such as hear the Word and the cares of this world and the Deceitfulness of Riches and the Lusts of other things entring in choke the word and it becometh unfruitful It deserves a particular remark that the Thorny-ground hearers here characterised are ranked in the highest form of notional Hearers as much surpassing the Highway-ground or Stony-ground Hearers For in these thorny-ground Hearers the word takes some root yea with some depth and so springs up into a blade and green ears and so endures a cold winter yea a scorching summer's heat and yet after all it is choaked How so why by the cares of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the amorous distracting anxious cares and the deceitfulness of Riches O! what Deceitful things are Riches how soon do they choke the word and the Lusts of other things Namely Pleasures which deserve not to be named (y) Solenne fuit Hebraeis uti voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alius quoties cunque rem abominandam tacitè innuunt Horting Thesaur Philolog p. 51. For so the Hebrews were wont to express vile abominable things by other things Thence they termed Swine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other things 9. Hence also conclude That such as love the world hate God and their own souls That predominant Love to the world in its proper notion includes the hatred of God is evident from the whole of our discourse That it implies also hatred of our selves is manifest because the hatred of God includes love to death and so by Consequence the hatred of our own souls as Prov.
out of his free good will to shew himself benevolentem hominibus as Grotius expresseth it gracious and favourable to man in that way of accepting him through Christ 2. The season of Grace is called the day of Salvation further to shew the Sect. 10 advantageousness of this season unto the improvers thereof We must not take Salvation here so largely as for deliverance from any evil or danger or the preservation from any trouble or distress nor must we take Salvation here so strictly and narrowly as to import only eternal Salvation in Heaven as it is taken Rom. 13.11 Now is your Salvation nearer than when you believed and heirs of Salvation Heb. 11.14 Nor must you take it so strictly as to import only the means of Salvation as it doth often in the Scripture Act. 28.28 Salvation is of the Gentiles but Salvation in this place comprehends both that happiness which is perfect and compleat in Heaven and also the entrance into it and the beginning of it in this life fitness for Salvation here and the fulness of Salvation hereafter in which sense the Gospel is called the Gospel of Salvation in Eph. 1.13 and the word of Salvation in Act. 13.29 and the Long-suffering of God is to be accounted Salvation in 2 Pet. by Salvation in these places being meant a fitness for Eternal Salvation by receiving the Gospel and improving the Long-suffering of God and the means of Grace and our being brought to the full Fruition of it in Glory So in this place the day of Salvation is that season wherein God bestows an entrance into Salvation here followed with a full perfection of it hereafter And so I have opened the sense of these two arguments whereby the Apostle urgeth us to the present improvement of the season Grace both as this is a season of fitness for working and so called a Time a Day and as 't is a Season of advantageousness to the worker and so called an accepted time wherein God accepts of sinners to be reconciled to them and a day of Salvation by the improving whereof God will certainly bring his People to the Fruition and the perfect Participation of Life and Salvation in Heaven Now having thus explained and opened the Sense of these two Arguments I shall only in the second place 2. Shew you the force and strength of them both distinctly to engage us to a present improvement of the season of Grace 1. And First I shall shew you the force of the first Argument and that is the fitness of this present season of Grace for our working and employment It is saith the Apostle 1. The Time 2. The Day Sect. 11 1. It is the Time I shewed you in the explaining of the sense of the first Argument the meaning of the word Time I told you it did clearly import tempestivity opportunity the flower the cream the lustre the beauty of time But how doth this consideration that the present Season of Grace is the time of opportunity urge and inforce the duty of a present improving of the season of Grace In answer whereunto I offer these following considerations 1. The First is this The time of opportunity is that which we may easily let slip It is tempus labile a time that may easily slip between our fingers especially in Spiritual concernments It is needful therefore now instantly to lay hold upon it Opportunity is hardly embraced The learned Pharisees could not discern their opportunity by discerning the signs of Christ's coming as you have it in Mat. 16. and the beginning Nor could the Jews know their opportunity it was hidden from their eyes Luk. 19.42 Who is as the wise man saith Solomon in Eccl. 8. that is how rarely is the wise man to be found Where is he to be found But why so The wise man saith he discerneth time and judgment that is he is able to judge when things are to be done and therefore 't is rare to find such a wise man Embracing of opportunity is a wisdom that God alone must teach us by considering the shortness of our time to be so wise as to improve it Psal 90.12 And God concealeth the season the nick the juncture of time wherein he will bestow Grace upon us because he would have us always watchful and dependent upon him humble and serious in regarding every season It is easie to know seasons for civil affairs easy to know the season of a trade to sow to reap to buy to sell But in those affairs that concern our Souls it is hard to find out when they are to he performed Opportunity is so very short and sudden and men are so blinded with avocations pleasures prejudices and vain hopes that sometimes these make the season of regarding their Souls appear too soon sometimes they are so blinded with fear and discouragements by dangers and difficulties and seeming impossibilities that they think it too late So that indeed between sinful hope and fear it is hard to pitch upon the right season and nick of time for the saving of our Souls In every business but especially saving business the most difficult part of the work is the due limiting of it In our voyage to Heaven it is hard to save our tide not one of a thousand but lets it slip 2. Secondly Opportunity must be presently embraced and improved because the improving of it is a man's greatest wisdom They are called wise who so consider their latter end as that they pursue the present season of duty Deut. 32.29 They are the wise that discern time and judgment Eccl. 8.5 that is that discern the opportunity so as to have judgment for the embracing of it Therefore in Eccl. 10.2 The wise man's heart is said to be in his right hand that is the wisdom of his heart teacheth him to dispatch his affairs judiciously and dextrously both for manner and season The want of this wisdom discerning the season maketh a man like unto a beast Psal 49.20 It is worse to be like a beast than to be a beast To be a beast is no sin and comparatively no punishment But to be like a beast is both in a high degree Yea the very brute Creatures they are far wiser than is he that neglects his opportunity of Grace The Stork the Turtle the Crane the Swallow observe their seasons of coming into several Countries Jer. 8.7 8. They know their appointed season but my people know not the judgment of the Lord not discern the course or manner of God's dealings so as to embrace duty and avoid danger It is called a fool's property to want a heart when he hath a price that is an opportunity put into his hand to get wisdom Prov. 17.16 And therefore the 5 Virgins even for this piece of folly are called foolish even to a Proverb because they were not so wise as to know their opportunity And let a man be never so prudent for the world if he knoweth not the
promising to hear attentively saith incipe suspensis auribus ista bibam now this attentive hearing is a diligent heeding of the things that are spoken by the Ministers of Christ so as not to let any thing pass without notice and observation this was the attention of the Samaritans to Philips preaching Acts 8.6 (h) And the people with one accâ—rd gave heed unto those things which Philip spake and the attention of Lydia to Pauls preaching Acts 16.14 (i) Whose heart the Lord opened that the attended to the things spoken of Paul that were spoken by Paul that is to all of them what saith Cornelius Act. 10.33 (k) Now therefore are we all here present before God c. so that our attention must be catholique and universal we must listen to all that is spoken to us in the name of Christ the Lord but yet in preaching some things are more especially to be attended to 1. If any Scripture be clearly open'd attend to that 2. If any doubt of Conscience be fully resolv'd attend to that 3. If any sin of yours be particularly discovered attend to that Lastly if any thing be spoken by the Minister with a more than ordinary warmth and servency attend to that there is some divine signature with it and it calls for our special observation that 's the first we are to hear the word attentively I 'le only mention two hindrances of attention and proceed 1. Wandring thoughts thoughts that are forreign and Heterogeneous to the duty in hand these thoughts imploy the mind and hinder the hearing of the word Now these thoughts are various according to the imployments inclinations and circumstances of men wanton people have filthy thoughts finical people are thinking of their attires and ornaments worldly people of their Trades and Callings 2. Drowsiness and sleepiness when the head nods and the eyes begin to swim the Sermon is like to be heard well but yet this is too common a practice and that amongst Professors whereby they vilisie the ordinance of Preaching they give an ill example to others and render their uprightness and integrity suspected by sober Christians and I wish that those Professors who use it customarily and indulge themselves in it would put off their livery and tell us plainly they are none of the Lords family 2. Direction Hear and receive the word with meekness this is the direction of the text wherefore lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word c. we must not be angry at the word if so it will do us no good people are very apt to be angry at the word see Luke 4.28 (l) And all they in the Synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath Matth. 15.12 (m) Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying Acts 5.33 (n) When they heard that they were cut to the heart and took counsel to slay them Jerem. 26.8 9. (o) Now it came to pass when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him he spâ—ke unto all the people that the Priests and the Prophets and all the people took him saying thou shalt surely dye 2 Chron. 25.15 16. (p) Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Azariah and he sent unto him a Prophet which said unto him why hast thou sought after the Gods of the people which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand And the King said unto him art thou made of the Kings Council forbear why shouldest thou be smitten 2 Chron. 16.8 9 10. (q) Then Asa was wroth with the Seer and put him in a prison house for he was in a rage with him because of this thing this is a notable instance 1. Because this anger is great a rage and such a rage as put the Prophet in prison 2. It is expresly said that this rage was against the word ver 10.3 This rage was found in a good and holy man whose heart was perfect with the Lord his God now from this instance we may learn what part of the word it is that men are most angry at 1. The word which discovers their sins and charges them home upon their Consciences as the Seer charged Asa home thou hast relied on the King of Syria and not on the Lord thy God and this vexed him 2. That word that reproaches them for their sins ver 9. herein thou hast done foolishly Men cannot endure to have their actions charged with folly 3. That word that threatens them for their sins ver 9. henceforth thou shalt have wars people cannot bear it to be threatned this was the great quarrel that the Jews had with Jeremiah he came so often with a burden of the Lord and threatned them see Jer. 26.9 (r) Why hast thou prohesied in the name of the Lord saying this house shall be like Shiloh and this City shall be desolate without an inhabitant when Christ threatned the Scribes and Pharisees they could bear no longer Math. 12.12 (s) And they sought to lay hold on him for they knew that he had spoken that parable against them Thus you see people are apt to be angry at the hearing of the Word but vvhat kind of people are most apt to be angry First They that are great in the vvorld Luke 19.47 (t) And he taught daily in the Temple but the chief of the people sought to destroy him It vvas Jehâ—jakim the King that cut Jeremiahs roul in pieces and it was Herod that thrust John into prison for reproving him Secondly proud men Jerem. 43.12 (u) When Jeremiâ—h had made an end of speaking c. Then spake all the proud men saying unto Jeremiah thâ—u speâ—kest falsely proud men cannot endure a check either by the publique ministery or by a private admonition Thirdly Guilty persons why was Cain so touchy when God askt him about Abel because he was guilty of his blood Guilty persons are like gall'd horses they kick if you touch their sores nothing hinders us from receiving the word with meekness like the Conscience of sin wherefore when the Apostle bids us receive the word with meekness he bids us lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness if the heart be surfeited with sin it will rise and boak against the Word when Christ preacht against Covetousness the Pharisees that vvere Covetous vvere vext at him and exprest their vexation by sneering at him Luke 16.13 14. (w) And the Pharisees which were covetous heard all these things and they derided him 3. Direct Hear the Word with a good and honest heart Luke 8.15 (x) But that on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the word keep it this is a comprehensive head and takes in all particulars that concern the right manner of hearing but I shall contract it and reduce it 1. to an understanding
Pearl of price is hid it is a Rock of Diamonds it is a sacred Collyrium or Eye-salve it mends their eyes that look upon it it is a spiritual Optiâ—k-glass in which the glory of God is Resplendent it is the Panaâ—y or (n) Vitae pharmacum Quistorpius universal Medicine for the Soul The leaves of Scripture are like the leaves of the Tree of life for healing of the Nations Rev. 22.2 The Scripture is both the Breeder and (o) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas Feeder of Grace how is the Convert born but by the Word of Truth Jam. 1.18 how doth he grow but by the sincere Milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 The Word written is the Book out of which our Evidences for Heaven are fetched it is the Sea-mark which shows us the Rocks of Sin to avoid it is the Antidote against Error and Apostasie the two-edged Sword which wounds the old Serpent It is our Bulwark to withstand the force of Lust like the Capitol of Rome which was a place of strength and ammunition The Scripture is the (p) Cant. 4.4 Tower of David whereon the Shields of our Faith hang. Take away the Word and you deprive us of the Sun said (q) Si verbum Dei auferas Solem è Mundo sustulisti Luth. Luther The Word written is above an Angelical Embassy or voice from Heaven 2 Pet. 1.18 This voice which came from Heaven we heard we have also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure Word O prize the Word written prizing is the way to profiting If Caesar so valued his Commentaries that for preserving them he lost his Purple Robe how should we estimate the Sacred Oracles of God Job 23.12 I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food King Edward the Sixth on the day of his Coronation had presented before him three Swords signifying that he was Monarch of three Kingdoms the King said there was one Sword wanting being asked what Direct 12 that was answered The Holy Bible which is the Sword of the Spirit and is to be preferr'd before these Ensigns of Royalty Robert King of Sicily did so prize God's Word that speaking to his Friend Petrarcha he said I protest the Scriptures are dearer to me than my Kingdom (r) Juro tibi Petrarcha multo mihi chariores esse sacras Scripturas quà m regnum c. Corn. à Lap. and if I must be deprived of one of them I had rather lose my Diadem than the Scriptures 12. Get an ardent love to the Word Prizing relates to the judgment Love to the affections Psal 119.159 Consider how I love thy (s) Rom. 7 22â— precepts He is likely to grow rich who delights in his Trade he who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of Learning will be a Scholar St. Austin tells us before his Conversion he took no pleasure in the Scriptures but afterwards they were his chaste (t) Sint castae delitiae mâ—ae scripturae Aug. delights David tasted the Word sweeter than the Honey which drops from the Comb (u) Quod spâ—nte ex favo stillat mellis medulla vocatur plus autem melleae dulcedinis ab uberibus Scripturae sugitur Psal 19.10 Thomas a Kempis used to say He found no content but to be in angulo cum libello in a Corner with the Book of God in his hand Did Alphonsus King of Sicily recover of a fit of Sickness with that great pleasure he took in reading of Quintus Curtius What infinite pleasure should we take in reading the Book of Life There is enough in the Word to breed holy complacency and delight it is a specimen and demonstration of God's Love to us The Spirit is God's Love-Token the Word his Love-Letter How doth one delight to read over his Friend's Letter The Word written is a Divine Treasury or (x) Pietatis gazâ—â— hylacium Quistorp Store-house in it are scattered Truths as Pearls to adorn the hidden man of the heart The Word written is the true Manna which hath all sorts of sweet taste in (z) Manna cujuslibet Saporis it it is a soveraign Elixir it gives wine to them of an heavy heart I have read of an ancient Rabbi who in a great concourse of people made Proclamation of a soveraign Cordial he had to sell many resorting to him and asking him to shew it he opened the Bible and directed them to several places of Comfort in it Holy David drank of this Cordial Psal 119.50 This is my comfort in my affliction thy Word hath quickned me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys Hom. in Psal 44. Garden every line in it is a fragrant Flower which we should wear not in our bosome but our heart Delight in the Word causeth profit and we must not only love the comforts of the Word but the reproofs Myrrh is bitter to the Palate but good for the Stomach Direct 13 Come to the reading of the Word with honest hearts Christ speaks of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the honest heart Luke 8.15 Quest Question What is it to read the Word with an honest Heart Answ 1. Answ 1 To come with an Heart willing to know the whole counsel of God a good Heart would not have any Truth concealed but saith as Job What I see not teach thou (b) Job 34.32 me When men pick and chuse in Religion they will do some things the Word enjoyns them but not others these are unsound Hearts and are not benefited by holy Writ These are like a Patient who having a bitter Pill prescribed and a Julip he will take the Julip but refuseth the Pill 2. To read the Word with an honest Heart is to read it that we may be made better by (c) Cor integrum i. e. quod prorsas desideret proficere Brugensis it The Word is quoad se the Medium and Organ of Sanctity and we come to it not only to Illuminate us but Consecrate us John 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth Some go to the Bible as one goes to the Garden to pick Flowers i. e. fine Notions Austin confesseth that before his Conversion he went to hear Ambrose more for the elegancy of Speech and quaintness of Notion than the spirituality of the Matter This is like a Woman that paints her Face but neglects her health But this is to have an honest Heart when we come to the Scriptures as Naaman to the Waters of Jordan to be healed of our Leprosie Oh! saith the Soul That this Sword of the Spirit may pierce the Rock of my Heart that this blessed Word may have such a virtue in it as the water of jealousie to kill and make (d) Num. 5.27 fruitful that it may kill my Sin and make me fruitful in Grace Direct 14 Learn to apply Scripture take every
with most Spiritual profit I shall conclude all with two Corollaries 1. Content not your selves with the bare reading of Scripture but labour to find some spiritual increment and profit Get the Word transcribed into your hearts Psal 37.31 The Law of God is in his heart Never leave till you are assimilated into the Word Such as profit by reading of the Book of God are the best Christians alive they answer God's cost they credit Religion they save their Souls 2. You who have profited by reading the Holy Scriptures adore God's distinguishing grace Bless God that he hath not only brought the light to you but opened your eyes to see it that he hath unlocked his hid Treasure and enriched you with saving knowledge Some perish by not having Scripture and others by not improving it That God should pass by Millions in the World and the Lot of his Electing Love should fall upon you that the Scripture like the pillar of Cloud should have a dark-side to others but a light-side to you that to others it should be a dead letter but to you the Savour of Life that Christ should not only be revealed to you but in you Gal. 1.16 How should you be in an holy extasie of wonder and wish that you had hearts of Seraphims burning in love to God and the voices of Angels to make Heaven ring with God's Praises Object But some of the Godly may say they fear they do not profit by the Word they read Resp As in the body when there is a Lipothymy or Fainting of the vital Spirits Cordials are applied so let me apply a few Divine cordials to such as are ready to faint under the fear of non-proficiency 1. You may profit by reading the Word though you come short of others The ground which brought forth but thirty fold was good Ground Mat. 13.8 Say not you are Non-proficients because you do not go in Equipage with other eminent Saints those were counted strong men among David's Worthies though they did not attain to the honour of the first three 2 Sam. 23.19 2. You may profit by reading the Word though you are not of so quick apprehension Some impeach themselves of Non-proficiency because they are but slow of understanding When our blessed Saviour foretold his sufferings the Apostles themselves understood not and it was Hid from them Luke 9.45 The Author to the Hebrews speaks of some who were Segnes auribus dull of hearing Heb. 5.11 Yet they belonged to the Election Such as have weaker judgments may have stronger affections Leah was tender-eyed yet fruitful A Christian's intellectuals may be less quick and penetrating yet that little knowledg he hath of Scripture keeps him from Sin as a man that hath but weak sight yet it keeps him from falling into the water 3. You may profit by reading Scripture though you have not so excellent memories Many complain their memories leak Nec retinent patulae commissa sidelitèr (y) Hâ—â— aures Christian-art thou grieved thou canst remember no more then for thy comfort 1. Thou mayst have a good heart though thou hast not so good a memory 2. Though thou canst not remember all thou readest yet thou remembrest that which is most material and which thou hast most need of At a Feast we do not eat of every dish but we take so much as nourisheth 'T is with a Good Christian's memory as it is with a lamp though the lamp be not full of oyl yet it hath so much oyl as makes the lamp burn though thy memory be not full of Scripture yet thou retainest so much as makes thy love to God burn Then be of good comfort thou dost profit by what thou readest and take notice of that encouraging Scripture John 14.26 The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost he shall bring all things to your remembrance How we may make Melody in our Hearts to God in Singing of Psalms Serm. IX Ephes 5.19 Speaking to our selves in Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs and making Melody in your Hearts to the Lord. IN the former part of this Chapter especially in the fourth Verse we have the Apostle checking carnal Mirth and accounting that a Sin which the Heathen Philosophers especially Aristotle in his Ethicks made a Vertue viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kind of jesting which they supposed was an ornament to their speech and a specimen of their ingenuity But in this Verse where the Text is we have the Apostle commending spiritual Mirth which he approves as a Duty which the Heathens especially in the primitive times accounted a Crime In the Verse going before the Text we have the Apostle condemning a Vice universally reputed so both by Christians and Heathens viz. Intemperance which doth usually frollick it in putidos sermones into foolish speeches fond gestures E vini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oritur laetitia quaedam sed impura quae tuming stibus tum inputidis sermoniâ—us se prodit Bod. impure Songs wanton Sonnets as Bodius observes But here in the Text the Apostle teacheth us a more refined way of rejoycing viz. To tune the heart in Psalms to raise the heart in Hymns and to vent the heart in spiritual Songs nay to make the heart a Quire where spiritual Musick may be chanted In the Text we have five parts remarkable viz. 1. The Singers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians especially those who dwelt in the City of Ephesus Christians understand how to rejoyce in God their hearts can so set the Tune that God shall hear the Musick Zanchy well observes that the Apostle doth here make the Comparison between the Mirth which is made ex ubertate Vini from abundance of Wine and that which is made ex ubertate Spiritus from abundance of the Spirit The Drunkard's Song how toyish but the Saint's singing how triumphal how confused the one how sweet the other how empty the one even to the very Companions of their Cups and Mirth but how melodious the other even to the Lord himself And he gravely takes notice that gaudent pii sed garriunt ebrii Saints rejoyce but Intemperate persons drivel in their chat 2. The Song it self and here the Apostle runs division Cantio sacra est vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bod. Psalmi propriè ad locum Ethicum pertinent In Hymnis Dei beneficia facta miramur Qui vero concordiam consensum mundi contemplatur ille spirituali â—anticum canit Hier. diversifying Songs into three species which according to the descants of Learned men may be thus understoood And here Hierom gives us a dextrous Interpretation 1. Psalms saith he may belong to moral things what we ought to put in use and practise 2. Hymns may belong to sacred things what we ought to meditate on and to contemplate as the Power Wisdom Goodness and Majesty of
through the Land and view it and build an Altar and offer Sacrifice there then was he actually invested in the Gift God gave Israel a grant of Canaan but the Clusters of Eschol were as it were the Livery and Seisin of it Though the Gift be sufficiently made over by the Promise yet 't is further ratified and more solemnly conveyed and delivered by the Sacraments 4. This is one Advantage more That the great Mysteries of godliness are laid before our Eyes in some visible Rites and so have greater force to excite the mind to serious Consideration When God will condescend to give us help against our Infirmities it must be by the Senses by which all knowledg comes into the Soul Now Feeling Smelling Tasting seem not so fit for this as being more gross and conducing to the welfare of the Body but Seeing and Hearing convey Objects to the Understanding and therefore are called the Senses of Discipline and Learning Now the Covenant is made by words which strike the Ear but the Seals by visible things set it before our Eyes and as the Apostle saith Christ is Crucified among us and evidently set forth Gal. 3.1 The sight doth in a more lively manner stir up the mind than the bare Hearing Washing from Sin doth fitly represent to us and raise thoughts in us about the Sanctification of the Spirit and so in a lively manner excite us to expect this benefit Vse Let us not be slight in the use and improvement of Baptism for itimplieth a solemn covenanting with God that we may obtain Remission of Sins and eternal Life John the Baptist calleth it Mark 1.4 The Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins Therefore let us reflect upon our selves We are all Baptized but what are we the better have we the more confidence of the pardon of our Sins and a greater sense of our Covenant-Vow to dye unto Sin and live unto God we cannot have the former without the latter both must be regarded by us Volateranus reporteth of Lucian that scoffing Atheist that when he revolted from the Profession of Christianity he scoffed at his Baptism saying Se nihil ex eo consecutum quam quod nomen ipsius esset corruptum ex Lucio Lucianus factum That he got nothing by his Baptism but a syllable to his Name it being changed from Lucius to Lucianus Alas what do most get by their Baptism but a Name It should not be so with you you may have great advantage by it if you improve it to the ends for which it was appointed To quicken you consider 1. Baptism is a perpetual Bond upon us obliging us to Repentance and an holy life Rom. 6.4 therefore the Scripture often reasoneth from it as Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein He argueth not ab impossibili but ab incongruo not from what is impossible but what will misbecome our renewed estate which we profess to enter into by Baptism which is a Vowed Death to Sin and a Bond wherewith we bind our Souls to New Obedience So elsewhere Col. 3.1 Ye are risen with Christ in the import and signification of Baptism therefore seek the things which are above And again Ye are dead therefore mortifie c. verse 3 5. Once more verse 8 9. Put off all these seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds And in many other places the Apostle argueth from the Baptismal Ingagement to the effect intended and signified thereby 2. The Improvement of Baptism is the best Preparation for the Lord's Supper John 13.8 If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me That washing had a spiritual meaning and presently after it the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood was instituted to the participation of which this spiritual washing was necessary In the Supposition If I wash thee not is implied Baptism in the Commination thou hast no part with me is implied the Lord's Supper which Christ was then about to institute In foro Ecclesiae before the Church none but Baptized Persons have a right to the Lord's Table in foro Coeli before God none but those who have the fruit of Baptism have right to the benefits thereof they that are sanctified by the Spirit of Christ have only right to the Benefits purchased by his Blood Our Lord would mind his Disciples of this before he would admit them to his Table 3. If we improve it not our Baptism will be a Witness to sollicite Vengeance against us as the Gospel it self is preached either for a Witness to us Matth. 24.14 or for a Witness against us if we obey it not Mark 14.9 So Baptism instead of being a Witness to us will be a Witness against us if we mind it not and in the Judgment we shall fare no better than the Heathen for all the difference between us is that they are uncircumcised in flesh and we in heart Jer. 9.25 26. they are not washed in Water and we are not cleansed from our sins I remember a passage in Victor Vticensis concerning one Elpidophorus who had revolted from Catholicism to the Vandal Arrians the Deacon who had Baptized him shewed him the Stole or Linnen Clothes in which he was Baptized saying Hae te accusabunt cum Majestas venerit Judicantis c. O Elpidophorus these shall be a Witness against thee to all eternity for thy just perdition when the Judge cometh what wilt thou do Wretch when the people of God shall be admitted to the Joys of Heaven and thy self thrust out c. If we have been Baptized and lived directly contrary to our Baptismal Vow as if we were in Covenant with the Devil the World and the Flesh rather than with Father Son and Holy Ghost what will become of us in the Judgment But how shall we improve it First We must personally and solemnly own the Covenant made with God in Infancy every one of us should chuse the Lord for our Soveraign Lord and Portion and Christ Jesus for our Redeemer and Saviour and the Holy Ghost for our Guide Sanctifier and Comforter Every one must personally thus engage himself to God 't is not enough that Christ engage for us as the common surety of all the Elect Heb. 7.22 Something he did for us and in our Names but every one must take a Bond upon himself before he can have the benefit of it You must yield up your selves to the Lord 2 Chron. 30.8 'T is not enough that the Church ingage for us as a visible Political Body or a Community and Society of men who are in visible Covenant with God and Christ Ezek. 16.8 Thou entredst into Covenant with me and becamest mine meaning it of the Body of the Church but every individual person must also enter into Covenant with God and become his Ezek. 20.37 I will cause you to pass under the Rod and I will bring you into the Bond of the Covenant Where there is an Allusion
apt to credit and believe By pious Education the true Religion is kept up in the world and propagated from Age to Age. The care of the two Tribes and an half of propagating the true Religion to their Posterity is very notable in that famous Scripture Josh 22.24 25. They built an Altar of Testimony v. 10. At this their Brethren the Israelites are highly offended but received full satisfaction when they were assured that this was done for the sake of Posterity lest they should be made to cease from fearing the Lord. 6. Parents have many and great advantages above all others for the successful instructing and educating of their children 1. Children are more confident of their Parents love than any others Whether Ministers and strangers speak to them in love they are uncertain but of their Parents love they are well assured Now nothing takes so much with any one as that which is believed to proceed from love specially by one that loves This instruction saith the loving Child comes not only from my dear Father's lip or head but from his affectionate heart and therefore I will readily receive it and lodg it in my own 2. Parents have their children in hand betimes before they are fly-blown with any false Opinions or leven'd with bad impressions before they have any other sin than that which was born with them Parents therefore have an opportunity of making the first impressions on them even while they are most docile tender flexible and least apt to make resistance against instruction But now when they come to their Minister Instructer Tutor they are as a Paper Printed before and therefore unapt to receive another Impression They have much to be untaught before they can be taught fraught with self conceitedness and proud objections more apt to strive against and resist Instruction than humbly and readily to receive it 3. To wind up this Argument on the closest Bottom Children wholly depend on Parents for their present maintenance and their future Portions and they know 't is their interest to hearken and obey Parents Authority over their Children is most unquestionable They dare not open their mouths against it as they will adventure to do against Ministers Parents have the Power of the Rod to back Instruction Prov. 22.15 They best know the peculiar Diseases and temperatures of their Children and so best know how to chuse and apply the most proper Remedy Parents are nearest their Children and can best discern all their faults in time and have opportunity of speaking to them in the most familiar manner that may best be understood and after this to inculcate their Instructions and drive them home that what is not done at one time may be done at another By all these advantages it appears that God hath furnished Parents above all others to be Instruments of their Childrens good and the first and greatest promoters of their Salvation Object 1 But methinks I hear some Parents muttering To instruct Children is the grand Duty of our Ministers 'T is they that are to take the great charge of the Souls of these our Lambs 1. And do you indeed give up these your Lambs to be fed to be instructed by them 2. Suppose you did as Heaven knows thousands of Parents do not as they ought yet know That every Parent is as deeply charged with the souls of his Children as any Pastor is with the souls of his Flock and more deeply too 1. You are as oft and as expresly charged to use the means to save your Childrens souls and to breed Grace in them as any Minister is Read consider remember Exod. 13.18 Thou shalt shew thy Son the meaning end use of the Sacrament Deut. 6.6 7. Psal 78.5 Eph. 6.4 Shew me any Text of Scripture more express and peremptory for any Ministers Instructing of his Flock 2. Parents stand obliged to their Children by more and stronger Bonds than any Pastor can be to his Flock Bonds of Nature as well as Grace 3. Parents have more means and opportunities to prevail with their Children than any Pastor living can have to do good on his Flock What a surpassing Interest have Parents in the esteem love affection of their Children What Advantage may they take of their Childrens tender years What continual Converse with them What an awful Authority over them What strict Obligations upon them which no Minister can so much as pretend unto The truth is none upon Earth have such fair opportunities to instruct and bring others to goodness as Parents have This was that that holy Hezekiah meant in his Prayer Isa 38.18 19. The Living Deut. 4 10. the Living he shall praise thee and who among all the Living The Father he shall do it chiefly principally but how by making known Thy truth to their Children q. d. Parents by deriving Religion to their Posterity may greatly honour God above others Obj. 2. But to what end should we teach Children Alass they do not understand what they say They do but Act the Parot know not what it is they do repeat and so whilest we pretend to advance the fear and service we do but make our Children to profane the Name of God or to take it in vain Sol. 1. Our carnal Reasonings ought not to countermand Divine injunctions The Text is express Train up a Child Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children or whet and sharpen my Law upon them Timothy's Instruction and that from a little sucking Child is commended by the Apostle as a fair president to the whole Christian World 2 Tim. 3.15 We know not who are under God's Election nor the appointed time of his effectual Calling and therefore must use the means to all especially to Children that are under the federal stipulation such are commanded to Remember their Creator in the days of their Youth Eccl. 12.1 And who should endeavour to make deep impressions of God upon their Hearts Eph. 6.4 but those that are over them by Divine appointment who ought to bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. 2. If this fear and jealousie must hinder Catechising of Children who knows how long it will be hindered for even Children well grown up being not before Catechized are not likely at their first Teaching so to understand what is said to them as to repeat it with due reverence Do we not find Christ himself instructing Nicodemus in the great Mystery of Regeneration when he was able to return him no more than that childish Answer How can a Man be born again when he is old John 3.4 Can he enter the second time into his Mothers Womb We find our Saviour delivering a Divine Truth to those that were known to be his Disciples who still accompanied him and repeated themselves what he spake to them in the very same words wherein he delivered it and yet when all was done confessed they could not tell what he said Joh. 16.16
the pouring out his blood for you now your magnificent feasts were not so fitted for such a Commemoration for they rather would have tended to have clog'd your spirits made them dull and stupid and far less apt to have contemplated such Divine and Heavenly things as those now named are And therefore that this Supper is so mean as it is it is far better than if it were so great and royal as you conceive There are others are well enough satisfied with the wisdom of their Lord and in the nature of the things appointed for the remembrance of him which yet may be and ought to be inquisitive as to the reason of them Which I shall reduce to these 4 Questions 1. Why did the Lord appoint bread rather than any other kind of food 2. Why must it be broken bread 3. Why must it be taken and eaten 4. Why wine as well as bread and why Wine rather than any other drink 1. To the first I say he appointed bread as most apt to signifie the thing thereby to be presented to our Faith and that is himself as he is bread of life to our Souls for so he calleth himself Joh. 6.33 The bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven and giveth life unto the world And 35. Jesus said I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger This is evident that man's natural life doth not more depend on the vertue of the bread that perisheth than the Soul's life of Grace and Glory depends on that vertue that proceedeth from a suffering Jesus I live saith the Apostle Paul yet not I but Christ liveth in me all that life of Faith all the indwellings of Grace in our hearts comes from and is maintained by the vertues and influences of Jesus Christ this bread of life and so likewise doth our eternal life depend on him as he likewise tells us v. 27. Labour for the meat that endureth to eternal life which the Son of man shall give you this meat is the Lord himself who by his sufferings made our peace and purchased the life of grace and glory for us And indeed no other meat as bread could so aptly set forth this Mystery because no food is so suitable to man's nature none for a constancy so pleasant none so strengthning a man can better subsist with bread without other meats than with any other meats without bread thereby the Mystery of conveighing Soul-lâ—fe to the sinner is excellently set forth for as there is other meat for the body besides bread so there is another way of giving life to the Soul besides that of a Saviour and that is an exact obedience to the Law of God but alas the sinner through the weakness of the flesh can never digest that strong meat and so cannot live by it But for a poor weak infirm sinner to be maintained in a life of grace and acceptance with an offended God in and by a Saviour is a way of living so suitable to a sinner that Men and Angels could never have thought of one so suitable and therefore nothing as bread was so fit to set forth this Mystery 2. But why must it be broken bread Christ himself acquaints us with the mystical reason thereof in the verse of the Text it is to set forth the breaking of the body of Christ by breaking his body must be taken to comprehend all the sufferings of his Humane nature as united with the Divine as all his soul-sufferings of which there are 3 Phrases used by the Evangelists very emphatically as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which all signifie those dolors of mind he underwent through the dereliction of God and likewise all other sufferings of his body which are by Isaiah set forth with great variety of Phrase speaking of Christ he saith He was despised and rejected of men Isaiah 53. a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and v. 4. He hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows and v. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed and v. 7. he was oppressed and he was afflicted Now all these sufferings were consummated in his Crucifixion 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree These are those sufferings that made that one sacrifice of himself by which he put away sin and hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 9.26 Heb. 10.14 Upon this account it is that the bread of this Supper must be broken before it be taken and eaten the broken bread that is the sign and Christ's sufferings that is the mystery signified by it as I have shewed 3. Why must this broken bread be taken and eaten This is not without its Mystery for thereby is meant that these Breakin gs Bruisings Woundings of Christ's Soul and Body was not for any sin of his own for he was a lamb without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 but it was for our sins and for our benefit Our dear Jesus sows in tears and we reap the harvest of his tears in joy he by the meritorious extraction of his bloody sweat and agony in the Garden by his tremendious dolors of Soul and Body on the Cross prepares a Cordial and perfects it by his death which prepared Cordial we by Faith drink up and from a state of sin and death revive he offered himself as good wheat to be ground by the law and justice of God that thereby he might be made bread of life for us by Faith to feed on that we may live for ever So that Christ's breaking and giving the bread in this Sacrament to his Church doth mystically declare that the sole intentions of all his sufferings was for us and therefore he saith this is the bread that was broken for you and likewise taking and eating it doth further signifie that we do profess to believe in him for life and do rely wholly on him for acceptance with God and for the salvation of our souls 4. But why did he add wine also to this supper and commanded us to drink thereof in remembrance of him I Answer this addition was for a very good reason for thereby a further mystery of our Salvation by his bloody death is explained 1. As first if you consider that man's natural life is not maintained by eating only except he drink also for we may dye as well by thirst as by hunger Christ therefore by giving us his blood to drink which is signified by the Cup as well as his body to eat doth thereby declare that his suffering of Death for us is every way compleat and sufficient for the spiritual and eternal life of our souls So that as he that hath bread and drink wants nothing for the sustaining his natural life so he that hath by Faith an interest in a broken bleeding Christ wants nothing to the upholding the Soul in a state of
is the command of the Lord Jesus to remember him in this Supper is a debt you ow to him your Saviour Lord and head it is a command that bears the superscription of the most supreme Authority in Heaven or Earth and if by the sentence of Christ it was but just to pay the tribute-money to Caesar because it bore his superscription it is much more just for you to pay the tribute of obedience to this command that bears the superscription of an Authority greater than all the Caesars that ever were What 's the name of Caesar in compare to the name and title of the Son of God which is a title that speaks him greater than all Angels or Arch-Angels in Heaven for to which of his Angels said he at any time thou art my Son Heb. 1.5 this day have I begotten thee this is he whom the Prophet Isaiah calleth Wonderful Is 9.6 Counsellor the mighty God the Prince of peace on whose shoulders it hath pleased the Everlasting Father to lay the government this is he whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom Dan. 4.3 and of whose dominion there will be no end of whom David speaketh Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of Righteousness is the Scepter of thy Kingdom Psal 45.6 all power my brethren God hath given into his hands and hath given him to bear this royal title King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 and it is he only that is head of his Church it is this great Lord that hath said this do in remembrance of me how then dare you disobey him believe it if he hath so great authority to command he hath as great a power to punish if he find you presumptuously disobedient he that could strike some sick and others dead for profaning this Supper he can do as much to you for not observing it and that he doth not is not because he wants power but because he is gracious long suffering not willing you should perish for your neglect but that you may be drawn to repentance and so to obedience but if you be obstinate after you are told throughly of your fault take heed it will be a horrible thing for you to fall into the hands of consuming fire 2. Consider your neglect of this Ordinance is a sin against the command not only of the greatest but of the best Prince in Heaven and Earth he is not only Maximus but Optimus also this is a further aggravation of your sin Who ever thought but that Absalom's taking up arms against David was treason but he that shall consider that the rebellion was against David the man after God's own heart against David the holiest of men and the justest of Princes and besides all this against David his Father cannot but judge it an act of the highest treason imaginable My brethren in your disobeying this command you sin against Jesus the just and Jesus the gracious against him that is by place your head in love your Father in openness of heart your Friend against him that emptied himself that he might fill you that became poor that he might enrich you that became an exile from his Throne and Father's Kingdom that he might bring you home to your Father's house that became a curse that you might be blessed that hung on a tree for you that you might sit on Thrones with him who called you and washed you from your sins in his blood and after all this when he shall leave such a command as this to remember him in this Supper for all this his love how inexcusable must your neglect be let your Conscience be judge with whom I leave it 3. If you consider what relation you that are believers stand in to this Jesus that left this command with you ye are the Elect of the Father who committed you to his Son to Redeem and effectually call you that he might save you from sin wrath the grave Hell and to bring you to everlasting glory Why are you called believers but from that faith whereby you acknowledg this Jesus as your Lord and your God whereby you trust in him and in what he hath done and suffered for you for the making your peace procuring your pardon and opening a new and living way into your Father's Kingdom and glory it is by this faith that you love him cleave to him and are therefore called his friends his children his brethren his subjects servants followers witnesses and shall such as you be found disobedient to him shall you carelesly forget to remember him in a supper appointed by himself for the remembrance of the greatest act of his love that is his dying for you I tell you Christ will take it worse of you than of any others how hainously did David take a contempt from his friend Psal 41.9 Yea mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted which did eat of my bread hath lift up his heel against me ye are those that he hath chosen out of the world brought into his Father's family and for you to turn the heel upon him and refuse to eat at his Table this is a contempt that cannot but grieve and anger him when Christ had been teaching that they who did not eat his flesh and drink his blood had no life in them at this multitudes were offended and forsook him but saith he to his Disciples will ye go also implying that if they should forsake him it would be matter of greater trouble than that of the multitudes leaving him John 6.53.67 That the profane world comes not nigh his Table that comes not so nigh his heart but that ye believers should withdraw this is that which he must needs take ill from you Oh do not as you tender the good pleasure of your Lord do not grieve him by absenting your selves from his table 4. If you consider the command it self as it is easie pleasant honourable your neglect must needs receive further aggravation What is more easie than to eat and drink or more pleasant than to come to a feast or more honourable than to feast with the King of Kings Christ puts you not upon the painful duty of circumcising your flesh nor on the troublesom duty of washing your selves every time you touch a dead carcase or what is ceremonially unclean nor on the costly duties of sacrificing your Lambs Goats or Oxen nor on the costly and toilsom duties of travelling scores of miles every year to feast before the Lord at Jerusalem to which the Church of the Jews were bound he hath eased you of all these burdens and made your task far easier instead of all these he hath instituted but two duties like them the one of Baptism the trouble of which you are to undergo but once in all your lives and the other of this Supper which you may have without travelling far for and which costs you next to nothing But further it is a duty not less
the whole race of mankind and tell me was Circumcision any more than a Ceremony Exod. 24.25 yet it had almost cost Moses his life for neglecting to circumcise his son for the Angel stood ready with his sword to slay him if he had not prevented it by his obedience 1 Cor. 11.30 So for the Lord's Supper as much a Ceremony as it is yet for the abuse of it some of the Church were sick and weak others fell asleep that is died And if God did so severely punish the abuse how think you to escape that presumptuously neglect the use thereof Object 2. But if I am regenerate and become a New Creature I am sure I shall be saved I do not fear that God vvill cast me away for the disuse of a Ceremony Ans Is this the reasoning of one regenerate surely thou dost not understand vvhat regeneration meaneth is it not the same vvith being born of God and is not he that is born of God a Child of God and what is it to be obedient to the Father but to do as he commandeth and hath he not commanded you by his Son to remember your Saviour in this supper vvhen you have considered this then tell me what you think of this kind of reasoning I am a child of God therefore I will presume to disobey him he bids me remember Jesus in this supper and I will not methinks thou blushest at the very mentioning of it and what if he should not cast thee quite off for this neglect yet thou hast no reason to think but that either outwardly or inwardly or both he will scourge thee for this sin before thou diest and do thou examine whether the languor of thy graces and poverty of thy consolations be not the lashes of your Heavenly Father for this sin 3. Object But I remember a crucified Saviour in the Word read and preached I see him there lifted up and dying for me and I bless God to my great comfort How needless a thing then is it to remember him in this supper so Ans Vain man would be vviser than Christ who is the Wisdom of his Father Jesus Christ hath thought fit not only to command that himself should be Preached to his Church but also remembred in this supper But thou dost say oh presumption that the first vvas sufficient the latter is needless and impertinent Wilt thou undertake to give counsel to the Son of God or advise him in the affairs of his Kingdom shall the Holy Ghost say Heb. 3.5 He was faithful in his house as a Son and wilt thou argue him of weakness in his Administrations Job 40.2 He that reproveth the Son of God let him answer it But why shouldest thou say this Supper is needless because Christ is remembred in the Word may not truth in some cases be more effectually conveyed to the soul by the eye than ear do you not find your selves more moved to See the execution of a man to See one hanged or beheaded than barely to hear the story of it Jesus Christ in this Ordinance is as it were crucified before your eyes in a manner more affecting than when you only hear of his crucifixion by the Word But further this Supper hath further ends than the Word preached for Christ and the Covenant of Grace founded in his blood is preached to the intent that you may Believe and enter into this Covenant with God but the Supper is instituted as an outward sign to Ratifie this Covenant betwixt God and you after it hath been once entred into by Faith you do not think it enough in marriage to take one another's word but you compleat it by a solemn vow in the presence of witnesses I tell you Christ hath not thought it enough to take your word but he will have it confirmed solemnly by this Ordinance and this he will have often repeated for he knows us too well as to our proneness to backsliding which by this supper he would prevent But yet further who is it dare presume to give Christ his measures how and where and by what means he should manifest himself and his love to his believers what if he hath reserved some peculiar degrees of light and strength and comfort to convey to his people by this Supper that he thinks not fit ordinarily to do by his Word and if it be so Luke 24. who shall say to him why dost thou thus I remember what is recorded of the two Disciples travelling to Emaus by their discourse it appeared that they doubted whether Jesus was the Christ Christ meeting with them and perceiving that their Faith staggered took this method first he endeavoured to settle them in their Faith that notwithstanding he had been crucified and buried that yet he was the true Christ which he did by expounding Moses and the Prophets from whence he proved that it was necessary that Christ must suffer and this vvas vvith good effect upon their hearts for they said did not our hearts burn within us when we heard him but yet he reserved a fuller manifestation of himself to them untill he came to break bread with them at their house then it is said their eyes were opened and they knew that it was he I do not say that breaking of bread in that place was the Lord's Supper in the sense I speak of it but it will serve me so far as to illustrate what I intend which is this That it may be the pleasure of Christ to intail peculiar manifestations of himself to his people upon several ordinances he will beget faith by the preaching of the word and set your hearts in a flame of love to him from vvhat you hear there and yet may reserve the confirmation of your faith and establishment of your love to him to be wrought by this of the Lord's Supper which is that which many of his people have experienced And therefore it cannot be said to be in vain to have Christ presented to you in the Lord's Supper as well as in the Lord's word preached and this I conceive abundantly enough to silence this objection 4th Objection But I am not prepared worthily to receive and therefore I dare not come to this Table least I eat and drink damnation to my self Answer Whose fault is that what hast thou been doing all thy life if thou hast not been working out thy salvation with fear and trembling thou hast done nothing Repentance hath been preached why hath not thy heart been broken Christ hath been offered why hast thou not received him by faith This Supper hath been explained why hast thou not understood it if thou hadst but repented of thy sins and believed in the Lord Jesus and understood the meaning of this Supper thou hadst been prepared for a worthy receiving of it but if it be not thus with thee it is thy own fault get thee therefore into thy closet humble thy self mightily before the Lord for this long abuse
any duty in that manner that is suitable and necessary thereunto ought to be laid aside but 5. To these I shall here add the external duties of religion and sacred ordinances to be used in the discharge of the work of the day 1. Is confession of sin a fast day is for atonement and therefore confession of sin is necessary As we read of Ezra when he heard of the sin of the Jews in their making affinity with the people of the Land he rent his garment and sat astonied till the evening sacrifice and made confession of their sin Ezra 9.7 8 9 10. So in Nehem. 9.1 2. we read the Children of Israel were assembled with fasting and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their Fathers And so Daniel in his solemn fast which he set himself to in the behalf of the Captivity now almost expired he makes an ample confession of sin as we read Dan 9.4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. And as a fast is an extraordinary duty so confession of sin ought to be more than ordinary in such a day and what may suffice at another time may not be sufficient then It ought to be more extensive with respect to the several kinds and acts of sin with respect to the aggravations of sin and with respect to the persons that are under guilt and with respect to the inward principles of sin in the heart out of which all actual sins do spring As Daniels confession of sin extended to the kinds of it the several aggravations of it and to the persons that were concern'd in it as their Kings Princes Fathers people of the Land those that were near and those that were far off as we find in that chapter And this confession of sin is requisite to the deeper humiliation of the soul to the condemnation of our selves and to the justifying of God whereby he may have the greater glory 2. Is supplication which is the imploring mercy from God either with respect to the pardon of sin committed or the preventing those judgments that are impending or the removing such as are inflicted As we find Daniel in the time of his fasting after his confession made earnest supplications for forgivenesses of sin v. 9. for the turning away God's anger and fury v. 16. for the shining of his face upon his sanctuary v. 17. for the repairing the desolations of their City call'd by his name v. 18. and for the people in general ibid. And therefore fasting and prayer are frequently mentioned together in Scripture Luke 2.37 Acts 10.30 Acts 14.23 24. 1 Cor. 7.5 though prayer in general comprehends confession and thanksgiving in it as well as supplication yet in a stricter acceptation petition for mercy doth most properly express the import of the word and the main matter of the duty And this the King of Nineveh enjoined in the fast appointed by him Jonah 2.8 Let man and beat be covered with sackcloath and cry mightily to God So that supplication and crying to God is another great part of the duty of the day 3. Hearing the word for the word is necessary both for the discovery of sin for our present humiliation and for the discovery of our duty with respect to future reformation both which are necessary to an acceptable fast And the word of the Gospel sets before men a door of hope that their sin may be pardoned and judgment removed It presents God not only as reconcileable but delighting in mercy It sets before men many instances of God's hâ—aring prayer and the prevalency of repentance and humiliation with him And particularly what acceptance solemn fasting hath found with him in several ages And all this mightily tends to the furthering the great duties of the day And it is observed of the fast kept by the children of Israel Nehem. 9.3 that they read in the book of the Law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day and another fourth part they confessed and worshipped if repentance spiritual mourning and soul humiliation be necessary to the day as I shall shew presently then the hearing the word may be of great use thereunto As when Josiah heard the words of the Law he rent his cloaths and humbled himself 2 Chron. 34.27 and Ahab upon the like occasion humbled himself though not in the like manner and we read how God appointed Jeremiah and Jeremiah Baruch to read the roll that was written from the mouth of God in the ears of the people upon their fasting day Jer. 36.6 and what was the cause of Ninevehs repentance and humiliation was it not Jonah's preaching as our Saviour speaks of it Math. 12.41 They repented at the preaching of Jonah though his preaching was only this yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed The word is effectual through Christ to bring the impenitent to repentance and to renew the exercise of repentance in those that have already repented which is a proper work for a fast day 4. Renewing our Covenant with God which in private fasts is to be done betwixt God and a man 's own soul and in publick fasts by the mouth of the preacher and the peoples consent thereunto And this Covenant is either the general Covenant that we renew or else a particular Covenant with respect to some particular duties that we ingage our selves unto Or else both together As in the publick fast observed by the children of Israel in Nehem. 9. both Princes and Nobles and people renewed their general Covenant to walk in God's Law which was given by Moses the servant of the Lord and particularly they covenanted not to give their Daughters to the people of the Land nor take their Daughters for their Sons as we read Nehemiah Chap. 10. ver 19 20. and the Covenant being written their Princes Levites and Priests did seal to it So if a Church or people have contracted guilt upon themselves by the omitting of some duties or the committing of any sins for which the Lord may have a controversie with them It is a proper work upon a day of fasting to ingage themselves to a reformation by a solemn renewing their Covenant with God And though we have not a particular Instance of this in the New Testament yet the Law of saith that requires men now to take hold of God's Covenant and in all cases to make use of it so in some special cases to renew it also Not that it needs renewing as to the substance or sanction of it on God's part but we are on our part to renew it with God by laying new ingagements and obligations upon our selves to carry it in all things according to the Law of this covenant in the restipulating part of it 5. The next duty of the day is Thanksgiving Though this seems not the proper duty of the day yet is not to be omitted for the due consideration of God's mercy tends to the aggravation of sin and so to make mens confessions and
sanctified to the service and honour of God and so fear among the rest and is then to be exercised when we draw nigh to God especially in the solemn duties of a fast 4. Ingenuous shame Sin is in it self a shameful thing and therefore when it is confessed upon a solemn day it ought to be with shame As Ezra hearing of the sin of Israel after their return from their captivity he sate astonied untill the Evening and then riseth up and rends the mantle and speaks to God O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my faee unto thee Ezra 9.5 And to us belongeth confusion of face said Daniel in his fasting Dan. 9.8 Two things cause shame One is to act contrary to our own reason an I the other is to act unsuitably to another's kindness The one is absurd and the other is disingenuous and both may cause shame And there are both these in sin especially when committed with allowance for right reason doth condemn it and it is a high violation of the law of kindness to return evil where we receive all our good 5. Inward purity by which I mean not a total freedom from sin but a freedom from a corrupt end and the secret allowance of sin in our fasting Either of these will spoil the fast 1. A corrupt end As the Pharisees who fasted to appear religious before men And the Jews in Babylon who fasted but did ye fast to me even to me saith the Lord Zach. 7.5 their end was not right 2. A secret allowance of sin this made the Jews fasting of no avail with God Jer. 14.10 They have loved to wander There is their allowance of sin And when they fast I will not hear their cry ver 12. There their fast turns to no account It is said of Ahab he rent his cloaths put on sackcloth and fasted 1 Kings 21.27 But still he kept fast his sin and so not accepted As when the Jews came to enquire of God Ezek. 14. God tells them he well not be enquired of by them And why because they set up Idols in their heart v. 7. so if men come to God by fasting and prayer and have in their hearts an allowance of sin which God the searcher of hearts can know they bring an Idol along with them in their hearts and their prayer and fasting are rejected of him David well knew this when he saith If I regard iniquity in mine heart God will not hear my prayer Though men while they are fasting and praying are not visibly acting sin yet God seeth the aspect of the soul if that be looking towards sin with pleasure and delight as that Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there imports the prayer is rejected Si j'eusse pentè quelque malice c. Or if we read the words as the French Translation I think more properly renders them If I had regarded some wickedness in my heart God would not have heard my prayer the sence is the same to my present purpose 6. Evangelical Faith and Hope in God All our confessions and humiliations and supplications ought to be joined with faith in Christ and hope in God's mercies or else they want the great Ingredients of their acceptableness with God As in Ezra's fast Shechaniah stands up and saith to him we have trespassed against our God and taken strange wives c. Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing Ezra 10.2 And to the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses said Daniel in his fasting Dan. 9.9 God's mercy and Christ's merits should bear up our faith and hope while our sin is casting us down with sorrow As Samuel endeavoured to bring the people first to a sense of their sin in their choosing a King and then bears up their faith and hope by telling them God will not forsake his people for his name sake 1 Sam. 22.22 and David while he was confessing his sins of adultery and murther Psal 51. yet stileth God the God of his Salvation ver 14. and whiles he was crying to God out of the depths as he speaks and making his supplication Psal 130.1 2. yet he joins therewith faith and hope in God's mercy ver 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared All our duties even our fasting and humiliations ought to be perform'd Evangelically which cannot be except faith and hope do accompany the performance of them 3. I next proceed to speak of the special occasions that call us to this religious fast 1. Is the affliction and distress of the Church When the Jews were in great distress then Esther appointed Mordecai and the Jews to fast Esther 4.16 When the Ammonites and Moabites invaded Judah with a great Army then Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast 2 Chron. 20.3 When a great famine was upon the land of Israel then said the Prophet Joel ch 1.14 Sanctifie a fast call a solemn assembly And when the Jews were in Babylon then they kept their fast of the 4th 5th 7th and 10th month all the time of their captivity though the several months had respect to some particular calamities that befel them in those months Sympathy and sorrow are naturally exprest by fasting and are spiritually to be exprest with respect to the Churches distress by a Religious fasting 2. Upon the occasion of extraordinary sin If in a particular family it may be a just occasion for a fast in the family if in a particular Church or in a Nation it may be an occasion of a more publick fast As the fast of Ezra chap. 9. and of Nehemiah chap. 9. was upon the occasion of the sin of Israel in making marriages with the people of the Land And Hezekiah rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord upon the occasion of Rabshakehs reproaching and blaspheming God as well as the distress that was upon himself and the people by Senacheribs invasion as we read Isa 37. beginning We should mourn over the dishonour done to God as well as any distress and trouble that may come upon our selves and we read of the Congregation of Israel weeping before the door of the Tabernacle upon the account of the whoredom committed by many of them with the Daughters of Moab and bowing down to their Gods Numbers 25.6 3. For the obtaining some eminent mercy or for success in any great undertakings and enterprizes As Esther Esther 4.11 before she went in to the King to beg for the lives of her People she required her Maidens Mordecai and the Jews to fast And Ezra proclaimed a fast to seek a right way from God for themselves their little ones and all their substance when they were coming out of the Captivity to settle in their own Land Ezra 8.21 When Paul and Barnabas were sent forth to their more publick Ministry certain Prophets fasted and pray'd and laid hands on them and sent them away Act. 13.3 and when they ordained
Scripture were taken up upon some eminent occasions And besides it may make Religion burdensom and weak converts may be discouraged that are already brought in And those that are without may be prejudiced and hindred We should not make Christ's yoke heavier than he would have it Christ did not impose the rigour of the legal ministration upon his Disciples nor the burthensom traditions of the Pharisees nor did himself practice the austerity used by John the Baptist nor imposed it upon his Disciples Thus I have run through the five particulars I proposed to discourse this subject in And upon the whole shall make some practical use Vse 1. It reproves such who instead of prayer and fasting when required of them give up themselves to all excess of riot who make their belly their God so far they are from denying it for the service of God who practise as it was said of Israel in case of the golden Calf The people sate down to eat and to drink and rose up to play And say according to this licentious Proverb quoted by the Apostle out of Isaiah 22.13 Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must dye Though God be visiting the world with his judgments dashing the nations like potters vessels one against another yet they care for none of these things they are loth so far to own God as to fast and pray under his rebukes and their spirits are too high to stoop to the humbling duties of such a day because fasting and praying have been abused it may be by some in hypocrisie they are glad of that excuse to lay it quite aside The Book of Ecclesiastes they value above all Scripture because of two or three verses they find therein that they can interpret to gratifie a sensual life chap. 2.24 There is no better thing than that a man should eat and drink and that he should make his soul enjoy good of his labour and to the same purpose in ch 3.13 and ch 5.18 19. But they should consider that Solomon only speaks of the good of man with respect to this life and the end that God giveth man the good things of this life for vvhich is to use them for the outward comfort of his life vvhich he speaks of in opposition to such to vvhom God hath given vvealth and riches and honour yet hath not given him power to eat thereof Eccl. 6.2 Sure there is a Medium betwixt sordid sparing and luxurious spending betwixt using meats and drinks to the due comfort of nature and the abusing them to the great injury of the soul And though due feasting is lawful yet still with respect to the proper season and not to be killing sheep and slaying oxen and drinking wine in bowles vvhen God calls to fasting and baldness and girding on of sackcloth as the Prophet complains Isa 21.12 13. and who can reckon the manifold evils that arise from this sensual course of life The Schoolmen speaking of the sin of gluttony assign to it five Daughters Inepta Laetitia Scurrilitas immunditia multiloquium and hebetudo mentis circa intelligentiam That is foolish Mirth Scurrility Uncleanness Talkativeness and dulness of mind And Solomon gives an account of the off-spring of sensual and inordinate drinking Prov. 23 29. Who hath wâ— who hath sorrow who hath contentions who hath babling who hath wounds without cause who hath redness of eyes they that tarry long at the wine c. And as men are hereby injurious to themselves not only as Christians but as men so they walk contrary to God in the present course of his Providence among us Vse 2. We may hence take notice that God sometimes calls us to extraordinary duties as this of Fasting is and in such cases we are not to satisfie our selves with Ordinary Christians should like those men of Issachar be wise in discerning the times and the proper duties that belong to them Christ would not have his Disciples fast while he vvas vvith them but vvhen he vvas departed the duty would come in season So that if vve meet vvith matter of sorrow and mourning let us not be discouraged or offended it will be so untill the Bridegroom's return Now therefore let us take a view of the present face of the times and consider vvhether this Extraordinary Duty of Fasting be not now in season If we consider the several occasions which call for this duty are they not all found at this day amongst us 1. Is the abounding of sin an occasion Pray consider whether wickedness is not grown up to a greater height and impudence than in former ages in this Nation what shameful and yet shameless whoredom and drunkenness are among us and Oaths that our Fathers knew not Hovv many of these fools have we amongst us vvhich Solomon speaks of that make a mock of sin Prov. 14.9 and mock at Religion as Fanaticisin deny Providence and dispute against a Deity That novv it becomes necessary vvith respect to many instead of leading them to the higher points of Religion to convince their reasons of the Being of God and to awake the innate notices of a Deity in their hearts vvhich are even extinguish't by a course of sin What endeavours are used by many to debauch men into vvickedness and then to glory in vvhat they have done And the more to take off the scandal of sin they seek to propagate it and make it common and if it vvas possible to make piety scandalous and vvickedness noble and honourable Now ought there not to be fasting and mourning when religion is thus despised the great God dishonoured and his Laws made void was not this practised by David who said Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because men keep not thy Law Psal 119.136 What we cannot reform let us mourn over and mourn the rather because those that can and ought to do it so little concern themselves in it And hath not the Temptation of the times overtaken many that have formerly made great profession and drawn them to many unworthy compliances for secular advantages and vvho have thereby laid up matter to themselves for future repentance and sorrow and are become to others objects of sorrow also As the Apostle blames the Corinthians about the incestuous person why have ye not rather mourned 1 Cor. 5.3 and vvas it not to have been wished that all that fear God in the Nation should have been better united by this time both in Principles and practice that vve might no longer defame and persecute one another untill the Net be thrown over us all and it be then too late to relieve our selves though not to repent When many are at vvork to let in Popery as a torrent upon us vve should sure endeavour to stern the Tide both by fasting and praying unto God and unity amongst our selves 2. Is the distress of the Church of God an occasion for it Look abroad and look at home and you may behold such a sad face
upon it that may reflect sadness upon all your hearts where hath God a people especially in these European parts of the world but there is a distress upon them whether ye look into France Germany upper or lower Hungaria Silesia Polonia c. And doth not all this make fasting a duty in season when Nehemiah heard from certain that came from Judah that the Remnant left of the Captivity were in great affliction and that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down c. he sate down mourned fasted and prayed before the God of heaven Nehem. 1.4 and this he did though he himself was in a good Office in the Persian Court. Was our Condition ever so good at home yet we should lay to heart the afflictions of our brethren abroad For as we are to rejoice with them that rejoice so to weep with them that weep and what further calamities may yet break forth we know not but the sky looks still red and lowring and pourtends bad weather and it is our wisdom so to discern the face of the sky as to betake our selves to the proper duty of the times And thus to observe and serve the times is good Christian policy 3. Is the agitation of great affairs in the world an occasion for fasting this also requires it of us at this day Are not the Nations embroil'd in Wars both by Land and Sea are there not also some negotiations of peace on foot Is not the great Council of the Land to meet here at home and do not these extraordinary affairs call us to extraordinary duties that they may be all superintended and guided to an happy issue in the end 4. Is there not a strange stupidity and security upon the hearts of most men that they vvill not see the hand of God though they feel it and though God walks contrary to them yet they observe it not but rather walk contrary to him in a course of sin than meet him by repentance in the way of his judgments Now the less others are affected the more should we endeavour to affect our own hearts and to fast the more because they fast not at all and the more others are widening the breach to stand so much the more in the gap Ezek. 22.20 Now if we have these calls from God to this great duty of fasting and prayer let us not fail God herein and though we should obtain nothing for others yet we may deliver our own souls and we know the respect God had to those that sighed and mourned in Jerusalem that the Prophet was bid to set a peculiar mark upon them Ezek. 9.4 2 Chron. 20. And I shall only add this further word of encouragement i. e. That this extraordinary duty of Fasting hath been often answered with extraordinary success as Esthers fast when she went in to the King and Jehoshaphat's Fast when the Ammonites Moabites and Edomites invaded him and Ezra's fast ch 8.23 and upon Daniel's fasting he had the Angel Gabriel dispatched to him to give him understanding in the things he sought ch 9.22 and again upon his fasting in ch 10. he saw a vision wherein a man appear'd to him and told him that he was a man greatly beloved and from the first day that he set himself to understand and chasten himself before God his prayers were heard and sometimes where ordinary prayer hath not prevailed extraordinary hath had success which Christ intimates in saying This kind cannot be cast out but by fasting and prayer Mat. 17.21 Those that now fast and mourn in the Bridegrooms absence shall rejoyce with him for ever at his return then they shall feast but fast no more and the days of their mourning shall be ended as Christ said to his Disciples I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no man taketh from you John 16.21 Though their present fasting and mourning hath a good in it beyond the worlds feasting and rejoycing yet the consequent of it makes it incomparably better The Bridegroom was once upon earth with his Church but departed and so gave her occasion of fasting and mourning but when he comes again he and his Church shall never fast and therefore fasting will then never come into season again as the fast of the 4th 5th 7th 10th month was to the house of Judah joy and gladness Zach. 8. so all the fasts kept by the people of God here on earth will be and that incomparably more joy and gladness to them in heaven and that for ever But to conclude all take these two Rules 1. Fasting being an extraordinary duty ought to be managed with an extraordinary exercise of grace Christ would have his Disciples endued with a greater measure of grace before he would put them upon this duty This new wine must be put into new bottles so that as Christ asked James and John concerned his Baptism are ye able to be baptized with my baptism so may we ask Christians now concerning fasting are ye able to keep a fast 2. Fasting ought to be followed with sincere and universal reformation elso it avails nothing The Jews fasting mention'd Isa 58. vvas rejected upon this account They vvent from their fasts to Strife Debate Oppression Covetousness and no wonder then that they complain and say why have we fasted and thou takest no notice Nay this reformation is so necessary that the denomination of a fast is attributed to it Isa 58.6 7. Is not this the Fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness to deal thy bread to the hungry c. If moral duties be neglected the practice of the strictest Institutions is unacceptable to God Quest How to manage secret Prayer that it may be prevalent with God to the comfort and satisfaction of the Soul Serm. XIV Math. 6.6 But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly WE have here our blessed Lord's instruction for the management of secret prayer the Crown and glory of a child of God wherein observe 1. The direction prescribed for our deportment in secret duty in three things 1. Enter thy closet the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesychius glosses by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a secret or recluse habitation and Suidas by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a hiding place for treasures by a Metonymy The LXX such as we have it turn the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so frequently by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we need enquire no further as Gen. 43.30 Exod. 8.3 2 Sam. 13.10 1 Kings 1.15 and otherwhere for a chamber a parlour a bedchamber Sometimes the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foramen caverna a hole cleft or cavern in a rock as Isaiah 42.22 which they render also by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rima The Etymon of the word being derived 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from holes pits caves cut out in rocks shews that it notes secret places for retirements or repositories It 's accordingly rendred by secret chambers Math. 24.26 and by closets Luke 12.3 2. Shut the door or lock it as the word insinuates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a key is deduced and are both put together as appears by Rev. 3.7 and 20.1 3. implying that we must bar or bolt it 3. Pray to thy Father in secret Father which is pietatis potestatis appellatio as Tertullian notes a name hinting both piety and power to thy Father De Orat. noting both propriety and intimacy 2. A gracious promise which may be branch't into three parts 1. For thy Father sees thee in secret his eye is upon thee with a gracious aspect when thou art withdrawn from all the world 2. He will reward thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retribuet reponet or as Ambrose reads it redder so the word is sometimes translated by rendring De Cain and Abel Math. 22.21 Rom. 2.6 13.7 by delivering Math. 27.58 Luke 9.42 by yielding or affording Heb. 12.11 Rev. 22.2 All which comes to this he will return thy prayers or thy requests amply and abundantly into thy bosom 3. He will do it openly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perspicuously and manifestly before the world sometimes and most plentifully and exuberantly before men and Angels at the great day secret prayers shall have open and publick answers 3. Here 's a demonstration of sincerity from the right performance of this duty set forth by the Antithesis But thou shalt not be as the hypocrites verse 5. When i. e. as often as thou prayest by thy self enter not thy house only thy hall or thy common chamber but thy closet the most secret and retired privacy Shut the door that others may neither discern thee nor rush in suddenly upon thee He shall reward thee i. e. he shall answer thee and perform thy request as a gracious return to thy secret sincerity God is pleased by promise to make himself a debtor to secret prayer It brings nothing to God but empty hands and naked hearts to shew that reward in Scripture sence does not slow in upon the streams of merit but grace It 's monkish divinity to assert otherwise for what merit strictly taken can there be in prayer the meer asking of mercy cannot merit it at the hands of God who out of our most sincere petitions being at best impregnated with sinful mixtures might take up matter enough to sling as the dung of our sacrifices in our faces Mal. 2.3 We halt like Jacob both in and after our choicest and strongest wrestlings But such is the grace of our heavenly Father who spies that little sincerity of our hearts in secret that he is pleased to accept us in his beloved and to smell a favour of rest in the fragrant perfumes and odours of his intercession Hence though I might draw forth several notes yet shall treat but of one containing the marrow and nerves of the Text. Obs That secret prayer duly managed is the mark of a sincere heart and hath the promise of a gracious return Prayer is the soul's colloquy with God and secret prayer is a conference with God upon admission into the privy chamber of heaven When thou hast shut thine own closet vvhen God and thy soul are alone with this key thou openest the chambers of paradise and enterest the closet of divine love When thou art immured as in a curious Labyrinth from the tumultuous world and entered into that garden of Lebanon in the midst of thy closet thy soul like a spiritual Daedalus takes to it self the wings of faith and prayer and flies into the midst of heaven among the Cherubims I may term secret prayer the invisible flight of the soul into the bosom of God out of this heavenly closet rises Jacobs ladder vvhose rounds are all of light its foot stands upon the basis of the covenant in thy heart its top reaches the throne of grace When thy reins have instructed thee in the night season with holy petitions vvhen thy soul hath desired him in the night then vvith thy spirit vvithin thee wilt thou seek him early Psal 16 7. Isa 26.9 When the door of thy heart is shut and the windows of thine eyes seal'd up from all vain and worldly objects Zach. 3.7 up thou mountest and hast a place given thee to walk among Angels that stand by the throne of God in secret prayer the soul like Moses is in the backside of the desart and talks with the Angel of the Covenant in the fiery bush Exod. 3.1 Gen. 24.63 1 Kings 19.4 v. 12. Here 's Isaac in the field at eventide meditating and praying to the God of his Father Abraham Here 's Elijah under the Juniper-tree at Rithmah in the wilderness and anon in the cave hearkning to the still small voice of God Here 's Christ and the Spouse alone in the wine cellar and the banner of love over her Cant. 2.4 Gersâ—n Eph. 5.18 John 1.48 where she utters verba dimidiata ubi bibit ebriam Sobrietatem spiritus but half words having drunk of the sober excess of the spirit Here we find Nathaniel under the fig-tree though it may be at secret prayer yet under a beam of the eye of Christ There sits Austin in the garden alone sighing with the Psalmist usque quo Domine Confess 1. l. 8. c 12. how long O Lord and listning to the voice of God tolle lege take up the Bible and read It 's true hypocrites may pray and pray alone and pray long and receive their reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from such whose observation they desire but take no true delight in secret devotion Mat. 23 14. Chrysost in loc Cant. 2.14 they have no spring of affection to God But O my dove says Christ that art in the clefts of the rock let me hoar thy voice for the melody thereof is sweet A weeping countenance and a wounded spirit are most beautiful prospects to the eye of heaven when a broken heart powrs out repentant tears like streams from the rock smitten by the rod of Moses law in the hand of a Mediator Oh how amiable in the sight of God Psa 130.1 out of the depths have I cried to thee as Chrysostom glosses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draw sighs from the furrows of thy heart è sulco pectoris Let thy prayer become a hidden mystery of divine secrets like good Hezekiah upon the bed with his face to the wall Isa 38.2 5. that none might observe him or like our blessed Lord that grand example who retired into solitudes and mountains apart and saw by night the Illustrious face of his heavenly Father in prayer the reasons follow 1. Because a sincere heart busies it self about heart-work to mortifie sin to quicken grace to observe and resist
night and then with her spirit seeks him early Desires blown by meditation are the sparks that set prayer in a light flame The work of preparation may be cast under five heads when we apply to solemn and set prayer 1. The consideration of some attributes in God that are proper to the intended petitions 2. A digestion of some peculiar and special promises that concern the affair 3. Meditation on suitable arguments 4. Ejaculations for assistance 5. An engagement of the heart to a holy frame of reverence and keeping to the point in hand Cypr. de Orat. p. 106. 6. edit Nec quicquam tunc animus quam solum cogitet quod precatur was serious advice from Cyprian let the soul think upon nothing but what it is to pray for and adds that therefore the ministers of old prepared the minds of the people with sursum corda let your hearts be above For how can we expect to be heard of God when we do not hear our selves when the heart does not watch while the tongue utters The tongue must be like the pen of a ready writer Psal 45.1 to set down the good matter which the heart indites take heed of ramblings to preach or tell pious stories while praying to the great and holy God is a branch of irreverence and a careless frame of spirit Heb. 12.28 2. Humble confession of such sins as concern and refer principally to the work in hand Our filthy garments must be taken away when we appear before the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem Look upon my afflictions Zech. 3.4 Psal 25.18 Psal 39.8.12 Psal 103.3 cries David and forgive all my sins There are certain sins that often relate to afflictions First deliver me from my transgressions then hear my prayer O Lord for this is the heavenly method he first forgiveth all our iniquities and then healeth all our diseases A forgiven soul is a healed soul while a man is sick at heart with the qualms of sin unpardoned it keeps the soul under deliquiums and swooning fits that it cannot cry strongly unto God and therefore in holy groans must discharge himself of particular sins and pour out his soul before God Thus did David in that great penitential Psalm Psal 51.4 Isa 59.2 Ezra 9.6 For sin like a thick cloud hides the face of God that our prayers cannot enter We must blush with Ezra and our faces look red with the flushings of conscience if we expect any smiles of mercy Our crimson sins must dye our confessions and the blood of our sacrifices must sprinkle the horns of the golden altar before we receive an answer of peace from the golden mercy seat When our persons are pardoned our suits are accepted and our petitions crowned with the Olive-branch of peace 3. An arguing and pleading Spirit in prayer This is properly wrestling with God humble yet earnest expostulations about his mind towards us Psal 74.1 Isa 64.9 Why hast thou cast us off for ever why doth thine anger smoke Be not wroth very sore O Lord remember not iniquity for ever see we beseech thee we are thy people If so why is it thus as frighted Rebekah flies out into prayer An arguing frame in prayer cures and appease◠(f) Psal 34.4 Gen. 25.22 Psal 27.4 Psal 22.1 21. Psal 80 4. Jer. 14 8 9. the frights of spirit and then inquires of God The Temple of prayer is call'd the souls inquiring place Why is God so far from the voice of my roaring Thou hast heard me from the horns of the Vnicorns Art thou angry with the prayers of thy people and how long turn us again and cause thy face to shine upon us O hope of Israel why like a wayfaring man like a man astonied O Lord thou art in the midst of us and we are called by thy name leave us not I must refer to Abraham Jacob and Moses Joshuah David and Daniel how they urged arguments with God Sometimes from (a) Ps 5 7. 6 4 31 16. the multitudes of God's mercies from (b) Psal 4.1 6.9 22.4 21. 31. 2 3 7. 140.7 the experience of former answers from the Name of God from (c) Psal 9.10 16.1 their trust and reliance upon him (d) Psal 17.1 from the equity of God (e) Psal 31.17 34.1 from the shame and confusion of face that God will put his people to if not answered and that others will be driven away from God and lastly from (f) Psal 20.5 35 18. the promise of peace These and many like pleadings we find in Scripture for patterns in prayer which being suggested by the spirit kindled from the altar and perfumed with Christ's incense rise up like memorial pillars before the oracle Let 's observe one or two particular prayers what instant arguments holy men have used and pressed in their perplexities 2 Chron. 20.10 c. Jehoshaphat what a working prayer did he make taking pleas from God's Covenant dominion and powerful strength from his gift of the Land of Canaan and driving out the old inhabitants ancient mercies from his Sanctuary and his promise to Solomon from the ingratitude and ill requital of the enemies with an appeal to God's equity in the case and a humble confession of their own impotency and yet that in their anxiety their eyes are sixt upon God You know how gloriously it prevailed when he had set ambushments round about the Court of Heaven v. 8. and the Lord turn'd his arguments into ambushments against the children of Edom c. Yea this is set as an instance (g) Joel 3.2 how God will deal against the Enemies of his Church in the latter days Another is that admirable prayer of the Angel of the Covenant to God for the restauration of Jerusalem Zech. 1.12 wherein he pleads from the length of time and the duration of his indignation for threescore and ten years from promised mercies and the expiration of Prophesies and behold an answer of good and comfortable words from the Lord and pray observe that when arguments in prayer are very cogent upon a sanctified heart such being drawn from the divine attributes from precious promises and sweet experiments of God's former love it 's a rare sign of a prevailing prayer 'T was an ingenious passage of Chrysostom concerning the woman of Canaan Chrys in Mat. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor distressed creature was turned an acute Philosopher with Christ and disputed the mercy from him O 't is a blessed thing to attain to this heavenly Philosophy of prayer to argue blessings out of the hand of God Here 's a spacious field I have given but a small prospect where the soul like Jacob does in arenam descendere enter the lists with omnipotency and by holy force obtain the blessing 4. Ardent affections in prayer betokening a heart deeply sensible are greatly prevalent Exod. 14 15. A crying prayer pierces the
bring us into his prâ—sâ— Tâ—ke heed then of quenching the Spirit of God He that is 〈…〉 knows the sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 3.8 the voice of the spirit When th◠〈…〉 word or softned by afflictions or feels some holy groans and sighs excited by the spirit that 's a warm time for prayer Rom. 8.27 then we enjoy the sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the intimations of the spirit of God or when prophesies are nigh to expire then there are great workings and searchings of heart in Daniel Zechary Simeon and Anna or when some promise comes with applying power Therefore hath thy Servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee 2 Sam. 7.27 28. Cant. 7.9 for thou hast promised this goodness unto thy Servant When we find promises dropt into the soul like wine it causes the lips of them that were asleep to speak 3. Keep Conscience tender of and clean from secret sins With what face can we go to a friend to whom we have given any secret affronts and will ye be so bold as to come before the God of heaven when he knows ye maintain some secret lust in your heart De Orat. p. 213. Prov. 28.9 Darest thou to bring a Dalilah with thee into this sacred closet True is that of Tertullian Quantum à praeceptis tantum ab auribus Dei longè sumus He that turns his ear from God's precepts must stop his mouth in the dust if God turn his holy ears from his cries When our secret sins are in the light of his countenance we may rather expect to be consumed by his anger and troubled by his wrath Psal 90.7 8. Object But then who may presume and venture into Secret Communion Ans True if God should strictly mark what we do amiss who can stand David was sensible of this objection Psal 130.3 4. but he answers it humbly There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared If we come with holy purposes to leave all sin he hath promised to pardon abundantly His thoughts and waies are not as ours Isa 55.7 guilt makes us fly his presence but proclamation of pardoning grace to a wounded soul that comes for strength from heaven to subdue its iniquities Mic. 7.19 sweetly draws the soul to lye at his foot for mercy Though we cannot as yet be so free as formerly while under the wounding sense of guilt Psal 51.12 Psal 69.5 yet when he restores to us the joy of his salvation he will again uphold us with his free spirit Yet take heed of Scars upon the soul God knows our foolishness and our guiltinesses are not hid from him yet we come for purging and cleansing mercy A godly man may be under the sense of divine displeasure for some iniquity that himself knoweth as the Lord spake of Eli yet the way to be cured 1 Sam. 3.13 Mark 5.23 is not to run from God but like the distressed woman come fearing and trembling and fall at his feet and tell him all the truth But if prayer have cured thee sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee For if we regard iniquity in our heart Psal 66.18 the Lord will not hear us but the guilt may stare conscience in the face with great amazement As 't is storied of one that secretly had stoln a sheep it ran before his eyes in prayer that he could have no rest How strangely will memory ring the bell in the ears of conscience If we have any secret sin in deliciis if we look but a squint with desires and secret thoughts after our peace-offerings to meet our beloved lusts again this is dangerous Prov. 7.14 God may justly give up such to cast off that which is good to cleave to their Idols and let them alone Hos 4 17. 6.3 Gerson T. 2. p. 76.6 But if the face of the heart be not knowingly and willingly spotted with any sin or lust bating infirmities which he mourns under then thy countenance through Christ will be comely in the eye of God and thy voice sweet in his ears and as he said Qui benè vivit semper orat a holy life vvill be a vvalking continual prayer his very life is a constant petition before God 4. Own thy personal interest with God and plead it humbly Consider whom thou goest to in secret pray to thy father who seeth in secret Canst thou prove thy self to be in Covenant vvhat thou canst prove thou mayest plead Psal 50.15 16. and have it successfully issued In prayer vve take God's Covenant into our mouths but without a real interest the Lord expostulates with such what have they to do with it God never graciously hears but 't is upon interest This argument Solomon presses in prayer for they be thy people and thine inheritance 1 Kings 8 51. Thus David pleads (a) Ps 140.6 Thou art my God hear the voice of my supplication (b) 119 94. I am thine Lord save me (c) 116.16 Truly I am thy servant I am thy servant Arias turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by obsecro quaeso I beseech thee O Lord I am thy servant God will avenge his elect when they cry unto him I was cast upon thee from the womb Luke 18.7 Psal 22.10 thou art my God from my mothers belly Therefore Asa turns the contest heavenward O Lord thou art our God let not mortal man prevail against thee 2 Chron. 14.11 Psal 119.176 Thou takest me for the sheep of thy fold and the servant of thy houshold therefore seek me When Israel shall be refined as silver and tried as gold they shall call on his name and he will hear them I will say it is my people my tried refined golden people and they shall say the Lord is my God Zech. 13.9 When thou canst discern the print of the broad seal of the Covenant upon thy heart and the privy seal of the spirit upon thy prayers and canst look upon the Son of God in a sacerdotal relation to thee thou may'st (a) Heb 5.16 come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need 5. Be very particular in secret prayer both as to sins wants and mercies (b) Psal 32.5.51.9 Hide none of thy transgressions if thou expect a pardon Be not ashamed to open all thy necessities David argues (c) Psal 40.17 70.5.86.1.109.22 because he is poor and needy four several times he presses his wants and exigences before God like an earnest but holy beggar and (d) Psal 142.2 Job 23.4 shewed before him his trouble from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coram presents before him his ragged condition and spreads open his secret wounds as Job said he would order his cause before him from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disponerem instruerem marshal every case as a battel in rank and file There we may speak out our minds fully and name the persons that
obedience to God their Governour it would be attributed to their craftiness rather than their goodness 2. Proposition Man being made by God a rational creature it governed in a way suitable to the nature of such a creature that is by a Law and not meerly by Physical motion nor natural necessity or objects proposed to his sense only Lex est ratio summa insita in natura quae jubet ea quae fucienda sunt prohibet contraria seu regula mensura actuum agendorum vel omittendorum seu neque hominum ingeniis excogitata nec sanctum aliquod populorum sed eternum quiddam quod universum mundum regeret imperandi prohibendique sapientia Altenst Lex Theolog. Si natura confirmatum jus non erit virtutes omnes tolluntur neque silum in homines obsequia sed etiam in Deos ceremoniae religionésque tolluntur jus esset latrocinari jus adulterare jus testamenta falsa supponere si haec suffragiis aut scitis multitudinis probarentur quae si tanta est potentia siultorum sententiis atque jussis ut eorum suffâ—agiis rerum natura vertatur cur non sanciunt ut quae mala perniciosáque sunt habeantur pro bonis salutaribus c. Cicero de leg lib. 1. as bruits and inanimate creatures are if we consider the nature of man we shall discern a necessity and an aptitude in him to be governed by a Law a necessity because in his first estate mutable in his fallen estate corrupt an aptitude because he is rational acting for some end to be attained by such means as are conducible to the same and both end and means to be discerned by reason whereas bruits that neither know the end sub ratione finis nor the means sub ratione mediorum are not capable of moral Government But it is suitable to the nature of man being an understanding and voluntary agent to be ruled by a Law constituting his debitum officii praemii poenae duty unto God his reward if he be obedient his punishment if he walk contrary to that Law prescribing his duty to him Such a Law God hath made for the government of men else no man could be guilty of sin because there would be no such thing as sin for where there is no Law there is no transgression else there would be no such thing as virtue and vice and no such difference of men as good and bad else there would be no need of repentance for any man no need of reproofs and exhortations else there would be no rewards and punishments to be short there would be no Religion in the world 3. Proposition Though all men for some time were without the written Law of God Est quaedam non scripta sed nata Lex quam non didicimus accepimus legimus vâ—â—ùm ex natura ipsa art ipuimus hâ—â—simus expressimus ad quam non dâ—cti sed fâ—cti non instituti sed imbuti sumus Cicero Orat pro Milo which is full and sufficient to salvation and many are without it still yet all men have a law written in their hearts shewing them that good is to be embraced and evil to be shunned and is sufficient to leave them without excuse Besides what is said before the Apostle proveth this Rom. 2.14 by a twofold argument or testimony the first external from the lives of many of the more sober Heathen who did many things contained in and commanded by the Law of God for when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves The second is an internal testimony v. 15. which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another The very Heathen have been fill'd with fears of punishment after they have committed sin but what need that unless they knew they had transgressed some Law Quae lex est ipsa ratio imperandi prohibâ—ndi quâ—m qui ignorat is est injustus sive est illa scripta uspiam sive nusquam Cicero de leg lâ—â— Promulgatio Legis naâ—uâ—ae est ex hoc ipso quod Deus eam mentibus hominum inseruit naturaliter cognoscendam Aquin. prim secundae Q. 90. Jus naturale est dictamen rectae rationis indicans actui alicui ex ejus convenientia aut discâ—nvenientia cum ipsa natura rationali inesse moralem tuâ— pitudinem â—ut necessitatem moralem ac consequenter ab auctore na urae Deo talem actum aut vetari aut praecipi Grot. de jur bell p. 3. Lex natu ae est lumen d ctamen rationis divinitus inditum in intellectu hominem communibus notionibus ad justi injusti honesti turpis discretionem informans ut quid faciendum sit vel fugiendum intelligat Croc. Syntag. What Law then Not the written Law of God for that they had not Therefore a Law of Nature being for such evils for which they were not exposed to punishment by the Laws of men It is not essential to this Law that it be either spoken or written but it is sufficient that it be some fit signification of the Will of God to man authoritatively instituting what shall be due to God from man and declaring what benefit and good shall redound to him if he do obey and vvhat evil of punishment shall be inflicted upon him if he doth transgress And yet this Will of God is signified and promulged in that God hath engraven such a Law on all mens hearts and imprinted it in their very natures that doth discover such a deformity in some evils that it is to be abhorred and such a beauty in some good that it dictates it is to be embraced There are certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common notions innate or natural principles known to all men such light and dictates of reason by which when they come to understanding they may see a plain difference betwixt good and evil in some things and conclude that one is commanded by God and the other forbidden and consequently that they are bound to do the one and to avoid the other and withall doth dictate to them that it shall be well with them that imbrace good and punishment shall be inflicted on them that do evil and this signification of the Will of God concerning duty rewards and punishments is the Law of Nature as it is common to all men Lex naturalis est significatio divinae voluntatis quam Deus ipse nostris mentibus inserit Val. Philosop Sacr. 279. though described something otherwise by others 4. Proposition Quae est enim gens aut quod genus hominum quod non habeat sine doctrina anticipationem quandam Decrum cum enim non instituto aliquo aut more aut legâ— sit opiâ—io constituta manâ— atque ad unum omnium firma
thy trust and requireth thy help to the utmost power for their good assist them herein and see that they do it and use thy gifts and parts and knowledg in praying with them that they also by thy example might be induced to this duty and by hearing thee pray in their company may learn to pray also Light of Nature did dictate to the heathen Mariners Jon. 1. that prayer to God was a means to save them in the storm therefore the Master of the Ship the Head of that Society called Jonah from sleep to Prayers and this they did not only severally but conjunctly v. 14. they cried unto the Lord and said We beseech thee O Lord We beseech thee c. and shall the Heathen Master of the Ship do more in that Society whereof he was chief than a Christian Master of a Family in that Houshold Society whereof he is head Moreover 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lores Penates Dii domestici qui domi coluntur Ego Deos Penates hinc salutatum domum devortar Ter. Phorm Vestae vis ad aras focos pertinet itaque in ea dea quae est rerum Custos intimarum omnis precatio sacrificatio extrema est nec longè absunt ab hac vi dâ—i penates sive à penu ducto nomine sive ab eo quod penitùs insident Cic. de nat Deor. l. 2. that the Light of Nature doth dictate that there should be conjunct worshipping of God in mens houses the practice of the Heathen makes manifest they had their houshold gods so call'd because they thought they had the rule over them and their Housholds and the keeping and preserving of their Families though indeed they could not defend themselves nor them that did in their houses worship them as Juno in her speech to Aeolus Gens inimica mihi Tyrrhenum navigat aequor Ilium in Italiam portans victósque penates Yet these Gods they served in their houses and sacrificed to them in which Sacrifice their custom * Godw. Rom. Ant. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videntur fuisse dii penates qui ad tuendam rem domesticam colerentur De Dieu in Gen. 31.19 was to eat up all that was left at the Offering thinking it an hainous matter to send any of that Sacrifice abroad to their friends or to the poor Of this sort were the Teraphim an Idol or Image made for mens private use in their own houses Laban had such houshold Gods Gen. 31.19 30. Why hast thou stollen away my Gods By this you see that the Light of Nature doth dictate houshold worship to be given to God and the Heathens did it to their false Gods And if you called Christians will not in your houses jointly pray unto the true God let the Heathens stand up as witnesses against you However take this Argument containing the sum of the five foregoing Propositions 2. Arg. If all men are bound to take God for their Ruler governing them by a Law writen in their hearts which doth dictate to them that there is a God and jointly to be prayed unto in mens Families then it is their duty so to do The reason of this is because if they be bound to do it and do it not they sin But all men are bound to take God for their Ruler as in the first Proposition is shewn governing them by a Law as in the second written in their hearts as in the third which doth dictate to them that God is as in the fourth and to be jointly prayed to in their Families as in the fifth Therefore it is their duty so to do For the proof of the last part of the minor Proposition viz. That the Light of Nature doth dictate that Men or Masters of Families ought to pray conjunctly with the Members of their Families consider this Seeing Societies as such are totally dependent upon God and mens gifts are communicative and solemnities are operative nature teacheth us that God ought to be solemnly acknowledg'd worship'd and honour'd both in families and in more solemn appointed assemblies Mr. Baxter Reasons of Christ Rel. part 1. p. 74. If the Light or Law of Nature doth dictate that Masters of Families ought to use all means to prevent the damnation of the immortal Souls in that Domestick Society of which they are Heads and Governours and to further their eternal happiness having opportunities so to do then it doth dictate that they ought to pray conjunctly with them The reason of this is because Prayer is a means made together with them which the Light of Nature doth dictate profitable to prevent their misery and further their happiness as in the fourth Position before laid down and they have opportunities for this means But the Light or Law of Nature doth dictate that Masters of Families ought to use all means to prevent the damnation of the immortal Souls in that Domestick Society whereof they are Heads and Governours and to further their eternal happiness having opportunities so to do For if the Light of Nature doth dictate they ought to take care of their bodies that are mortal it doth tell them they are much more to take care of their Souls which are immortal and must for ever live in happiness or misery as in Position first second and third Therefore the Light or Law of Nature doth dictate that it is their duty to pray conjunctly with their Families and if the Law of Nature doth the Lavv of God doth because the Law of Nature is God's Law Argument 3. The third seat or head of Argument shall be taken from what God is to Families as such in these four Propositions God is the founder of all Families as such therefore Families as such should pray unto him 1. Familia est inter plures pirsonas quae sunt sub unius potestate vel naturâ vel jure subjectae vel societas constituta secundùm naturam quotidiani usus gratia Estque conjugalis patria Herilis Liebent Col. Polit The houshold Society usually is of these three Combinations Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters or Servants though there may be a Family where all these are not yet take it in its latitude and all these Combinations are from God The Institution of Husband and Wife is from God Gen. 2.21 22 23 24. and of Parents and Children and Masters and Servants and the authority of one over the other and the subjection of the one to the other is instituted by God and founded in the Law of Nature which is God's Law The persons singly considered have not their beings only from God but the very being of this Society as such is also from him and as a single person is therefore bound to devote himself to the service of God and pray unto him so an houshold Society is therefore bound jointly as such to do the same because as such a Society it is from God utriusque est par ratio And hath God
shall keep the way of the Lord. This then is undeniable if the Word is to be believed received as our Rule and obedience to be yielded thereunto And the Heathens taught a necessity of instructing youth betimes The reason of this consequence from Family reading and instructions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin dialog cum Tryph 173. Scriptura sacra est 1 DEI cathedra ex qua ad nos loquitur 2 Dei Schola in qua nos erudit informat 3 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritualis rerum medicarum officina 4 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 armamentarium in quo â—unit armat nos contra omnis generis hostes 5 Dei manus qua nos per semitas fidei justitiae ducit ad vitam aeternam Gerhar loc com Tom. 1. p. 141. to Family praying is evident we need to beg of God the illumination of his Spirit the opening of the eyes of every one in the Family the blessing of God upon our endeavours without which it will be to no saving benefit and vvill be more manifest if vve consider and lay together these things following First Whose Word it is that is to be read in the Family together the Word of the eternal blessed glorious God And doth this call for and require preceding Prayer no more than if you were to read the Book of some mortal man The Word of God is that out of which God speaketh to us it is that by which he doth instruct us and inform us in the highest and weightiest concernments of our Souls it is that from which we must fetch remedies for the cure of our spiritual maladies it is that from whence we must have weapons of defence against our spiritual enemies that do assault our Souls and be directed in the paths of life and is not Prayer together needful then that God would prepare all their hearts to receive and obey what shall be read to them of the mind of God Is all the Family so serious and so sensible of the Glory Holiness and Majesty of that God that speaketh to them in his Word that Prayer is not needful that they may be so And if it be needful should it not first be done And when it hath been read and the threatnings commands and promises of the glorious God been heard and your sins discovered and God's wrath against them and duties enjoined and precious priviledges opened and promises of a faithful God both great and precious promises made to such as do repent believe and turn to God with all their hearts unfeignedly have you not all need together to fall down upon your knees to beg and cry and call to God for pardon of those sins that by this Word you are convinced you are guilty of and to lament them before the Lord and that when your duty is discovered you might have all hearts to practise and obey and that you might unfeignedly repent and turn to God that so you may apply those promises to your selves and be partaker of those priviledges From this then there is great reason when you read together you should also pray together Scripturis sacris incumbat Christianus fidelis ibi inveniet condigna fidei spectacula spectabit mundum in delictis suis Piocum praemia Impiorum supplicia religione superatas feras in mansuetudinem câ—nversas intuâ—bitur animas ab ipsa morte revocatas in his omnibus jam majus videbit spectaculum diabolum illum qui totum triumpharet mundum sub pedibus Christi jacentem quà m hoc decorum spectaculum fratres quam jucundum quam necessarium Cyprian 416. Secondly Consider what great and deep mysterious things are contained in the Word of God which you are to read together and there vvill appear a necessity of praying together also Is there not in this Word the Doctrine concerning God how he might be known loved obeyed worshipped and delighted in concerning Christ God-man a mystery that the Angels wonder at and no man fully understands or can express and fully unfold concerning the Offices of Christ Prophet Priest and King the example and the life of Christ the miracles of Christ the temptations of Christ the sufferings of Christ his death the victories of Christ the Resurrection Ascension and Intercession of Christ and his coming to Judgment Is there not in the Scripture the Doctrine of the Trinity of the misery of man by sin and his remedy by Christ of the Covenant of Grace the Conditions of this Covenant and the Seals thereof the many precious glorious priviledges that we have by Christ reconciliation with God justification sanctification and adoption the several graces to be got and duties to be done and of mens everlasting state in Heaven or Hell are these and such like contained in the Word of God that you ought to read daily in your houses and yet do not you see the need of Prayer before and after your reading of it Weigh them well and you will Thirdly Consider how much all the Family are concerned to know and understand these things so necessary to Salvation If they are ignorant of them they are undone If they know not God how shall they love him Invisa possunt amari incognita nequaquam Things unseen may be loved but things unknown cannot We might love an unseen God and an unseen Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 But not an unknown God If they in your Family know not Christ how shall they believe on him and yet they must perish and be damned if they do not They must for ever lose God and Christ and Heaven and their Souls if they do not repent believe and be converted and yet when that Book is read Petit se doceri divinitus ut doctrinam rectè intelligat ex antithesi verò monet omnium hominum mentes esse coecas nec intelligere doctrinam quamdiu non illuminantur à Spiritu sancto monet igiâ—ur quasi velamen esse obductum oculis nostrae mentis vel volumen legis seu doctrinae clausum convolutum esse ut legi intelligi non possit nisi spiritu detrahente velamen oculis nostris evolvente volumen ut oculis nostris subjiciatur ideóque assiduè petendum esse significat ut hic dâ—ctor mittatur in corda nostra qui ea illuminet sapientia coelesti imbuat Moller in Psal 119.18 by which they should understand the nature of true saving Grace is not Prayer needful especially when many have the Bible and read it yet do not understand the things that do concern their peace Fourthly Consider further The blindness of their minds and their inability without the teachings of God's Spirit to know and understand these things and yet is not Prayer needful Fifthly Consider yet further The backwardness of their hearts to hearken to these weighty necessary truths of God and their unwillingness naturally to learn shews Prayer to be necessary that God would make them able
〈◊〉 ruler of his own house Kings are Fathers of their own Countries and Fathers are Kings in their own houses in respect of their rule and authority over them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Odys lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Odys 9. Direction II. N c sibi nec aliis utilis Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se Crimen habet quanto qui peccat major habetur Juven Sat. 8. 2. That Prayer be managed to the spiritual benefit of the Family the Master thereof should make it his business to be accomplished with gifts and knowledg suitable to the place where God hath set him Ignorance in a Master of a Family renders him uncapable of the discharge of the duties of his place and is worse than in a Child or Servant Such a Family is lik a body that hath a head without eyes It is a shame to see what little knowledg many Governours of Families have in matters of Religion that when they should instruct and catechise their children and servants need to be catechised themselves The Apostle requireth this qualification in Masters of Families that they should be knowing men so some interpret this place 1 Pet. 3.7 as becomes knowing men Naturally men are endued with greater powers to understand than women are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri similiteâ— unà versentur ut scientes decet Beza Piscat Quid est stultius quam quia diu non didiceriâ— non discere Omnis aetatis homines schola admittit Tamduâ— dâ—scendum est quamdiu nescias Sen. Epist 76. and a Master of a Family hath had more time to get knowledg than Children and Servants have and if he hath not attain'd to more it is his shame and reproach and renders him more contemptible in the eyes of those that are subjected to him who have not that reverent awe of him and his authority as they would have if authority were accompanied with knowledg study then you Masters the Scripture more and the grounds of Religion more that you might be able to manage this duty to the greater profit of all in your Families Direction III. 3. It is necessary also to this purpose that the Master of the Family instruct each member of his house in the principles of Religion that they may be able to understand the matter of the Prayers that are put up to God For if the Governour have knowledg how to ask and those that kneel down with him know not the meaning of his words though commonly used and plain to them that have been instructed how shall they concur in such requests or confessions or say Amen to what they do not understand Or what spiritual profit can they get When you lament Original Sin which you and they were guilty of and defiled with if they know not what this means nor how they are corrupted even from their birth how shall they in Prayer be humbled for it If you pray that you may be justified sanctified or have the Image of God engraven on your hearts that you may have Faith in Christ repentance for sin be converted c. how shall they joyn with you if they have no knowledg of these things when they are ignorant what is meant by the Image of God by faith repentance conversion c. and what benefit can they have by such Prayers as to their own concurrence with you to make these things their own desire when yet they are the things you must daily beg of God That Prayer then might be performed to their spiritual edification lay first the foundation be knowing your selves and make them so too and Prayer will be more advantageously done to you and them Nisi priùs in nobâ—s ejusmâ—diâ— affectus exsuscitamus quos altorum animis impressos volumus frustrà erit quicquld conamur Bowl past Evang. Direction IV. 4. That Prayer be managed to the spiritual profit of those in the Family the Master of the Family should get his own heart in good frame and get his own affections warmed in the duty Do you come to Prayer with a lively heart and quickned affections your selves your heat might warm them Quod enim minister Ecclesiae est in templo id pius pater-familias esi indomo ille publico docendi munere fungitur hic privatim suam instituit familiam ad pietatem ac hoâ—â—statem dâ—mesticos suos format Gerhard lo. com de Conjug and your earnest importunity might stir them up unto the same let them see you are in good earnest by your fervent praying as becomes men that are begging for such things as the life of their souls the pardon of their sin the favour of God deliverance from hell and for everlasting happiness Whereas if you come to the duty with flat dull and cold affections this will make them so too As you find it with your selves when you are under a dull and lukewarm Preacher you have little workings of affections so your Family will find it under your Prayers if they be such for as a Minister should get lively workings in his own breast of those affections which he would raise in the People so should you in Family duties get those workings of love joy and sorrow for sin which you would desire should be in those that joyn with you for what a Minister is in the Church that you are proportionably in your house Direction V. Orationis Lex ut non aliter quà m eos decet qui ad Dei colloquium in grediuntur mente animóque compositi simuâ— Calv. Inst l. 3. cap. 20. 5. When you are to set actually on the duty prepare your Family by some short advice to carry themselves as becomes those that are going to speak to the great eternal God at least sometimes and the oftner the better Do not rashly rush out of your worldly callings into the presence of the glorious God say to them to this or the like purpose The God we are going to pray unto is a holy just omniscient God that looks into all our hearts that sees and knows the frame of our spirits that will not be mocked and cannot be deceived All we are sinful Creatures that have broke his righteous Laws and thereby have deserved hell and everlasting torments yet this gracious God holds forth his golden Scepter and gives us leave to approach his presence to beg for pardon and for Christ and grace and heaven Our wants are great and many too and yet our mercies are great and many too come then O come let us with a holy fear of God put up our joynt Petitions that God would supply our wants especially of our souls and make joynt confessions of our sins to God with humble broken penitent hearts and joyntly bless him for the mercies we are all partakers of but let us do all as those that would please God while we pray unto him and not by our
carelesness and sloth provoke him while we kneel before him Thus Job prepared his houshold Solennis erat apud Ethnicos mos lâ—vandi manus ante sacrificandum â—ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idem ac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud quosdam significet when he with them did sacrifice to God Job 1.5 Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered Burnt-offerings according to the number of them all thus did Job continually Could Job sanctifie his Children could Job give them grace Parents might give their Children portions but can they give them holiness too they might put money into their purses but can they put goodness into their hearts yea they may advise and exhort them to get grace but can they work it too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Iliad l. 6. Is not this bestowed by God the Author of all Grace How then did Job sanctifie his children The meaning is that Job did what he could to prepare and dispose them for the religious duties they were entring upon So the word Sanctifie is often used Exod. 19.22 Let the Priests sanctifie themselves 2 Chron. 30.25 and the Priests and Levites were ashamed and sanctified themselves 17. many that were not sanctified all is explained by Hezekiah's prayer v. 18. The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord God of his fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary Direction VI. 6. It will be useful to this purpose Cui aliis in precando praecunáum sedulò perquirat quae apud suos obtinent peccata quibus maximè indigent gratiae quibus exercentur tentationes quae illos cujuscu que generis premunt grâ—vamina quae illis imminent judicia quae in illos indies confert Deus beneficia hand aliter suis se inter orandum accomodabit qui non haec omnia in numerato habet Bowl past Evan. that the Master of the Family understand the spiritual condition of every one in the Family that he may put up requests suitable to their condition Let him get a particular knowledg of their wants doubts fears temptations afflictions of soul of their sins as far as is convenient and the mercies of God towards them for as it is for the spiritual benefit of a people that their Minister understand the state of his flock that so he might study for them and preach to them pray for them and with them according as their case requires so it will be for the benefit of a Family to have their particular cases spread before the Lord in Prayer Direction VII 7. Keep seasonable hours for Family Prayer and take the fittest time when all might be most free from distraction and disturbance In the morning put it not off too long lest by worldly occasions it be put quite by Be not too late at night when the Family after weariness by their Callings all the day will be more fit to sleep than to pray Late Prayers are too commonly sleepy Prayers one asleep in one place and another in another and it may be the Master of the Family himself prays between sleeping and waking Be not clubbing abroad when you should be praying at home This is in the power of the Governour of the house to remedy the other being to be at the hour appointed by him Direction VIII 8. Spend so much time in Family Prayer that those that joyn might be affected but not so much as to be wearied with the duty Be not too short nor yet too tedious Not too short for the heart is not easily tuned nor the affections warmed nor the mind brought into frame our wants are many and our sins are many and some time must be spent to get the heart sensible of them and of God's mercies to us To rise up from your knees before these can be probably done is to come away no better than you went unto it This overhasty brevity argues but little delight in the duty and sheweth you care not how soon you get out of God's special presence I doubt such as thus slubber over Family Prayer with so much haste * Vt canis è Nilo do it because they may be said to do it to stop the mouths of others and the mouth of their own Conscience with the work done And yet too much prolixity and length of the duty may have its inconveniencies also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pos and make it to some graceless persons in the Family or to others that are good but wearied in their daily Callings before to be burthensome and they more backward to it But the most do not err on this hand therefore to say little here will be enough and leave it to the prudence of the Governour to consider the persons that joyn and other concurring Circumstances and to act accordingly So much for the Directions for the Master of the Family Secondly The Directions for such as are to joyn in Family Prayer for their greater benefit Let them be careful Direction I. 1. Direct That they be all present at the beginning of a duty and continue till it be ended In some Families there is great disorder in this respect Servants either by reason of the backwardness of their hearts for want of love to and delight in Prayer or by not wisely forecasting their business come when the Prayer is half over or else go out before it is ended or if at the beginning and end yet to look after one thing or other make breaches and interruptions in the Prayer by going out and coming in once or twice or more in the Prayer-time which if possible should be carefully avoided for Family Prayer being ordinarily not very long to lose any part of it cannot but be to the detriment and disadvantage of such persons for when their affections begin to be warmed by these interruptions they are cooled and damped again You should be more willing to go to your Prayer than to your meat when hungry by how much your Souls are better than your bodies and serving God better than feeding of the body If business come when we are eating at our Table we commonly let it stay till we have done what business shall wait upon you in that case let it do so also in the other that you might not lose the benefit of the Prayer Numa Pompilius made a Law amongst the Romans that men should not serve the Gods as they passed by or were in haste or did any other business but that they should worship and pray to them when they had time and leasure and all other business set apart Plutarch Direction II. 2. Direct When you are present at Family Prayer give diligent attention and mind what confessions of sins are made what petitions are put up and what praises are returned to God for mercies received The Devil will be striving that you may be absent in Prayer when you are *
Cum isto milite praesens absens ut siâ—s Ter. Eu. present at Prayer absent in mind when present in body God is not pleased with the prostrating of the body when your hearts joyn not in the work Do not so dissemble on your knees with God and man Are you then desiring the mercies prayed for whether pardon of sin strength against sin love to God repentance for sin an interest in Christ and evidences thereof when your minds and thoughts are wandering about other things Which if they do let Conscience call to thee to mind the * Vt vivas igitur vigila HOC AGE Hor. l. 2. Sat. 3. work thou art about for is not this to sin against God when you pretend to be serving of him and to be provoking of him when you should be praying to him to be reconciled unto you and turn away his anger from you Conjunct Prayer should be made with one mouth and with one mind Acts 1.14 They prayed together with one accord * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui rectè orare cupit debet necessario in se esse collectus von distractus aut sensibus dissipatus aut vagus Ames Cas Cons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est vox musica significat concentum concentus autem à cantu eo differt quod cantus unius sit concentus non nisi plurium hic vero concentum animorum significat Camer prael Verbo Graeco elegans subest metaphora 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de musico vocum concentu harmonicóque sono dicitur tanquam si diceretur non minùs gratam esse Deo concordem pluriuâ— erationem quà m concentus musicus hominum curibus sit gratus Novar in loc ex Crit. Sac. which word is translated Rom. 15.6 one mind that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God but where your thoughts are wandering in Family Prayer though there be but one mouth there be many minds these persons do not accord in Prayer which is great discord before God There should be a sympathy and agreement of hearts in conjunct Prayer Matth. 16 19. If two of you shall agree on Earth as touching any thing they shall ask A harmony of hearts should be in Prayer the word is borrowed from Musicians when several playing together do make an accord in Musick a consent of many voices in one thence translated to the mind denotes a concent of more hearts in one such Prayers make sweet harmony in the ears of God Keep your minds fixed then else though you do agree to go together into one Room to pray there will not be an agreement of hearts when you pray Direction III. 3. Direct Those that joyn should not only attend but also assent to the matter of the Prayer so far as it is agreeable to the Word of God When the corruption of the heart is acknowledged believe that this is true the misery of an unregenerate state lamented believe it to be true when Grace is prayed for as necessary to your salvation and that you are undone without it believe this as a most certain truth for if these things be spoken by him that prayeth and heard by you that joyn and not believed your hearts will not be humbled when sin is confessed nor earnest after Grace when it is prayed for and so you will lose the benefit of that Prayer Direction IV. 4. Direct Do not only believe these things in Prayer but make particular application thereof unto your selves When original sin is acknowledged think and say in your own hearts Lord this is my condition my heart is thus corrupt loathsom and vile When wants are expressed and supplies begged go along with what is said and apply it particularly to your selves Lord this is my want the want of Christ is my want O that he may be given to me the want of love to God and delight in him is my want O that I might love thee O that I could love thee and so in other things this is my sin and these are my doubts and my fears this is my burden and this is my temptation according as these are insisted on in prayer and this will make the duty to be for your spiritual benefit and profit These are the Directions for them that are to joyn with him that is your mouth to God The Directions more common to all that prayer might be managed to spiritual profit are these following Direction 1. Sciamus non alios ritè probèque se accingere ad orandum nisi quos afficit Dei Majestas Calv. Inst Speculator adstat desuper Qui nâ—s diebus omnibus Actúâ—que nostros prospicit A luce prima in vesperam Hic testis hic est arbit r Hic intuetur quicquid est Humana quod mens concipit Hunc nemo fallit Judicem Aur. Prud. Cathemer Hym. 2. For further direction in this point how you should do all in the Name of Christ see the Serm. on Col. 3.17 1. Direct Get and keep upon all your hearts awful lively impressions of the perfection of that God that you pray unto Take heed of coming with low irreverent unsuitable thoughts of God but conceive of him and believe and work and press it upon your hearts that the God you kneel before is most holy most wise most gracious and merciful most just eternal unchangeable all-sufficient true in his threatnings righteous in his commands faithful in his promises every where present and knowing all things that he observeth all your words and ways and looks into your hearts and thoughts that this God you cannot deceive though you should deceive your selves and one another Consider and believe that this God is present among you and doth know your ends your desires and what you are as well as who you are Then think is this that God that we are to speak unto to kneel before and shall we not so manage this duty that we might please this God and if you do you shall find it shall be for your spiritual benefit Direction 2. 2. Direct Put up your prayers to this great and glorious God in the name of Jesus Christ There is no access for sinners to God but by and through a Mediator You shall reap no benefit by praying except you go in the name of Christ Joseph told his Brethren they should not see his face except they brought Benjamin with them Gen. 43.5 nor we the face of God without Christ Eph. 3 12. Heb. 7.25 Col. 3.17 Heb. 13.15 This praying in the name of Christ doth not consist in the bare mentioning of his Name with our tongues but to pray in obedience to his command in his strength for his Glory trusting his promises resting on his merits expecting audience and acceptance only for his sake Direction 3. Quid odiosius aut etiam Deo magis execrandum putamus hac fictione ubi quis veniam peccatorum postulat interim aut se peccatorem non esse cogitans aut certè peccatorem
oplatum finem perduxeris quasi victoriam obtinueris significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 igitur haec duo involvit vehementem quandam animi intentionem quasi pugnam dum veâ—satur in actu orandi assiduam frequentationem orationis Davenant in loc 7. Direct Be laborious and importunate in your prayers If your thoughts do wander call them in if your thoughts be dull stir them up An Heathen advised to do as becomes a man like a Roman and should not you pray as becomes Christians to do but that is not in a dull and sluggish manner Labour at your prayers together as you use to do at your worldly work together and more too for in this you are concerned more Strive and wrestle with joynt fervency and faith as becomes a society to do that are all a praying for their lives for their souls for the pardon of their sin for the favour and the love of God as becometh those that are praying against everlasting flames and for eternal happiness Pray together as persons desirous that you may live in Heaven all together and praise God in Heaven for his love and mercy to you all together But pray not coldly and lukewarmly together lest you be damned and hereafter lye in scorching flames all together You must be instant in this work You will meet with opposition from the Devil and the world and your own hearts You must then strive and tug and labour hard or else your prayer will be spoiled Col. 4.2 the word there is very significant Be present at your work in heart as well as body attend your work and stand to it continue in prayer not only with continuance of time but of earnest importunity till you prevail with God and get the victory over sin and Satan Let me therefore warn praying Families as you love your Souls Defunctiorè multi preces ex formula recitant ac si pensum Deo solverent apparet hoc officio ipsos defungi ex more quia interim frigent animi neque expendant quid postulent Galv Inst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. ad Magnes as you would have God incline his ear to what you say take heed of customariness and formalities Do not rest in the work done in pouring our words before God This is your great danger It must be a fervent Prayer that pleaseth God and profits you Jam. 5.16 Be praying Christians indeed and do not seem only to be so that you might all be happy indeed and saved indeed and not only to be thought to be so And because we are apt to slide into such formality and lukewarmness when we use constant Family Prayer which eats out the very heart and life thereof and hinders our benefit thereby I shall propose twenty five Questions some of which at one time and some at another you may put unto your selves to make you lively in your duty But I shall I must but name them because I would not willingly take up more paper than comes unto my share as also that lying close together you may the better have them in your eye When thou art called to Family Prayer put some of these Questions to thy self WHAT AM I A sinful Sinner Dust Ashes Guilty Oh how should Q. 1 a guilty person going to the dust pray for pardon WHERE AM I In whose presence do I kneel is it not before God Q. 2 and doth not he know whether I trifle or am serious Where might I NOW have been In Hell among Devils and damned Q. 3 Souls and shall I not pray indeed with all my might that I never may be cast into that place or company Whither am I going To eternity Where shall I shortly be In eternity Q. 4 and shall I trifle in my way What am I come about What is now my business About the highest Q. 5 matters that concern my Soul What if this were to be my last Prayer before I dye Should I then fall Q. 6 asleep upon my knees What if my everlasting state should be determined according to my sincerity Q. 7 or hypocrisy in this duty I am now going to Should I dally then with God What if God should tell me if I trifle with his Majesty he would strike Q. 8 me sick or dead or blind or deaf and dumb upon my knees Should I not then watch my heart in Prayer What if I were to speak to an earthly King or were to see some glorious Q. 9 Angel Should I not be filled with fear and reverence and is not God infinitely above these What if I were to give an account to God immediately how I pray and Q. 10 should appear at his Bar as soon as I rise from off my knees Should I then be formal and lukewarm Am I come to have communion with God to pray down my sin to please Q. 11 God and profit my Soul Will careless praying do it What if those that joyn in Prayer with me could look into my heart and Q. 12 see how I do discharge my duty Should I not be ashamed of many of my thoughts and of the deadness of my heart and is not the eye of God ten thousand times more to awe my heart than the knowledg of a fellow Creature Q. 13 Will dead and careless praying yield me comfort when I review it when I come to die Or should I not so pray now that I might have comfort then Q. 14 Should I cozen and deceive my self in matters of the greatest weight Shall I crawl to Hell upon my knees What! pray now and be damned hereafter Awake my heart and mind thy business Q. 15 Will God be mocked And is not heartless praying a mocking of God Q. 16 Should I not do more than Hypocrites do Or shall I not be damned if I do not But may not an Hypocrite pray at that rate as I have too often done Q. 17 Doth not the same God that commands me to pray command me also to give him my heart in Prayer and to do it with life and fervency Do I obey him in the one and shall I not in the other in the lesser and not in the greater and if I do not do I not rebel upon my knees Q. 18 If dead and dull and formal praying stops the mouth of my Conscience now will it do so at the Bar of God And should I not endeavour now to have the witness of my Conscience for me then Q. 19 Will it do me any good to have a name to live among men if I be dead in the sight of God and if others think and say when I am dead my Soul is gone to Heaven but is indeed cast down to Hell Will it lessen my torments that I was applauded dy men and condemned by God Will it ease my pain to be an applauded damned man Q. 20 Should I so pray as to make Prayer a burden to me Liveless heartless Prayer is a burden when lively Prayer is
delightful and hath its sweetness in it Q. 21 Have I not sinned indeed hath not my heart been in my sins are not my sins really sins And shall I not now pray indeed shall not my heart be in duty and my Prayers be really Prayers What! real sinning and counterfeit praying and is not counterfeit praying real sinning Awake o my Soul unto thy work Q. 22 Are not my wants real wants Do I not want grace indeed or at least really want more of it And should not my Prayers be as real as my wants Q. 23 Would I have God to put me off with seeming mercy Should I then put God off with seeming duty Q. 24 Are not my temptations real temptations and strong and powerful And should not then my Prayers be so too Q. 25 Am I not real and lively in my worldly business am I not in good earnest in my Shop in the Market and at the Exchange And should I not be so in the matters of another world in the business of my Soul Thus take some of these Questions lay them warm unto your hearts and propose them to your selves in the fear of God and they will heat you when you are cold and quicken you when you are dull if God set them home upon your hearts that you shall manage your Family Prayers to your spiritual benefit which was the third part of my work to direct you in The fourth follows Question 4. With what considerations may Masters of Families be urged to the constant performance of Family Prayer Notwithstanding it be a certain duty to pray in your Families yet I doubt when death shall come to drag you out of your houses it will find some of you guilty of neglecting of it to your dying day but yet I hope some may be Prevailed with What! have you neglected it and will you all do so still God forbid When you sin you act like men but when you go on in sin you act like Devils * Humanum est errare perseverare diabolicum I shall propound a few considerations to urge you to it and I intreat you in the name of the great eternal God before whom you and I must shortly stand and be judged to weigh them seriously and if you find there is no reason in them throw them by and look for and enquire after better but if there be resolve in the fear of God to buckle to your duty It is time †fecimus nos Haec juvenes esto desisti nempe nec ulira Fovisti errorem breve sit quod turpiter cudâ—s Quaedam cum prima resecen ur crimina barba Juven Sat. 8. it is high time to reform Did you sin when you were young and will you go on in riper years What do you come to Sermons for to hear what Ministers can say upon such a Question to discern their parts or to mend your own hearts and lives Do you come to hear that you may hear So you may and go to Hell when you have done or do you come to hear that you may practise and obey so you must if you are men for Heaven I charge you therefore here before the Lord and by Jesus Christ that shall shortly judge both you and me that your Families be no longer prayerless Families If I put you upon work that God doth not require from you then tell me so when you and I shall meet and stand at God's Judgment Bar But if it be no more than what you owe to God neglect it at your peril Sirs the day is coming and it hastens when you will you must be serious If thou diest within a week or two within a day or two or whenever thou shalt leave this world if the next hour after thou art not of this mind * Res ipsa fidem dictis dabit Serò sapiunt â—hâ—yges that thou shouldst have prayed in thy Family then say I did needlesly call thee to it but if thou shalt then see it was thy duty thou shalt also see when it is too late that thou didst befool thy self and make thy self guilty before God in thy neglecting of it Be wise therefore before it be too late and mind this work while thou hast time and opportunity To this purpose press your backward hearts with these things following MOTIVE I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Consider The Souls that live in your Families are precious and immortal Souls The Soul of the meanest Servant in your house is more precious than all the silks and wares in your Shop than all the Gold in your bags yea than all the riches in the world Mat. 16.26 And as they be of great worth so they be immortal too that must be damned or saved for ever And are these the Souls that you do not pray with that you thus neglect and slight must they live for ever and will not you call them to pray with you that they may live happily for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phocylid MOTIVE II. Quomodo ed nos pertinet in Ecclesia loqui vobis sâ—c ad vos pertinet in dâ—mibus vâ—stris agere ut bonam rationem reddatis de his qui vebis sunt subditi Aug. in Psal 50. Cum diserta mentio fiat librorum servorum ex eo câ—lligitur à parentibus patribus-familias exigi ut non ipsi solùm sabbatum sanctificent sed etiam à filiis servis curae ac fides su e commissis illud sanctificari curent Gerhar loc com de decalog Damnati seipsos omnésque sceleris socios assiduis execrationibus devovebunt parentem filius matrem filia execrabitur 2. These precious and immortal Souls in your Families are committed to your charge and care You Masters of Families have a charge of Souls as well as Ministers When you have a child born and continued to you there is one immortal Soul that God intrusts you with to bring up for him and Heaven When you take a Servant into your Family there is another Soul committed to your care Do you question this Study well the meaning of the fourth Commandment and you shall see that this is true And is it so And shall not the blood of those that go to Hell out of your Families through your neglect be required at your hands Have you done your duty when a Servant that hath served you seven years and you make him free can truly say My Master taught me my trade but he taught me not to serve God he often called me up unto my work but he never called me to Prayer Are you not afraid that your very Children and Servants will rise up in judgment against you and accuse you at the Bar of God Lord my Father saith the Son no nor my Master saith the Servant never prayed with us and we both Children and Servants being so brought up and having such Examples before us did not mind thy service neither Lord we are jastly condemned but
yet we perish much through our Parents and Masters neglect There stands my Father saith the Son and there stands my Master saith the Servant that never prayed with us we do accuse them they never did and they cannot say they did Will you not then wish you had never been Parents to such Children nor Masters to such Servants As you would avoid this be faithful to your trust and mindful of your duty lest thou wish O Vtinam coelebs mansissem ac prole carerem MOTIVE III. 3. Consider You have but a little time before you for the performance of this trust You and your Families shall live together but a while and if once you are parted by death it will be too late whether you die first or some of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoc. Sâ—es est in vivis non est spes ulla sepultiâ— 1. Suppose some of them dye before you if your Conscience be not feared and your hearts past feeling will you not be almost distracted when you follow them to their Graves to reflect and consider here is one dead out of my house with whom I never prayed we did dwell together and eat together and work together many years but we never prayed together Oh! what if his Soul be gone to Hell through my neglect What if he be damned and I be found guilty of his damnation Prayer was a means appointed by God to have done him good but I did not do it who knows if I had called him to Prayer and I had been confessing sin but God might have broke his heart for sin and given him repentance of which I saw no sign before he died And now Oh! what now if there be one Soul the less in my house and one the more in Hell Oh! this is that which wounds my Soul this is that for which my Conscience now doth sting me that when I had him with me I did not do my duty and now he is gone he is gone and now it is too late O my child my child whither art thou gone whither art thou gone O that he may live with me again were it but for a year or two a month or two that we might do together our before neglected duty If you be wise timely prevent such uncomfortable reviews 2. Suppose you die before them for if they do not die and leave you you must die and leave them and can you die without trembling for anguish of your heart without terrours in your Souls and fearful gripes in your Consciences more bitter than the pangs of Death to consider you leave a wicked prayerless Family behind you through your own neglect Would it not trouble you to leave them poor Wife and Children nothing to live upon if this hath been through your sloth and will it not should it not much more trouble you to leave an ignorant Wife Children and Servants unacquainted with God unaccustomed to prayer and all through your neglect Might you not then say if I had left them poor yet if I had left them good and fearing God and given to prayer by my example I could now have died with joy and left them all with comfort but now I lie a dying it is the wounding of my Soul to take so sad a farewel of my Family If I do live it shall be otherwise if I recover and God trust me with life and time yet further I will hereafter do it but my heart is sick my Spirits fail me and I perceive the symptomes of death are upon me and though I am loth to take my leave of my Wife and Children because I have been no more careful of the good of their Souls yet I see I must I must bid farewel unto them Come then dear Wife farewel Gemitúquo haec addidit alio Non alias hinc ad lacrymas Fata vocant Salve aeternum aeternúmque vâ—le Virg. Aeneid l. xi farewel I shall now be no longer thine and thou shalt be no longer mine but this had been no matter if I and thou had both been his whom we should have prayed unto together but we did not Woe is me poor dying man that we did not Farewel dear Children now farewel adieu adieu for ever but oh how shall I take my leave of you with whom I have not done what God required But yet I must whether I will or no I must now leave you But let me give among you what I have gotten for you Therefore to you my Wife I give so much and to this Child so much and to that so much But when I think I worked for you but never prayed with you this doth trouble me Oh! this doth trouble my departing Soul However you will have my Goods the grave and worms shall have my body but who oh who must now have my Soul This will be a sad parting when ever it shall come and yet this parting hour is a coming Pray now with them and in that manner too that then you may be comforted On the contrary if you discharge your duty faithfully and unfeignedly whether your Family be good or bad when you shall die you might take comfort that you did your duty So Mr. Bolton that was abundant in conjunct Prayers in his Family could comfort himself and did say on his Death-bed to his Children I think verily none of you dare think to meet me at the great Tribunal in an unregenerate condition MOTIVE IV. 4. The love that you should bear unto your Families should engage you often to pray together with them Diligatur Proles non ut nascatur tantum verum-etiam ut renascatur nascitur enim ad paenam nisi renascatur ad vitam Aug. de nupt conc l. 1. cap. 17 Ipsae ferae saevae immanes bestiae prolem nutrire solent at non tantùm curare debent parentes ut liberi sui vivant sed etiam ut Deo benè vivant Ames Cas Cons Will you shew your love unto your Children in providing Portions for them that they may live in credit in this life and will you not so much as pray with them that they may live in glory in the life to come Will you do much for their Bodies and nothing for their Souls You that are fondest Husbands and Fathers never love Wife and Children as you ought till you love their Souls The Soul is the best and more noble part and love to the Soul is the best and more noble Love But to love the Body and neglect the Soul is but cruel brutish Love What do you more for your young ones than the birds and beasts do for theirs Do you feed their bodies do not birds and beasts do the same for theirs Love your Wife Children and Servants as you ought and this will provok you to pray together with them MOTIVE V. Oeconomia est veluti paradisus in quo plantantur arbores quarum fructus odore dulcore suo imbuunt omnes vitae
laetissimum affectum O securissimum amorem Dei quem Zelus non excruciat quem rivalis delectat sine absynthio sine aloe sine felle totus dulcis consentaneus cordi Nieremb de art vol. p. 336 337. Dost thou not pray alone without God without meeting with God Hadst thou there had thy heart enflamed with the love of God and tasted of the sweetness in communion with God would not this have filled thy heart with love to God and Souls in thy house and burning zeal that they might be partakers of the same Divine refreshments could'st thou hold thy peace after such discoveries while thy poor Family are without or would'st thou no time call them together that they also might experience the same delights that thou hast found As the woman of Samaria call'd her Neighbours Joh. 4.28 29. If thou hadst got some earthly Jewel thou might'st be loth that others should share with thee in the value of it because in earthly things participation causeth a diminution if a sum of money be divided amongst many the more one hath the less will fall to the others share Art thou indeed afraid of this Fear it not There is enough in God for thee and thine too Communication in spirituals causeth multiplication even in him that doth communicate to others If thou bee'st an Instrument to draw thine to the Love of God and to joy and delight in him this would fill thee with the greater joy Methinks then when thou hast been alone and God hath graciously been with thee thou shouldest go down into thy Family with burning love to God and them and say Come my Wife Children Servants leave your work and business for a while There is much sweetness in communion with God There is indeed delight which comes into the Soul by holy fervent Prayer I would not have you feed on husks while there is not only bread but dainties too in seeking God I do not love to see you always mudling in the world and be strangers unto God Come then come away for my Soul doth long that you should tast what I have found Thus thou wouldest think surely with thy self if thou speakest not out to them if thou didst meet with God in secret When it is not so with thee but thou can'st constantly neglect Prayer in thy Family reflect upon thy self whether in this sense thou didst not pray alone that thou didst not find God with thee warming of thy heart Tell me could'st thou be content to eat thy food constantly alone without thy Wife and Children and can'st thou be content to pray alone only As you eat together so pray together also Obj. 3. But I am ashamed to pray with others and that hinders me Answ 1. Ashamed to pray ashamed to do thy duty The more shame for thee Be ashamed to sin and of this shame for it is sinful and is to be lamented and prayed against and striven against and overcome Wilt thou tell God at the Day of Judgment that thou wast ashamed to pray in thy House and Family 2. But why ashamed when you are only with your own Family and those you daily converse withal and are head and chief and governer of 3. It is for want of use set upon the work and you will quickly overcome this Obj. 4. But I am not ashamed of the duty but of my own weakness I have not gifts and parts to manage this duty If I were gifted as other men be I would perform it as other men do Answ 1. Where do you live in London What! an old housekeeper in London or where there hath been much means of Grace and are you so ignorant that you are not qualified to pray in your Family This is your sin and will one sin be pleadable to excuse you from another One of the Ancients of the Parish and plead ignorance are you not asham'd 2. It is not parts and gifts and florid expressions that God looks at but an humble penitent broken and believing heart Have you not this neither If you have not get it quickly or you must to Hell If you have God will accept of such a Sacrifice bring it then 3. Study your sins and wants and mercies and get a sense of all these upon your heart and you will be able to express them in your Family in such a manner as may be more for their profit than the constant omission can be If a man feel himself sick or hungry do you think he could not find words to make his complaint and ask for help Study the Scripture and your own hearts and these will be good prayer-Books to furnish you for the duty Besides by praying you shall learn to pray 4. Do not deceive your self and say it is for want of gifts when it is more for want of a heart and love to the duty To discover this Suppose a Law were made by our Governours that every Master of a Family that doth not pray in his house with his Family shall be cast into the Lions Den What would you do then Would you rather venture your life and be torn in pieces by Lions than set upon this duty with that Knowledg and those Gifts that now you have Would you not find something to say to save your Lives And is not the Law of God as binding as the Laws of men and the Dungeon of Hell as dreadful as the Lions Den Go then set upon your duty Obj. 5. But there are some graceless and wicked persons in my Family that I cannot say we desire this or that spiritual blessing grace Christ c. for I see no ground to judge they desire any such thing Answ 1. Have they no grace and must they not pray that they may have some O cruelty Is he exempted from duty because he is not good or wilt thou say that such must only pray alone and be excluded while such from conjunct prayers Whither will this carry you Even to the shutting of all graceless or at least visibly wicked persons from all prayers in publick Congregations as well as from Family duty But this is so gross that I suppose you will not own it You have no reason then for the other 2. How do you know when you are confessing sin and acknowledging the evil of it but God might affect and break their hearts and they be changed on their knees and so be saved from damnation and will you deny them that means that God may bless for their conversion 3. Do you indeed use all other means to your utmost power to have them better Do you reprove them and shew them the danger they are in and perswade them to turn from sin to God and this with constancy and compassion to their Souls Or do you scruple this too Wilt thou neither pray with them nor speak to them when thou oughtest to do both I doubt it is thy sloth that hinders thee or the wickedness of thy heart and that thou pleadest
in a constant calling Consider that the greatest flames begin with a spark and therefore tamper not with the pleasant motions of original concupiscence Subject not the soul of a Man to the pleasures of a Brute this is sure that they perish in the using and leave nothing but a sting behind and foolish is that pleasure where that which delights instantly (d) Verum nimium miserandi plangenda conditio est ubi cito praeterit quod delectat permanet sine fine quod cruciat Id. p. 725. vanishes and that which remains perpetually torments If you have been overtaken with these faults O cleanse your hearts and hands by the merits of Christ's blood in the use of Fasting and Prayer that God may not visit upon you your Old sins by giving you up to New ones or by bringing some signal curse upon you in husband wife or children And get a blessed taste of those more sirm safe and ravishing delights which are to be found in the favour and promises of God in the pardon of sin and assured hopes of life and immortality These will sufficiently disgrace those gross and base absurdities and make you to take no delight in the muddy stream that have drunk of the Spring 2. Be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festina eme ag u n expecta ducturus uxorem Buxtorf ex Jevam. considerate in your choice You see how severe the Rules of that Condition are when you are once engaged in it And therefore when you find that you are called to it be sure to recommend it earnestly to God by (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Câ—rys de uxore duo Prayer as Abraham's servant did Gen. 24.12 In this way be sure to acknowledg him and he shall direct thy paths No business so critical none so weighty and therefore no business so calls for (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. in Col. solemn and earnest Prayer And let Reason and (h) For Fitness in special as well as Goodness in general must be one main ground of our choice Gatak Serm. p. 176. Judgment have some stroke in your choice Do not first love and then consider but first consider and then love Chiefly fix your observation on the Soul of the party many marry to lay lands to lands or money to money but see you that his or her (i) In the life of the lady Falkland Soul lie well for yours For no (k) Florem decoris singuli carpunt dies Senec. Beauty Friends or (l) Quicunque ducit uxorem propter divitias ei erunt liberi non probi Buxt ex Prov. in Kiddusch Portion will settle upon you a comfortable life if pride passion or any other lust predominate in the Soul And why will ye espouse a perpetual cross for some present profit or delight It concerns therefore the man and especially the woman to endeavour to marry a member of Christ a religious person where they may most rationally expect the conscionable discharge of their respective duties If such be not the best husbands and wives it is not by reason of their piety but their defect of it Add to this a Discovery of the (m) If thou wert to take an house thou wouldst enquire what commodities or inconveniences what neighbours c. and yet that thou maist sell upon a dislike how much more c. Chrysost tom 8. de uxore ducenda natural tempers of those you mean to marry If they be proud and imperious to others ten to one they will be so to you if they be cholerick sour or sullen you will hardly find an Heaven upon Earth And you ought to deal plainly with one another both concerning your natural Defects concerning your moral Dispositions and concerning your civil Condition that you may not give and that Satan may not take an advantage whereby to cause disquiet or repinings afterwards You count it a cheat to have an unfound ill-condition'd decrepid beast put upon you for a sound young and towardly one certainly it is the greatest injury in the world to defraud one whom you pretend to love and to wrong them in that wherein you can never make them reparation 3. Study the Duties of Marriage before you enter into it Leap not into this solemn condition at adventures There are crosses to be born there are snares to be avoided there are Duties to be done and do you make no provision Hence slow the frequent miscarriages in that honourable estate Hence that Repentance that is both too soon and too late The Husband knows not how to Rule and the Wife knows not how to obey Both ignorant both conceited and both miserable And therefore Parents ought to teach their children the Duties of Wedlock before they enter into the State of Wedlock neither can they be ever acquitted before God that hurry young people ready or unready willing or (n) Hostis uxor est ubi invita ad virum venit Plaut unwilling yea sometimes very (o) Hoc etiam sciendum est quod pueri ante 13 annos puellae ante 12. annos secundum leges matrimonium inire nequeunt Quod si ante predicta tempora copulam inierint separari possunt quam vis assensu parentum juncti fuerunt Lombard lib. 4. dest 36. children for secular advantages into this Relation A course that hath been signaliz'd by infinite disastrous consequenees And most people step into that estate merely to obtain pleasure and gain but as ignorant of their Duty as the Beasts that perish and so families that should be the Nurseries of the Church and Commonwealth prove to be the very Seed-plots of disorder and debauchery Indeavour therefore to read over besides the Scripture which is the Book of all Books Dr. Gouge his Treatise of Domestical Duties or Mr. Bolton or Mr. Gataker or Mr. Whately on the same Subject And the learned will lose no labour in reading Ludovicus Vives de officio Mariti de Christiana foemina fron each of whose Garden I have made up this small Posie and wherein you will find especially in the first and last a more full and clear stating and proving these things then can be expected from so simple a man in so small a time 4. Resign up your selves both of you unfeignedly unto God and to his will until you be savingly regenerated and sanctified you cannot (p) If he be pleased he will turn thy water into wine if he be displeased he will turn thy wine into vinegar Gataker Serm. p. 141. please God nor be intire blessings to one another You may indeed live together like civil Pagans but what 's this to the life of Christians Religion will most firmly bind you to God Religion will most firmly bind you to one another A good temper may do much but a new nature superadded to it will do more The Husband that truly I say that truly fears God dares not be bitter to
duty and not to despise the cause of his hand-maid What then said he should I do when God shall rise up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Let death when he comes find you doing the best work Ar. Epict. l. 3. c. 15. Antoninus l. 2. n. 2. and faithful in your place I shall conclude this with the advice of that gallant Emperour Let it be thy earnest care constantly to perform every thing thou art about with justice to every one which you may well do if you go about every act as your last I am now come to the last thing which I promised to do and that is to shew What is the Duty of Servants and that I shall perform in the same method as I did before 1. By giving them some cautionary Directions 2. Some positive Directions and pressing these with some Motives and give them some Helps for the better performance of their Duty 1. I shall give Servants some cautionary Directions First Let Servants take heed of pride This was the sin of the Angels this made them Devils this was the sin of our first Parents 1 Tim. 3.6 this made them rebellious to God A humble heart is ready for any work or state that God in his providence calls him to any thing but sin will down with a humble man Remember pride unfits for the service of God and man makes one think himself fitter to command than to be commanded that makes one go on heavily with their work impatient of reproof ready to answer again malepert saucy ready to commit other sins to gratifie their pride A proud Servant will scorn to be catechized called to an account or be kept under those bounds that reason and Religion set Humility doth no body any harm brings no dishonour or inconveniency but is as good a security to reputation comfort and profit as any thing I know Secondly Take heed of disobedience to the lawful commands of your Master Think not that your arrogance bigness and parentage will bear you out It may be you think scorn that your Master should correct you and you say in your mind that you will give him as good as he brings know this that if you have a Master that may be low-spirited weak or poor and it may be such a one that is loth to deal with you as Law and Religion gives him leave yet are you too strong for God Is he afraid of your swelling and big looks Will he count you innocent Is not your rebellion and disobedience to your Master disobedience and rebellion against God And can his purity suffer long or his justice bear such impâ—â—â—â—y always without some signification of his displeasure Must the great ones of the world that break his Laws feel his power and shall such a despicable wretch as thou go unpunished Remember what is said of disobedience to the lawful commands of Magistrates holds here Whosoever resisteth shall receive to himself damnation Rom 13.2 Thirdly Take heed of negligence idleness carelesness By this you rob your Master of what in honesty you should and might have got for him by this you secretly waste your Master and answer not that trust that is put in you and is justly expected from you by this you give just occasion of displeasure to your Master by this you break your promise made to your Master and provoke God highly Mat. 5 26. Remember what a sentence the wicked slothful Servant must shortly hear Fourthly Take heed of mere eye-service Is the eye of God nothing to you and his warnings insignificant Col. 3.12 Doth not he in plain words forbid this O how many such Servants be there that when their Master is by are very diligent but when his back is turned then how lazy how wanton how careless Would you be served thus your selves if you were Masters Doth God take no notice at all and if he do how do you think he liketh such doings Is it a small matter to make light of his presence and if it be so you shall shortly find to your cost that his eye was more than your Master 's upon you and if you will not believe his knowledg observation and eye his hand shall shortly give you such a demonstration of both as you shall not be able to slight Fifthly Take heed of Lying By a lye you deny God's knowledg you make one fault two you make your self an enemy to humane society that is a sin which is hateful to every honest man and abominable to the Lord the lyar shall be shut out of Heaven Prov. 6.17 Rev. 21.8 and have his portion in that Lake that burns for ever I spare to speak how it spoils a man's credit and feeds jealousies in a Master and maketh him scarce believe you when you speak truth O! little do Servants think what folly they are guilty of by covering their faults with a lye Little do they think how dear that sin must cost them either here by deep repentance or hereafter by intolerable torments Sixthly Take heed of purloining or imbezeling any part of your Master's goods for your own use Tit. 2.10 Luke 16.6 Meddle with nothing but what is your own and is allowed you you would be loth any one should call you a Thief I pray then take care of that which will make you deserve such a name do not consent to any that are in the least guilty in that kind be not partners with a Thief and make not your self an accessory to another's wickedness by concealing any unfaithfulness of that nature in your fellow-servants after you have roundly warned them your self eat not of the junkets that sensuality wantonness and theft hath provided If you would know what such doings tend to in a word I may tell you they pamper lust many times end in uncleanness murder a prison a halter and if that were all it were not so bad in comparison by this you wrong God and man fear your conscience and make way for a world of other sins and bring speedy and sure damnation except a thorow repentance prevent it Seventhly Take heed of bad companions have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them O how many hopeful youths are blasted by wicked company I am not ignorant of the high pretences of love that such may have and what excuses they may palliate their wickedness with but please none to displease God never count him your friend nor one that will do you a kindness that would lead you to sin the devil damnation Eighthly Take heed of disclosing your Master's secrets do not speak any thing that may wound his reputation make no mention of his faults without you are called to it lawfully and then not without deep regret and trouble upon the account of God's honour and his soul Some Servants make nothing of prating against their Masters and Mistresses behind their backs little considering that this is a sin
they were evil might there not be some fleeting good mixed with them as a poisonous toad hath something useful No Only evil Well but there might be some intervals of thinking and though there was no good thought yet evil ones were not always rouling there Yes they were Continually not a moment of time that man was free from them One would scarce imagine such an inward nest of wickedness but God hath affirmed it and if any man should deny it his own heart would give him the lye Let us now consider the words by themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imagination properly signifies figmentum of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to afflict press or form a thing by way of compression And thus 't is a metaphor taken from a potters framing a vessel and extends to whatsoever is fram'd inwardly in the heart or outwardly in the work 'T is usually taken by the Jews for that fountain of sin within us †Alii rectâ—ùs dicunt non esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nâ—si in malum Merc. in loc Mercer tells us it is always used in an evil sense But there are two places if no more wherein it is taken in a good sense Isa 26.3 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose mind is stayed and 1 Chron. 29.18 where David prays that a disposition to offer willingly to the Lord might be preserved in the Imagination of the thoughts of the heart of the people Indeed for the most part 't is taken for the evil imaginations of the heart as Deut. 31.21 Psal 103.14 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maimon More Nevoch Par. 3. c. 22. Amam Censur in locum The Jews make a double figment a good and bad and fancy two Angels assign'd to man one bad another good which Maimonides interprets to be nothing else but natural corruption and reason This word imagination being joyn'd with thoughts implies not only the compleat thoughts but the first motion or formation of them to be evil The word Heart is taken variously in Scripture It signifies properly that inward member which is the seat of the vital spirits But sometimes it signifies 1. The understanding and mind Psal 12.2 With a double heart do they speak i. e. with a double mind Prov. 8.5 2. For the Will 2 Kings 10.30 All that is in my heart i. e. in my Will and purpose 3. For the affections as Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart i. e. with all thy affections 4. For conscience 2 Sam. 24.5 David's heart smote him i. e. his Conscience check'd him But Heart here is used for the whole soul because according to Pareus his note the soul is chiefly seated in the heart especially the Will and the affections her attendants because when any affection stirs the chief motion of it is felt in the heart So that by the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are here meant all the inward operations of the soul which play their part principally in the heart whether they be the acts of the understanding the resolutions of the Will or the blustrings of the affections Only evil The Vulgar mentions not the exclusive particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so enervates the sense of the place But our Neighbour Translations either express it as we do Only or to that sense that they were Certainly or no other than evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Continually The Hebrew All the day or every day Some Translations express it verbatim as the Hebrew Not a moment of a man's life wherein our hereditary corruption doth not belch out its froth even from his youth as God expounds it Gen. 8.21 to the end of his life Whether we shall refer the general wickedness of the heart in the Text to that age as some of the Jesuites do because after the Deluge God doth not seem so severely to censure it Or rather take the exposition the learned Rivet gives of it referring the first part of the Verse and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth to those times Gen. 8.21 Rivet in Gen. exercit 51. and the second part to the universal corruption of man's nature and the root of all sin in the world The Jesuites argument will not be very valid for the extenuation of original corruption from Gen. 8.21 For if man's imaginations be evil from his youth what is it but in another phrase to say they were so continually But suppose it be understood of the iniquity of that age may it not be applied to all ages of the world David complains of the wickedness of his own time Psal 14.3 Psal 5.9 Yet St. Paul applies it to all mankind Rom. 3.12 Indeed it seems to be a description of man's natural pravity by God's words after the deluge Gen. 8.21 which are the same in sense to shew that man's nature after that destroying judgment was no better than before Every word is emphatical exaggerating man's defilement Wherein consider the Universality 1. Of the subject Every man 2. Of the act Every thought 3. Of the qualification of the act Only evil 4. Of the time Continually The words thus opened afford us this Proposition That the thoughts and inward operations of the souls of men are naturally universally evil and highly provoking Some by cogitation mean not only the acts of the understanding but those of the will yea and the sense too But indeed that which we call cogitation or thought is the work of the mind imagination of the fancy Cartes Princip Philos Part. 1. Sect. 9. 'T is not properly thought till it be wrought by the understanding because the fancy was not a power designed for thinking but only to receive the images imprest upon the sense and concoct them that they might be fit matter for thoughts and so 't is the Exchequer wherein all the acquisitions of sense are deposited and from thence received by the intellective faculty So that thoughts are inchoativè in the fancy consummativè in the understanding terminativè in all the other faculties Thought first engenders opinion in the mind thought spurs the will to consent or dissent 't is thought also which Spirits the affections I will not spend time to acquaint you with the methods of their generation Every man knows he hath a thinking faculty and some inward conceptions which he calls thoughts he knows that he thinks and what he thinks though he be not able to describe the manner of their formation in the womb or remember it any more than the species of his own face in a glass In this discourse let us first see what kind of thoughts are sins 1. Negatively A simple apprehension of sin is not sinful Thoughts receive not a sinfulness barely from the object That may be unlawful to be acted which is not unlawful to be thought of Though the will cannot will sin without guilt yet the understanding may apprehend sin without guilt for that doth no more
oppressors and murmurings in the oppressed do arise 4. Curious thoughts about things too high for us 'T is the frequent business of mens minds to flutter about things without the bounds of God's revelation Not to be content with what God hath published is to accuse Him Gen. 3.5 God knows that your eyes shall be opened in the same manner as the Serpent did to our first parents of envying us an intellectual happiness Yet how do all Adam's posterity long after this forbidden fruit II. In regard of our selves Our thoughts are proud self-confident self-applauding foolish covetous anxious unclean And what not 1. Ambitious The aspiring thought of the first man runs in the veins of his posterity God took notice of such Strains in the King of Babylon when he said in his heart I will exalt my throne above the Stars of God I will ascend above the heights of the Clouds I will be like the most High * Isa 14.13 14. No less a charge will they stand under that settle themselves upon their own bottom establish their own righteousness and will not submit to the righteousness of God's appointment †Rom. 10.3 The most forlorn beggar hath sometimes thoughts vast enough to grasp an Empire 2. Self-confident Edom's thoughts swell'd him into a vain confidence of a perpetual prosperity Obad. 3. That saith in his heart who shall bring me down to the ground And David sometimes said in the like state that he should never be moved 3. Self-applauding Either in the vain remembrances of our former prosperity or ascribing our present happiness to the dexterity of our own wit Such flaunting thoughts had Nebuchadnezzar at the consideration of his setling Babylon the head and Metropolis of so great an Empire Nothing more ordinary among men Dan. 4.30 Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdom c. than overweening reflexions upon their own parts and * Rom. 12.3 thinking of themselves above what they ought to think 4. Vngrounded Imaginations of the events of things either present or future Such wild conceits like Meteors bred of a few vapors do often frisk in our minds 1. Of things present 'T is likely Eve foolishly imagin'd she had brought forth the Messiah when she brought forth a murderer Gen. 4.1 I have gotten a man the Lord as in the Hebrew believing as some interpret that she had brought forth the promised seed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And such a brisk conceit Lamech seems to have had of Noah †Gen. 5.29 2. Of things to come either in bespeaking false hopes or antedating improbable griefs Such are the jolly thoughts we have of a happy Estate in reversion which yet we may fall short of Haman's heart leap'd at the King's question Est 6.6 What shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour phancying himself the mark of his Princes favour without thinking that a halter should soon choak his ambition Or perplexing thoughts at the fear of some trouble which is not yet fallen upon us and perhaps never may How did David torture his Soul by his unbelieving fears 1 Sam. 27.1 And David said in his heart c. that he should one day perish by the hand of Saul These forestalling thoughts do really affect us we often feel caprings in our Spirits upon imaginary hopes and shiverings upon conceited fears These pleasing impostures and self-afflicting suppositions are signs either of an idle or indigent mind that hath no will to work or only rotten materials to work upon 5. Immoderate thoughts about lawful things When we exercise our minds too thick and with a fierceness of affection above their merit not in subserviency to God or mixing our cares with dependencies on Him Worldly concerns may quarter in our thoughts but they must not possess all the room and thrust Christ into a manger Neither must they be of that value with us as the law was with David sweeter than the honey or the honey comb III. In regard of others All thoughts of our neighbour against the rule of charity Such that imagine evil in their hearts God hates * Zach. 8.17 These principally are 1. Envious when we torment our selves with others fortunes Such a thought in Cain upon God's acceptance of his brother's sacrifice Gen. 4.5 1 Tim. 6.4 2 Cor. 13.5 was the Prologue to and foundation of that cursed murder 2. Censorious stigmatizing every freckle in our brother's conversation 3. Jealous and evil surmises contrary to charity which thinks no evil 4. Revengeful Est 5.13 Such made Haman take little content in his preferments as long as Mordecai refused to court him And Esau thought of the daies of mourning for his father Gen. 27 41. Esau said in his heart c. that he might be revenged for his brother's deceits There is no sin committed in the world but is hatched in one or other of these thoughts But beside these there are a multitude of other volatile conceits like swarms of gnats buzzing about us and preying upon us and as frequent in their successions as the curlings of the water upon a small breath of wind one following another close at the heels The mind is no more satisfied with thoughts than the first matter is with forms continually shifting one for another and many times the nobler for the baser as when upon the putrefaction of a human body part of the Matter is endued with the form of Vermin Such changeable things are our minds in leaving that which is good for that which is worse when they are enveigled by an active phancy and Bedlam affections This madness is in the hearts of men while they live Eccles 9.3 and starts a thousand frenzies in a day At the best our phancy is like a Carrier's bag stuffed with a world of Letters having no dependence upon one another some containing business and others nothing but froth In all these thoughts there is a further guilt in three respects viz. 1. Delight 2. Contrivance 3. Reacting 1. Delight in them The very tickling of our phancy by a sinful motion though without a formal consent is a sin because it is a degree of complacency in an unlawful object When the mind is pleased with the subject of the thought as it hath a tendency to some sensual pleasure and not simply in the thought it self as it may enrich the understanding with some degree of knowledg The thought indeed of an evil thing may be without any delight in the evil of it as Philosophers delight in making experiments of poisonous Creatures without delighting in the poison as it is a noxious quality We may delightfully think of sin without guilt not delighting in it as sin but as God by his wise providential ordering extracts Glory to himself and good to his Creature In this case though a sinful act be the material object of this pleasure yet 't is not the
formal object because the delight is not terminated in the sin but in God's ordering the event of it to his own glory But an Inclination to a sinful motion as it gratifies a corrupt affection is sin because every inclination is a malignant tincture upon the affections including in its own nature an aversion from God and testifying sin to be an agreeable object And without question there can be no inclination to any thing without some degree of pleasure in it because it is impossible we can encline to that which we have a perfect abhorrency of Hence it follows that every inclination to a sinful motion is Consensus inchoatus or a Consent in Embryo though the act may prove abortive If we think of any unlawful thing with pleasure and imagine it either in fieri or facto esse it brings a guilt upon us as if it were really acted As when upon the consideration of such a man's being my enemy I phancy robbers rifling his goods and cutting his throat and rejoyce in this revengeful thought as if it were really done 't is a great sin because it testifies an approbation of such a butchery if any man had will and opportunity to commit it And though it be a supposition yet the act of the mind is really the same it would be if the sinful act I think of were performed Or when a man conditionally thinks with himself I would steal such a man's goods or kill such a person if I could escape escape the punishment attending it it is as if he did rob and murder him because there is no impediment in his will to the commission of it but only in the outward circumstances Nay though it be a mere Ens intentionale or rationis which is the object of the thought yet the act of the mind is real and as significant of the inclination of the Soul as if the object were real too As if a man hath an unclean motion at the sight of a picture which is only a composition of well mixed and well ordered colours or at the appearance of the Idea of a beauty fram'd in his own phancy 't is as much uncleanness as if it were terminated in some suitable object the hinderance being not in the will but in the insufficiency of the object to concur in such an act Now as the more delight there is in any holy service the more precious it is in it self and more grateful to God so the more pleasure there is in any sinful motion the more malignity there is in it 2. Contrivance When the delight in the thought grows up to the contrivance of the act which is still the work of the thinking faculty When the mind doth brood upon a sinful motion to hatch it up and invents methods for performance which the wise man calls artificial Inventions So a learned man interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 15.19 Eccles 7.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr. Hammond on Mat. 15.9 of contrivances of murder adultery c. And the word signifies properly reasonings When mens wits play the Devils in their souls in inventing sophistical reasons for the commission and justification of their crimes with a mighty jollity at their own craft Such plots are the trade of a wicked man's heart A covetous man will be working in his inward shop from morning till night to study new methods for gain * 2 Pet. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a heart exercis'd in covetous practices and voluptuous and ambitious persons will draw schemes and models in their fancy of what they would outwardly accomplish They conceive mischief and bring forth vanity and their belly prepares deceit Job 15.35 Hence the thoughts are called the counsels †1 Cor. 4.5 and devices * Isa 32.7 8. of the heart when the heart summons the head and all the thoughts of it to sit in debate as a private Junto about a sinful motion 3. Re-acting sin after 't is outwardly committed Though the individual action be transient and cannot be committed again yet the Idea and Image of it remaining in the memory may by the help of an apish fancy be repeated a thousand times over with a rarified pleasure As both the features of our friends and the agreeable Conversations we have had with them may with a fresh relish be represented in our fancies though the persons were rotten many years ago Having thus declared the nature of our thoughts and the degrees of their guilt the next thing is to prove that they are sins The Jews did not acknowledg them to be sins Kimchi in 66 Psal as quoted by Grotius in Mat 5.20 Vt jam servaris bene corpus adultera mens est Nec custodiri ni velit illa p test Nec mentem servare potes licet omnia claudas Omnibus occlusis intus adulter erit Ovid. Anor l. 3. Eleg. 3. v. 5. c. unless they were blasphemous and immediately against God himself Some Heathens were more Orthodox and among the rest Ovid whose amorous pleasures one would think should have smothered such sentiments in him They Lord whose knowledg is infallible knows the thoughts of men that they are vanity Psal 94.11 yea and of the wisest men too according to the Apostle's Interpretation 1 Cor. 3.20 And who were they that became vain in their Imaginations but the wisest men the carnal world yielded The Graecians the greatest Philosophers the Aegyptians their Tutors and the Romans their Apes The elaborate operations of an unregenerate mind are fleshly Rom. 8.5 7. If the whole web be so needs must every thread The thought of foolishness is sin * Prov. 24.9 i. e. a foolish thought not objectively a thought of folly but one formally so yea an abomination to God †Prov. 15.26 As good thoughts and purposes are acts in God's account so are bad ones Abraham's intention to offer Isaac is accounted as an actual Sacrifice ‖ Heb. 11.17 Jam. 2.21 that the stroke was not given was not from any reluctance of Abraham's will but the gracious indulgence of God Sarab had a deriding thought and God chargeth it as if it were an outward laughter and a scornful word * Gen. 18.12 15. Therefore Sarah laughed within h r self saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in visceribus suis Targum Rom 7.7 I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Thoughts are the words of the mind and as real in God's account as if they were expressed with the Tongue There are three Reasons for the proof of this that they are Sins 1. They are contrary to the Law which doth forbid the first foamings and belchings of the heart because they arise from an habitual corruption and testifie a defect of something which the Law requires to be in us to correct the excursions of our minds Doth not the Law oblige man as a rational creature Shall it then leave that part which doth constitute him
mean while i. e. in this life while conscience bears witness accusing or excusing one another in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men i. e. and also at the day of judgment when conscience shall give in it's final Testimony upon God's examination of the secret counsels This place is properly meant of those reasonings concerning good and evil in men's Consciences agreeable to the Law of nature imprinted on them which shall excuse them if they practice accordingly or accuse them if they behave themselves contrary thereunto But it will hold in this Case for if those inward approbations of the the notions of good and evil will accuse us for our contrary practices they will also accuse us for our contrary thoughts Non solum opus sed mali operis cogitatio paenas luet Hieron in 1 Hos 7. Acts 8.22 Our good thoughts will be our accusers for not observing them and our bad thoughts will be indictments against us for complying with them 'T is probable the Soul may be bound over to answer chiefly for these at the last day for the Apostle chargeth Simon 's guilt upon his thought not his word and tells him pardon must be principally granted for that The tongue was only an Instrument to express what his heart did think and would have been wholly innocent had not his thoughts been first criminal What therefore is the principal subject of pardon would be so of punishment as the first incendiaries in a rebellion are most severely dealt with And if as some think the fallen Angels were stript of their primitive Glory only for a conceiv'd thought how heinous must that be which hath inrolled them in a remediless misery Having proved that there is a sinfulness in our thoughts let us now see what provocation there is in them Which in some respects is greater than that of our actions But we must take actions here in sensu diviso as distinguished from the inward preparations to them In the one there is more of scandal in the other more of odiousness to God God indeed doth not punish thoughts so visibly because as He is Governour of the world His Judgments are shot against those sins that disturb humane society but He hath secret and spiritual Judgments for these suitable to the nature of the sins Now thoughts are greater in respect 1. Of fruitfulness The wickedness that God saw great in the earth was the fruit of imaginations They are the immediate causes of all sin No Cockatrice but was first an egg It was a thought to be as God * Gen. 3.5 2 Cor. 11.3 that was the first breeder of all that sin under which the world groans at this day For Eve's mind was first beguiled in the alteration of her thought Since that the lake of inward malignity acts all it's evil by these smoaking steams Evil thoughts lead the van in our Saviour's Catalogue Matth. 15.19 as that which spirits all the black regiment which march behind As good motions cherish'd will spring up in good actions so loose thoughts favoured will break out in visible plague-sores and put fire unto all that wickedness which lyes habitually in the heart 2 Tim. 2.16 as a spark may to a whole stock of Gun-powder The vain babblings of the soul as well as those of the Tongue will encrease to more ungodliness Being thus the cause they include virtually in them all that is in the effect as a seed contains in its little body the leaves fruit colour scent which afterward appear in the plant The seed includes all but the colour doth not virtually include the scent or the scent the colour or the leaves the fruit So 't is here One act doth not include the formal obliquity of another but the thought which caused it doth seminally include both the formal and final obliquity of every action both that which is in the nature of it and in the end to which it tends As when a Trades-man cherisheth immoderate thoughts of gain and in the attaining it runs into many foolish and hurtful Lusts 1 Tim. 6 9. there is cheating lying swearing to put off the commodity all these several acts have a particular sinfulness in the nature of the acts themselves besides the tendency they have to the satisfying an inordinate affection all which are the spawn of those first immoderate thoughts stirring up greedy desires 2. In respect of Quantity Imaginations are said to be continually evil There is an infinite variety of conceptions as the Psalmist speaks of the Sea wherein are all things creeping innumerable both small and great and a constant generation of whole shoals of them that you may as well number the Fish in the Sea or the Atomes in the Sun-beams as recount them There is a greater number in regard of the acts and in regard of the objects 1. In regard of the acts of the mind 1. Antecedent acts How many preparatory motions of the mind are there to one wicked external act Yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plutarch Moral p. mihi 500. how many sinful thoughts are twisted together to produce one deliberate sinful word All which have a distinct guilt and if weigh'd together would outweigh the guilt of the action abstractedly considered How many repeated complacencies in the first motion degrees of consent resolved broodings secret plottings proposals of various methods smothering contrary checks vehement longings delightful hopes and forestalled pleasures in the design All which are but thoughts assenting or dissenting in order to the act intended Upon a dissection of all these secret motions by the critical power of the word we should find a more monstrous guilt than would be apparent in the single action for whose sake all these spirits were raised There may be no sin in a material act considered in it self when there is a provoking guilt in the mental motion A hypocrite's religious services are materially good but poysoned by the Imagination skulking in the heart that gave birth unto them Prov. 21.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a wicked thought Ezek. 23.3.19 Yet she multiplied he◠whoredoms in calling to remembrance the days of her youth c. v. 21. the lewdness of her youth 'T is the wicked mind or thought makes the sacrifice a commanded duty much more an abomination to the Lord. 2. Consequent acts When a man's phancy is pregnant with the delightful remembrance of the sin that is past he draws down a fresh guilt upon himself as they did in the Prophet in reviving the concurrence of the will to the act committed making the sensual pleasure to commence spiritual and if ever there were an aking heart for it revoking his former grief by a renewed approbation of his darling lust Thus the sin of thoughts is greater in regard of duration A man hath neither strength nor opportunity always to act but he may always think and imagination can supply the place of action Or if the
lusts they serve their pleasures Tit. 3.3 serving divers lusts and pleasures but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prince in man is possest with principles of a more direct contrariety whence it must follow that all the thoughts and counsels of it are tinctured with this hatred They are indeed a defilement of the higher part of the soul and that which belongs more peculiarly to God And the nearer any part doth approach to God the more abominable is a spot upon it as to cast dirt upon a Prince's house is not so heinous as to deface his image The understanding the seat of thoughts is more excellent than the will both because we know and judge before we will or ought to will only so much as the understanding thinks fit to be willed and because God hath bestowed the highest gifts upon it adorning it with more lively lineaments of his own image Colos 3.10 Renewed in knowledg after the image of Him that created him implying that there was more of the image of God at the first creation bestowed upon the understanding the seat of knowledg than on any other part yea than on all the bodies of men distill'd together Heb 12.9 Father of Spirits is one of God's titles To bespatter His children then so near a relation the jewel that he is choice of must needs be more heinous He being the Father of Spirits this spiritual wickedness of nourishing evil thoughts is a cashiering all child-like likeness to him The traitorous acts of the mind are most offensive to God as 't is a greater despite for a son to whom the father hath given the greater portion to shut him out of his house only to revel in it with a company of Roisters and Strumpets than in a child who never was so much the subject of his father's favour And 't is more heinous and odious if these thoughts which possess our souls be at any time conversant about some Idea of our own framing It were not altogether so bad if we loved something of God's creating which had a physical goodness and a real usefulness in it to allure us but to run wildly to embrace an Ens rationis to prefer a thing of no existence but what is colour'd by our own imagination of no vertue no usefulness a thing that God never created nor pronounced good is a greater enmity and a higher slight of God 6. In respect of Connaturalness and voluntariness They are the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch Moral 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tâ—ales Diog. Lacrt. and they are continually evil They are as natural as the aestuations of the Sea the bubblings of a fountain or the twinklings of the stars The more natural any motion is ordinarily the quicker it is Time is requisite to action but thoughts have an instantaneous motion The body is a heavy piece of clay but the mind can start out on every occasion Actions have their stated times and places but these solicit us and are entertain'd by us at all seasons Neither day nor night street nor closet exchange nor temple can priviledg us from them We meet them at every turn and they strike upon our souls as often as light upon our eyes There is no restraint for them The Laws of men the constitution of the body the interest of profit or credit are mighty bars in the way of outward profaneness but nothing lays the reins upon thoughts but the Law of God and this man is not subject to neither can be ‖ Rom. 8.7 Besides the natural Atheism in man is a special friend and nurse of these few firmly believing either the omniscience of God or his government of the world which the Scripture speaks of frequently as the cause of most sins among the sons of men †Isai 29.15 Ezek. 9.9 Job 22.13 14. Actions are done with some reluctance and nips of natural conscience Conscience will start at a gross temptation but it is not frighted at thoughts Men may commit speculative folly and their conscience look on without so much as a nod against it Men may tear out their neighbours bowels in secret wishes and their conscience never interpose to part the fray Conscience indeed cannot take notice of all of them they are too subtil in their nature and too quick for the observation of a finite principle They are many †Prov. 19.21 There are many devices in a man's heart Florus l. 2. c. 3. Mâ—jor aliquantoâ—abor erat invenire quam vincere and they are nimble too like the bubblings of a boyling pot or the rising of a wave that presently slides into its level and as Florus saith of the Ligurians the difficulty is more to find than conquer them They are secret sins and are no more discerned than motes in the air without a spiritual sun-beam whence David cryes out Psal 19.12 Cleanse me from secret sins which some explain of sins of thoughts that were like sudden and frequent flashes of lightning too quick for his notice and unknown to himself There is also more delight in them There is less of temptation in them and so more of election and consequently more of the heart and pleasure in them when they lodge with us Acts of sin are troublesom there is danger as well as pleasure in many of them but there is no outward danger in thoughts therefore the complacency is more compact and free from distraction The delight is more unmixed too as intellectual pleasures are more refined than sensual All these considerations will enhance the guilt of these inward operations The Uses shall be two though many Inferences might be drawn from the point 1. Reproof What a mass of vanity should we find in our minds if we could bring our thoughts in the space of one day yea but one hour to an account How many foolish thoughts with our wisdom ignorant with our knowledg worldly with our heavenliness hypocritical with our religion and proud with our humiliations Our hearts would be like a Grott furnished with monstrous and ridiculous pictures Ezek 8.5.10 or as the wall in Ezekiel's vision pourtrayed with every form of creeping things and abominable beasts a greater abomination than the Image of jealousie at the outward gate of the Altar Were our inwards opened how should we stand gazing both with scorn and wonder at our being such a pack of fools Well may we cry out with Agur Prov. 30.2 We have not the understandings of men we make not the use of them as is requisite for rational creatures because we degrade them to attendances on a brutish phancy I make no question but were we able to know the phancies of some irrational creatures we should find them more noble heroick and generous in suo genere than the thoughts of most men more agreeable to their natures and suited to the law of their creation †Psal 10 4. God is not in
all his â—houghts How little is God in any of our thoughts according to His excellency No our shops our rents our backs and bellies usurp God's room If any thoughts of God do start up in us how many covetous ambitious wanton revengeful thoughts are jumbled together with them Is it not a monstrous absurdity to place our friend with a crue of vipers to lodge a King in a sty and entertain him with the fumes of a jakes and dunghil A wicked man's heart is little worth Prov. 10.20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver c. Apud nos cogitare peccare est Minucius Foelix all the pedling wares and works in his inward shop are not valuable with one silver drop from a gracious man's lips It was an invincible argument of the primitive Christians for the purity of the Christian Religion above all others in the world that it did prohibit evil thoughts And is it not as unanswerable an argument that we are no Christians if we give liberty to them What is our moral conversation outwardly but only a bare abstinence from sin not a disaffection Were we really and altogether Christians would not that which is the chiefest purity of Christianity be our pleasure And would we any more wrong God in our secret hearts than in the open streets Is not thought a beam of the mind and shall it be enamour'd only on a dunghil Is not the understanding the eye of the soul and shall it behold only guilded nothings 'T is the flower of the spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. Shall we let every Caterpillar suck it 'T is the Queen in us Shall every ruffian deflore it 'T is as the Sun in our heaven and shall we besmear it with misty phancies It vvas created surely for better purposes Lampridius than to catch a thousand weight of spiders as Heliogabalus employ'd his Servants It was not intended to be made the common fewer of filthiness or ranked among those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Histor animal lib. 8. which eat not only fruit and flesh but flies worms dung and all sorts of lothsome materials Let not therefore our minds wallow in a sink of phantastical follies whereby to rob God of his due and our souls of their happiness 2. Exhortation We must take care for the suppression of them All vice doth arise from imagination Upon what stock doth ambition and revenge grow Mirandul de Imaginat c 7. Isay 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way the unrighteous man his thoughts c. but upon a false conceit of the nature of honour What engenders covetousness but a mistaken fancy of the excellency of wealth Thoughts must be forsaken as well as our way we cannot else have an evidence of a true conversion and if we do not discard them we are not like to have an abundant pardon and what will the issue of that be but an abundant punishment Mortification must extend to these Affections must be crucified Gal. 5.24 and all the little brats of thoughts which beget them or are begotten by them Shall we nourish that which brought down the wrath of God upon the old world as though there had not been already sufficient experiments of the mischief they have done Is it not our highest excellency to be conform'd to God in holiness in as full a measure as our finite natures are capable And is not God holy in his counsels and inward operations as well as in his works Hath God any thoughts but what are righteous and just Therefore the more foolish and vain our imaginations are Eph. 4 17 18. the more are we alienated from the life of God The Gentiles were so because they walked in the vanity of their mind and we shall be so if vanity walk and dwell in ours As the tenth Commandment forbids all unlawful thoughts and desires so it obligeth us to all thoughts and desires that may make us agreeable to the divine Will and like to God himself We shall find great advantage by suppressing them We can more easily resist temptations without if we conquer motions within Thoughts are the mutineers in the soul which set open the gates for Satan He hath held a secret intelligence with them so far as he knows them ever since the fall and they are his spies to assist him in the execution of his devices They prepare the tinder and the next fiery dart sets all on a flame Can we cherish these if we consider that Christ dyed for them He shed his blood for that which put the world out of order which was accomplished by the sinful imagination of the first man and continued by those imaginations mention'd in the Text. He dyed to restore God to his right and man to his happiness neither of which can be perfectly attained till those be thrown out of the possession of the heart That we may do this Let us consider these following directions which may be branched into these heads 1. For the raising good thoughts 2. Preventing bad 3. Ordering bad when they do intrude 4. Ordering good when they appear in us 1. For raising good thoughts 1. Get renewed hearts The fountain must be cleansed which breeds the vermine 2 Cor. 5 17. Jer. 4.14 Wash thy heart from wickedness c. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Pure vapors can never ascend from a filthy quagmire What issue can there be of a vain heart but vain imaginations Thoughts will not become new till a man is in Christ We must be holy before we can think holily Sanctification is necessary for the dislodging of vain thoughts and the introducing of good A sanctified reason would both discover and shame our natural follies As all animal operations so all the spiritual motions of our heads depend upon the life of our hearts * Prov. 4.23 as the principium originis As there is a law in our members to bring us into Captivity to the law of sin Rom. 7.23 so there must be a law in our minds to bring our thoughts to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 We must be renewed in the spirit of our minds Ephes 4.23 in our reasonings and thoughts which are the spirits whereby the understanding acts as the animal spirits are the instruments of corporeal motion Till the understanding be born of the spirit †John 3.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit it will delight in and think of nothing but things suitable to its fleshly original but when 't is spiritual it receives new impressions new reasonings and motions suitable to the Holy Ghost of whom it is born A stone if thrown upwards a thousand times will fall backward because 't is a forced motion but if the nature of this stone were changed into that of fire it would mount as naturally upward as before it sunk downward You
thoughts as vessels having been filled with a rich wine communicate a relish of it to the liquors afterward put into them We might also more steadily go about our worldly business if we carry God in our minds as one foot of the Compass will more regularly move about the Circumference when the other remains firm in the Center 2. Look to the manner of it 1. Let it be intent Transitory thoughts are like the glances of the eye soon on and soon off they make no clear discovery and consequently raise no spritely affections Let it be one principal subject and without flitting from it for if our thoughts be unsteady we shall find but little warmth a burning glass often shifted fires nothing We must look at the things that are not seen as wistly as men do at a mark they shoot at 2 Cor. 4.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3.18 Such an intent meditation would change us into the image and cast us into the mould of those truths we think of it would make our minds more busie about them all the day as a glaring upon the Sun fills our eyes for some time after with the image of it To this purpose look upon your selves as deeply concern'd in the things you think of Our minds dwell upon that whereof we apprehend an absolute necessity A condemned person would scarce think of any thing but procuring a reprieve and his earnestness for this would bar the door against other intruders 2. Let it be affectionate and practical Meditation should excite a spiritual delight in God as it did in the Psalmist †Psal 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. and a divine delight would keep up good thoughts and keep out impertinencies A bare speculation will tire the soul and without application and pressing upon the will and affections will rather chill than warm devotion 'T is only by this means that we shall have the efficacy of truth in our wills and the sweetness in our affections as well as the notion of it in our understandings The more operative any truth is in this manner upon us the less power will other thoughts have to interrupt and the more disdainfully will the heart look upon them if they dare be impudent Never therefore leave thinking of a spiritual subject till your heart be affected with it If you think of the evil of sin leave not till your heart loath it if of God cease not till it mount up in admirations of him If you think of his mercy melt for abusing it if of his soveraignty awe your heart into obedient resolutions if of his presence double your watch over your self If you meditate on Christ make no end till your hearts love him if of his death plead the value of it for the justification of your persons and apply the vertue of it for the sanctification of your natures Without this practical stamp upon our affections we shall have light spirits while we have opportunity to converse with the most serious objects We often hear foolish thoughts breathing out themselves in a house of mourning in the midst of Coffins and trophies of death as if men were confident they should never die whereas none are so ridiculous as to assert they shall live for ever By this instance in a truth so certainly assented to we may judg of the necessity of this direction in truths more doubtfully believed 7. Draw spiritual Inferences from occasional objects David did but wistly consider the Heavens and he breaks out in self-abasement Psal 8.3 4. and humble admirations of God Glean matter of instruction to your selves and praise to your Maker from every thing you see It will be a degree of restoration to a state of innocency since this was Adam's task in Paradise Dwell not upon any created object only as a Virtuoso to gratifie your rational curiosity but as a Christian call Religion to the feast and make a spiritual improvement No creature can meet our eyes but affords us lessons worthy our thoughts besides the general notices of the power and wisdom of the Creator Thus may the Sheep read us a Lecture of patience the Dove of innocence the Ant and Bee raise blushes in us for our sluggishness and the stupid Oxe and dull Ass correct and shame our ungrateful ignorance Isa 1.3 And since our Saviour did set forth his own excellency in a sensible dress the consideration of those Metaphors by an acute fancy would garnish out divine truths more deliciously and conduct us into a more inward knowledg of the mysteries of the Gospel He whose eyes are open cannot want an instructer unless he wants a heart Thus may a Tradesman spiritualize the matter he works upon and make his commodities serve in wholesom meditations to his mind and at once enrich both his soul and his coffers yea and in part restore the creatures to the happiness of answering a great end of their Creation which man depriv'd them of when he subjected them to vanity Such a view of spiritual truths in sensible pictures would clear our knowledg purifie our fancies animate our affections encourage our graces disgrace our vices and both argue and shame us into duty and thus take away all the causes of our wild wandring thoughts at once And a frequent exercise of this method would beget and support a habit of thinking well and weaken if not expel a habit of thinking ill 2. The second sort of directions are for the preventing bad thoughts And to this purpose 1. Exercise frequent humiliations Pride exposeth us to impatient and disquieting thoughts whereas humility clears up a calm and serenity in the soul Prov. 30.32 'T is Agur's advice to be humbled particularly for evil thoughts Frequent humiliations will dead the fire within and make the sparks the fewer The deeper the plough sinks the more the weeds are killed and the ground fitted for good grain Men do not easily fall into those sins for which they have been deeply humbled Vain conceits love to reside most in jolly hearts but by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better Eccles 7.3 4. There is more of wisdom or wise consideration in a composed and graciously mournful spirit whereas carnal mirth and sports cause the heart to evaporate into lightness and folly The more we are humbled for them the more our hatred of them will be fomented and consequently the more prepared shall we be to give them a repulse upon any bold intrusion 2. Avoid entangling your selves with the world This clay will clog our minds Lutea faelicitas Aug. de Civ Dei l. 10. and a dirty happiness will engender but dirty thoughts Who were so foolish to have inward thoughts that their houses should continue for ever but those that trusted in their riches †Psal 49 6 11. If the world possess our souls it will breed carking thoughts much business meets
was to exhort younger as well as elder women and the Apostle wisheth him to do it with all purity or chastity that a temptation lying in ambush for him might not take his thoughts and affections unguarded Engage thy diligence more at solitary times and in the night wherein freedom from business gives an opportunity to an unsanctified imagination to conjure up a thousand evil spirits whence perhaps it is that the Psalmist tells us Psal 17.3 Gen 19.30 Cellulam mearum cogitationum pertimescebam Hieron God had tryed him in the night and found him holy The solitary Cave tainted Lot with incest who had preserved himself fresh in the midst of the salt lusts of Sodom In ill company wherein we may be occasionally cast there is need of an exacter observation of our hearts lest corrupt steams which rise from them as vapours from lakes and minerals being breath'd in by us may tincture our spirits or as those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as Physitians tell us exhaling from consumptive persons do by inspiration steal into our blood and convey a contagion to us And though above all keepings and watchings we are to keep and watch our hearts Prov. 4.23 because out of them are the issues of life yet we must walk the rounds about our senses and members of the body as the wise man there adviseth v. 24. the mouth which utters wickedness the eyes v. 25. which are brokers to make bargains for the heart and v. 26. the feet which are agents to run on the errands of sin And the rather must we watch over our senses because we are naturally more ready to follow the motions of them as having had a longer acquaintance and familiarity with them before we grew up to the use of reason Besides Plotinus describes thought thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ennead 1. lib. Cor oculi sunt proxenctae peccati most of our thoughts creep in first at the windows of sense The eye and the ear robb'd Eve of original righteousness and the eye rifled David both of his justice and chastity If the eyes behold strange women the heart will utter perverse things Prov. 23.33 Perverse thoughts will sparkle from a rolling eye Revel-rout is usual where there is a negligent government He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls †Prov. 25.28 where any thieves may go in and out at pleasure 3. The third sort of directions are for the ordering of evil thoughts when they do intrude and 1. Examine them Look often into your heart to see what it is doing and what thoughts you find dabling in it call to an account enquire what business they have what their errand and design is whence they come and whither they tend David askt his soul the reason of its troubled thoughts Psal 42.11 Why art thou disquieted O my soul so ask thy heart the reason why it entertains such ill company and by what authority they come there and leave not chiding till thou hast put it to the blush Bring every thought to the test of the Word Asaph had envious thoughts at the prosperity of the wicked Psal 73.2 3. which had almost tript him up and laid him on his back And these had blown up Atheistical thoughts that God did not much regard whether his commands were kept or no as though God had untied the link between duty and reward and the breach of his laws were the readiest means to a favourable recompence v. 13. I have cleansed my hands in vain But when he weighed things in the ballance of the sanctuary by the holy rules of God's patience and justice v. 17. He sees the brutishness of his former conceits v. 22. So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee and v. 25. he makes an improvement of them to excite his desire for God and delight in Him Let us compare our thoughts with Scripture-rules Comparing spiritual things with spiritual is the way to understand them comparing spiritual sins with spiritual commands is the way to know them and comparing spiritual vices with spiritual graces is the way to loath them Take not then any thing upon trust from a crazy fancy nor without a scrutiny believe that faculty whereby dogs dream and animals perform their natural exploits 2. Check them at the first appearance If they bear upon them a palpable mark of sin bestow not upon them the honour of an examination If the leprosie appear in their foreheads thrust them as the Priests did Vzziah out of the Temple or as David answered his wicked sollicitors Psal 119.115 Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the commandments of my God Though we cannot hinder them from haunting us yet we may from lodging in us The very sparkling of an abominable motion in our hearts is as little to be look'd upon as the colour of wine in a glass by a man inclined to drunkenness Quench them instantly as you would do a spark of fire in a heap of straw We must not treat with them Paul's resolve is a good pattern not to confer with flesh and blood †Gal. 1.16 Hic Annibal virtute non mora frangitur We do not debate whether we should shake a viper off our hands If it be plainly a sinful motion a treaty with it is a degree of disobedience for a putting it to the question whether we should suckle it is to question whether God should be obeyed or no. If it savour not of the things of God hear not its reasons and complement it with no less indignation than our Saviour did his officious Disciple upon his carnal advice Get thee behind me Satan Mat. 16.22 23. Excuse it not because 't is little Small vapours may compact themselves into great clouds and obstruct our sight of heaven a little poison may spread its venom through a great quantity of meat Ex hinc nota est infirmitas mea quia multo faciliùs irruunt abominandae phantasiae quà m discedunt Kemp. de Imit Chr. lib. 3. cap. 20. We know not how big a small motion like a Crocodile's egge may grow and how ravenous the breed may prove it may if entertain'd force our Judgment drag our Will and make all our affections Bedlams Besides since the Fancy is that power in us upon which the Devil can immediately imprint his suggestions and that we know not what army he hath to back any sinful motion if once the gate be set open let us crush the brat betimes and fling the head over the wall to discourage the party Well then let us be ashamed to cherish that in our thoughts which we should be ashamed should break out in our words or actions therefore as soon as you perceive it base spit it out with detestation as you do a thing you unexpectedly find ungrateful to your palate 3. Improve them Poisons may be made
Pet. 2.13 Spots they are and blemishes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sporting themselves with their own deceivings 4. In regard of the applause it ordinarily hath Whisperers and Tale-bearers how welcome are they to a great many for their story's sake They procure oftentimes favour to themselves while they are breaking the most entire Friendship The profanest Scoffers even at Religion it self for some spark of wit in that their greatest folly are entertained commonly by laughter one corruption or other in hearers cryes up every thing that is ill said and many things purely for being ill said and these prating Fools are hardned in their sin in that these laughing Fools make a mock of it Prov. 14.9 Upon these Accounts then it appears no small difficulty to govern the Tongue the more pains is to be took with it the severer watch is to be set over it 2. Secondly The Tongue is a very mischievous Out-Law no Member like it if it get loose what expressions has the Apostle of it Jam. 3.6 a world of iniquity he calls it knowing by nothing greater to set it out and intimating all sin to be gathered together in it Uncleanness Injustice Heresie Hard-heartedness and what not And yet as if he had not said enough he adds that it defiles the whole Body It begins its mischief at home like a recoyling Gun that lays its shooter in a shattered condition on his back while it wounds his Brother at the heart one cannot bespatter his Neighbour but he dirties and daubs himself the sin is his and the shame shall be his who ever may at present suffer by him Can he charge any further mischief on the Tongue it setteth on fire the course of Nature all the turbulent motions of these lower Spheres are from the petulancy and inordinacy of this little Member that lashes every thing out of its genuine pace it sows Jealousies it stirs up heats and Animosities it foments enmities provokes to Injuries it sets all the World together by the ears that we had better been without Tongues than that they should be without government Yet more particularly 1. It le ts fly at every one no body is secure from it Majesty and Innocency that are Fences against most evils set none beyond the reach of the Tongue The God of Heaven and the greatest and Holiest men on Earth do often suffer by it We are told of some that should curse their King and their God Isa 8.21 2 Pet. 2.10 And are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities It is a meddlesome Member that will let no body alone a very Wasp that is buzzing about in every corner if its wings be not clipped another Ishmael its hands are against every one very extensive it is then in its Offence 2. It le ts fly every way in a way of detracting reviling slattering lying c. No Member has so many and such contrary ways of offending that it never lacks opportunity of doing mischief be it in good humour or in bad either by its glozing it deceives us or by its roving it tires us or by its levity it deadens us or by its Ribaldry it daubs us or by its Insolency it affronts us 3. No such Wounds as those that are made by it it hits us e'ne where it lists in our Estates in our Lives in our Names by false witness or privy slander it may undo us in all that is dear to us at once especially in a credulous uncharitable day as this is hence you may observe that he which bore all the evils of the World without any flinching Psal 69 19 20 is something moved by what he suffered from the Tongue that commonly touches where we be most tender its Darts sink deepest and its wounds heal slowest of any other And in this respect the Tongue may be expressed not only by a Rod Psal 140.3 Psal 42.10 Prov. 14 3. by a Scourge by a Sword but by the sting and poyson of a Serpent to note the anguish of its biting and the difficulty of its Curing Can we infer nothing from all this Sure we may conclude 1. That in all Reason and Righteousness such a Member should be strictly kept in even as an Ox that is wont to goring Or 2. That if we keep it not in God will cut it out his Righteousness requires one if our Righteousness fail of the other If our Tongue must take its course and go uncontrolled it shall not go unpunished the first signal Judgments in the Primitive times were for the sins of the Tongue Ananias and Saphira for their lie are struck dead Acts 5.3 And Herod for his vanity and vain-glory in his speech is eaten up with Worms while alive Acts 12.23 And doth not the scorched Tongue of the Rich man in Hell tell us Luke 16.24 that Tongue-sins shall be severely required of us 3. That the Tongue when reduced into Order is an Excellent Subject no Member so able so Active as that it is the same for good as it was for evil when rightly set none is more useful or Ornamental to Religion than that You hear what a value God sets upon it the very hearts of others are not to be compared to it Prov. 10.20 The Tongue of the Just is as choice silver the Heart of the Wicked is little worth To shew particularly what a good Subject it is such as none like it Note 1. That it is a faithful Intelligencer to God and to that purpose holds a continual correspondence with him betraying its bosom Friends that it finds Enemies to him and discovering all plots that are against him not a sin shall stir in our own hearts but God shall hear of it that he may timely suppress it not a sinner shall tumultuate in the World but it shall notice him thereof with a sharp Zeal for his Honour and Interest Psal 119.126 It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law Psal 74 22 23. Arise O Lord plead thine own Cause remember how the Foolish man reproacheth thee daily forget not the voice of thine Enemies the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually This Office advanceth the Tongue unto no small capacity in the Kingdom of God not that God needs it but he likes and requires it and with a communication of like Secrets that concern us he ordinarily requites it 2. It pays a continual and considerable Tribute to him of Praise and Thanksgiving yea it doth not only pay its own share but would willingly Collect it of others for its great and greatly beloved Prince Psal 145.21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord and let all flesh bless his holy Name for ever and ever It s only grudging is that it hath so scanty an Offering that it can speak no louder and sing no sweeter when it hath such a Subject as God's praises whence is that Psal 51.15 O Lord open thou my Lips and my mouth
the Devil's work in stealing the Seed of the Word of God out of Mens hearts and making it unfruitful These practices beget in men a mean esteem and contempt of God's Word when they see how little good it doth to others and how little power it hath with you that profess it Before I come to the Application two Questions are to be Answered 1. May I not speak evil of another Person when it is true Quest 1. A Man may be faulty in so doing The real secret faults of your Neighbour as I told you you ought not unnecessarily to publish And suppose there be no untruth nor injustice in it yet there is uncharitableness and unkindness in it and that is a sin Thou wouldst not have all Truth said concerning thy self nor all thy real faults publickly traduced Out of thy own mouth will God Judg thee O thou wicked Servant Yea thy own Tongue and Conscience shall another day condemn thee 2. You may speak evil of another Person when necessity requires it It may be necessary sometimes for his good and so you may speak evil of him unto those that can help it as a man may acquaint Parents with the miscarriages of their Children in order to their amendment Thus Gen. 27.2 Joseph brought to his Father the evil Report of his Brethren Sometimes this may be necessary for the caution of others as if I see a man ready to enter into intimate Friendship and Acquaintance with a Person whom I know to be highly vicious and dangerous I may in such a case caution him against it For certainly if Charity commands me when my Neighbour's Ox is ready to fall into a Pit to do my endeavour ro prevent it much more am I obliged to prevent the ruine of my Brother's Soul when I see him so near destruction But for a man to do this unnecessarily and unprofitably this is the sin I have been speaking of 3. If you will speak evil of other Persons do it in the right method Christ hath given us an Excellent Rule Mat. 18.15 16. If thy Brother shall trespass against thee go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother But if he will not hear thee take two or three more and if he will not hear them tell it to the Church But if Men will be preposterous and will not follow Christ's Order but instead of private admonishing will publish men's faults to others herein they make themselves Transgressors 4. In doubtful cases silence is the safest way It is rarely men's duty to speak evil of Men and when it is not their duty to speak it is not their sin to be silent It is seldom that any suffer by my silence or concealment of his fault but great hazards are run and many Persons commonly are made sufferers by my publication Now as Charity commands me to pass the most favourable judgment so Wisdom obligeth me to chuse the safest course Quest 2 But what if that Man I speak against be an Enemy to God and his People May not I in that case speak evil of him Doth not that Zeal I ow to God engage me to speak evil of such a man as far as I can with truth This I believe is that which induceth many well meaning Persons to this sinful practice of detracting from divers worthy Persons Ministers and others as supposing them to be Enemies to God and to his ways and so they think their reproaching and censuring of such Persons is nothing but zeal for God For Answer to this consider 1. There is abundance of sinful Zeal in the World and in the Church Therefore the Apostle gives us a Caution Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected in a good thing Otherwise we know it was from Zeal that Paul persecuted the Church Phil. 3.6 Zeal indeed is an Excellent grace in it self but nothing more frequently both pretended where it is not and where Envy Interest or Malice lye at the bottom and abused where it is 2. True Zeal hath an equal respect to all God's commands and especially to those that are most plain and most considerable It is at least doubtful whether the man thou traducest be an Enemy to God and his ways sure I am it is so with some Ministers and Christians that are highly censured and reproached by those that differ from them and it were great Impudence to deny it But this is a certain truth and evident duty Thou shalt not take up an evil reproach against thy Neighbour 3. Consider how easie a mistake is in this case and how dangerous Peradventure he whom thou callest an Enemy to God will upon enquiry be found a Friend of God and his ways But what dost thou mean by the ways of God Possibly thy own ways or party that thou art engaged in take heed of that If you would Judg aright you must distinguish between the circumstantials and the essentials of the ways of God Suppose a man be an Enemy to thy Party and thy way and manner of Religious Worship and Government yea let us suppose that thine is indeed the way of God wherein yet thou maist be mistaken if now this man be an able and zealous Assertor of the substantial and fundamental truths of God and ways of Holiness and this be attended with an Holy and exemplary Life who dare say that this man is an enemy to God and his ways O my Soul come not into the secrets of such Persons 4. You must not go out of God's way to meet with God's Enemies If any man be really an Enemy of God and of his Truths and ways I do not perswade you to comply with him or by sinful silence to betray the cause of God only let me entreat you to do God's work in God's way you may apply your selves to him and endeavour to convince him you may speak or write against his Doctrine provided you do it with modesty and moderation and not with that virulence and venom wherewith too many Books are now leavened But for this way of Detraction and Reproach it is a dishonourable and disingenuous way it is a sinful and disorderly way it is an unprofitable and ineffectual way and no way suitable either to the Nature of God whom you serve or to the Rule and Example of our Blessed Saviour or to the great principle of Love and Charity or to that end which you are to aim at in all things the honour of God and the good of other men Now I come to the Application Lamentation for the gross neglect of this Duty or the frequent Commission Vse 1 of this sin What Tears are sufficient to bewail it How thick do Censures and Reproaches fly in all places at all Tables in all Conventions And this were the more tolerable if it were only the fault of ungodly Men of Strangers and Enemies to Religion For so saith the Proverb Wickedness proceedeth from
what the good works are which we must be alwayes ready to To speak evil of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meekness to all men Tit. 3.1 2. The Scripture speaks more of this than I have leisure to recite See Gal. 5.23 and 6.1 1 Tim. 6.11 and 2 Tim. 2.25 1 Pet. 3.15 Jam. 3.13 Zeph. 2.3 Isa 29.19 Psal 141.4 and 76.9 and 147.6 and 37.11 3. And Patience both towards God and Man is a necessary Companion of Humility and Meekness This greatly differeth from Natural dulness and an insensible temperature When a man's Soul is partly so much awed by God's Authority and Presence and partly so much taken up with the great matters of his Service and partly so much contented with his favour and grace and the hopes of glory as to make light of all the Interests of the Flesh as such and therefore to bear patiently such losses and crosses and wants and sufferings as touch the Flesh as taking it for no great matter to lose all the World if we save our Souls this is true Patience by which God is glorified For by this men will see that Christians have indeed such great things in their hopes as set them quite above the transitory things of the Flesh and World But when they are much troubled at every Cross and Loss and whine and complain as if they were undone if they live in Poverty or Reproach and are at their wit's end in every danger and fret and storm at every ill word or every one that wrongeth them they are the shame of their Profession and scandals to the World It is not a sudden Anger which is the great sin of Impatience but an impotent disability to suffer in the Flesh in Estate or Name and a repining under every want which sheweth a Fleshly Worldly mind and a want of true believing the heavenly Felicity Though I confess that Pity must make some Excuse for many poor Women whose Natural temper maketh their Passions troubles and fears invincible He that said In your Patience possess your souls doth intimate that we have lost our selves and the government order and Peace of our Souls when we have lost our Patience Luke 21.19 See Eccl. 7.8 Jam. 5.7 8. 1 Pet. 2.20 1 Thes 5.14 Be patient towards all men 1 Tim. 6.11 Col. 1.11 Whatever Zeal you seem to have in Prayer in Preaching and for purity of Worship if you can bear wants and sickness and the loss of all the World no better than others you will appear no better in their Eyes for if you faint in the day of Adversity your strength is small Prov. 20.10 XII And as a special fruit of Humility An easie and thankful bearing of Reproof and readiness to confess a fault upon due conviction is a necessary duty to the Honouring of God It will shew men that you are Enemies to sin indeed and that you are not Hypocrites who weed only their Neighbours Fields and see the Mote in another's Eye and not the Beam which is in your own If the Righteous smite us by Reproofs it must be taken as a kindness and as a precious Balsome which doth not break our Head but heal us Psal 141.5 Not that we are bound to belye our selves in compliance with every man's censorious humour that will accuse us but we must be readier to censure our selves than others and readier to confess a fault than to expect a confession from others whom we Reprove Sincerity and serious Repentance will be honourable in that Person who is most careful to avoid sin and most ready penitently to confess it when he hath been overcome and truly thankful to those that call him to Repentance as being more desirous that God and his Laws and Religion have the glory of their Holiness than that he himself should have the undue glory of Innocency and escape the deserved shame of his sin It is one of the most dangerous Diseases of Professors and greatest scandals of this Age that Persons taken for eminently Religious are more impatient of plain though just reproof than many a Drunkard Swearer or Fornicator And when they have spent hours or dayes in the seeming earnest Confession of their sin and lament before God and Man that they cannot do it with more grief and tears yet they take it for a hainous injury in another that will say half so much against them and take him for a malignant Enemy of the godly who will call them as they call themselves They look that the chief business of a Preacher should be to praise them and set them above the rest as the only People of God and they take him for an Enemy that will tell them the truth But the scandal is greatest in those Preachers themselves who cannot endure to hear that they are sinners So tender and impatient of Reproof are some yea some that for their Learning and Preaching and Piety are ranked in the highest form or expect to be so that almost nothing but flattery or praise can please them and they can hardly bear the gentlest Reproof no nor a contradiction of any of their Opinions But they seem to tell men that it is their part and priviledge to be the Reprovers of others and to have no Reprover and to tell other men of sin and be themselves accounted Innocent and to call other men to Repentance for Particular sins while they themselves must have no other Repentance than in general to say that they a sinners and to proclaim to all that their Publick Confessions are formalities and that it is a Christ to heal the Souls of others that they Preach while they acknowledge but little work for his remedies on themselves But he that refuseth reproof doth err and he that hateth it is brutish how Learned or Reverend or Pious soever he would be accounted Prov. 11.17 and 12.1 He that regardeth reproof is prudent and he that hateth it shall die Prov. 15.5 10. As ready humble penitent confession of sin doth tend to our Pardon from God so doth it tend to our acceptation with Man When God and Man will condemn the Pharisee that justifies himself till Confession be extorted from him XIII It is another very Honourable fruit of Humility to have a learning disposition and not to be Magisterial and to be swift to hear and slâ—w to speak All Christ's Disciples must be as little Children Matth. 18.3 4. especially in a learning teachable disposition A Child doth not use to set his wit against his Master's or any other that will teach him nor to rise up against instruction as a Disputer that must have the better and be accounted the wisest but his daily business is submissively to learn A Genuine Christian is indeed communicative and willing that others should partake with him in the wisdom and happiness which God hath revealed to him But he is ready first to learn himself and knoweth that he must receive before he can communicate And
our Father What can be more orderly and harmonious than for the will of the creature to move according to the Creator s Will and to be duly subservient to it and accurately compliant with it What can be more Holy nay what else is Holiness but a will and life devoted and conformed to the Will of God What can be more safe or what else can be safe at all but to will the same things which the most perfect Wisdom doth direct to and infinite love it self doth chuse And what can be more easie and quieting to the Soul than to rest in that Will which is always good which never was misguided and never chose amiss and never was frustrated or mist of its decreed ends If we have no will but what is objectively the same with God's that is if we wholly comply with and follow his will as our Guide and rest in his will as our ultimate end our wills will never be disordered sinful misled or frustrate God hath all that he willeth absolutely and is never disappointed And so should we if we could will nothing but what he willeth And would you not take him unquestionably for a happy man who hath whatsoever he would have Yea and would have nothing but what is more just and good There is no way to this Happiness but making the Will of God our will God will not mutably change his Will to bring it to ours Should Holiness it self be conformed to sinners and perfection to imperfection But we must by Grace bring over our wills to God's and then they are in joynt and then only will they find content and rest O what would I beg more earnestly in the World than a will conformed wholly to God's Will and cast into that Mould and desiring nothing but what God willeth But contrarily What can be more foolish than for such Infants and ignorant Souls as we to will that which Infinite Wisdom is against What more dishonourable than to be even at the very Heart so contrary or unlike to God What can be more irregular and unjust than for a created Worm to set his will against his Maker's What else is sin but a will and life that is cross to the regulating Will of God What can be more perillous and pernicious than to forsake a perfect unerring Guide and to follow such ignorant judgments as our own in matters of Eternal consequence What can that Soul expect but a restless state in an uncomfortable Wilderness yea perpetual self-vexation and despair who forsakes God's Will to follow his own and hath a will that doth go cross to God's Poor self-tormenting sinners consider that your own wills are your Idols which you set up against the Will of God and your own wills are the Tyrants to which you are in bondage your own wills are your Prison and the Executioners that torment you with fear and grief and disappointments What is it that you are afraid of but lest you miss of your own wills For sure you fear not lest God's Will should be overcome and frustrate What are your cares about but this What are your sighs and groans and tears for And what is it else that you complain of but that your own wills are not fulfilled It is not that God hath not his Will What is it that you are so impatient of but the crossing of your own wills This person crosseth them and that accident crosseth them and God crosseth them and you cross them your selves and crost they will be while they are cross to the Will of God For all this while they are as a bone out of joynt there is no ease till it be set right In a word a will that is contrary to God's Will and striveth and struggleth against it is the Off-spring of the Devil the sum of all sin and a fore-taste of Hell even a restless self-tormenter And to will nothing but what God willeth and to love his will and study to please him and rest therein is the rectitude and only Rest of Souls and he that cannot rest contentedly in the Will of God must be for ever restless And when such a Holy will and contentment appeareth in you mankind will reverence it and see that your Natures are Divine and as they dare not reproach the Will of God so they will fear to speak evil of yours When they see that you chuse but what God first chuseth for you and your wills do but follow the Will of God men will be afraid of provoking God against them as blasphemers if they should scorn deride or vilifie you And could we convince all men that our course is but the same which God commandeth it would do much to stop their reproach and persecution And if they see that we can joyfully suffer reproach or poverty or pains or death and joyfully pass away to God when he shall call us and live and die in a contented complacency in the Will of God they will see that you have a beginning of Heaven on Earth which no Tyrant no loss or cross or suffering can deprive you of while you can joyfully say The Will of the Lord be done Act. 21.14 Object But if it be God's Will for sin to punish me or forsake me should I contentedly rest in that revenging Will Answ 1. That sin of ours which maketh us uncapable objects of the complacential Will of God is evil and to be hated But that Will of God which is terminated on such an object according to the nature of it by just hatred is good and should be loved And punishment is hurtful to us but God's Will and Justice is good and amiable 2. If you will close with God's Will you need not fear his Will If your will be unfeignedly to obey his commanding Will and to be and do what he would have you his Will is not to condemn or punish you But if God's Will prescribe you a holy life and your will rebel and be against it no wonder if God's Will be to punish you when your wills would not be punished Joh. 1.13 Heb. 10.10 Joh. 7.17 Luk. 12.47 XX. It glorifieth God and Religion in the World when Christians are faithful in all their Relations and diligently endeavour the sanctifying and happiness of all the Societies which they are members of I. Holy Families well ordered do much glorifie God and keep up Religion in the World 1. When Husbands live with their Wives in wisdom holiness and love and Wives are pious obedient meek and peaceable Eph. 5.22 25. Col. 3.18 19. yea unto such Husbands as obey not the Word that without the Word they may be won by the conversation of the Wives 1 Pet. 3.1 2. 2. When Parents make it their great and constant care and labour with all holy skill and love and diligence to educate their Children in the fear of God and the love of goodness and the practice of a holy life and to save them from sin and the
with the horror and darkness of thy miserable estate dwell not too long at the gates of hell lest the devil pull thee in but wind thy self up again by renewed acts of faith and fly for refuge unto the hope that is set before thee Heb. 6.18 And all the way thou goest admire the infinite grace and love of God to thee in delivering thee from so great a death My brethren there 's no entring into the maze and labyrinth of sin without this clew in your hands Solitary considerations of sin if we dwell too long upon them will work too violently therefore we should make frequent transitions from sin to free grace from the Law to the Gospel from our miserable and wretched selves to our merciful and mighty Redeemer But you 'l say how can this be to pass from one contrary passion to another who can make such transitions The Schools tell us it must be per magnum conatum by some great endeavour that is a strain beyond ordinary and such endeavours we must put forth counting it as much our duty to rejoyce in mercy as to mourn for sin and we cannot do both at once though there be a connexion of divine Graces as well as moral vertues yet this implies rather a successive continuation than any simultaneousness at least as to the intense actings of different graces 't is true where there is one grace there is every grace that is in semine in the seed or root of it and it may be also as to some weaker latent actual influences yet those particular graces which upon different distinct considerations do work contrary passions in us they cannot be both intensely acted at the same time sed per vices intervalla there is a time to mourn and a time to rejoyce a time to fear and a time to hope particular graces do take their turns in the soul and act sutably unto the present occasion 2. Direction against despair for unbelievers convinced of sin but unacquainted with Christ and free Grace The distraction fear and amazement of spirit that seizes upon such is unexpressible till God break in upon them and begin with them speaking peace to them man can do little yet means must be used I shall name a few things 1. Look upon this conviction of sin thou lyest under rather as a mercy than a judgement as a token for good in as much as God hath given thee timely notice of thy danger and fair warning to flee from the wrath to come 2. Look upon thy self now in a far greater capacity for grace and pardon than ever heretofore 3. Set thy self with all seriousness to study the doctrine of free grace in Christ never more need than now meditate much upon the great goodness of God and his excellent loving kindness Psal 31.19 Psal 36.6 Intense thoughts of sin and slight perfunctory thoughts of mercy drive us to despair 4. Be perswaded to come to Christ under all thy fears Hast thou been as a Dove of the valley mourning on the mountains for thy iniquity Ezek. 7.16 come down from those mountains those solitary places and go weeping to the Lord Jer. 50.4 Bemoan thy self at the feet of Christ he will hear thee Jer. 31.18 19. tell God all thou hast to say of thy miserable condition complaining to thy self and to men signifies little it heightens thy fear but God sympathizes with thee Jer. 31.20 put thy self into his hands he will lead thee ver 9. refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 there will be a lifting up Job 22.29 what ever the issue be thou canst be no worse than thou art in thy own judgement to sin is mors animae but to despair is descendere in infernum sin is death and despair is hell cry out of the belly of that hell to Christ and see if he do not bring thee forth But alas those who are under a spirit of bondage and fear have a thousand objections against this I have been pressing them to I shall go over some of these and answer them as I go they come to Christ they 'l tell us They cannot come Tell the Lord then thou art willing to come but canst not be perswaded to come as thou canst canst thou not go into thy chamber into thy closet and shut thy door and throw thy self down in the dust before the Lord this is coming and this thou canst do I am sure do it then and call upon the name of the Lord. But Object 2 I cannot pray Answ It may be not now at this time but how canst thou tell what thou maist do at such a time when in obedience to an Ordinance of God thou hast put thy self into a praying posture in that very hour it may be given and hath been I am perswaded to thousands of God's children he will prepare thy heart Psal 10.17 if thou canst not utter thy mind as thou wouldest pray as thou canst and if thou hast nothing to say if no one savoury expression drops from thee it may be it is because the inward sense thou hast of sin is too big for utterance it may be so sometimes and 't is best when it is so and then out of the abundance of thy heart weep and mourn out thy inward meaning Lacrymae pondera vocis hahent groan and sigh and look wishfully towards heaven and believe that God sees thee when thou hast no sight of him this is prayer But Object 3 I have lived hitherto as without God in the world neglecting prayer altogether I am a mere stranger unto Christ and will he hear such a one as I who come upon this pinch just when necessity drives me certainly no he will tell me to my face as well he may he knows me not and bid me go to those empty creatures I formerly trusted in Answ Don't you take upon you to personate Christ in his dealings with sinners his thoughts are not as your thoughts what if you would do thus and thus if you were in Christs stead does it therefore follow that he must do so too O no as the heavens are higher than the earth so are his thoughts above thy thoughts Isa 55.8 9. do you think and say what you will Christ will act like himself and do that for thee that never entred into thy heart to conceive of his wayes are unsearchable and past our finding out his love passeth knowledge thou dost not know thou canst not tell before-hand what infinite rich grace is able to do for thee O come then and make a tryal and know for thy further encouragement that poor humble sinners are alwayes welcome to Christ but never more welcome than at their first coming Luke 15.22 c. There are two jubilees kept in heaven one at the conversion of a sinner here on earth Luke 15.7 the other at his glorification in heaven Jude 24. Christ does then present us to glory with exceeding joy how glad is Christ
my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Luke 2. I will rejoyce in the God of my salvation Hab. 3. your Father Abraham saw my day and did rejoyce to see it the plain English is this Abraham saw Jesus Christ in the promises sc his obedience and sufferings and the glory that came by Christ's righteousness and did apply it to himself by Faith and was assured of his interest in it which made him to rejoyce in that sight Though a Prince may have a legal right to a treasure hid in the field yet till it be discovered to him there is no joy the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost and so we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 5. I will not dispute whether assurance be of the nature of Faith our Reformers were of renown and other learned men since at home and abroad that are for assurance do not at any hand exclude adherence some think that Faith is a mixed habit adherence and assurance are two acts of the same Faith two flowers from the same root 'T is true there may be adherence without assurance but it is as true that there cannot be assurance without adherence If I know and believe that Christ died for me I should stick to it in negotio justificationis without taking notice of any inherent holiness either in men or Angels how do the stars disappear at the rising brightness of the Sun yet no disparagement to the stars at all But I say I will not dispute and if I could it were both unseasonable and needless for whether assurance be of the nature of Faith or whether it be an effect of Faith is all one in this case before us for there must be something of assurance that must bring in joy and comfort The believers here in my Text they loved Christ and in whom after they believed they did rejoyce with joy unspeakable their first acts of Faith might be recumbency afterwards evidence then joy so the Ephesians after they believed in Christ they were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise as an earnest Ephes 1.13 14 15. The note of the old learned and pious Piscator is unusquisque fidelis verus est not esse potest or esse debet but est certus suae salutis I will name but one Scripture more 't is Cant. 2.6 my beloved is mine and I am his he feeds among the lillies my beloved is mine there is the Gospel with its marrow in the heart of a believer there is assurance and I am his there is the law in the same heart there is obedience he feedeth among the lillies there is joy and comfort he died for me and I am his soul and body for his service Hence comes joy and sometimes such that even overwhelms This for the entrance now to the directions First If you would get Faith comforting in life as well as saving at death you must not sit down satisfied with a bare recumbence on Jesus Christ Mistake me not I do not discourage and I dare not disparage it If it be right as I take that for granted it is a grace more precious incomparably than all treasures and happy is the bosom that wears so inestimable a Jewel But when Christians sensible of their sin and hell do attain to this they rest satisfied here They are told and that is truth that their state is safe there they acquiesce set up their staff behind the door and go no further they do not press on for assurance they will rather argue against it thus Object That assurance is not so necessary Answ So necessary what do you mean is it not commanded is it not promised is it not purchased is it not attained by the people of God sure it is necessary to the vigor of grace and to the being of joy and comfort be of good comfort thy sins are pardoned Object 2. Yea but many do live and die and do well without it Answ Who told you so the Scripture saith the Spirit himself doth bear witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 and we know and believe the love that God hath given us 1 John 4.16 with many very many more Texts to that purpose A tempted believer may bear false witness against himself sure such a position as this with mercy upon uncertainties is not the way to comfort him the sure way were to advise him to see his sins more and humble his soul more for them and to study Jesus Christ and to come to him more with the like and God will return and speak peace they that sow in tears shall reap in joy Object 3. But this joy is not so necessary Resp What do you mean again so necessary why 1. It is frequently commanded take one Text Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord i. e. Christ always and again I say rejoyce 2. It is frequently promised I will make them joyful in my house of prayer Isa 56.7 I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you 3. It is practised frequently we rejoyce in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.3 4. It is often prayed for the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 5. It is Christ's office to give the oyl of gladness for the spirit of heaviness Isa 61.3 6. It is the special work of the blessed Spirit who is therefore the Comforter Take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in what notion you will his work is either comforting or tending to comfort Lastly It is the priviledge of the Gospel-Ordinances to feast the soul with marrow and fatness and with wine well refined i. e. God hath not given us the spirit of bondage to fear again as formerly but the Spirit of adoption whereby or rather by whom i. e. cujus ope we cry abba Father Surely joy and comfort is necessary for the measures of grace If you had a child infirm sickly hard-favoured and a friend should say this strength quickness and comeliness is not so necessary your child is alive is it not you would think this were hardly sutable much less comfortable Object 4. A Christian that doth come to and rely on Christ for righteousness may have comfort Answ yes but then it must be by the way of a practical syllogism He that cometh to Christ shall never perish Joh. 6. but I do so therefore Here his coming together with repentance and obedience which are concomitants beget evidence and from thence comfort Object 5. but many good people want this joy and comfort Answ confessed but then it is our own fault did we use the means especially secret duties meditation prayer which we neglect it would be otherwise Object Last But those that do these yet are in great darkness Answ Yea for sometime The holy spirit teacheth many lessons excellent ones in this School chiefly these three 1. They learn what dismal creatures
Divine meditation Faith is enlarged and grows up by converse with divine objects meditate upon these things 1. Christ's Deity Be well stored with Scriptural knowledg of this great truth set thy heart to it and let it be fixed in the midst of thy heart assure your selves that the eternal Godhead of Jesus is the most practical point in Heaven and will be so while Heaven is Heaven 2. Be intimately acquainted with Christ's righteousness that it is the only righteousness that can present us holy unreprovable unblameable in God's sight that it was his business in the world to bring in this everlasting righteousness that it is done and finished that he hath nothing to do with this righteousness now in Heaven but to cloath us with to present us in before God 3. Meditate on God's righteousness that it is not only his will but his nature to punish sin sin must damn thee without Christ there is not only a possibility or probability that sin may ruine but without an interest in Christ it must do so whet much upon thy heart that must God cannot but hate sin because he is holy and he cannot but punish sin because he is righteous God must not forego his own nature to gratifie our humors 8. Direct Be well skilled and settled as it becomes a Christian in the great article of justification before God thy Faith and duties and comforts depend might and main upon this Know that no servant of God be he Abraham Moses or Paul if God enter into judgment with him can stand justified in his sight God will not justifie us without a righteousness and that righteousness must be unblamable and therefore in all numbers perfect God will not call that perfect which is not so for his judgment is according to truth Rom. 2.2 where shall we find this perfect righteousness but in Christ who is Jehovah our righteousness Jer. 23.6 and made of God to us righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 how shall this become ours but by imputation Rom. 4.6 how shall we receive this gift of righteousness but by Faith Rom. 5.17 be well skilled in the good old way go in the foot steps of the flock and feed besides the shepherds tents Believe it Sirs there is no way but Christ unto the Father his blood is that new and living way Heb. 10.19 there is no standing in God's presence but in him no acceptance but by him no comfort but from him Be wise and wary there are many adversaries Only give me leave to say this I think that the Socinians had never set up man's obedience for his righteousness if they had not with wicked hands quantum in illis first pulled down Chist's Deity and as they are abhorred for this blasphemy of blasphemies so I cannot abide them for dawbing over man's obedience in this affair so deceitfully and deceivingly viz. in saying it is not only causa sine quâ non in our justification as if the material cause or the matter which God imputes for righteousness were only a poor causa sine quâ non but no more now of this jugling 9. Direct If you would preserve a right understanding of the nature of Faith take heed of advancing it into Christ's place as if God should impute the act of Faith for righteousness or that God should impute Faith and obedience as the condition or matter of our righteousness and not Christ's obedience for both cannot be imputed if God imputed Christ's obedience then not ours if ours then not Christ's The nature of Faith consists in coming to Christ for righteousness and pardon only the man hurt with the fiery sting looks to the brazen Serpent for cure Fides que that Faith which is justifying takes in Christ as Lord with all the heart but qua justificat in the business of justifitation qua sic it looks only to Christ as crucified This plain old distinction will stand If the nature of Faith did consist in Christianity I say if this were true I believe all believers could be contented to have it so for any harm they should have by it for they willingly devote themselves to the obedience of God only they cannot make this Faith or Christianity to be the condition or matter of justification for this were to fall from grace to make of none effect the death of Christ and to drive Christianity and comfort out of the world 10. Direct Get and keep this Faith specially by a constant and conscionable living in duty and living above it Say to the commandements you are my rule and love and joy to Christ thou art my life Col. 3.4 'T is the height of Christianity to live in duties and to live above them 'T is quickly said 't is an easie matter to distinguish in the Schools or pulpit but to distinguish in the conscience practically to distinguish is not so easie qui novit distinguere inter legem evangelium sciat se esse edoctum à Deo Had I all the holiness of the Saints from the beginning to this day I would bless God for the least and prize it above all treasures yet I would lay all aside and be found in Christ In the midst of thy duties ask thy soul the question soul what is thy title thy plea If I were to dye this day what have I to plead in what shall I stand before God what have I to plead why I should not perish in hell ask thy self what is thy righteousness ask it solemnly frequently is it not Christ and he only this would much conduce to confirm thy Faith such a Faith that would bring in comfort The thoughts of this so affected Dr. Mollius that he seldom names Jesus with dry eyes 11. Direct Be much in secret prayer ejaculations this will breed acquaintance and that comfort the non exercise of this breeds a strangeness between God and the soul and that 's uncomfortable This and meditation who can hinder The soul is active breathings and thoughts are quick it is soon done it will never hinder your business and in this way the blessed spirit causeth us to know and believe the love that God hath to us 1 Joh. 4.16 and refresheth the soul with joy and comfort in believing Do not only pray for the comforts and supplies of the holy spirit but pray to him to this purpose Blessed spirit convince me of my sins more and convince me more and more of Jesus Christ Holy Spirit take of Christ's and shew it unto me and the like To pass by the prophane scoffs of many and the gross ignorance of more I take it to be a very great neglect in believers that they do not glorifie the Holy Spirit as the Lord and giver of Faith and comfort Remember this qui unum honorat omnes he that honoureth one person aright honoureth every one and he that doth not honour every person honoureth none qui non omnes nec unam 12. Direct If you would get and keep this
sit down and seriously consider who it is that orders that condition let your thoughts dwell upon that and see if it be not to your advantage for the suppressing of all undue perturbations of mind Psal 39.3 David tells us while he was musing the fire burned that is the fire of passion as many do expound it There is indeed a musing which tends to heart-disquietment when all our thoughts are taken up in poring upon that which troubles us but that musing which I am now urging hath a quite other effect Vide Boeth de Cons Philos. l. 1 Prosa 6. it will quench the fire not kindle it Methinks that Christian should not easily be disturbed at what befalls him who considers let it be what it will it is all of God What believe and own a Providence as carving out every condition and yet be discontented that 's very sad Is it fit for the Creature to be angry with God as †Jon. 4.9 Is 43.9 Rom. 9.20 Jonas was shall man dispute with God the clay say to the Potter Why hast thou made me thus must Providence be arraigned at our tribunal and our Will clash with God's by no means There 's all the Reason in the world that whatsoever pleaseth God should please the Creature 'T is the Lord saith * 1 Sam. 3.18 Eli let him do what seems him good I was dumb saith †Psal 39.9 David and opened not my mouth because thou Lord didst it The Lord gave saith †Job 1.21 Job and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. I do not know a more effectual Help to stilness of Spirit than the consideration of this that all is ordered by God And certainly he that is quiet and composed upon this that frame demonstrates him to have not only a good but a great and a noble spirit 'T is an excellent passage that of Seneca †Magnus est animus qui se Deo tradidit pusillus degener qui ob lectatur de ordine murdi malè existimat Deos mavult emendare quà m se Ep. 107. 'T is a great soul which surrenders up it self to God but that 's a poor low soul which contends and thinks ill of the ordering of the world and which would rather mend the Gods than it self But here in our considering in order to the having of the heart smooth and calm 't is good to take in more viz. not only to employ our thoughts upon the thing but also upon the modification and circumstances thereof not only to think of this that all is ordered by God but how and in what manner all is ordered by him Oh this if duly weighed and digested would be of great efficacy to further Contentation Now take an account of this in four things 1. All is ordered by God irresistibly Is 43.13 I will work and who shall let 'T is applicable to God's providential dealings with every single person in the world these are carried on with such a mighty power that 't is a vain thing for any to go about to resist and hinder God in what he will do If Man will be cross and thwart and controll him what doth it signifie God's vvill shall be done for all that He will do all his pleasure there is no contending with him Job 34.33 Should it be according to thy mind he will recompense it whether thou refuse or whether thou choose c. Christian Thou passionately desirest such a mercy thou shalt have it never the sooner for that If God will bestow it thou shalt have it If he will withhold it all thy earnestness and striving will do no good Or thou wouldst fain have such an affliction removed that will not do thy work If God will take it off from thee there 's an end of it If he will continue it thou must bear it still Humble Contentment may do much but proud contending will do nothing God knows what he hath to do and he will not be hindred in what he sees fit to do Pray therefore whenever passion begins to rise in the soul think of this speedily If it be thus that the tide of Providence vvill have its course that there 's no hindring of the Almighty and Soveraign-acting God for he doth whatsoever pleaseth him Eccl. 8.3 and worketh all things after the counsel of his own will Eph. 1.11 then our Reason and judgment will tell us that 't is best to yield and submit to this God and to comply with that which we cannot alter 2. All is ordered by God righteously He is righteous and he doth nothing but what is righteous shall not the Judge of all the earth do right Gen 18.251 Psal 145.17 Rev. 15.3 Psal 97.2 Job 34.23 the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Just and true are all thy wayes O thou King of Saints Clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his Throne He will not lay upon man more than right that he should enter into judgment with God This is an excellent subject for our Thoughts to dwell upon when any thing troubles us Well may there be our contentment in every state when there is God's righteousness in every state Providence may sometimes be dark and mysterious yet 't is alwayes just and righteous God may sometimes cross us but he never wrongs us He doth not see it good in all our desires to gratifie us but 't is good for us in all his dispensations to Psal 51.4 Lam. 1.18 justifie him Doth he remove a mercy vvhich vve have not forfeited Doth he lay on an affliction vvhich vve by sin have not deserved and if so doth it not become us to be silent before him Lam. 3.39 Mic. 7.9 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin Oh saith the Church I will bear the indignation of the Lord for I have sinned against him 'T is a smart passage that in Prov. 19.3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way and his heart fretteth against the Lord we provoke God to afflict us and then we are angry with him whereas we have reason only to be angry with our our selves our own sins being the procuring cause of all our miseries We have often too just Grounds of being troubled with our own hearts because of their pride carnality unthankfulness unbelief c. this is good discontent but we never have any just Grounds of being disturbed at what God doth he being in all his actings holy and righteous Bring it to this in your consideration such a good I want such an evil I feel but is God unrighteous in either surely no For do I deserve the one and do I not deserve the other why then should I quarrel or fret against God Discontent is a bold impeachment of God's righteousness and is not that a thing of a very hainous nature grounded
righteousness wisdom goodness c. It speaks the creature to have a due sense of what he is in himself a poor vile worthless nothing less than the least of all the mercies of God It speaks the due subjection of the creature's Will to the Will of his Creator and that he lives in an entire surrender and resignation of himself to the dispose of his Maker Is not this holy and gracious wherein doth grace more shew it self than in such things as these Contentment evidenceth much grace Discontentment much sin The former is a compound of several graces the latter a compound of several sins In a contented frame there 's Humility Faith Hope Patience Heavenly-mindedness Crucifixion to the world c. in a discontented frame there 's Pride Vnbelief Impatience Carnality nay practical Atheism it self The truth is contentment is better than any comfort which we want Discontent is worse than any evil which we feel no outward enjoyment is comparable to the good of the one no outward affliction is comparable to the evil of the other Highly pleasing to God 2. It 's a frame highly pleasing to God When a man is once brought to this to lay himself and all his Concerns at God's feet to say It is the Lord let him do with me and mine what seems him good I 'le like well of whatsoever he doth O this pleaseth God greatly We are well pleasing to him when his Providences are well pleasing to us The discontented Person is angry with God for which to be sure God is angry with him Nothing provokes God more than a murmuring and fretful spirit nothing pleases him more than a quiet Spirit Great advantages so our selves 3. The advantages of it to our selves are very great it fills with comfort He never wants comfort that lives Contentment A contented spirit is ever a chearful spirit 'T is an heaven upon earth as the opposite to it is an Hell upon earth 'T is the mind at rest in every condition A contented man hath not only the comfort of what he hath but also of what he hath not What he wants in outward possession is made up to him in inward submission It fits for Duty Lord When the heart is repining and mutinying against God how unfit is a man for Duty but when the spirit is still and quiet all is done well Passion unfits us for converse with men much more for converse with God in holy Duties 'T is sad praying when discontent prevails Animus aequus optimum est aerumnae condimentum Plaut It alwayes procures that very mercy which we desire or some other that is better for us Discontent makes us to lose what we have Contentment gets us what we want Fretting never removed a Cross nor procured a comfort quiet submission doth both The Father continues to correct the froward Child but when once it yields and is quiet he gives it any thing It sweetens every bitter Cup. This ingredient takes off the bitterness of every State as the wood cast by Moses did the bitterness of the Waters Nothing can come amiss to him that hath learned to be content Many such advantages do accrue from Contentment but as to the contrary vice 't is a thing greatly mischievous 'T is a sad inlet to Sin what will not a man do when he is under the power of discontent he 'l shift for himself use unlawful means do any thing to better his condition if nothing will do this for him he can even lay violent hands upon himself Oh that we had not too many sad examples of this 'T is a sad preparation to all temptations the Devil will be sure to be fishing where the waters are troubled as Flies settle upon the galled back so the Tempter betakes himself to the man that is in pain with his condition It deprives of Happiness for the discontented person alwayes thinks himself miserable and so he can never be happy Nemo felix est qui suo judicio miser est Salvian de Provid It exposes to dreadful judgments What severe punishments did the Israelites murmuring bring upon them Read Numb 14. per. tot Psal 106.24 25. 1 Cor 10.10 Now if these things were but laid to heart and seriously considered by Christians would not the consideration thereof much conduce to their attaining and living of Contentment Certainly the due fixing and working of the thoughts upon the excellency of this frame of the Sin and evil of the contrary frame vvould be of great use and very effectual towards the composing and quieting of their spirits in every condition Suppose it pleaseth the Lord so or so to afflict me to exercise me with such or such things which are very cross to my desires and hereupon I find my heart to begin to be moved vvhat 's now to be done to prevent the further growth of Passion why I 'le retire and vveigh with my self what a gracious temper of Soul contentment is vvhat a sinful and cursed temper of Soul discontent is how much I shall please God and profit my self by the one how much I shall offend God and prejudice my self by the other this my thoughts shall stay upon and I 'le reason with my self Why art thou O my Soul thus disquieted within me Psal 42.11 This is the Course which I resolve to take in my afflicted condition to keep my heart still and composed hoping that God will bless it to the end Ay and so do for 't is a good one and many by experience have found the benefit of it But to close this Head We are undone for want of Consideration the world groans under the mischievous effects of inconsideracy which might be made out in several particulars I shall go no furtherâ— than that one thing vvhich I am upon Whence is it that there is amongst Men amongst Professors so little of Contentment that so few have learnt in every state to be content that impatience repining quarelling with God discontent are so epidemical that the most live in the dislike of their condition I say whence is this I answer 't is in a great measure from the general neglect of Consideration Could vve but bring men to this Contentation vvould not be so rare a thing as now it is I do not assert this one Means to be sufficient but believe me it would go very far Well as any of you desire for the time to come to be as here Paul was vvhenever any thing troubles you see that you fall upon consideration and draw it to these three Heads Who orders your state How your state is circumstantiated What the frame it self is So much for the first thing in the Direction the special Matter upon which Consideration is to be acted in order to Contentment I go on to the second Particular cases wherein Consideration is to be acted in order to Contentment viz. to instance in some of those special Cases unto which contentment doth mainly refer
chastenings of the Lord. 2. Inconsiderateness of the end of the Divine discipline is a great degree of contempt The evils that God inflicts are as real a part of his providence as the blessings he bestows as in the course of nature the darkness of the night is by his order as well as the light of the day therefore they are alwayes sent for some wise and holy design Sometime though more rarely they are only for tryal to exercise the Faith humility patience of eminent Saints for otherwise God would lose in a great measure the honour and renown and his favourites the reward of those graces afflictions being the sphere of their activity But for the most part they are castigatory to bring us to a sight and sense of our state to render sin more evident and odious to us They are fully exprest by pouring from vessel to vessel that dâ—scovers the dregs and sediment and makes it offensive that before was concealed The least affliction even to the godly is usually an application of the physician of spirits for some growing distemper every corrosive is for some proud flesh that must be taken away In short they are deliberate dispensations to cause men to reflect upon their works and wayes and break off their sins by sincere obedience Therefore we are commanded to bear the voice of the rod and who hath appointed it 'T is a preacher of repentance Micah 6.9 to lead us to the knowledg and consideration of our selves The distress of Joseph's brethren was to revive their memory of his sorrows caused by their cruelty now when men disregard the embassy of the rod are unconvincible notwithstanding its lively lessons when they neither look up to him that strikes nor within to the cause that provokes his displeasure when they are careless to reform their wayes and to comply with his only will as if afflictions were only common accidents of this mutable state the effects of rash fortune or blind fate without design and judgment and not sent for their amendment this is a prodigious despiseing of God's hand For this reason the Scripture compares men to the most inobservant creatures to the wild asse's colt Job 11.12 Psal 58.4 Hos 7.11 the deaf adder to the silly dove without heart and the advantage is on the beasts side for their inconsideration proceeds merely from the incapacity of matter of which they are wholly compos'd to perform reflex acts but man's incogitancy is in sole fault of his spirit that wilfully neglects his duty The Prophet charges this guilt upon the Jews Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see Isa 26.11 2. Insensibility of heart is an eminent degree of despising the Lord's chastenings A pensive feeling of judgments is very congruous whether we consider them in genere Physico or Morali either materially as afflictive to nature or as the signs of divine displeasure for the affections were planted in the humane nature by the hand of God himself and are duly exercised in proportion to the quality of their objects And when grace comes it softens the breast and gives a quick and tender sense of God's frown An eminent instance we have in David though of heroical courage yet in his sad ascent to mount Olivet 2 Sam. 15.30 he went up weeping with his head covered and his feet bare to testifie his humble and submissive sense of God's anger against him Now when men are insensible of judgments either considered as natural or penal evils if when they suffer the loss of relations or other troubles they presently fly to the comforts of the Heathens that we are all mortal and what can't be help't must be endured without the sense humanity requires that calm is like that of the dead sea a real curse or suppose natural affection works a little yet there is no apprehension and concernment for God's displeasure which should be infinitely more affecting than any outward trouble how sharp soever no serious deep humiliation under his hand no yielding up our selves to his management this most justly provokes him Of this temper were those described by Jeremiah Jer. 5 3â— Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they refused to receive correction 2. The causes of this despiseing of God's chastenings are 1. A contracted stupidity of soul proceeding from a course in sin There is a natural stubborness and contumacy in the heart against God a vicious quality derived from rebellious Adam we are all hewn out of the rock and dig'd out of the quary and this is one of the worst effects of sin and a great part of its deceitfulness that by stealth it encreaseth the natural hardness Heb. 3.13 Zech. 7.12 by degrees it creeps on like a gangrene and causes an indolency The practice of sin makes the heart like an adamant the hardest of stones that exceeds that of rocks For hence proceeds such unteachableness of the mind that when God speaks and strikes yet sinners will not be convinc't that briars and thorns are only effectual to teach them and such untractableness in the will that when the sinner is stormed by affliction and some light breaks into the understanding yet it refuseth to obey God's call 2. Carnal diversions are another cause of slighting God's hand Luke 21.34 The pleasures and cares of the world as they render men inapprehensive of judgments to come so regardless of those that are present Some whenever they feel the smart of a cross use all the arts of oblivion to lose the sense of it The affliction instead of a leading them to repentance leads them to vain conversations to Comedies and other sinful delights to drive away sorrow Others although they do not venture upon forbidden things to relieve their melancholy yet when God by short and sensible admonitions calls upon them they have presently recourse to temporal comforts which although lawful and innocent in themselves yet are as unproper at that time as the taking of a cordial when a vomit begins to work for whereas chastisements are sent to awaken and affect us by considering our sins in their bitter fruits this unseasonable application of sensual comforts wholly defeats God's design For nothing so much hinders serious consideration as a voluptuous indulging the senses in things pleasing like opiate medicines they stupifie the conscience and benum the heart 'T is Solomon's expression I said of laughter it is mad for as distraction breaks the connexion of the thoughts so mirth shuffles our most serious thoughts into disorder and causes men to pass over their troubles without reflexion and remorse And as the pleasures so the business of the world causes a sâ—pine Security under judgments We have an amazing instance of it in Hiel the Bethelite 1 Kings 16. who laid the foundation of his city in the death of his first-born and set up the gates of it in his youngest son yet he was so
anointing Oyl which being poured on the Head was both gentle and pleasant and a Pledge of the Communication of Spiritual priviledges whence no inconveniences would ensue The last clause of the words belonging not unto our present design I shall not insist on their explication Some few things must be further premised unto our Principal intention concerning the nature of those Reproofs which are proposed as a matter of such Advantage in the Text. And 1. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used signifieth to Argue to Dispute to Contend in judgment as well as to reprove rebuke or reprehend Its first signification is to Argue or to plead a Cause with Arguments Hence it is used as a Common Term between God and man denoting the Reasons real or pretended only on the one side and the other So God himself speaks unto his People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 1.18 Go to now and let us Plead reason or argue together And Job calls his Pleas or Argument in Prayer unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 23.4 I would fill my mouth with Arguments Wherefore that only hath the true Nature of a Reproof which is accompanied with Reasons and Arguments for the evincing of what it tends unto Rash groundless wrathful precipitate Censures and rebukes are evil in themselves and in our present case of no Consideration Nor indeed ought any one to engage in the Management of Reproofs who is not furnished with Rule and Argument to evince their necessity and render them effectual Sometimes things may be so Circumstanced as that a Reproof shall so carry its own Reason and efficacious Conviction along with it as that there will be no need of arguing or Pleas to make it useful So the look of our Blessed Saviour on Peter under the Circumstances of his case was a sufficient Reproof though he spake not one word in its Confirmation But ordinarily Cogent Reasons are the best conveyances of Reproofs to the minds of men be they of what sort they will 2. Reproofs do alwayes respect a Fault an evil a miscarriage or a sin in them that are reproved There may be mutual admonitions and exhortations among Christians with respect unto sundry things in the course of their Faith and Obedience without a regard unto any evil or miscarriage The general nature of a Reproof is an admonition or exhortation but it hath its special nature from its regard unto a fault in Course or particular fact And hence the word signifies also to Chastise wherein is a Correction for and the means of a recovery from a miscarriage 2 Sam. 7.14 I will reprove him by the Rod of men that is Chastise him This therefore is that reproof which we intend a warning Admonition or Exhortation given unto any whereby they are rebuked for and with respect unto some moral evil or sin in their course way practice or any particular miscarriage such as may render them obnoxious unto Divine Displeasure or Chastisement for it is essential unto a regular reproof that in him who gives it it may be accompanied with or do proceed from an apprehension that the person reproved is by the matter of the reproof rendred obnoxious unto the displeasure of God 3. It may also be considered that Reproving is not lest arbitrarily unto the wills of men Whatever seems to be so it loseth its nature if it be not a duty in him who Reproves and come short of its efficacy No wise man will reprove but when it is his Duty so to do unless he design the just reproach of a busie body for his Reward The command is general with respect unto Brother and Neighbour Deut. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thine heart Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin upon him But as to the particular discharge of this work as a Duty there must be either an especial Office or an especial Relation or a concurrence of Circumstances for its warranty God hath in his wisdom and care given Rules and bounds unto our Engagement unto Duties without a regulation whereby we shall wander in them with endless Dissatisfactions unto our selves and unnecessary Provocations unto others But the Duty of reproving with the love wisdom tenderness and compassion required in the discharge of it its Motives Ends and Circumstances its proper Rules and Limitations fall not under my present consideration but these things in general were necessary to be premised unto what do so That which the Text instructs us in may be comprised in this general Observation Reproofs though accompanied with some sharpness if rightly received and duly improved are a mercy and advantage incomparably above all the satisfactions which a joynt consent with others in sin and pleasures can afford The latter part of the Proposition I have mentioned only to express the ballance that is proposed by the Psalmist between the best and most desirable advantages of wicked society on the one hand and the sharpest or most displeasing severities that accompany the communion of thc Righteous or godly But I shall not at all handle the comparison as designing only some Directions how men should behave themselves under Reproofs that they may be a kindness and an Excellent Oyl unto them or how they may by them obtain Spiritual benefit and Advantage unto their own Souls And this however at present the matter may be managed is of it self of great Importance For as in the state of weakness and imperfection of mistakes and miscarriages wherein we are there is no outward help or aid of more use and advantage unto us than seasonable Reproofs so in the right receiving and improving of them as high a tryal of the spirits of men as to their interest in Wisdom and folly doth consist as in any thing that doth befal them or wherewith they may be exercised For as scorners of Reproofs those that hear them unwillingly that bear them haughtily and impatiently with designs of revenge or disdainful Retortions have the Characters of Pride and Folly indelibly fixed them by the Holy Ghost so their due Admission and Improvement is in the same infallible Truth represented as an evident pledge of wisdom and an effectual means of its encrease This is so much and so frequently insisted on in that great Treasure of all wisdom Spiritual Natural and Political namely the Book of Proverbs that it is altogether needless to call over any particular Testimonies unto that purpose Two things we are to enquire into in compliance with our present Design 1. How Reproofs may be duly received 2. How they may be duly improved whereunto the Reasons shall be added why they ought so to be I. That we may receive Reproofs in a due manner three things are to be considered 1 The general Qualification of the Reprover 2 The Nature of the Reproof And 3 The matter of it 1. The Psalmist here desires that his Reprover may be a Righteous man Let the Righteous smite me
matter of it were true enough But a Reproach is the Acting of a mind designing of and rejoycing in evil Unto a Reproof it is essential that it spring from Love Whom I love I rebuke is the absolute Rule of these things Let a man rebuke another though for that which indeed is false if it be in Love it is a Reproof but let him rebuke another though for that which is True if it be from a mind delighting in evil it is a Reproach and if it be false it is moreover a Calumny 3. Where a man in such cases is fully justified by the Testimony of his own Conscience bearing Witness unto his Integrity and Innocency yet may he greatly miscarry under the occasion if he attend not diligently unto his own Spirit which most men judge to be set at the utmost liberty under such injurious Provocations as they esteem them Wherefore to keep our minds unto Sedate Christian moderation in such cases and that we may not lose the Advantage of what is befallen us we ought immediately to apply them unto such other Duties as the present Occasion doth require As 1. To Search our own Hearts and ways whether we have not indeed upon us the guilt of some greater evils than that which is falsely charged on us or for which we are reproved on mistake And if it appear so upon examination we shall quickly see what little reason we have to tumultuate rise up with indignation against the charge we suffer under And may we not thence see much of the Wisdom and goodness of God who suffereth us to be exercised with what we can bear off with the impenetrable Shield of a good Conscience whilst he graciously hides and covers those greater evils of our hearts with respect whereunto we cannot but condemn our selves 2. To consider that it is not of our selves that we are not guilty of the evil suspected and charged No man of sobriety can on any mistake reprove us for any thing be it never so false but that it is merely of soveraign Grace that we have not indeed contracted the guilt of it And humble thankfulness unto God on this occasion for his real preserving Grace will abate the edge and take off the fierceness of our indignation against men for their supposed injurious dealings with us 3. Such Reproofs if there be not open malice and continued wickedness manifest in them are to be looked on as gracious Providential warnings to take heed lest at any time we should be truely overtaken with that which at present we are falsely charged withal We little know the Dangers that continually attend us the Temptations wherewith we may be surprized at unawares nor how near on their account we may be unto any sin or evil which we judge our selves most remote from and least obnoxious unto Neither on the other hand can we readily understand the wayes and meanes whereby the Holy Wise God issueth forth those hidden provisions of preventing Grace which are continually administred for our Preservation And no wise man who understands any thing of the deceitfulness of his own heart with the numberless Numbers of invisible occasions of sin wherewith he is encompassed continually but will readily embrace such Reproofs as Providential warnings unto watchfulness in those things whereof before he was not aware 4. When the mind by these Considerations is rendred Sedate and weighed unto Christian moderation then ought a man in such cases patiently and peaceably to undertake the Defence of his Innocency and his own Vindication And herein also there is need of much Wisdom and Circumspection it being a matter of no small difficulty for a man duely to manage self and Innocency both which are apt to influence us unto some more than Ordinary vehemency of Spirit But the Directions which might and indeed ought to be given under all these particular Heads would by no means be confined unto the Limits fixed to this Discourse 3. If the matter of the Reproof be True in fact then it is duely to be considered whether the offence for which any one is reproved be Private or Publick attended with scandal If it be private then it is to be weighed whether it was known unto and observed in and by the Person himself reproved or no before he was so reproved If it were not so known as we may justly be reproved for many things which through Ignorance or Inadvertency or Compliance with the Customs of the World we may have taken no notice of and if the reproof bring along light and conviction with it the first especial improvement of such a peculiar reproof is thankfulness to God for it as a means of deliverance from any way or work or path that was unacceptable in his sight And hence a great Prospect may be taken of the following deportment of the mind under other Reproofs For a readiness to take in Light and Conviction with respect unto any evil that we are ignorant of is an evidence of a readiness to submit to the Authority of God in any other Rebukes that have their Convictions going before them so the heart that is prone to fortifie it self by any Pleas or Pretences against convictions of sin in what it doth not yet own so to be will be as prone unto obstinacy under Reproofs in what it cannot but acknowledge to be evil If it were known before to the person reproved but not supposed by him to be observed by others under the covert of which imagination sin often Countenanceth it self that Soul will never make a due improvement of a Reproof who is not first sensible of the Care and kindness of God in driving him from that retreat and hold where the Interest of sin had placed its chiefest Reserve Sins so far Publick as to give matter of offence or scandal are the ordinary Subject of all orderly Reproofs and therefore need not in particular to be spoken unto Having shewed the Nature of Reproofs in general with such considerations of the matter of them as have afforded occasion unto sundry particular Directions relating unto the duty under Discussion it remains only that we farther explain and confirm the two generals comprised in the observation deduced from the Text namely 1 Why we ought to receive reproofs orderly or regularly given unto us esteeming of them as a singular priviledge and 2 How we may duely improve them unto their proper end the Glory of God and the Spiritual Advantage of our own Souls As to the first of these we may observe 1. That mutual reproofs for the curing of evil and preventing of danger in one another are Prime Dictates of the Law of Nature and that Obligation which our Participation in the same Being Offspring Original and End to seek the good of each other doth lay upon us This God designed in our Creation and this the rational Constitution of our Natures directs us unto To seek and endeavour for each other all that good whereof
Divine Reproofs and Threatnings on their Souls When this is done when our hearts are kept up unto an awful regard of them exercised with a continual meditation on them made tender careful watchful by them any just Reproof from any that falls in compliance with them will be conscienciously observed and carefully improved 6. We shall fail in this Duty unless we are always accompanied with a deep sense of our frailty weakness readiness to halt or miscarry and thereon a necessity of all the Ordinances and Visitations of God which are designed to preserve our Souls Unless we have due apprehensions of our own state and condition here we shall never kindly receive warnings before-hand to avoid approaching dangers nor duely improve Rebukes for being overtaken with them It is the humble Soul that feareth always and that from a sense of its own weakness yea the treacheries and deceitfulness of its heart with the power of those Temptations whereunto it is continually exposed that is ever like to make work of the Duty here directed unto Wherein doth appear the Blessedness of Forgiveness and how it may be obtained Serm. XXIX Psal 32.1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered OF all the pains or torments that any of the Children of Men do or can feel in this Life none are comparable to those which proceed from the lashes and wounds of a guilty conscience under the apprehensions of the anger of a Sin-revenging God and the impression of some scalding drops of his wrath upon the Soul Prov. 18.14 The Spirit of a Man will sustain his infirmity but a wounded Spirit who can bear David had ventured to transgress and that very hainously and in his breaking of God's Law he had broken his own peace in his dishonouring of God's Name he had wounded his own Conscience After his sin David is shy of God and keeps silence for a while maketh no confession God is highly offended and hides his face from him but layeth his hand sorely upon him making such a deep impression of his displeasure upon his Spirit that he sunk under the weight of it and it became so very grievous unto him that he roareth out all the day under the horrible anguish which he felt hereby yea he complaineth that his moisture was hereby turned into the drought of Summer In this condition David could find no relief no ease or asswagement of his grief until upon acknowledgement of his Sin he had obtained forgiveness and God through his free grace and tender mercy had covered his iniquity as we shall find in the 3 4 and 5. verses of this Psalm which I take to be the occasion of the joyful acclamation and sweet expression in my Text the first verse of the Psalm concerning the blessedness of remission or happiness of the man that hath with him obtained so great a priviledg which priviledg none have a greater sight of than those that have felt the wounds and smart and roared under the horrour of an accusing Conscience and been terrified with the furious rebukes of God's angry Countenance And because this was David's case therefore he might the more feelingly Pronounce those to be Blessed whose Sins were pardoned Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed The word in the Original signifies Blessedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is read in the plural number because as one saith That Man is many ways blessed he is blessed in this world Vir ille est multis modis beatus nempe in hoc mundo in altero est beatissimuâ— faelicissimus ut propriae videantur beatitudines ad eum singulariter pertinere Genebrardus Quia multa bona debent concurrere ad beatitudinem vel ut ostenderet tâ—lem cumulatè beatum esse Pol. Synop. Alii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est interjectio sive adverbium sic Rhetorica exclamatio ex abrupte vel laeta exclamatio de faelicitate ejus O beate illum Sic Schindler 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quibus remissa est iniquitas Calvin Condonati praevaricationis cui demittitur praevaricatio Pagnin Qui levetus à defectione Jun. Trem. Vel qui exoneratus à transgressione a quo ablata transgressio Pisca absolutus à crimine Pol. ex Gei and in the other world he is most blessed and happy So that Blessedness seems most properly to be his and singularly to belong to him and it is the plural number because many good things concur to true Blessedness or to shew that such a one is cumulatively happy he hath a heap of blessings upon him Thus our learned Mr. Pool in his Synopsis The same Author observes that some take the word Blessed in the Hebrew to be an Interjection or Adverb And so make this to be a Rhetorical though abrupt exclamation or a joyful acclamation at the happiness of such Whose transgression is forgiven There are divers versions of these words One translates them out of the Hebrew whose iniquity is remitted Another whose prevarication is forgiven Others and that nearer the sense of the Hebrew words who is eased of his defection or unburdened of his transgression Another from whom his transgression is taken away Another who is absolved from his Crime all which versions agree in the same sense with our Translation whose transgression is forgiven for remission of Iniquity or Prevarication is the same as the forgiveness of Transgression to have the sin taken away to be eased and unburdened of the transgression what is it more than to have the sin forgiven forasmuch as the weight and load of guilt is by forgiveness removed whereby alone the Conscience is truely eased and so to be absolved from Crime is as much as to be acquitted from all Obligation of punishment and this is done in forgiveness of sin Whose sin is covered He is Blessed whose sin is covered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not he whose sins are covered by himself So Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper all ought to acknowledg unto God without hiding any as v. 5th of this Psal I acknowledged my sins unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid But he is Blessed whose sin is covered by God Psal 85.2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy People thou hast covered all their sin Sin is covered when it is covered by God and when it is covered from God not as if any sin were or could be covered from the Eye and view of his Omnisciency but sin is covered from him when it is covered from his angry Eye and his wrathful revengeful Countenance That is when God ceaseth to be angry for the sin through his reconciliation to the Sinner Piscator noteth upon the place that sin is here compared to filthinesses which use to be covered that they may not offend the Eye When the offence of God's Eye is removed then sin may be said to be covered And it is observed that in the Hebrew the
whose person is of infinite dignity that thence may arise an equivalency of merit in his sufferings as may prove satisfactory to God's infinite justice and because no mere man being a finite creature hath this dignity and God cannot suffer because this would argue weakness and infirmity which is infinitely removed from him therefore it is requisite that the person who can satisfie should be God-man that as in one nature he may be capable of suffering so the other nature may put a vertue and efficacy upon it and such a person was Jesus Christ 3. That Jesus Christ hath done that which is sufficient to satisfie God's justice for the sins of men is evident from his Death and other sufferings which we have upon record in the Gospel which sufferings were not for himself he being an innocent person and it would have argued injustice in God had he permitted such sufferings to have been laid on his body especially had he himself inflicted such dreadful inward sufferings on his Soul were it not that he stood in the room of sinners and endured all these sufferings for their sins that he might give satisfaction to his justice hereby 4. That Christ's sufferings have given to God satisfaction and that he hath accepted of this satisfaction in the behalf of sinners is evident from the Compact and Covenant which he made with Christ that if he would offer up this sacrifice of himself he would be well pleased and sinners should hereby be justified from his sending his Son into the world for this very end and anointing him to the office of High-Priest that he might first make satisfaction and then Intercession for the people from his owning him when here raising him when dead receiving him to glory when raised which he would not have done had not he accepted his satisfaction from his Covenant he hath through him made with man and promises therein of remission of sins through his blood which he would never have made had not Christ's death given him satisfaction Moreover all those places of Scripture which speak of Christ's death as a sacrifice as a ransom as a punishment which he endured that sinners might be and whereby believers are actually reconciled unto God do clearly and abundantly prove that Christ hath given satisfaction to God's justice and which God is well pleased withal 5. That all sinners must know and believe this Doctrine of Christ's satisfaction that they may attain remission of sins is evident because God never did never will forgive any sin without respect unto it this way of remission is the chief thing which he hath revealed in the Scriptures In the Old Testament it was shadowed under the sacrifices for sin which were offered in the New Testament it is the end of the Revelation of Christ this being the chief design of his sufferings and death to give satisfaction to God's justice in order to the forgiveness of man's sin And they that are ignorant hereof or do not believe this do not know nor believe in Jesus Christ and him crucified and therefore cannot obtain forgiveness by his death 2. Sinners must know and believe the doctrine of Justification by Christ's Righteousness that they may attain remission of sins 1. They must know the nature of Justification it self that it doth consist in the remission of our sins and the acceptation of our Persons as perfectly Righteous in God's sight they must know that they have no Righteousness of their own to present God withal because guilty of sin and the least guilt is inconsistent with a perfect Righteousness and therefore if they were as some are really Holy yet that they could not be accepted as perfectly Righteous in God's sight upon the account of a perfect Righteousness of their own which none here do attain unto much less when they are naturally void and empty of all good and real Holiness and polluted all over with Sin 3. They must know that the Righteousness of Christ is perfect and was intended for them and held forth to them which they must submit unto and accept of if they would be justified in God's sight 4. That the Righteousness of Christ is made theirs by Faith God imputing it and accounting it unto believers as if it were their own and they had wrought it out in their own persons This way of Justification by Christ all must know and be perswaded of that would obtain Justification which doth include forgiveness of sin 2. Some things must be done and practised by sinners that they may attain this blessedness of forgiveness 1. They must get conviction of sin 2. They must make confession of sin 3. They must by Faith make Application of Jesus Christ 4. They must forsake sin 5. They must make Supplication and earnest Prayer unto God for pardoning Mercy 6. They must forgive others 1. Sinners would you attain the blessedness of forgiveness Labour to get conviction of sin get conviction of your Original sin the guilt of Adam's first sin in which you are involv'd your present emptiness of all Spiritual good and the Universal depravation of all the powers and faculties of your Souls with inherent pollution which renders you opposite unto all real good and naturally prone unto nothing but evil get conviction of your actual sins of all your hainous breaches of God's Law whether the first or second Table of it whether sins against God more immediately his Nature his Worship his Name his Day or against your Neighbour whether relative sins or sins against the life or chastity or estate or good name of any and get conviction that all inordinate motions that have not the consent of the will and much more inordinate affections which are influenced by it are sinful and provoking unto God Get also convictions of your more hainous disobedience to the Gospel what an aggravation it is of all your other sins that you have repented of none when you have so much need and have been so often called hereunto what an affront is it unto God a disparagement unto Christ that you have neglected your Salvation by him and have been guilty of unbelief in not receiving yea refusing Christ so able and willing to save you and when you have had such frequent and earnest as well as gracious and free tenders of him Get conviction of the guilt of your sins and what an Obligation you are under hereby to undergo eternal Destruction in the flames of Hell fire for it and let this awaken you out of your security let the thoughts of this pierce and wound your consciences and make you cry out with those Sinners which were convinced by Peter's Sermon Acts 2.37 When they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Get conviction also of the horrid baseness and ungratefulness of sin as it dishonours and displeases that God by whom you were at first created are continually
preserved and maintained and who though he could so easily destroy you and glorifie his justice hereby yet is both patient with you and willing also to be reconciled unto you and sends his Embassadors in his name to tell you that he entreats you that you would be reconciled and let these considerations affect you with ingenuous grief for sin Lastly Get conviction of the defilement of sin how your Souls are stained by it and hereby degenerated and debased into a lower degree of vileness than is in the beast that perisheth yea that hereby you are become without regeneration and until your Souls are washed more loathsom in the eyes of God than the most nasty thing in the World is in your eyes 2. Make confession of sin In some cases it is requisite you should confess some sins unto man but it is absolutely universally necessary in order to forgiveness that you should confess your sins unto God the promise of pardoning mercy is made to confession Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy David found by experience the evil of covering and keeping close his sins and the benefit of acknowledgment and confession Psal 32.3 4 5. When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long for day and night thine hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer Selah I acknowledged my sin unto thee and my iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Selah Sinners make a full confession of your sins that you may have a full pardon and discharge do not hide any sin as a sweet morsel under your tongue it is a vain thing to seek and endeavour the hiding of any sin from him who is omniscient God hath knowledg of all your Iniquities do you therefore acknowledg all unto him Make free confession of your sins Stay not till God force you by his Scourges and even drag you unto it by his cords of affliction but let it be your voluntary act and be ingenuous herein mingle not your confession with excuses and extenuations Say not though you are bad yet you are not so bad as others that your hearts are good though your lives have been naught that such and such gross sins were your slips and failings that you were overtaken overperswaded and drawn unto such wicked practices by your companions and so by transferring your guilt endeavour to make your selves as Innocent as you can this is abominable in the sight of God and a certain sign of sin's dominion which is inconsistent with the remission of it and will shut you out from pardoning Mercy but in confession of your sins acknowledg your selves to have been the chief of sinners Sinners take all the blame to your selves and set your sins out in the deepest Crimson and Scarlet colours and with all their hainous circumstances and aggravations tell God that your heart is the worst part and if there have been some abominations found in your lives there are a thousand-fold more abominations in your hearts Confess your sins with humility and self-loathing say with Agur Prov. 30.2 Surely I am more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man with David Psal 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a Beast before thee with Job Chap. 42.6 I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Confess your sins with shame like Ezra Chap. 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift my face unto thee for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespass is grown up unto the Heavens Confess your sins with grief and godly sorrow like David Psal 39.18 I will declare mine iniquity I will be sorry for sin 3. Make Application of Christ by Faith that you may attain forgiveness There is no other Name given under Heaven amongst men whereby you can be pardoned and saved Acts 4.12 And he is able to save you and procure a pardon for you in the uttermost extent of your most hainous guilt Heb. 7.25 And the reason is given in the same Verse because he ever liveth to make Intercession for sinners it is his Office as High-Priest wherein he is most merciful and faithful to make Reconciliation for the sins of the People Heb. 2.17 Christ is near to the Father being at his right hand in Heaven and hath great interest in him being his dearly beloved Son and his Intercession for pardon is always accepted it being for no more than what himself hath purchased and what his Father hath promised and therefore you that are the worst of Sinners have great encouragement to come unto Christ and to make Application of him you have his promise that whosoever cometh unto him he will in no wise cast out Joh. 6.37 and if you apply your selves unto him and apply unto your selves his merits and Righteousness by believing you shall certainly attain the forgiveness of all your sins however numerous and hainous they have been Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins And our Saviour himself telleth us Joh. 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life And the Apostle doth discourse at large in the former part of his Epistle to the Romans concerning Justification which he proveth by manifold Arguments that it cannot be works that it must be by Faith therefore by Faith make Application of Christ and his imputed Righteousness and rest therein only that you may be justified that you may be pardoned and saved 4. Forsake every sin that you may attain the forgiveness of it Prov. 28.13 He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and return to the Lord for he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon him Isa 1.16 17 18. Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doing from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judg the fatherless plead for the widow Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wool You must loath your sins that you may be pardoned and withal you must leave them you must cease from doing evil if you would have God cease from his displeasure and unless you do forsake your sins never expect that God should forgive them there must be a returning to God that you may be received unto favour and this cannot be without a turning from sin It would be a dishonour unto God to pardon you
Your sins are inexcusable your condemnation is unavoidable and your punishment hereafter in Hell will be most dreadful and intolerable Possibly now you are careless and secure sin is sweet and conscience is quiet you are at ease and conscience asleep but will this ease and sleep always continue Is there not a time coming when you shall be awakened If you are not awakened under God's Word may not God awaken you under his Rod If you are not awakened under God's threatnings will you not awake when he cometh to execution If you are secure in the midst of outward peace and prosperity can you be secure in the midst of trouble and adversity Think what you will do when death doth approach Think what a dreadful aspect unpardoned sin will have when you are brought down unto the sides of the pit to the brink and border of eternity and when you are summoned to make your appearance before the highest Majesty O the horrour that then will seize you O the fearfulness that then will surprise you To have the black guilt of drunkenness or swearing of uncleanness or deceiving or any other iniquity to stare you then in the face O how dismal will it be and affrighting And think with what rage and fury your consciences will then reflect upon your fore-past sins especially your neglect of a pardon then unattainable and how tormenting will this be unto you You may then cry out Lord have mercy on us Christ have mercy on us But will God then hear you who have refused to hearken unto him Will Christ regard you who have neglected refused and shut the door of your hearts against him all your days But sinners what will you do at the day of judgment when the Lord Jesus shall come in flaming fire to take vengeance upon you for unpardoned sins That great day will certainly come and it will quickly be here Time runs away swiftly and it will quickly be run out yet a little while and the Angel will lift up his hand and cry with a loud voice and swear by him that liveth for ever and ever that time shall be no longer Rev. 10.5 6. Then the mystery will be finished the prophesie accomplished and the whole frame of this visible world dissolved the Sun then and the Moon will be darkened and the Stars will fall unto the earth as the fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind and the heavens themselves then shall be rolled together as a great scroll and so pass away with a great noise the earth and all the elements shall be on fire and consume away on that day when the Lord Jesus Christ shall appear from Heaven with Millions of mighty Angels in power and brightness of majesty and then you must come out of your graves and will stand trembling before Christ's great Tribunal and none of you will be able to hide your selves under any Rock or Mountain from his angry face Then then you will fully know what a priviledg it is to be pardoned when you see where pardoned persons are placed when you see them gathered to the right hand of the great Judg and there acquitted openly owned graciously and crowned by him with honour and glory and invited by him to take possession of those eternal habitations of rest and joy in his Kingdom prepared for them by his Father But O the tearings of spirit and heart-vexing tormenting grief which you will have that no place is found for you amongst them that through your neglect of pardoning mercy you have forfeited and eternally lost a share in eternal glory and not only so but have by sin also plunged your selves into a bottomless gulf of endless misery Think how dreadful the irreversible sentence of condemnation will be unto you Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Alas Alas sinners what will you do no thought can conceive what your horror will be when you come to reap the bitter fruit of all your unpardoned sins It is the punishment of Hell Sinners which the guilt of sin unremoved doth oblige you to undergo And therefore I am sent this day to forewarn you and in the name of my Master to foretel you that if you do not now sue out for and obtain this forgiveness of sin your sin hereafter will bring eternal ruine and destruction of soul and body in Hell Without a pardon profaneness will be your ruine Some of you it may be can swear and curse and blaspheme the Name of God hereafter God will swear in his wrath that you shall not enter into his rest and you shall be banished out of Christ's presence with a curse Depart from me ye cursed c. Those tongues which have been so liberal of oaths and blasphemies must be tormented in flames of fire without one drop of water to cool them Without a pardon drunkenness will be your ruine you that have so often enflamed your selves with wine and strong drink God will enflame you with the wine of his vengeance he will make you to drink the dregs of his wrath which is at the bottom of the cup of his indignation Without a pardon uncleanness will be your ruine your pleasures are empty and of short continuance but your pains will be full hereafter and they will abide for ever Without a pardon unrighteousness will be your ruine your unrighteous gains one day will prove your unspeakable loss and God will be the avenger of all such upon you as have been wronged and defrauded by you Without a pardon your neglect of Christ and Salvation will be your ruine and if you persevere in this neglect it is impossible that you should escape Sinners think seriously and think frequently of your unpardoned iniquities and withal think of the dreadful punishment they will bring upon you think of your eternal damnation unto the most exquisite torments of Hell and then drink on swear on and scoff your fill be unholy and profane unjust and unclean if you think good but know that for all these sins God will bring you to judgment know that these iniquities unpardoned will be your ruine Should I tell you of one that were condemned for some vile fact to be slay'd alive or burnt alive or sawn asunder or dragg'd to pieces with wild horses or starv'd with hunger and cold or any other ways cruelly tortured to death but that he might escape all this misery if he would accept of a pardon ready provided for him and withal leave off such vile facts for the future you would count him worse than mad should he neglect his pardon and expose himself to ruine and misery through his carelesness and obstinacy And yet though you are condemned for sin to far worse torment and misery that which is more dreadful than ten thousand painful deaths and all this mischief and punishment may be avoided and escaped if you will accept of the pardon
a double state 1. As to this mortal Life it is implied in the Text and express'd in the Context that it is a Theater of smart contentions and miseries and that he was concerned in the agonistical exercises thereof 2. As to the other Life he had the prospect of transcendent joys exhibited to his views and hopes as the determined and proposed reward of his well-managed exercises the influences and impressions whereof did strangely invigorate and fix his resolutions to maintain such a Masculine frame of spirit as should entertain and answer all the challenges of danger difficulties and temptations and to preserve that necessary liberty from and useful indifferency to the hopes and love of Life and fears of Death and Danger which might secure the spirit and prowess of a resolved and successful valour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I make no reckoning of any thing and he grows regardless of his life and hath mortified the vigour of all the arguments and inducements that can be fetcht therefrom for the utmost reach of rage and villany is to effect no more and can extend no farther than the loss of Life Mat. 10.28 And all those Comforts which are liable to the casualties and sequestrations of transient time and cannot run parallel with our capacious souls beyond the limits of a dying breath cannot be valued beyond the value of their end and therefore he that conquers and subdues the estimation of his Life hath so far overcome all the disturbing and ensnaring influences of hopes and fears relating to it and derived from it Well we have here an instance and example in this great and gracious Apostle of a resolved and proficient Christian yea and a visible practical demonstration of what Blood and Spirits are in the veins of Christianity and are bred there and what an energy and force there is in one right believing look and glance at things to come 2 Cor. 4.16 18. Heb. 12.2 And if it be objected that as the Apostles course was ministerial so were his joys which fix'd his eye and therefore in neither can he be proposed to others as their imitable pattern or exact encouragement seeing all are not Ministers neither can all expect his Exercises Furniture Encouragements and Attainments and so that we pluck not the fruit from the right tree I answer This doth not prevent his being our pattern argument and encouragement if but these few things be seriously considered 1. The Apostle had a double Course to run he had the trust and business of a Christian as well as of a Minister to discharge he had a God to please a Soul to save an Hell to escape an Heaven to reach an Heart to cleanse and Sins to mortifie unruly Passions and impetuous Affections to be curbed and managed by their proper Discipline as well as others he was a man subject to like Passions with our selves he dwelt in flesh and was opposed by the Devil as well as others he had Corruptions to be mortified and pardoned and loved his Life and what might make it comfortable saving where Inordinacies were to be corrected and subdued because of inconsistency with better work and joys yea he had such forcible inclinations to desire and beg some intermissions of and respite from his tedious Exercises as forced him to repair to Prayer and Arguments to get support so that he might not Oneri succumbere and thus I understand that Thorn in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.7 10. And so the Sense seems facil and it amounts to this The Apostle had been labouring in the fire for God and for the interest of Christianity and managed all his Exercises in the face of danger and growing aged he was tempted to desire of God that he might spend the residue of his declining age in liberty and quietness but when the flesh so weather-beaten by the storms grew so desirous of some respite from the severity of Travel Chains and Labours the messenger Satan comes again threatning and acquainting him with designed and determined repetitions of former Buffetings and the renewals of Reproaches Necessities Persecutions c. for Christ's sake Which when he understood and apprehended that Christ and his Gospel were so concerned in them he thought and took them as the matter of his Glory in that they might be serviceable to the Interest of Christ and great occasions of some special Illustrations of the remarkable Power and Grace of Christ but this pace aliorum The truth is Sirs he had such Exercises and Temptations as that had not the expectations and perswasions of these joys above which succeeded the Course well finished interposed to fortifie and compose his spirit this world had never been conquered nor so easily forsaken and disclaimed by him nor Death so tamely entertained nor Hopes and Fears so managed and subordinated as they were 1 Cor. 15.19 31 32 58. Now thus far he stands on equal grounds with other Christians and hath the same Exercises Arguments Encouragements Interest and Obligations that every Christian hath and if it was possible for him to finish his course under the powerful Influences of this Prospect and Design it is as possible for us for no impossibility whilst such can be our duty 2. His Ministerial Work and Trust was as to its full discharge a necessary and essential part of his saving Christianity No Minister of Jesus Christ by office can be a sound and faithful Christian that is unfaithful in his Ministry it is in so doing that he must save himself as well as those that hear him 1 Tim. 4.15 16. 3. Our accommodations being made answerable to Trust and Work our faithful management thereof is of equal necessity in much or little for we must be answerable to Relations Trust and Places and other Circumstances as God hath placed us in and under them for we must be judged and are to act accordingly to what we have received No man is commanded and encouraged faithfully to discharge his Ministry but upon some supposition that the Ministry is his lawful Calling and where that is unfaithfulness will damn him that is guilty of it for it is his place of Service even as faithful service of all Servants in general is their Duty Yet places of Service and the matter and measure of their service may be different according to the master's pleasure and affairs 4. The close connection of his whole Course and Comforts clears the Case For 1. It is not imaginable that any man can be a faithful Minister whose heart is alienated from the true powerful Principles Sentiments and Impressions of Christianity For how can any man be separated cordially to this most costly painful Calling and regularly bear the heat and burden of his Place and Day who hath not well concocted the Substance Evidence and Importance of this great Mystery of Salvation which is the indispensable and adequate exercise of his Function into deep perswasions warm affections and most unconquerable resolutions Who can unweariedly pursue
What useful Instruments have holy Kings and Princes been for God upon their Thrones Plenty and fulness are desirable 'T is better to give than to receive Acts 20.35 Innocence and Independence steel the Countenance 'T is comfortable to be the poor man's staff and the rich man's pattern The like I may say of Liberty Gifts Parts c. And when God throws these things upon us to make us useful it would be our misery shame and sin to cast them from us with contempt and as both Life and Comforts stand in relation to Vsefulness and Glory Grace rather heightens than abates esteem and value of them and rather quickens and engages thankfulness and affections for and to them than sets the heart against them thus considered 3. It is the Apostasie of our state and hearts from God that sets our lives and comforts in their capacity of being snares to us Had it not been for sin God and our Lives and Comforts had not been reduced to such an inconsistency as now they are nor had our natural Lives and Comforts been our snares had not their end and ours been changed they had never been so insignificant as to our safety and delight had we not torn them from that their Figure God himself to whom their true subordinate relation gave them their whole worth and value Our snares and surfeits come from our own irregular appetites 1 Tim. 6.9 10. Luke 21.34 Life and its Consolations are God's and good Jam. 1.17 The Lust is ours 1 John 2.16 4. Life and all things must be disregarded as they are separate from God and set against him as they are separated from God so they must be neglected and as they are set against God so they must be opposed Our lives must never be a course of lusts Rom. 13.13 Nor must their Comforts and Continuance be entertained or indulged as God's Opponents or Corrivals nor be preserved possest or prosecuted to the prejudice of better things even holy works and joy while they and better things may keep together the elder must serve the younger Our present Life and Comforts must minister to the great Concernments of another better state and when Religion or our Lives must go we must disclaim the latter to secure the former Nothing must bound or circumvent Religion nor must it be subjected to the trifling ends and dotages of a transient Life Our Lives and Comforts are dispensed to us for usefulness not satisfaction We must secure obedience and submission to God's preceptive and disposing Will and a true constant practical relation and subserviency unto God's Glory and our own eternal Welfare and the full credit of Religion and its advancement in our selves and others And wherein soever the love of Life threatens or makes towards an equality with God and Life-to-come-concernments or makes us change our Lord to serve our Lusts or grow reluctant to that great Seal and Testimony which we owe to the full Interest and Claims of Christianity or makes us more remiss sluggish and fearful in our Christian Course of holy painful and resolved exercises than our Hopes and Circumstances can admit of therein must Life be wholly disregarded Query 3. Whence is it evident that this Design and Prospect will have such powerful influences upon concerned serious Christian as to make this regardlesness of Life and every thing to be a possible attainment 1. From personal Instances All that are gone to Heaven have reach'd this Frame Oh what a Cloud of Witnesses is afforded us Heb. 11.2 39. 10.32 The Apostle here himself stands like a Monument with this Superscription 'T is possible to be a Conqueror of Life and Death 2 Tim. 4.6.8 Acts 21.13 Phil. 1.20 23. Nor doth he want his Seconds as Barnabas Acts 15.26 Epaphroditus Phil. 2.30 Daniel also and the Three Children long before Dan. 3.16 18. 6.13 22. and those in Rev. 12.11 and many others 2. From Scriptural Injunctions and Comminations Luke 14.26 1 Pet. 4.12 16. It is no ways probable that such weighty Accents of Command Concernedness and Importunity and Caution should be laid upon Impossibilities or that God should urge and threaten man and press upon him both with promises and menaces and be at such expence of cost and patience grace and bounty and digest his Name and Treasures into such cogent arguments and make both Heaven and Earth yea Hell and Conscience minister to this Design of ripening and advancing him to such a p tâ—h of exâ—ltation above all prejudicial love of Life and fear of Death if this were foreign to his own capacity and therefore unattainable for this would be the way even to distract the Hâ—rmony of God's whole Name with such unaccountable and impossible Discords as that account which God hath given us thereof would not admit of nor is it consonant to that Analogy which his Image on the New Creature expresly beareth unto himself 3. From the Advantages which the Design and Prospect of the Text afford us We have something nobler to attempt than to preserve and cherish that Life and Interest which is separate from God and set against him and something better to expect and promise to our selves than such contracted transient Comforts as Death can strip us of namely the finishing of an honourable Course that is set before us and reaching of those matchless Consolations which are tendred to us and affixed to the end and termination of that costly painful Race which we have to run And such things have an exact sufficiency in their kind as Arguments and Motives to our Hopes and Diligence and Resolution to make us more than Conquerors both of and in Life and Death Rev. 2.10 Rom. 8.18 2 Tim. 1.8 12. 2.12 Acts 24.14 16. Rom. 8.32 39. 4. From the Assistance which God is ready to afford us 1 Cor. 10.13 2 Cor. 1.3 5. 12.7 10. John 14.18 Mat. 28.20 Jer. 1.8 Our Winter-work hath sutable furniture and provisions Jam. 1.2 6. We shall have Counsels Comforts Quicknings and sutable Relishes Views and Strength to all our Work and Exercises Query 4 and the Case in hand What must we therefore do to and how must we overcome the inordinate Love of Life and Fear of Death For no man can love or dare to dye that loves this Life inordinately and values it too dear to let it go or that prevailingly doubts or fears or undervalues a better Life hereafter Now in this instance in my Text Bonds and Afflictions seemed to minister to Death and Death is very terrible to Nature as its Dissolution and terrible to interested Souls in the Concernments of this Life as ending all the Pleasures Profits Honors that Sense Fancy can be courted with 't is terrible to those that are not satisfied of another state because it ends what they were sure of the existence of and had the greatest desires of and pleasures in and because it ushers them thither where their doubt will be resolved and that for ought
Priest Physitian Advocate and Saviour His satisfaction related to our forfeiture of all the good we had in promise and possession and his Intercession is with respect to our great distance and unworthiness His deep compassions suppose our Misery and his assistance and supplies imply our wants and disadvantages We are to be taught because we are ignorant and healed because we are sick and disciplin'd because so prone and subject to disorders and succoured and supported because we are tempted and when the heart is once resigned to Christ and God by him Christ looks upon himself as much concerned to perfect in and for us every thing that can concern us in life and death and after death Direct 2. Labour to understand your fears distinctly and know their reasons ends and measures We are buffetted in the dark while we are ignorant of and so mistake the reasons of our fears and know them not in their original and end The Devil loves and labours to disturb us by such boisterous storms and winds as none shall know either whence they come or whither they go he loves to walk and speak and act in the Clouds to our astonishment and confusion that we may be disturbed even when he knows we cannot be destroyed because he sees our hearts are gone for God 'T is here as in Polemical Divinity a Case when it is clearly stated and discovered is half answered by the stating of it for then our Arguments are driven and directed to a point but when words and things are ambiguously used and rendred there will be great contention and but little satisfaction We are too often frighted with clouds and shadows at a distance but when by near approaches and clear inspection we understand the matter our fears become our shame and therefore to come nearer to the Case and our own Consciences what makes us thus reluctant and afraid to die 1. Is it the loss of what you must be divorced from by death If so then think a little on what you are like to lose What is this state which you must leave that it hath stoln your hearts away What is the Wise man's Motto on it but vexatious Vanity Eccles 1.14 Is it not a state of blindness enmity and active wickedness a state of distance and distractions Is it not a state wherein nothing is more sure and frequent than sin sorrows The mind and heart of man are sooner stupified and corrupted than comfortably exercised and satisfied The pleasures and delights of this distracted transient state are most near of kin unto the sluggish drossie part of man his Senses and his Fancy and when the impetuous cravings of Sense and Fancy have got their gluts and surfets the Soul that nobler and more capacious part is furiously invaded sadly imposed on and prevented and obstructed in its sublimer exercises and enjoyments it is degraded by a base captivity stript of its choicest Ornaments and Enrichments and made to slight and quit its best concernments that so the brutish part of man may rule and ruine all The excellency of all things here lies in their ordinate usefulness and subserviency to better things from which when you abstract them you have no right propriety nor proportion in them for you but by your own aversness to be gone from them you shew your little or no love to God 2. Is it your startling apprehension of what you must encounter and sustain in death that makes you fear to die It is true the terrors jealousies and pains that commonly do attend a dying hour together with that dissolution to which our Natures are averse make Death appear an Enemy in the way ready to meet us like Balaam's Angel with an amazing Sword and therefore formidable But yet the serious painful and resolved Christian hath many things wherewith to scatter or correct the evil influences of all discouraging apprehensions of this amazing exercise and change For 1. Those sins that have truly and regularly lost their Throne and Interest in the heart shall never be the ruin of the man through Christ the domineering and damning power of sin are left together He that hath subjugated and mortified his vile Affections Interests and Corruptions and hath broken off his sins by righteousness and hath changed his Principles end and actions hath that immortal seed of life and peace and joy which will assuredly ripen into his everlasting life security and triumphs 1 Cor. 15.56 58. Your former provocations lose their damning strength when you have deserted them by penitent conversion Acts 3.19 And when he that hath the Keys of Death and Hell hath told you this as he hath Luke 24.47 what have you then to exercise your jealousies and sad suspitions but sinful and groundless infidelity which gives the lie to all those testimonies and assurances of the ability and fidelity of God and Christ who have engaged themselves by promise to save you from those dangers which you fear and of whose gracious Nature the Gospel and all those wondrous mercies that attend it have informed you 2. This being granted what then hath the Devil to shake your confidences with but lies and falshood 'T is your own fault to credit Satan when he invalidates the truth of God and would weaken and enervate all the assurances which God hath given you of his resolved design to save you If he can prove that sin may be repented of and yet unpardoned that sin may be pardoned yet the Soul undone that God and Christ are either forgetful impotent or false then be dejected but 't is your comfort that he hath no other Arguments but what are bottomed on these great Absurdities And 3. As to the Terrors of that hour vvhich may arise from Satans furious onsets and assaults God will not let you walk alone he hath his Rod and Staff in readiness for your assistance and support Christ our compassionate High Priest knows what it is to die he knows the subtilty and fury of the Tempter by smart experience and his sympathy hath taught him pity and our compassionate Head will not forget his exercised Members under their pains and terrors and great temptations at that hour Christ is not exalted above the exercise of pity but went to heaven for the reception and possession of that capacity throne and dignity at God's right hand which he is resolved to improve for our security and relief when we are most afflicted and in danger And 4. As to the pains and stroke of Death they are but short and sudden and made our necessary passage to everlasting Glory And may not much be born when all shall be secured What are the struglings gasps and stretches of departing Saints unto those gripes of Conscience and fears of vengeance which are the inward frequent exercises of Sinners when they live and when they die too Nay it is a great allay unto the bitterness and fears of Death that God hath such rich and mighty cordials and
consolations proper for that hour O! what refreshments do oft times issue and arise from those discoveries of God's image in us presence with and favour for us which are made by us when we are forced to retire within when all things round about us fail and lose their interest in and favour with us because our flesh decays and wasts through pains and rottenness to which the bewitching dotages of time could make their easiest and most successful applications And it oft-times happens that our fears exceed our pains and that the King of Terrors doth not gripe so hard nor stab so painfully as we are apt to think and look for but when the stroke is given indeed and the pains are gone how easily and quickly do the first openings of our eternal morning even swallow up all the remembrances of our dying sorrows Oh when the joys and visions of our God invade and exercise our departed Souls then comes the great prelusion and welcome pledge of our eternal conquest of this last enemy and after a short sleep of Bodies in the dust whilst Souls retire and go to God the Trump will found the Lord will come the World shall perish or be refined by the flames and the dead rise again and die no more 3. Is it because you fear a change of state to your great disadvantage when you are dead that you are loath and dread to die If so then it is because either 1. You credit not or question the certainty and excellency of the world to come Or 2. Because you do not understand and value it Or 3. You do suspect your interest in and fitness for it If it be the first concoct those Arguments and Intimations which God hath given you by diligent enquiries sober pauses faithful meditation reflect upon the first and second Propositions and those more cogent useful Treatises which are written on this Subject and wherewith the world abounds and let not the bribes and flatteries of a vain world divert you nor the malignant influences of a wanton Fancy corrupt and mortifie the Faculties which God hath given you for this end for here the light is ready for the prepared eye 2. If you do not understand its excellence and so have no value for it compare both states together that so your choice and value may result from wisdom and be the product of true and sober judgment Is it so good to dwell delight and perish in the flames of smart contention betwixt God and you or to have your breath and spirits expended in dreadful groans and ecchoes to the Apostle's deep complaints and cries in Rom 7.18 21 23 24. Is there no melody like heart-reproaches for practical despising and displeasing God Psal 51.3 4. Is there such harmony and advantage in the sluggish exercises motions of diseased souls Is there such pleasure in dark and difficult discoveries which are but one remove from the thick darkness of damning Ignorance and Blindness as that your aversation to be sent away unto that Element of clearer views and visions in the other world may well be fixed there Can you delightfully be exposed to temptations to injurious and unworthy thoughts of God and dwell where God is little discerned prized and served What! is an Hospital such a desirable habitation that you are loth to quit it Are the distractions pains and vanities of a forsaken world such Charms and Loadstones to your hearts as to set you on building Tabernacles and fixing there Who ever loved to be exposed to miseries or to build his Palace on the sands or hasty Streams and what is this state of Life but the true Theatre and Center of all these woes and miseries But of this see more in Prop. 2. But if you look above and pierce the Heavens there you will meet with clear discoveries and vehement flames of Love and all desirable unconceivable vigour liberty and satisfaction in an immortal state 4. Is it because you do suspect your interest in and fitness for the life to come If so then know the terms of Life and try your state thereby Do you not know what God is believe what he saith accept what he tenders and do what he commands Know you not who Christ is what he hath done what he expects what he promises and will do Are you an enemy to the Graces Truths and motions of the Spirit and to his directing quickning and comforting influences Are ye not dead to sin alive to God through Christ Is not another Life the exercise and object of your chief desire pursuit and satisfaction have you no prevalent inclinations affections and resolutions to renounce the World Flesh Devil and to discharge all your Duties to God yourselves and others with wisdom holiness activity and courage And to do all this as in the sight of God and with delight as in the hopes and prospect of a better world and to expect what God hath promised in the ways which he commands If these things be in you and abound your hearts are right condition safe and title good If you be wanting here this is your way of reparation and security Do these things and Death is yours and when these things are done all your discouraging doubts fears are answered and dispelled by being clearly understood For 1. It is one thing to be fit to die and another thing to know it 2. It is one thing to have your Title good another thing to be sinless and so fully ripe for Heaven immediately 3. It is one thing to have a serious fixed heart and will for God and another thing to have passionate affections which depend more upon the temper of the Body than the power and ripeness of the Grace of God upon the heart 4. It is one thing what we cannot be though we would be with strength and readiness of will another thing what we have little or no will to be 5. It is one thing to love and hate proportionably to what God and sin are and deserve and 't is another thing to love and hate as God requires in proportion to our strength and with reference to our Work and Joy And 6. It is one thing to have Corruption dwell in us and another thing to have it rule 7. It is one thing to be tempted of the Devil and another thing to yield thereto And 8. It is one thing to have ground of Hope and Joy and another to have the sense thereof 9. Joy is also considerable as our Duty and God's Gift And these 9 Distinctions well observed rightly applied and carefully improved will go exceeding far towards answering all those Doubts which animate unwarrantable Fears of Death in those whose hearts are right whilst their hopes are low their jealousies great their Spirits faint and so their Lives uncomfortable through their own ignorant and sad Mistakes Infer 1. Christian Religion at the worst is better than a course of wickedness at the best Inf. 2.