sense of Gods love Use 3. You who have this saluifical sanctifying knowledge flourishing in you bless God for it this is the Heavenly Anointing the most excellent objects cannot be seen in the dark but when the light appears then every flower shines in its Native beauty So while men are in the midnight of a natural estate the Beauty of Holiness is hid from them but when the light of the Spirit comes in a saving manner then those truths they slighted before appear in that glorious lustre as transports them with wonder and love Bless God ye Saints that he hath taken off your Spiritual Cataract and hath given you to discern those things which by Natures Spectacles you could never see How thankful was Christ to his Father for this Mat. 11. 25. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes How should you admire Free-grace that God hath not only brought the light to you but given you eyes to see it that he hath inabled you to know the truth as it is in Iesus Ephes. 4. 21. That he hath opened not only the eye of your understanding but the eye of your Conscience This is a mercy you can never be enough thankful for that God hath so enlightned you that you should not sleep the sleep of death SECT II. 2. The godly man is a man acted by Faith as gold is the most precious among the metals so is Faith among the Graces Faith cuts us off from the wild Olive of Nature and inoculates us into Christ Faith is the vital artery of the Soul Hab. 2. 4. The just shall live by his Faith Such as are destitute of Faith though they breathe yet they want life Faith is the quickner of the Graces not a Grace stirs till Faith sets it awork Faith is to the soul as the animal spirits are to the body they excite lively operations in the body Faith excites Repentance it is like the fire to the Still which makes it drop When I believe Gods love to me this makes me weep that I should sin against so good a God Faith is the Mother of Hope first we believe the Promise then we hope for it Faith is the Oyl which feeds the Lamp of Hope Faith and Hope are two Turtle-graces take away one and the other languisheth If the sinews be cut the body is lame if this sinew of Faith be cut Hope is lame Faith is the ground of Patience He who believes God is his God and all Providences work for his good doth patiently yield up himself to the Will of God thus Faith is a living Principle And the life of a Saint is nothing else but a life of Faith his prayer is the breathing of Faith Iam. 5. 15. His obedience is the result of Faith Rom. 16. 26. A godly man by Faith lives in Christ as the beam lives in the Sun Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ lives in me A Christian by the power of Faith sees above Reason trades above the Moon by Faith his heart is finely quieted he trusts himself and all his affairs with God As in a time of War men get into a Garrison and trust themselves and their treasure there So the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower Pro. 18. 10. and a Believer trusts all that ever he is worth in this Garrison 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day God trusted Paul with his Gospel and Paul trusted God with his Soul Faith is a Catholicon or remedy against all troubles it is a godly mans sheat-anchor that he casts out into the Sea of Gods mercy and is kept from sinking in despair Si modo firma fides nulla ruina nocet Use. Let us try our selves by this Character Alas how far are they from being godly that are destitute of Faith such as are altogether drowned in Sense Most men are spiritually purblind they can see but just before them 2 Pet. 1. 9. I have read of a people of India who are born with one eye such are they who are born with the eye of Reason but want the eye of Faith who because they do not see God with bodily eyes they do not believe a God they may as well not believe they have Souls because being Spirits they cannot be seen O where is he who lives in Excelsis who is gotten into the upper Region and sees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things not seen Heb. 11. 27. Did men live by Faith would they use sinful policy for a livelihood Were there Faith would there be so much fraud Did Faith live would men like dead fish swim down the stream In this Age there is scarce so much Faith to be found among men as there is among the Devils for they believe and tremble It was a grave and serious speech of Mr. Greenham that he feared not Papisme but Atheisme would be Englands ruine But I shall not expatiate having been more large upon this Head in another discourse SECT III. 3. A godly man is fired with love to God Psalm 116. 1. Faith and Love are the two Poles on which all Religion turns A true Saint is carried in that Chariot the midst whereof is paved with love Cant. 3. 10. As Faith doth quicken so love doth sweeten every duty The Sun mellows the fruit so love mellows the services of Religion and makes them come off with a better relish A godly man is sick of love Ioh. 21. 16. Lord thou knowest I love thee Though dear Saviour I did deny thee yet it was for want of strength not for want of love God is the Fountain and Quintessence of goodness his beauty and sweetness lay constraints of love upon a gracious heart God is the Saints portion Psalm 119. 57. And what more loved then a portion I would hate my own Soul saith Austin if I found it not loving 〈◊〉 A godly man loves God therefore delight to be in his presence he loves God therefore takes comfort in nothing without him Cant. 3. 3. Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Lilia nigra videntur Pallentesque rosae nec dulce rubens hyacinthus Nullos nèc myrtus nec laurus spirat odores The pious Soul loves God therefore thirsts after him the more he hath of God the more still he desires a sip of the Wine of the Spirit provokes the appetite after more The Soul loves God therefore rejoyceth to think of his appearing 2 Tim. 4. 8. He loves him therefore longs to be with him Christ was in Pauls heart and Paul would be in Christs bosome Phil. 1. 23. When the Soul is once like God it would fain be with God A gracious heart cries out O that I had wings that I might flie away and be
High Priest Heb. 2. 17. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmity every bruise of the soul goes to his heart none refuse Christ but such as do not know him He is nothing but love incarnated He himself was bruised to heal them that are bruised 3. See then what encouragement here is for Faith Had Christ said he would break the bruised reed then indeed there were ground for despair but when Christ saith he will not break a bruised reed this opens a door of hope for humble bruised souls Can we say we have been bruised for sin why do we not believe Why do we go drooping under our fears and discouragements as if there were no mercy for us Christ saith He will heal the broken in heart Psal. 147. 3. No saith Unbelief he will not heal me Christ saith he will cure the bruised soul No saith Unbelief he will kill it Unbelief as it makes our comforts void so it goes about to make the Word void as if all Gods Promises were but forgeries or like Blanks in a Lottery Hath the Lord said he will not break a bruised reed can Truth lie O what a sin is unbelief Some think it dreadful to be among the number of drunkards swearers whoremongers let me tell you it is no less dreadful to be among the number of Unbelievers Unbelief is worse than any other sin because it brings God into suspition with the Creature it robs him of the richest Jewel of his Crown and that is his truth 1 Ioh. 5. 10. He that believeth not hath made God a lyar Oh then let all humbled sinners go to Jesus Christ Christ was bruised with desertion to heal them who are bruised with sin If you can show Christ your sores and touch him by faith you shall be healed of all your soul-bruises Will not Christ break thee then do not undo thy self by despair Use 2. Will not Jesus Christ break a bruised reed then it reproves those who do what in them lies to break the bruised reed and they are such as go about to hinder the work of Conversion in others when they see them wounded and troubled for sin they dishearâ—en them telling them that Religion is a sowre melancholly thing they had better return to their former pleasures when an Arrow of Conviction is shot into their Conscience these pull it out again and will not suffer the work of Conviction to go forward Thus when the soul is almost bruised they hinder it from a thorow bruise This is for men to be Devils to others If to shed the bloud of another makes a man guilty what is it to damn anothers soul Use 3. This Text is a spiritual hony-comb dropping consolation into all bruised hearts as in the body when there is a Lipothimy or fainting of the vital spirits we apply cordials so when sinners are bruised for their sins I shall give them some cordial-water to revive them This text is comfortable to a poor soul who sits with Iob among the Ashes and is dejected in the sense of its unworthiness Ah! saith the soul I am unworthy of mercy what am I that ever God should look upon me those who have greater parts and Graces perhaps may obtain a look from God but alas I am unworthy doth thy unworthiness trouble thee what more unworthy than a bruised reed yet there is a promise made to that a bruised reed he will not break the promise is not made to the Fig-tree or Olive which are fertile plants but to the Bruised reed Though thou art despicable in thy own eyes a poor shattered reed yet thou mayest be glorious in the eyes of the Lord let not thy unworthiness discourage thee if thou seest thy self vile and Christ pretious this promise is thine Christ will not break thee but will binde up thy wounds Quest. But how shall I know that I am savingly bruised Answ. Did God ever bring thee upon thy knees hath thy proud heart been humbled didst thou ever see thy self a sinner and nothing but a sinner didst thou ever with a weeping eye look upon Christ and did those tears drop from the eye of faith This is a Gospel-bruising canst thou say Lord though I do not see thee yet I love thee though I am in the dark yet I cast Anchor this is to be a bruised reed Object 1 But I fear I am not bruised enough Answ. 'T is hard to prescribe a just measure of humiliation it is in the new birth as in the natural some bring forth with more pangs some with fewer but would you know when you are bruised enough when your spirit is so troubled that you are willing to let go those lusts which did bring in the greatest income of pleasure and delight when sin is not only discarded but disgusted then you have been bruised enough then the Physick is strong enough when it hath purged out the disease then the soul is bruised enough when the love of sin is purged out Object 2 But I fear I am not bruised as I should be I finde my heart so hard Answ. 1 Wee must distinguish between hardness of heart and an hardâ—heart the best heart may have some hardness but though there be some hardnesse in it it is not an hard heart denominations are from the better part if we come into a field that hath Tares and Wheat in it we do not call it a field of Tares but a Wheat-field so though there be hardnesse in the heart as well as softnesse yet God who judgeth by that part which is more excellent looks upon it as a soft heart 2 There is a great difference between the hardnesse in the godly and the wicked the one is natural the other is only accidental the hardnesse in a wicked man is like the hardnesse of a stone which is an innate continued hardnesse the hardnesse in a childe of God is like the hardnesse of Ice which is soon melted with the Sun-beams perhaps God hath at present withdrawn his spirit whereupon the heart is congeal'd as Ice but let Gods spirit as the Sun return and shine upon the heart now it hath a gracious thaw upon it and it melts in love 3 Dost not thou grieve under thy hardnesse thou sighest for want of groans thou weepest for want of tears the hard reed cannot weep if â—hou wert not a bruised reed all this moisture could not come from thee Object 3 But I am a barren reed I bring forth no fruit therefore I fear I shall bee broken Answ. Gracious hearts are apt to overlook the good that is in them they can spye the worm in the leaf but not the fruit Why dost thou say thou art barren if thou art a bruised reed thou art not barren The spiritual reed ingrafted into the true Vine is fruitful there is so much sap in Christ as makes all who are inoculated into him bear fruit Christ distils grace as drops of dew
the spirit comes very neer to the despighting of it How can men be sanctified but by the spirit therefore to reproach that is to make merry with their own damnation Use 2. As you would be listed in the number of the godly labour for the blessed indwelling of the spirit pray with Melancthon Lord inflame my soul with thy holy spirit and with the Spouse Awake O North-wind aad come thou South blow upon my garden Cant. 4. 16. As a Mariner would desire a wind to carry him to Sea so beg the prosperous gales of the spirit and the Promise may add wings to prayer Luke 11. 13. If ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask him Gods spirit is a rich Jewel go to him for it Lord give me thy spirit where is the Jewel thou didst promise me When shall my soul be as Gideons Fleece wet with the dew of heaven Consider how needful the spirit is without it we can do nothing acceptably to God 1 VVe cannot pray without it 't is a spirit of Supplication Zac. 12. 10. It both helps the invention and the affection Rom. 8. 26. The spirit helps us with sighs and groans 2. We cannot resist temptation without it Act. 1. 8. Ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you He who hath the tyde of corrupt nature and the wind of temptation must needs be carried down the stream of sin if the contrary wind of the spirit doth not blow 3. VVe cannot be fruitful without the spirit Aureus imber sitientia caelo â—orda rigans VVhy is the spirit compared to dew and rain but to show us how unable we are to bring forth a Crop of Grace unless the dew of God fall upon us 4. VVithout the spirit no Ordinance is effectual to us Ordinances are the Conduit-Pipes of Grace but the spirit is the Spring Some content themselves that they have a Levite to their Priest but never look any further as if a Merchant should content himself that his ship hath good tackling and is well manned though it never have a gale of wind The Ship of Ordinances will not carry us to heaven though an Angel were the Pylot unless the wind of Gods Spirit blow The Spirit is the Soul of the Word without which it is but a dead letter Ministers may prescribe Physick but it is Gods spirit must make it work Our hearts are like Davids body when it grew old they covered him with cloathes but he gat no heat 1 King 1. 1. So though the Minister of God ply us with prayers and counsels as with hot cloathes yet we are cold and chill till Gods spirit comes and then we say as the Disciples Luke 24. 32. Did not our hearts burn within us Oh therefore what need have we of the spirit 3. You who have the blessed spirit manifested by its energy and vital operations 1. Acknowledge Gods distinguishing love the spirit is an ear-mark of Election 1 Iohn 3. 4. Christ gave the bag to Iudas but not his spirit The spirit is a Love-token where God gives his spirit for a pawn he gives himself for a portion The spirit is an Epitomizing blessing it is put for all good things Mat. 7. 11. What were you without the spirit but as so many carkasses Without this Christ would not profit you the Bloud of God is not enough without the Breath of God Oh then be thankful for the spirit this Loadstone will never leave drawing you till it hath drawn you up to heaven 2. If you have this spirit do not grieve it Eph. 4. 30. Shall we grieve our Comforter Quest. How do we grieve the Spirit Answ. 1. When we unkindly repel the motions of it The spirit sometimes whispers in our ears and calls to us as God did to Iacob Gen. 35. 1. Arise go to Bethel So saith the spirit Arise go to prayer retire thy self to meet thy God Now when we stifle these motions and entertain temptations to vanity this is a grieving of the spirit if we check the motions of the spirit we shall lose the comforts of the spirit 2. We grieve the spirit when we deny the work of the spirit in our hearts if one gives another a token and he should deny it and say he never received it this were to abuse the love of his friend So Christian when God hath given thee his spirit witnessed by those meltings of heart and passionate breathings after heaven yet thou deniest that thou ever hadst any renewing work of the spirit in thee this is high ingratitude and is a grieving the good spirit renounce the sinful works of the flesh but do not deny the gracious work of the spirit SECT XI 11. The godly man is an humble man he is like the Sun in the Zenith which when it is at the highest shows lowest St. Austin calls Humility the Mother of the Graces but ere I show you who is the humble man I shall lay down three distinctions 1. I distinguish between being humbled and humble a man may be humbled and not humble a sinner may be humbled by affliction his condition is low but not his disposition a godly man is not only humbled but humble his heart is as low as his condition 2. I distinguish between outward humility and inward there 's a great deal of difference between an humble carriage and an humble spirit a person may carry it humbly 1. Towards others yet be proud who more humble than Absalom in his outward behaviour 2 Sam. 15. 5. When any man came neer to do him obeysance Absalom took him by the hand and kissed him But though he had an humble carriage he aspired after the Crown ver 10. As soon as ye hear the sound of the Trumpet ye shall say Absalom reigneth in Hebron Here was Pride dressed in Humilities Mantle 2. A person may behave himself humbly towards God yet be proud 1 King 21. 27. Ahab put on sackcloth and fasted and went softly but his heart was not humble A man may bow his head like a bull-rush yet lift up the Ensigns of Pride in his heart 3. I distinguish between Humility and Policy many make a shew of Humility to work their own ends The Papists seem to be the most humble mortified Saints but it is rather subtilty than humility for by this means they get the Revenues of the earth into their possession all this may be and yet no godliness Quest. How may a Christian know that he is humble and consequently godly Answ. 1. An humble soul is emptied of all swelling thoughts of himself Bernard calls Humility a Self-annihilation Iob 22. 29. Thou wilt save the humble In the Hebrew it is Him that is of low eyes An humble man hath lower thoughts of himself than others can have of him
among the damned 2. How sweet is it to have it 1. The pardoned soul is out of the gun-shot of Hell Rom. 8. 33. Satan may accuse but Christ will show a discharge 2. The pardoned soul may goe to God with boldness in prayer Guilt clips the wings of prayer that it cannot flye to the Throne of Grace but forgiveness breeds confidence He who hath his pardon may look his Prince in the face with comfort This great mercy of pardon David had obtained as appears vers 5. Thou forgavest me And because he had found God a God of pardons therefore he encourageth others to seek God in the words of the Text For this cause shall every one that is godly pray unto thee CHAP. II. Opening the Nature of Godliness Every one that is godly IT will first be enquired What Godliness is I answer in general Godliness is the sacred impression and workmanship of God in a man whereby of carnal he is made spiritual When Godliness is wrought in a person he doth not receive a new soul but he hath another spirit Numb 14. 24. The faculties are not new but the qualities the Strings are the same but the Tune is mended Concerning Godliness I shall lay down these seven Maxims or Positions 1. Godliness is a Real thing it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Godliness is not the feaverish conceit of a sick brain a Christian is no Enthusiast one whose Religion is made up all of Fancy Godliness hath Truth for its foundation it is called the way of Truth Psal. 119. 30. godliness is a ray and beam that shines from God if God be true then godliness is true 2. Godliness is an intrinsecal thing it lies chiefly in the heart Rom. 2. 29. Circumcision is that of the heart The dew lies on the leaf the sap is hid in the root The Moralists Religion is all in the leaf it consists only in Externals but godliness is an holy sap which is radicated in the soul. Psal. 51. 6. in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom The Chalde expounds it In the close place of the heart 3 Godliness is a supernatural thing by nature we inherit nothing but evil Rom. 7. 5. When we were in the flesh the motions of sin did work in our members we did suck in sin as naturally as our Mothers milk but godliness is the wisdom from above Jam. 3. 17. it is breathed in from heaven God must light up the Lamp of Grace in the heart Weeds grow of themselves flowers are planted Godliness is a Coelestial Plant that comes from the New Hierusalem Therefore it is called a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. A man hath no more power to change himself than to create himself 4. Godliness is an extensive thing it is a sacred leaven that spreads it self into the whole soul. 1 Thess. 5. 23. The God of peace sanctifie you wholly There is light in the understanding order in the affections pliableness in the will exemplariness in the life We do not call a Blackamore white because he hath white teeth he is not godly who is good only in some part Grace is called the new man Col. 3. 10. not a new eye or tongue but a new man he who is godly is good all over though he be regenerate but in part yet it is in every part 5. Godliness is an intense thing it doth not lye in a dead formality and indifferency but is vigorous and flaming Rom. 12. 11. Fervent in spirit We call water hot when it is so in the third or fourth degree He is godly whose devotion is inflamed and his heart boyls over in holy affections 6. Godliness is a glorious thing As the Jewel to the Ring so is Piety to the Soul bespangling it in Gods eyes Reason makes us Men Godliness makes us earthly Angels by it we partake of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Godliness is neer a kin to Glory 2 Pet. 1. 3. Glory and Vertue Godliness is glory in the â—eed and glory is godliness in the flower 7. Godliness is a permanent thing Aristotle saith denominations are given from the habit We do not call him sanguine that blusheth but who is of a ruddy complexion A blush of godliness is not enough to denominate a Christian but godliness must be the temper and complexion of the soul. Godliness is a fixed thing There is a great deal of difference between a Stake in the Hedge and a Tree in the Garden a stake rots and moulders but a tree having life in it abides and flourisheth When godliness hath taken root in the soul it abides to eternity 1 Ioh. 3. 9. his seed remaineth in him Godliness being engraven in the heart by the Holy Ghost as with the point of a Diamond can never be raced out CHAP. III. A Reproof to such as are but Pretenders to Godliness Use. HEre is a sharp Reprehension to such as are Alchimy Christians who do only make a show of godliness like Michal who put an Image in the bed and so deceived Sauls Messengers 1 Sam. 19. 16. these our Saviour calls whited Sepulchres They do not Virtutem colere but colorare In ancient times a third part of the Inhabitants of this Island were called Picts which signifies painted 't is to be feared they still retain their old name How many are painted only with the Vermilion of a Profession whose seeming lustre dazles the eyes of beholders but within there is nothing but putrefaction Hypocrites are like the Swan which hath white feathers but a black skin or like the Lilly which hath a fair colour but a bad sent Rev. 1. 3. Thou hast a name to live but thou art dead These the Apostle Iude compares to clouds without water vers 12. they pretend to be full of the Spirit but they are empty clouds their goodness is but a Religious Cheat. Quest. But why do persons content themselves with a show of godliness Answ. This helps to keep up their fame 1 Sam. 15. 30. Honour me before the people Men are ambitious of credit and would gain repute in the world therefore they will dress themselves in the garb and mode of Religion that others may write them down for Saints But alas what is one the better to have others commend him and his Conscience condemn him What good will it do a man when he is in Hell that others think he is gone to Heaven O beware of this Counterfeit piety is double iniquity 1. To have only a show of godliness is a God-enraging sin he who is a pretender to Saint-ship but his heart tells him he hath nothing but the Name he carries Christ in his Bible but not in his Heart some politick design spurs him on in the wayes of God he makes Religion a Lacquey to his carnal Interest What is this but to abuse God to his
with my Love Christ. The Bird desires to be out of the Cage though it be hung with Pearl Such is the love a gracious Soulbears to God that many waters cannot quench it he loves a frowning God Though I am out of sign and clean forgot Let me not love thee if I love thee not A godly man loves God though he be reduced to straits A Mother and her Childe of nine years old being ready to perish with hunger the Childe looking upon its Mother said Mother do you think God will starve us No Childe said the Mother he will not The Childe replied But if he do we must love him and serve him Use. Let us try our godliness by this Touch-stone Do we love God Is he our Treasure and Center Can we with David call God our Ioy yea our exceeding Ioy Psal. 43. 4. Do we delight in drawing nigh to him and come before him with singing Psal. 100. 2. Do we love him for his Beauty more than his Iewels Do we love him when he seems not to love us If this be sign of a godly man how few will be found in the number Where is the man whose heart is dilated in love to God Many court him but few love him People are for the most part eaten up with self-love they love their ease their worldly profit their lusts but they have not a drop of love to God Did they love God would they be so willing to be rid of him Iob 21. 14. They say to the Almighty depart from us Did they love God would they tear his Name by their Oaths Doth he love his Father who shoots him to the heart Though they worship God they do not love him they are like the Souldiers that bowed the knee to Christ and mocked him Mat. 27. 29. He whose heart is a grave in which the love of God is buried deserves to have that Curse written upon his Tomb-stone 1 Cor. 16. ult Let him be Anathema Maranatha A Soul void of Divine Love is a temper that best suits with damned spirits But I shall wave this and pass to the next SECT IV. 4. A godly man is like God he hath the same judgement with God he thinks of things as God doth he hath a God-like disposition he partakes of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. A godly man doth bear Gods Name and Image godliness is God-likeness 'T is one thing to profess God another thing to resemble him A godly man is like God in Holiness Holiness is the most orient Pearl of the King of Heavens Crown Exod. 15. 11. Glorious in Holiness Gods power makes him Mighty his mercy makes him lovely but his holiness makes him glorious The Holiness of God is the intrinsick purity of his Nature and his abhorrency of sin A godly man bears some kind of Analogy with God in this He hath the Holy Oil of Consecration upon him Psal. 106. 16. Aaron the Saint of the Lord. Holiness is the Badge and Livery of Christs people Isa. 63. 18. The people of thy Holiness The godly are as well an Holy as a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. Nor have they only a Frontispiece of holiness like the Egyptian Temples which were fair without but they are like Solomons Temple which had gold within they have written upon their heart Holiness to the Lord The holiness of the Saints consists in their conformity to Gods Will which is the rule and patern of all Holiness Holiness is a mans glory Aaron put on garments for glory and beauty Exod. 28. 2. So when a person is invested with the embroidered garment of Holiness it is for glory and beauty The goodness of a Christian lies in his Holiness as the goodness of the Air lies in the clearness of it the worth of gold in the pureness Quest. Wherein do the godly discover their holiness Answ. 1. In hating the garment spotted by the flesh Iude 3. The godly do set themselves against evil both in purpose and practise they are fearful of that which looks like sin 1 Thes. 5. 22. The appearance of evil may prejudice a weak Christian If it doth not defile a mans own Conscience it may offend his Brothers Conscience and to sin against him is to sin against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 12. A godly man will not go as far as he may least he go further than he should he will not swallow down all that others bribed with preferment may plead for 'T is easie to put a golden colour upon a rotten stuff 2. The godly discover their holiness in being Advocates for Holiness Psal. 119. 46. I will speak of thy Testimonies before Kings and will not be ashamed When Piety is calumniated in the world the Saints will stand up in the defence of it they will wipe off the dust of a reproach from the face of Religion Holiness defends the godly and they will defend Holiness it defends them from danger and they will defend it from disgrace Use 1. How can those be reputed godly who are unlike God they have nothing of God in them not one shread of holiness They call themselves Christians but blot out the word holiness you may as well call it day at midnight So impudent are some that they boast they are none of the holy ones Is it not the Spirit of Holiness which marks the sheep of Christ from the goats Eph. 1. 13. Ye were sealed or marked with the Holy Spirit And is it a matter for men to boast of that they have none of the Spirits ear-mark upon them Doth not the Apostle say that without holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Such as bless themselves in their unholiness had best go ring the Bells for joy that they shall never see God Others there are that hate holiness sin and holiness never meet but they fight holiness dischargeth its fire of zeal against sin and sin spits its venom of malice at holiness Many pretend to love Christ as a Saviour but hate him as he is the Holy One Act. 3. 14. Use 2. Let us labour to be like God in holiness 1. This is Gods great design he drives on in the world 't is the end of the Word preached the silver drops of the Sanctuary are to water the seed of grace and make a crop of holiness spring up What use is there of the Promises but to bribe us to holiness What are all Gods Providential Dispensations but to excite holiness As the Lord makes use of all the seasons of the year frost and heat to bring on the harvest so all prosperous and adverse providences are for the promoting the work of holiness in the soul. What is the end of the mission of the spirit but to make the heart holy When the ayr is unwholesome by reason of foggy vapours the wind is a fan to winnow and purifie the ayr so the blowing of Gods Spirit upon the heart is
shall not break my head David was glad of a reproof Suppose a man were in the mouth of a Lyon and another should shoot the Lyon and save the man would not he be thankful So when we are in the mouth of sin as of a Lyon and the Minister by a reproof shoots this sin to death shall not we be thankful A gracious soul rejoyceth when the sharp Lance of the word hath let out his Imposthume he wears a reproof as a Jewel on his ear Pro. 30. 12. As an ear-ring of gold so is a reprover on an obedient ear To conclude 't is convincing â—reachâ—ng must do the soul good a nipping reproof prepares for comfort as a nipping frost prepares for the sweet flowers of spring SECT X. 10. A godly man hath the Spirit of God residing in him 2 Tim. 1. 14. The Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us The Schoolmen move the question whether a man receive the Holy Ghost himself or no Montanus held that the godly have so Gods Spirit in them that they partake of his Essence and are become one person with himself but this amounts to no less than blasphemy then it would follow that every Saint were to be worshipped I conceive the spirit is in the godly per modum influxus they have the presence and receive the sacred influences of it When the Sun comes into a room not the body of the Sun is there but the beams that sparkle from it Indeed some Divines have thought that the godly have more than the influx of the spirit though to say how it is more is ineffable and is fitter for some Seraphique Pen to describe than mine The Spirit of God discovers its self in a gracious soul two wayes 1. By its motions These are some of that sweet perfume the spirit breaths upon the heart whereby it is raised into a kind of Angelical frame Quest. 1. But how may we know the motions of the Spirit from a delusion Answ. The motions of the Spirit are always consonant to the word the word is the Chariot wherein the Spirit of God rides which way the tyde of the word runs that way the wind of the spirit blows Quest. 2. How may the motions of the Spirit in the godly be distinguished from the impulses of a Natural Conscience Answ. 1. A Natural Conscience may provoke sometimes to the same thing that the spirit doth but not from the same principle Natural Conscience is a spuâ— to duty but it puts a man upon doing duties for fear of hell as the Gally tugs at the Oar for fear of being beaten whereas the spirit moves a Childe of God from a more Noble Principle it makes him serve God out of choice and esteem duty his priviledge 2. The impulses of a Natural Conscience put men only upon more facil duties of Religion wherein the heart is less exercised as perfunctory reading or praying but the motions of the spirit in the godly go further causing them to set upon the most irksome duties as self-reflection self-humbling yea perillous duties as confessing Christs Name in times of danger Divine motions are in the heart like new wine which will have vent When Gods Spirit possesseth a man it carries him full-sail through all difficulties 2. The Spirit discovers it self in the godly by its virtues These are various 1. Gods Spirit hath a teaching virtue the spirit teacheth convincingly Ioh. 16. 8. It doth so teach as it doth perswade 2. Gods Spirit hath a sanctifying virtue the heart naturally is polluted but when the spirit comes into it it works sin out and grace in The Spirit of God was represented by the Dove Embleme of Purity the spirit makes the heart a Temple for pureness and a Paradise for pleasantness The holy Oyl of Consecration was nothing else but a prefiguring of the spirit The spirit sanctifies a mans fancy causing it to mint holy meditations it sanctifies his will byassing it to good so that now it shall be as delightful to serve God as before it was to sin against him sweet powders perfume linnen so Gods Spirit in a man perfumes him with holiness and makes his heart a Map of Heaven 3. Gods Spirit hath a vivifying virtue 2 Cor. 3. 6. The Spirit giveth life As thâ— blowing in an Organ makes it sound so thâ— breathing of the spirit causeth life and moâ—on When the Prophet Elijah stretcheâ— himself upon the dead Childe it revived 1 Kin. 17. 22. so Gods Spirit stretching self upon the soul infuseth life into it As our life so our liveliness is from thâ— spirits operation Ezek. 3. 14. The Spirit lifted me up When the heart is bowed dowâ— and is listless to duty the Spirit of God lift it up it puts a sharp edge upon the affectionâ— it makes love ardent hope lively the spirâ—â— takes off the weights of the soul and gives wings Cant. 6. 12. Or ever I was aware 〈◊〉 Soul made me like the Chariots of Amminâ—â—i The wheels of the soul were before pulleâ— off and it did drive on heavily but wheâ— the spirit of the Almighty possesseth a maâ— now he runs swiftly in the ways of God anâ— his soul is as the Chariots of Amminadib 4. Gods Spirit hath a Jurisdictive virtue it rules and governs Gods Spirit sits paramount in the soul it gives check to thâ— violence of corruption it will not suffer man to be vain and loose as others The Spâ—rit of God will not be put out of office exerciseth its authority over the heart bringing every thought to the obedience of Chriâ—â— 2 Cor. 10. 5. 5. The spirit hath a mollifying virtue therefore it is compared to fire which softens the wax The spirit turns flint into flesh Ezek. 36. 26. I will give you an heart of flesh How shall this be effected Ver. 27. I will put my spirit within you While the heart is hard it lies like a log and is not wrought upon either with judgements or mercies but when Gods Spirit comes in it makes a mans heart as tender as his eye and now it is made yielding to Divine Impressions 6. The spirit of God hath a corroborating virtue it infuseth strength and assistance for work it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Power 2 Tim. 1. 7. Gods spirit carries a man above himself Eph. 3. 16. Strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man The spirit confirms faith animates courage it lifts at one end of the Cross and makes it lighter to be born The spirit gives not only a sufficiency of strength but a redundancy Quest. How shall we know whether we act in the strength of Gods Spirit or in the strength of our own abilities Answ. 1. When we do humbly cast our selves upon God for assistance as David going out against Goliah did cast himself upon God for help 1 Sam. 17. 45. I come to thee in the Name of the Lord. 2. When
take our Flesh nay that Christ â—hould take our Nature when it was in disgrace being stained with sin this was the wonder of humility Look upon an humble Saviour and let the plumes of Pride fall 2 Study Gods Immensity and Purity a sight of glory humbles Elijah wrap'd his face in a Mantle when Gods glory passed before him 1 King 19. 13. The Stars vanish when the Sun appears 3 Let us study our selves First our dark side by looking our faces in the glass of the Word we see our spots what a world of sin swarms in us We may say as Bernard Lord I am nothing but peccatum aut sterilitas either sinfulness or barrenness Secondly Our light side Is there any good in us 1 How disproportionable is it to the means of Grace we have enjoyed There is still something lacking in our Faith 1 Thess. 3. 10. O Christian be not proud of what thou hast but be humble for what thou wantest 2 The Grace we have is not of our owâ— growth We are beholding to Christ anâ— free Grace for it as he said of that Axâ— which fell in the water 2 King 6. 5. Alâ— master for it was borrowed So I may say 〈◊〉 all the good and excellency in us it is boâ—rowed Were it not folly to be proud of Ring that is lent 1 Cor. 4. 7. For 〈◊〉 maketh thee to differ from another and whâ— hast thou that thou didst not receive Thâ— Moon hath no cause to be proud of 〈◊〉 light when she borrows it from the Sun 3. How far short do we come of others perhaps other Christians are Gyants in Grace they are in Christ not only before us but above us We are but as the foot in Christs Body they are as the eye 4. Our beauty is spotted The Church is said to be fair as the Moon Cant. 6. 10. which when it shines brightest hath a dark spot in it Faith is mixed with infidelity a Christian hath that in his very grace may humble him 5. If we would be humble let us contemplate our mortality Shall dust exalt it self The thoughts of the grave should bury our pride They say when there is a Tympany in the body the hand of a dead man stroaking that part cures the Tympany The serious meditation of death is enough to cure the Tympany of Pride SECT XII 12. A godly man is a praying man This is in the Text Every one that is godly shall pray unto thee As soon as Grace is powred in prayer is powred out Psa. 109. 4. But I give my self to prayer in the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I prayer Prayer and I are all one Prayer is the Souls traffique with heaven God comes down to us by his Spirit and we go up to him by prayer Caligula placed his Effigies in the Capitol whispering in Iupiters ear prayer whispers in Gods ear A godly man cannot live without prayer A man cannot live unless he takes his breath not can the Soul unless it breathes forth its desires to God As soon as the Babe of Grace is born it cryes no sooner was Paul converted but behold he prayeth Act. 9. 11. No doubt he prayed before being a Pharisee but it was either superficially or superstitiously but when the work of Grace had passed upon his soul behold now he prays A godly man is every day upon the Mount of Prayer he begins the day with prayer before he opens his shop he opens his heart to God We use to burn sweet perfumes in our houses a godly mans house is domus aromatum an house of perfume he ayrs it with the incense of prayer he ingageth in no business without seeking God Scipio never entred into the Senate House but first he ascended the Capitol where he did his devotion A godly man consults with God in every thing he asks his leave and his blessing The Grecians asked counsel at their Oracles so doth a godly man enquire at the Divine Oracle Gen. 24. 12. 1 Sam. 23. 3 4. A true Saint continually shoots up his heart to heaven by sacred ejaculations Quest. Is Prayer a sign of a godly man may not an hypocrite pray eloquently and with seeming devotion Answ. He may Isa. 58. 2. they seek me daily but an hypocrite doth not pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the spirit Eph. 6. 18. A man may have the gift of prayer and not have the spirit of prayer Quest. How shall we know that we have the Spirit of Prayer Answ. When the prayer which we make is spiritual Quest. What is it to make a Spiritual Prayer Answ. 1. When we pray with knowledge under the Law Aaron was to light the Lamps when he burned the Incense upon the Altar Exod. 30. 7. Incense did typifie prayer and the lighting of the Lamps did typifie knowledge when the Incense of prayer burns the Lamp of knowledge must be lighted 1 Cor. 14. 15. I will pray with the understanding We must know the Majesty and Holiness of God that we may be deeply affected with reverence when we come before him we must put up such Petitions as are exactly adequate and agreeable to Gods will Eccles. 5. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth to utter any thing before God The Lord would not have the blind offered to him Mal. 1. 8. How can we pray with affection when we do not pray with judgement The Papists pray in an unknown tongue Christ may reply to them as he did to the Mother of Zebedees Children Mat. 20. 22. Ye ask ye know not what He that prays he knows not how shall be heard he knows not when 2. A spiritual prayer is when the heart and spirit pray there are not only words but desires 'T is excellent when a man can say Lord my heart prays 1 Sam. 1. 13. Hannah prayed in her heart The sound of a Trumpet comes from within and the excellent Musick of Prayer comes from within the heart if the heart doth not go along in duty it is speaking not praying 3. A spiritual Prayer is a fervent Prayer Iam. 5. 16. An effectual fervent prayer prevails much The heart like the Primum Mobile should carry the affections in a most zealous and rapid manner fervency is the wing of Prayer by which it ascends to heaven Prayer is expressed by sighs and groans Rom. 8. 26. It is not so much the gifts of the spirit as the groans of the spirit God likes Prayer is called a wrestling Gen. 32. 24. and a powring out of the Soul 1 Sam. 1. 15. Prayer is compared to Incense Psa. 141. 2. Incense without fire makes no sweet smell Prayer without fervency is like Incense without fire Christ prayed with strong cryes and tears Heb. 5. 7. crying Prayer prevails When the heart is inflamed in Prayer a Christian is carried as it were in a Fiery Chariot up to heaven 4. A Spiritual Prayer is such as
it 2. Patience in bearing This patience is twofold 1. Either in regard of man when we bear injuries without revenging Or 2. In regard of God when we bear his hand without repining A good man will not only do Gods will but bear his will Mica 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord. This patient bearing of Gods will is not 1. A Stoical Apathy Patience is not insensibleness under Gods hand we ought to be sensible 2. It is not patience upon force to bear a thing because we cannot help it which as Erasmus saith is rather necessity than patience But patience is a cheerful submission of our will to God Act. 21. 4. The will of the Lord be done A godly man doth acquiesce in what God doth as being not only good but best for him The great quarrel between God and us is whose will shall stand Now the Regenerate will falls in with the will of God â—here are four things opposite to this patient â—ame of soul. 1. Disquiet of spirit When the soul is discomposed and pulled off the hinges insomuch that it is unfit for holy duties when the strings of a Lute are snarled the Lute is not fit to make Musick so when a Christians spirit is perplexed and disturbed he cannot make melody in his heart to the Lord. 2. Discontent which is a sullen dogged humour When a man is not angry at his sins but at his condition this is different from patience Discontent is the daughter of pride 3. Prejudice which is a dislike of God and his ways and a falling off from Religion Sinners have hard thoughts of God and if he doth but touch them in a tender part they will presently be gone from him and throw off his Livery 4. Self-vindication when instead of being humbled under Gods hand a man justifies himself as if he had not deserved what he suffers A proud sinner stands upon his own defence and is ready to accuse God of unrighteousness which is as if we should tax the Sun with darkness this is far from patience A godly man subscribes to Gods wisdome and submits to his will he saith not only good is the Word of the Lord Isa. 3â—â—8 but good is the Rod of the Lord. Use. As we would demonstrate our selves godly let us be eminent in this grace of patience Eccles. 7. 8. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit There are some Graces which we shall have no need of in heaven we shall have no need of Faith when we have full Vision nor patience when we have perfect joy but in a dark sorrowful night there is need of these stars to shine Let us show our patience in bearing Gods will patience in bearing Gods will is two-fold 1. When God removes any comfort from us 2. When God imposeth any evil upon us 1. We must be patient when God removes any comfort from us Doth God take away any of our Relations Ezek. 24. 16. I will take away the desire of thine eyes with a stroak yet it is our duty patiently to acquiesce in the Will of God The loss of a dear Relation is like the pulling away a Limb from the body Homo toties moritur quoties amittit suos But grace will make our hearts calm and sedate and work us to an holy patience under such a severe dispensation I shall lay down eight considerations which may be as spiritual Physick to kill the worm of impatience under the loss of Relations 1. The Lord never takes away any comfort from his people but he gives them that which is better The Disciples parted with Christs corporal presence and he sent them the Holy Ghost God eclipseth one joy and augments another he doth but make an exchange he takes away a Flower and gives a Diamond 2. Godly friends dying are in a better condition they are taken away from the evil to come Isa. 57. 1. They are out of the storm and are gotten to the Haven Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. The godly have a portion promised them upon their marriage with Christ but the portion is not paid till the day of their death The Saints at death are preferred to Communion with God they have that they so long hoped for and prayed for why then should we be impatient at our friends preferment 3. Thou that art a Saint hast a friend in heaven which thou canst not lose The Jews have a saying at their Funerals Let thy consolation be in heaven Art thou a close Mourner look up to heaven and fetch comfort thence thy best kindred are above Psa 27. 10 When my Father and Mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up God will be with thee in the hour of death Psa. 23. 4. Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death thou art with me Other friends thou canst not keep God is a friend thou canst not lose he will be thy Guide in life thy Hope in death thy Reward after death 4 Perhaps God is correcting thee for a fault and it so it becomes thee to bee patient it may bee thy friend had more of thy love than God and therefore God did take away such a relation that the stream of thy love may run bak to him again A gracious woman having been deprived first of her Children then of her Husband Lord saith she thou hast a plot upon me thou intendest to have all my love God doth not like it to have any Creature set upon the throne of our affections hee will take away that comfort and then he shall lye nearest our heart If an Husband bestow a jewel upon his Wife and she doth so fall in love with that jewel as to forget her Husband hee will take away the jewel that her love may return to him again a dear relation is this jewel if we begin to idolize it God will take away the jewell that our love may return to him â—gain 5 A Godly Relation is parted with but not lost that is lost which wee are out of hope ever of seeing again religious friends are but gone a little before A time will shortly come when there shall bee a meeting without parting 1 Thes. 5. 10. How glad is one friend to see another that hath been long absent Oh what glorious acclamations shall there bee when old relations shall meet together in heaven and be in each others embraces when a great prince lands at the shore the guns go off in token of joy when godly friends shall be all landed at the heavenly shore and shall congratulate one anothers felicity what stupendious joy will there be what musick in the quire of Angels how will heaven ring of their praises and that which is the crown of all they who were here joyned in the flesh shall bee joyned nearer than ever in the mystical body and shall lye together in Christs bosome that bed of
perfume 6 Wee have deserved worse at Gods hands hath hee taken away a childe a wife a parent hee might have taken away his spirit hath he deprived us of a relation he might have deprived us of salvation doth he put wormwood in the cup we have deserved poyson Ezra 9. 13. Thou hast punishâ—d us less than our iniquities deserve wee have a sea of sin and but a drop of suffering 7 The patient soul doth most sweetly enjoy it self an impatient man is like a troubled sea that cannot rest he tortures himself upon the wrack of his own griefs and passions whereas patience calms the heart as Christ did the sea when it was rough and now there is a sabbath in the heart yea an heaven Luk. 21. 19. In your patience possess yee your souls By faith a man possesseth God and by patience hee possesseth himself 8 How patient have many of the Saints been when the Lord hath broken the very staff of their comfort in bereaâ—ing them of Relations The Lord took away Iobs children and he was so far from murmuring that he falls a blessing Iob 1. 21. The Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. God fore-told the death of Elies sons 1 Sam. 2. 34. In one day they shall dye both of them but how patiently did he take this sad news 1 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good See the difference between Eli and Pharoah Pharoah saith who is the Lord Eli saith it is the Lord When God struck two of Aarons sons dead Lev. 10. 〈◊〉 Aaron held his peace patience opens the ear but shuts the mouth it opens the ear to hear the Rod but shuts the mouth that it hath not a word to say against God Behold here the patterns of patiencâ— and shall not wee write after their fair Copies these are heart-quieting considerations when God sets a deaths-head upon our comforts and removes dear relations from us 2 We must be patient when God inflicts any evil upon us Rom. 12. 12. Patient in Tribulation 1 The Lord sometimes laies heavy affliction upon his people Psal. 38. 2. Thy hand lies sore upon me The Hebrew word for afflicted signifies to bee melted God seems to melt his people in a furnace 2 God doth sometimes lay divers afflictions on the Saints Iob 19. 17. Hee multiplieth my wounds as wee have divers waies of sinning so the Lord hath divers waies of afflicting some hee melts away their estates others hee chains to a sick bed others hee confines to a Prison God hath various arrows in his quiver which he shoots 3 Sometimes God lets the affliction lye long Psal. 74. 9. There is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long As it is with diseases there are some Chronical that linger and hang about the body several years together so it is with afflictions the Lord is pleased to exercise many of his precious ones with Chronical afflictions such as lye upon them a long time now in all these cases it becomes the Saints patiently to rest in the will of God the Greek word for patient is a metaphor alludes to one who stands invincibly under a burden This is the right notion of patience when we bear affliction invincibly without fainting or fretting The trial of a Pilot is seen in a storm so is the tryal of a Christian seen in affliction hee hath the right art of navigation who when the boistrous winds blow from heaven doth steer the ship of his soul wisely and not dash upon the â—rock of impatience a Christian should alwaies keep a decorum not behaving himself unseemly or disguising himself with intemperate passion when the hand of God lies upon him Patience adorns suffering affliction in Scripture is compared to a net Psa. 66. 11. Thou broughtest us into the net Such as have escaped the Devils net yet the Lord suffers them to bee taken in the net of affliction but they must not be as a wild Bull in a net Isa. 51. 20. to kick and fling against their maker but lye patiently till God break the net and makes away for their escape I shall propound four cogent Arguments to excite patience under those evils which God inflicts on us 1 Afflictions are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our benefit Heb. 12. 9. Hee for our profit wee pray that God would take such a course with us as may do our souls Good when God is afflicting us hee is hearing our prayers he doth it for our profit not that afflictions in themselves do profit us but as Gods Spirit works with them For as the waters of Bethesda could not give health of themselves unless the Angel descended and stirred the water Iohn 5. 4. So the waters of affliction are not in themselves healing till Gods Spirit co-operates and sanctifies them to us Afflictions are many ways profitable 1. They make men sober and wise Physitians appoint distracted persons to be bound in Chains and to be dieted and have hard fare to bring them to the use of reason Many run stark mad in prosperity they neither know God nor themselves the Lord therefore binds them with cords of affliction that he may bring them to their right understandings Iob 36. 8. If they be held in cords of affliction then he shews them their transgression he openeth also their ear to discipline 2 Afflictions are a friend to grace 1 They beget grace Beza acknowledged God laid the foundation of his Conversion in a violent sickness at Paris 2 They augment grace the people of God are beholding to their troubles they had never had so much grace if they had not met with such sore trials now the waters run and the spices flow forth The Saints thrive by affliction as the Lacedemonians grew rich by war God makes grace flourish most in the fall of the leaf 3 Afflictions quicken our pace in the way to heaven it is with us as with children sent on an errand if they meet with Apples or Flowers by the way they linger and make no great haste home but if any thing fright them then they run with all the speed they can to their fathers house so in prosperity we are gathering the Apples and Flowers and do not much minde heaven but if troubles begin to arise and the times grow frightful then we make more haste to heaven and with David run the way of Gods commandements Psa. 119. 32. 2 God intermixeth mercy with affliction hee steeps his-sword of justice in the oyl of mercy there was no night so dark but Israel had a Pillar of fire in it there is no condition so dismal but we may see a Pillar of fire to give light if the body be in pain conscience is in peace there is mercy affliction is for the prevention of sin there is mercy In the Ark there was a rod and a pot of Manna the Emblem
of a Christians condition mercy interlined with judgement here is the rod and Manna 3 Patience evidenceth much of God in the heart patience is one of Gods titles Rom. 15. 5. The God of patience thou that hast thy heart cast into this blessed mould it is a sign God hath imparted much of his own nature to thee thou shinest with some of his beams Impatience evidenceth much unsoundness of heart as it is in the body if the body bee of that temper that every little scratch of a pin makes the flesh to rancle you will say sure this mans flesh is very unsound so for every petty cross to flye out in impatience and quarrel with providence it is the sign of a distempered Christian if there be any grace in such an heart they must have good eyes that can see it but he who is of a patient spirit is a graduate in Religion and doth much participate of the divine nature 4 The end of affliction is glorious the Iews were captive in Babylon but what was the end they departed out of Babylon with vessels of silver with gold and precious things Ezra 1. 6. So what is the end of affliction it ends in endless glory Acts 14. 22. 2 Cor. 4. 17. how may this rock our impatient hearts quiet who would not willingly travel through a little dirty way and ploughed lands at the end whereof is a fair Meadow and in that Meadow a golden Mine Quest. How shall I get my heart tuned into a patient frame Answ. 1 Get faith all our impatience proceeds from unbelief faith is the breeder of patience when a storm of passion begins to arise faith saith to the heart as Christ to the Sea peace be still and there is presently a calm Quest. How doth faith work patience Answ. Faith argues the soul into patience faith is like that Town-Clark in Ephesus who allayed the contention of the multitude and argued them soberly into peace Act. 19. 35 36. So when impatience begins to clamour and make an hubbub in the soul faith appeaseth the tumult and argues the soul into holy patience Saith faith Why art thou disquieted O my Soul art thou afflicted is it not thy Father hath done it he is carving and pollishing thee and making thee fit for glory he smites that hee may save what is thy tryal is it sickness God shakes the Tree of thy body that some fruit may fall even the peaceable fruit of righteousness Heb. 12. 11. Art thou driven from thy habitation God hath prepared for thee a City Heb. 11. 16. Dost thou suffer reproach for Christs sake a spirit of God and glory rest upon thee 1 Pet. 4. 14. Thus faith argues and disputes the soul into patience 2 Pray to God for patience patience is a flower of Gods planting pray that it may grow in your heart and send forth its sweet perfume Prayer is an holy charm to charm down the evil spirit prayer composeth the heart and puts it in Tune when impatience hath broken the strings and put all into a confusion Oh go to God prayer delights Gods ear it melts his heart it opens his hand God cannot deny a praying soul seek to him with importunity and either he will remove the affliction or which is better he will remove thy impatience SECT XVII 17 A Godly man is a thankful man praise and thanksgiving is the work of heaven and he begins that work here which he shall bee alwaies doing in heaven The Iews have a saying the world subsists by three things the Law the worship of God and thankfulness as if where thankfulness were wanting one of the Pillars of the world were taken away and it were ready to fall The Hebrew word for praise comes from a radix that signifies to shoot up the Godly man sends up his praises as a volly of shot towards heaven David who was modelled after Gods heart how melodiously did he warble out Gods praises therefore was called the sweet singer of Israel 1 Sam. 23. 1. Take a Christian at the worst yet hee is thankful The Prophet Ionah who was homo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of a waspish spirit the sea did not so work with the tempest as Ionahs heart wrought with passion yet through this cloud you might see grace appear he had a thankful heart Ionah 2. 9. I will Sacrifice to thee with the voice of thanksgiving I will pay that which I have vowed For the clearer illustrating of this I shall lay down these four particulars 1 Praise and thanksgiving is a Saint-like work we finde in Scripture the godly are still called upon to praise God Psa. 135. 20. Ye that fear the Lord bless the Lord. Psa. 149. 5. Let the Saints bee joyful in glory let the high praises of God be in their mouth praise is a work proper to a Saint 1 None but the godly can praise God aright as all have not skill to play on the Lute so every one cannot sound forth the harmonious praises of God wicked men are bound to praise God but they are not fit to praise him none but a living Christian can tune Gods praise wicked men are dead in sin how can they lift up Gods praises that are dead Isa. 38. 19. The grave cannot praise thee A wicked man stains and eclipseth Gods praise if a foul hand work in Damask or flowred Sattin it will slur the beauty of it God will say to the sinner what hast thou to do to take my name into thy mouth Psa. 50. 16. 2 Praise is not comely for any but the godly Psa. 33. 1. Praise is comely for the righteous A prophane man stuck with Gods praises is like a dunghill stuck with flowers praise in the mouth of a sinner is like an Oracle in the mouth of a fool how uncomely is it for him to praise God whose whole life is a dishonouring of God it is as undecent for a wicked man to praise God as it is for an Usurer to talk of living by faith or for the Devil to quote Scripture the godly only are fit to be queristers in Gods praises 't is called the Garment of praise Isaiah 61. 3. this garment sits handsome only on a Saints back 2 Thanksgiving is a more noble part of Gods worship our wants may send us to prayer but it argues an heart highly ingenuous to bless God the Raven cries the Lark sings in petition we act like men in thanksgiving we act like Angels 3 Thanksgiving is a God-exalting work Psa. 50. 23. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me though nothing can adde the least cubit to Gods essential glory yet praise exalts him in the eyes of others praise is a setting forth of Gods honour a lifting up of his name a displaying the trophy of his goodness a proclaiming his excellency a spreading his renown a breaking open the box of oyntment whereby the sweet savour and perfume of Gods name is sent abroad
may attend upon the Lord without distraction Quest. But may not a godly man have roving thoughts in duty Answ. Yes sad experience sets seal to it the thoughts will bee dancing up and down in prayer the Saints are called Stars and many times in duty they are wandring stars The heart is like Quick-silver which will not fix 'T is hard to tye two good thoughts together we cannot lock our hearts so close but that distracting thoughts like winde will get in Hierom complains of himself sometimes saith he when I am about Gods service I am walking in the galleries or casting up of accounts But these wandring thoughts in the godly are not allowed Psa. 119. 113. I hate vain thoughts they come as unwelcome guests which are no sooner spied but are turned out of doors Quest. Whence do these impertinent thoughts arise in the godly Answ. 1 From the pravity of nature they are the mud which the hear casts up 2. From Satan the Devil if he cannot hinder us from duty â—hee will hinder us in duty when we come before the Lord he is at our right hand to resist us Zac. 3. 1. As when one is going to write another stands at his elbow and jogs him that he cannot write even Satan will set vain objects before the fancy to cause a diversion the Devil doth not oppose formality but fervency if he sees we set our selves in good earnest to seek God he will bee whispering things in our ears that wee can scarce minde what wee are doing 3 These impertinent thoughts arise from the world these vermine are bred out of the earth worldly business oft crouds into our duties and while we are speaking to God our hearts are talking with the world Ezek. 33. 31. They sit before me as my people but their heart goes after their covetousness While we are hearing the word or meditating one worldly business or other commonly knocks at the door and we are taken off the duty while we are in the duty 'T is with us as with Abraham when he was going to worship the fowles came down upon the sacrifice Gen. 15. 11. Quest. How may wee get rid of these wandring thoughts that we may be more spiritual in duty Answ. 1 Eye Gods purity hee is an holy God whom wee serve and cannot endure when wee are worshipping him that wee should converse with vanity Will a King like it that while his subject is speaking to him hee should bee playing with a feather will God endure light feathery hearts how devout and reverend are the Angels they cover their faces and cry Holy Holy 2 Think of the Grand importance of the duties we are engaged in as David said concerning his building an house for God 2 Chron. 29. 1. The work is great when wee are hearing the word the work is great this is the word by which we shall be judged when we are at prayer the work is great wee are pleading for the life of our souls and is this a time to trifle 3 Come with affection to duty the nature of love is to fix the minde upon the object he who is in love his thoughts are still upon the person he loves and nothing can take them off Hee that loves the world his thoughts are ever intent upon it were our hearts more fired with love they would be more fixed in duty and O! what cause have we to love duty is not this the direct road to heaven do we not meet with God here can the spouse be better than in her Husbands company where can the soul be better than in drawing nigh to God 4 Consider the mischief that these vain distracting thoughts do they fly-blow our duties they hinder fervency they shew high irreverence they tempt God to turn away his ear from us how do we think God should minde our prayers when we our selves scarce minde them 3 To do duties spiritually is to do them in faith Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain The holy oyle for the Tabernacle had several spices put into it Exod. 30. 34. Faith is the sweet spice which must be put into duty 'T is a wrong to God to doubt either of his Mercy or Truth a Christian may venture his soul upon the publick faith of heaven Use 1 How far are they out of the way of Godliness who are unspiritual in their worship who do not duties from a renewed principle and with the utmost intention of soul but meerly to stop the mouth of conscience many people look no farther than the bare doing of duties but never mind how they are done God doth not judge of our duties by the length but by the love when men put God off with the dreggish part of duty may not he say as Isa. 58. 5. Is it such a Fast that I have chosen Are these the duties I required I called for the heart and spirit and you bring nothing but the Carkass of Duty should I receive comfort in this Use 2. Let us show our selves godly by being more spiritual in duty 't is not the quantum but the quale 't is not how much we do but how well A Musitian is commended not for playing long but for playing well We must not only do what God appoints but as God appoints O how many are unspiritual in spiritual things they bring their services but not their hearts they give God the skin not the fat of the offering God is a Spirit Ioh. 4. 24. And it is the spirituality of duty he is best pleased with 1 Pet. 2. 5. Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God The spirits of the Wine are best so is the spiritual part of duty Eph. 5. 19. Making melody in your hearts to the Lord It is the heart makes the Musick the spiritualizing of duty gives life to it without this it is dead praying dead hearing and dead things are not pleasing a dead flower hath no beauty a dead breast hath no sweetness Quest. How may we do to perform duties in a spiritual manner Answ. 1. Let the Soul be kept a Virgin lust doth besot and dis-dis-spirit a man beware of any tincture of uncleanness Iam. 1. 21. Wood that is full of sap will not easily burn and an heart steeped in sin is not fit to burn in holy devotion Can he be spiritual in worship who feeds carnal lust Hos. 4. 11. Whoredome and wine and new wine take away the heart Any sin lived in takes away the heart such an one hath no heart to pray or meditate The more alive the heart is in sin the more it dies to duty 2. If we would be spiritual in duty let us revolve these two things in our mind 1. The profit which comes from a duty performed in a spiritual manner it infeebles Corruption it encreaseth Grace it defeats Satan it strengthens our Communion with God it breeds peace of Conscience it procures Answers of Mercy and it
idle person is the Devils Tennis-ball which he bandies up and down with temptation and at last the Ball falls into the Hazzard 4 A godly man sets bounds to himself in things lawful he abates in matters of recreation and diet hee takes only so much for the recruits of nature as may the better dispose him for Gods service Hierom lived abstemiously his diet was a few dried Figs and cold water And Austin in his Confessions saith thus Lord thou hast taught me to go to my meat as to a medicine If the snaffle of reason much more should the curbing-bit of grace check the appetite the life of a Sinner is bruitish the glutton feeds without fear Iude 2. and the drunkard drinks without reason Too much oyle choaks the Lamp whereas a lesser quantity makes it burn brighter a godly man holds the golden bridle of temperance and will not suffer his Table to be a snare 5 A godly man is careful about moral righteousness he makes conscience of equity as well as piety the Scripture hath linked both together Luk. 1. 75. That wee might serve him in righteousness and true holiness Holiness there is the first Table Righteousness there is the second Table Though a man may be morally righteous and not godly yet no man can be godly but hee must be morally righteous This moral righeousness is seen in our dealings with men a good man observes that golden maxim Mat. 7. 12. Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them There is a threefold injustice in matters of dealing 1 Using of false weights Hos. 12. 7. The ballances of deceit are in his hands men by making their weights lighter make their sin heavier Amos 5. 8. They make the Ephah small the Ephah was a measure they used in selling they made the Ephah small they gave but scant measure a godly man who takes the Bible in one hand dares not use false weights in the other 2 Imbasing a commodity Amos 8. 6. They sell the refuse of the wheat they would pick out the best grains of the wheat and sell the worst at the same price as they did the best Isa. 1. 22. Thy wine is mixed with water they did adulterate their wine yet make their customers beleeve it came from the pure grape 3 Taking a great deal more than the commodity is worth Lev. 25. 14. If thou sell ought to thy neighbour ye shall not oppress one another a godly man deals exactly but not exactingly he will sell so as to help himself but not damnifie another His motto is A conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Act. 23. 16. The Hypocrite separates these two which God hath joyned together Righteousness and Holiness he pretends to be pure but is not just This brings religion into contempt when men hang forth Christs colours yet will use fraudulent circumvention and under a mask of piety neglect morality a godly man makes conscience of the second Table as well as the first 6 A godly man will forgive them that have wronged him revenge is sweet to nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A gracious spirit passeth by affronts forgets injuries and counts it a greater victory to conquer an enemy by patience than by power This is truly heroical To overcome evil with good Though I would not trust an Enemy yet I would endeavour to love him though I would exclude him out of my Creed yet not out of my prayer Mat. 5. 4. Quest. But doth every godly man arrive at this to forgive yea love his Enemies Answ. He doth it in a Gospel-sense that is 1. Quoad assensum he subscribes to it in his judgement as a thing which ought to be done Rom. 7. 18. With my mind I serve the Law of God 2. Quoad dolorem A godly man mourns that he can love his Enemies no more Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am O this base canker'd heart of mine that have received so much mercy and can show so little I have had Talents forgiven me yet I can hardly forgive Pence 3. Quoad votum A godly man prays that God will give him an heart to love his Enemies Lord pluck this root of bitterness out of me perfume my soul with love make me a Dove without gall 4. Quoad conatum A godly man doth in the strength of Christ resolve and strive against all rancour and virulency of spirit This is in a Gospel-sense to love our Enemies a wicked man cannot do this his malice boils up to revenge 7. A godly man lays to heart the miseries of the Church Psal. 137. 1. We wept when we remembred Sion I have read of certain Trees whose leaves if cut or touched the other leaves begin to contract and shrink up themselves and for a space hang down their heads Such a spiritual sympathy is there among Christians when other parts of Gods Church suffer they feel themselves as it were touched in their own persons Ambrose reports that when Theodosius was sick unto death he was more troubled about the Church of God than about his own sickness When Aeneas would have saved Anchises his life saith he Absit ut excisa possim supervivere Troiâ Far be it from me that I should desire to live when Troy is buried in its ruines there are in Musick two Unisons if you strike one you shall perceive the other to stir as if it were affected When the Lord strikes others a godly heart is deeply affected Isa. 16. 11. My bowels shall sound like an Harp Though it be well with a Childe of God in his own particular he dwells in an house of Cedar yet he grieves to see it go ill with the publick Queen Esther enjoyed the Kings favour and all the delights of the Court yet when a bloudy Warrant was signed for the death of the Jews she mourns and fasts and ventures her own life to save theirs 8. A godly man is contented with his present condition if provisions grow low his heart is tempered to his condition Many saith Cato blame me because I want and I blame them because they cannot want A godly man puts a candid interpretation upon Providence when God brews him a bitter Cup this saith he is my diet-drink it is to purge me and do my soul good therefore he is well content 9. A godly man is fruitful in good works Titus 2. 7. The Hebrew word for godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies merciful implying that to be godly and charitable are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one and the same A good man feeds the hungry cloathes the naked he is ever merciful Psal. 37. 6. The more devout sort of the Jews at this day distribute the tenth part of their Estate to the poor and they have a Proverb among them give the tenth and you will grow rich The hypocrite is all for Faith
all by loosing all this the natural man will by no means put in his Creed 3 That a little Religion will serve the turn the life-less form may in policy be kept up but zeal is Frenzy the world thinks that religion to be best which like leaf-gold is spread very thin 4 That way is not good which is exposed to affliction a stick though it be straight yet under water it seems crooked So Religion if it be under affliction appears to a carnal eye crooked 5 That all a mans care should be for the present as that prophane Cardinal said he would leave his part in Paradise to keep his Cardinalship in Paris 6 That Sinning is better than Suffering 't is more discretion to keep the skin whole than the Conscience pure These are such Rules as the Crooked Serpent hath found out which whosoever walk by shall not know Peace 2 They walk after fleshly lusts they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turn Caterers for the flesh Rom. 13. 14. such an one was the Emperour Heliogabalus he so indulged the flesh that he never sate but among sweet flowers mixed with Amber and Musk he attired himself with Purple set with precious stones he burned in his Lamps instead of oyle a costly Balsome brought from Arabia very odoriferous he bathed himself in perfumed waters he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he put his body to no other use but to be a strainer for meat and drink to run thorow Thus Sinners walk after the flesh if a drunken or unclean lust call they gratifie it they brand all for cowards who dare not sin after the same rate as they do These instead of walking with God walk contrary to him Lust is the Compass they sail by Satan is their Pilot and Hell the Port they are bound for Use 2 Let us try whether we have this Character of the godly do we walk with God That may be known 1 By the way we walk in it is a private retired way wherein only some few holy ones walk therefore it is called a Path-way to distinguish it from the common road Pro. 12. 28. In the path-way thereof is no death 2 If we walk with God then we walk in the fear of God Gen. 5. 22. Enoch walked with God The Chalde Version renders it he walked in the fear of the Lord the godly are fearful of that which may displease God Gen. 39. 9. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God this is not a base servile fear but 1 A fear springing from affection Hos. 3. 5. a childe fears to offend his father out of the tender affection he bears to him This made holy Anselm say If Sin were on one side and Hell on the other I would rather leap into Hell than willingly offend my God 2 It is a fear joyned with affiance Heb. 11. 7. By faith Noah moved with fear Faith and fear go hand in hand when the soul looks upon Gods holiness he fears when he looks upon Gods promises he beleeves A godly man doth tremble yet trust fear preserves reverence faith preserves chearfulness fear keeps the soul from lightness faith keeps it from overmuch sadness By this we may know whether we walk with God if we walk in the fear of God we are fearful of infringing his Laws and forfeiting his love It is a brand set upon sinners Rom. 3. 18. They have not the fear of God before their eyes The godly fear and offend not Psa. 4. 4. the wicked offend and fear not Ierem. 5. 23 24. Loose and dissolute walking will soon estrange God from us and make him weary of our company 2 Cor. 6. 4. What communion hath light with darkness Use 2. Let me perswade all who would be accounted godly to get into Noahs walk Though the truth of grace be in the heart yet the beauty of it is seen in the walk 1. Walking with God is very pleasing to God He that walks with God declares to the world what is the company he loves most his fellowship is with the Father he counts those the sweetest hours which are spent with God this is very grateful and acceptable to God Gen. 5. 24. Enock walked with God And see how kindly God took this at Enocks hands Heb. 11. 4. He had this testimony that he pleased God 2. Close walking with God will be a good means to intice and allure others to walk with him The Apostle exhorts Wives to walk so that the Husbands might be won by the Conversation of the Wives 1 Pet. 3. 1. Iustin Martyr confessed he became a Christian by beholding the holy and innocent lives of the Primitive Saints 3. Close walking with God would put to silence the Adversaries of the Truth 1 Pet. 2. 15. A loose carriage puts a Sword into wicked mens hands to wound Religion What a sad thing is it when it shall be said of Professors they are as proud as coverous as unjust as others Will not this expose the ways of God to contempt But holy and close walking would stop the mouths of sinners that they should not be able to speak against Gods people without giving themselves the lye Satan came to Christ and found nothing in him Iohn 14. 30. What a confounding thing will it be to the wicked when they shall have nothing to fasten as a crime upon the godly but their holiness Dan. 6. 5. We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his God 4. Walking with God is a pleasant walk The ways of Wisdome are called Pleasantness Pro. 3. 17. Is not the light pleasant Psal. 89. 15. They shall walk O Lord in the light of thy countenance Walking with God is like walking among Beds of Spices which send forth a fragrant perfume This is it which brings peace Act. 9. 31. Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the joys of the Holy Ghost While we walk with God what sweet Musick doth the Bird of Conscience make in our breast Psal. 138. 5. They shall sing in the ways of the Lord. 5. Walking with God is honourable it is a credit for one of an inferiour rank to walk with a King What greater dignity can be put upon a mortal man than to converse with his Maker and to take a turn with God every day 6. Walking with God leads to rest Heb. 4. 9. There remains a rest for the people of God The Philosopher saith Motion tends to rest Indeed there is a motion which doth not tend to rest they who walk with their sins shall never have rest Re. 4. 8. They rest not day night But they that walk with God shal sit down in the Kingdom of God Luk. 13. 29. As a weary traveller when he comes home sits down and rests him Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in
our felicity And thus I have shown the Marks and Characters of a godly man If a person thus described be reputed a Phanatick then Abraham and Moses and David and Paul were Phanaticks which I think none will dare to affirm but Atheists CHAP. V. Containing two Conclusions COncerning the Characteristical signs afore-mentioned I shall lay down two Conclusions 1 These Characters are a Christians box of evidences for as an impenitent sinner hath the signs of reprobation upon him whereby as by so many spots and tokens he may know he shall dye so he who can shew these happy signs of a godly man may see the Symptomes of Salvation in his Soul and may know he is passed from death to life he is as sure to go to heaven as if he were in heaven already such a person is undoubtedly a member of Christ and if he should perish then something of Christ might perish These blessed Characters may comfort a Christian under all worldly dejections and Diabolical suggestions Satan tempts a Childe of God with this that he is an hypocrite and hath no title to the Land of promise a Christian may pull out these evidences and put the Devil to prove that ever any wicked man or hypocrite had such a fair Certificate to shew for heaven Satan may sooner prove himself a lyar than the Saint an hypocrite 2 He who hath one of these Characters in truth hath seminally all he who hath one link of a Chain hath the whole Chain Object But may a Childe of God say either I have not all these Characters or they are so weakly wrought in me that I cannot discern them Answ. To satisfie this scruple you must diligently observe the distinctions the Scripture gives of Christians it casts them into several classes and orders some are infantuli little children who are but newly laid to the breast of the Gospel others are adulti Young men who are grown up to more maturity of Grace others are patres Fathers who are ready to take their degree of Glory 1 Iohn 2. 12. 13 4. Now you who are but in the first rank or classis yet you may have the vitals of Godliness as well as those who have arrived at an higher stature in Christ the Scripture speaks of the Cedar and the bruised Reed the last of which is as true a Plant of the heavenly Paradise as the other so that the weakest ought not to be discouraged all have not these characters of godliness written in Text-Letters if they be but dimly stamped upon their souls God can read the work of his spirit there Though the seal be but weakly set upon the wax it ratifies the will and gives a real conveyance of an estate If there be found but some good thing towards the Lord as it was said of Abijah God will accept it CHAP. VI. Containing the first Vse Exhorting all to become Godly Use 1 FRom all that hath been said I would draw three great Uses First Such as are still in their natural estate who never yet did relish any sweetness in the things of God let me beseech them in the bowels of Christ that they would labour to get these Characters of the Godly engraven upon their hearts though godliness be the object of the worlds scorn and haâ—ed as in Tertullians daies the name of a Christian was a crime yet be not ashamed to espouse godliness know that persecuted godliness is better than prosperous wickedness what will all the world avail a man without godliness To be learned and ungodly is like a Devil transformed into an Angel of light to be beautiful and ungodly is like a fair picture hung in an infected room to be honourable in the world and ungodly is like an Ape in purple or like that Image which had an head of gold upon feet of clay 't is godliness that en-nobles and consecrates the heart making God and Angels fall in love with it Labour for the reality of godliness rest not in the common workings of Gods spirit think not that it is enough to be intelligent and discurive a man may discourse of Religion to the admiration of others yet not feel the sweetness of those things in his own Soul the Lute gives a melodious sound to others but is not at all sensible of the sound it self Iudas could make an elegant discourse of Christ but did not feel vertue from him Rest not in having your affections a little stirred an hypocrite may have affections of sorrow as Ahab affections of desire as Balaam these are sleight and flashy and do not amount to real godliness Oh I labour to be as the Kings daughter glorious within Psa. 45. 13. That I may perswade the sons of men to become godly I shall lay down some forcible Motives and Arguments and the Lord make them as nails fastened by his spirit 1 Let men seriously weigh their misery while they remain in a state of ungodliness which may make them hasten out of this Sodome the misery of ungodly men appears in nine particulars 1 They are in a state of death Eph. 2. 1. dead in Trespasses dead they must needs be who are cut off from Christ the principle of life for as the body without the soul is dead so is the soul without Christ. This spiritual death is visible in the effect it bereaves men of their senses sinners have no sense of God in them Ephe. 4. 19. who being without feeling all their moral endowments are but strewing flowers upon a dead corpse and what is hell but a sepulchre to bury the dead in 2 Their offerings are polluted not only the Ploughing but the praying of the wicked is sin Prov. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord If the water be foul in the well it cannot be clean in the bucket if the heart be full of sin the duties cannot be pure In what a strait is every ungodly person if he doth not come to the Ordinance he is a contemner of it if he doth come hee is a defiler of it 3. Such as live and die ungodly have no right to the Covenant of Grace Eph. 2. 12. At that time ye were without Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strangers from the Covenants of Promise And to be without Covenant is to be like one in the old World without an Ark. The Covenant is the Gospel-Charter which is enriched with many glorious priviledges but who may plead the benefit of this Covenant Surely only such whose hearts are in-laid with grace Read the Charter Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart will I give you and I will put my spirit within you Then it follows ver 28. I will be your God A person dying in his ungodliness hath no more to do with the New Covenant than a Ploughman hath to do with the priviledges of a Corporation Gods Writing is always before his Seal 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ye are
a steeping in Christs blood and breathe holiness into your heart O what cause have you to write your selves eternal debtors to free grace Hee denies God to be the Authour of his Grace who doth not give him the praise of it O acknowledge the love of God admire distinguishing mercy set the Crown of your praise upon the head of free grace If wee are to bee thankful for the fruits of the earth much more for â—he fruits of the Spirit it is well there is an eternity coming when the Saints shall triumph in God and make his praise glorious 3 Let me speak to the godly by way of Comfort you that have but the least dram of godliness in sincerity let me give you two rich Consolations 1 That Jesus Christ will not discourage the weakest Grace but will cherish and preserve it to Eternity Grace which is but newly budded shall by the beams of the Sun of Righteousness bee concocted and ripened into Glory This I shall speak more fully to in the next CHAP. XI Showing that the least degree of Godliness shall bee preserved Mat. 12. 20. A bruised Reed shall hee not break and smoking flax shall hee not quench till hee send forth Iudgement unto Victory THis Text is spoken Prophetically of Christ hee will not insult over the infirmities of his people hee will not crush Grace in the infancy A bruised Reed shall he not break and smoking flax shall be not quench I begin with the first the bruised Reed Quest. What is to bee understood here by a Reed Answ. It is not to bee taken litterally but mystically It is a Rational Reed the Spiritual part of man the Soul which may well bee compared to a Reed because it is subject to imbecility and shaking in this life till it grow up unto a firm Cedar in Heaven Quest. What is meant by a bruised Reed Answ. It is a soul humbled and bruised in the sense of sin it weeps but doth not despair it is tossed upon the waves of fear yet not without the Anchor of Hope Quest. What is meant by Christs not breaking this reed Answ. The sense is Christ will not discourage any mournful spirit who is in the pangs of the New-birth If the bruise of sin be felt it shall not be mortal A bruised reed shall he not break In the words there is a Miâ—oâ—â—s he will not break that is he will bind up the bruised reed he will comfort it The result of the whole is to show Christs compassion to a poor dejected sinner that smites upon his breast and dares hardly lift up his eye for mercy the bowels of the Lord Jesus yern towards him this bruised reed he will not break In the Text there are two parts 1. A Supposition a soul penitentially bruised 2. A Proposition it shall not be broken Doct. The bruised soul shall not be broken Psal. 147. 3. He bindeth up their wounds For this end Christ received both his Mission and Unction that he might bind up the bruised soul Isa. 61. 1. The Lord hath anointed me to bind up the broken-hearted But why will not Christ break a bruised reed 1. Out of the sweetness of his Nature Iam. 5. 11. the Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very pitiful he begets bowels in other creatures therefore is called the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1. 3. and surely he himself is not without bowels when a poor soul is afflicted in spirit God will not exercise harshness towards it lest he should be thought to put off his own tender disposition Hence it is the Lord hath been ever most solicitous for his bruised ones as the Mother is most careful of her Children that are weak and sickly Isa. 40. 11. He shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in hiâ— bosome Such as have been spiritually bruised who like Lambs are weakly and tender Christ will carry them in the arms of free-grace 2 Jesus Christ will not break the bruised reed because a contrite heart is his sacrifice Psa. 51. 17. A bruised spirit sends forth tears which are as precious wine Psa. 56. 8. A bruised soul is big with holy desires yea is sick of love therefore if a bruised reed hath such virtue in it Christ will not break it no Spices when they are bruised are so fragant to us as a contrite spirit is to God 3 The bruised reed shall not be broken because it doth so nearly resemble Christ Jesus Christ was once bruised on the cross Isa. 53. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him his hands and feet were bruised with the nails his side was bruised with the Spear A bruised reed resembles a bruised Saviour nay a bruised reed is a member of Christ which though it be weak Christ will not cut off but cherish so much the more 1. Will not Christ break the bruised reed this tacitly implies he will break unbruised reeds such as were never touched with trouble of spirit but live and die in impenitency these are hard reeds or rather rocks Christ will not break a bruised reed but he will break an hard reed Many know not what it is to be bruised reeds they are bruised outwardly by affliction but they are not bruised for sin they never knew what the pangs of the New birth meant You shall hear some thank God they were always quiet they never had any anxiety of spirit these bless God for the greatest Curse Such as are not bruised penitentially shall be broken judicially they whose hearts would not break for sin shall break with despair in hell there is nothing to be seen but an heâ—p of stones and an hammer an heap of stones that is hard hearts and an hammer that is Gods Power and Justice breaking them in pieces 2. Will not Christ break a bruised reed See then the gracious disposition of Jesus Christ he is full of clemency and sympathy though he may bruise the soul for sin he will not break it The Chyrurgion may lance the body and make it bleed but he will bind up the wound as Christ hath beams of Majesty so bowels of mercy Christ gives the Lyon in his Scutchion and the Lamb the Lyon in respect of his fierceness to the wicked Psal. 50. 22. And the Lamb in respect of his mildness to his people his name is Iesus a Saviour and his office is an healer Mal. 4. 2. Christ made a plaister of his own bloud to heal a broken heart Christ is the quintessence of love One saith if the sweetness of all flowers were in one flower how sweet would that flower be How full of Mercy is Christ in whom all mercy meets Christ hath a skilful hand and a tender heart He will not break a bruised reed Some are so full of Ostracisme and cruelty as to add affliction to affliction which is to lay more weight upon a dying man but our Lord Jesus is a compassionate
quench much light God doth not thus for a great deal of smoak he will not quench a little light he sees the sincerity and over-looks many infirmities the least sparks of grace he cherisheth and blows them gently with the breath of his spirit till they break forth into a flame 2 If Christ will not quench the smoaking flax then we must not quench the smoaking flax in our selves if grace doth not increase into so great a flame as we see in others therefore to conclude we have no fire of the spirit in us this is to quench the smoaking flax and to bear false witness against our selves as we must not credit a false evidence so neither must we deny a true fire may be hid in the embers so may grace be hid under many distempers of soul some Christians are so skilful at this in accusing themselves for want of grace as if they had received a fee from Satan to plead for him against themselves This is a great mistake to argue from the weakness of grace to the nullity it is one thing to be wanting in faith and another thing to want faith he whose eye-sight is dim is wanting in his sight but he doth not want sight a little grace is grace though it be smothered under much corruption 3 If the least spark of grace shall not bee quenched then this follows as a great truth that there is no falling from grace if the least dram of grace should perish then the smoaking flax should be quenched grace may be shaken by fears and doubtings but not blown up by the roots I grant seeming grace may be lost this wilde-fire may be blown out but not the fire of the Spirits kindling Grace may be dormant in the soul but not dead as a man in an Appoplexy doth not put forth vital operations Grace may be eclipsed not extinct a Christian may lose his comfort like a tree in Autumn that hath shed its fruit but still there is sap in the vine and the seed of God remains 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Grace is a flower of eternity This smoaking flax cannot be quenched by affliction but like those trees Pliny writes of growing in the red Sea which being beaten upon by the waves stand immoovable and though they are sometimes covered with water flourish the more grace is like a true orient Diamond that sparkles and cannot be broken I confesse it is matter of wonder that grace should not be wholly annihilated especially if we consider two things 1 The malice of Satan he is a malignant spirit and laies bars in our way to heaven the Devil with the wind of temptation labours to blow out the spark of grace in our hearts if this will not do he stirs up wicked men and raiseth the Militia of Hell against us what a wonder is it that this bright Star of grace should not be swept down with the tail of the Dragon 2 It is an amazing thing that grace should subsist if we consider the world of corruption in our hearts sin makes the major part in a Christian there is in the best heart more dregs than spirits The heart swarms with sin what a deal of pride and Atheism is in the soul now is it not admirable that this Lilly of grace should be able to grow among so many thorns it is as great a wonder that a little grace should be preserved in the midst of so much corruption as to see a Taper burning in the Sea and not extinguished But though grace lives with so much difficulty as the infant that struggles for breath yet being born of God it is immortal grace conflicting with corruption is like a Ship tossed and beaten with the waves yet it weathers out the storm and at last gets to the desired Haven If grace should expire how could this Text be verified The smoaking flax he will not quench Quest. But whence is it that grace even the least degree of it should not be quenched Answ. It is from the mighty operation of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God who is origo originans doth continually excite and quicken grace in the heart He is every day at work in a believer he powres in oyl and keeps the Lamp of Grace burning Grace is compared to a river of life Ioh. 7. 38. The river of grace can never be driâ—d up for the Spirit of God is the Spring which feeds it Now that the smoaking flax cannot be quenched is evident from the Covenant of Grace Isa. 54. 10. The Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but the Covenant of my peace shall not be removed saith the Lord. If there be falling from grace how is it an immoveable Covenant If grace die and the smoaking flax be quenched wherein is our state in Christ better than it was in Adam The Covenant of Grace is called A better Covenant Heb. 7. 22. How is it a better Covenant than that which was made with Adam Not only because it hath a better Surety and contains better priviledges but because it hath better conditions annexed to it It is ordered in all things and sure 2 Sam. 23. 5. Such as are taken into the Covenant shall be as stars fixed in their Orb and shall never fall away If grace might die and be quenched then it were not a better Covenant Object But we are bid not to quench the spirit 1 Thes. 5. 19. which implies that the grace of the Spirit may be lost and the smoaking flax quenched Answ. We must distinguish between the common work of the spirit and the sanctifying work the one may be quenched but not the other The common work of the spirit is like a picture drawn upon the yce which is soon defaced The sanctifying work is like a Statute carved in gold which endures The gifts of the spirit may be quenched but not the grace there is the enlightning of the spirit and the anointing the enlightning of the spirit may fail but the anointing of the spirit abides 1 Ioh. 2. 27. The anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you The hypocrites blaze goes out the true believers spark lives and flourisheth thâ—â— one is the light of a Comet which wastes and evaporates the other is the light of a star which retains its lustre From all that hath been said let a Saint of the Lord be perswaded to these two things 1. To believe his priviledge 2. To pursue his duty 1. To believe his priviledge This is the incomparable and unparallel'd happiness of a Saint that his coal shall not be quenched That grace in his soul which is minute atâ— languid shall not give up the Ghost but recover its strength and encrease with the encrease of God The Lord will make the smoaking flax a burning lamp It were very sad that a Christian should be continually upon the Tropicks one day a member of Christ and the next day a limb of Satan one day to have