passionately desirous of them or of some of them at other times me think I find too much of an indifferent Spirit in this point I even force my self sometimes tâ— my duty at other times I can attend them but I do not find such a desire to them as 〈◊〉 would do but could almost be content to live without themâ— What shall I judge of my self iâ— this case To this case which is complex containing the cases of different souls I shall speak in some few Conclusions following A Real Spiritual vehement thirst after God in Divine Institutions 1. Concl. will I think unquestionably speak a true Christian I say a true thirst not pretended and feigned a spiritual thirst after the pure divine substantial part of the Institution separated from the less significant circumstances of the administration after God in the Ordinance when the enjoyment of the presence of God and communion with him is made the ultimate object and Ordinances are desired for that This thirst I say will argue one to have tasted of the grace of God For 1. We find no record in Scripture of any such thirst but in truly honest and gracious souls 2. Whence can such a thirst proceed but from the new nature making choice of its spiritual food Those that walk after the flesh mind the things of the flesh Those after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit Rom. 8.5 In Ordinances the carnal man can mind nothing but the carnal part he is more pleased with the noise of the Musick than the matter of the Song with the tone and method and behaviour and phrase and wit of the Preacher than the spiritual convincing matter of the Sermon more with the tone and language of him that prayeth or ministreth in prayer than with the pouring out of the soul in prayer it argues a spiritual man in duties to mind the things of the Spirit In them 3. Again A Christian is not to be judged from his success in duty nor from his action but from his affection and temper to it The success is from God and is various as it pleaseth him to deal with a poor soul In his action he may be hindered of his will by the incumbrance of the body of death which cleaveth to the best of Gods children and bringeth the Law of his mind in captivity to the Law of his members So that were a Christian before me that could say no more than this My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Ordinances of God I cannot say that when I enjoy them I find so much in them of peace or satisfaction as I desire but yet my heart beateth for them I could be content to be a dweller in the House of the Lord alwayes hearing his word alwayes at prayer yet I cannot hear as I would nor pray as I desire I should not doubt to say Be of good chear thy soul is in a good condition Flesh and blood hath never revealed this to thee this thirst this passionate desire cometh from him that hath called thee to be partaker of his distinguishing grace There is no such thirst found in any unrenewed soul Secondly As it is with the natural body the appetite may decay 2. Concl. but the body cannot long subsist without some appetite so it is with the soul there may be some decay in the spiritual appetite but the soul that hath a truth of spiritual life cannot long subsist without some spiritual appetite to Divine Institutions I say there may in a gracious soul be some thatement of spiritual appetite to Divine Institutions which may be caused 1. From a plenty of them through our natural corruption when we are full we wax wanton when the Israelites had a fulness of Manna Nu. 21.5 Num. 21 5â— They cryed out Our soul loatheth this light bread 1 Sa. 3.1 1 Sam. 3.1 The word of God was precious in those dayes there was no open vision intimating it was less precious when it was more common We have seen sad experiences of it Have you seen persons delicately sed with plenty of choicest meats pingle at a good and wholsom dish before them scarce knowing where to pick a bit to please them or how to advantage their stomach with Sauce rare enough and turning it away when there hath been but a little error of a Cook in roasting or garnishing it oâ— in the cleaness or brightness of a dish it hath been served up in When an hungry labouring man hath presently sell greedily to it though without any Sauce and in a plain dish Such a sight you might lately have seen in the House of God amongst us how nice and squeamish were Christians how little cared they for an honest Sermon if not delivered with such a grace such an authority and gravity as was the gift of God to some particular persons with such neatness of method and â—hrase as was not the portion of every faithful Minister to serve them with This proceeded only from our corruptions in regard of our plenty of spiritual enjoyments 2. Secondly Such an abatement of spiritual appetite may proceed from the preâ—â—minancy of some particular lusts or corruptions It is no wonder if the young man that eateth coals and dirt or the man whose stomach is clogged with crudities and noxious humours abates in his appetite to his due food A child of God though he doth not seed 〈◊〉 coals and dirt lusts and corruptions â—s his daily bread as natural and unregenerate men do yet he may sometimes have a vitiated pallat a stranger â—ay come even to Davids house there may be a time when iniquities may â—â—â—ail against him when the Sons of lerviah may be too hard for him and 〈◊〉 such a day there will be an abatement of the spiritual appetite to its â—oper food 3. Sometimes this abatement may be caused from some discouragement which the soul hath received at the Ordinance It may and it often doth so happen that the soul of a Christian findeth not that satisfaction at Sermons at Sacraments in hours of prayer which he expected and hoped for but it may be he returneth from the Ordinance more sad than he went and this from day to day and this discouragement abateth his appeâ—ite he hungers he thirsteth still but not with such a degree as he formerly found under better encouragements 4. Lastly It sometimes happeneth by his listening to some powerful Temptation A melancholick fancy or an ill report of our food from others will often spoil our natural stomack and at least abate our appetite We see it often in melancholick persons either some odd fancy of their own or some idle story of another persuading them the meat is not proper for them will take them of their stomach the same unhappy humour will do it as to our spiritual food especially if advantaged by any suggestion of the Envious One who knows our advantage from the institutions of God Upon those accounts
best of souls are growing but â—â—ver come to their full growth Now the â—â—titutions of God are the souls food and â—â—ment in order to this growth The mark which is set in a Christians eye is The fulness of the measure of stature which is in Christ Perfection Being holy as Christ is holy perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect These are high marks every good Christian levels at them none hits them St. Paul himself had not attained but this one thing he did forgetting what was behind he pressed on to what was before A good Christian never standeth still but is always moving adding to his faith vertue to vertue temperance c. Growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ Going on from strength to strength Now the institutions of God are the means of growth they are the souls food and nourishment 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born habes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby Psal 119.130 The entramâ— of thy word giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple They make wise the simple enlighten the eyes By them the servants of God are warned c. As well then can a growing child not hunger and thirst after food the propâ—â— nourishment of its body as soon mâ— a man not hunger and thirst for his mâ—â— and drink by which his soul is keptâ—â— life as a Christian not hunger and thirâ—â— after the institutions of God by which he groweth and by which he is preserved in his spiritual state 2. Though the weakest of Gods childrâ— be in a better state than the best unregâ—â— rate man yet none of their souls are in persect health Now the Ordinances of God are their spiritual physick The child of God while he lives on this side heaven is like a man or woman that hath a weak crazy constitution he is not always alike ill disposed nor always complains of the same distempers but 't is seldom that he is not complaining of one distemper or other One while of an hard heart another while of an heavy â—ull and dead spirit one while of a sad and dejected spirit another while of a diâ—racted vain spirit c. some ailment or other he always carries about with him and will do while his body of death abides in him the fountain of all spiritual diseases One while he is buffeted by â—â—atan another while he is pressed with â—s own corruptions Now the Ordiâ—â—nces of God are the leaves of the tree of life appointed for the healing of the Nations David was sadly distempered with a temptation from the prosperity of the wicked while he was in adverfity till he went into the sanctuary Psal 73.13 Hannab was of a troubled spirit till she went into the tabernacle to pray then her countenance was no more sad Psal 119.81 My soul fainteth for thee but I hope in thy word verse 50. And so in many other Texts As soon therefore may one labouring under daily pain weakness and distempers not desire deliberately what shall heal him as the child of God noâ— thirst after the institutions of God which are All-heal to his soul The greâ—â— and easie means for his spiritual cure Thirdly The gracious soul is alway looking after God but never in this liffully seeth him Gods institutions are aâ— glasses to the soul by which it hath a cleareâ— and fuller sight of God The power and glory of God are seen in the Sanctuary Psal 63.3 Next to the beholding oâ— God face to face it this beholding of him in duties of communion with him Oâ— what a communion with God doth the soul of a godly person oft-times enjoy in a Prayer in a Sacrament in the hearing of the Word and every sighted God is exceeding sweet Thus I have opened to you the second thing which is the cause of this singular spirituâ— thirst 3. A third is The Saints experiences God in Or dinances There is no gracious soul but at one time or other in Prayer in hearing the Word in receiving the Sacrament hath tasted and seen how good the Lord is Now it is of our nature having tasted that which we have found good and excellent the more to long for it But I shall adde no more to the Doctrinal part of this discourse I shall now come to the Application In the first place we may learn what to judge of those 1. Vse In truct who either despise Gods institutions or at least are very indifferent to them 1. There are too too many that despise them they mock at Preaching at Sacraments at Prayer they like a Play better or see no need of them at all some out of a principle of profaneness fordid souls that savour nothing of heaven and heavenly things nothing of that noble end for which man is created or to which he is obliged to direct his actions whether they have souls or no they scarce understand or if they have whether they differ from the sensitive souls of Dogs or Swines they consider not What the natural and animal life means they understand but what the spiritual life meaneth they understand not The drunkard thirsts after his cups of wine or other liquor the voluptuous man after his pleasures the covetous man after wealth but for those holy institutions of God which are pabulum animae those precious things by which mens souls live they understand them not they trample them under foot and it may be rend them who bring them to them Others there are that are not altogether thus bad but yet are very indifferent as to these things they can hear a Sermon and they can let it alone whether ever they be at one or no whether ever they sit at the Lords Table or no whether ever they pray or no they are very mdifferent O how unlike is the spirit of these men to the spirit of holy David What would you say to a child that should be born and never cry for food would not you sit it had nothing in it of humane nature or that it would not live longâ— You may as certainly conclude conceming such souls as these that they have nothing in them of the Divine Nature and they do not live at all the life of grace nor ever will live the life of glory There is no sadder sign either of a dead soul dead while it lives dead in trespasses and sins or of a decaying perishing soul than the want of this spiritual appetite this hungring and thirsting after the institutions of God Hence secondly observe 2. Br. How necessarily precious the true able faithful Ministers of the Gospel must be to gracious souls They are the earthen vessels which bring this heavenly treasure It was said of old Blessed is he that comes unto us in the name of the Lord. And Rom. 10.15 Rom. 10.15 How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of peace The Ordinance of the Ministry in this hath the preheminence of other
amongst others I say it is possible that the appetite of a good Christian may abate or seem to abate as to his proper spiritual food but a soul that truly lives the spiritual life cannot long want an appetite any more than a body can long live without appetite to meat Thirdly It is very possible that a jeaâ—â—s Christian may mis-judge himself as to his spiritual thirst 3. Concl. and this 1. Either â—â—dging he hath none when he either hath not so much as he desireth or not so much as he hath formerly had or not so much to one Divine Institution as to another 1. When he hath not so much as he desireth The truly gracious soul is exceeding covetous as soon may the â—â—ave or the barren womb or any of those things Solomon mentions as insatiable be satisfied as the gracious soul â—â—y I have enough of any gracious disposition now this a great error to conclude a total want of the thing from a partial want only relating to a degree Besides a gracious soul is naturally exceeding jealous and suspicious jealous of Christs love to it suspicious of its own love to Christ and this indeed makes it take advantage to mis-judge it self from the want of a desired degree of grace 2. Secondly When it doth not find such a vehement thirst as it hath formerly had either in the beginning of its Conversion or it may be at some particular times since though a gracious soul never wants an appetite to the institutions of Christ yet there are times when its appetite is greater and thirst stronger and more vehement as First 1. In the beginning of its Conversion When the soul hath received the first powerful impressions of the word upon its conscience and is first raised to a lively hope in the promise Oh how sweet then is every opportunity of hearing prayer c. It is the observation of Divines that in this time affections are alwayes strongest passion for God alwayes highest the reason iâ— because the souls taste is then most imperfect its sense of mercy quickest The Woman loves her Husband as well afterward as upon her first marriage but not so passionately afterwards as at first 2. After some restraint from those enjoyments whether from natural or moral causes God in the Prophecy of Amos threatens a famine of hearing the word of the Lord. Then saith he they shall run from City to City to seek one who shall speak to them in the name of the Lord. 3. In the beginning of some spiritual desertion Cant. 3.2 at this time the Spouse rose and went about the City in the streets and in the broad wayes seeking him whom her soul loved I say in the beginning for many times in the process of a desertion temptations arise upon the soul from the discouragements which it meets with in performance of spiritual duties Now it is an erroneous judgement to determine that we have no spiritual hunger and thirst because we have it not in so great a degree 3. Thirdly A soul may be afraid oâ— at least not so fond of an Ordinance after discouragements met with in it and yet may have a true thirst to it A man eats and is continually sick after hâ—â— meat it will make him not to be so fond of his meat yet he may have mind enough to it he sits down with a kind of fear to his meat yet he hath an appetite to it 4. Fourthly A temptation may prevail upon a soul That he shall dishâ—â—nour God or encrease his own damnation by waiting upon God in such or such an Ordinance this makes him he dare not do it yet his appetite to it may be good enough It is very possible 4. Concl. that a Christian may have a more singular special appetite to one Ordinance than another There is no reason for this in the Ordinance All Ordinances have the same stamp of Divine Institution upon them an attendance upon them all falling under the same Authority of Divine Precept all of them being under a like Ordination for the beginnings or perfectings of grace yet there is a reason for this in our self-love which enclineth every one most to desire and delight in those institutions in which he hath â—et with more sensible manifestations 〈◊〉 the presence power and goodness of â—od hence you shall find some Chriâ—â—â—rs more delighted in prayer others â—â—re in hearing the word Though 〈◊〉 fault of this be the corruption of â—r hearts yet it is no more than is the ordinary weakness and infirmity of the 〈◊〉 precious souls and therefore a Christian finding this hath no reason â—o mis-judge himself as totally wanting â—is spiritual appetite The want of appetite to any institution 〈◊〉 Christ 5. Concl. is what no gracious soul ought â—â—llow himself in I told you before â—t they all have the Image and Superâ—â—â—ption of the Lord Jesus Christ upon 〈◊〉 They all fall under an equal â—â—â—ority of Divine Precept Then 〈◊〉 saith holy David shall I not be ashaâ—ed when I shall have respect to all thy â—â—mmandments They are all as I â—â—d before under an ordination for our 〈◊〉 advantage and are the proper â—â—d of Christians and there can be no reason assigned for a partial respect to any institution of Christs but some selfishness in us If therefore this be thy temper Christian that thou an enamoured and exceeding fond upon one Ordinance of another not so Look upon it as thy infirmity not condemning thy self for it as one not at aâ— thirsting after God in his institutions but as what thou oughtest not to allow thy self in but to groan under to search the cause of it and not to leave thy soul until thou hast brought it in to a more even temper Lastly 6. Concl. As a total want of this spiritual thirst after Divine Institutions unquestionably speaketh a dead soul one that hath nothing of the life of grace but is dead in trespasses and sins still anâ— never tasted how good the Lord iâ— so a faint decaying appetite to them argue a declining and a decaying soul Let 〈◊〉 be upon what principle it will whether of loosness not being able to beâ—â— the strict yoke of Christ and to keeâ— thy self so close to duties Or froâ— a dream of a state of perfection anâ— a life of God above Ordinances The reason is plainly here There is no such thing as absolute perfection here Ordinances are the souls food and while a soul lives on this side of Heaven it cannot better live without them than the natural body can live without water Observe I pray you 1. Spiritual life lyes in spiritual â—nion with Christ All life consists in â—nion the natural life in the union betwixt the soul and body Eternal life 〈◊〉 nothing else but an union with God in glory so spiritual life is nothing but the souls spiritual union with Christ 2. All Vnion is preserved by communion iâ— mutual communication the natural union
disowning or denying any of them 2. We are called to for a conversation close to the revealed will of God and conformable to that of Christ and to take heed of any loosness or remisness in the practice of holiness whether referring to our more religious homage to God in acts of Worship or to our more ordinary conversation in our behaviour towards men This is that abiding in Christ which I say is a duty of so high a concernment to Christians and that especially in evil times I shall First Evince it of general concernment to Christians Secondly I shall shew the special conconcernment of it in evil times First I say it is of general concernment to profession in all times This will appear to us if we consider it as an End as a Means or as a Condition or as an Evidence 1. As an End I mean as a duty of it self falling under a multitude of Divine Precepts Obedience to God in the great business of our lives In these two words Believe and Obey is summed up the whole duty of man Obedience is our duty to God as our Soveraign Lord should not the Servant obey his Master As the fountain of our Life and Motion and Preservation Should not the Child obey his Father though he be but in the hand of God a Second Cause of Being and Life and maintenance to him Obedience unto Christ is yet our further duty upon the account of redemption and manumission as he who hath bought us and that by no mean price out of the hand of our greatest Enemy and hath brought us into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God It is he that hath said to us Abide in me and again v. 10. Abide in my love I might multiply many Texts speaking though not in those words yet to that sense all those precepts that oblige to perseverance to a further progress and continuance in the wayes of God or that caution us against final or gradual Apostacy speak all to the same sense So as if it be any thing the concernment o◠Christians to fulfill the Will of their Lord who hath purchased them unto his service with his blood It is their concernment to abide in Christ 2. But Secondly Let us consider it as a means Many things which are not i◠themselves desirable are yet valuable with reference to their end Finis da◠amabilitatem mediis this is desirable a◠an end and as a means also I will open this in a few particulars 1. It is a necessary means in order to the Christians bringing forth fruit If he abides in Christ he shall bring forth fruit if he abideth not in him he shall not bring forth fruit You have both these Propositions from the mouth of him that could not lye and both brought us an argument to inforce this duty John 15.4 5. Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bring forth fruit except it abide in the Vine so no more can you except you abide in me V. 6. He that abideth in me and I in him the same brings forth much fruit It is highly the concernment of Christians to bring forth fruit the fruits of the Spirit the fruit of righteousness unto life It is necessary in order to the glory of God Herein saith our Saviour is my Father glorified if you bring forth much fruit It is necessary in order to their own salvation But without their abiding in Christ they cannot bring forth much fruit nay they can bring forth no fruit you have this in the words of our Saviour John 15.5 Without me you can do nothing Nothing spiritually and formally good nothing that will bring God any glory or do us any good It is 〈◊〉 very emphatical Text he doth not say◠Without me you cannot do any great thing 〈◊〉 but without me you can do nothing Not without me you can do little but without me you can do nothing Yea and in the Greek are two Negatives which in their Idiome make a more vehement negation◠as much as if he said you cannot you cannot do any thing But if we had not so direct a Scripture reason standing upon a Scripture foundation would conclude it 1. It is a Principle in Natural Philosophy Operari sequitur esse and evident to every Vulgar eye that where there i◠no life there can be no motion or operation proper to that life All life lyes in some union Natural life in the union betwixt the soul and body spiritual life in the union betwixt the soul and Christ So as till there be such an union there can be no spiritual operation nor can it be any longer than that union holdeth 2. Nay further Operation depends not only upon union but upon communion Suppose a man to be alive the union betwixt the soul and body not dissolved if any thing hinders the souls communion with any part as in the dead palfie c. it moves it acts nothing So it is with the soul suppose the union with Christ not dissolved that once made cannot be dissolved yet if there be not a communion if the soul receives not from Christ it brings forth no fruit Yea and according to the degree that it receiveth influence from him so will its fruit be 3. Again it appeareth by the similitude used by our Saviour John 15.4 Saith he I am the Vine you are the branches Cut off the branch from the Vine it brings forth no fruit nay let it abide in the Vine if any thing hinder it that it receiveth no influence from it it brings forth no fruit let it receive but a little influence it keeps alive but it brings forth but little fruit let it on the other side receive much influence from the Vine then it brings forth much fruit It is the high concernment of the soul to bring forth fruit and to bring forth much fruit Hereby God hath a great deal of glory and the glorifying of God is the great end of our lives hereby a Christian hath much comfort and Peace and satisfaction in his own soul The fruit of righteousness is peace and assurance for ever and the End of it will be much glory he that brings forth much fruit shall sit upon a Throne This is my first Demonstration from the duty considered as a means Secondly Saith our Saviour John 15.6 If a man abide not in me he i◠cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and are burned All in a parable but the sense is easie Abiding in Christ is the means and only means for 〈◊〉 Professor to keep up his beauty and glory and vigour and to keep him out of He fire This is the sense in short of this Parabolical expression A branch separated from the Vine is cast aside as an useless thing not suffered to lye near th◠Vine being thus separated and cast out it withereth wanting the sap and juice of the Vine by vertue of
Worship is a great sin but something lower than this Now God comparing the case betwixt him and them to the case betwixt a Man and his Wife that had dealt falsly with him tells him that in case of a â—ivorce a man doth not use to be reâ—onciled to his Wife yet Jerem 3.1 Return again unto me saith the Lord ver 5. Will he reserve his anger for ever Will he keep it to the end Again v. 12. Go and proclaim these words to the North and say Return thou back sliding Israel â—ith the Lord and I will not cause mine â—nger to fall on you for I am merciful â—aith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Only acknowledge thine iniquiâ—y that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God and hast scattered thy wayes to strangers under every green trâ—â— and you have not obeyed my Voice saith tâ—â— Lord Turn O back sliding children saâ—â—â— the Lord for I am married unto you aâ—â— I will take you one of a City and two 〈◊〉 a Tribe and bring you to Zion Anâ— again ver 22. Return you backslidiâ—â— children and I will heal your back sliding Oh that I could hear you saying as iâ— the next words of that Text Behâ—â—â— we come unto thee for thou art the Lâ—â—â— our God Truly in vain is Salvatin hoped for from the hills and from 〈◊〉 multitude of Mountains truly in the Lâ—â—â— our God is the salvation of Israel 〈◊〉 vain is salvation hoped for from course of profaneness formality or superstitiâ— or from any righteousness of your own In vain is peace of conscience in vaâ—â— is any good thing hoped for from them in vain is any blessing of Goâ— in this life hoped for from them 〈◊〉 the Lord is the salvation of people 〈◊〉 the faith of Christ In the Love 〈◊〉 Christ In a strict obedience to thâ— Gospel of Christ In a close walkiâ—â— with God In these things is the hopâ— the salvation of people the true peaâ—â— and tranquility of conscience Return â—hen with the Prophets words in your â—outh with which I shall conclude We lye down in our shame Jer. 3.25 and our conâ—sion covereth us for we have sinned gainst the Lord our God and have not â—eyed the voice of the Lord our God FINIS Psalm 42.1 2. As the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the 〈◊〉 ving God when shall I come and appear before God THE Title of this Psalm is To the chief Musitiâ— for the Sons of Corah 〈◊〉 remember Justine Maâ—tyr answering the Jewish Question Why wâ— use not Musick in our Gospel Service as the Jewes did sayes it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Church in her infantil estate Just Mart. Quest Resp. 107. though singing be not so anâ— therefore still continued However that Musick was in David's time though since ceased a Divine Institution not meerly introduced by the discretion of the chief Magistrate we are assured by 1 Chron. 28.11.19 which speaks it no president for Humane Inventions in Acts or Modes of Divine Worship Korah was a Levite he perished in his gainsaying against Moses as you read Num. 16. But his children died not Nu. 16.1 To these it seems by holy David according to the Pattern he had from the Spirit of God 1 Chron. 28.12.13 The charge of the Musick was committed 1 Chron. 6.37 Who was the Author of this Psalm some question judging it one of the Sons of Corah and so interpreting it by the Genitive Case V. de Muci ad loc a Psalm of Instruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thinking it composed in the time of the Captivity of Babylon But the Spirit that breatheth in it is so like the Spirit breathing â—salm 63. and Psalm 84. That I rather judge holy David the Author of it V. Mollerum ad loc c. and that it was composed by him in the time when Saul hunted him out of Judea so as he could not as formerly enjoy the Institutions of God which is the great business he lamenteth in this Psalm expressing his earnest longings for them and raising up hiâ— soul to an hope and confidence iâ— God that he would one day change his estate It is termed Maschil a Psalm of Instruction and may generally serve to instruct us in the frame of a gracious Spirit what it will be and our duty what we ought to doe under such a dispensation when either by any natural or moral causes we are hindered from a communion with God in hiâ— publick Institutions for Worship for of such it is apparent David speaketh both from ver 2. When shall I come and appear before God and ver 4. where with sadness he remembers how he 〈◊〉 wont to go to the House of God with thâ— multitude The Proposition I shall insist on iâ— this Prop. Vnder the severest dispensation of God to gracious souls Doctrine there will 〈◊〉 found in them a singular thirst after Gâ—â— in his Institutions of publick Worship Who ever was the Author of this Psalm the Language of it speaks a godly gracious heart if it was not the man it was certainly a man according to Gods heart The dispensation he was under was sad enough if he were in the captivity of Babylon as de Muci and others think or if it was David separated from the Tabernacle by the Violence of Saul The dispensation was every way sad enough Yet under these circumstances see the temper of this gracious person he cannot enjoy publick Institutions but he can look after them and long he can with Daniel open his window towards Jerusalem and pray He cannot drink but of the Wells of Salvation but he can thirst for the waters of them he cannot appear before God but he can say unto God When shall I come and appear In fine his Enemies have taken away his food but they have not taken away his stomach In the prosecution of this point I shall 1. Open the Metaphor of thirsting panting breathing 2. Shew you the singularity of the gracious souls thirst 3. Thirdly give you the causes of if and prove the point 4. Lastly Make some short appliction 1. Thirst is a natural affection caused through the want of some liquâ—â— thing to cool and refresh our naturâ—â— parts alwayes attended with a deâ—â—â— of the thing thirsted for so it implieth 1. An apprehended suitableness 〈◊〉 some object to the creaturâ— wants that is thus affected to iâ— 2. A sensible want of it we thiâ—â— not for drink when our 〈◊〉 mach and mouth is filleâ— with it 3. A desire and endeavour after iâ— 1. Every gracious soul apprehendeth 〈◊〉 suitableness in Gods Institutions to 〈◊〉 wants That there is such a suitableness I shall demonstrate anon this 〈◊〉 not apprehended by every soul but 〈◊〉 every gracious soul it is which preceedeth from his spiritual illumination and sense of his condition to which 〈◊〉 unregenerate soul is
a stranger 2. It may possibly be that a gracious 〈◊〉 may want thissuitable spiritual food â—e may be hindered by natural causes â—â—kness c. by moral causes he may be â—s David in the Land of the Philistins â—s the children of Israel in Babylon He may be at home but the wells may be â—â—pped through the violence of men â—e pits may be dry through the heat â—f persecution they may be so poisoned with Idolatry and Superstition as 〈◊〉 the Popish Countreys so fouled with the dust of humane inventions â—nwholsomely mixt with some little â—f Divine Institutions that he may â—ant the Institutions of God and he will be sensible of the want 3. His soul will be enlarged in desires after what he doth not or it may be cannot at present enjoy This I shall sufficiently evidence in shewing you 2. What singularity there is in the thirst of a gracious soul after Divine Institutions 1. Observe the Metaphor in the Text. â—s the Hart panteth or brayeth The word translated Hart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifieth the Female The word translateâ— brayeth or panteth properly signifietâ— the sound that those creatures make The Hart of all other creatures is observed by Naturalists to be more exceeding thirsty than others for which I find three Reasons assigned 1. They for the most part feed iâ— montanous V. De Mâ—ci Mollerium ad loc dry desert places which more want moisture 2. They say they ordinarily swallow Serpents whose heat of poison inwadly more inflameth them 3. When they have been hunted they 〈◊〉 they cannot rest till they have found oâ— some waters in which to refresh themselves The Metaphor you see import some singularity in thirst Now thâ— singularity of a gracious souls thiâ—â— will appear in three things 1. In the object and end of it Thâ— you have in the Text. So panteth 〈◊〉 soul for thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God 1. In the ultimate object The ultimate object of a gracious souls thiâ—â— is not the Institution or Ordinance bâ— the God of that Ordinance Thus here in the Text. So Psalm 63.1 My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee ver 2. To see thy power and thy glory An institution of God is like another thing to a gracious soul if God be not in it As Absolom said What should I do at Jerusalem if I may not see the Kings face So saith a spiritual heart what shall I do at a Prayer at a Sermon at a Sacrament if I meet with nothing of God there A gracious soul desires an Ordinance not as a man desires a picture to please his sense but as he desires a perspective that by the means of it he may see a Star or the Moon or an object a far off And this is a singularity an hypocrite if he desires to see the Vail yet he desires not to look through the Vail what communion with God in a prayer in hearing the Word in a Sacrament means he understands not and Ignoti nulla cupido He may desire an Ordinance as thinking his attendance there the road to Heaven or the way to repute in the world or a bit to stop the mouth of his Natural conscience barking for some shew of Religion or as a pleasant Song according to those in Ezechiel Chap. 33.32 But what the presence of God in the Ordinance meaneth this he understandeth not nor doth he thirst after it Hence a Formalist if he hath been at Church is satisfied let the Prayer and Preaching be what it will provided it hath tickled his sense yet his stomack is stayed and he wonders every one is not as content as he The ultimate object of a gracious souls thirst is not his Fathers House but his Fathers face in his House If he hath not seen that he comes away a-thirst from the best wells 2. In the mediate object The mediate object is the performance An Hypocrite if he hath any desire to an Ordinance yet he is very careless as to the rites and manner of the performance It is not thus with a gracious soul The reason lyes partly in what I said before that the ultimate object of his thirst is God the presence of God in an Ordinance he knows nothing of this can be expected where God is not sanctified in the duty by a regular performance of it and a strict observation of the rule as to it which God himself hath prescribed he knows that in matters of Worship God is more eminently jealous that of all sins none so provoke God none so soon separate him from a people as errors in matter of Worship This makes his regulare appetite languid and weak as to religious performances where God hath indeed appointed the thing in the general but man only hath presumed to direct the manner for which also was sufficient direction in Gods word His thirst is after peace and unmixed Ordinances 3. As to the End The gracious heart desires the sincere milk of the word that he may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 1 Pet. 2.2 that he may profit by it he thirsts after publick prayer that he might pour out his soul before God and receive an answer of peace he thirsts after a Sacrament that in it he may have a communion with Christ that he might in it receive the communications of the vertue of the blood of Christ to his soul further strengthning quickning or comforting him The hypocritical formalist thirsts after these things only that he might stop the mouth of natural conscience or that he might appear to men to have something of Religion or for some such low and unworthy end Thus the thirst of a gracious heart hath a singularity in it as to the object and end Secondly It is singular as to the degree and strength of it As the hart panteth after the water-brooks saith the Psalmist A formalist thus never thirsteth he hath never such an appetite to an Ordinance but he can either attend it or let it alone When he is hottest tell him of a Play or a Market and he can turn aside out of the Church-path thither if he be seen at a Sermon or a Prayer 't is rather out of wantonness than appetite hence a little thing turns him aside and a little serves his turn four hours at a Comedy is too little one at a Sermon half of one in a Prayer is too much If he hath not a Sermon at his door he is not thirsty enough to go a mile to hear one The gracious soul goes from City to City from strength to strength passeth through Cities and streets and broad places Psal 119.20 Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh with the longings it hath to thy judgments Psal 84.2 My soul longeth yea Psal 84.2 even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my flesh crieth out for the living God 3. The thirst of a gracious soul is singular in the constancy of it and its
which is betwixt the soul and body is preserved by the souls communication of its self to the body in various influences Eternal life will be maintained by Gods communications of himself to the souls of his people glotified and their communications of themselves unto him His shining upon them with glory their beholding him with love and satisfaction The spiriâ—â—al union that also is maintained by Christs communication of himself to the soul and the souls reciprocal communications of it self to Christ God upholds strengthens quickens comforteth the soul the soul eyeth God adereth to him trusteth and hopeth in him and fetches down what is in Christ home to it self by these exercises of grace 3. All communion betwixt Christ and a soul is either by secret impressions acts and influences or else by Ordinances By secret impressions acts and influences and these are more ordinarily on Gods part and more especially on our parts in and by Ordinances It is true the soul hath its soliloquies and silent acts of communion with God it may and that out of an Ordinance meditate on him exercise an act of faith love hope c. All which are acts of communion with God but those are more eminently performed in duties of Worship and infinitely helped and advantaged by them It is true also that God sometimes out of a more publick and open act of Worship may communicate himself to a soul and doubtless doth it may be by night while it is upon his bed while it sits alone in the house but most eminently in Ordinances David saw the Lords power and glory in his Sanctuary It was his promise of old Wheresoever I record my name to dwell there will I meet my people and bless them God of old you know was wont to appear betwixt the Cherubims when Christs Disciples were met together once and again after his resurrection then Christ came in amongst them and said Peace be to you The Promise under the New Testament is Where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be in the midst amongst them Hence 4. The soul spiritually united 〈◊〉 Christ must as naturally thirst after â—ivine Institutions as the body after the â—â—ans of preserving the union betwixt â—â—e soul and it The decay of this thirst must needs â—â—gue a decaying soul for as Hezekiah â—â—id Isa 38. either of Promises or Afâ—â—ctions I know it is variously interâ—â—eted By these things men live By â—â—se things the union betwixt the soul 〈◊〉 Christ is maintained And as the â—â—t of appetite in the body to proper food argues the stomach filled oâ— cloyed with noxious and perniciouâ— humours so the want of this Spiritual appetite speaks a soul clog'd with some pernicious lusts and corruptions But I have insisted too long upon this brancâ— of Application I shall finish this discourse with onâ— word of Exhortation Exhort That you would keep alive this spiritual thirst after thâ— Institutions of God and that under thoâ—â— circumstances which you have heard Yoâ— have heard and I hope I need not repeat it to you how great an evidence it is of a gracious heart how much 〈◊〉 was the temper of the Saints of God who have lived before us I need noâ— speak more by way of Argument in the case I shall only prescribe some directions in order to it and I have done 1. Keep alive in your souls the true notion of them The true notion of them is this They are appointments of Christ soâ— our salvation and in the performance 〈◊〉 which he hath promised to meet the soul that seek him So long as Ordinance are apprehended as Institutions of Christ they will be pretious to all those 〈◊〉 whom Christ is precious The soul â—eareth concerning the Sacrament of the Supper Do this in remembrance of me and it is presently enflamed with a deâ—â—re to the Ordinance Should I not 〈◊〉 saith an honest soul remember him that died upon the cross for me I will remember his death untill his coming again Go preach the Gospel to every creaâ—â—re He that believeth and is baptized â—â—ll be saved And again He that hearâ—â— you heareth me The gracious soul â—adeth this Should I not hear Jesus Christ saith the soul Indeed if the â—â—eacher instead of preaching Christ â—â—eacheth himself or preacheth contraâ—â— to what is apparently the revealed â—â—th and will of Christ the case is â—herwise but it is impossible an Orâ—â—ance should be administred according to the institution of Christ but a â—acious soul retaining a true notion of â—â—se institutions must thirst after it â—ecially when he considers them as â—itutions for the good of a soul 〈◊〉 in the performance of which he 〈◊〉 promised to meet it Indeed the 〈◊〉 is otherwise if it once falls under a mistake in the due notion of Ordinances If it once fancieth that Preaching is nothing but making anâ— Oration an exercise of parts or witâ—â— and therefore the quibbling Sermons are best The soul of a gracious person doth not lye so near the air as to desire to be delighted in such pleasing sounds If once a Christian comes to apprehend religious performances but as politick constitutions for keeping people in some awe or under some such other mean notion Its thirst after them is spoiled Though it be something to an honest heart that the Politick State under which it liveth hath need of them to keep people from degenerating to Beasts yet it is more to it to consider It s immortal soul hath need of them to keep it from everlasting burnings from troubles oâ— conscience c. But 2. Secondly Keep but a watchful eyâ—â— upon your own hearts Know your selves your own wants and weaknesses and you need no more considering what I said under the former head to bring you to an appetite or to preserve in your souls a due appetite to Gospel Institutions he that observeth the proneness of his heart to wax hard will easily understand the need he hath of the word to soften it he that considers his own forgetfulness of what his Lord hath done for him will thirst after the Sacrament of the Supper that he may in it remember the Lords death untill he come Whoso observeth his own weakness to spiritual duties to resist strong corruptions will thirst for the Word and Sacraments to strengthen him he that considers his daily need of Divine influences will thirst after an hour of prayer that he may beg them from God In short there 's no soul is indifferent to Ordinances but he who never tasted how good the Lord is who either knoweth nothing of God or nothing as he ought to know it study thy self understand thy own state that 's enough 3. Keep your selves under the purest and most lively administrations I call those the purest administrations where there is nothing or least of mans mixture where Ordinances are administred most exactly according to the Divine Rule The Doctrine of the Perfection of the Scriptures is a
point we defend against the Papists All Protestants grant it as to matters of Doctrine why they should not also agree that it is so as to matters of Worship and Discipline I can not tell As to acts of Worship they all yield it too as to circumstances of humane actions in Divine Worship viz. such as no humane actions as such can want none can deliberately contend for it The Question is concerning Ceremonies or if they will call them so circumstances of Worship In very deed it will be a nice distinction and such as can abide no test to distinguish betwixt an act of Worship and a circumstance of Worship I mean such a circumstance as is not appendant to the action from its nature and necessarily but affixed to it by men without any necessity But not to digress here into that dispute The more strictly a Gospel Institution is administred according to the letter and examples of Christ and his Apostles in Holy Writ the more there is of God in it the more of Divine presence and influence is to be expected in it and from it The more plain and Scriptural a Sermon is the more authority it comes down with upon the conscience The honest heart saith to the quaint and oratorial Preacher to the quoter of Fathers and Schoolmen to justifie what he saith Paul I know and Jesus I know The Old Testament I know and the New I know but for Augustine and Hierom and Aquinas who are they Possibly worthy persons in their Ages but it is the word of God not their dictates which command the conscience For your high phrased Preachers they signifie nothing to the conscience the hearers as Luther was wont to say intelligunt â—â—bum arte super se compositum ideo nauâ—â—nt they loath the word thus canâ—â—ied up in the language of men puffed 〈◊〉 in the conceit of their own parts and desirous to seem some thing when indeed they are nothing but folly and vanity There is abundance of â—reaching is good for nothing but to â—oil good Christians stomachs to heaâ—ing and to make them loath their food by reason of the fantastick sauce if you would keep your appetite to Ordinances keep the purest and most lively administrations of them 4. Fourthly Remember the dayes of old the years of former times I doubt not but many of you have heretofore tasted how good the Lord hath been you have tasted it in a Sermon convincing you of sin working faith in you bringing a word in season to your souls that hath even ravished your souls with the joy of it You have enjoyed much of God in a Sacrament in a few hours of prayer Oh let not the memory of those good dayes to your souls go out of your hearts and if you remember them you cannot but long for more of them It is almost impossible to imagine that a soul that ever in earnest tasted of God in Ordinances should not cry out Lord evermore give us that bread those that grow weary of Divine Institutions are such as never experienced the goodness and excellency of them 5. Watch against the prevailing of lusts and corruptions It is ordinarily experienced in the natural body A soul stomach hath no appetite or very little and teachy noxious humours in the stomach blunt the edge of it to its proper food It is as true to the soul suffer pride vanity of Spirit any spiritual or sensual lust to prevail upon you you will soon lose your appetite to spiritual things Keep your soul clean from these things and your appetite will be sharp 6. If you would keep your appetite to Divine Institutions improve them when you have them Indigested meat corrupts the stomach and takes off the edge of it The reason for this is This thirst after Ordinances as it is first caused from an apprehended suitableness in them to the souls needs so it is encreased by the souls experience of the truth of that apprehension This it never hath without an improvement of the Institution I mean such a ruminating upon it such a digestion and application of it as the soul may suck out the juice and vertue of it and find that a Sermon is not to his soul as a tale that is told nor a Sacrament as a meer morsel of bread and a draught of Wine Would you keep alive your thirst after Divine institutions when you have heard a Sermon go sit alone think of what you have heard what truth you have been instructed in and call to your souls to remember and believe it what sin you have been convinced of and call again to your souls to consider it and to avoid it What duty you have been admonished of and call to your souls to arise and do it 7. Lastly Beg this great blessing of God You beg or should beg an appetite to your bodily bread much more to your spiritual food Christians I doubt not but in these times of spiritual scarcity you beg Sermons of God you beg Preachers of him who is the Lord of the Harvest In this you do your duty but let not this be all Beg stomachs for your selves as well as mouths for us I am afraid it was too great a decay of this spiritual thirst that brought on Gods dreadful voider and brought the Wells of Salvation to so low a state as you see them If you could by begging of God recover your appetite again I doubt not but he who feedeth the young Ravens when they cry would also hear and feed you and in his Fatherly Providence so order it that you should not have Scorpions instead of Fish and Stones instead of Bread Nor as the Spouse be smitten and wounded Can. 5.7 and have your vail taken from you by pretended Watchmen whiles you are sick of love and ask them in your distress Saw ye him whom my soul loveth FINIS Jer. 14.19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah Hath thy soul loathed Zion Why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us We looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble s THE words I have read are agreed by all to be the words of the Prophet Jeremiah he was one of those Prophets who prophesied last in Judah before their carrying away into the seventy years Captivity of Babylon chap. 1.2 He prophesied in the days of Josiah and in the days of Jehoiakim and so to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah which was about forty years He began to prophesie in the thirteenth year of Josiah Jer. 1.2 and prophesied eighteen years during the reign of Josiah then three months during the â—â—ign of Joachaz or Jeconias and eleven years during the reign of Jeâ—iachim a second son of Josiah and three months more during the reign of â—â—hoiachin and eleven years during the â—â—ign of Zedekiah At what time he â—ophesied what we have in this chaâ—â—er recorded is not expressed probaâ—â—y before the death of