imagine he desireth to be rich who though he be in want yet perceiueth it not Reason it selfe is cleane against it I pray thee therefore learne this lesson which though perhaps it may now be learned yet it will find thee worke for thy life though thou shouldest liue yet many yeares All Gods children long vnfainedly for saluation if thou haue not the same affection with them thou canst not haue the same saluation with them thou wilt say I know if thou be asked O God forbid I were a wretch if I did not long to be saued I pray thee be not deceiued A slight wish to l Num. 2â— 10 dye the death of the righteous as Balaam had thou maist haue and yet no longing It is a matter longer in comming then thou which feelest it not art yet aware of Thy heart must first be softened before saluation can be longed for and I tell thee it is a hard thing to circumcise the heart and to make it bleed it hath a skinne growne ouer it which is not easily remoued Therefore pray the Lord m Num. 20. which made waters flow out of the rocke to smite thy flintie heart to n Eze. 11.19 take the stony heart out of thy bodie to open thy heart as he did o Act. 16.14 Lydiaes to put a new spirit within thy bowels to p Reu. 3.18 annoynt thine eyes with eye-salue that so thou mayest see and feele thy owne wretchednesse and mayest feelingly acknowledge with Paul that in thy q Rom. 7.18 Flesh there dwelleth no goodnesse with Dauid r Ps 38.4 that thine iniquities are as a waightie burden too heauie for thee with Iacob Å¿ Gen. 32.10 that thou art lesse then the least of all Gods mercies with Daniel t Dan 9.7 that open shame belongeth to thee with u Iob. â— 3 Iob that thou canst not answer him one thing of a thousand that so thou mayest haue if it be possible but euen a glimpse of that wofull score which the Lord hath against thee against the day of reckoning and a tast of the horror of hell then and neuer till then wilt thou long to be saued then and neuer till then will the mercie of God be sweet vnto thee when thou feelest the intolerable burthen of a * Pro. 18 14. wounded spirit thy soule will x Math. 5.6 thirst after righteousnesse and all things will be but y Phil. 3.8 dung vnto thee that thou mayest winne Christ the tiâ—…ngs of him will make thy very hâ—art z Luc. 1.41 to leap with in thee as the greeting of Mary did the babe in the wombe of Elizabeth they will come downe vpon thy perplexed soule a Ps 72.6 like the raine vpon the mowne grasse and as the showers that water the earth So much for the first part Dauids longing The second parte Now followeth the second part Dauids loue Thy law is my delight Many words of like effect Dauid vseth in this Psalme yet we may not account them any idle repetitions but rather repute them as testimonies of abundance of zeale the heart of a religious man being like the fire which in the strength thereof breaketh forth into many sparcles so that also out of the inward abundance bursteth out into many speaches Touching the thing it selfe the matter you see of Dauids loue it is the lawe By which word he doth not here vnderstand that part of Gods reuealed will which with a respect and reference had vnto the Gospell is called the lawe the vse whereof is as Paul teacheth to b Rom. 4.15 cause wrath to c Rom. 3.19 stop euery mouth that all may be culpable before God but here it is taken in a larger sense for the whole word of God and for the entire body of the holy doctrine which is d 2. Tim. 3.16.17 giuen by inspiration of God to make vs perfect vnto all good workes This was that which was Dauids delight the ioy of his heart and gladding of his soule the very quickning and enliuing of his spirits And it is by the way worthy to be obserued in Dauid that still looke what affection he professeth to carie to God himselfe the same he also professeth to cary to his word as he saith he e Ps 116.1 loueth God so he saith also f Ps 116.97 he loueth his lawe g ver 120. as he feareth God h ver 161. so his heart stood in awe of the word as he said i ver 57. O Lord that art my portion so he said k ver 111. thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer which is meet to be noted both for the better illustration and manefestation of Dauids heart and for the discouery of the idle protestations which many make who if they be dealt with concerning the true knowledge of God and the way of saluation will answer what tell you me of these things say what you can I am sure you can tell no more but this that I must loue God aboue all things c. And I trust I shall alwaies loue God as well as you or the best learned But now here is their hipocrisie descried in that they haue so small loue vnto the word This by the way though not vnprofitably Doctrine To come neerer to the point the thing which we learne hence out of Dauids ioyning these two together I long for saluation and thy lawe is my delight is this that it is not inough for a man to say he longes and desires to be saued vnlesse he make conscience to vse the appointed meanes to bring him thereunto It had bene but hipocrisie in Dauid to say he longed for saluation if his conscience had not bene able to witnes with him that the lawe was his delight It is meere mockery for a man to say he longeth for bread and prayeth to God euery day to giue him his dayly bread if he yet either walke in no calling or els seeke to get by fraud and rapine not staying himselfe at all vpon Gods prouidence Who will imagine that a man wisheth for health who either despiseth or neglecteth the meanes of his recouery God hath in his wisedome appointed a lawfull meanes for euery lawfull thing this meanes being obediently vsed the comfortable obtaining of the end may be boldly looked for the means being not obserued to thinke to attaine to the end is meere presumption God would deliuer Noah from the floud but Noah l Heb. 11.7 must be moued with reuerence and prepare the Arke or els he could not haue escaped He would saue Lot from Sodom but yet Lot m Gen. 19. must hye him out quickly and not looke behinde him till he haue recouered Zoan n Is 38.21 He was pleased to cure Hezekiah of the plague but yet Hezekiah must take a lumpe of drye figs and lay it vpoÌ„ his boile He vouchsafed to preserue Paul and his company at
vntwist euery specialty I will proceed as I may and beginne with the first praying you all that inasmuch as the same dissolution of nature awaites vs all which hath long since brought Paul to his exspected Rest we would yeeld our selues to be so farre forth perswaded by that which by Gods assistance I shall speake that by seeking to imitate Pauls hope we may at last partake the same happines which Paul doth Before I come to the more exact discouerie of the hidde Treasure of this my Text d Doctrine out of the order of the place I must commend vnto you this generall obseruatioÌ„ grounded vpon the course and order of this Place namely That the most solide comfort to a Christian soule beholding the greisly and ghastly countenance of approching Death is the Testimony which the Heart beareth to it selfe of the former steady care to walke in all good conscience before God I would be loth to be charged with offering violence to my Text therefore I will let you see how this doctrine ariseth kindly and vn-enforced from this scripture Wee see first our Apostle in a resolued expectation of his now very neere at hand departure that is expresse we see him also assuring himselfe of no smaller honour then a Crowne of Righteousnes so much the verse following will not suffer vs to denie If it be demaunded now whence it was that his thoughts of death were so full of comfort and his hopes of happines so full of confidence the truest answer is this it came even from hence that the witnes in his bosome speaking the truth before the Witnes in heauen * Iob. 16.19 testified with him and for him that in all his course from the very first instant of his conuersion vnto this last conclusion and shutting vp of his daies his whole drift was in simplicity and godly purenes to haue his Conuersation in the World x Cor. 1.12 I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course c. So that this considered there is very sufficient footing for this doctrine in this Text. Giue me leaue to shew you in an example or two how others of Gods holy ones being guided by the same spirit haue in the like case grounded their hopes vpon the like foundation Note well the example of Hezekiah y Is 38.1 c. He knew generally by natures instinct that he must die but at this time I now speake of the prophet of the Lord euen the prophet Isaiah came vnto him with this dolefull message Put thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue Whom would not these tidings haue stroken to the heart and what could Hezakiah expect but present death well then all things threatning his end the common condition of nature the mortality of present sicknes being as it is thought the plague and aboue all the doome come from the Lord by the hand of such a prophet where was the staffe of Hezekiahs comfort but euen as our Apostles was in the secret witnes of his owne soule testifiing vnto him the sincerity and holines of his former course O Lord remember now how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which was good in thy fight Who so compareth this of Paul with that of Hezekiah must needs say that they were both euen the very breathings of one and the same spirit Thinke we that Eliïah sitting vnder the Iuniper tree z 1. Kin. 19.4.10 could with any comfort haue desired the Lord to take his soule if he had not had his assurance written vpon the table of his heart a Pro. 3.3 that he had bene alwaies very iealous for the Lord God of hosts Could old Simeon with a glad spirit haue besought the Lord euen instantly to dismisse him if his conscience had not told him that all his life past had bene an intentiue awaiting for the Consolation of Israel b Luc. 2.2.25.26 But what should I search the scripture for more examples Looke to Iesus the author and finisher of our Faith c Heb. 12·2 and see whether when he a as man made sinne for vs d 2. Cor. 5.21 was to drink that bitter Cup e Mat. 26.39 and to taste death for vs all f Heb. 2.9 his coÌ„stant expectation of partaking with his fathers glory came not by the same degrees vnto the due perfection Examine that effectuall prayer composed by him the night before his suffrings when he knew that his houre was come that he should depart out of this world vnto the Father g Ioh. 13.1 Read Ioh. 17.5.6 I haue glorified thee now glorifie me c. If you demaund a reason of this Doctrine The reason of the Doct. you may thus conceiue it and I pray you to marke it least I should be mistaken and thought to place mans hope of comfort in himselfe A man which iourneyeth builds his assurance of safe arriuing at the place he aimeth at vpon his diligence to enquire and his care to keepe the right path leading thereunto The place I intend I knowe the way I am well aduised of in it I am sure I am I haue traueiled in it as was fit therefore I am sure I shall not faile in my intent This is a kinde of reasoning which cannot deceiue So is it in this case The way to heauen is Christ I am the way h Ioh. 14.6 by his bloud he hath tracked out for vs a new and liuing way i Heb. 10. â—0 For the help of his chosen in this way he hath giuen his word He hath shewed thee O man what is good c. k Mic· 6.8 to his word he hath annexed Ministers as Guides l Act. 8.31 for vnderstanding it with the voice of his word he hath coupled the Teaching of his spirit Thine eares shall heare a word behinde thee saying This is the way c. m Is 30.21 He hath set marks also in the way by which to know it as namely 1. Antiquity Stand in the waies and aske for the old way which is the good way c. n Ier. 6.16 2. Purity There shal be a path and a way and the way shal be called Holy c. o Is 35.8 3. Fruitfulnes He hath ordained good works that we should walke in them p Eph. 2.10 4. Straitnes and the fewnes of passengers The gate is strait and the way narrow which leadeth to life and few there be that finde it q Math. 7.14 So then the marke I haue alwaies aimed at is heauen euen the Price of the high calling of God in Christ r Phil. 3.14 the way to it I haue sought not in mine owne heart nor in the guises and humors of the world but in the Scripture I haue found it to be Faith in Christ working by loue Å¿ Gal. 5.6 and making a man zealous of goodworks t Tit. 2.14 to
the deare child of God sometimes to seeme to himselfe and to others emptie and barren of all goodnesse and these graces may be thought for a time vtterly to be consumed So the sap lyeth hid in the roote of the tree the whole winter and maketh no shew and in a very drie and hotte Sommer you shall see many springs as it were cleane gone without any appearance of moisture yet in Sommer the sap mounteth aloft into all the branches of the tree and in a conuenient season the veines of the earth are opened and the dryed spring returneth to his former streaming so though the children of God may seeme sometimes vtterly to be fallen backe to their former hardnes yet as Saint Iohn saith x 1. Ioh. 3.9 there is a certaine seed behind there is a hidden moysture which at last breakes out and sheweth it selfe in the fruites of righteousnesse as before So then if thou hast neuer so little grace as thou thinkest though it be but as yet a desire of grace a longing after faith a thirsting after righteousnesse yet make much of it reioyce in it thank God for it take it as a pledge that the Lord hath some further worke to worke in thee be sure that he which hath begun it will cherish it yea and that in his time he will also encrease it The signes of hauing this water The last point remaineth which is the life of all that hath bene said viz. how may I for my part know that I haue tasted of this water Hearken a litle and I will tell thee thou shalt know the certaintie of it by these signes The first is a cleare fight of thine owne soules estate In a cleare well a man shall see a peny in the bottome of it so if a man haue the well of life in his heart he shall behold in it the full proportion as it were of his owne soule And assure thy selfe of this that the more full sight thou hast of thine owne imperfections of thine owne corruptions of the rebellions of thy heart of the crookednesse of thy nature the greater portion thou hast of this grace The second signe is the cleanenesse of the heart it is the nature of the water to cleanse and scoure so is it the propertie of this heauenly water no sope no nitre hath that scouring power that it hath y Ier. 17.9 The heart is wicked aboue all things fraughted naturally with corruption ignorance vnbeleefe hardnesse securitie frowardnesse vntovvardnesse to good seruices Looke therfore hovv thy heart is cleansed thy soule purged from this filthinesse Thou vvilt say to me perhaps the Scripture saith z Pro. 20.9 Who can say I haue made my heart cleane hovv shall I then thinke to find a cleane heart I ansvver cleane from all blemish I knovv thou shalt neuer find it yet thou must a Math. 5.4 haue a pure heart for else thou shalt neuer see God A pure heart is a heart purged from the bondage of sinne a heart b Heb. 9.14 cleansed from dead workes to serue the liuing God more plainely a heart c Heb. 13.18 which desireth in all things to liue honestly If thou vvouldst therefore be sure of a cleane heart looke for a cleane conuersation such a conuersation as S. Paul speaketh of d Phil. 1.27 vvhich becommeth the Gospell vvhich adorneth the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things vvhich maketh our enemies and the enemies of our profession e Tit. 2.10 vers 8. ashamed when they haue nothing concerning vs to speake euill of The water of life doth alwayes bring forth such fruite therefore a good man is said to be f Psal 1.3 as a tree planted by the riuers of water that will bring forth her fruite in due season And it is said againe g Ezek. 47.9 that euery thing shall liue whither that liuing riuer which floweth out of the Sanctuarie commeth Try thy selfe by this marke see whether this water hath quenched the boyling heate of thine owne inordinate lusts and hath begotten a new life euen the life of righteousnesse within thee The third signe is encreasing in grace water which is but a small streame at the well head going further waxeth broader and deeper and partes it selfe into many branches so these waters that flowed out of the Sanctuarie were first h Ez. 47.3.4.5 to the ancles then to the knees then to the loynes then a riuer which could not be passed ouer If there be a care to increase in grace in knowledge in feeling in zeale in obedience the well of life is in that soule if there be a resting satisfied as though all were well and we had religion inough that is a dry soule the graces of Gods spirit are not in it The fourth signe is a care to do good to the soules of others we know nothing is more free in vse then the water Dauid saith i Ps 104.10.11 God sendeth out springs into the valleys to giue drinke to all the beasts of the field And Christ saith k Ioh. 7.38 that out of his belly which drinketh of this water shall flow riuers of water of life by which many shall be comforted Hast thou a desire and a care to be helpefull to other mens soules it is a signe thy soule is watered and shall be more bedewed for l Pro. 11.25 he that watereth shall haue raine hast thou no such care no disposition to be a meanes of saluation vnto others thou hast a barren heart and a gracelesse spirit These be plaine and familiar markes and they be such as will not deceiue vs. The daily vse of water may daily mind vs of them let vs daily trye our selues how it fareth with vs in these things If we be trauelling by the way and it be told vs that by such a tree or gate or village we shall know our selues to be in the right course we will carefully remember it and heedfully obserue it as we iourney If we see the markes we will be glad if we see them not we will be afraid we are out and returne to make enquirie Let vs do so in this case by these tokens we shall vnderstand how it goeth with out soules and in which way we are trauelling let vs labour to remember them let vs marke daily whether in our course and cariage we can find them If we do let vs blesse the name of God and hold on our course with chearefulnesse if we do not let vs be m â— Cor. 11.2 be iealous ouer our selues with a godly iealousie let vs know it is not well with vs let vs speedily enter into a new course for feare of going on in the n Mat. 7. â—3 broadway which leadeth to destruction And thus an end of this text The end of the second Sermon The third Sermon Dauids Longing and Dauids Loue. PSAL. 119.174 I haue longed for thy saluation and thy Law is my delight IT is
truly said that this 119 Psalme is the liuely representation of a regenerate man in regard that it so fully and so effectually maketh knowne what ought to be the meditations of his soule the thoughts and affections of his heart the courses and exercises of his life So that the liker by viewing the inward partes a man shall find himselfe to be to Dauid in this Psalme the more he may assure himselfe that he is a new creature and the further he shall perceiue himselfe to come short of this patterne the farther he is to thinke that he is from newnesse of life Of this worthie Psalme the true image of a renewed soule I haue chosen one almost of the lowest but not of the basest branches to treate of vnto you which as for the generall meaning thereof it is agreeing to the rest of the holy and heauenly matter of the Psalme so in particular The diuision it is an expresse witnesse vnto vs of two things first Dauids longing secondly Dauids loue His longing was for saluation O Lord I haue longed for thy saluation his loue was the lawe And thy law is my delight Of these two in order In the former we are briefely to examine two things The first part first what is saluation secondly what it is to long for saluation By saluation is ment here no other thing but that which in the Scripture is somtime called a Math. 19 29. life eternal sometimes the b Math. 5.3 kingdome of heauen sometimes c Rom. 8.18 the glory which shal be shewed hereafter sometimes d Psal 27.13 the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing sometimes e Phil. 3.14 the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus sometimes f 1. Pet. 1.4 an inheritance immortall and vndefiled which fadeth not in a word g 1. Cor. 2.9 those vnspeakable and not to be conceiued blessings which God hath prepared for those that loue him This was as we say the obiect the marke of Dauids longing This saluation he calleth the Lords thy saluation because as for vs it is neither an inheritance which we are borne vnto nor a purchase which by any desert we can compasse so it is the Lords euery way it is he which hath h 1. Cor. 2.9 first prepared it it is he which hath freely disposed it according to the i Mat. 11.26.1 God pleasure of his owne will it is he which k 1. Pet. 1.4 reserueth it in heauen for those who are l Iud. 1. reserued vnto Iesus Christ Now what it is to long we doe all well inough conceiue either by experience in our selues or by obseruation in others we know it to be the stretching of the desire vnto the highest straine it affecteth the heart in that measure that all delaies are euen a very killing to the soule neither can there be any contentment or true satisfaction but onely in the fruition of that which is longed for Dauid himselfe describeth this affection of his by very passionate and effectuall termes m Psal 4.2 My soule thirsteth for God as the Heart brayeth for the riuers of water n Ps 84.2 My soule fainteth for the courts of the Lord o Ps 119. ver 20. My heart breaketh for the desire it hath p ver 131. I opened my mouth and panted He was as one who needes to gape for a new supply of breath such was the heate and egernes of his perfult These things shew that Dauids longing was no slight desire arising in some passion which kinde of desire many times is as soone quenched as kindled but it was an ardent affection springing from a deede apprehension of the good of the thing desired and being in a manner impatient of delaies till the thing it selfe were enioyed Adde hereto that whereas there are in saluation two things the one the possession of it in heauen which S. Peter calleth q 1. Pet. 1.9 the end of our faith the other the assurance of it here on earth which S. Paul termeth r Rom. 8.23 the first fruites of the spirit Dauids longing was extended vnto both for to vse Pauls phrase he did euen Å¿ 2. Cor. 5.2 sigh in himselfe desiring to be clothed with that house which is from heauen and he longed also for t Eph. 1.13.14 the earnest of the spirit to be a pledge to his soule of the future inheritance Thus haue I briefely and truly opened to you the true sense of Dauids longing the first part of my text Let vs now come to see what this is to vs that Dauids desire was so feruent for saluation The doctrine It doth teach vs thus much and this is the point which I will insist vpon viz. That in the hearts of all that shal be saued there is a vehement desire and an vnfained longing to be saued I pray marke well this point and be not ready to thinke it a slight obseruation till you haue heard it well prooued and well pressed First of all touching the sense thereof it must be vnderstood with this caution and limitation namely that I doe not extend it to such infants and litle ones which doe belong vnto the election of grace but onely to such as are of yeares of discretion which are of power and ability to conceiue and vnderstand and are come to haue the vse of these naturall powers of desiring and longing which are in all For as touching the rest as God hath his part in many such u Moth. 19.14 for of such is the kingdome of God so his manner of drawing them into the state of grace and of their apprehending it is knowne onely to himselfe This is the meaning of the Doctrine Now for proofe of it this one example of Dauid is a sufficient ground for seeing al Gods children are guided by one spirit and like the children of one family sprong of one father and bred vp after one fashion are of one disposition in respect of spirituall things it must needs folow that the longing after saluation which was in Dauid is though not happily in the same measure yet for the generall nauâ—…e thereof in all that shall be saued and they are able in the witnes of a good conscience to say as he did here O Lord I haue longed for thy salvation Yet left ignorance in the course of holy Scripture should make vs to behold Dauid in this moode like a Pellicane in the wildernes supposing him to be alone herein and so should become negligent to frame our selues to so good a Paterne let vs see whether the like affection be not to be found in others of gods saints Begin first with Abraham the father of the faithfull without likenes to whose faith there can be no saluation what saith Christ of him * Ioh. 8.56 your Father Abraham reioyced to see my day he saw it and was glad We knowe what our
Sauiour meaneth by his Day to wit his comming in the flesh for the redemption of mankind This day of Christ Abraham x Heb. 11.13 saw a farre off and as he reioyced to be assured of it so we may resolue that it was the principall desire of his soule to be interressed into the saluation which was procured by it in due time The more Abraham reioyced in it the more he longed for it and with the greater desire he expected it with the greater gladnes of spirit he entertained it Come downe a litle lower from him to Iacob that one voice of his vttered by him in greate vehemencie vpon his death-bed while he was telling the future estate of his progenie shall witnes the disposition of his Heart in this case y Gen. 49.19 O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation He saw by the spirit of prophecie many troubles and miseries like to come vpon his children therefore as a man weaned from outward things by this meanes and taught to rely only vpon the Lord he crieth out O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation Was it not the longing after Christ which made z Heb. 11.26 Moses esteeme the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt was not Hezekiah his heart full of longing and was he not euen readie to faint in his desires after the mercy of God when he cried out in the Anguish of his soule a Is 38.14 O Lord it hath oppressed me Comfort me Was not Iobs desire earnest when feeling himselfe to be euen ouercome of sorow he brast out into these words b Iob. 10.20 Let the Lord cease and leaue of from me that I may take a litle comfort In a word let our sauiour testimonie be sufficient for the longing of all the prophets and righteous men that liued in those elder times c Math. 13.17 I say vnto you that many Prophets and righteous men haue desired to see those things which you see c. If wee consider the times of Christs visible being on earth and after we shall see the spirit of God like himselfe and bringing forth the same fruites in others of Gods children Old Simeon a holy man here is his stile d Luc. 2.25 He waited for the consolation of Israel and he desired life but onely to satisfie this longing Ioseph an honourable counseller yet here was his glory e Luc. 23.51 He waited or longed for the kingdome of God Paul may stand insteede of many examples what thinke we did he long for when he vttered those words f Rom 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death adde to this his g Rom. 8.23 sighing in himselfe his h Phil. 1.23 desiring to be with Christ. The Iewes that heard Peter preach and were pricked by his stinging sermon called to them i Act. 2.37 Men and brethren what shall wee doe was not there longing The poore perplexed Iaylor which came to Paul and Silas with a crie Sirs k Act. 10.30 what must I doe to be saued was not his desire feruent I might bring in a cloud of witnesses but these may suffice to shew the generall disposition and affection of all Gods Children All their soules be hungry soules all their hearts be longing hearts the maine thing affected by them is saluation If you will haue a reason for it it is no heard matter to yeeld a very sufficient one There are three things required of a christian 1. By a feeling of sinne to seeke Christ 2. By a holy faith to finde Christ 3. By newnes of life to dwell with Christ The first of those three is this same longing for saluation which I intreat of and therefore as in a ladder there is no comming to the vpper steppe but by the nethermost so there is no dwelling with Christ which is the height of happines in this life but by finding him found he cannot be but by seeking to seeke him and to long for him are all one no man seekes him but he which longs for him and no man longs for him but he will care to seeke him Taking this point therefore for granted because I see no reason why it should be denied I will apply my selfe to the applying of it I pray you in the feare of God obserue it There is nothing which concerneth a Christian more The vse if either we respect the strait charge giuen for it or the great comfort rising out of it then to seeke to assure his soule that he is in the number of those that shall be saued What true comfort can a man take in any thing who is vnresolued in a matter of this consequence he may haue a kind of slight and deceitfull gladnes but as Iob saith of the Ioy of Hipocrites l Iob. 20.7 it is but for a moment and m Pro. 11.7 when he dieth his hope perisheth and n Iob. 18.6 his candle shal be put out with him Well then it being a matter of that behoofe to euery man to make his future estate sure vnto his soule know this of a truth I speake it not as desiring to deceiue but as labouring to resolue that there is no more certaine course then this to try thy selfe to examine thy selfe by this worthy paterne compounded of so many worthy examples assure thy selfe the liker thou art to them in this Affection the neerer art thou to life and happines and the lesse thou art transformed into this Image the more of the corrupt old man abideth in thee and if thou hold on so when the day commeth in which eternall life shall be shared out vnto those for whome it is prepared Christ shall dismisse thee with that comfortlesse speech which was sometime vsed to Simon Magus o Act. 8.21 thou hast no part nor fellowship in this busines Let it not be greiuous vnto thee that I aske thee a fewe Questions and be thou perswaded that it is a matter that behoueth thee much well to answere them what is the principall desire of thy soule what is the thing which thou most affectest what is that which thou dost truly think thy selfe most happy if thou mightest once obtaine what is it which hath most exercised thy thoughts and for the procuring whereof thou hast bene most pensiue what is it the discourses and discoueries whereof haue bene with the greatest appetite receiued by thee what is it for the thinking whereon thy soule hath euen languished within thee speake the truth in the presence of God who cannot be deluded Is it the Saluation of thy soule is it the forgiuenes of thy sinnes is it the fauour of God in Christ Iesus is it to be assured in thy soule that the Hand-writing which was against thee is cancelled and that there is peace in heauen for thee and a place prouided in that Kingdome which cannot be shaken is it that when this
earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be destroyed thou maist be receiued into euerlasting habitations How saist thou Are these things strangers to thy thoughts or doe they take vp a cheife roome in thy Affections Are they deepely apprehended or are they but slightly and cursorily entertained Are thy meditations touching these setled and such as hold thee long or are they but like flying motions which are as soone vanished as perceiued Though thy tongue if thou shouldst nowe speake for thy selfe happily would dissemble yet I am sure that if thou talke earnestly with thy conscience that will not fllatter thee Howsoeuer it be this I must tell thee that such as thy desires are herein such is thy estate dost thou long with Dauid thou shalt be saued with Dauid Is saluation If thou wilt speake the Truth lest in thy longing then stand forth and heare thy Iudgment thou shalt be called the lost in the Kingdome of God The longing soule shal be filled the carelesse and full gorged spirits shal be sent empty away This is the true vse of this doctrine Howbeit this be the generall vse of this point yet because p Ier. 17.9 the heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things and there is a q Ps 32.2 spirituall Guile which cleaueth close vnto vs so that thou mayest both make me beleeue by protestations and thy selfe thinke by idle perswasions that thou truly longest for saluation when there is no such matter therefore I pray thee to pardon my feare and suffer me to be iealous euer with a godly iealousie and to tell thee which art so readie vpon the first hearing of this point to answer for thy selfe to tell thee I say that I do much doubt it is not so well with thee as thou dost suppose If thou askest a reason of me why I should be so hard of beleefe as not to credit thee when thou sayest and protestest that thou longest for saluation I aunswer thee that I am suspicious that the ground of true longing is altogether wanting in thee I will tell thee what that is and so leaue thee to be thine owne iudge It is this a liuely feeling of thine owne wretchednesse and miserie through sinne This is the thing which will make a man long to be saued which wil make the message of the Gospell to be glad tidings the feeling of sinne cannot chuse but bring forth a desire to haue the pardon of sinne And indeed in reason it must needes be so For as a man which hath offended the law and is appointed to death ordinarily except he be a man desperate would rather haue a pardon then any thing in the world besides because without it he knowes he can haue ioy in nothing so he which hath offended God and findeth himselfe in the rigour of Gods iustice to be the child of death cannot chuse but more highly prize the fauour of God in the remission of his sinnes then all the treasures and riches vnder heauen When men are secure and without feeling of sin though the grace of God in Christ be neuer so plentifully offered vnto them yet they esteeme it not it seemeth to them as a base thing they regard it not but if once a man feele the sting of sinne then he would giue the world for one litle drop of Gods mercie The prodigall sonne when he liued at home with his father and had meate and drinke enough and knew no want then he was weary of his abundance and would needes aduenture further to try a better fortune but when he had felt the smart of hunger he would haue bene in the state of one of his fathers hired seruants r Luc. 15.19 Make me as one of thy hired seruants Dauid being well humbled would take it in good worth to be a Å¿ Psal 84.10 doore keeper in the house of the Lord and the poore Canaanitish woman when our Sauiour had well schooled her was content euen with t mat 15.27 Crummes of mercie u Pro. 27.7 The person that is full despiseth an hony combe saith Salomon but vnto the hungry soule euery bitter thing is sweet Though a man haue formerly bene obstinate and stubborne and * Psa 50.17 hating to be reformed hauing x Is 48.4 a necke as an iron sinew and a brow as brasse yet if he be once brought to see himselfe as it were at the brinke and hell gaping to receiue him and the eternall waight of Gods displeasure readie to ceaze vpon him then you shall find him tractable mourning like Ephraim y Ier. 31.18 O Lord conuert me and I shall be conuerted yeelding meekely with Paule z Act. 9.6 Lord what wilt thou that I do running to the Minister like the people to Samuel a 1. Sam. 12.19 O pray to the Lord thy God that I dye not And they which now count euery Sermon to be the burden of the Lord and are readie to say to the Seers See not and to Prophets prophecy not vnto vs would then run about vs and hang vpon vs as they did of old vpon Moses when they saw the glory of Gods maiesty talke b Exod. 20.10 thou with vs and we will heare they would importune vs and call vpon vs as the rulers of the Sinagogue did vpon Paul and Barnabas c Act. 13.15 that if we haue any word of exhortation we would say on These would be the fruites of this feeling and all shewes of longing are but shewes which fetch not their first beginning from this deepe apprehension of the wofull and distressed estate of a mans own soule So then now thou seest there is some cause that I should be suspicious of thy pretended longing For if when I looke into thee if when I conferre with thee if when I obserue thy course I see thee to be such an one as the greatest part a man d Zeph. 1.12 Frozen in the dregs one that e Deu. 29.19 blessest thy selfe in thy heart one that knowest not how thou art poore and f Roâ— 3.17 wretched and miserable blind and naked one who standest in no awe of Gods iustice one whose g Ps 119.120 flesh trembleth not for feare of God neither art afraid of his iudgement one that yet vnderstandest not what it is to be a sinner and how h Heb. 10.31 â— fearefull a thing it is to fall into the hands of the liuing God one that i Mal. 3.14 deemest it vaine to serue God and a meere folly to be so religious as some would be in a word one k 2. Tim. 3.5 who contentest thy selfe with a shew of godlinesse without any power of religion How should I suppose it possible for thee to long to be saued when thou canst not tell out of thine owne feeling what it is to need saluation Shall I thinke he longeth to be cured who though it may be he is sicke yet feeleth it not Shall I
sea o Act. 27.31 yet the marriners must abide in the shippe els yee cannot be safe saith Paul The Lord could haue done all these things otherwise but he was not so pleased and his power must not be ventured vpon when his will by appointing an honest and easie meanes is apparant to the contrary Now that Gods word is the ordinary and appointed outward meanes of saluation I hope we doubt it not If it were not why should it be called as it is p Ioh. 6.68 The word of life q Act. 20.32 the word of grace r Rom. 10.8 The word of Faith Å¿ 1. Pet. 1.23 The seed of Immortality The t Luc. 11.52 key of knowledge v Ps 119.105 the Lanterne of Gods people * Gal. 3.24 the schoole-master of man kind the x Iam. 1.25 Glasse of our life y Ps 2.9 the Scepter of Christs kingdome z Is 11.4 the Kingdome of Heauen the a Math 13. Conuerter of the soule the b Ps 19.7.8 Enlightener of the Eies c 2. Tim. 3.15 the maker of men wise vnto Saluation I commend yow to God saith Paul d Act. 20.32 in his fare well to those of Ephesus and to the word of his grace he puttes both together e 1. Th. 5.19.20 Quench not the spirit despise not prophecying there is the meanes f 2. Th. â— 15 standfast and keepe the instructions that is the way to stand g Ioh. 15.20 Christ directing his disciples how to preserue their owne comfort when he was gone from them layeth this speciall charge vpon them Remember the word that I said to yow No word no comfort O h Ps 119. â—â— saith Dauid take not the word of truth vtterly out of my mouth This is an excellent point The vse worthy to be taken notice of because it discouereth to vs the cunning and sophistry of the diuell which is this In good things he seuereth the meanes from the End and in euill things he separateth the End from the meanes As for example in euill things he beareth men in hand that they may safely adventure to vse the meanes of damnation and goe the way that leadeth to Hell and yet for all that they shall not be damned He maketh a young man beleeue that he may reioyce in his youth and walke in the waies of his heart and yet for all that escape that which i Eccl. 11. â— Salomon saith must needes come after namely that for all these things God will bring him to iudgement And yet the Lord hath so ioyned these togither that neither the subtilty of youth nor any wit of man nor all the diuells in hell can not seuer them to wit the Pleasures of sinne and the Iudgements of God Thus the Diuell beguiled our first parents God hath coupled these two Eating and dying with an Adamant chaine he which did the one must needes haue the other k Gen. 3.4 yet he brought them into this conceipt that they might Eate and yet not Dy. Oh the world of soules which Sathan at this day deceiueth with this subtilty Well as in Euill he cutteth the End from the Meanes he telleth thee thou maist runne on in sinne and yet be saued so in good things he cutteth the meanes from the End He perswadeth men that they may be saints in heaueÌ„ though they be deuils on earth that they may haue the L. saluation yet neuer delight in the L. lawe that they may be citizens of the newe Ierusalem and yet be no newe creatures that they may for euer dwell with God though his word doe neuer dwell with them Hence is it that many will professe to seeke Gods kingdome but care not for the righteousnesse of his kingdome will cry with Balaam l Num. 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous but neuer say with Dauid m Ps 119.5 Oh that my waies were directed to keepe thy statutes I beseech you let not the Deuill cozen vs any longer if he haue thus hitherto deluded vs. Let vs not thinke to be saued by other meanes then Dauid was his way to saluation was Gods lawe if thou leaue this way thou shalt neuer come to that marke If the word of God be not sweete vnto thee if it be not to thee as Ieremie saith n Ier 15.16 it was to him the ioy and reioycing of thy Heart thou exercising thy soule therein and framing thy heart and life thereto know it for a certaintie it is a matter of meere impossibilitie for thee to be saued o Eph. 4.18 Strangers from the life of God through Ignorance saith the Apostle Art thou a stranger to the word thou art a straunger to God Heauen cannot be thy portion except thou claime the word as an Heritage That I may presse this point further and with the p Ier. 23 29. Hammer of Gods blessed word driue home the naile of this exhortation euen to the Head Paul saith that q 2. Tim. 3.13 euill men waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued Therefore least we should as in deede without very great care we will deceiue and beguile our selues thinking that we doe both long to be saued and also loue the word of saluation giue me leaue to teach yow that which the word of God hath taught me namely how and by what signes it shall appeare that we do indeed loue the Word and that the Law is our delight There is no body almost but if he be asked for shame he will say he loueth Gods word and that he were a very wretch if he should not But come to the vndeceiuable markes and vnseparable signes of this loue The markes of Loue to the word of God it will then appeare that Gods word hath but a very few friends The first signe of loue to the word of God is loue to the publique Ministry thereof in Gods church The 1. marke the reason is plaine He which loueth the word vnfainedly must needs loue the meanes by which the word shall become most profitable vnto him It is an idle thing for a man to say he loueth the word and yet not to care to vnderstand it not to desire to know it not to make conscience to apply it The word of God is called a r Mat. 13.44 Treasure of which if it be kept together in a Hord there is no vse If thou feede thee cloth thee minister to others with thy treasure then it is vsed as it should be take away this from it what difference is betwixt it setting aside the opinion of a wordly man and a thing of nothing If thou then doe loue the treasure of the word thou wilt loue the dispensing of it the right diuiding of it the sharing it out by Gods steward to euery mans necessitie Thou dost heare Dauid here say the Law is his delight in another place thou shalt heare him say Å¿
Psal 26.8 Ps 27.4 that the Habitation of the Lords House is his delight and protesting that to dwell there and to behold the Beautie thereof is his cheife desire And why thinke we were the Tabernacles of the Lord so deare vnto him was accesse thither desired by him as an idle complement or went he like a Time-seruer to escape lawe or like an Athenian t Act. 17.21 to heare newes Or why went he Sure his loue to the Lawe drewe him to the place where they were which could teach him the Lawe It was with him as it was with those whome himselfe speaketh of who going to the Temple had the u Ps 84.5 Waies of the Lord in their Heart and as with those * Is 2.3 which prouoke one another Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord he will teach vs his waies So then thou which saist thou louest Gods word let me trie thee by this rule when I looke vpon thy profession thou art prety and strait without let me see now whether thou be also sound within thou liuest in a place where the word of God is diligently and soundly taught God hath blessed the Congregation of which thou art a member with a wise steward x Luc. 12.12 who knoweth how to giue euery one his portion of meate in season How dost thou like this doth it content thee or doth it burtheÌ„ thee dost thou thank for it or will not thy froward Heart suffer thee to repute it as a benefite Is this Manna as grosse vnto thy Tast as Horse-bread or y Ps 119.103 is it more sweete then Hony to thy Mouth If thou take no comfort in it if like the Gaderens z Math. 8. â—4 thou wouldst account it a commodity if Christ were departed thy coastes thou must giue me leaue to tell thee thou neither louest the word nor louest God no nor yet truly louest thy owne soule A gaine dost thou liue in Iericho where a 2. Kin. 2.19 the situation is pleasant but the water naught that is where there are good outward commodities but the true Treasure cannot be had where when thou commest to Church thou beholdest one who hath got on Elias mantle but thou maist say to him where is the spirit of Elias who is able to say nothing to thee to rouze thee vp nothing to admonish thee nothing to coÌ„fort thee How doth this please thee Art thou well inough satisfied herewith doth thy Heart neuer mourne within thee to consider this Art thou not afraid of Salomons Rule b Pro. 29.18 Where there is no vision there the people decay or dost thou groane vnder this heauie burden and doth thy soule pant after a better blessing Looke vnto it count not thy selfe a Freind to the Word a Freind to God a Freind to thy owne soule if thou art not affected with this Miserie This is the first signe The second signe of loue to the word is the priuate vse of it c Ps 119.97 O how I loue thy Lawe it is my Meditation continually The 2. marke There is the Triall of his Loue. The reason is manifest where we loue thither doth loue drawe our affections The Rich man meditateth of gathering goods naturall Louers of their loue ambitious men of their preforments so the man of God hauing no greater riches nor glorie then in the word cannot chuse but meditate in the word It is but small pleasure so long as we are in a gardeÌ„ to be delighted with the smell of Hearbs vnlesse we carie of euery kinde some that so we may haue some benefite of the garden when we be farre from it So it is but a flattering Ioy no longer to be affected with the word then we are in the Church therefore something must be gathered here which may worke on our affections when we be gone He which heareth and ioyneth not this with his hearing is but like a man coloured in the sunne so he getteth some superficiall knowledge but it is such as can afford him no coÌ„fort And this is the cause why there is so much preached and so little practised euen because there is so little priuate exercise I know there are other priuate duties as Prayer and conference but I do specially stand vpon this because this is the most generall and the most effectuall All cannot read all cannot haue opportunity to conferre but euery man is or ought to be master of his thoughts to apply to himselfe that which he heareth and to vowe the obedience of it to the Lord. This is a needefull point to be stood vpon either because it is not known or it is not practised Many may be said to be sermon-sicke as there are some said to bee sea-sicke They which are sea-sicke as long as they are vpon the water are of a very feeble stomacke faint and euen as it were readie to die but comming once a land and hauing paused some litle time they beginne to forget the trouble and to recouer their former strength After the same maner many there are who being at the sermon are tossed to and fro by the power of the word their hearts are sicke their consciences melt and they are much troubled but when they are gone and haue a little acquainted themselues with the Aire of the world they forget what they heard and wherewith they were moued and returne backe againe to their ill courses as before Remember this therefore if thou wilt be thought to loue the word to bestowe some priuate exercising of thine owne thoughts in and about the word If a man should be stinted to one meale a weeke he would haue a pined body at the weekes end what shall then become of our soules if we thinke it inough that they once a weeke be fedde with the word of God and doe not giue them some other priuate refreshing The third marke The third signe of loue to the word is loue to the obedience of the word d Ioh. 14.25 If yee loue me saith Christ keepe my commaundements so if we loue the word we cannot but make conscience to doe that which is commaunded by the word The reason is this He which truly loueth the word must needes tender the credit of it and labour by all meanes to maintaine it Now it is the greatest honour to the word of God that may be when men which professe it are ruled by it and walke according to it e Phil. 1.27 Paul commendeth to the Philippians a conuersation which may become the Gospell He vrgeth the like three times in one chapter f Tit. 2.5 sobriety in elder men and women and subiection and chastity in younger women that the word of God be not euil spoken of g ver 8. againe grauity and integrity in youÌ„g men chiefely in young ministers that he which with standeth may be ashamed hauing nothing to speake euill of h ver 10. Thirdly truth in seruants that