and keepe their liberty and freedome to serve sinne but you that can relish the love of God and love to walke in the light of his countenance that can tell what to doe with peace and comfort on earth or with crownes of glory and equality with Angels in heaven that neither love the smell of fire and brimstone by the way nor the torment of it at your journeyes end open you your bosomes wide and loose not the least breath of the exhortation given desire love embrace the service of the most High God and pray for enlargment of heart and soule that you may desire love and embrace it yet seven times more ESA. 8. 13 14. Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himselfe c. And he shall be for a Sanctuary c. CHAP. XI The words further opened then before and way made for the explication and handling of the second Doctrine SAnctifie the Lord of Host himselfe c. What is meant by Sanctifying in this place and what the nature of the duty requires herein is we shall shew in the explication of our Doctrine who is meant by the Lord of Hosts It is one of the great Titles of honour that belongs to him that is the high and mightie Possessor of Heaven and Earth the great and glorious God blessed for ever and it represents him in that Soveraigne and absolute power and command hee hath over all creatures whatsoever even over those that have the greatest strength and power and that are most formidable to others as Hostes and Armies are in that respect seeme most uncapable of rule and command for I conceive that in this stile of Honour which is so constantly appropriated to Gods Hosts or Armies are mentioned as the utmost bounds and highest perfection of all created strength and so include all inferiour strength of the creature whatsoever according to the frequent manner of the Scripture and proprietie of the Hebrew tongue which usually put the extreames or limits of things for the whole content or compasse as to omit many other instances in Scripture Psal 2. 8. where the Prophet speakes in the person of God the Father to Christ bids aske of him and he will give him the Heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession that is the latitude and extent of the whole earth meaning there shall be no language nation or people under Heaven but shall be subject to him Now this name or title of Lord of Hosts is in this place given unto God rather then any other because it so well answers the present occasion or that duty which the Prophet here requires to be performed unto him It represents God under such a notion or apprehensition to the minde or thoughts of a man which will helpe the soule to be delivered of the duty with ease if it be rightly conceived and beleeved Hee that knowes what it is to be the Lord of Hosts and beleeves God to bee such â— Lord indeede cannot lightly but sanctifie him Secondly let him bee your feare and let him bee your dread that is bestow upon him the whole and intire substance of that affection or passion within you called feare both in the ligher or lower motions and risings of it and also in the weightier and higher as if hee should say feare nothing else but him little or much Let him be your feare and let him bee your dread that is let him bee the matter or object not of your dread only or deepe feares but of your feare simply of the least and lightest of your fears And this latter clause let him be your feare and let him be your dread doth in part explaine the former for this one especiall thing in our Sanctifying the Lord of Hosts to make him that is him alone our feare and our dread 3. It followeth and hee will be a Sanctuary namely unto you that so sanctifie him or as the word may be translated a Sanctification unto you There is not much difference betweene the one and the other onely the former seemes more plaine and is readier to be understood and therefore we shall the rather take that by Sanctuary he meanes a place of refuge or meanes of safety and protection as a Tower Castle Fortresse or the like as some translate the word here which may be called Sanctuaries because they hold some kind of Analogie with that which is a true Sanctuary indeed that is to say Gods habitation or dwelling place in heaven for as God hath framed the heavens and hath consecrated or sanctified them accordingly to be a place and perfect rest peace tranquilitie safetie and securitie to all that come thither there is no evill that can approach that habitation So those places or buildings on earth that either by common consent of men have immunities and priviledges to save and protect from outward violence those that are found in them excepting happily some particular cases as all Temples consecrated to divine worship whether of the true or false God heretofore have beene or else have beene strong built and purposely fortified with Amunition and meanes of defence have beene called by the names of Sanctuaries So that when God promiseth to bee a Sanctuary to those that shall sanctifie him the meaning is that he will be a protector and defender of them he will take care of the things of their peace and welfare 4. And that is remarkable in the Prophets expression that he doth not say that God will provide or look out a Sanctuary for them but that he himself will bee a Sanctuary unto them By which kinde of expression hee seemes desirous to prevent and cut of all distractions and runnings out of minde and thoughts in his people all castings about in times of danger this way or that what course they should take what they should do for their safety where that Sanctuary should be that God would provide for them To save them all this labour and travaile and turmoile of soule hee tells them that hee himselfe will be their Sanctuary and they shall not neede to looke but unto him If there be any thing else to be done for their safety he will direct them and teach them what it is A like expression you have Ezek. 11. 16. Thus saith the Lord. Although I have cast them a farre off among the Heathen and although I have scattered them amongst the Countries yet will I be unto them as a little Sanctuary in the Countries where they shall come CAP. XII Wherein the latter Doctrine is propounded and explained 1 THe words thus opened the points of Doctrine naturally arising from them will be this The sanctifying of God is a sure way to make him a sanctuary or defence and as it were a Heaven unto us in times of danger For the opening of the Doctrine two things would be explained First what it is to sanctifie God Secondly how this promise of being a Sanctuary made to such a
due and issuing out of an estate of knowledge to whomsoever it is given The servant that knew his Masters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But hee that knew it not and yet did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes c. Luk. 12. 47 48. with what severitie of displeasure did God proceed against those heathen that withheld the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. and that especially because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God c. vers 21. that is in effect they did not serve him And David propounds it as a matter of the greatest and most apparent equitie which the consciences of all men cannot but see and acknowledge that God who teacheth men knowledge should chastise and correct namely when those that are taught knowledge refuse to tender service and obedience as a dutie or tribute belonging thereunto Psal 94. 10. upon which place the Chaldee Paraphrase hath these words Is it possible that he hath given the Law to his people and they not be rebuked when they sinne So that this service of God whereunto you are exhorted is nothing but what is due unto him by multiplicitie of Titles and ingagements from you you must trample under foot right upon right reason upon reason equitie upon equitie and turne head upon all conscience if you will stand out and rebell against the voyce of this exhortation And know this that if you will break all their golden Cords by which God hath tyed and bound you so fast to himselfe and his service and cast them from you God will gather them up from your hand and turne them into Scorpions and make a terrible scourge of them it may be for your consciences by the way but most assuredly for your soules in hell Every reason that pleads for the service of God at your hands in this world will pleade for vengeance against you at the hand of God in that which is to come if it bee despised Thirdly to make the necessitie of your serving God more weightie and prevalent upon you consider that as it is his right so it is his commandement also to be served by you Hee hath declared and testified from heaven that hee is fully purposed to stand upon his right in this behalfe that hee lookes for the hearts and hands of all flesh to be lift up unto his Commandements Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling Psalm 2. 11. Hee doth not simply command service of men but is very choyce of the service hee commands it must be made savory and such as his soule loveth it must be prepared for him with that spirituall composition of feare and joy So againe Psalm 100. 2. Serve the Lord with gladnesse c. Besides other passages in Scripture of like importance and charge without number now then let it be seriously thought of and laid to our hearts as hot or hotter than they can well endure it of what high concernment it is to the creature both on the right hand and on the left that the voyce and commandement of God be obeyed Mallem obedire quam miracula facere etiamsi possem I had rather obey than worke miracles though I could was a straine of that wisdome which God gave unto his servant Luther The truth is that obedience it better than a being in heaven simply because without obedieÌ„ce a being in heaven would soone be turn'd into a being in hell a position ratified by the fall of Angels whereas on the contrary a being in hell would soone be turned into a being in heaven if obedience be found with it a conclusion gloriously sealed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and his ascention into glory Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption Act. 2. 27. Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed saith Samuel to Saul 1 Sam. 15. 22. So that he that obeyeth the voyce of God pleaseth him and he that pleaseth God is a benefactour to many and pleasures the world round about him God is seldome pleased but the windowes of heaven are presently opened and the blessings thereof powred downe upon the Earth But oh who is able to abide the heate of his indignation when he comes to avenge the words of his mouth upon the disobedient and rebellious What is it that puts the foundations of the world out of their course that makes Kings and Princes to labour in the very fire What is it that teares up the mountaines by the rootes and carries them into the midst of the Sea What is it that shakes so terribly the Earth as it is at this day nation being risen against nation and Kingdome against Kingdome What is it that causeth the Sunne to be darkned and the Moone to be turned into blood and the Starres to fall out of heaven and the powers of heaven themselves to be shaken that is as some interpret the holy Angels with astonishment at the great terrour of the Almighty falling on the earth In a word What is that separates betweene the world and the peace of it having the God of Peace for its Protectour and Ruler that turnes the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort into a consuming fire to it but onely the neglect and contempt of this great commandement of the most High He commands the world to serve him and the world would make him serve with her sinnes and this is that that the jealousie of him whose name is jealous cannot beare Thus the great breach is made upoÌ„ the earth the whole world in a manner cast upon the bed of sorrow yea from the wombe of the contempt of this Commandement of God are the regions of darknesse replenished with inhabitants and the chambers of death furnished with guests to be lodged in shame and torments for ever Fourthly to ease the burthen of this exhortation to the service of God where I conceive it wringeth and pincheth most upon the shoulders of naturall and carnall men consider that if you be but once really perswaded and made willing to take this yoke upon you to consecrate your selfe to this service of God all the bitternesse and burthensomenesse and unpleasantnesse thereof unto you is past immediately The gâ—eatest snare of death wherein vaine and inconsiderate men are taken and held from the service of God I conceive is this They conceive and imagine that the waies of God and religious courses which are so contrary unto their natures and wherein they taste a bitternesse like death for the present will never be healed of this antipathy and unsutablenesse to them but will continue alike bitter and distastefull to the end Upon which apprehension the heart is enraged against all that is called holy and stands off at defiance with spirituall
peace of your souls only untill you come at some full fountaine of these waters where you may quench your thirst throughly I shall be willing to give you a taste of one maine difference between that kinde of Faith and dependence on God which will open the doore and lead you into this blessed Sanctuary here promised and that which will leave you without naked and exposed to the wrath of God in every kind That dependence on God which is raised in the soule by the help or means of that ignorance of God or of the minde and counsells of God which is within a man is a dependence which God will reject and with which the creature may perish as on the contrary that which either springs out of a true light of the knowledge of God or is accompanied and attended as it were in the production or birth of it with such knowledge is that great and sacred dependence which ingageth the Almightie to his creature and carrieth Heaven and Salvation before it This difference is built upon the sure foundations of the Scriptures This is life eternall saith our Saviour to his Father in that solemne Prayer of his a little before his death Joh. 17. 3. That they know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ This is life eternall that is a certain means of attaining salvation or life eternall it is a figurative expression very frequent in Scripture wherein the effect is put for the cause or means of such an effect as Deut. 13. 5. Because he hath spoken apostacie or revolt so it is in the originall that is because hee hath spoken that which may be a cause or means of your revolting from God So John 3. 19. This is the condemnation c. that is the means of the condemnation So againe Rom. 14. 20. Destroy not the worke of God that is take not a course use not the means to destroy him In this figure of speech Christ is called our peace that is the Author or means of our peace Ephe. 2. 14. The resurrection Joh. 11. 25. The Lord our righteousnesse Jere. 23. 6. that is the Author or cause of our rising againe and of our righteousnesse or justification besides many like expressions Now then if the true knowledge of God and of Christ for the one cannot be knowne aright without the other be an unquestionable means of eternall life it must be this means thus as it produceth and worketh a true and living Faith in men according to that which David affirmeth Psal 9. 10. They that know thy Name will trust in thee Because without such a Faith or trusting in God eternall life is not to be had or obtained Marke 16. 16 c. Therefore that faith or dependence on God which ariseth from such a knowledge must needs be the true Faith which is accompanied with the favour of God and with salvation otherwise such knowledge could not be the means of either inasmuch as neither is to be enjoyed without such a Faith 25. And for those instances and examples cited from the Scriptures of some mens relyings and trustings on God without acceptation as Psal 18. 41. 42. Matth. 7. 22. 26. c. It were easie to demonstrate that they were assisted and strengthened in their raising and production by the ignorance of God found in the hearts of those who are said so to have relyed or trusted on him It is evident that those spoken of Psal 18. who were there rejected in their prayer and consequently in their dependence such as it was on God were men destitute of the true knowledge of God For they are said verse 40. to have hated David a dear childe and faithfull servant of God Now the Scripture teacheth expresly that he that hateth his brother is in darknesse and walketh in darknesse 1 Joh. 2. 11. that is is in a worse condition then he thinks or is aware of and knoweth not how to doe any thing to perform any work or service in a holy and right manner as hee ought And again 1 Joh. 4. 8. He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love that is God truly known alwayes fills the heart with love towards men So for those Mat. 7. whose soules miscarried under a kinde of hope or trusting and relying upon God or Christ as apparent it is that neither had these any right knowledge nor due apprehensions of either Because it is said that they were workers of iniquitie verse 23. and that they heard the words of Christ and did them not verse 26. that is they lived in knowne sinnes Now concerning such the Scripture also speaketh plainly That whosoever sinneth willingly and against light and knowledge hath not seen him that is God neither hath knowne him that is hath not had so much as a cleer sight or enterview of him much lesse any setled experienced or more profound knowledge of him The sight of a man wee know is but the first degree of the knowledge of him 26. So that the rule is universally true that that Faith or dependence on God which either ariseth out of a true knowledge of him or is accompanied with such knowledge in its arising alwayes prospers triumpheth in its acceptation as on the contrary when men will claime friendship and acquaintance with God and will needs depend upon him for favour out of ignorant and fond imaginations and perswasions of him such claimes and dependences are still rejected and cast out by him The reason hereof may well be that which the Apostle delivers and laies down Rom. 11. 16. as a ground or principle upon which God builds many other of the wayes of his providence and dispensations in the world If the root be holy so are the branches As on the other hand Job reasoneth and demandeth Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Job 14. So if the root of our dependence on God be holy that is if this dependence springs and shoots as it were out of righteous thoughts and apprehensions of God and of Christ it cannot but be holy so accepted with him As on the contrary if it be any common unclean or polluted conceit or notion of God that gives the raise and advantage to our trust or be the basis and bottome of our dependence on him it is no marvell if such trust or dependence be profaned by him and rejected with disdaine and indignation As for example the wicked of whom David speaks Psal 50. 16. is said verse 21. to have this conceit or thought of God that hee is altogether such an one as himself that is that he likes and approves those wayes and practises of sin wherein hee was ingaged and hardened as well as himself did Now if such a thought or opinion of God as this that hee should approve of or any wayes comply with sinners in the evill of their ways be the reason or ground or els gives any assistance furtherance to
before God there is such a difference of parts and circumstances as was in the Law as our Saviour expresseth upon occasion to the Scribes Pharisees betweene tithing of Mint and Cumin and exercising of Mercy and executing Judgement these are called the great things of the Law implying that those other were matters of inferiour consideration So there are in this duty in this Great and solemne service some thing that ought and are necessary and fit to be done others wherein the maine weight and importance of it stands as Christ told the Pharisees that for the tithing of Mint and Cumin they were things they ought to do as well as the keeping Mercy and Judgement though these had the preheminence and were the great things of the Law 2 Those things in this duty which ought not to be left undone though the life of the duty lyeth not in them are such as may goe under the name of bodily exercise which I shall not need to recapitulate particularly because as I conceive they are every mans knowledge as namely fasting not onely from our ordinary repast as eating and drinking but likewise from recreations costly apparell and many other things wherein the fancie of man is apt to take a delight and refreshment And so your bodily presence before God in the assembly for a greater space of time than ordinary To this head I may referre likewise those contributions that you use to make unto the poore upon such occasions as these Now all these are things very fit to be done but yet you must take heed this is the stumbling stone that I speake of that I would remove first that you place no weight at all or as little as possible may be in the most strict and literall observation of these things lest you lose the crowne of the service and reward of the day for such exercise profits little as the Apostle speaketh except it be perhaps to make the surface or appearance of the service the more comely solemne But now the Mercy and the Judgement and the Great things of the Law the Great things of this day and service are the exercise of the spirits as first the summoning and gathering together into your memories next a serious and affectuous consideration then an acknowledgement of the sinnes of the nation So likewise a confessing in this sense of the sinnes of your owne soules and the sinnes of those that are under your hand and charge yea and of the sins of your fore-fathers even to the breaking of your hearts and the humbling and laying low the smiting downe and wounding your spirits and consciences in the sight of God 3 Next to this your serious purposes and resolutions taken hold of by a fast and a single hand of being divorced from all your knowne wayes of your severall sinnes not onely your plucking out and cutting off but casting from you also your right eyes and your right hands This is another thing that is of the maine body or rather of the very heart and soule of this duty viz. reformation and truth of repentance Lastly your humble requests and earnest strivings struglings with God for the pardon of the sins you have confessed as well nationall as personall the putting forth your strength and might yea and the encreasing your strength and might the provoking your hearts to doe more and more in this kind in importuning the God of Mercy to powre out of his grace and goodnesse abundantly upon your persons and upon your land in all manner of expressions thereof which concerne the peace either of the one or the other For there is no man but if he hath once smitten the rocke of his heart and gotten out prayers and requests unto God let him smite the second time and the third time and hee shall finde that the waters will still flow more and more For there is spring upon spring desire upon desire Many rich veines and mines of this treasure that might with labour be digg'd out of the soule c. And this is the fourth and the last thing 4. Now this is that I desire to give you in by way of caution that you charge little of the weight of the day upon the former things mentioned or the literall observation of them though never so strictly observ'd for there is little of the substance of the duty in thē when you have done your utmost but all the strength and weight and hope and power of the service lyes in the latter And yet I would not have you charge these neither beyond their strength and beyond what they are able to beare As Paul would not have any man to thinke of him above what he either saw in him or heard of him 2 Cor. 12. 6. that is above what hee had sufficient Ground to thinke and therefore let our thoughts be commensurable to the nature and qualitie of the things Thus farre you may build upon them and thus farre you may trust unto them in regard of the testimony from heaven given unto them If so be they be done with truth of heart and performed as in the sight of the God of heaven and earth you shall see that light will arise out of darkenesse unto you and that the heavens are ready and doe but waite till the earth calls Onely you must not thinke that the Good the reward that comes upon those services is from the merit or desert of any thing you doe or from the strength or worth of grace received to goe through such a worke when you have caused your voyce to be heard on high no you must know that all the blessing and the vertue that seeme to come out of such things even the holiest duties in the holiest manner performed lyes rather in the strength of the promise of God in that truth and faithfulnesse of his which inclines him to performe and make good all that grace and goodnesse that he hath beene pleased to settle and confirme under the great seale of heaven unto such duties and services as these But this by the way onely now come wee to the words themselves Sanctifie the Lord of Hostes himselfe and let him be your feare and let him be your dread and hee shall be a Sanctuary c. CAP. II. The context briefly opened the coherence and sense of the words in part cleered with some briefe conclusions raised from them THe Prophet having prophesied of the comming of the great and mighty King of Assyria in a very terrible manner with a great host both against the two Kingdomes of Syria and Israel where they should spoyle all vers 7. and also against Iudah where hee shall prevaile farre too and reach even to the necke which wee know is immediately joyned to the head meaning that he shall prosper and carry all before him without resistance till he came at Ierusalem it selfe the head of that state or Kingdome vers 8. where notwithstanding hee doth in effect threaten him
them into the hand of Iabin King of Canaan a stouter oppressour it seemes than either of the former for hee had nine hundred chariots of Iron yet only suing and crying unto the Lord as before they soone got an execution or a judgement against the nine hundred chariots which was served by the hand of Barak and Deborah Again a fourth time when they suffered grievous things under the Midianites and were driven from their cities houses and dwellings into dens caves in the mountains and were mightily impoverished by them as the story saith yet the former meanes of crying unto the Lord wrought so with him that hee presently sought and found them out a deliverer from under this calamitie also The rest of the Tribes of Israel which had beene twice beaten by the Benjamites upon the second humbling themselves before God obtained a great victory We might instance of all those other fasts and hâ—miliations mentioned in Scripture as that of Ezra chap. 8. that of Nehemiah chap. 9. that of Ester chap. 4. that of Iehosaphat 2. Chron. 20. that of Ninivie Ionah chap. 3. There was none of all these seekings of God but that found him the service scarce performed but it was attended with a reward 3 So that we may build upon this foundation as high as the heavens if we had wherewithall to do it if our hearts will serve us If wee serve and seeke God with upright hearts and do not make him to serve with our sinnes as the Prophets expression is that is subject his will to ours and make him beare such burthens as are not meete for him to beare wee shall have our hearts desire whether it be in the depths beneath or in the heights above whether it be the flower of the wheate or the honey out of the rocke if the out stretched arme of the Lord can come at it wee neede not feare God will not be sought nor served in vain hee knowes his creature must live and subsist by him and hee that will do his worke shall eate of his bread 4 It is true wee have many great and important suits and requests to put up to the throne of grace and to solicit the Almighty about this day as the pardoning the great iniquities mighty transgressions of the nation the healing of the sores of a land which shaketh and whose foundations are out of course the taking off the wheeles of the chariots of our enemies who are driving furiously against us the putting up the sword of his indignation into the place of it which is now shaken over us the making way for his Gospell that it may runne and be glorified through the land through the middest of the rage and gainsayings of men with many others of like consequence Which if wee should by causing our voyce to be heard on high this day draw out of heaven and see brought to passe before your eyes you will be I conceive as those that dreame you seeke them I feare in some respect upon the like termes it were well if you did so in all that the Church of God sought for Peters enlargement out of prison Acts 12. They were at it close and prayed earnestly for Peters life and libertie but yet they said shee was mad though one of their owne company that brought them tidings that their prayers had prevailed and had fetch'd Peter out of prison so you weepe and mourne and are troubled in your soules and lift up your cryes to heaven to obtain these mercies and suits from God but if a man should come in amongst you and should say to you that your prayers and tears are accepted that the Lord hath heard the voice of your weeping and you shall have a speedy answer from heaven of all things the iniquities of your people is forgiven your land shall be healed your enemies shall fall before you and licke the dust at your feete the Gospell of Jesus Christ shall runne and be glorified in the middest of you c. I feare you would say or at least thinke within your selves that such a man were mad Well follow you the worke and service you have in hand as those Christians did and call and cry with your whole hearts though your faith and hope of particulars especially of present prevailing be as short and weake as theirs in all likelihood was yet you have the same God to do with that they had whose eyes are as open to the prayers of his servants at this day as ever who cannot forget to be gratious because he practiseth continually and keepes his hand in ure daily and hourely And therefore though you will not beleeve your selves yet suffer patiently and take it not amisse if others will beleeve for you that God will give you and that sooner than you can expect a gratious returne of this daies service into your bosomes God hath not said unto you this day serve mee for nought nor gathered you together to seeke his face in vaine This for the first point of instruction It is no lost labour no time ill spent that is spent in the service of God such labour such service shall have that good measure our Saviour speakes of Luk. 6. 38. rendred unto it measure pressed downe and shaken together and running over If one world will not fill the bushell there is another that shall make it runne over 5 Secondly if it be no part of Gods meaning to be served by his creature for nought but hee will give rewards and be bountifull to those that serve him and hath declared himselfe upoÌ„ such terms then observe againe from hence by way of instruction that it is a thing well pleasing to God and no waies offensive to him for all men to provoke and stirre up themselves to the service of God by the consideration of his bounty and of those great and gratious things hee hath promised to do for those that serve him Doubtlesse God would never have kindled this fire in the world especially hee would never have made the pile so great and heaped on wood in that abundance hee hath now done to encrease the heate and strength of it if it had beene unlawfull for the creature to have warmed it selfe at it What hath God cast out these golden baits out of heaven to fish for the hearts and soules of men in the sea of this world and is it not lawfull for the soule to bate at them yea and to swallow them Hath godlinesse the promises both of this life and of that which is to come and May it not regard them may it not touch nor tast nor handle them May it not live and strengthen it selfe by the hope of enjoying them Hath God planted so many trees so many pretious promises in the paradise of the Scriptures and is it not lawfull to eate of any of them Hope must be no longer a grace but a sinne if it be not lawfull both to looke at and to looke for the
good things that God hath promised to those that love him 6 It is true that God is as the Father expresseth it sine intuitu praemii diligendus to be loved and cōsequently served without any eye to a reward that is though he gave no reward to his servants yet for his owne sake hee were to be loved and served accordingly yet now hee is much more to be loved and much rather to bee served now hee doth reward so abundantly And therefore it is not a thing onely lawfull but necessary also yea a matter of duty and conscience to serve him for his rewards at least to serve him more and more willingly and cheerfully Otherwise wee must hold and maintaine that God is never the more to be regarded nor to be loved or served for all his promises how great and pretious soever they be wee are in never the more bonds or ingagement at all unto him for these which is a conceipt that both reason and religion alike abhorre The best indeed and most spirituall use that can and ought to be made of the promises and large recompences which God gives unto those that serve him is to use them as glasses wherein to contemplate and behold the glory of the love goodnesse and bountifulnesse of God towards the creature and so indeed to be more provoked to the love and service of God by what hee seeth or feeleth of God or from God either in his promises or rewards then by what hee either seeth or feeleth of his owne or coming toward himselfe in either This as the Scripture it selfe I conceive intimates unto us in the frequent expression of seeking the face of God 1. Chron. 16. 11. and elsewhere meaning by the face of God some favourable or gratious expression of himselfe unto us in some mercy deliverance or the like wherein as it were the face of God that is his love goodnesse bounty c. is to be discerned but sinfull doubtlesse it is to neglect or passe lightly either by his promises or rewards because these cannot be neglected or despised but God himself must be despised in them there being so much of him of his grace goodnesse and bounty in them it being every whit as true and happily with truth of a greater weight and importance concerning the promises of God as it is concerning his precepts and Commandements that hee that despiseth them despiseth not man but God 1. Thess 4. 8. And if it were not a thing lawfull to provoke and stirre up our selves to seek God by consideration and hope of his mercy and goodnesse to be shewne unto us according to the exigencie of our necessities estates and conditions why do wee keepe these dayes of more solemne addressements and deepe humiliations unto him or why have the children and servants of God kept them before us 8 It is evident from Scripture that the hope and consideration of obtaining mercy from God answerable to their feares and desires and present exigences of their affaires have still been the ground of all those more serious seekings of God whether by prayer crying onely or by fasting also the chiefe wherof were briefly mentioned unto you If they had beene foule and sinned in so maine a circumstance as the ground and foundation of their service would God have sealed his approbation and acceptation of them from heaven with such gratious answers to their desires as hee did from time to time Therefore wee may be comforted and established in this point that wee sinne not at all but approve our selves unto God in his owne way by exciting and quickning our selves to seeke his face this day by a hope and confident expectation of finding favour in his eyes in delivering us out of the hand of all our feares in turning away his judgements frō us from our nation God as he cōmands the poore to speake entreaties to him so hee gives the poore leave to expect and look for consolations frō him in the strength of this hope to lift up their hands in prayers entreaties unto him So much for the use of instruction CAP. VIII Two sorts of offenders censured by warrant from the Doctrine 1 In the third place by way of reproofe If God be so gratious and bountifull in his rewards to those that serve him then woe be to them that serve him not fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest as David saith Psal 11. 6. is like to be the portion of their cup Gods bounty and fulnesse towards those that serve him is a great presage of his heavy and deepe severity and vengeance against those that despise him O consider this saith the same Prophet with bowels of compassion rowl'd together you that forget God lest I teare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Who are they that forget God not only they that never thinke of him that never come in places of his worship that never joyne in the outward exercises of Religion that never speake of him c. Men may do all these and yet be of those forgetters of God that shall bee torne in pieces by him and have none to deliver them To forget God in Scripture phrase is when a man doth not remember him with such a remembrance which produceth effects sutable to the nature holinesse and glory of God as love feare obedience c. Other kinds of remembrances of God will rather turne to mens heavier judgement and deeper condemnation then otherwise To remember God with a neglect and contempt of him is farre worse than a totall forgetfulnesse of him as that knowledge of God which the heathen had whereof Paul speakes Rom. 1. 21. not working in them the feare and service of God made thē the more inexcusable and consequently laid them open to the greater vengeance 1. The truth is that all the judgements all the threatnings all the curses all the wrath all the vengeance all the terrible and intolerable things that are found from the one end of the Scriptures to the other they are burdens of the neglect of this serving of God and shall be borne by those that doe despise him yea all the wrath and indignation of the Almightie that is powred out in fire and blood upon the earth upon the heads of Kings and Princes of Kingdomes and Nations of cities and peoples are nothing else but the rebukes of heaven for not serving him 2 The land about whose peace and safetie wee are contending and wrastling and strugling this day with him that hath them in his hand the great and terrible God of heaven and earth is as our hearts well know it and feele it a land of sorrows of feares of troubles and of great anxietie and perplexitie of soule to the inhabitants thereof even ready to consume and eate them up but what are our sorrowes our feares our troubles our anxieties and perplexities of soule made of What is the matter and as it were the very substance of them
gratious towards those that serve him and will not be served for nought then are those likewise children of reproofe who though they do not wholely despise or neglect this service of God yet they are afraid of being burdened and overcharged with it they will binde it to it 's good behaviour that it must not wrong or hurt them neither in their bed nor in their bushell I meane neither in their ease nor pleasures nor in their businesse and profits We have many like post-horses who will runne their stage lively enough and with good mettall and speed but it is death to them to goe never so little further so is there a generation both of men and women amongst us who can with some tolerable patience and attention goe along with the minister of God speaking the Oracles of heaven whilest the glasse is running but if hee carrieth them a little further though the great things of their owne peace be never so earnest and instant with them yet a lasse they are themselves no longer they now begin to sweate and to faint and sometimes to nestle this way and that as if their seats by this time were growne too hot for them or as if all that is spoke after the houre is expired were unsanctified matter and borne out of due time they cannot relish it nor edifie by it 6 To men of thus low and straitned spirits in the service of God I shall onely say this for the present that if God gave Rewards for his service by neeked scant measure if hee gave so many heavens of an houre long apiece as wee heare sermons whilst wee live this were some tolerable ground for men to nourish and suffer their hearts in such an humour but they that say they hope for good measure indeed at Gods hands measure heaped up pressed downe shaken together and running over they that looke for crownes of righteousnesse for life and immortality from God by way of reward for these men to nurture and traine up themselves and their hearts in such degenerous and unsutable strains and wayes as wee speake of to make their Epha so small when Gods Omer is so great is it not as if in Iehoash's comparison 2. Kings 14. 9. The thistle in Lebanon shall seeke to the Cedar in Lebanon to give his daughter in marriage to his sonnes it is altogether unworthy the name not of religion only but of reason it selfe But I shall not now insist any further on this CAP. IX Comfort from the Doctrine for those that are and chiefly for those that have beene and yet continue the servants of God 1. IN the fourth place by way of comfort for those that are but especially for those that have beene the servants of God If God be indeed so open handed so full of rewards to those that serve him then let such as have wrought to the throne of heaven that have beene diligent and faithfull in the affaires and service of God in case God hath done no great things for them yet since they first entred his service let them lift up their heads and be comforted from hence their worke is all this while with the Lord and will be shortly with them even in their bosomes As the Scripture saith of Christ that hee that doth come will come and will nottarry so hee that doth reward will reward and will not tarry All your sufferings form Christ in any kind all the labour of your love that ever you shewed to any of the Saints all your prayers and hearings and addresments unto God in any kinde all your holy conferences and meditations in their full weight and number all your holy purposes and resolutions all your standings up to plead the cause of God or of his truth or people upon any occasion all your instructions administred to the ignorant reproofes and admonitions to delinquents yea all the diligence and faithfulnesse you have used in your particular callings in conscience unto God if there be any other worke any other service in any kinde wherein you have obeyed the voyce of the Almighty behold the exchequer of heaven is countable unto you for it it is as good estate as good strength life peace joy glory as any Abraham Isaack and Iacob or all the Angels of heaven stand possessed of 2 As Peter speaks concerning the estates of one kind of wicked men 2. Pet. 2. 3. That their judgment of a long time lingred not and their damnation slumbred not meaning that from their first entrance upon those wicked practises their judgement and condemnation were comming neerer and neerer upon them daily and not onely so but that they slept not nor slumbred not by the way that is they gathered and increased weight and measure in their comming every houre the execution of them was deferred there was a proportionable addition made to them so that they came full payd and fell sore and terrible above measure upon them at last so may it be sayd of that happinesse and reward of the servants of God which yet are not come unto them that yet of a long time they linger not they are upon their way every houre and moment brings them neerer and neerer unto them neither do they sleepe nor slumber by the way God will give reward not for worke and service onely but for time of forbearance also the longer it is ere hee makes us a returne of our righteousnesse from heaven hee makes it so much the richer and with the more advantage when it commeth 3 It may be there are some among you yea I hope there are both men and women not a few of whom I now speake who have beene heaving at this great stone where unto all the shoulders of the land are this day put if yet it may be removed you have I meane humbled your selves and afflicted your soules in private before God for the peace of your nation and people and as yet you have eaten little of your labours the heavens are yet as blacke or blacker over your heads then they were the judgement and destruction of the land yet workes before your eyes Well yet let this ground of consolation support you God hath not beene neither ever will be sought of you in vaine you must give your prayers and teares your humiliations and fastings a little time to worke though you thinke it long ere you heare of them there are others on whomsoever they fall in another kind will thinke they heare of them soone enough when they fall downe from heaven in fire and blood upon thē they will bee ready to thinke with the Divell that they are tormented they are destroyed before their time And so for the service of this day if you performe it with all your hearts and with all your soules feare not but it will doe you as good service as ever Davids worthies did him I will defend your land against the Romish Philistims your enemies and bring downe the high lookes the
know is the great and gracious and mighty protector of the world hee defends the whole earth with his loving kindnesse as it were with a shield What shall I doe unto thee O thou preserver of men saith Iob unto God Iob 7. 20. In him saith the Apostle that is by or through him we live move and have our being viz. continued and made good unto us Act. 17. 28. And Christ Heb. 1. 3. is said to carry or beare up all things by his mighty Word as if there were nothing that could either goe or stand alone or as if the whole creation were ready to sinke rightdowne into nothing If Christ should let goe his hold but a moment And yet wee know wee are all obnoxious to him and long since put a sword into his hand wherewith he might justly have slaine us at once He that protecteth us upon these termes doth he gather in proportion above what he scatters if hee receive service and obedience from us Thirdly the law of Preservation and maintenance strengthens his title hereunto yet further Who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flock saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 9. 7. Support and maintenance are ready to complaine and cry out of injury and wrong if service be denyed them Because wee have maintenance from the Kings Palace it was not meete that wee should see the Kings dishonour therefore have wee sent and certified the King was a good reason though in bad men Ezra 4. 14. It is the brand of the child of perdition to have eate of our Saviours bread and yet lift up his heele against him Ioh. 13. Well then God being the great Foster Father of the World filling all our hearts daily with food and gladnesse he who opening his hand satisfieth the desire of every living thing as David speaketh Psal 145. 16. and putteth the staffe of bread into the hand of all flesh giving it strength likewise to support them How shall we despise such a great and solemne ingagement as this How shall wee breake or cast away such golden cords as these from us that is how shall wee refuse to serve him The Saints indeed shall judge the World 1. Corinth 6. 2. but the oxe and the asse shall judge and condemne us if wee know our Masters crib no better Fourthly the Law of Redemption triumpheth yet above all therest in the vindication of Gods right and title to the best of our strength in his service And as himselfe teacheth us to reason for our selfe on the one hand Hee who spared not his owne Son but gave him for us all to death how shal he not with him give us all things So on the other hand this love of his to us so richly manifested in the death of his sonne for us teacheth us to reason against our self and yet not against our selfe neither if wee knew the things of our peace and glory for him He who spared not his owne Sonne but gave him for us all to death how shall he not for such a guift expect and looke for all things from us yea how shall wee not for such a gift prevent his expectation herein if it were possible and even give him all things though hee looked for nothing To dispute the interest God hath in us or to demurre upon his service is to set abroach a new queree in the world and to aske for whom Christ died whether for Angels or for the seede of Abraham Hee that is out of Gods work and despiseth his wayes and glory seemes willing to comfort the Devills and to possesse them with a hope that it was the Captivity of hell and not of the world that was turned by the death of Jesus Christ There is no withstanding no rising up against the Majestical power and authority of this law it leaves a man nothing of himselfe it despoyleth him of all right and power of living to himselfe and seeking his owne things it seizeth upon all his heart and all his soule and all his minde and all his strength upon all that he is and all that hee hath and all that hee is able to doe for the use and service of the great God of heaven and earth and all this it doth by a strong and high hand of righteousnesse and equitie So that there is no man that acknowledgeth his Redemption wrought his ransome paid by Jesus Christ can murmur or complaine in the least degree that hee is served neither better nor worse as wee say then thus to be caught up out of himselfe and from the earth and by a holy violence constrained and compelled to serve above and to attend the throne of heaven and to live unto him that sitteth and reigneth thereon for evermore Redemption by Christ is as the most gratious Law-giver in one kinde so the most severe in another that ever was God himselfe never gave Law that reach't so farre or so deepe into his creature Other lawes and commandements of God it shooke off from it self and despised and yet God was able to beare it and to over-rule and keepe backe his fire and brimstone that they brake not out to take vengeance of the transgressours yea notwithstanding the contempt and disobedience of his creature to that Law yet hee lov'd it still yea with such a love that travailed with no lesse birth than the gift of his onely begotten sonne Jesus Christ out of his bosome for the comfort peace and blessednesse of it But the Law of that service which the gift of Christ and Redemption by him imposeth upon man is indispensable altogether that knowes no mitigation or compliance all the grace goodnesse mercy compassion bounty patience long-sufferance in God will never looke after never think the least thought of making the least provision for the peace or safety of him that shall live and die in disobedience to it There is no bit or bridle that will ever be put in the jawes of hell to keepe it from falling upon such a man nay hell will be ready to cry to heaven for more fire and brimstone if it were possible to advance the torment and destruction of such a creature Fiftly and lastly the Law of instruction rejoyceth also to do service to the God of heaven in this kinde and further ingageth his creature man to serve him Teach mee O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it unto the end Psalm 119. 33. David thought it was but reason to covenant with God to give him practise for knowledge service for teaching Yea God himselfe who is farre from overvaluing any gift or grace vouchsafed to his creature nor ever chargeth any commodity of his wherein hee deales with the world with any hard or unreasonable imposition hath yet put such an estimate or rate upon knowledge that whosoever receives it must either render service and obedience upon it or else suffer punishment above his fellowes Therefore service to God is a rent charge naturally
courses feeding upon and strengthening it all with this reasoning that it shall never be able to hold out in a way of that enmitie and irkesomenesse to it and so resolves never to taste or make tryall of it but seekes matter of pretence and quarrell and exception against it Therefore to remove this stumbling stone out of the way of these men and to represent the service of God upon more hopefull and desirable termes unto them than so I desire this may be taken into knowledge and diligent consideration that if men shall suffer themseves to be perswaded to be really truly and inwardly willing to embrace the service of God by meanes onely of this change in their mindes and hearts the troublesomenesse and offensivenesse of those wayes and courses wherein God is to be served will be eased and taken away To move upwards towards the circumference is a motion as naturall and of as much ease and delight to fire as moving downewards towards the center is to a stone or other heavy body and a stone if it were changed into fire or had a contrary pâ—opension of levitie put into it would performe the motion upwards with as much ease and contentment as now it moves downwards So to the figge-tree it is no more labour or paines to bring forth that sweet and pleasant fruit wee call figs nor to the vine to bring forth grapes than it is to the thorne to bring forth that harsh sowre fruit which is proper to it or to the thistle that unprofitable flower that grows upon it In like manner when the frame of the heart bent of the will are chaÌ„ged wheÌ„ new dispositions inclinations are planted in the soule wayes of righteousnesse holinesse are as sutable unto him of as naturall sweet compliance with his spirit as wayes of vanitie and loosenesse were whilst his heart was yet carnall It is joy saith Solomon Prov. 21. 15. to the just to do judgement and what can it be more to the drunkard to be drunken or to the uncleane to practise uncleannesse David saith that his soule should be fill'd with marrow and fatnesse when he remembred God on his bed Psal 63. 5. 6. And can the ambitious mans speculation of all his honours and greatnesse or the covetous mans rumination of all his treasures and riches yeeld them a more cordiall extraction or more spiritfull quintessence then this When the heart is renewed there is an agreement made betweene the man and the commandements of God and then they can walke friendly and lovingly together Yea it is not onely true that wayes of holinesse are as connaturall and pleasing to a man when he hath changed his carnall heart for a spirituall as wayes of sensualitie were before but there is seven times yea seventie times seven times more inward contentment and satisfaction to him in these wayes now than ever there was in those false and crooked wayes of sin before This were easie to demonstrate but I hasten to the fift and last motive which I dispatch in few words Therefore fifthly and lastly to render the service of God too desirable unto thee if it be possible to be refused consider how great the recompence of the reward is that belongs unto it and is setled upon it with as good security as heaven it selfe can give Suppose the worke were never so hard and sore and that to serve God were to dwell among lyons or in the shadow of death all a mans dayes to fight with beasts after the manner of men as Paul sometimes did at Ephesus 1. Cor. 15. to be as sheepe appointed to be slaine all the day long suppose it would turne our blacke haires into white before their time and bring the symptomes of foure-score as Moses expresseth them Psalm 90. 10. upon our strength at twenty or thirty even paine and sorrow suppose we should spend our whole portion and all we have in this world in it yea and be spent our selves upon it what were all this in comparison of farre more exceeding great reward which attends the end and issue of it besides what is received in present and concurrently with the worke which though it be but first fruits and gleanings yet is it better than the whole lumpe or vintage of the world and which is in the hand of the great Master who is served ready to be given in good measure heaped up pressed downe shaken together and running over into our bosomes The Nations of the world are many and the inhabitants of the earth innumerable if they were mustered accordingly they would make many armies great and terrible yet in respect of the infinite greatnesse of God Behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust in the balance which will not so much as cast the scale yea All nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse than nothing and vanitie Esay 40. 15 17. Doubtlesse there is the same disproportion betweene all the troubles difficulties losses crosses offences inconveniences in every kinde accompanying the service of God and the reward belonging to it they are all but as the drop of a bucket or as the small dust of the ballance in comparison hereof yea they are to be esteemed lesse than nothing yea it were no hard matter for a servant of God that knew how to manage such an advantage to the best to take the very hope and expectation of his future reward and by the power and glory of it to make him selfe past sense and feeling of any thing hee suffers or endures in this world in the way of his service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But I passe for nothing was the invulnerable temper and condition that Paul had wrought himselfe up unto in this kinde bands and afflictions hee passed not for nor for any thing else of that nature Acts 20. 24. What shall I or what can I say more if men either desire to fulfill the course of their pilgrimage on earth with joy or to see the dayes of eternitie in heaven or seeke the good things of this world or of that which it to come there is no meanes no method like to the service of God to put us into possession of both desires I know nothing but godlinesse which is in effect the service of God that hath either the promise of this life or of that which is to come but sure I am that this hath the promise of them both 1 Tim. 4. 8. and as sure I am that having the promise it hath and shall have the performance also Men that love death as Salomon speakes Prov. 8. 35. that can make joy of torment and happinesse of misery that can neglect and despise all that the great and mighty God can do either for his creature or against his creature either in this world or in that which is to come may turne the back upon the voyce of this exhortation
may sometimes glorifie or sanctifie God as the naturall or unreasonable creature doth that is to say without any knowledge or intention of any such end in their actions The heavens saith David Psal 19. declare the glory of God and in that respect may be said to sanctifie him So Caiphas when he prophesied and Iudas when hee confessed he had sinned in betraying innocēt blood glorified God but this glorifying or sanctifying God was not their end in what they did this end set them not a work to do either and therefore they glorified God without any reward 6 But this for the externall sanctifying of God which though it be not the principall sanctification here intended yet is it included and intended as well as the other which is the internall and that which is in the heart And what this is may readily and clearly be understood by what hath beene already sayd concerning the outward for looke what worke or effect it is which by the externall sanctifying of God when this prospers and takes place in the hearts of others is wrought there when we worke act or doe the same in our selves and in our owne hearts this is our internall sanctifying of him And this worke or duty of sanctifying God internally and in the hearts we may well place in these foure things First in a right apprehension or understanding the attributes or properties of God and that not onely in their severall natures and qualities but some wayes also in the height or excesse of proportion which they have above all perfections in the creature of the same kinde or that goe under the same name As for example a man must understand and apprehend what love meaneth that is what the nature and propertie of such an affection is and so what goodnes wisdome truth power c. meane and import and likewise what an infinite love infinite goodnes wisedome truth power c. import at least indefinitely and by way of negation that is that by an infinite love is meant a love more intense large and fervent than by any created and finite understanding can be comprehended Secondly in a true and unfained beleeving that such perfections even in that height and surplussage above all that is found in the creature are truly and really in God and in him alone Thirdly in deliberate and serious contemplation or consideration of these infinite perfections rightly apprehended and firmly beleeved to be in God Fourthly and lastly in framing the heart and composing the affections and shaping and fashioning all a mans purposes intentions and resolutions in an answerable decent and comely manner thereunto that is to these attributes of God so apprehended beleeved and considered upon though if wee speake strictly and properly the duty wee speake of stands precisely in the last of the foure the having the heart and and all the counsels and purposes of it tamed and set in a just and sweete proportion to the Name or Attributes of God so that every thing which is in God as Mercy Truth Power Wisdome c. not only so but that the proportion of every thing of all these that is that fulnes or overplus wherin all these the like are found in God above what they are in any creature may have a peculiar proper distinct effect sutable to every of thē in the heart soule of man Even as we see a seale that is well cut or graven when it is applied to wax well tēpered soft doth not leave an impression or likenesse of it self in a generall or confused manner upon the wax but you shall see letter for letter point for point and every part of the incision in the seale will have its peculiar and distinct effect upon the waxe so is the great God then sanctified in the heart of a man or woman indeed when there is no attribute in God but you may finde it there and that not only in the nature or kind of it but in the proportion or dimension of it too as when not onely the goodnes of God is found in our love to him but the proportiō of his goodnes foūd in the measure degree of our love so not onely his truth and faithfulnesse found in or dependance upon him but the unquestionablenesse or infallibility of his truth and faithfulnesse found in the freenesse willingnesse strength and intirenesse of our dependance upon him and so in other his attributes 7 Not as if we were able to draw the full proportiof Gods Attributes which we know are all infinite in the narrow compasse of our hearts or affections there is no roome or space for any thing that is infinite to stand there in its positive and proper Notion As for example a creature cannot love God with any such infinitenesse of affection as Gods goodnesse is infinite in him but yet the infinitenesse of the goodnesse of God may be thus represented in our love and affections to him wee may love him with a love stronger and greater then any love wee beare to the creature or know that wee ought to beare unto any creature whatsoever and this is interpretatively infinite that is it is such love as plainly confesseth and acknowledgeth the object of it to be infinite The same is to be conceived touching all other holy impressions dispositions and inclinations raised in the heart or soule by a due consideration of the attributes of God As for those other three things mentioned right apprehension of the nature and infinitie of these divine perfections or attributes the settled beliefe or perswasion of their being in God together with an effectuall consideration of them as united and seated in him these I conceive are not parts of this dutie this sanctifying of God but rather acts of the minde or soule precedently requisite and necessary thereunto A man cannot possibly sanctifie God with that internall and speciall sanctification which this Scripture principally requires and which hath in part beene described without somewhat done more or lesse in all these Hee that either knoweth not what infinite love infinite wisdome power c. meane and import or beleeveth not that such natures are indeed in God in their infinitenesse or lastly doth not affectuously contemplate or consider these things in him can never worke his heart to that close and intire dependance upon God which is the speciall sanctification of him required there elsewhere in the Scriptures 8 For that in a word is further to be considered that howsoever the phrase and expression of sanctifying God in the Scripture be indifferently used for the sanctification of him in any kinde that is for them agnifying of him in any one of his Attributes whether love mercy goodnesse wisdome power c. particularly yet it is in speciall manner and with greatest propriety and as I take it more frequently used for that sanctification of him which is by dependance or reliance on him This of all other acts or kindes of
sanctifying God performed by the creature is the greatest and of most acceptation with him because it is a magnifying or glorifying of him in many Attributes at once and those in whose manifestation and glory hee is best satisfied and delighted A man may sanctifie God in his mercie or in his wisedome or in his power or in his truth and faithfulnesse severally and apart when hee doth not exercise any speciall act of dependance upon him A man may either in words or discourse or else in minde and apprehension or both single out any attribute of God from all it's fellowes hee may exalt and magnifie the power of God alone by it selfe without putting any glory in one kinde or other upō any other attribute but hee that actually depends upon God magnifies them all and so sanctifies God in them all For if a man doubts or questions whether there be any thing wanting in God either in nature or perfection either in kinde or degree to make him a God indeed a God meete or worthy to be relyed upon such a man will never be whole and intire and close in his dependance upon him there will be some faultering and fumbling as it were and rustinesse in his faith the heart and soule of a man will still boggle and make a stand and demurre yea and be ready to give backe in such a case It is not the greatnesse of God alone that will make the creature depend on him neither is it his power alone that will do it nor his faithfulnesse alone no but there must be a concurrence of all these and others too in God to make him a God in cases of great difficulties and dangers to be depended on Therefore now when the creature doth indeed and in truth and with all the weight of his soule cast himselfe upon God and depend on him hee sanctifieth God not in one or some but in many or rather indeed in all his attributes and perfections And this doubtlesse is that speciall sanctifying of God by way of dependance which hee requires at our hands in this place so that he may become a Sanctuary unto us The scope of the place with the whole carriage of the context and more particularly the addition of those two clauses as it were by way of explication let him be your feare and let him be your dread lead our judgements and understandings as it were by the hand to this interpretation so that we shall not need to contend further about this to prove that by sanctifying God in this place is meant a stable and comfortable depending on him See the word used in a sense importing trust or dependance elswhere 1 Pet. 3. 15. Num. 20. 12. 27. 14. Esa 29. 23. This is the first thing to be opened in the point 9 The second thing to be opened for the further clearing of the doctrine is how the promise is here to be taken that God will be a Sanctuary to those that shall sanctifie him as you have heard whether it be to be restrained onely to a soule protection and the meaning of it onely this that God will have a care of such in times of dangers difficulties c. so that the things of their everlasting peace shall suffer no losse or dammage by all the stormes and tempests of outward troubles that may fall on them that their soules shall not miscarry that no winde shall shake that corne of theirs or whether it be to be extended further to an outward protection also as that God would either preserve or keepe them so that the trouble shall not take hold of them or hide them under his winge where the danger that findes out others by hundreds and thousands shall not finde out him or at least that hee would carry them through and bring them againe with comfort and peace in this present world though they might happily drinke deepe of the cup with others 10. For answer to this It is out of all controversie that that great protection of the soule is here included however whether it be principally intended or aymed at or no. Those that sāctifie him in the times of great water-floods as David speakes of great dangers and publique calamities or judgments whether they have their lives or no given them for a prey they shall have their soules given them for a prey neither tribulation nor anguish nor persecution nor famine nor nakednesse nor perill nor sword nor life nor death shall be able to separate them from the love of God in Christ Rom. 8. Therefore of this there is no question 11 But concerning the other kinde of protection or temporall deliverance c. it may be somewhat more questionable whether that be here included and intended or no. Yet by that immediately followeth as likewise by the generall streame and currant of the Scripture both for promises and examples in this kinde some whereof wee shall produce for the confirmation of the doctrine it seemes that even this kinde of protection also is here included if not principally and directly intended For so it followeth And hee shall be a sanctuary that is to say unto you as wee said before but as a stumbling stone and as a rocke of offence to both the houses c. This is apparently spoke of of those outward and temporall judgments and calamities which the wicked Jewes both those of the tenne Tribes and those of the two would bring upon themselves by not sanctifying God by not trusting and depending upon him and not of eternall judgements Therefore that which God promiseth to those that sanctifie him by way of opposition to what hee threatneth against those that would not sanctifie him must be understood principally at least of outward mercies and protections And besides Ezek. 11. 16. where the very phrase is used of Gods being a Sanctuary it is in speciall manner meant of outward protection and that as apparantly as satisfaction it selfe can desire 12 There is yet a third way to interpret this promise or phrase of Gods being a sanctuary unto his people which will stand well with both the former and yet is differing from either God therefore may be said to be a Sanctuary unto his people viz. to those that shall so sanctifie him as you have heard not onely in respect of soule-protection from hell nor of bodily and outward protection from externall troubles and miseries but in respect of heart-protection as wee may call it from the sad piercing and tormenting feares and apprehensions both of the one and of the other For there is not onely paines and torments in hell but in the feare of hell also so there is not anguish and perplexitie of soule onely in suffering and enduring outward miseries and afflictions but in the feare and expectation of them and their issue And for outward miseries and sufferings the truth is not onely that the feares and expectation of them are many times a greater misery and burden upon the soule then
of haile and as a destroying storme shall cast downe to the earth c. The Crowne of pride c. And the glorious beauty shall fade c. And what followeth In that day shall the Lord of Hosts be for a Crown of glory for a Diadem of beautie unto the Residue of his people that is to such as did not with the rest depart from him thorough an evill heart of unbeleefe so Ier. 14. 8. calleth God first the hope of Israel and then the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble When God is the hope of Israel that is when Israel depends upon him then he is the Saviour of Israel in his troubles so to the same Prophet and his remnant as hee calls them that is the godly party who had stucke to God and made his dependance upon him when all his people in a manner would have quarrelled and persecuted him out of his faithfulnesse hee makes this promise The Lord said Verily it shall be well with thy Remnant So againe chap. 17. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is for he shall be as a tree planted by the waters and that spreadeth out her rootes by the river and shall not see when heat commeth but her leafe shall be greene and shall not be carefull in the yeare of drought neither shall cease from yeelding fruit By this tree's not ceasing to yeeld fruit in a year of drought hee expresseth the comfort peace and joy which should live in the heart and soule of those who made the Lord their hope in times of greatest troubles when there should be no visible or outward meanes either to raise or to maintaine them So Ioel 3. 16. The Lord shall roare out of Zion and utter his voyce from Ierusalem but the Lord will be the hope or harbour of his people and the strength of the children of Israel So Nahum 1. 7. The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and hee knoweth that is regardeth or respecteth them that trust in him You may adde to these diverse other Scriptures which are strongly bent this way as Amos 9. 8 9. Mal. 3. 18. Esa 1. 27. Esa 6. 13. In all which places we shall easily perceive that the fairest and fullest streame runnes upon either a preservation from or a protection under or a deliverance out of publique judgements and calamities to those that sanctifie God by dependance on him in such times 3 If it be objected but are not those who do sanctifie God and depend upon him many times taken away and utterly consumed and destroyed by publique judgements as pestilence sword c. and that in such a manner as no difference at all can be made betweene them and others To this I answer two things First it is not ordinarily so as may appeare from the Scriptures cited in way of proofe for our Doctrine it is seldome seene or heard of that a man is cut off by a publique judgement in the strength of his dependance upon God Godly men indeed if they pollute their Sanctuary in heaven with inordinate feares may suffer in such a way Peters faith shaking his life wee know sympathized and was shaken also with it but this is that whereof I conceive few instances if any can be given that a publike judgment should be sent to slay any man that hath his hand fast upon the hornes of this Altar For the most part faith and dependance upon God as Iames speakes of mercy rejoyce against judgement and triumph over the stroke thereof 4 Secondly suppose men and women have beene thus taken in their bed of this heavenly security have beene smitten when they have beene close and strong and intire in their dependance upon God yet impavidos feriebant ruinae as he said the stroke did them no great harme Why because their hearts were in Sanctuary the truth and faithfulnesse of God who hath in effect promised that all things shall work together for good to those that love him was shield and buckler to the inner man so that as Paul speakes Phil. 1. that to live and to die were to him alike the difference betweene the one and the other was so narrow in his eye that hee was in a straight he knew not which to chuse but yet of the two serting circumstances aside hee would rather die than live hee would be dissolved and be with Christ that was best for him So when the heart or soule of a man is erected and lifted up on high in a rich dependance upon God the one way or the other going or staying life or death there is little to chuse betweene them Feare hath paine saith Iohn and the truth is that scarce any thing else hath paine except there be some kinde of feare or other joyned with it Take any sore or tormenting disease or sicknesse as stone or gout or the like if there were not some apprehensions and feare of the continuance or returne of them the very instant paine would be easily digested and no great matter made of it so when God hath guarded and fenced the heart of a man with the presence of his grace as it were with a wall of fire round about so that no feare or apprehension of evill can breake in upon it to smite and wound it the evill it selfe when it comes is of no great concernment it cannot much afflict or annoy the soule so that whether preservation from danger or no preservation whether deliverance out of danger or no deliverance I meane till death that comes much to the same to those to whom God will be a Sanctuary that is to those that sanctifie him If God be a Sanctuary either from the evill or from the feare of the evill it makes no great difference in the estate and condition of a Christian Of the two he hath the better accōmodation from his Sanctuary I conceive whose protection serveth against feares The reasons of the point are foure CHAP. XIV Containing the grounds or reasons of the point in number foure 1. FIrst God will assuredly be a Sanctuary to them who sanctifie him by dependance because hee hath made himfelfe a debter by promise unto his people of safety deliverance upon such termes wee may speake it with reverence that hee is intangled with his owne words which are as strong or stronger than himselfe to doe as much as this comes to to save and protect his people that truly make their dependance upon him The Lord redeemeth the soule of his servants and none that trust in him shall perish Psalme 34. 22. None from the greatest to the least of them Put your trust saith King Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. 20. in the Lord your God and yee shall be assured beleeve his Prophets and you shall prosper besides many such like promises you have in Scripture for the present I onely adde that in the Prophet Esa chap. 57. 17. Vanity shall take them that
doubtlesse it is most lawfull for him to depend upon him yea as lawfull altogether as it is to seek to deliver himselfe from the curse or to escape the wrath which is to come If God denounceth every man accursed for not relying not depending upon him this is a sufficient ground and warrant yea and more then either for every man and woman under heaven to do both the one and the other to rely and depend upon him without asking any further question for conscience sake For certainly God would never pronounce any man accursed for not doing that which he hath no right or warrant to doe It were rather a ground of praise and reward from God to a wicked man if he should refuse to depend upon him in case hee had no ground or warant for the doing it That which makes it a sinne of that high provocation in the sight of God with whomsoever it is found in all persons whatsoever that are guilty of it is the commandement of God together with the abundant righteousnesse and equitie thereof lying upon all men for the doing of it So that there is not the least scruple or question to be made but how sinfull and unworthy soever thou conceivest thy self to bee thou hast as much right because as great a necessitie to depend and cast thy selfe upon God as the most righteous person under Heaven Therefore 14. In the fourth place I answere yet further and desire it may be well considered that a mans trusting and depending upon God is both the first and the onely effectuall means or cause of every mans repentance and hath a necessary infallible and universall connexion with it so that no man can depend upon God we speak now of a true and unfained dependence but ipso facto as we say in the very act of his dependence he repenteth neither can any man truly repent but he that truly depends upon God and that by the power and native propertie and influence of that his dependence For we are to conceive of God and sinne as of two contrary terms or two points in the heavens diametrally opposite or directly crosse one to the other as the East is to the West and the North to the South c. So that whilst a mans face is towards sin that is whilst he remaines impenitent and unconverted his back is towards God that is he sees not that in him why hee should trust him or depend upon him as a man whilest his face is towards the West his back must needs be toward the East And the reason why any man remaines in an estate of impenitencie is not so much as happily we conceive the pleasure or profit or contentment of sinne in any kinde as the ignorance of God of that infinite goodnesse sweetnesse mercie bountie truth power c. that are in him though it be true also that there are bands and snares and cords of vanity in sinne which bind men heart and hand to it and so keepe them fast making them listlesse and carelesse of inquiring after God and his wayes till God by a high hand of grace prevants them with such a light of the knowledge of himself as doth deliver them For if there were not the hundreth part of that pleasure profit and contentment in sinne which impenitent persons conceive there is yet they remaining ignorant of God and without knowledge of those riches of his grace which expose him in all his greatnesse power and all-sufficiencie to every creature under heaven that is but willing to come unto him and depend upon him without any other condition or qualification whatsoever would never repent of their sins 15. If God should grind the face of the creature as it were and take out all the flower and pith of it and leave nothing but husks and shells yet men would not give over feeding upon these unlesse they were perswaded of finding better intertainment with God If covetousnesse were nothing so pleasing or sutable to the corrupt hearts of men as now it is if the heat of the pleasure of drunkennesse idle company uncleannesse and the like were abated and taken down never so low yet the covetous would be covetous still and the drunkard would follow drunkennesse still and the adulterer would be an adulterer still except hee saw in God an effectuall dore open unto him by which he might enter and finde grace acceptation with him Againe notwithstanding all that sin doth or can doe to prevaile with the heart of a man to deteine it in the love practise and approbation of it notwithstanding all the strong allurements and effectuall bewitchings it hath attending upon it to keepe men in bondage and subjection to it nay if sinne were more sinfull in this respect then it is I meane more alluring and more tempting and more bewitching then now it is yet upon the shining of the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ upon the soul upon the appearing of the bountifulnesse and love of God our Saviour towards man as the Apostle speaketh Tit. 3. 4. the heart of a man would breake loose from sinne and cast all the cords of it from him he would turn his back upon it immediately and come about with his face towards God By both which considerations which are both cleere in reason and might be sufficiently confirmed by the word of God if it were necessary it is fully evident that the main and principall reason of any mans continuance in his impenitencie is not so much any thing he finds in those wayes of sin wherein he lives no nor yet in those corruptions of nature which make those wayes of sin so pleasing above measure unto him as his not depending upon God Which conclusion being granted as it cannot with any colour be denied it necessarily follows that men must begin and make entrance upon their repentance by way of trust or dependence upon God 16. A man must not think that either hee ought or câ—n first repent and then trust and depend upon God no all that a man can finde or feele or feare in sin will not raise the soule so much as to the first and lowest step of a sound and true repentance till he hath taken some hold on the covenant of grace and begun at least his dependence upon God In the raising and framing of which act of dependence in the soul the heart falls off and comes about from sinne which is the substance and nature of a true Repentance So that howsoever To beleeve and to repent are things much differing in consideration and also in respect of their objects it being God that is beleeved on and sinne that is repented of yet are they effected and wrought by God in or by one and the selfe same work or motion in the heart or soul of a man For by that act of the Spirit of grace by which the soul is turned and acted upon God in beleeving by the
same it is turned away from sin also which properly is repentance And look as when a man turns his backe towards the west and his face towards the East he doth both the one and the other not by two distinct motions or turnings of his body but by one and the same neither can he possibly turn his face towards the one but he must of necessitie by and with the same motion turne his back upon the other So is it between Faith and Repentance God doth not worke Faith by one work of his Spirit by it selfe and repentance by another by it self but by the same act and motion of the Spirit by which the heart is drawne and turned upon God in beleeving it is likewise drawne off and turned aside from sinne in Repenting Hence it is that the Scriptures so frequently speake of these two Repenting and Beleeving as supposing involving and comprehending one the other and make the same promises of grace and forgivenesse of sins indifferently to both as might be shewed at large if it were so proper or pertinent to this place That which is called repentance Act. 2. 38. is called the receiving of the Word verse 41. and Beleeving verse 44. And as Peter in the place cited Act. 2. 38. requires Repentance in the Jewes to qualifie and fit them for Baptisme So doth Philip require Faith or beleeving in the Eunuch Act. 8. 37. which shewes that there is a very neere affinity between them and that the one supposeth the other So Act. 11. 18. that is called Repentance unto life which verse 17. was called beleeving on the Lord Jesus Christ Besides divers other Scriptures of like current and importance 17. Yet notwithstanding though as hath been in effect already said Repenting and beleeving or depending on God be but one and the same motion of the soul as a mans going from London to York is but one and the same journey yet may beleeving or depending on God be said to be before Repenting in order of nature and al so the cause of it because the soule is not occasioned moved or perswaded to beleeve on God by turning away from sin but on the contrary is perswaded and drawne aside from sin by beleeving on God as though a mans going from London to York be one and the same motion or journey yet is his going to York and his businesse there the cause of his going from London and not his going from London the cause of his going to Yorke Even so is the Creatures desire of finding rest and happinesse in God by beleeving on him the cause of his willingnes to turn away from sinne but on the contrary his willingnesse of turning away from sin is not the cause or means of his desire to enjoy God by beleeving 18. As for that passage of our Saviour Matth. 21. 32. which is alledged by some to prove Repentance before Faith as a cause or means of it where he layes it to the charge of the chiefe Priests and Elders that when they had seen it that is that the Publicanes and Harlots had beleeved John in his Ministery yet they repented not afterwards that they might beleeve the meaning is not that either the Publicans and harlots first repented of their sins and then afterwards beleeved John and that their Priests and Elders are reproved for not doing the like but the sense and importance of our Saviours reproofe in this place seems only this that their perversenesse and obstinacie in the way of their unbelief was such that the examples of Publicans and harlots before their eyes who beleeved on him and repented of their sins upon the preaching of John wrought not at all upon them they still hardned themselves in the sinne of their unbeliefe and had no relenting in them no inclinations or desires at all to beleeve So that the Repentance here spoken of which seems to goe before and to conduce and dispose toward a full perfect and complete beleeving is not that general and solemne Repentance by which the heart is taken off and stands at a distance from all sinne indefinitely but onely notes the first relentings breakings or yeeldings of the heart and soul touching the speciall sinne of unbelief but not as yet fully conceived or apprehended to be a sinne but as such an estate or condition of soule whereof a man cannot suddenly resolve whether he should doe well to change it or no and turne beleever Which kind of repenting or relenting may be perceived in some about and somewhat before the time of their setled and full conversion beleeving and may be instrumentall and serviceable in the hand of the Spirit of God towards the effecting thereof This exposition might be further opened and confirmed as well by the context and circumstances of the place as by the agreement and sympathie of other Scriptures but that now we neither have time nor otherwise any urgent occasion to doe it 19. The sum then of all that we have reasoned and laid down in this fourth member of our answere comes to this that how sinfull vile and unworthy soever a man hath been or yet is hee is not therefore bound in conscience to deferre or put off his beleeving or depending on God till he hath repented of and forsaken all his sins no but whensoever the golden scepter of grace and acceptation in Christ is held out unto him though it be whilst he is yet in the midst of his iniquities he ought without any more adoe especially when hee findes his heart touched from heaven and any desires working in him that way to leap and spring as it were into those everlasting armes of the mercy and faithfulnes of God which are ever open to embrace and enterteine all those that cast themselves into them how unworthy soever they were the very next moment before they came there And therefore 20. In the fifth place to draw towards a conclusion of this great and important businesse whereas it was layed in in the objection that wicked men are discouraged from expecting any good from God by those threatnings that are so severely bent against them to this I answere that all threatnings whatsoever that are gone out of the mouth of God against sinfull and wicked men have no longer power over them then they continue in their unbeliefe Their power this way is somewhat like that power of censure and excommunication that was given Paul concerning which he speaks thus 2 Cor. 13. 8. We can doe nothing by any power given us against the truth but for the truth as if he should say whilst you walke orderly as becōmeth the Gospel of Christ which is the Word of truth I have no power to judge censure or cast you out but onely when you sinne against the Gospel and are a shame and reproach unto it then indeed I have a power to stand up for the honour of the Gospel and to judge and censure according to the nature of your sinnes