〈…〉 all my Years in the Bitterness of my Soul Which Words are Written for our Admonition and Ensample for our Imitation and Practice upon whom the Ends of the World are come Namely That each of us should severally go all our Remaining Years Months Weeks and Days of this our Pilgrimage in the Bitterness of our Souls And if we should also when we come to lie on our Death-Beds Weep sore Provided it be for the very same Reasons as Hezekiah did It would be never the worse but better for us Now with what kind of Use and Application shall I conclude the foregoing Sermons The first Use shall be a short Word of Exhortation Namely for all that shall hear or read these lines To walk before God in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and to do that which is Good in his Sight How this may be done hath been already shewed My Business at present is to Exhort and Perswade People so to do Have ye in the past time of your Lives walked before God in Truth and with a perfect heart and done that which is Good in his Sight Some have and some have not But this know God requireth that which is past Eccles 3. 15. He will certainly call you to an Account and Judge you for the past time of your Life That is gone by and there is no recalling of it yet the future course of your Life is somewhat more in your Power Do ye therefore secure the Aâ—â—â—ues Walk before God in the beginning of each Day 〈◊〉 all the Day long And as ye do thus in the several Days the residue of your Life that is to come will 〈◊〉 True Perfect and Good For it is not a vain thing â—or you Because it is your Life and through this thing 〈◊〉 shall prolong your Days in the Land whither ye go â—ver Jordan to possess it Deut. 32. 47. It is not a â—ain or Indifferent thing in the first place to Hear or Read the Word of God or not to do it For all that â—ver will be saved will be saved by the Word of God As Contrariwise Destruction and Misery are â—hreatned to those who refuse it or turn their Backs â—rom it or who only give it the Hearing but do not thereafter But Moses saith Set your hearts unto all the Words which I testifie because it is your Life Which is the nearest thing belonging to any one for 't is this which gives the resentment and feeling of all other things And through this thing of walking before God in Truth and with a perfect heart and doing that which is Good in his sight Ye shall Prolong your Days It Prolonged Hezekiahs Days Fifteen Years more and it will prolong your Days a longer space of duration then Fifteen Thousand yea Fifteen Millions of Years in the Land of Eternity whither and when ye go over the Jordan of this Life to possess it The Heart and Conscience of every one must necessarily assent to the Truth of this following Proposition Seeing that Man must live and abide for ever for so it is from the Order Decree and Determination of God concerning us He cannot do otherwise then desire to be happy for ever when He goes over the Jordan of this Life as well and all one as He desires and endeavours to live happily and comfortably in this Life on this side of Jordan Seeing that Mâ—â— must live after Death He must all one and also doth desire to be Happy and Blessed after Death all onâ— as it is Natural and every one doth desire to liâ—â— Comfortably Pleasantly and Happily before Deaâ—â— And seeing again from the Order Decree and Determination of God There is noâ— other way undâ—â— Heaven to be Happy and Blessed for ever but 〈◊〉 walking before God in Truth and with a Perfeâ—â— Heart and by doing that which is Good in his sighâ— throughout all our remaining Life Hereupon 〈◊〉 Word of Exhortation speaks most strong and forciblâ— to every one that would be saved and happy for 〈◊〉 ver as every one would who knows and believes 〈◊〉 future State Go thou and do likewise What I say 〈◊〉 thee I say again to all Go thou and do likewise Ev 〈…〉 to walk before the Invisible God in Truth and wi 〈…〉 a Perfect Heart and to do that which is Good in 〈◊〉 sight all the remaining Days thou walkest moveâ—â— and breathest on this Earth If you do but atten 〈…〉 unto and understand throughly that Reasoning and Truth which lies in this consideration It will appear to be the most Strong and Powerful Argument in the World for to Perswade Men. The other Use which I shall draw and infer from these last words of our Text And Hezekiah wept sore shall be To Recommend unto those who are in Reality and Truth obedient Servants of the Lord to be in a State of Weeping and Mourning Say I these things as a Man For doth not the Law of the Prophets Recommend and say the very same unto ye Therefore also now saith the Lord Turn ye even to me with all your Heart and with Fasting the intent whereof is to afflict our Soul Isa 58. 3. And with Weeping and with Mourning Let the Bridegroom go forth of his Chamber and the Bride out of her Closet Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord Weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy People O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach Joel 2. 12 13 14 17. And in that Day did the Lord God of Hosts call to Weeping and to Mourning and to Girding with â—ack-cloth Little of this is obeyed and observed in this Generation and Countrey of ours but herein is fulfilled what is next Written And behold Joy and Gladness slaying oxen and killing sheep eating Flesh and Drinking Wine Let us Eat and Drink for to Morrow we shall die And it was revealed in mine Ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this Iniquity shall not be Purged from ye until ye die saith the Lord God of Hosts Isa 22. 12 13 14. But here it may be surmised and said That such kind of harsh and sowre Doctrine may be Reasonably expected from the Old Testament Dispensation which came from Mount Sinah which gendreth Bondage from whence the Law was given in Fire in Blackness and Darkness and Tempest of Thunder and Lightning But the Gospel was not ushered nor brought into the World after that manner for it came in a still Voice with a Fear not for behold I bring you Good Tidings of Great Joy which shall be to all People Luke 2. 10. Doth this same Gospel Recommend or say any thing concerning this State of Weeping and Mourning For if it should How would it then bring us Good Tidings of Great Joy which shall be unto all People Yes assuredly it doth both but herein is Comprised the Mystery of God That the Weeping and Mourning must go before the Joy which is to be manifested in us and had by us
Creatour is as directly opposite and contrary to the having a Good mind towards God as Darkness is unto Light It is also contrary unto a Perfect heart for this is an Imperfection to a Witness Yea such an Imperfection that unless it be remedied and taken away it will lay the Creature in Punishment and Misery As for mine own Part although in my common or week Day Life and conversation I have spoken and done Many Things which are contrary unto different from and not according to the Pure VVord of God yet I do not therefore dare to Hate or Reproach that same Word Nor yet for none doth so as to the VVord abstractedly to the Person of him who ministreth or speaketh forth the same VVord against this my Sin and Errour For I know this would make the Guilt of my Sin seven times yet Greater and Consequently Uengeance would be taken on me sevenfold when the Lord comes to Punish the VVorld for their Evil and the wicked for their Iniquity But I Judge it safe to lay my Hand upon my Mouth and hold my Peace and where I see my self faulty to Endeavour to mend And where I have not already attained neither am already Perfect Phil. 3. 12. There to Go on to Perfection Heb 6. 1. Avoiding the Errour and deceit of the VVorld herein of always Purposing and Resolving and not performing accordingly or of complaining and yet not mending But we should still Press forwards and Undeavour Unfeignedly so to do Not to attain unto absolute Perfection is the Infirmity of the Flesh but not to endeavour after it is the fault and failure of the Spirit Here again it must be acknowledged that to walk before the Lord with a Perfect Heart is sooner said then done For it is the whole which God requires of Man It being the first and Great Commandment Thou shalt Love the Lord thy God With all thy Soul and with all thy Strength and with all thy Mind This Particle All being Annexed to all the Faculties and Powers thereof makes it a Perfect Heart For so it is where is all or the whole of a Thing Besides this Appeal which Hezekiah makes unto God in his Pining Sickness not by way of self Commendation but as a stay and support to his Mind under that outward Evil of Body The Spirit it self gives a very Good Character of him And he did that which was Right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his Father did He trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Judah nor any that were before him 2. Kings 18. 3 5. So that his doing according to all that David his Father did who was a Man after Gods one heart in all Things saving the matter of Vriah the Hittite Thus in reality and in Truth Hezekiah did walk before the Lord with a perfect Heart By this also may be seen that the Spirit of God keeps a Register of each Man or VVomans Life And God who is no Respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh Righteonsness is accepted with him Who accepteth not the Person of Princes nor regardeth the Rich more then the Poor for they are all the Work of his hands doth in alike manner keep a Book Put thou my Tears into thy Bottle are not these things noted in thy Book Wherein the several deeds here done in the Body of all the Particular Men and Women of all Generations and Countreys from the greatest of them unto the least of them are written and noted all one as we see it written thus and thus of the several Kings of Judah and Jerusalem how they did carry it towards the Lord God for so we may read it thus or thus recorded of the Inhabitants of the Earth in the Scriptures of Truth There is an Emphatical and Pertinent Scripture to our present purpose in Hos 10. 2. Their heart is divided now they shall be found faulty A divided heart is not a perfect heart and as long as it remains thus divided we hence see that it will be found and pronounced faulty that is defective or wanting in the sight Estimation Judgment and Account of God And yet alas Is not this the case of us all or of most of us Is not our heart divided one part is towards God and another part is for the World and for the Men and Things therein According to what Paul speaketh of himself So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the flesh the Law of sin Rom. 7. 25. He that doth not observe and feel the like within himself is Blind Ignorant and knows nothing as he ought to know Doth not one part of our heart Savour the things of God And again another part of our heart doth Savour the Things of Men. I discern and experience it so in my self Now this is but a divided heart which God in Hosea finds fault with And when he saith in the Proverbs My Son give me thine heart It may be truly reasoned and concluded that he will have a whole heart or none And hereupon the word of Instruction and Exhortation arises on this wise that this same divided heart must be cut off Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your hearts that ye be no more stiff-necked or rather changed and renewed that all the heart may be brought into intire obedience Subjection and Conformity to God till it becomes a good and perfect heart which He is well pleased with and delights in and will accept off for want whereof it is that we neither find God nor yet doth he hear our Prayers The heart hankers after some Carnal Lust or other Sin or Act of Disobedience Consider of this throughly and amend thy ways and thy doings O my Soul and therefore the Lord hath withdrawn himself and hides his Face and doth not manifest himself unto us as He dâ—d in former Days But your Iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his Face from you that He will not hear Isa 59. 2. So that where we cry and the Lord doth not hear or where we do not find such an Answer and Return to Prayer as we have experienced heretofore there let us examine our selves whither there be not some Sin or Iniquity which is the Cloud that hinders that our Prayers do not pass through in us which God is displeased with Here our heart is divided and found faulty for with some part of it it obeys or serves some Sin or Lust O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had Dominion over us Isa 26. 13. And we do not seek or serve him our whole heart But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou shalt seek him with all thy heart and with all thy Soul Deut. 4. 29. And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall
search for me with all your heart and I will be found of â—ou saith the Lord Jer. 29. 13 14. In both these observable Scriptures is contained the inseparable condition â—nnexed to which the promise is made of acceptance from the Lord If thou shalt seek him with all thy Heart â—nd with all thy Soul There must be no Exception or Reserve and nothing in the least is to be taken out of the heart for it to be fixed or employed about saving God only and the things pertaining to his Kingdom This is to walk before the Lord with a perfect heart which did yield to Hezekiah so much inward comfort as streamed forth in outward Tears when He laid upon his Bed of Sickness It will do the same also to every one besides that shall do the like things As we have a further Example and confirmation hereof in another Servaâ—â— of the Lord who thus witnesseth of himself That we were 〈◊〉 pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of Life But we had the Sentence of Deaâ—â— in our selves this was a sad Case and Extremity Buâ— he goes on to add sweetly for our rejoicing is this the Testimony of our Conscience That in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of Goâ— we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1. 9. 10. 12. Hence may be seen again the absolute necessity of 〈◊〉 Godly Life foregoing which is to yield this rejoycing Hence also suspect and tremble at and do not for Te 〈…〉 Thousand VVorlds trust thy Soul upon that uncertainty oâ— huddling up the matter by a Death-Bed Repentance which will Administer Horrour or only Carnal Peace anâ— Stupidity which will be after followed by the gnawing 〈◊〉 the Worm which shall never die For such can neveâ— make that comfortable Reflexion as Hezekiah did in thâ— Text Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I havâ— walked before thee in Truth and with a perfect heart anâ— have done that which is good in thy sight This is the Third thing proposed to be spoken unto And here I would recommend to all such as shall Rea 〈…〉 this which may also be applied unto the two foregoinâ— particulars That whatever ye do meet with in the courâ—â— of your Reading the Scriptures which were given to maâ—â— us wise unto Salvation concerning doing good Be here 〈◊〉 structed that this is written for your Admonition also Tâ—â— Time would fail me to speak of all those many and 〈◊〉 veral Texts of Scripture which speak of this Thing 〈◊〉 doing Good Now as all Making or Preaching of Sermoâ— if they be managed aright are but a Reasoning out 〈◊〉 the Scriptures concerning the same Things So if the Hearers or Readers of the Word would also compare Place with Place and narrowly mind and observe from within themselves what further Significative and true Thoughts do arise from thence they might be Preachers also at least to themselves that is to their own Hearts or Consciences In which sence they might Hear a Sermon or rather a still Voice within them dictating to Good and Testifying against Evil all the week long Whereas I could bring more out of this Treasury of Divine Truths as pertaining to this Subject I shall Instance â—ut in two or three Texts of Scripture that being Sufficient for in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Word shall be established The first is Psal 37. 3. Trust in â—he Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the Land and â—erily thou shalt be â—ed Whereby is shewn forth That Good is not only to be done at the time of our Death but even in the very midst of and throughout the time we dwell in the Land that is on this Earth where we now Inhabit And by the first and last words of this Verse Trust in the Lord verily thou shalt be fed The Holy Ghost doth hereby tacitly anticipate and meet with an Objection or Surmise in heart as if People should think or â—ay that if they did Good they should be impoverished â—nd come to want themselves But here by Arming their minds before-hand with Trust in the Lord which is a relative Term and Presupposes danger and difficulty through which God will carry them for all and then comes in at the close thereof Verily thou shalt be fed This again satisfies the heart not so much of the Natural Man who doth not altogether so well discern these things â—ut it doth the Spiritual Man and Faithful Soul who doth discern and lay hold of the promise so far that tho' if He should do so much good as He would He must of necessity â—ell all his Estate or give all his Goods to feed the Poor for that of Almsgiving seems to be the doing of good here meant and intended yet nevertheless He will do some good according to his Ability And also withal observe the Rules of Justice to his Kindred and Family as well as those of Mercy and Almsgiving to the Poor For this is a constant Rule that we should not break one Commandment of God to yet more fulfill another Nor yet jostle and thrust out one Duty out of 〈◊〉 greater Zeal for the observance of another For as haâ—â— been aforesaid We should walk before God with a perfeâ—â— heart Even so good should be done Universally withoâ—â— doing it only in some things and not in other things 〈◊〉 Good Man will guide his Affairs with Discretion Psal 11â— 5. So He is good in all Relations and will approve hiâ— self Universally so in all things in all Times and Placeâ— and in reference to all Persons The Second Scripture which I shall Instance in is Joâ—â— 5. 29. They that have done Good shall come forth unâ—â— the Resurrection of Life This again is to be Understooâ— of having done good throughout the course of our Life hâ—â— on Earth So wonderfully much doth the Scripture speâ—â— of and make for this Thing of Good Life And Hezekiâ—â— knowing this by the same Spirit that the having doâ—â— Good would intitle to the Resurrection of Life like as 〈◊〉 Man who is a drowning or sinking doth catch hold 〈◊〉 somewhat to save and Preserve himself so he doth he 〈…〉 fitly and properly make his Appeal unto God on this wi 〈…〉 now he was a surrendring up his Life into his hands o 〈…〉 of a Desire and Expectation that a Better and more End 〈…〉 ring Life may be Given unto him instead thereof Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have done tâ—â— which is Good in thy Sight The Third Scripture which I think convenient and necessary to alledge for this Purpose is Acts. 10. 38. Hâ— God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and wiâ—â— Power who went about doing Good and healing all tâ—â— were oppressed of the Devil for God was with him Tâ—â— same Jesus is elsewhere called the Prince of Life Acts. â— 15. in the Margent it is the Author of
Saith the Apostle James who spake by a true Gospel Spirit Be Afflicted and Mourn and Weep Let your Laughter be turned to Mourning and your Joy to Heaviness Humble your selves in the sight of God and He shall lift you up James 4. 9 10. And then by consequence if we do all this The Lord who shall turn our Captivity as the Rivers in the South will again turn our Mourning to Laughter and our Heaviness to Joy According as is promised by his Spirit which spake through the Evangelical Prophet And the Ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with Songs They shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away Isa 35. 10. Our Saviour Jesus Christ the Author and Finisher of our Faith in whom all the Gospel doth center doth assure and promisâ—â— the same in those afore-quoted words of his wherein also He doth Recommend to all that are Christians indeed this State of Weeping now with that true Word of Encouragement for ye shall Laugh As also He tacitly finds fault with and threatens where People Laugh now for they shall Mourn and Weep So that the way to Happiness hereafter is by Mourning and Weeping here As again Laughter and Merriment now I only speak here of the Laughter and Merriment of the World which arises from the things thereof is the way to misery hereafter Behold in this Gods Thoughts are not as Mans Thoughts For herein they are contrary to the Thoughts of the People of the World who if they see any one to serious and Godly herein they conclude him to be Melancholy and Miserableâ— whereas as sure as Gods Word is true this is the only way to the true Blessedness But contrariwise it is as to the Merry Mâ—n of the World for in the Judgment and Estimation of God if we take a view oâ— them by the Glass of his Word and go into the sanctuary and see the end of these Men Surely thou didst set them in slippery Places Thou castedst them down into Destruction Psal 73. 18. As the pleasant and purling streams of Jordan do empty themselves into the Dead Sea So all their sinful Mirth and Laughter will End and Terminate in endless Howlings Seeing that these things are so What manner of Persons ought we to be in all Gravity of Spirit and Serious Conversation Even with the same Hezekiah Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter I did Mourn as a Dove Isa 38. 14. For as to this the sweet Word of Promise speaks on this wise And the Days of thy Mourning shall be ended Isa 60. 20. Which again according as our Mourning hath been will be made up in a Proportionable Cup of Consolation and Rejoycing And tho' as afore-observed of some Constitutions that they cannot Weep or shed Tears So here it may be when People are in Health Wealth and Prosperity when they have the World at will as we commonly Phrase and Understand it and all things are smooth and easy with them When their Eyes stand out with Fatness they have more then heart could wish Psal 73. 7. When they are Puffed up with sensuality and the Good Things of this Life then indeed they cannot so easily be in a State of Weeping and Mourning But here again as it was commanded in Old Time that they should not come near their Wives when they were in their solemn times of approaching and drawing near unto the Lord God And as now under the Gospel the Apostle delivereth the Rule unto Husbands and Wives Defraud ye not one the other except it be with consent for a Time that ye may give your selves unto Fasting and Prayer So in like manner it may be Reasoned and Inferred That we should sometimes abridge and deny our selves even the Lawful Comforts and Enjoyments of Life that we may the more afflict our Souls and so come to be in a due Posture and Frame for a State of Weeping and Mourning FINIS SERMON V. Isaiah XXXVIII 4 5. Then came the Word of the Lord unto Isaiah saying Go and Say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father I have heard thy Prayer I have seen thy Tears Behold I will add unto thy Days Fifteen Years IF we consider throughly and Weighfully in our Minds these three following Scriptures Thus saith the Lord Let not the Wise Man Glory in his Wisdom neither let the Mighty Man Glory in his Might let not the Rich Man Glory in his Riches But let him that Glorieth Glory in this that he Vnderstandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord Jer. 9. 23. 24. For what Nation is there so Great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all Things that we call upon him for Deut. 4. 7. And Jesus lift up his Eyes and said Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me and I know that thou hearest me always John 11. 41 42. Put and conceive all this together and it will hence appear that the Greatest Priviledge Honour and Excellency and Benefit which can accrue to any Man on this Earth is for God to hear his Prayer To be nigh unto him in all things that he Calls upon God for and herein the Righteous and so any one is more excellent then his Neighbour according as he knows and understands more of the Lord God We see evidently now that some do Account of and set by themselves because they Joyn House to House and lay Field to Field and because they Wax Rich and abound therein Who because they are Purse Proud and have more Money than such and such of their Neighbours and Acquaintance their hearts are not only lifted up above their Brethren but I had almost said above the Lord their God also For forsooth they refuse and disdain and are ashamed to come to the place of his worship and of hearing his word for the Plainness and Simplicity thereof and because that only some few Poor People do come there Have any of the Rulers believed on him So it hath been alike asked more than once or twice by some of my Carnal Kindred who walk in the Vanity of their mind having their Understanding darkened as to the things of God and as to the true method of the Dispensation of his Kingdom Do any of the substantial and Rich sort of the People come to hear thee I cannot Answer as to any of them but if any of the Poor of the Flock or those Poor despised ones in the world whose Prayer God heareth Thus saith the Lord the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy one to him whom Man despiseth 〈◊〉 him whom the Nation abhorreth Isaiah 49. 7. Do come here to this Assembly it is more to me as I consideâ— these things when I go into the sanctuary and take 〈◊〉 View and Estimate thereof from out of the Glass of thâ— word than if Kings and Princes Lords and Ladies 〈◊〉 other Rich and Honourable Men and Women did comâ— to
would insist only upon useful and profitable Subjects which I have observed accordingly and yet more chiefly when I have spoken of these things I do hereby appeal to the several Hearts and Consciences of those who shall Hear or Read this Can ye think of a more profitable and useful Subject of Discourse then for ye to be put in mind and directed how ye ought to live and how ye ought to die The Words of our Text are Hezekiahs Prayer and Saying unto the Lord in the presence and hearing of his Prophet which may be supposed by way of Answer to that message and saying of Isaiah from the Lord unto him which was Set thine House in order for thou shalt die and not live And thereupon this behaviour and reply of Hezekiah is thus recorded Then Hezekiah turned his Face unto the Wall c. Now what God spake in time past unto Hezekiah by the Prophet in these last Days he doth speak the same unto each Man or Woman in his word and by the Ministry thereof all one as if he now called them severally by their Names such an one and such an one yea every one of ye Set thine House in order for thou shalt die and not live It is certain That every one cannot make so Good an Answer and Return hereupon as Hezekiah did for as all are Transgressours from the Womb so the greater part of Men and Women do continue so But to make such a comfortable Answer and Return is only the distinguishing Lot and Portion of the Generation of thy Children the true Saints and Servants of the Lord. There is a wide difference between sudden wishes and real continued performances For the first even Sinners and Hypocrites the Ignorant and Ungodly have some times good wishes and wouldings towards God O that they did please him and were at Peace with him when indeed they do not go about so to do and obtain it But the Righteous and Godly know it is vain and deceitful work before the Lord Cursed is He that doth the Work of the Lord deceitfully Unless their Good Resolutions be turned into actual performances For even a wicked Balaam could and did cry out before hand upon a serious Fit and Mood Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his Numbers 23. 10. When yet for all this Good Expression he did soon after Love the Wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2. 15. Even so there are in the Wicked and Children of Disobedience some secret and inward thoughts that it would be better for them if they did lead a Godly Obedient and Righteous Life But notwithstanding all these Good Thoughts Like the Dog they return to their Vomit and so they continue and persist still in their former Ungodliness and Irreligion Sin and Transgression But it is only a Godly Hezekiah or one like unto Hezekiah who can make that most sweet and comfortable Review and Appeal to him that is Invisible and have their own Heart and Conscience within them Witnessing to the Truth Reality and Sincerity thereof Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and have done that which is Good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore Not for Grief and Vexation that he had done so In no wise but through that abundance of Comfort and Rejoycing which upon this very same Reflection did hence stream and flow in upon his Soul For I trow and assure ye that such a Reflection or Remembrance is better and will contribute more to ones future which indeed is the only real and enduring Happiness Then to have lived in Pleasure on the Earth to have been wanton or to have nourished our hearts as in the Day of Slaughter James 5. 5. For it may be sensibly perceived even now that the Pleasures of this life However sweet they may seem to some in Enjoyment and whilst they were present yet as they choke the word Luke 8. 13. So they make Death bitter and more terrible When a Man comes to die if he hath heretofore lived in all the Pleasures Riches and Honour of this World he is never the better for having had them but rather he suspects his condition to be the worse in that they have occasioned so much the more Sin and Guilt and Pride unto him as to which he must go away to give an Account and this Account will be with Grief and not with Joy which will be unprofitable for him He being then to undergo so much Pain Loss and Punishment for the sin which he Committed in the Days of Flesh And then also the Soul makes inquiry what his Good she hath done in order unto or towards God and as from the other sort doth arise fearful Expectation so the having done Good will stand in some stead and yield Comfort and Hope and Assurance and Boldness in that Day The only want and failure here will be if there hath been any Good done would God there had been more of it and it had been better but that cannot be now neither for care should have been taken as to this sooner and before However the Soul must go away to give Account and receive for it as it is It is probable by these two kinds of Speech Hezekiah was sick unto Death then Hezekiah turned his Face towards the Wall That Hezekiah was at this very time when the Prophet Isaiah came unto him and said thus that then he was lying in his Bed of Sickness and Languishing As yet more fully appears by what is after Written When he had been sick and was recovered of his sickness ver 9. And then afterwards mention is made of his Going up to the House of the Lord ver 22. Which he was not able to do whilst he was there And as it is elswhere Written The Lord will strengthen him upon the Bed of Languishing Thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Psal 41. 3. Now these things are Written in the Book of the Lord for our Hope and Comfort for our Learning and Admonition that we should also sometimes in thought and supposal throw our selves before hand upon a Sick and Dying Bed That is put the case and imagine it so to our selves before we come to lye upon it in Deed and Reality For we shall never be the sooner sick in Conceit for thus doing but only thereby we may be the better strengthened in the Soul and Inner Man against and at the very time when our outward Body shall be actually Languishing in the Bed For to this agree two alike Speeches of the Antient Heathen Pliny which are near to the same purpose and signification The one whereof is This is the sum of all Philosophy which was given to regulate and make better the manners of Men If we would be so in our Health as we profess and resolve we will be when we are sick The other saying is a little
further improved This is the Sum and Height of Wisdom if we would do those things whilst living which we shall wish we had done when we come to die Now if with these two sayings we take in also the Knowledge of God considering our Subjection and Duty to him that is Invisible as also with the Grace and Truth that came by Jesus Christ In that Revelation which God made unto mankind by and through him which speak of things that must shortly come to pass which pertain to the Kingdom of God and also to us Men both as to what we are now and what we shall be Let there be but the full assurance of Faith concerning these things and what kind of thoughts will then naturally and necessarily spring up in the Soul just as that is Gasping and she is departing from the Body even quite contrary unto and vastly different from what we had whilst in the midst of Life Health Strength and Vigour For then we were if not wholly and only yet chiefly and Principally taken up with and busied about Worldly and Visible things But do but throughly conceive thy self to be once a dying then the Mind will be upon thè Invisible Things of the other World whereinto the Soul is just going If you do but hold out a Bag of Money or even necessary and wholesome Food to a man when he just Lies at the Point of Death If he hath any Thoughts or Apprehensions at all they are quite of another and different Kind than what he had formerly concerning the same For however he did formerly seek after them both yet now he hath no Appetite or Desire after the one nor stomach after the other But there doth arise an Antipathy and Loathing of them both or rather a Knowledge that now his breath is going forth there is no help in them for they cannot hold it in beyond the Appointed Time and now the Time yea the Set-Time is come they cannot continue Being much less can they give an Happy Being Their Silver and their Gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the Wrath of the Lord They shall not satisfy their Souls nor fill their Bowels because it is the stumbling block of their Iniquity Ezek. 7. 19. The same doth now appear as to all our past foregoing Life whether it be Twenty Thirty or Forty Years so it will be as to those who shall arrive at Threescore and Ten or Fourscore or Ninety Years It is all but as yesterday when it is past and as a Watch in the Night Psal 90. 4. Nay it is not all than so much as a quarter of an Hour or one minute that is to come We spend our Years as a Tale that is told For it seems all one then And so it being evident that the World is then passed away and all the things thereof as to us of consequence as we know and find this we must have but little Regard Thought or Desire after them Like as when one is Riding Post and at full Speed upon the Road how little doth he mind such a single Tree or Little Bush that stands by the way-side for perhaps we just see it as we pass by but we soon forget and not think upon it Even so we are passing through this world Vpon the Souls Dissolution or flight from the Body the Lightning which moves from East to VVest in the Twinkling of an Eye is not quicker in its motion as appears by the Quickness of Thought now and by sight the Principal Sense and Operation of our Soul And when she is Launching out into her Eternal State All the things of this World about which we have been busied and employed so long will not seem so much or not much more then a little single mark or token that stands alone by it self upon a long Road. As we are gathering up our feet in the Bed in order to yield up the Ghost How will the Spirit within gather up it self and make towards the Father of Spirits What would she then give to have Peace towards God or a God reconciled and in favour with her and for an assurance that now she is to be dislodged from this Tabernacle of Clay she may be received into Abrahams Bosom or that she might say truly Into thy hands I commit my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth Psal 31. 5. It is not said Thou hast made me but thou hast redeemed me From which again it appears they being added by way of necessary and consequent Reason thereof that there is no commending our Spirits into the Hands of God when we come to dye and to give up the Ghost without God hath first redeemed us by his truth From what are we to be redeemed Even from that vain Conversation and Corruption that is in the World through Lust and from that sin and guilt which is in our Nature He doth all things in his own order We must first be Redeemed by God before we can commend our Spirits into the Hands of God Now whilst we are in the midst of life and according as the Course of this world stands at this Day People would reproach such an one to be Melancholy Mad and Whimsical if they did hear any one crying out and Expostulating with the Invisible God in such a Great Earnestness and Anguish of Spirit from the very real sence and bottom of his Soul as he doth in Micah 6. 7. Will the Lord be pleased with Thousands of Rams or with Ten Thousand Rivers of Oyl Shall I give my first Born for my Transgression the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul God indeed hath given his first Born for the Sins of Mankind when Messiah wâ—s cut off but not for himself Dan. 9. 26. God knows the danger of sin and what wrath is annexed to sin Unpardoned Or if an Attonement and Reconciliation and Agreement be not made for it But People here in the flesh do not throughly know and lay this to heart And therefore it is that we do not see or hear of any one so very much concerned and affected for Sin whither it be Pardoned or whither the Guilt and Evil deserving thereof still remains in them whilst they be in the midst of Life Health Youth and Vigour But verily verily I tell ye before-hand that when we come to lie in extremis and at the very point of Death if our sences and understanding which is a Great Mercy of God is preserved intire sound and perfect to the last then this will be the greatest thought and searching of Heart Seeing that I and my Naked Soul must now appear before God stript utterly off from this flesh and spoiled and bereaved from all the things of this World which heretofore did stupefie and harden against him or they did hinder and intercept the sight of his Invisible Majesty Is this God now or will He be at Peace or angry with me Shall
same Order Decree and Purpose of God Now here is the strange thing which rather shews that Satan acted in Balaam as to that that when Balaam knew this before and how desirable indeed it was to dye the Death of the Righteous yet that he should presently hereupon love the Wages of Vnrighteousness which he might conclude would cut him off and hinder him from the other good and desirable thing But truly Satan deceiveth not only the Poor and Foolish but even the more Wise and Learned and Eloquent of Mankind for so was this Balaam And so as Rabshakeh could speak in the Person of his Master for thus saith the King of Assyria Make an Agreement with me by a Present and come out to me Isa 36. 16. So if the Great God of the World should speak on that wise unto the Inhabitants of the Earth as indeed he doth not but rather disclaims and disowns and denies that sort If I were Hungry I would not tell thee for the World is mine and the fulness thereof Thinkest thou that I will eat the Flesh of Bulls or drink the Blood of Goats Offer unto God Thanksgiving and pay thy Vows unto the most High But suppose that any false or pretended Messengers or Ministers from him should Preach unto you on this manner For thus saith the Lord God make an Agreement with me so far is no false Doctrine for Jesus Christ the Truth it self Preacheth the same to Mankind Agreâ— with thine Adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way But here comes in the Falshood and it is falsly applied Make an Agreement by a Present and that must be Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousands Rivers of Oyl The cunning corrupt Romish Priests have hence drained a great deal of Tithes and Alms to feed and enrich themselves for they have fallaciously Reasoned and Perswaded the People that what was given unto them this way was making a Present unto the Lord and consequently an Aâ—tonement for their Sins But all this will not do for iâ— one should go yet further and as those who gave up their Children unto Moloch so they would give up their very Children which came out of their very Bowels as Sacrifices to appease God their first Born for their Transgression and the Fruit of their Body for the Sin of their Soul All this is more besides the matter still for God requires none of these things What are Thousands of Rams and Ten Thousand Rivers of Oyl unto him whose is the World and the fulness thereof But this is more than all the Sacrifices and Alms in the World which make so great an outward shew and noise to walk humbly with thy God that is to be obedient unto him for this is the best and most real instance of Humility And this walking Humbly with thy God denotes a doing so throughout ones Life even as long as we walk at all In truth if we do thus walk Humbly with our God we have no Reason to fear as concerning the Sin of our Soul For we may let God alone to do as to that even according to the Words of his Covenant and Truth provided always that we be and continue in Covenant with him For I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8. 12. Most Precious and Comfortable Words which I had rather in truth to belong unto me when I lie upon my Death Bed or in whatever Hoâ—â— I am taken either violently or suddenly out of this World then to have a Medicine or means found out how I might live not only Fifteen but if it were Fifteen times Fifteen Years longer for if God is merciful unto my Vnrighteousness which signifies where I have not come up unto but have come short of that great Rule of Righteousness in Scripture and if he remembers my Sins and Iniquities no more then let Death come upon me as soon as it will and what way it will it cannot possibly hurt me But this will never be unless in our foregoing Life God is our God and we are to him a People There is no way to be Blessed in ones Death but to be Godly in ones Life There is no way to have God for our Friend and to be at Peace with us when through the Passage or Entry of Death we come to appear before him but to have lived unto the same invisible God to have served him with our whole Heart and to have obeyed him in all things in these days of our Flesh As we live so we shall dye and so again we shall dye that is Receive after Death according as we have lived These are Truths of great importance and necessary to be Understood aright and done accordingly that Souls may no longer Shipwrack and be lost upon those deceitful and broken Planks As if it were then soon enough to serve God throughly and constantly and Universally when they come to be Sick or in Declining and Old Age or upon a Dying Bed God forbid for this have I found in all my Study out of the Book of Gods Statutes and in all my enquiring and searching diligently out of the Scriptures of Truth that such a Man or Woman who thinks so and will venture and run the risque to Act accordingly It were better that a Millstone were tyed about his Neck and that he be thrown into the Sea for this would only sink him into Temporal Death and Destruction But the other deceit if trusted and relied on will involve them into Everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power Such will never enter into that rest which remaineth for the People of God Inasmuch as they were never his People who did not serve and obey him in the most nor yet in the best part of their life time Altho' some yea too many of that kind of outward worldly Priesthood now among us Who heal the hurt of the Daughter of my People slightly crying Peace Peace when there is no Peace Will also huddle up the matter after their rate when People are lying in Fears and Hoâ—rours on their Death Bed and send them out of thâ— world with a vain hope and false thought yet even theâ—â— might have Learned better and more faithful dealing froâ— that afore-mentioned saying of corrupt Balaam for hâ—â— fault and failure only was that he spake well but did illâ— Behold I have received Commandment to Bless and he hatâ— Blessed and I cannot reverse it So it is on the other hanâ— where we Ministers have received Commandment to Cursâ— or to speak evil As Cursed are all they that err from hiâ— Commandments Or where he hath threatned to Punishâ—â— there God hath Cursed and Threatned and He will Punishâ—â— and we cannot reverse it Not all the Ministers Preachers or Understanding People now living on the Earth can reverse or change from the least Title of thâ— Word of God that it should fail or not
be fulfilled I heard once a Minister of the Dissenting sort whâ— commonly are more faithful herein then those of thâ— Church Ministry say that several People who had lived Ungodly and Ignorant Lives would send for him wheâ— they lay upon their Death Beds And if they were of thâ— Substantial and Richer sort they would perhaps offer him Money if He would speak a word of Peace and Comforâ— unto them when lying in those sore and last Agonies oâ— Soul But it would have been in him a sinful Corruptionâ— if he should have Perverted the Word of God and took it for that end as he did not but it hath been the manner of some so to do Said he however I would go to them but when I came to them I did not Answer their Expectations for I used to repeat before such what is Written in Isa 3. 10 11. Say ye to the Righteous it shall be well with him for they shall eat the Fruit of their doings Wâ— unto the Wicked it shall be ill with him for thâ— Reward of his hands shall be given him This Scripture is very pertinent and proper to such an occasion Herein this Minister who probably now is a Partaker of the Truth of the former Verse he being at this time gone off from the Stage of the Earth shewed himself a Workman approved of God Dividing the Word of Truth aright and giving to every one his Portion And indeed any one that rightly knows and understands the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God doth also find that the whole Design Order Drift and Tendency of all that is Written in the whole Scripture stands on this wise They that have done Good shall come forth unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation John 5. 29. For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in the Body according to that he hath done whither it be Good or Bad. So that only a Godly Righteous and Sober Life and Good Deeds will avail and stand in stead in a dying Day For tho' the common deceit which each Man hath in the deep of his heart which also is intimated to them to their own Danger and Loss by those who take upon them the Office of Preaching Repentance and Remission of sins that People may turn from their Iniquities some time hereafter a little before their Death That they may have the Pleasures of sin for a Season the expediency of Transgression the Profit and Wages of unrighteousness in the mean while and then leave them off just soon enough to obtain Pardon But certainly this is quite to leave the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ to go backwards to Imperfection not laying again but utterly overthrowing yea and contradicting the Foundation of Repentance from Dead Works for these should be utterly forsaken and Fruits should be brought forth Meet for Repentance And yet further this would make void both Law and Gospel for they require that We observe to do his Statutes and Judgments all the Days that we live upon the Earth Deut. 12. 1. That we serve God without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life Luke 1. 74 75. And however it shall be distributed unto the other sort as to Acceptation or Pardon yet surely I know it shall be better with them that fear God which fear before him and turned from their Iniquities and kept his Commandments in those Days of their flesh whilst others continued in Sin and Disobedience In the latter Days ye shall consider it perfectly Jer. 23. 20. This Jeremiah said when he immediately speaks thereupon of those Prophets Which Ran and Prophesied when God had not spoken unto nor sent them and they did not turn People from their Evil way and from the Evil of their doings Whereby may be seen that if this effect doth not follow also they are no Ministers of Gods ordaining altho' they do take upon them the office and continue in the Exercise thereof after the Law and Commandment the Ordinances and Institutions of Men. But in the latter Days when their time of Tryal is over they shall consider it perfectly and when they come to see every and each Man have his own reward proportioned and adjusted according to his works and obedience Then that which themselves shall miss and come short off will raise bitter anguish within themselves and make to loath those Shepherds See Zech. 11. 8. Which should have Instructed and Guided them otherwise For this is certain on the right and safer side that the sooner any one comes to Repentance and brings forth Fruits Meet for Repentance and abounds in Good Works God is now the better pleased with that Man or Woman and He will give to such a more full reward hereafter Conceive your selves before-hand and whilst in Health let us in serious thought throw our selves upon a Dying Bed just gasping and breathing out our very last and then think what Temper and Disposition of Soul we should be in if we were in this Hour brought to the Gallows or to the Fire for our Life to be taken off from the Earth in a violent manner Here it may be either for the Sins of others as Jesus was hanged on the Cross and so it is of all true Martyrs and Sufferers it is not so much their own Sins as the Sins of their Persecutors which put them to Death But if any one suffers as a Murderer or Robber or an Evil Doer against which there is some Law of God also then he suffers for and dies in his own Sin Or if one is killed by another then it is the Sin of the Murderer which brings him unto Death But however it be a Dying Hour will come upon all one time or another and then if they have any remembrance or understanding Ask now of the Generations that were before thee and did you ever hear of any one that could then say seriously and throughly It is vain to serve God and what Profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts Doth it not then rather seem on the other hand It was vain that we have not served God more The Godly and Righteous make such a Reflexion and looking back and the Wicked find it is vain because they did not serve God at all or not so much as can be properly called serving of God for now they experimentally find all other things to be vain When the end thereof is come we are then throughly sensible of what is written Remember how short my Time is Wherefore hast thou made all Men in vain Psal 89. 47. Therefore only it is that we have no more profit because we have not yet better kept the Ordinances of the Lord for the more we do that the more Profit or future Reward we shall receive whereof we shall
Life By which may be seen what a Relation and tendenâ—â— the doing of Good hath unto Life Now Jesus Chr 〈…〉 not only suffered but also lived an Example that 〈◊〉 should follow his steps And this Place in Acts. 10. 38 so written to the Intent that every one of us who wouâ—â— Love and Inherit Eternal Life What Man is He tâ—â— desireth Life Answer is made Depart from Evil and Good Psal 34. 12 14. Should in our several Respectiâ—â— Stations and according to our several Ability and Capacity go about and do good also for so far as we do this God is with us Whereby again may be seen and perceived the Goodness of that Supreme and Almighty Being Who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil Hence again We may understand what a doing of good is for as the being oppressed of the Devil is an Evil so to have that same Evil either removed or taken away or â—ured and healed this is a doing good By the way the worst oppression of the Devil is when Sin and Guilt is brought into the Conscience through his Temptations or Instruments And so it is as to all other evils or harms whatever the either taking them away or curing and healâ—ng them is a doing good It is written of him that did the greatest and all the good that was ever done to Mankind When the Even was come they brought unto him â—any that were possessed with Devils and He cast out the Devils with his word and healed all that were Sick That 〈◊〉 might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet â—aying Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses Mat. 8. 16 17. The very Words in Isaiah are these Sureâ—â— He hath born our Griefs and Carried our Sorrows Isa 53. 〈◊〉 And it being after added The Lord hath laid on him â—e Iniquity of us all for He shall bear their Iniquities and He â—â—re the sin of Many Verse 6. 11 12. This goes further â—ven to the Fountain Head the Original cause and â—ource of Infirmities Sickness Griefs and Sorrows for â—â—n and Iniquity is the cause of them all This is effectu 〈…〉 and sound work And as sin is the greatest and only â—vil so to cure heal take away Remedy or someway or â—ther to provide against sin is doing the greatest Good So â—â—at to Instruct the Ignorant is a doing good yea and 〈◊〉 resemblance to him who was the Author and Finisher of â—â—r faith who went about doing good for we Read that â—â—e sate down and taught his Disciples and the Multitude â—his is a kind of doing the greatest good for it is a doing â—â—od unto the Immortal Soul the more excellent part of us â—â—d not only to the dying Body Brethren if any of you do err from the Truth and one convert him let him know that 〈◊〉 which converteth the sinner from the Errour of his Way shâ— save a Soul from Death and shall hide a Multitude of 〈◊〉 Iames. 5. 19 20. And so by the Words of Gods Graâ—â— and Truth to Perswade Testify and Exhort People froâ— their Sinful and Ungodly courses From living in 〈◊〉 religion and contempt of God as that if continued 〈◊〉 would involve them into the Greatest of Evils So con 〈…〉 quentially it must be the Greater Good to disswade thâ—â— from it And then Giving Alms to the Poor and M 〈…〉 string comfort to the Sorrowful in as much as Pove 〈…〉 and Sorrow are sore Evils and such like are instances 〈◊〉 doing Good The more and Greater Good People 〈◊〉 here the Greater and more full Reward they will rece 〈…〉 hereafter As again it is on the other worse hand 〈◊〉 more sin any one do commit It is a treasuring up Wr 〈…〉 to themselves against the day of Wrath which consider 〈…〉 on should be a prevailing motive to cease from the 〈◊〉 and do the other as much as ever we can Remember how I have done that which is Good in 〈◊〉 sight Now all Things are in the sight of God But 〈◊〉 do that which is Good in his sight may have a twof 〈…〉 Sence and Meaning either to do Things in order and 〈◊〉 tention unto God and upon that Respect it is that we 〈…〉 Good because God commands requires and is well pl 〈…〉 ed therewith when we do it as unto the Lord and 〈◊〉 as unto Men. As also what will appear Good in 〈◊〉 sight of the Lord now and by his Judgment hereaf 〈…〉 For it is one Thing to do Good as in the sight of 〈◊〉 Lord and another as in the sight of Men. For the 〈◊〉 seeth not as Man seeth That which is highly este 〈…〉 amongst Men is an Abomination in the sight of the 〈◊〉 And so it runs and may be conceived contrariwise 〈◊〉 which is highly esteemed by the Lord God is le 〈…〉 ed and despised amongst Men For these call that 〈◊〉 which is good in the sight of the Lord. And again They 〈◊〉 that Godo which is Evil Isa 5. 20. But a Godly Heze 〈…〉 or that Soul like unto Godly Hezekiah doth 〈◊〉 as in the sight of the Lord and not as 〈◊〉 Men. As the Lord said unto Sarah At the time appointed will I return to thee according to the time of Life Gen. 18. 14. So at the time appointed when the great Day of his Judgment is come will God Judge every one of us according to the Time of Life and as it was with us at such a Time of Life and such a Time of Life of some we shall give a better Account then of others so as to take in the whole Term of Life from the time that we had the first Knowledge of Good and Evil unto the Day of our Death SERMON IV. ON Isaiah XXXVIII 2 3. Then Hezekiah turned his Face toward the Wall and Prayed unto the Lord And said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sore THAT we do walk all our Days in the sight of the Lord and whatever we do it is in the sight of the Lord and how that God will Judge us for all the Thoughts Words and Actions of our whole Life even from the very time that we had the Knowledge of Good and Evil are most forcible considerations what manner of Persons we ought to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness in all Obedience and Righteousness In Purity and Innocency and Uprightness of Life In all thy work and in whatever thine hand findeth thee to do in thy Feastings Sportings or Recreations Do thou awfully and constantly Remember that God seeth thee and God will Judge thee And after any thing is over and past whither it be an Act of Good and Duty or else an Act of Sin or Evil This know that the same is passed over into a thing to be Judged off and for the
which Crucified the Son of God and put him to an open shame As all things in this VVorld are full of mixture as of Good and Evil Joy and Sorrow Prosperity and Adversity Bitter and Sweet together So sometimes may be observed and felt even in Mourning and Outward Bitterness some Inward Rejoycing and Sweetness intermingleâ— therewith Let not this seem strange For if in the midsâ— of Laughter the heart is Sorrowful this is experienced and there being the same and alike Reason for Contraries Why may not the Heart be Joyful in the midst of VVeeping and when the Eye is a trickling down Tears Thâ—â— is only felt by the Godly and Devout Soul upon heâ— Exercising the Acts of true Contrition and her Pouring forth Penitential Tears O what Gladness and Sweetness is there sometimes in the midst thereof in the Inneâ— Man When God makes the Bones that He hath broken 〈◊〉 Rejoyce I my self have Experienced this inwardly and according to his own Gracious Nature VVord and Promise doth Revive the Spirit of the Humble and doth Revive the Heart of the Contrite ones Isa 57. 15. VVhereby that Scripture is fulfilled at this present time They thâ—â— Sow in Tears shall Reap in Joy He that goeth forth anâ— weepeth bearing Precious Seed shall doubtless come agaiâ— with Rejoycing and Bringing his Sheaves with him Psal 126. 5 6. For by that Joy and Rejoycing which God doth give in the midst of or Immediately after Tears and VVeeping this is a Pledge Earnest Forerunner and Assurance before hand that He will exceedingly much more and longer make good and fulfil this same his word hereafter There is seen yea and sensibly perceived such a thing as VVeeping sometimes for Joy And 〈◊〉 we know by our selves that we have often many and several Reasons inducing us to do thus and thus in oâ—â— and the same thing So besides the Reasons afore-alledged I do assuredly gather from other Places of Scripture This was the Principal Reason why Hezekiah wept sore Namely Through the abundance of Comfort which upon Reflexion of his foregoing well spent Life did thereupon flow and stream into his Soul For such a True Perfect and Good foregoing Life as sure as the Scriptures are true And the Work of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness Quietness and Assurance for ever Isa 32. 17. Must necessarily yield unto Hezekiah Consolation Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost It is manifest that He did not weep sore out of any Vexation or Repentance that He had led so Good a Life In no wise But rather at that very Instant Joy did spring up unto him out of those Wells of Salvation which if He had then died He had went away to have more fully tasted on Another Reason which caused him to weep sore may hence proceed even from his Great Earnestness He had then with God for in what Prayer He then made and directed unto him He was very earnest and real therein which made him to gush forth into Tears and Weeping This is a frequent and common thing with the Saints and Servants of God that when they are extraordinary and very earnest indeed with God about any thing to Weep and Pour forth Tears before him as we may Read several Examples hereof in Scripture I shall instance but in one which is very pertinent to the present purpose it is Written of Jacob That by his strength He had Power with God Yea He had Power over the Angel and Prevailed How all this was done and effected it may be seen by what is Immediately added further He wept and made Supplication Hos 12. 3 4. And herein Hezekiah shewed himself to be a true Son of Jacob an Israelite indeed for as appears from the Verses following my Text He also got hereby Acceptation and Audience from God Go and say unto Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father I have heard thy Prayer I have seen thy Tears So that He had some fruit and effect of his weeping sore even all that He would have and desire for the Lord to grant his Request It is very acceptable with God and commonly gains the point when his Servants do weep before him in Prayer Provided it be done not in Hypocrisie Dissimulation pretence and outward shew but when it really arises from a broken and contrite Spirit The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise From a troubled Soul and when it is under Great Earnestness either to be delivered from such an Evil which then lies upon heâ— or to have such a Good thing which she then wants anâ— desires The Scripture in sundry places speaks concerning Teaâ— and Weeping and it may be perceived that the Dr 〈…〉 and Tendency of all of them is to recommend rath 〈…〉 Weeping then Laughter unto us for that tends to Go 〈…〉 and Rejoycing in the latter End According to what t 〈…〉 Wise Man saith It is better to go to the House of Mourning then to the House of Feasting for that is the End of 〈◊〉 Flesh and the â—â—ving will lay it to his heart Sorrow 〈◊〉 better then Laughter for by the sadness of the Countenanâ—â— the Heart is made better Eccless 7. 1 2. Add to this whâ—â— our Saviour Jesus Christ saith and promises Blessed are 〈◊〉 that hunger now for ye shall be filled Blessed are ye th 〈…〉 weep now for ye shall Laugh Wo unto you that Lau 〈…〉 now for ye shall Mourn and Weep Luke 6. 21 25. Alth 〈…〉 the Practice of the World runs opposite and contrary 〈◊〉 they would Account such not fit to live who do not giâ—â— themselves out to Jocoseness Merriment and Vain Laug 〈…〉 ter yet the Scripture by the which we are to be Judgeâ— and according to which all Men must receive doth 〈◊〉 speak one Good Word of Worldly and Carnal Joy whi 〈…〉 is like the Crackling of Thorns under a Pot Making great Blase and Noise and may a little scorch for 〈◊〉 Time but it yields not much Solid Inward and Lastinâ— heat and it is all suddenly extinct and as nothing 〈◊〉 all our Joy and Delight should be in God and in 〈◊〉 things pertaining to his Kingdom In waiting for the 〈◊〉 solation of Israel and out of Expectation of what 〈◊〉 will shortly do unto his Creatures viz. That is to say 〈◊〉 such of them as shall be found worthy to partake and 〈◊〉 ceive thereof And as aforesaid all our Sorrow 〈◊〉 Weeping should be turned into Sorrow and Weeping 〈◊〉 our sin because we have sinned against the Lord the 〈◊〉 bitation of Justice the Hope of our Fathers To resolâ—â— with the same Hezekiah after He was a little Reprie 〈…〉 and Lifted up again from his Bed of Sickness wherein 〈◊〉 wept sore yet He did retain the same Weeping State 〈◊〉 Inclination for all the Fifteen Years which were add 〈…〉 further according to what himself saith I shall go so
hear me Preach the Word Tho' Peradventure thâ— would lift up and exalt and please that Worldly Corrupt Nature which I confess and speak to my shame 〈◊〉 yet too much in me Some do Account themselves 〈◊〉 ry much because perhaps they are beloved of or Popular amongst their Neighbours another for his Honour another for his Courage and Might and becauâ—â— by such an one The Lord hath given Deliverance froâ— the Syrians or for his having wrought Great Aâ—chievâ— ments Another perhaps is lifted up in Soul because 〈◊〉 the Gifts that are given him and the word of wisdom 〈◊〉 committed unto him which is the most Valuable 〈◊〉 all the Priviledges of Mankind but here it is alleviated again with this consideration that where are Great Gifts there must be Great Accounts Another is Delighted and Transported within himself because he hath a Wife and Children to his Mind or because he hath some other Worldly Blessing And so one is lifted up for one thing another for another if we did run throughout the several Particulars among the Children of Men. But all these and such like are but light and small things in Comparison of the great things of Eternity and the exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory As God said unto Solomon Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long Life neither hast asked Riches for thy self neither hast asked the Life of thine Enemies but hast asked for thy self Vnderstanding to discern Judgment Behold I have done according to thy Words Lo I have given thee a Wise and Understanding heart So that there was none like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee And I have also given that which thou hast not asked both Riches and Honour so that there shall not be any among the Kings like unto thee all thy Days And if thou wilt walk in my ways to keep my Statutes aâ—d my Commandments as thy Father David did walk then I will lengtâ—â—n thy Days 1 Kings 3. 11 12 13 14. And as it is written For your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 33. From all this put together it is my inward and very thought As I behold and observe how Men differ from one another and one Prides himself in this thing another in that whereas none should be Proud for any thing which he hath but be humble and thankful for each distinguishing blessing or mercy received As it is Written But to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the excellent Mark that word excellent in whom is all my delight And as there is one Glory of the Sun and another Glory of the Moon and another Glory of the Stars for one Star differeth from another Star in Glory So each Man or Woman doth excell or differ from one another in Glory or real worth according â—s they know and understand and have more of the Mind of God All your excellency is of me saith the Lord and derived from him And as long as we walk and breath a little longer on this Earth The more any one is in favour with God and hath more of his will and secret The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Herein only one Man excelleth another or differeth from and exceedeth such an one in real worth That Courtier who can soonest obtain a favour from his King or Prince he is the best Courtier So amongst the vast Number of we Fellow Creatures on Earth altho' there is no difference between the Flesh of a Saint or of a Sinner for our flesh is as their flesh and our Children as their Children and we are all near the same both Godly and Ungodly as to the same outward Frame and Composure But that is the best Man or Woman who hath most interest now in the Court of Heaven who even whilst here on Earth is soonest heard by the Great King for this is an Earnest and Assurance before-hand that he shall one day stand in his Presence Who is an Israelite indeed a true Son of Jacob Hath Power with God Yea he had Power over the Angel and Prevailed Hosea 13. 3 4. As a Prince hast thou Power with God and with Men and hast Prevailed Gen. 32. 28. Who like another Lot hath that Interest and Prevalency with God that himself saith I cannot do any thing till thou come thither Gen. 19. 22 Altho' it were to be in the Destruction and Punishment of the wicked yet God could not do it till he came out from amongst them And so he speaks on that wise to his Servant Moses Let me alone that is Do not Pray or Interceed for them that I may consume this People in a moment Or like another Elias who was a Man subject to like Passions as we are And he Prayed earnestly that it mighâ— not Rain and it Rained not on the Earth by the space of Three Years and Six Months And He prayed again and the Heaven gave Rain and the Earth brought forth her Fruit James 5. 17 19. Who is here brought in as aâ— Example that the effectual â—ervent Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much Who when God heareth not sinners but if any be a Worshipper of God and doth his Will him he heareth hath this Testimony that he is a VVorshipper of God and doth his VVill because that God heareth his Prayer If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me But verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the Voice of my Prayer Psal 66. 18 19. By which it follows of Consequence that the Psalmist did not regard Iniquity in his heart For God to be nigh unto us in all things that we call upon him for and to hear our Prayer is the greatest of all Wordly Blessings and Mercies put together either long Life Riches or what we would have in this World for if God hears our Prayer then we shall have what we would have in the next world which is much better and more enduring Go and say to Hezekiah thus saith the Lord the God of David thy Father This and the foregoing Verses are a kind of Dialogue between the Great God and his Creature Hezekiah which Dialogue or Conference God manages by his Prophet Isaiah That God should hearken unto the Voice of a Man Joshua 10. 4. Seems wonderful if we have but those just and raised thoughts of the God-head in Comparison of whom in Greatness or Bigness the vast Fabrick of the whole World is but as a Dust of the Ballance and the true Knowledge of our selves But yet the Lord who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in Earth is pleased to keep a care over and a Communication with his Creatures The whole Scripture is but a Declaration in order of what hath passed and been
the appointment and foreknowledge of our God yet that we may in these Days of our flesh offer up continually unto him strong Crying and Tears that we may be heard in that we fear before him That when these Days of our Flesh the time of our Ministration and Warfare here on Earth are Ended the Lord would add unto each of us a Blessed Eternity which He will to such and only to such as he shall find and judge worthy to obtain that Resurrection For we must of necessity be raised up and restored to Life and Being again so to remain throughout the Vast and Infinite Duration thereof As to the first Think always and very much upon Eternity As often as you think upon time which is every Day and as often as you hear the Clock strike Do you also think upon Eternity and let that enter into your thoughts And compare the vast odds and difference between them both the Natural result and consequent whereof is That ought to be most minded which is of most concern As the Days are now passing on so the duration of Eternity will quickly begin but never End And we are continually breathing and moving towards it till at length the body like the shell doth actually break and â—all from it and the Soul is as it were hatched and brought forth into Eternity I my self and so ye who now dwell â—n time must be Launched forth into that State and that â—nfinite duration where time shall be no longer And as this is certainly true in the order and decree of God concerning us Mortal Creatures so we should always think much of it and have it continually in our Minds Bâ—â— this is the unhappiness and fault that People are so usually cumbred with the little things of time that they forget and do not heed the great things of Eternity Anâ— the things Temporal do Choak and stifle the sense 〈◊〉 things Eternal But here we should all along use tâ—â—â— Godly Discretion and Soul saving wisdom as to renouncâ—â— abstract and separate from them in order to think more anâ— have yet greater searching of heart how to secure oâ—â— selves a blessed Portion in the good things of Eternity Secondly Pray without ceasing Or Be ye always in 〈◊〉 Praying Posture of Mind having your heart lifted up unto God Which use doth hence arise that if God hea 〈…〉 Hezekiahs Prayer so as to add to his Days Fifteen Yearâ— more This is Encouragement and Invitation to us also for us to offer up continually Prayers unto God that 〈◊〉 would add unto these few and evil Days remaining of oâ—â— Life Fifteen Millions of Millions of Years yea that vaâ—â— exceeding infinite duration which no Man could Numberâ— of a Blessed Eternity It is very well worth while Praying throughout our Life that we may gain Heaven Thâ—â— Duty of Praying without ceasing may be performed by havâ— ing the heart always fixed on or lifted up unto God Tâ— have it always Bent towards and intent on him that is Invisible And continually breathing forth Desires Supplications Intreaties and Intercessions unto him That as thâ— Pulse continually Beats the Mouth continually Breathâ— so the Heart and Soul may continually Pray unto Godâ— Even for Grace and Glory That is not so much to Prâ—â— for Heaven immediately or per saltum to leap into it 〈◊〉 once For there is no such doing but for all the mean thingâ— which are Necessary and Preparatory towards it Even 〈◊〉 wrestle with God in Prayer until the breaking of the Dâ—â— of Immortality and not to let him go Except thou blâ—â— me with the blessing which the Lord hath Commanded evâ—â— Life for Evermore As soon as and against the time thâ— life which is as a Vapour and continueth not is Ended 〈◊〉 That the same Lord the God of David our Father as 〈◊〉 did add Fifteen Years to the Days of Hezekiah so that 〈◊〉 would be pleased to add unto thee or me or such of us 〈◊〉 are of his Elect when this Temporal life of ours is Eâ—ded Life Eternal Amen