Lord smote the people with a very great plague And the name of that place was called Kibroch-hattanah that is the graves of lust because there they buried the people that lusted Hence it was that the Apostle treating of the bountiful dealings of God with the children of Israel said That with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness Now these things saith he were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted 1 Cor. 10.5 6. This is a sore evil an intestine evil a sickness indeed that gnaws and torments the very heart called therefore the Plague of Discontent which many of the people of God themselves as well as the men of the world are too too often infected with when not contenting our selves I say with the mercies and blessings which God affords us we fall a lusting after evil things as the Israelites hereafter flesh to satisfie their lusts loathing the heavenly Manna which God gave them And our desires oftentimes are so inordinate after them that like unto Rachel in the case of her barrenness though otherwise blest with many comfortable enjoyments we are crying out Give me children or else I die Gen. 30.1 I cannot live my life will be a burden unto me if I have not this or that I must have it whatever it cost me though I part with half of my estate nay with Herod it may be to the half of the Kingdom for his Herodias sake because she pleased him and to satisfie this lust Off must go John Baptists head Mark 6.22 23 24. Or like unto Haman who though he was so highly promoted in King Ahasuerus Court Yet saith he all this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the Kings gate Hest 5.13 Mordecai could not bow the knee nor do him that reverence as his proud ambitious heart panted after and this sowres all other his great advancements and enjoyments and now nothing will satisfie him less then his destruction and the total destruction of all the Jews Hest 3.9 So violent are persons set upon the satisfying of their lusts oftentimes though it be to their own hurt This was the sin of the Israelites they could not content themselves that God was their King and that he should reign over them but they must have a King to reign over them like unto other Nations rejecting the Lord and his Government who himself had saved them out of all their adversities and tribulations 1 Sam. 8.5 6 7. and chap. 10.19 And how great this wickedness of theirs was in the fight of the Lord the signal testimonies of his displeasure did evidently declare it 1 Sam. 12.17 So is it not just with God when a people falls a loathing of the heavenly Manna of Gods Word and where hath the Gospel been more powerfully preached and more obstinately contemned then in England that the Lord should send a famine in the Land if not a famine of bread and a thirst for water yet a famine of hearing the Words of the Lord Amos 8.11 O that this was seriously laid to heart and fruitfully applyed both by Professors as by the propbane persons of this Nation So dangerous and destructive a thing it is to cherish a carnal dissatisfied and discontented spirit against the Lord. 10. A tenth Pestilential and God-provoking Sin is the sin of Pride and Ambition and a trusting in an Arme of flesh not relying on the mighty power and faithfulness of God This was Davids sin in of numbring the people which was followed with a sore Prstilence among them See the second of Samuel 24. Chap. comp with 1 Chron. 21.1 Satan he provoked David to number the people that he might know how many valiant men there were in Israel that could draw the sword And questionless Davids heart was lifted up hereby when Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto him there being in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand And what should move David to such a thing but a proud ambitious desire to know the strength and number of his men of war accompanied with a distrustfulness of the mighty power of God and his All-sufficient arme which had so often saved and delivered him out of the hands of Saul and from the hand of all his enemies As in the 18th Psal wherein he praiseth God for his manifold and marvellous deliverances For this Davids heart smote him acknowledging that he had sinned greatly in what he had done and prayeth that the Lord would take away his iniquity for he had done very foolishly Yet the Lord would shew his justice make all the world to see and know that he will not indulge sin no not in his dearest Servants and most beloved Saints but if they sin they must expect to suffer and smart for it As Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities And therefore he puts David upon his choise of three things whether the Famine the Sword or Pestilence he would make choise of and this did put him into a great streight but he chose rather to fall into the hands of God then into the hands of men for that the mercies of the Lord are great So the Lord sent a Pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba Seventy thousand men And when the Angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem ready to destroy it it is said the Lord repented him of the evil and said to the Angel that destroyed the people It is enough stay now thy hand This also was Edoms sin Jer. 49.16 17 18. Thy terribleness hath deceived thee the pride of thine heart O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock That holdest the height of the hill though thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the Eagle I will bring thee down from thence saith the Lord. Also Edom shall be a desolation every one that goeth by it shall be astonished and shall hiss all at the plagues thereof As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour Cities thereof saith the Lord No man shall abide there neither shall a Son of Man dwell in it This was King Asa's sin before mentioned in the 2 Chron. 16.7 8 and 9. vers so sharply reproved and punished by the Lord. For this was a dreadful wo denouned against the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Isa 30.1 2 3. Wo to the rebellious children saith the Lord that take counsel but not of me and that cover with a covering but not of my spirit that they may adde sin to sin That walk to go down into Egypt and have not asked at my mouth to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh and to trust in the shadow
hunted troubled ond afflicted soul The life of Faith in reference to thy Salvation Sanctification and Preservation As to thy Salvation Let the truly-humbled soul grieved and graoning under the heavy weight and burden of sin throw itself into the meritorious and merciful arms of Jesus Christ wounded broken and bleeding upon the Cross and there let it hold and hide it self for ever in full assurance of eternal life by vertue of that promise Joh. 3.36 He that beleiveth on the Son hath everlasting life 2. As to thy Sanctification If thou keep thy Faith the fountain root and heart as it were from which all thine other Graces spring in life and vigour thou wilt pray more comfortably be more couragiously patient hear the Word more faithfully receive Christs Ordinance of Breaking bread more joyfully spend the Lords day more delightfully confer more chearfully meditate more heavenly and walk in all the ways of new obedience with more strength and conquest over corruptions For ordinarily every one shall find the exercise of other graces to be comfortable or cold according to the liveliness or languishing of his faith 3. As to thy Preservation both temporal and spiritual in crosses afflictions and all Gods outward angry visitation let thy Faith be exercised in the power of such Promises as the Psa 89.33 and 50.15 Heb. 12.6 7 8 11. 1 Thes 3.3 1 Tim. 2.11 Act. 14.22 Luk. 9.23 Isa 63.9 Secondly Act Faith in the power ability all-sufficiency and omnipotency of God Power can do much but omnipotency can do all and is above all He is able to do whatsoever he pleaseth Psa 115.3 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength who hath hardened himself against him and hath prospered Job 9.4 The Angels which excel in strength are at his command Psa 104.4 and subject unto Christ 1 Pet. 3.22 The Devils apprehending the power of God do tremble Jam. 2.19 All the power that men and devils have it is given them from above Joh. 19.11 And for other creatures he saith to the deep be dry Isa 44.27 He commands the earth and it opens her mouth Num. 16.30 31. The consideration of whose mighty power made the Psalmist thus to break forth O Lord God of Hosts who is a strong Lord like unto thee or to thy faithfulness round about thee Thou rulest the raging of the Sea when the waves thereof arise thou stillest them thou hast broken Rahab in peices as one that is slain thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm Thou hast a mighty arm strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand Psa 89.8 9 10 13. At his wrath the earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not be able to abide his indignation Jer. 10.10 Beware then how we call into question the power and all-sufficiency of God How we speak against God This was the sin of the Israelites and it was highly provoking unto the Lord. It s said they spake against God and said Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness Behold he smote the rock that the waters gushed out and the streams overflowed can he give bread also can he provide flesh for his people therefore the Lord heard this and was wrath Psa 88.19 20 21. Moses also he falls expostulating the case with God The people amongst whom I am saith he are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said I will give them flesh that they may eat a whole moneth Shall the Flocks and the Heards be slain for them to suffice them or shall all the Fish of the Sea be gathered together for them to suffice them And what Argument does the Lord use to convince Moses of his carnal if not incredulous reasonings But this Is the Lords hand waxed short thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not Numb 11.21 22 23. And the Lord rained flesh upon them as dust and feathered Fowles like as the sand of the Sea though it was given as a great judgement unto them Psa 88.27 The same Argument does the Lord make use of when he falls a reasoning with his people the Jews upon the account of their dereliction or rejection and that they might yet have sound ground of hope still of their restauration though they had sold themselves for their iniquities and could not produce any Bill of Divorcement of the Lords putting of them away in Isa 50.2 Is my hand shortned at all that it cannot redeem or have I no power to deliver Behold at my rebuke I dry up the Sea I make the Rivers a Wilderness their Fish stincketh because there is no water and dieth for thirst I cloath the Heavens with blackness and I make sack-cloth their covering So Isa 59.1 Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear Which may be an excellent support to our faith Let thy Faith then be exercised in the mighty power of God in these following particular cases and seasons 1. In times of great difficulties and streights 2. In times of sore sicknesses 3. In times of great sinning 4. In times of Worshipping and Serving the Lord. 5. In times of great suffering for the Lord. 1. In times of great difficulties and streights Know that the same Almighty power who could smite the Rock and cause the waters to gush out and the streams to overflow can furnish a table in the Wilderness can give bread and provide flesh for his people Take heed now of such irrational absurd and preposterous reasonings The Lord smote the Rock and gave water in abundance but can he now furnish a table in the Wilderness I remember the time when I was in great streights for bodily and soul refreshments and the Lord smote the Rock in a strange miraculous and unexpected way and the Waters gushed out and the streams over-flowed I had comfortable supplies for soul and body and that in a plentiful manner But can he now help me in my streights and supply my necessities now all conduit pipes are cut off and all visible means of supplies and supports are taken away Taxes are multiplied and increased our Trade is gone the Gentry gone and such as gave life and being thereunto have laid aside and betook themselves to a retired life many gone beyond the Seas because they could not follow their callings and be suffered to enjoy the freedom of their consciences too God hath smitten some of my dear friends or relations who were instruments in his hand of my comfortable sustentation and supportation and now my Wife and Children begin to stare me in the face to sob and sigh and I have not wherewith to releive them The sight and thoughts of these things do even break my heart and wound my very bowels within me what shall I do what course shall I take for a livelihood Methinks I hear such doleful complaints among thousands destressed Families in the City at this time Is it not a time and
Gods faithfulness is engaged to make it good whence is that exhortation of the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.16 19. In the 16. verse he tells them That if any man suffer as a Christian and not as an evil doer let him not be ashamed saith he but let him glorifie God on this behalf And then in the 19. verse Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator God is not onely a powerful Creator 〈◊〉 also a faithful Creator a sure Preserver who will faithfully recompense all your hard services and sufferings you undergo for his sake He is as faithful as he is able according to that of Paul to Timothy encouraging him to be a partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel and speaking of his own sufferings upon the same account Nevertheless saith he I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleived and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day 2 Tim. 1.12 And what was that which he had committed to Gods custody His Soul saith one himself which is all one saith another his works saith a third a fourth saith his sufferings a fifth his salvation All which put together he committed unto God his soul himself his doings his sufferings his salvation his all And he was perswaded he was as able as faithful and as faithful as able to keep that which he had committed unto his trust The Gospel that the Lord had committed to his keeping and his Soul he had committed unto Gods keeping And because the Apostle Peter knew that God was a faithful Creator therefore did he encourage the Saints suffering according to the will of God to commit the custody of their souls unto him who as he had created them immortal souls so he would not leave them as Masons and Carpenters leave their houses which they build but would faithfully keep and and preserve them As the Lord himself declares speaking of his Vineyard of red wine his Church whether red upon the account of the preciousness of its fruits or else of its bloody sufferings I the Lord do keep it saith he I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Isa 27.2 3. Fourthly and lastly We are to act faith in the Promises of God whether they are such as are of a temporal or of a spiritual and eternal concernment and know for thine everlasting comfort thou beleiving Soul that as the promises of God are the ground of our hope and the object of our faith Psal 119.49 Heb. 10.35.36 and chap. 11.11 So are they all firm and irrevocable in Christ For all the promises of God in him that is in Christ are yea and in him are Amen unto the glory of God c. 2 Cor. 1.20 They are not yea and nay but in Christ they are yea that is true in the event and as to their performance And Amen that is stable and firm being made and performed in and for Christ For even as Christ is always the same in Gods promises which are unchangeable so are all Gods promises of our salvation firm and certain in Christ and as certain so are they general and indefinite and made to all that shall beleive excluding none but those that are finally impenitent Consider a few of them to this purpose Hee every one that thirsteth Come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your souls shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Isa 55.1 3. So Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mark 16.16 He that beleiveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleiveth not shall be damned 1 Joh. 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever beleiveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and beleiveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out v. 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and beleiveth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day vers 47. Verily verily I say unto you he that beleiveth on me hath everlasting life Act 40.43 To him meaning Christ give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever beleiveth in him shall receive remission of sins 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time Isa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins So Chap. 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto me for I have redeemed thee Heb. 8.8 Behold the days come saith the Lord when I shall make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people and in the 12. verse For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more These are some of those sweet soul-supporting promises which are made indefinitely to all and have their yea and Amen in Christ excluding none but the wilful and final impenitent and unbeleiving sinners But perhaps thou wilt say thou hast relapsed and fallen into sin again after repentance and thou thinkest thy relapses cannot be pardoned Remember that men who have not a drop of mercy in comparison of God are obliged to forgive the repenting offender though he offend seventy seven times God much more who is infinite in mercy hath bound himself by his most firme and faithful promises 1 Joh. 1.9 and 2.1 Upon true and renewed repentance often to forgive and forget the same sin iterated again and again Luk. 17.3 4. That though thy sins were as Crimson they shall be made as white
habitation 5. A mans house is the chief place of his negotiation and commerce where does a man drive his trade and utter his commodities but at home in his house or in his shop So it is with the soul that makes God his habitation he drives a special trade and commerce with God makes Religion his business Christ invites all to come and buy of his Commodities and he exposes rich commodities to sale and there are souls that do trade and traffick with him Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not hearken diligently unto me and eat that which is good c. Christ excites and stirs up all that do thirst and greatly long after righteousness being sensible of their own sins their nothingness and unworthiness to come unto him as to the fountain of living waters that is by faith to beleive on him and then out of his belly saith he shall flow rivers of living water but this spake he of the spirit Joh. 7.37 He invites all I say that are money-less and poor worthless helpless and meritless creatures to come unto him and buy those heavenly goods which he offers unto us by the Gospel namely wine and milk that is all things requisite and necessary for our spiritual life the graces and fruits of the spirit which are sweet and delightful as wine and which are as necessary to a heavenly life as milk is to this natural life and may take in also forgiveness of sins and the pure and unspotted righteousness of Christ which are given us of God in him and that freely for nought and without any merits and deserts of ours together with life eternal And wherefore saith he do ye spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not or waigh out your money for that which is not bread Wherefore are ye at so great cost and charges in vain and take pains and toil to no purpose for dry empty husky unsatisfying unfruitful and unprofitable things which when you have them and enjoy them will minister no true comfort nor satisfaction unto your soul How vain and profuse was the Prodigal to waste his substance with riotous living to purchase to himself a few husks unsatisfying food which the swine did eat which when he had them was ready to perish with hunger Luk. 15.13 17. Of such the Lord complain'd by the Prophet Haggai Ye have sown much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye cloth you but there is none warm and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag of holes Hag. 1.6 A sore judgment to bestow ones labour and pains for that which satisfieth not Wilt thou set thine eyes saith Solomon upon that which is not Prov. 23.5 what is that which is not the vers before tells us He exhorts that we labour not to be rich and that we cease from our own wisdom What are riches nothing nor a mans own wisdom nothing which the world so highly esteems of and so eagerly pursueth after No they are nothing that is as it were nothing they are not matters or things of any great importance for thee to set thine eyes upon and therefore thou shouldst not so greedily gape after them or set thine eyes or heart upon them because when thou hast attained them thou hast got as much as a thing of nothing And adds another reason taken from the uncertainty of riches For riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away as an Eagle towards heaven that is they fly swiftly away The Eagle flyeth so swiftly on high towards heaven as that he is soon vanished away out of a mans sight so do riches suddenly perish and vanish away being subject to fire and water evil debters and many other casualties And therefore cease from thine own wisdom which may rather be called distrust in God and covetousness then wisdom when it shall violently carry thee away with a desire after riches which are so transitory and vain And therefore it is that Jesus Christ does invite these foolish traders to come and buy of his wares of his commodities that are not fading and perishing Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatness Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live As much as if Christ did say if you will come and trade with me you shall be sure to have good substantial commodities no braided wares you shall have that which will stand by you and be of special use and advantage unto you Hear and your souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David 2 Sâ—m 23.5 And these commodities of mine you may have for the fetching I don't expect ready money for them I 'le let you have them upon trust and see how well you will improve them but be assured they are lasting commodities sound wares that will not fail you Riches and honours are with me yea durable riches and righteousness my fruit is better then gold yea then fine gold and my revenue then choise silver I lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of judgment That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures Prov. 8.18 19 20 21. Mark I pray you Riches and honours are with me saith Christ that is true riches and honour such as will not fade and flye away and they are with me in my power to give and bestow them when and upon whom I lift even durable riches such as shall continue when other mens shall melt away as wax before the Sun And those that love me that is those that do unfainedly love me shall inherit substance that which is durable meaning such wealth or substance as is such really and indeed and bringeth to man the greatest happiness and prosperity even eternal life that endureth for ever Thus you see there is a trade that Christ and the beleiving soul does drive together and all Christs commodities they are rich substantial commodities whoever have them shall inherit substance not shadows but substance like unto the Merchandise of Tyre whose Merchandise and hire shall be holiness to the Lord and shall be for them that dwell before the Lord whose habitation the Lord is mark that to eat sufficiently and for durable cloathing Isa 23.18 What can be better then satisfying food and lasting cloathing like the Israelites cloaths in the Wilderness which waxed not old Deut. 29.5 The necessity and excellency of which the Lord Jesus sets forth in that exhortation of his to the Church of
vessel Psa 2.9 Rev. 19.15 The very same is promised to the Gospel-suffering enduring over-coming Saints in the latter day Rev. 2.26 27. Is it prophesied or fore-spoken of Christ that out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword even a two edged sword that with it he shall smite the Nations Revel 1.16 and Revel 19.15 The same is prophesied and fore-told of the Gospel-Saints in the latter day Psal 149.6 7 8 9. Is it promised to Christ that God will answer him when he calls upon him that he will be with him in trouble deliver him and honour him And with long life will satisfie him and shew him his salvation Psal 91.14 15 16. If this should be applicable only to Christ in that place which I conceive ought not to be yet are the same promises made to Gospel beleivers in other places of Scripture Psal 50.15 Isa 42.2 and 65.24 Mat. 7.7 Job 5.19 Psal 34.17 19. Joh. 12.26 Eph. 6.2 3. Object But these promises of temporal preservation and deliverance of honour and long life were made upon the accompt of Legal Obedience Answer True If upon the accompt of Legal then surely upon the accompt of Evangelical obedience For Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 If therefore thou dwellest in the secret place of the most high thou mayst beleive thou shalt abide under the shadow of the Almighty and be delivered from the noysome Pestilence That is thou mayst beleive thou shalt have glorious protections and sweet heavenly refreshments from the Lord. Shadow signifying both protection and refreshment as here in this place so Numb 14.9 Isa 30.2 Psal 121.5 Isa 51.16 and 49.2 and 4.6 and 25.4 and 32.2 Psal 17.8 and 36.7 And in particular a preservation from the noysome Pestilence So then if thou makest God thy Habitation thou mayst beleive that no evil shall befal thee nor that any Plague shall come nigh thy dwelling that is no punishment or plague no affliction cross or calamity shall come unto thee from the Almighty as to hurt thee This is the fift Spiritual Receipt and special preservative against this Pestilential Sickness The Sixth Spiritual Receipt 6ly The sixth Soveraign Antidote and Preservative against this Infectious Disease is this Get a merciful tender pittiful and compassionate heart This as it will demonstrate us to be like unto God himself who is the fountain of mercy Be ye merciful as your Father also is merciful Luk. 6.36 So it will denominate us to be such as are righteous before God Psal 37.21 who live in the power of that Religion that is pure and undefiled before God And surely if thy heart is melted with the sense of Gods everlasting mercy to thy self thou canst not but have thy heart drawn forth compassionately towards such as are in misery necessity and distress But if the world hath locked up thine heart and congealed the bowels of thy compassions towards thy poor brethren let the blaze of thine outward profession shine never so fair and manage the duties of external holiness never so demurely and keep the times and tasks of daily duties with never so great austerity nay though thou be able to amuse weaker Christians with some affected strain'd and artifical fervency in Prayer for by the meer power of hypocrisie and vain-glory a man may pray sometimes to the Admiration of others especially less judicious I say for all this if the holy heat of Brotherly love doth not warm thine heart and upon occasion work affectionately in thy soul thou wilt discover thy self to be rotten at the heart-root and that there is little of the true love and grace of God in thee or hope of salvation For the dissolving therefore of thy frozen heart and the enlarging of thy bowels of pity towards the poor Brethren of Christ Jesus without which never think hereafter to look him in the face with comfort or to find mercy at the great day Consider well that place in 1 Joh. 3.17 Who so hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him And above all other motives of mercifulness to the poor necessitous and distressed members of Christ methinks that Argument which Paul presseth to this purpose in 2 Cor. 8.9 should melt the most flinty heart For ye know saith he the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich Shall the onely dear innocent Son of the All-powerful and ever-blessed Lord and King of Heaven and Earth dis-inrich as it were and disrobe himself of the Royalty and Majesty above and become so poor that whereas the Foxes have holes and the birds of the Air have nests yet he not where to lay his head that through his poverty and pouring out his heart-blood he might crown us with the inestimable riches of heavenly glory with joys and pleasures for evermore And shall not we worms and wretches most unworthy the least bit of bread we put into our mouths part with something of our superfluities to releive the fainting soul of him for whom Christ died and which he will take as done unto himself Mat. 25.40 Though it be but a cup of cold water only Mat. 10.42 Besides the last and everlasting doom at that great and dreadful day to wit either the glorious sentence of absolution Come ye blessed or the dreadful sentence of condemnation Go ye cursed c. shall be pronounced upon the godly according to the effect and fruit of their faith which works by love Or pass upon the Reprobates for omission and neglect of this most excellent duty of mercifulness to the poor members of Christ Mat. 25.40 41. Consider withal as an inflaming Motive to draw forth the bowels of thy compassions to poor needy and necessitous souls that by laying out thy self cheerfully seasonably liberally and yet but according to thine ability towards such Deut. 15.10 2 Cor. 9.7 Prov. 3.27 28. 2 Cor. 9.6 Prov. 11.25 2 Cor. 8.13 14. Act. 11.29 Thou shalt hereby become a Creditor even to thy most glorious and bountiful Creator For he that hath pitty upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again Prov. 19.17 Now what a Motive I say is this to be merciful that we shall make God himself our debtor the ever-springing fountain of bliss and Lord of all goodness who doth all things like himself omnipotently bountifully above all expectation as becomes the mighty Soveraign of Heaven and Earth If he works he makes a World If he be angry he drowns the whole face of the earth If he love the heart blood of his dearest Son is not too dear If he stand upon his peoples side he makes the Sun to stand still and the Stars to fight If he repay he gives his own all-sufficient
a promise was here also upon the account of their obedience their peace or prosperity rather should have been as a River that is abounding and always lasting as a River floweth continually and stoppeth not And their righteousness as the waves of the Sea that is the blessed and happy estate of their Government as the fruit of their righteousness should as the Waves of the Sea been exceeding abundant flowing and flourishing and their seed should have been as the Sand of the Sea for multitude So Isa 1.12 If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land But if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be devoured with the sword If ye obey my commandements ye shall eat the best things of the Land Job 21.25 So Elihu in his speech to Job If they obey and serve him they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures But if they obey not they shall perish by the sword and they shall dye without knowledge Job 36.11 12. See also Lev. 26.13 Deut. 6.3 and 11.22 and 26.27 and 28.15 What promises the Lord made upon the account of their obedience More particularly to the thing in hand that in Deut. 7.12 13 14 15. Is worthy of our best observation where among many other things which the Lord promised as great and singular blessings upon that score this is not the least nor meanest The Lord will take away from thee all sickness and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt upon thee but will lay them upon all them that hate thee What the evil diseases of Egypt were is well known to most This of the noysom destroying Pestilence being one Amos 4.10 Let me add two or three places more in the New Testament and then I shall draw to a Conciusion John 8.12 I am the light of the World saith Christ he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life He that embraceth my Doctrine with a true faith and obeyeth the same shall not walk in the darkness of error and sin but shall have the light of life to bring him to everlasting life So John 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me him will my Father honour Can that man be in a miserable or uncomfortable condition to be where Christ shall be and what honour can be comparable to that which God the Father shall confer upon those who serve the Lord Christ I shall only add Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the City to wit of the new and Heavenly Jerusalem which descendeth out of Heaven from God and commeth down from God out of Heaven prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband Rev. 21.2 Whereof see the description vers 10. And what this Tree of life is See Rev. 22.2 By this Tree of life is meant the Lord Jesus Christ Fitly called the Tree of life in respect of his vivifying conferring and preserving life unto them that eat thereof which is but one though he is said to stand in the midst of the street and of either side of the River that is his leaves and roots is on both sides of the River so that there is no want on either side Hence Christ said to him that overcometh I will give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God This I say is Christ himself the Fountain and Author of our life The Bread of Life Joh. 6.51 The Water of Life Joh. 4.7 The Resurrection and Life it self Joh. 11.25 And he stands by the River because he never withereth or is fruitless A Tree planted by the Rivers of waters is always green and fruitful Christ alone is sufficient for life unto all and to quicken all his elect for ever and ever This Tree hath twelve manner of fruits and yeildeth her fruit every moneth and the leaves of the Tree are for the healing of the Nations What does this hold forth but the quickening vertue of Christs merits and spirit which is vigorous and efficatious throughout the whole year that is for ever and ever to preserve always this spiritual life and this blessed refreshing for the Israel of God without any weakening or enseebling Joh. 15.16 And mark in the close of this discourse that the leaves of this Tree have a medicinal use for to preserve the health of the Nations Not that there shall be any infirmities any more in the New Jerusalem but that the healing of all infirmities which was wrought here by the merits and spirit of Christ shall be thereby the same power for ever kept and preserved inviolate for all beleivers See Ezek. 47.12 Now blessed are they that do his commandements as touching the not worshipping of the Beast and his Image the forsaking of Babylon and the faithful following of the Lamb subjecting and submitting to all his holy heavenly pure evangelical institutions appointments and commands patiently and chearfully suffering for his sake in bearing witness unto the truth if called thereunto persevering in the grace of Christ doing justly loving mercy and walking humbly with God such shall have right to this Tree of Life and enter in through the gates into the City They shall have a right of enjoying Christ and his unspeakable benefits and be perpetual and most happy Inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of water and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 7.15 16 17. I shall add no more but that of Paul to Timothy Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 FINIS