everlasting Covenant I will never let them goe I will put a strong fear into their hearts that they shall not doe as the wicked doe they shall stand in awe of God it is a strong light others shall be deluded they shall not be deluded it is a strong apprehension of the Word and Will of God this is the Covenant of God Now when a man shall come to have this sealed when God shall give this Sacrament to make this good and he takes the Sacrament upon it that he will walk according to this Covenant according to the grace that God hath given him this man hath all the witnesses in heaven and earth why should he be weak in faith then There be but three witnesses in 1 John 5. heaven he hath these that hath faith there be but three on earth the spirit water and blood by spirit is meant the same spirit that works true faith and obedience in the hearts of his people then water that is the water of Baptism and blood that is the blood of the Lords Supper the Lord doth witnesse eternal life to this mans heart therefore what can this man want Thirdly This Sacrament is Communion with Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 10. 16. The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ c. So that when a man comes to the Sacrament aright he hath communion with Jesus Christ therefore he must needs be strengthened though he were never so weak before as Solomon saith of the Contes they are a feeble folke and yet they make their houses in the Rocks Prov. 30. 26. So true Christians are a feeble folk yet they make their houses in the Rock where they eat this spiritual meat and drink this spiritual drink they drink of that Rock Jesus Christ when they draw neer to this Table they draw neer to Christ and therefore must needs gather strength they come to this Rock to be rooted and established in this Rock and therefore must needs get strength Fourthly Because this Sacrament is a Sacrament of communion with the members of Christ a man that rightly receives it doth increase the Communion of Saints over all the world though he never saw them yet he is loved more and more of all the Saints therefore he must needs grow stronger Take a man that is woven into every man there is hardly any man of any power but loves him he hath friends everywhere this man is a strong man as it is said of Absolom he grew strong for the people increas'd continually with him 2 Sam. 21. 15. So a Christian must needs grow strong that truly hears the Word and receives the Sacrament for people still come flocking more and more unto him for still as the Church comes to grow or any soul comes to believe in Christ he strengthens himselfe as Paul was strong in every Town where he went in regard of the Communion of Saints such a man is strong in regard of his infirmities he hath many to help him to bear them he is strong also in regard of advice and counsel he shall have the counsel of the Saints Job 4. 3. If a man be doubtful what course to take when instruction comes it strengthens a man much Now when a man hath communion with all the Saints what abundance of counsel hath he you may see how weak David was he was not able to 1 Sam. 25. beat down his wrath and impatience Now when Abigail came with her good counsel he blessed God for it Let us have a care to come so to the Sacrament that we may be strengthened in all good things that we may be more quickned up to every good word Vse 1 and work for it is a strengthening Ordinance it is appointed of God for the very nonce to strengthen Gods people in all business and employments they have to doe from day to day When Moses and all Israel received the Passeover God smote the first borne of all Egypt Psal 105. 30. This was a seal that God smote all the strength of the Egyptians but there was not one weak person among the Israelites So if we did receive the Sacrament aright there should not be a weak Christian among us God would smite the Egyptians and weaken the strength of all their lusts and corruptions is therefore any among us weak and he cannot do this and that his lusts are like the sons of Zerviah to David too hard for him Though I be anointed King I am weak c. 2 Sam. 3. 39. So dost thou say I am very weak this day and though God hath anointed me King over my lusts and I am a Christian that should have power over my lusts yet these base lusts and cursed corruptions are too hard for me I say if we did but wisely and carefully as we ought to do goe to the Word and Sacrament and the rest of Gods Ordinances we should have marvellous supply and help to carry us on in our Christian Combate It is a very remarkable thing that when God would have Joshua and all Israel goe about that same hard work to goe and encounter with 31 Kings of Canaan at one clap and they were now newly come into the Land of Canaan and were hemmed in the waters of Jordan came back and they could not goe back again it is to be noted that before God would have them strike a blow he would have them take the Sacrament of Circumcision you know the Canaanites might have come and cut their throats when they were sore nay when they were circumcised God would not Josh 5. have them goe fight yet but they must take the Sacrament of the Passeover which would cost them seven dayes one would think this was not the way to be strong but this was indeed the way to be strong to go in the strength of heaven this made the spirits of their enemies melt for they were now within the Covenant of God therefore how should we help our own souls if we would but go in the strength of Gods Covenant to prayer and every business we have to do and if we would but rightly partake of this Sacrament as a seal of the Covenant nothing would make it so strong as this This may seem to condemn the most of us all generally How do Christians misse of the partaking of the Sacrament what a deal of weakness is Vse 2 there among us where is there a strong Christian they can hardly doe any thing or suffer any thing whence is all this this comes from not receiving the Sacrament as they ought to doe as the Apostle saith of bodily weakness 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep He speaks there of their unworthy receiving the Sacrament this is the cause that your bodies are weak So this is as true of the weakness of the soule for this cause many are weak among you and many have such
Eph. 5. 19. speak to your selves saith the Apostle we speak may be to others about God this is an outward duty but we should speak to our selves if a man loved quickning he would reason the case with his own soul and speak to himself and ever and anon upon occasion retire into his own bosome and recolle upon his own heart and commune with himselfe this is it to be inwardly resisting the Devil and cherishing of good motions this is an excellent thing and nothing deads a Christian so much as the neglect of these duties It is observed of Nehemiah when he was speaking to the King he was doing of an inward duty at the same time Neh. 2. 4. At the same time that he spake to the King he was careful of the inward duty to speak to God to blesse him and to be with him So when Moses was exhorting all Israel to believe in God Exod. 14. 13 14. At the same time when no body knew what Moses did he was doing of an inward duty he was crying to God as the Lord saith ver 15. Moses why criest thou unto me This was when he was conversing with Israel and talking with them these inward duties may stand with any duty they run along in prayer and hearing of the Word they run along when a man is in company and when he is alone when he is at home and when he is abroad when he is eating and drinking these inward duties if men would make much of them it would make a man to have a gracious living heart Now what should ayle us but that we may doe these duties we have no excuse for the not doing of them when we are in company what should ayle us but we may think thus I will take heed now I will not speak words that my heart may reproach me for afterwards I will behave my selfe as I ought though a persecutor of Religion were in company can he know these thoughts No man can persecute or mock him for any of these a man may think as good thoughts as he will if he hath an heart to them and this will keep up a mans quickning when a man goeth abroad what should hinder but he may be imployed in inward duties considering seriously and thinking solemnly how it stands between God and his soule what shall hinder a man from these duties Now the neglect of these is the cause of the deadnesse of mens hearts people come to Church and hear Sermons but what do ye do within do you set up Gods Ordinances in your bosomes do you set up a Christian watch in your bosomes and prayer in your bosoms how do you go up and down all day long is heaven in your bosoms is the fear of God in your bosoms preserving and keeping of you This is that which will quicken you and a man can never be quickned if he make not conscience of this Lastly Another cause of deadnesse is peoples contenting themselves with what they have attained unto if they have gâ—tten any thing they are apt to set up their staves there and content themselves as if all were well this is the cause of the deadnesse of peoples hearts because every little sufficeth them if they have but any hope that they are of God and fear his name if they finde they have any thing in them they are apt to be secure and not to be earnest to grow in grace from day to day Now when this gets into a mans heart it will dead him presently therefore the Apostle when he perceived many of the Hebrews deaded their hearts this way he shakes them up Heb. 6. 1. Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection As who should say Let us on on for shame unto perfection let us proceed further let us not ever be learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth let us not be ever laying a foundation and never building thereupon let us not be ever going about repentance and faith and the first principles of the Oracles of God and never come to perfection This is the effect of the Epistles of Peter that people should not content themselves with what they have but that they may grow and goe forward Desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. and grow in grace 2 Pet. 3. 18. He is beating upon this that no man should content himselfe with any measure already attained if he do his heart will be deaded and made dull and blockish to all goodnesse and this is another cause of the deadness of peoples hearts they are at a stay they are at a stand every man may be would be a good Christian and a childe of God and if he can get but any hope that he is a childe of God now he is safe and now he goeth dully and blockishly on if he can but hold there and if he hath any fears that he is not right then may be he begins to stir himselfe a little but as soon as ever he gets any hopes again that he is right he goeth on in a blockish manner and passeth over holy things otherwise then he ought to doe and then if any spurs come into his conscience and awaken him may be he stirs again till he gets up a little hope that his condition is good and then he falls off and grows as secure again as he was before and this deads the hearts of people I come now to the meanes how a man may be quickened and the first Means of quickning 1. Means is this If we would be quickened we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ we must goe to him I speak now to good people if you would be quickned you must goe and fetch it from the Lord Jesus Christ he is a fountain of life opened unto all that come unto him I am come saith Christ that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly John 10. 10. Christ is not only come to quicken the dead and raise them up that they may be alive towards God barely and nakedly but he came to make all his people lively that they should have more life and quickning and be more enlarged in grace he came not onely to work the thing but to work a growth and increase of it more and more Now if you would know how to come by this life in Christ Jesus the only way is to believe in Christ John 7. 38 He that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living water there shall be rivers of spiritual life in that man that shall never be drawn dry so then doe any of us stand sticking at this how shall we be quickned and shake off this deadness that is in us I say look up to Christ and labour truly and unfainedly to desire him and hunger and thirst after him if we did search after Christ wee should be quickned presently
people fall horribly into woful evils that though they see a man fall never so much yet they may noâ— omit any thing to doe him good that they may not be taken off from their bowels and compassion who knowes but this man may be of God for I was as wretched as he once as Paul would have the Cretians take notice of this they were horrible sinners before conversion lyars slow-bellies now saith he Tit. 3. 2. Speak to them that they shew all meeknesse to all men Mark his reason ver 3. We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient c. We our selves were thus therefore let us shew meeknesse to all whatsoever and let us be kinde and full of bowels and compassion toâ—ards them studying how to doe them good and prevent all manner of evil and labour to win them if it be possible with all meeknesse and condiscending who knows but they may be of God for we our selves have been malâ—cious and spightful ignorant haters and have served divers lusts and pleasures so it is with people after conversion the Lord lets them fall into horrible sinnes and distempers that so they may be gentle and that they may have the spirit of meeknesse towards all men a man is apt to be severe and rude and rigid towards others if he hath gotten any thing himselfe if he hath gotten a little knowledge a little zeal a little faith a little humility a little ability to please God he is apt to think it such a deal and he is apt to cry down every one that is not as he is You are so proud and so thus and thus and to take off his heart from doing those duties which he owes towards him â— man is apt to be very insolent in the Church of God many are thus till God doâ—h take them down therefore the Lord by this means doth teach his people gentlenesse and meeknesse indeed God teacheth people many wayes besides this if they will take warning by his Word or some other course they save him a labour but if that will not doe God takes this course with a man to make him see his pride and conceitednesse and his want of mercy and unlikenesse to Christ in bowels and pity and compassion towards his brethren Fifthly The Lord leaves his own children to themselves sometimes to fall so foulely that he may humble them and bring them down low that he may make them see yet further into the corruptions of their own hearts that so he may make them capable of more grace for he gives grace to the humble Now when he would give more grace to a man may be he lets him James 4. fall into some horrible sinne that he may be the more humbled and see the naughtinesse of his own heart that he may be driven to God and may be deeper in mortification may be he thought he could goe no furthrer he did please himself in his prayers as I have heard of one that said when he had prayed he could hardly see any sinne in his prayer Now when the Lord is pleased to bestow upon them more grace he doth shew them the corruptions You know how often God let his people fall in the Wildernesse and that horribly by murmuring and repining and infidelity though they were his own chosen yet he let them all at the waters of strife and at the red Sea he let them fall he let them fall concerning Manna why was this the text saith The Lord thy God he proved thee he led theâ— up and down in all this â—arren wildeâ—nesse where were Scorpious and fiery Serpents that he might humble thee and doe thee good in thy latter end Deut. 8. 15 16 Meaning the Lord let them fall into those horrible evils that he might humble them that they might see the wickednesse of their own hearts and the infinite need they had of grace and the fear of God and standing upon their guard this d 〈…〉 to humble them and do them good in the latter end The first Use may seem to condemn those speeches that commonly go up down in Christians mouths let me tell you they are wicked speeches O say Vse they grace will not let a man have such pride and vanity in him grace will not let a man do thus and thus I say these speeches are not good they savour of a world of ignorance of the grace of God Indeed in three cases these are admirable speeches First Certainly grace will bring a man home to God that belongs to him it will put him into Jesus Christ it will certainly make him a new creature and bring him out of the estate of sinne he shall not live in the estate of sin grace will do that and God in the covenant of grace doth set down that it is a fundamental promise he will do this for every one as the Apostle saith Eph. 4. 7. this grace will surely undertake that a man shall be a believer if he belong to God and he shall be justified and sanctified in some measure he shall hate sin and love goodness in some measure and delight in Gods ordinances in some measure he shall be in the estate of grace and not in the estate of sin grace will do this this we may boldly say if a man have grace he must do this for God will teach him to do it Secondly Grace will undertake that a man shall not fall finally away that is certain that we may boldly say if a man be of God grace will teach him that he shall not fall away finally grace will uphold a man and maintain him when we see a man fall away finally we may conclude he had no true grace Gods children shall never fall finally away God will preserve and keep them whom he loves he loves to the end of all those that my father hath given me I have lost none saith Christ Joh. 17. neither life nor deaâ—k things present nor things to come shall ever be able to separate us from Joh. 13. 1. the love of â—od in Christ Jesus saith Paul Rom. 8. ult that is most certain blessed and happy is he that hath his part in the first resurrection for over such the second death hath no power Rev. 2 26. that is such a man can never come to be damned he can never fall finally away or perish everlastingly there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. v. 30. whom God hath predestinated them he hath also called c. there is an individual necture of all the links of the chain of predestination in all the several buckles of it there is an indivisible connexion if a man be called he shall be justified and if he be justified he shall be sanctified and if he be sanctified he shall be glorified so that grace will undertake this that a man shall not â—all finally away Thirdly We may say
that grace will not suffer any man that is of God to fall totally away as not finally for ever so not totally he shall not be altogether without grace from that moment he began to have it for ever and ever he that drinketh of this water shall never thirst c. Joh. 4. 14. that is he shall never thirst with total indigency again he shall never thirst with total want he shall ever have some grace and some of the image of God and some of the fear of God and some of the love of his truth and some desire to his name and some hatred of sin though in a poor degree yet he shall have something of God in him there shall be the seed of God remaining in him at all times 1 Joh. 3. 9. my feet were almost gone saith David Psal 73. 2. they were but almost gone they were not quite gone as it is said of the Church of Philadelphia she had a little strength so let a child of God be at the lowest ebbe yet there shall be a little water of life it shall Rev. 3. 8. not be quite exhaust though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord will uphold him Psal 37. 24. so that all this you may boldly say for in these things it is not conditionally Gods covenant but absolutely for God will give thee strength and power and faith and direction and assistance he will not only give thee the thing but the condition also here that a man shall be a believer and a new creature and if a man be once a new creature he shall never be an old creature again altogether the covenant of grace is so which is an everlasting covenant God will forgive their sins and remember them no more but now for particular passages for a man to say that a man cannot be proud and distempred but grace will heal him a man cannot have an hard heart but grace will soften it these are ill speeches men know not what they say when they say thus for in particular passages the children of God have no promise but only upon condition that they stand upon their guard but to be defended from particular evils and to be saved from particular distempers and horrible distempers without standing upon their guard and taking heed and cleaving unto God without carefulness and watchfulness and having a diligent eye to their wayes they have no promise for this as the Prophet told Asa you know Asa was a good man it seems he was of this mind grace will teach a man and so forth but see what the Prophet told him 2 Chron. 15. 2. the Lord is with you while you are with him c. lie doth not mean that the Lord would forsake Asa and all his people in regard of eternal life that they should not have eternal life that forsake him that they should be altogether without grace but he speaks here of particular passages of this or that sin or this or that danger this or that mischief either in soul or body saith he the Lord is with you as long as you are with him and if you seek him he will be found of you but if you forsake him he will forsake you this is most certain 't is true God doth not do thus alwayes but when he doth not do thus it is more then we can expect for if we be careless and negligent we can look for nothing at Gods hand we may look up to him that he would not undo us and cast us off for ever but we cannot look that he should free us from this sin or this distemper from this dulness and untowardness in going on we cannot look that God should free us from these sins unless we draw neer to him and cleave to him and keep by him if we forsake him he will forsake us as for instance suppose the Sacrament of the Lords Supper were to be administred now a true believer may comfortably look to have peace and comfort to have the promise sealed to his soul and to have his faith strengthned and his spirit revived and his graces enlarged by the Sacrament for there be promises made to him for this purpose but how are they made not simply and absolutely that howsoever he comes it shall be so but let him prepare himself for the Sacrament let him examine himself let him whet his heart and be sensible of his wants and necessities let him be earnest with God to be with him in his ordinance but if a man do neglect this when he hath been at the Sacrament he shall noâ— have peace and comfort nor the promise of God sealed to him but he shall be more doubting then he was before and more with the wrath of God in his soul and shall have more distempers and overwhelmings then he had formerly saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 31. speaking of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we must judge our selves and then we shall not be judged of the Lord the Lord will bless us we shall eat and drink salvation to our selves we shall eat and drink to our own peace and comfort and glory and to our increase in grace but if we do not judge our selves we shall be judged of the Lord here is a condition so for the preaching of the word we have the ministry of the word among us up and down we hear it day after day line upon line precept upon precept this is very good there is a promise for the children of God to grow up in knowledge and that they shall thrive under these blessed ordinances and be strengthned by them for temptations miseries and woful times they shall be well stored with a great deal of knowledge and experience 't is true if you be careful while you have the word and receive it with thankfulness and good affections and stir up your selves to prize the word of God and stir up in your selves an eager and earnest hunger and thirsting after it and will not suffer in your souls awkness and untowardness and formality to creep upon you but if you hear Gods word and do not apply it aright God knows what woful miseries you may fall into if you look not to these Why Gods people are to stand upon their guard 1 Reas things in all these things the Lord looks his people should stand upon their guard The first reason is because grace looks for this 't is true Gods covenant is everlasting but for particulars grace must be stirred up if thou hast any faith thou must provoke thy faith if thou hast any promise belonging to thee thou must make use of that promise if thou hast any fear of God thou muâ—â—â—ook to cheriâ—h it and nourish it and look that it doth not die and decay for grace is of that nature it must be stirred up 2 Tim. 1. 6. as it is â—ith a bowleâ— though the bowle be made never so right and fit to run
delights this will dead a mans heart as the Apostle sheweth of the Widows that lived in pleasure 1 Tim. 5. 6. they were dead while they were alive as soon as ever David gave way to his sinful corruptions his heart was deaded presently upon it as may appear by the prayer he had afterwards when he came to himself and to look out for quickning uphold me with thy free spirit Psal 51. 12. as who should say I feel a base dull slavish spirit come upon me that former liveliness that was in me it is wofully decayed sin had made a mighty breach in his soul it had knockt off his wheels and made him dull and therefore he is fain to pray that God would give him a free spirit again so it was with Peter as soon as ever he had given way to his curiosity and security and presumption he would needs go and see sights he would go into the high Priests hall and see how the business went he did not see the proneness of his heart to be carried into sin now you may see how wofully it deaded his heart in a moment as soon as the damsel spake thou also wert with Jesus of Galilee a man would wonder how no life at all almost appeared in that mans heart if he had had any life would he have carried himself in that fashion his life was so gone that he cursed and sware that he never knâ—w the Mat. 26. 47. man if he had any life in him he would rather have said what if I were with Jesus of Galilee I was with him and I am with him and I will be with him I am ready to dye with him I profess my self to be his Disciple he had no heart in the world to stand for Jesus Christ he had no heart to appear in pleading for him and expose himself to danger for him he was now called to it but he had no heart at all sin it is even like ashes cast upon the fire the fire cannot then send sorth its heat so sin doth even cast ashes upon the soul that it cannot express such life as otherwise it would The first reason is because sin is a soul killing thing it is like Mare Mortuum the fishes dye as soon as ever they come there so when the Divel hooks a man into sin he hooks him into the dead sea as the Apostle saith of the Ephesians you were dead in sins if the Divel can but hook a man into Eph. 2. sin he is presently in the dead sea Hos 13. 12. it is said of Ephraim when he offended in Baal he died c. before when their affections were up and they trembled before God they were lively but when they gave way to sin and iniquity the Church presently died they withered away more and more till they came to nothing therefore the Apostle calls the Law of sin the Law of death the Law of the spirit of Christ hath freed us from the Law of sin and of death Rom. 8. 2. sin doth even bring a man to deaths door it doth weaken all the powers and faculties of the soul that a man cannot stir to any duty it makes a man like a snake that is frozen with the cold it cannot stir so it is with a man when he gives way to sin and iniquity it freezeth all the powers that are in him and lesseneth all the powers of Gods spirit it is even like a weight as the Apostle calls it Heb. 12. 1. If a man should have a great weight upon his back fetters upon his legs how can that man go he must needs go very dully so it is with sin and iniquity when a man gives way to it it is like plumets of lead like great weights and burthens that clog a mans heart and affections it makes them dull and lumpish and heavy to any thing that is good as Christ speaks of the cares of this life if a man give way to them they will overcharge the heart they will lie heavy that the heart cannot stir Luke 21. 34. sin poysons all the soul it poysons the mind that a man cannot look upon things as he did it poysons a mans heart though his heart were deeply affected towards God it is strange if a man give way to sin how it will take off the affections from God it separates between God and the soul and comes between God the fountain of life and the soul and therefore must needs be a killing and deading thing Secondly Sin is a deading thing because it doth grieve the holy spirit of God that dwels in a man you know all the quickning of a Christian consists in the gracious assistance of Gods spirit as long as Gods spirit is pleased to go along with us and work our works for us then we can pray and deny our selves then we are fitted to every good word and work but if the spirit of God retire if it withdraw and suspend his actions and forbear his operations what can a man do a man is even a block without the spirit of God now though the spirit of God delight never so much in doing good to the Saints and delight in accompanying of them and assisting of them and enlarging of them in all their wayes yet if they give way to sin directly he will be grieved and sent sad back again to heaven as it were and when the spirit of God is grieved all must needs go sad and heavy with the child of God suppose a child of God give way to vain talk and discourse you shall see what the Apostle saith this will grieve the spirit of God grieve not the spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption Eph. 4. 13. he speaks of that very sin if a man give way to it the spirit of God will be grieved though formerly he was pleased mightily to help yet now he will withdraw and then how dully shall a man goon so if we should give way to the suffering of our hearts not to be affected with God and his truth not to see God in all his wayes in all his goodness and dealings that we should not be thankful this will quench the spirit of God it will quench its motions as if a man should pour pail-fuls of water upon the fire so this will quench the spirit of God 1 Thes 5. 18 19. there is a manifest dependence between all those exhortations and this is certain let a man once not be affected with God let him not see Gods goodness in all his wayes let him not be affected with Gods mercy and loving kindness it will quench the spirit of God and then consider what a lamentable case a man shall be in Thirdly Sin must needs dead a mans heart because it doth put a most woful bitter hard task upon the soul to go through for you know hard tasks stir up reluctancy against them when a man hath an hard task to go through the
out to the end if thou wilt keep me and uphold me then I shall keep thy Law for ever but otherwise I shall never do it Nay Christ plainly tells us that he is fain to put in and pour out his prayers before his heavenly father that his dearest Saints and elect may not fall away as who should say Father they may fall totally away if thou do not preserve them as he saith to Peter Luke 22. 32. I have prayed that thy faith fail not faith is the best grace that any child of God hath and love proceeding from faith is a good grace but they are all failing things and may be worn out by corruptions therefore Christ prayeth his heavenly Father that it may be fed and cherished and kept by his heavenly Father that it may never fail implying it would fail otherwise Nay the children of God are fain to confesse in their prayers it were just with God to let them fall totally away by reason of their sins by reason of their unthankfulnesse and unfruitfulness under the means and want of knowledge of his son Jesus Christ they confess it were just with God to be weary of them and give them for gone nay the children of God the best of them all do find that it is a very hard thing to keep themselves from decayes of grace and declinings and weaknings they find that they have much ado to hold their own much more to grow in grace and increase more and more to grow more and more heavenly and more and more vertuous and more and more selfdenying they see how many thousand corruptions and temptations they have and how backward their own hearts are and how soon they are surprized that they have much ado to keep that which is begun in them much more to encrease it and grow in it Nay the children of God may so far fall away that in their own sense and feeling they may think that they have not a jot of grace so that they are sometimes ready to conclude against themselves that they have no grace they were never wrought upon never subdued many times it is thus and though they do not conclude thus yet how often are they put to this desperate lift to look every moment when they shall fall and fall totally and lose all they shall not have a relique of grace in them it is thus with the Saints of God Lastly Because there is no grace received is able to hold without continual influences from Heaven this is the nature of the grace of the second Covenant that it is by continual influence it is not like the first Covenant when God gave Adam all his portion in his hand not only for the present but for ever if he would he might stand for ever he need not pray to God to keep him but if he would obey God he might stand of himself by the Covenant that God had made with him but under the Covenant of grace grace runs thus that grace is but for the present if a man stand now if he would stand the next hour he must have a new supply of grace though he be never so patient now he may be impatient in a quarter of an hour though he be never so humble now he may be as proud as Luciser in a quarter of an hour I say God under the Covenant of grace gives a man only for the present so that now he may know it is in Gods hand he is kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation so that grace is in a child of God as light is in an house light is never so in an house but in a moment it will be dark if you shut the windows so it is with a true Christian he had need keep his windows open towards Christ he hath need of continual shinings of grace from heaven as Christ teacheth us concerning our daily bread give us this day our daily bread so it is much more in regard of grace for our souls good Lord give me wisedom and faith and patience this hour and so the next hour and the next day give me the comfort of this day and the assistance of this day give me the concurrence of thy grace this day and so the next and we must never leave praying to God to accompany us with his grace from day to day for a man stands not by the grace that is in him but by the grace that is in God as the Apostle saith Heb. 6. 10. be strong in the Lord by the power of his might he doth not say be strong by the grace ye have received but be strong in the Lord be sure you call upon him and keep close to him there is all you stand by So 2 Tim. 2. 1. be strong in the grace in Christ Jesus if any man in the Church might be strong by the grace in himself Timothy might he was as vertuous a young man as any in the Church no man that Paul loved so as Timothy I know no man like minded saith he he was so endued with Gods spirit and the graces and vertues thereof that there was none like him yet Paul doth not bid him be strong in the grace that was in him but be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus grace is in a child of God as heat is in the water though it be never so seething hot yet take it from the fire and it will fâ—ing out all the heat and be as cold as ever it was so it is here notwithstanding all the graces that are in a child of God if he do not hang over Jesus Christ and keep close to him the daily incursions of sin will consume his graces the temptations of the flesh and the Divel within and the world without will consume them all unless a man be a good husband and receive new supply from Heaven so that we say that no grace received can keep a man from falling but that he may fall totally away in himself Now to come to the true reasons why a child of God cannot fall totally away but something of the Image of God shall remain in him though he may lose much yet he shall not lose all but something shall be remaining in him the reason of this is nothing else but the meer goodness of God to him that God will not let him so fall and God hath covenanted so with him that man that truly believes in his name he shall be kept for ever through faith unto salvation he shall not be quite broken off but he shall have some grace he shall have something of God in him something that shall distinguish him from all wicked men in the world as the Lord saith of David Psal 89 33. though they did sin against him and carry themselves unworthy that God should keep them yet notwithstanding the Lord would whip them and chastize them but his loving kindness he would never take from them why because he
the children of Judah fasted and that for 70. years together four times in a year they sought the Lord extraordinarily yet because they did not seek him thoroughly he did not count it sincerely done Zach. 7. 4 5. As who should say You did not fast unto me Doubtless they themselves thought they were very religious what not only to doe the duties of religion but to doe extraordinary duties no question they thought this was very much yet every one were cast off because their hearts were not upright before him Aâ—â—ziah the Text saith did those things that were good in the eyes of the Lord yet the Text makes this exception against him that it was not with an upright heart 2 Chron. 25. 2. Conâ—ider first That God delights only in an upright heart Prov. 11. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord but those that are upright in their wayes are his delight Upright Prayer and upright hearing of the Word and upright Preaching of it upright walking in a mans Family and upright carriagâ— in a mans conversation when a man carries himself uprightly in all his wayes this man is a delight to God as he saith Isa 66. 2. I can look over heaven and earth but at him will I look that trembleth at my Word The prayer of the upright is his delight Prov. 15. 8. When a man can make faithful pleas to the throne of grace for mercy faithful pleas that God would pardon him faithful pleas that God would enable him and accept him and he doth not make these pleas falsly but his own heart can say there is no sin but he sets himselfe against it and there is no commandement but he sets himself to obey it but the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to him he cannot abide it let them pray a thousand prayers God abhors their prayers if they have not upright hearts So 1 Chron. 29. 17. see what David saith as who should say Lord thou hast pleasure in uprightness and then certainly thou hast some pleasure in me for with an upright heart and in the sincerity of my soule have I sought thee Now on the contrary if a man be not upright before God if a man have a loose conversation and he be not sincere the Lord abhors that man Secondly Consider that this is the totall summe of all that God requires in the Covenant of grace that they should be upright and faithful in his Covenant as when he made his Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. 1. he saith Walk before me and be upright This is that God requires and he would be an Almighty God unto him and bless him and do him good to all generations 1 Sam. 12. 24. It is the saying of Samuel to the people Only fear the Lord and walk before him with an upright heart As who should say this is the onely thing and God requires no more if God had required more he might lawfully have done it if he had required the fulfilling of the Law to the utmost rigour he might have done it but this is the onely thing that God doth stand upon that we should be upright before him he doth not look that we should be Angels upon earth but that we should be sincere and noâ— goe a whoring from him wittingly and willingly Thirdly Consider The least faith the least grace and goodness if it be with uprightness is better then all the goodly performances of the whole world God liked more of the poor womans two mites then of all the abundance that the Scribes and Pharisees cast into the Treasury And he that gives a cup of cold water to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall noâ— lose his reward Therefore you shall see many poore beggarly things over those things that other men have done have been accepted whereas the building of Hospitals and Colledges have been rejected though a man have but a little knowledge as many of the Martyrs hardly knew how many Sacraments there were yet having uprightness died at stake so if a man have but a little faith with sincerity it shall pass when a thousand presumptuous fools shall goe to hell Fourthly Consider God will wink at manifold and grievous faults so there be sincerity and uprightness Asa his faults were horrible faults 1 Kings 15. 14. yet his heart was perfect What a company of faults had he what an horrible failing was this that he should cast the very Prophet of God into prison that reproved him Now God answers he had his failings and horrible ones yet he was a good man for his heart was upright before me Asa was not himselfe in that businesse Asa was not Asa then his heart was upright with the Lord. So good Jehosaphat a man that was grievously besmeared with corruptions and infirmities and those no small ones how fearfully did he marry his daughters into a most devillish Family as if he had no fear of God before his eyes he married them to the house of Ahab and another time he helped the enemies of the Lord and loved them that hated the Lord I know not how he was hooked in to joyn with Ahab and goe up to Ramoth Gilead and when he had done this and had humbled himselfe for this he did it again 2 Kings 3. 7. And the Reformation he wrought was not thorough as it ought to have been yet saith the Text 2 Chro. 19. 3. There are good things in thee because he was upright the Lord was pleased to accept him nay I will tell you more look upon the people at the Passeover in the dayes of Hezekiah what a company of people came to Jerusalem to keep the Passeover and came horribly unprepared the Text saith they were not prepared according to the Law of Moses which was a grievous thing yet the Text saith the Lord heard the prayers of Hezekiah for them because they prepared their hearts to seeke the Lord they did endeavour to grieve and be ashamed for their failings and want of preparation now on the other side what goodly men doth God reject not being upright and sincere as Jehu what a glorious King was he I warrant all the good people of Judah and Israel blessed God that ever he sate upon the Throne what to root out Baal and to destroy all the Idolatrous Priests and to be zealous in it come and see my zeal for the Lord these were admirable things yet the Lord doth discharge him and would have none of him because he was not upright Look upon the Scribes and Pharisees the none suches and mirrours of their times that was a Proverbe in Israel that if but two men in the world should go to Heaven the one should be a Scribe and the other Pharisee they were thought to be the holiest men in the world yet when the Lord saw this was not with an upright heart he denounceth woe upon woe against them Fifthly Consider That if we be upright it
called make their calling sure it implyeth they may do it the Lord laies no impossibility upon his own servants that he hath called to his Kingdome and glory but together with his precepts he sheweth them where grace is and the throne of grace is open for them and they have an interest in God that quickens the dead and have an open highway to the throne of grace to have any thing that they are required to do Thirdly Because the knowledge of our effectual calling is the ground of Of the knowledge of our effectual calling thanksgiving for it God requires that they that are effectually called to have such mercies should be thankful to God for it now how can a man be thankful for that which he is ignorant of whether he have it or no that is but a mockery as carnal people in their thanks will put in things they know not we returne unto thee O Lord all possible praise and thanks for election vocation justification c. Carnal people put these things into their graces blessing God for these things now if a man come to them do you know that you are elected and called and justified and have a true ground and hope of glory nay that we cannot tell say they this is a foolish thanksgiving this is to make a mock of God and to lie before him the Lord will have no such thanks but sing praises with understanding as the Scripture speaks he will have real and reasonable service now unlesse a man know this he cannot be thankful to God aright The Apostle willing the Corinths to be thankful for their calling the poore Corinths that were despised and ignoble and mean and of the lower rank of all the Town he wisheth them to glory in Gods goodness and in nothing of their own how doth he urge it you know your calling not many wise men after the flesh not many noble c. but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise c. 1 Cor. 1. 26. you see it many there are that God hath called among you and you see what manner of persons they are it is palpable and you cannot deny it therefore I would not have you glory in your selves but in God so Col. 1. 12 13. giving thanks unto God the Father saith he that hath made us meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son the Lord expects thanks for this effectual calling when God hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the Kingdome of his dear Son that is when he hath effectually called us we should give thanks to God for it now how can we give thanks to God for it when we are uncertain and ignorant of it surely the Spirit of Christ and the Lord Jesus Christ loveth the glory of God and that God should have praise from his people for every mercy therefore without doubt they may come to know it because otherwise God should require that of them which they are not able to performe Fourthly Because this is the very end of the word of God it is one of the Why the word of God is written to us ends why the word of God is written to us indeed there are other ends besids this it is to convert to strengthen to direct to comfort to counsel it is to build up and to pull down the end of the word is to pull and hew some down to be cast into the fire but one end is to acquaint the people of God with the mercies of God and with graces and mercies and kindnesses he hath laid up for them in Jesus Christ and how they are called to these things this is one end of the word that they may know these things that God hath vouchsafed 1 Joh. 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life c. I have written to you that do believe to you that are effectually called that you may know that you have eternal life you have it but I would faine have you know that you have it Now the Word is a sure Word that will not faile us Fiftly Because the soul of a man it hath the power of reflection in it and The soul hath the power of reflection it is able to reflect upon it self and know what it self doth and what it self hath the soul of a man is a reflective being and reflects upon its own bosom whereby it is privy to what it thinks and what it saith and what passages there be therein 1 Cor. 2. 11. What man saith he knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man the spirit of a man that is in him knows the things that be in a man it is privy to its own affaires as it is with wickedness so it is with good actions and thoughts now for wicked courses we see that the conscience is privy to what sins and corruptions are in a man as Sâ—lâ—mâ—n told Shimei thou knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to that thâ—â— didst to David my Father thou knowest it thy heart is privy to it thou canst reflect upon thine own bosome and canst tell what wretched speeches thou didst speak thou art able to utter them in order as thou art privy to it as Solomon saith Eccl. 7 22. oftentimes thine own heart knoweth that thou thy self likewise hast cursed others he speaks of one that hath cursed thy own heart knows that thou hast done it saith he so it is in good actions and things that are in a man a mans heart is privy to it if a man obey the call of God how can a man do it but he must know that he is effectually called If a man do mourn for his sins and grieve for his iniquities the heart knows its own bitterness it is able to reflect upon what it self doth so if a man do desire grace and hunger and thirst after righteousness and pant after the living God he is able to say I do this Psal 42. 1. As the hart pants after the rivers of water so doth my soul pant after thee O Gâ—â— his own heart shall be able to reflect upon it if thou humble thy soul and set thy self to prayer and approve thy self to God from day to day look into thy bosom and there thou mayst see it But it may be objected then how is it that those that are effectually called Obj. are very doubtful and have many questions and are uncertaine whether they are called or no if it be so how come these doubts and troubles and perplexities that are in the minds of good people that are effectually called of God and we find by experience that they were effectually called I answer first we must know that though the
this that all a mans corruptions and miseries should lie upon a man notwithstanding all his prayers and asking forgiveness and many tears and sighs that they should yet lie upon him as they do until a man knows that he is effectually called of God all the guiltiness lieth upon his soul he cannot say he hath obtained mercy of God he is without God and without Christ and is yet in his sins for ought he knows Secondly As your consciences must needs accuse you so likewise you can N 〈…〉 y in Jesus Christ without knowledge of ouâ— interest in him c. have no joy in Jesus Christ nor any of his promises nor any of the gracious things in his Covenant because you know not wâ—ether they belong to you or no when a man knows not a thing he cannot have any joy in any thing as Prov 27. 1. Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowâ—st not what a day may bring fâ—rth a man cannot boast of that he knows not can a man boast of to morrow O I shall have a fine day to morrow when he knows not whether he shall have a morrow or no he may be dead by to morrow or his house may be burnt over his head to morrow he cannot rejoyee in it So when a man knows not whether he be effectually called of God or no what joy can he have what joy can he have in Christ or his ordinances when his conscience knocks him off and his soul stands in doubt whether these things belong to him or no he may catch at these as Josephs Mistres catcht hold on him but he left his garment and fled away so they catch at the promises and these things but they fly away from them and leave them as a shadow and they are as much to seek as before and it will be thus as long as a man doth not go on to make his effectual calling sure Thirdly Thou canst not tell what to make of Gods mercies and blessings to We cannot tell what to make of Gods mercies without this knowledge thee God hath given thee many blessings life and health and means and maintenance and sweetly provided for thee from thy cradle to this day and hath recovered thee out of many sicknesses and afflictions and hath given thee the means of grace and thou hast heard Sermon upon Sermon and hast had the acquaintance of his children and hast dwelt in the land of uprightness and seen the Saints of God and the examples of Gods Saints and thou hast had the motions of Gods Spirit from day to day and many good things God hath vouchsafed but while a man is questioning and doubting whether he be effectually called or no he cannot tell what to make of these things whether he should call them mercies or no whether they be in wrath or no to fat him up against the day of wrath to whom much is given of him much is required It is said of the Virgin Mary when the Angel saluted her graciously and comfortably the text saith she was much troubled wondring what manner of salutation this should be Luk. 1. 29. So when the Lord sends abundance of sweet mercies the soul is troubled what mercies these should be are these mercies that come from Christ and flow from Gods goodness as pledges of his grace and favour or no he is troubled and cannot tell what to make of them what are these mercies and he is afraid he had been better to have been without them and better he had never known them it is a miserable thing when a man is uncertaine of his effectual calling for uncertaine of that uncertaine of all Fourthly Thou dost not know what to do in time of affliction when affliction We know not hâ—w to beare our selves in afflictions without this knowledge comes as thou canst not but expect it every day yet when it comes how wilt thou bear it how wilt thou be able to suffer for Christ and to go to prison for Christs sake when thou dost question whether the truth ever made thee free if thou wert able to speak of God as thy Father and a Kingdom prepared for thee this would cast out fears feare not little flock it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdom Luk. 12. 37. but when a man questions whether God be his Father or no questions whether he hath given him a Kingdom or no yea whether any such thing belongs to him nay he thinks he is a wretch and he should wrong God if he should lay hold oâ— such things this exposeth a man to fears what is the reason that many â—all away in time of persecution it is because they want hold of God as D 〈…〉 as what is the reason he could not beare Pauls afflictions but fell away and 〈◊〉 the world it was because he wanted Pauls hold a man must have hold some where if not on God some where else this is the reason why many break their necks and when persecution comes they are troubled and put by and make shipwrack of a good conscience and forbear to go on in that way which they ought to go on in and to yield to those things which they knâ—w they ought not to yield to When a man knows he is effectually c 〈…〉 of God this will make a man suffer for God as the Apostle Peter sp 〈…〉 g of the sufferings of the Saints hereunto saith he were you called knowing thâ—â— Christ suffered for you when a man is able to say Christ suffered for 〈◊〉 God hath effectually called me to his heavenly Kingdom to pertake oâ— C 〈…〉 st it and his benefits and sufferings now this will beare a man out this 〈◊〉 able to endure the losse of liberty of means maintenance or any th 〈…〉 t the Gospels sake but before what shall a man do in afflictions as long as a man doth not know that he is effectually called he doth expose himself to lazards and breaknecks and who knows what may be Fifthly Thou canst not pray with any courage thy prayers are but 〈◊〉 and lanke and weak as water thou canst not come boldly to the throne of We cannot pray without this knowledge grace thou art afraid thou art none of Gods and none of Christs afraid â—â—t thou hast not received the Spirit of God that thou mayst be the child of God and art afraid that thy prayers are not accepted of God but he turnes them into sin thou canst never have boldness unless it be the boldness of impudeâ—ce but never the boldness of confidence how shall a man call upon him 〈◊〉 â—e hath not believed a man without faith cannot please God he cannot pray to God O my Lord saith Manoah c. Judg 13. 8. if he had not prayed with faith knowing that God was his God his prayer had not had successe but this made him pray with the more boldness and strength when the Priests of Baal had done praying
propounds the Word to the soul holds it before the eyes and conscience and sanctifies it and puts a power into it to enter deep into the soul that it may Conceive in the soul Secondly The Lord doth it by an unspeakable working There is a Divine work which the Lord worketh The spirit comes into the soul after the By a secret and supernatural power manner of water as Christ saith Joh. 3. Except a man be born again of water and the holy Ghost c. that is unless he be born of the Spirit which worketh in the spirit of a man as water doth in working upon a â—oul thing Now what this working is we cannot tell but we can tell you the effects of it whereas the soul was rotten and naught before and impotent to all good now it begins to have a better disposition and a new power And whereas it did savour of the things of this life before now it savours of the things that are above but this is a secret kind of working in the soul therefore it is called the washing and the laâ—er of it And the Apostle speaking of the Corinthians what miserable creatures they were before Regeneration he nameth Drunkards Idolaters Adulterers c. and all manner of filthy persons Such were some of you saith he before your Regeneration but now you are washed and justified and sanctified in the Name of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 11. That same washing there he means by that you are Regenerated so that Regeneration it is a supernatural an unspeakable kind of washing of the soul by the holy Ghost whereby the soul hath its Corruption washed from it in part and made clean in paâ—â— and way made for all the Graces of Gods Spirit to come in now and all the fruits of the spirit to be brought forth Thus the Spirit of God works this work he works it in an ineffable manner by the word of Life and by a secret kind of washing I come now to the Application of this Point And first of all If the Spirit of God be the Regenerater of Gods people then we may here see Vse 1. Of Confutation of Pelagians c. the errour of the Papists Pelagians and others That set up the Will of man and put any activity in the Reason and Judgement and Wisdom and Election of man This Doctrine of theirs is unâ—ound and contrary to the working of Gods holy spirit If it be such a work as God sends his own Spirit to do it What man can do it It is called Regeneration and this shews it is not of man who is able to beget himself and shape himself in the womb and dispose of his own body in the belly Nay more Can any man beget himself again The very name of Again shews that it is a work only of God none but he can do it and we see it plainly it is wrought no where but where God himself doth it and they that have it are able to speak it that they did not chuse God but God chose them I was found of them that sought me not all the souls of his people will subscribe That it was not in them that willed or in them that ran but in God that shewed mercy It is God only that is the Author of this thing and none but he Secondly Again This should teach us to consider that we have alwayes Informaton Of our continual need of the Spirit need of the Spirit of God If the Spirit of God hath begotten us again then we have alwayes need of him it is not in this as in the first Birth when the Child is born though the Father be gone the Child may subsist but it is not so here but the Spirit of God as he begets a man so he is fain alwayes to stand by him and bear him up and give him supplies of Grace from day to day As it is with the Air the Sun doth not only enlighten it but it doth every moment give light to it for suppose the Sun should shine four or five hours in the day yet if the Sun should with-hold its light the Air would be dark presently it is not as it is with Fire let a man heat the water though he take away the Fire the water will keep its heat a while after but do but with-hold the light of the Sun and all is gone in the same moment so it is with this new Creature and the Spirit of God he doth dwell in the soul as the Sun in the Air his presence warms the soul and quickens the soul and inables a man to good and gives a principle of life and enables to all actions that are good therefore how should all Gods people carry themselves towards this Spirit They should have a care that they quench him not nor go against him in any particular The Third Vse is for all Gods people in whom God hath wrought this Exhortation 1. Not to grieve the Spirit blessed work the Spirit of God hath regenerated and begotten them again I say to all such persons Let them endear this Spirit of God let them not grieve or offend or displease him seeing he is such a gracious worker in them Ephes 1. 13. The Apostle makes this very Inference in whom after ye believed ye were sealed by the holy Spirit of Promise that is whereby you were Regenerated Regeneration is the first seal of the Spirit whereby he seals Gods good will to a man Now hath the Spirit of God sealed you Then do not grieve him nor cause him to take any indignation against you for though he will never depart from them whom he hath made new Creatures yet notwithstanding he may hide his face for a time if we displease him Yea Consider Will any natural Child willingly displease his loving Father The Spirit of God is our Father therefore we should have respect to him Again This should be a Motive to Gods people to be willing to do any 2. To do any thing for God thing for God because he hath made them as David saith Psal 100. 3. This very Consideration That God hath made us and re-made us he hath done that for us that all our own wits could never have done that the whole world hath not the like the Lord gener-ally lets the whole World sink in ruine and damnation should be a Motive to you to be willing to serve him gladly and to call upon his Name to be ready prest to execute any of his Commands to enter into his presence upon all occasions seeing it is he that hath made us and not we ourselves To them that are Vnregenerated Here we see where to have Regeneration 3. To the Unregenerate to pray for the Spirit it is only in God and in the Spirit of God to renew a man and make a man up again As David prayed when he had the Spirit Lord take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51. 11. So when
a great forsaking a great declining and people hearkned to Doctrines of Divels and Damnable Heresies and the whole world groaned under Popery Yet in the dead times of Popery there were abundance of Prophets the Lord did keep their Judgements entire in this thing as Gregory and Silvester and others though they were Superstitious Papists yet they say That the change of the Sabbath from the last day of the week to the first is by Divine Institution Now to come to the times of Reformation here we have abundance of Reverend men beyond the sea both in Germany and France that maintain it is by Divine Institution Another Argument is taken from the Judgements of God If men will not Reas 8 hearken to reason and the examples of the Saints and Judgement of Divines in all ages yet the Lord will make it appear from heaven that this is the Lords Day and the Lord hath sealed it First by his Judgements for the wrath of God hath been revealed from heaven upon those that have prophaned this day the Stories in all ages shew it In the Councel of Paris where Divines out of all Countries in Christendome were met together to consult about matters of Religion Ministers stepped up and made complaint concernining the Sabbath Let us make a Canon for the sanctifying of the Sabbath day for to our knowledg the Lords wrath hath broken out upon the Countrey for the breach of this day and one related one story and another another as one told a Story of a Miller that grinding upon the Sabbath day a fire brake out and burnt Mill and Man and all Another of an Husbandman that going into the field to fetch home his Corn upon the Sabbath day thunder and lightning brake forth and burnt him and his corn Many such stories were related in that Councel and the Magdenbergs have a story of a Noble-man that using to Hunt upon the Sabbath day the Lord brought it so to passe that his Wife brought forth a child with a head just like a dog I could relate abundance of Stories beyond sea but we have enough here at home the Town of Stratford in Warwick shire as it is related in the Practice of Piety was Burnt three times upon this day And the Story of the Parris Garden 1583. they were gathered together this day to see the sport of the Beasts fighting together and the Scaffold fell down and eight were slain and abundance hurt So there are many more such Examples I remember my self above a dozen within this half year the Lord hath revealed his displeasure from heaven for the breach of this day Secondly Again the Lord hath sealed this in the conscience of his people For who are they that break this day but loose and vain and prophane men And who make conscience of it but those that most fear God those that God hath most crowned with Righteousnesse and sanctification they delight in this and Sanctifie it and count it Holy to the Lord and the more a man fears God the more careful he is of the keeping of this day and the more he is grieved to see it prophaned either by himself or others because he hath experience of the blessings of God upon the keeping of this day no man doth Sanctifie this day conscionably but he shall find a blessing therefore it is surely from the Lord. The First Vse is this Is the first day of the week the Sabbath by Divine Vse 1 institution then here we see that we are to keep a whole day The Divel if he cannot make men keep no day then it is his policy to make them keep it by halves Oh say they Do we not keep the Sabbath Do we not come to Church and hear the word and Divine Service Morning and Evening Is not this to keep the Sabbath But if the Lord hath Instituted this day then certainly he hath Instituted a whole day It is madnesse and want of reason for a man to think the contrary Suppose I hire a man to labour with mee for a day do I not make account he should work one whole day Suppose I hire a Servant for a year do I not mean an whole year though I put not in the word Whole yet I suppose he must dwell a whole year with me And if I hire a man for a day it is for an whole day so that in Grammatical sense when the Scripture saith Thou shalt Sanctifie the Sabbath day it is meant a whole day It is not in this as in other words any piece of a stone is stone but in things that signifie the whole it is not the same as a day a part of a day is not a day the least part of water is water or of fire is fire but a part of a day is not a day Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day and I was in the Spirit on the Lords day and they met together on the first day of the week it is a day therefore the meaning of the scripture is that it should be a whole day and it is so in reason and therefore we are to keep an whole day therefore we should not curtail the Lords day as the servants of Hanun did the garments of Davids servants You know what became of Ananias and Saphira that brought but part when they should have brought the whole they should have brought the whole price of their inheritance but they brought but part therefore the Lord smote them with death so when the Lord requires a whole day and we give him but a part we shall bring vengeance upon our own heads There are divers arguments for it First the weeke consists of seven dayes and he hath given six to us and reserves one day to himself now we wil grant that we have not part of six dayes but six whole dayes If you aske a man what do you work all day Why yea the Lord hath given us six dayes therefore six whole dayes Now by the same reason God must have an whole day if we take any part of the seventh day then we have more then six dayes which is contrary to the scripture Another reason is this God rested the seventh day now looke what time God rested that time we must sanctifie now God rested the seventh day all of it he left none of the creation to do upon the seventh day he had finished the creation in six dayes and rested all the seventh day therefore we must keep the whole day Thirdly because this is the nature of a Sabbath to bee 24 houres not to be an artificiall day but to be a naturall day 24 houres together as you may see Lev. 23. 32. you shall keep the Sabbath from evening to evening then the dayes were reckoned from evening to evening from the creation though now under the gospel because Christ arose in the morning they are reckoned from morning to morning Fourthly another argument is this God never ordained halfe holy dayes in