needy was not this to know me saith the Lord That is true Knowledge that produceth its Effect So Iames 2. 23. By works faith is made perfect Faith hath produced its End So Love is perfected in keeping the Commandments 1 Iohn 2. 5. Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected as all things are perfect when they attain their End and their consummate estate The Plant is perfect when it riseth up into Stalk and Flower and Seed so these Graces 4. The Person or Christian is judged not onely by what is believed but what is done not by what is approved but what is practised Many profess Faith and Love but if it be not verified in Practice they are not accepted with God 1 Pet. 1. 17. If ye call on the father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work And Rev. 20. 12. I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works God will judge Men according to their Works and what they have done in the Flesh whether it be good or evil Iohn 5. 29. They that have done good shall rise to the resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation The Redeemed Sinner shall have his Tryal and Judgment Use 1. Is for the disproof of two sorts Preachers and Professors 1. Preachers if they be strict in Doctrine and loose in Practice do they lift their hands to God's Commandments No they are like the Pharisees who bind heavy burdens upon others and do not touch them with their own little finger Matt. 23. 4. It is not enough to lift up our voice in recommending but we must lift up our hands in practising lest like a Mark-stone they shew others the way to Heaven but walk not in it themselves and contribute nothing of help by their Examples 2. Professors 1. That approve the Word onely There may be an idle naked Approbation Rom. 2. 18. Thou knowest his will and approvest the things that are most excellent being instructed out of the law Video meliora probóque They esteem these things better but their hearts incline them to what is evil and their Reason is a slave to Appetite 2. That commend as well as approve Rom. 2. 20. Who hast a form of knowledge and of the truth in the law but without Action and Practice Have many good words their voice Iacob's but their hands Esau's Psal. 50. 16 17. What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or to take my covenant in thy mouth since thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee It pertaineth not to thee to profess Religion since thou dost not practise it to commend the Law which thou observest not or to profess love to what thou dost not obey Use 2. Is to press you to lift up your hands and to obey and do the things which God hath prescribed in his Word Do not rest in the Notional part of Religion That which will approve you to God is not a sharp Wit or a firm Memory or a nimble Tongue but a ready Practice God expecteth to be glorified by his Creatures both in Word and Deed and therefore Heart and Tongue and Hand and all should be imployed I will urge you with but two Reasons 1. How easie it is to deceive our selves with a fond Love a naked Approbation or good Words without bringing things to this real Proof Whether the Truth that we approve esteem and commend have a real dominion over and influence upon our Practice 1 Iohn 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him James 1. 22. Be ye doers of the word not hearers onely deceiving your own souls Respect to God and his Word is a true Evidence of a Gracious Heart Now how shall we know this Respect is real but by our constant and uniform Practice 2. That it is not so easie to deceive God He cannot be mocked with a vain shew sor he looketh to the bottom and spring of all things 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts He searcheth our Hearts knoweth our inward Disposition whether firm strong or productive of Obedience Now to him you are to approve your selves and he will not be mocked with lying pretences and excuses Gal. 6. 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked The all-seeing God cannot be blinded he knoweth our thoughts afar off and seeth all things in their Causes much more can he judge of Effects Therefore whatsoever Illuminations we pretend unto if we do not live in the Obedience of the Commands of Self-denial Humility Justice Patience Faith and Love he can soon find us out If our Actions do not correspond to our Profession it is a practical Lye which the Lord can easily find out 2 Doct. Whosoever would lift up his hands to God's Commandments and seriously address himself to a course of Obedience must use much Study and Meditation On the one side Non-advertency to Heavenly Doctrine is the bane of many Mat. 13. 19. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non advertit animum then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart And so Iames 1. 23 24. If any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like a man beholding his natural face in a glass for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was God's great complaint of his People is that they will not consider Isa. 1. 3. The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider So Ier. 8. 6. I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done The Heathens have commended such Recollection On the other side the Scripture recommendeth Meditation as one great help to Obedience Lydia's Conversion is described by Attendency Acts 16. 14. The Lord opened her heart that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul because that is the first step to it minding chusing prosecuting So the Man that will benefit by the Word of God is he Iames 1. 25. that looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein that is abideth in the view of these Truths for a glance never converted nor warmed the heart of any Man This man being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word this man shall be blessed in his end Now more particularly Why Meditation is
meditating for meditating frequent turning the key maketh the Lock go more easie Good dispositions make way for good dispositions Psal. 27. 14. Psal. 31. 24. Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart Pluck up your spirits strive to take courage and then God will give you courage To shake us out of laziness God maketh the precept to go before the promise God biddeth us pray though prayer be his own gift Act asyou would expect 7. There is a supply cometh in ere we are aware Cant. 6. 12. Or ever I was aware my soul made me like the chariots of Aminadab in the very work A strange difference of temper is to be observed in David before the Psalm be over 1 Chron. 22. 16. Arise therefore and be doing and the Lord be with thee God will not help that man that hath legs to go and will not 8. We are to rowse up our selves Psal. 64. 7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee When we are willing to get the work over and wrestle not for life and power in praying we do not all we are able The Cock by clapping the wings addeth strength to the crowing We should rowse up our selves We use not the bellows to a dead coal c. 2. The next circumstance is the argument according to thy word what word doth David mean Either the general promises in the books of Moses or Iob which intimate deliverance to the faithful observers of Gods Law or help to the miserable and distressed or some particular promise given to him by Nathan or others Chrysostome saith Quicken me to live according to thy word but it is not a word of command but a word of promise Mark here 1. He doth not say Secundum meritum meum but secundum verbum tuum the hope or that help which we expect from God is founded upon his word there is our security in his promises not in our deservings Promittendo se fecit debitorem c. 2. When there was so little Scripture written yet David could find out a word for his support Alas in our troubles and afflictions no promise occurreth to mind As in outward things many that have less live better than those that have abundance so here now Scripture is so large we are less diligent and therefore though we have so many promises we are apt to faint we have not a word to bear us up 3. This word did not help him till he had lain long under this heavy condition that he seemed dead Many when they have a promise think presently to enjoy the comfort of it No there is waiting and striving first necessary We never relish the comfort of the promises till the creatures have spent their allowance and we have been exercised God will keep his word and yet we must expect to be tryed 4. In this his dead condition faith in Gods word kept him alive When we have lest feeling and there is nothing left us the word will support us Rom. 4. 19 20. And being not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarahs womb he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God 5. One good way to get comfort is to plead the promise to God in prayer Chirographa tua injiciebat tibi Domine shew him his hand-writing God is tender of his word These arguings in prayer are not to work upon God but our selves USE Well then let us thus deal with God looking to him in the sense of our own weakness praying often to God for quickning as David doth in the Text. God keepeth grace in his own hands and dispenseth it at his pleasure that he may often hear from us and that we may renew our dependance upon him it is pleasing to him when we desire him to renew his work and bring forth the actings of grace in their vigour and lustre And let us acknowledg Divine Grace if there be strong actings of faith and love towards God He is to be owned in his work SERMON XXVII PSALM CXIX 26. I have declared my ways and thou heardest me teach me thy statutes IN this Verse you have three things 1. David's open and free dealing with God I have declared my ways 2. God's gracious dealing with David and thou heardest me 3. A Petition for continuance of the like favour teach me thy statutes 1. For the first I have declared my ways that is distinctly and without hypocrisie laid open the state of my heart and course of my affairs to thee Note Doct. They that would speed with God should learn this point of Christian ingenuity unfeignedly to lay open their whole case to him That is to declare what they are about the nature of their affairs the state of their hearts what of good or evil they find in themselves their conflicts supplies distresses hopes this is declaring our ways the good and evil we are conscious to As a sick Patient will tell the Physician how it is with him so should we deal with God if we would find mercy This declaring his ways may be looked upon 1. As an act of faith and dependence 2. As an act of holy friendship 3. As an act of spiritual contrition and brokenness of heart for this declaring must be explain'd according to the sense of the object of what David means by this expression My ways First His businesses or undertakings I have still made them known to thee committing them to the direction of thy Providence and so it is an act of faith and dependence consulting with God and acquainting him with all our desires This is necessary 1. That we may acknowledg the Soveraignty of his Providence and Dominion over all Events Prov. 16. 9. A mans heart deviseth his way but the Lord directeth his steps Man proposeth but God disposeth and carrieth on the event either further than we intended or else contrary to what we intended 2. We must declare our ways to God that we may take God along with us in all our actions that we may ask his leave counsel blessing Prov. 3. 6. In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy paths There 's a twofold direction one of Gods Providence the other of his Counsel The direction of his Providence that 's understood Prov. 16. 9. A mans heart deviseth his way but the Lord directeth his steps But then there 's the direction of his Counsel and the latter is promised here if we acknowledg God and declare our ways to him God will counsel us And David did thus declare his way upon all occasions 2 Sam. 2. 1. David enquired of the Lord saying Shall I go up into any of the cities of Iudah It is a piece of Religious manners to begin every business with God to go to God Lord
profit with us because we neglect private God complaineth of his People Ier. 2. 32. That they have forgotten him dayes without number How many daies have gone over your heads and God never heard from you You should no more forget him every day then a Bride would forget her Ornaments on the wedding day 2. Let me lay this before you You should be betimes with God that you may not incroach upon your other occasions Yea that you may sanctifie your other occasions and be the fitter for it all the day after Let not the soft Enemy of sleep steal away your golden hours and the flower and choicest part of time A Christian that makes Conscience of his time should not inure himself to a sluggish Course and turn in his Bed like a door upon the hinges if your Constitution will bear it otherwise we lay no blame upon you the Scriptures have many disswasives from immoderate sleep Prov. 5. 9. chap. 13. 4. chap. 26. 14. chap. 6. 6. To be sure a Christian is to make Conscience of Time and how he spendeth it and we may sin and surfeit in sleeping as well as in eating and drinking and therefore we must watch against the incroachments of ease and sloath least a sluggish humour grow natural to us and a morbid custom that cannot be shaken off 3. It presseth you to Fervency though in Private As much Fervency Sense and Zeal as you would express before men so much should we express when alone The Name of God must be sanctified in all that draw near to him in Private as well as in Publick oherwise he is scorned rather than honoured that it may appear you were sincere in Prayer and have not mean and low thoughts of God otherwise you bring a suspition upon all your Publick Duties There may be sometimes more Assistance in Publick more Order and Method for Edification but not more Ardour and Zeal Pray with Fervency as to an All-seeing Spirit Though the Lord delayeth yet he intendeth the inlargement of our Desires Lam. 3. 49 50. Mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not without any intermission till the Lord looks down from heaven and beholds If you are soon discouraged you 'll get nothing 4. Be sure that God hath his share If business take up more time than Prayer because of the urgency of bodily necessities yet ordinarily a man should not spend more time in any Pastime and Recreations than in Religious Exercises 'T is most equal we should first seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof Matth. 6. 33. The most needful Duty should have most time bestowed upon it 't is an ill Character to be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God 2 Tim. 4. 3. 'T is reasonable to give an equal time to God and Religion as to Sports and Delights Most men have no other thing to do then to eat drink and sleep if they should compare their Religion and their Recreations they would soon see what a large share of time one hath above the other Secondly We come to the Reason and Incouragement of his Diligence I hoped in thy Word that is because I have thy Word for it I do not doubt but in time I shall reap the fruit of my Prayers Doctrine A lively hope grounded upon the Word of God will put us upon this Vigilancy and Diligence in Prayer The Reasons are taken 1. From the Word of God which is the ground of Hope Psal. 130. 5. I wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his word do I hope And 2. From the nature of Hope which is the Fountain of Prayer I. From the Word of God which serveth for two uses Invitation and Assurance 1. For Invitation to give us leave to come to the Throne of Grace David did not come unbidden or uninvited into Gods Presence he had his Word for it the promises of the Gospel give us liberty otherwise we should not assume the boldness to appear before him Psal. 50. 15. The Word is our Warrant 't is as it were the holding out of the golden Scepter 2 Sam. 7. 27. Therefore hath thy Servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee 2. For Assurance and firm Confidence before the thing promised be obtained God pawneth his Word with us which we must hold till the performance come Now they that can thus hold it and believe the promise will be often in Prayer that the Word may be both established to them 2 Sam. 7. 25. and fulfilled Psal. 116. 10. I have believed and therefore have I spoken II. From the nature of Hope which implyeth two things both which have an influence upon Prayer Earnest Expectation and patient tarrying the Lords Leisure 1. Earnest Expectation Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope This exciteth the soul by all means to pursue after the thing hoped for When Daniel understood by books that the time was come then was he vehement and earnest Dan. 9. 2 3. Elijah when he saw a Cloud but as big as a mans hand he saith 1 Kings 18. 43. Go bid Ahab prepare his chariot get thee down that the rain stop thee not What we look for we will pray for 2. Patient tarrying we read of the patience of hope 1 Thes. 1. 3. and so though they seem long delayed yet hope in the Promise will make us wait and abide the performance of them because they are assured they shall find the fruit of them at last Use. You see how we pray the occasion of Prayer is necessity our necessities lead us to the promise that inviteth us and giveth us Assurance and yields matter for Faith and Hope that puts us upon looking and waiting these two make us pray When we can joyn patientiam spei cum ardore desiderii the earnestness of expectation that keepeth us from sloth or negligence in the use of the means or excites us to call upon God and patience that keeps us from fainting or discouragement hence cometh that earnest diligence and constant unceasing importunity so as to give God no rest The belief of Gods promises do not make us neglect means but to be more diligent in the use of them SERMON CLXVI PSALM CXIX VER 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy Word WE hear before of Davids diligence in Prayer now in Meditation His Prayer was incouraged by his Hope his Hope was fed by the Word and the Word improved by Meditation for he saith I hope in thy word and then mine eyes prevent the night watches c. In the Words we have First An account of his Vigilancy and Diligence Mine eyes prevented the night watches Secondly The Duty wherein he was exercised that I might meditate in thy Word The first branch needeth a little illustration what is meant by night watches and what by preventing these night watches I. What is meant by night watches Drusius telleth us that the night among the
of neither have entred into the heart of man to conceive Therefore the word hath a notable instrumentality that way 3. The Doctrine of the Scripture holds out the remedy and means of cleansing Christs blood which is not only an argument or motive to move us to it So it is urged 1 Pet. 1. 18. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable c. It presseth holiness upon this argument why God hath been at great cost to bring it about therefore we must not content our selves with some smooth morality which might have been whether Christ had been yea or no. Again the word propounds it as a purchase whereby grace is procured for us so it is said 1 Ioh. 1. 7. He hath purchased the spirit to bless us and turn us from our sins And it exciteth faith to apply and improve this remedy and so conveyeth the power of God into the soul Act. 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith 2. The manner how the word is applied and made use of If he take heed thereunto according to thy word This implieth a studying of the word and the tendency and importance of it which is necessary if the young man would have benefit by it David calleth the statutes of God the men of his counsel Young men that are taken with other books if they neglect the word of God that book that should do the cure upon the heart and mind they are with all their knowledg miserable Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night If men would grow wise to Salvation and get any skill in the practice of godliness they must be much in this blessed book of God which is given us for direction 1 Ioh. 2. 14. I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one It is not a slight acquaintance with the word that will make a young man so successful as to defeat the temptations of Satan and be too hard for his own lust it is not a little notional irradiation but to have the word dwell in you and abide in you richly The way to destroy ill weeds is to plant good herbs that are contrary We suck in carnal principles with our milk and therefore we are said to speak lies from the womb A kind of a riddle before we are able to speak we speak lyes namely as we are prone to error and all manner of carnal fancies by the natural temper and frame of our hearts Isa. 58. 2. And therefore from our very tender and Infant-age we should be acquainted with the word of God 2 Tim. 3. 15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures It may be children by reading the word get nothing but a little memorative knowledg but yet it is good to plant the field of the memory in time they will soak into the judgment and conscience and thence into the heart and affections 2. It implieth a care and watchfulness over our hearts and ways that our will and actions be conformed to the word This must be the young mans daily prayer and care that there be a conformity between his will and the word that he may be a walking Bible Christs living Epistle copy out the word in his life that the truths of it may appear plainly in his conversation All that I have said issueth it self into three Points 1. That the great Duty of Youth assoon as they come to the full use of reason is to enquire and study how they may cleanse their hearts and ways from sin 2. That the Word of God is the only rule sufficient and effectual to accomplish this work 3. If we would have this efficacy there is required much care and watchfulness that we come to the direction of the Word in every tittle not a loose and unattentive reflection upon the Word careless inconsiderateness but a taking heed thereunto Now why in youth and as soon as we come to the use of reason we should mind the work of cleansing our way 1. Consider how reasonable this is It is fit that God should have our first and our best It is fit he should have our first because he minded us before we were born His love to us is an eternal and an everlasting love and shall we put off God to old age shall we thrust him into a corner Surely God that loved us so early it is but reason he should have our first and also our best for we have all from him Under the Law the first-fruits was Gods to shew the first and best was his portion All the Sacrifices that were offered to him they were in their strength and young Levit. 2. 14. And if thou offer a meat-offering of thy first-fruits unto the Lord thou shalt offer for the meat-offering of thy first-fruits green ears of corn dried by the fire even corn beaten out of full ears God would not stay till ripened God will not be long kept out of his portion Youth it is our best time Mal. 1. 13. when they brought a weak and sickly offering should I accept this of your hand saith the Lord The health strength quickness of spirit and vigour is in youth Shall our health and strength be for the Devils use and shall we put off God with the dregs of time Shall Satan feast upon the flower of our youth and fresh time and God only have the scraps and fragments of the Devils Table When wit is dulled the ears heavy the body weak and affections are spent is this a fit present for God 2. Consider the necessity of it 1. Because of the heat of youth the passions and lusts are very strong 2 Tim. 2. 22. Fly also youthful lusts Men are most incident in that age to pride and self-conceit to strong affections inordinate and excessive love of liberty 1 Tim. 3. 6. Not a Novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil A man may make tame fierce creatures Lyons and Tygers and the fury of youth needs to be tempered and bridled by the word It is much for the glory of Grace that this heat and violence is broken when the subject is least of all disposed and prepared 2. Because none are tempted so much as they Children cannot be serviceable to the Devil and old men are spent and have chosen their way but youths who have a sharpness of understanding and the stoutest and most stirring spirits the Devil loveth to make use of such 1 Joh. 2. 13. I write unto you young men because ye have overcome the wicked one They are most assaulted but it is for the honour of grace when they overcome when their fervency and strength is employed not in satisfying lusts but in the service of God and fighting against Satan Therefore
see the whole drift of Christs doctrine was to press men to give it is a more blessed thing This is the happiness of God that he gives to all and receives of none that he is so ready to communicate of his own fulness upon such free terms Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace that is grace for graces sake Thus we have seen how God is actively blessed 2. God is passively blessed as he is blessed by us or as worthy of all praise from us for his goodness righteousness and mercy and the communications of his grace There are two words by which our thanksgiving is expressed praise and blessing you have both in Psal. 145. 10. All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee Praise relateth to Gods Excellency and Blessing to his Benefits his Works declare his Excellency but his Saints which are sensible of his benefits they bless him they count him worthy of all honour and praise and are ever ascribing to him Rev. 5. 13. Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Why blessing As for other things so it was for opening the Book which was sealed with seven seals and revealing his mind to his people as you may see v. 9. So David here Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes As if he had said Lord thou art and thou shalt be blessed I bless thee that thou hast taught me and I desire thou wouldst teach me still that I may ever bless thee Thus it may be taken in a passive sense as he is the object of our blessedness Well then all that I have said upon this Compellation it may be reduced to these six Propositions I. That God is over all and above all blessed enough in himself and needeth nothing from us to add to his Happiness and Perfection That he is blessed enough in himself Rom. 9. 6. God over all blessed for ever That he needs nothing from us to add to his Happiness and Perfection Ps. 16. 2. My righteousness my goodness extendeth not to thee He is above our benefits and injuries If there could result any one happiness to God from the creature surely then he would have made the World sooner what hindered him For why should he keep himself out of his own happiness And therefore he made the world not that he might be happy but that he might be liberal Before ever there was Hill or Mountain Man or Angels God was happy enough in himself The Divine Persons took infinite delight and complacency in each other as their rejoycing is expressed Prov. 8. 30 31. I was daily his delight rejoycing always before him God had infinite complacency in Christ and Christ in God both in the Spirit all in each and each in all before ever there was hill or mountain The World is upheld as stones are in an Arch by a mutual dependance by a combination of interests we need one another but God doth not stand in need of us The head cannot say to the foot I have no need of thee the greatest stand in need of the meanest of their labours their service the meanest parts have their use in the body But now God standeth in no need of us for he giveth all and he receiveth nothing back again as the Fountain hath no need of the stream but the stream hath need of the Fountain the Sun fills the lap of the Earth with blessings and the Earth returns nothing but Vapours that obscure its beams rather than add any thing to its brightness God he filleth every living thing especially his Saints with blessing and receiveth nothing from us again II. Though God stand in no need of us yet he is willing to communicate his blessedness and to make us happy in the enjoyment of himself There 's a threefold consideration which doth advance the bounty of God That to us that himself to us and that so readily and freely 1. That to us who can neither hurt him nor help him Psal. 8. 3 4. Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him What a poor sorry creature is man wilt thou set thine eyes upon such a one What would God lose if we were all damned Or what would he gain if all were saved He would lose no more by us than a bounteous man doth by the death of a company of beggars and maimed persons which live upon his expence and charge Wherein can we be useful to God 2. Herein lyeth the bounty of God to give us such a blessing as the enjoyment of Himself When he had no greater thing to swear by saith the Apostle he sware by himself When God hath no greater thing to give us he gives us himself I am thy God He scatters and sheds abroad some common influences upon all creatures but to us he gives not only that which is his but gives us himself that when our happiness is at the highest we may immediately enjoy him For the opening of this blessedness in giving us the fruition of himself consider we enjoy God two ways mediately and immediately one proper to this world the other to the next 1. Mediately we enjoy God when he communicateth himself to us by secondary means or the interposition of the creature between him and us Thus in common mercies when he feeds us by his meat and drink and enlightneth us with his Sun Here in the world we have blessings at second or third hand I will hear the heavens and they shall hear the earth c. Hos. 2. 21 22. Whatever one Creature affordeth to another it hath it first from God The Creature is but an empty hollow-pipe through which the blessing runs and it passeth from pipe to pipe God poureth out his influences to the Heavens and the Heavens pour out their influences upon the Earth and the strength of the Earth runneth up into corn wine and oil and by corn wine and oil Israel hath his refreshments So still from pipe to pipe is the blessing conveyed to the Creature So for special mercies we have them by degrees life comfort grace by the word and seals But the Lord will not only supply us at second and third hand but 2. Immediately when God communicates himself to us without any other thing between us and him when we are immediately present with God and have immediate influences from God this is the happiness of Heaven In the heavenly state God shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15. 28. He shall be both the dispenser and the dispensation There we see him face to face and in his face and presence there is fulness of joy Psal. 16. 11. That 's our happiness in the next world where immediate influences and vertue doth pass out from him In Heaven there is no Temple Rev. 21. 22. But the Lamb is the Temple
which the Law is established and confirmed by Promises and Rewards such a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that a clod of earth should shine above the Stars and God provide such a happiness for us that we should be like the Angels Then Threatnings that God hath appointed such a punishment to hold the world in awe as a worm that never dyes and the fire that never goes out the worm of conscience that shall vex us with the remembrance of our past folly and the wrath of God that shall punish us for disobedience and torment us for evermore still O wonderful So for the Gospel every Article of Faith is a mystery to be wondred at Quot Articuli tot miracula The Disciples wondred when they saw the Structure of the Temple O how may we wonder when we see the spiritual Temple that is Jesus Christ in the fulness of his Godhead God dwelt symbolically by outward representations in the Temple but here he dwells bodily When David had provided such a mass of money 1 Chron. 29. 7 8 9. they fell a wondering O! but when the soul comes to view the unsearchable riches of grace in Christ Jesus then it may cry out O wonderful When we see some rare plot all things suit harmoniously we cry out O wonderful This great mystery of godliness the more we look into it the more will we wonder at the wisdom of God discovered in and through Christ Jesus For external Providences to see how God answers prayers how he brings about our mercies according to our wants in a way we know not Psal. 17. 7. Shew thy marvellous loving-kindness O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee In the very common favours that God vouchsafeth to us there is something may be observed that may make us wonder either for the time manner or measure Also in the internal effects of his grace upon the heart when a man is convinced and his own heart is ript up to him by the power of the word 1 Cor. 15. 25. Heb. 4. 12. and Ioh. 4. 29. As when Christ had convinced the woman of Samaria and ript up her life she says come see a man that hath told me all that ever I did When God comes in with such convictive evidence and rips up our privy thoughts O wonderful But especially in changing and renewing the heart when a Lyon shall be turned into a Lamb a Dunghill become a bed of Spices a Swine become a Saint a Persecutor an Apostle we that had such bolts and restraints of sin upon us when we get out when we that were so wedded to sensual delights and worldly vanities are brought to delight in God this is truly admirable 2 Pet. 1. 9. He hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light And then the comfort we have by the word of God and the marvellous sweetness the practice of it diffuseth through the soul it 's unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. So Phil. 4. 7. The peace of God that passes understanding shall guard your hearts c. When a man hath setling and composure of spirit in the midst of tempests and storms the heart is guarded against all fears and sorrows when we consider what God hath done for our souls every grace is a wonder To depend upon what we see not to be safe in the midst of a storm to dye yet live to be poor yet make many rich to have nothing yet possess all things these operations of grace are all wonders USE 1. It inform thus That a man must be carried above his own sense reason and light to understand such wonderful things 'T is the Apostle's argument 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God All things are seen by a suitable light spiritual things are spiritually discerned divine things by a divine light Non loquendum de Deo sine lumine If Beasts would judg of human affairs they must have the reason of men if men of divine things they must have divine illumination There is a cognation between the faculty and the object 2. It informeth us what reason we have to respect the word of God Many curious Wits despise it as a mean knowledg in comparison of Aristotle Plato c. All the Doctrines of it are a continued mystery there is nothing vulgar and of small moment there If there be some rudiments something common with other Writings there are greater things than these even the deep things of God Never was there such a Revelation made to the World as this You despise that which Angels wonder at Eph 3. 10. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things in Iesus Christ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God And 1 Pet. 1. 12. Which things the Angels desire to look into David saith Thy testimonies are wonderful therefore doth my soul keep them Oh! let this Book of God be more dear to us Oh! what trifles are all worldly riches to the unsearchable riches of the Lords Grace Oh! how stupid are they that are not taken with such great things as these 3. Examine your profiting It is one degree of profit to see so much in the word of God as to admire at it Admire God's transcendent goodness in the pardon of sins God giveth us such admirable precepts assisting us in the performance of them accepting our imperfect obedience this giveth wonderful comfort in all our afflictions III. Observe He that is sensible of the wondrous things that are in God's word will be talking of them 1. It will be so 2. It should be so 1. It will be so When the heart is deeply affected the tongue cannot hold but will run out in expressions of it for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh when cheered and revived in their afflictions They are transported with the thought with the excellency of God Psal. 66. 15. Come and I will tell you what God hath done for my soul. The woman when she had found the lost groat calleth her neighbours to rejoyce with her He that hath but a cold knowledg will not be so full of good discourse 2. It should be so in a threefold respect For the honour of God The edification of others And for our own profit 1. For the Honour of God to whom we are so much indebted to bring him into request with those about us experience deserveth praise when you have found the Messiah call one another to him Joh. 1. 41 45. Andrew calleth Peter
opinion otherwise he loseth the glory and the benefit of his Religion he is but a Pagan in God's account Ier. 9. 25. he makes his Religion to be call'd in question and therefore he that walks unsuitably he is said to deny the Faith 1 Tim. 5. 8. To be a Christian in doctrine and a Pagan in life is a temptation to Atheism to others when the one destroys the other practice confutes their profession and profession confutes their practice therefore both these must be matched together Thus the way of truth must be the rule and a holy life must be suited 2. As to this holy life a general good intention sufficeth not but there must be accurate walking why for God doth not judg of us by the lump or by a general intention It is not enough to plead at the day of judgment you had a good scope and a good meaning for every action must be brought to judgment whether it be good or evil Eccles. 12. 14. When we reckon with our servants we do not expect an account by heap but by parcels so a general good meaning giving our account by heap will not suffice but we must be strict in all our ways and keep close to the rule in every action in your eating trading worship Eph. 5. 15. See that you walk circumspectly c. see that you do not turn aside from the line and narrow ridg that you are to walk upon 3. Accurate walking will never be unless our Rule be diligently regarded and set before us why 1. So accurate and exact is the Rule in it self that you may easily swerve from it therefore it must always be heeded and kept in your eye Psal. 19. David admired the perfections of the Law for the purity of it and for the dominion of it over conscience what was the issue of that contemplation see v. 12. Who can understand his errors cleanse thou me from secret faults Thus the best man when he compares himself with the Law will be forced to blush and acknowledg more faults than ever he took notice of before When we see the Law reacheth not only to the act but the aim not only to the words but the thoughts and secret motions of the heart Lord then who knows his errors The Law of God sometimes is said to be broad and sometimes narrow a broad Law Psal. 119. 96. Thy commandment is exceeding broad why broad because it reacheth to every motion every human action the words the thoughts the desires are under a Law nay yet more the imperfect and indeliberate motions of the soul are under a Law therefore the commandment is exceeding broad On the other side it is said to be narrow a strait gate and a narrow way Mat. 7. 14. why because it gives no allowance to corrupt nature we have but a straight line to go by So that we need regard our Rule 2. We are so ignorant in many particulars relating to faith and manners that we need often consult with our Rule The children of light have too much darkness in them therefore they are bidden to look to their Rule Eph. 5. 17. Be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is Blind consciences will easily carry us wrong and we have some new things still to learn from the word of God for knowledg is but in part therefore our Rule should be ever before us 3. So many and subtil are those temptations which Satan sets on foot to make us transgress this Rule The Devil assaults us two ways by fiery darts and by cunning wiles Eph. 6. 11. he hath not only violent temptations burning lusts or raging despair but he hath ensnaring temptations by his wiles such as most take with a person tempted and he transforms himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. covers his foul designs with plausible pretences therefore we need have our Rule and the word of God ever before us 4. We are weak and easily over-born and therefore should bear our Rule always in mind God's people their greatest sins have been out of incogitancy they sin oftenest because they are heedless and forgetful and unattentive Therefore as a Carpenter tries his work by his Rule and Square so should a Christian measure his conversation by the rod of the Sanctuary God whose act is his Rule cannot miscarry So the School-men when they set out God's holiness say God's hand is his Rule but we that are creatures are apt to swerve aside therefore need a Rule We should always have our rule before us We are to walk according to rule Gal. 6. and Josh. 1. 7 8. The book of the Law shall not depart from thee c. If we would have our Rule before our eyes we should not so often swerve Christians though you be right in opinion that will not bring you to Heaven but you must have the Rules of this holy profession before you USE O! then let the word of God be ever in sight as your Comforter and Counsellor the more we do so the more shall we walk in the fear of God You are not to walk according to the course of this world but according to Rule and therefore you are not to walk rashly and indeliberately and as you are led and carried on by force of present affections but to walk circumspectly considering what principle you are acted by and what ends and the nature and quality of our actions are always to be considered Remember you are under the eye of the Holy and Jealous God Iosh. 24. 9. and eyed by wicked men who watch for your halting Ier. 20. and eyed by weak Christians who may suffer for your careless and slight walking who look to the lives of men rather than their principles You are the lights of the world Matt. 5. 14. and light draws eyes after it you are as a city upon a hill You that pretend to be in the right way the way of truth will you walk carelesly and inordinately You are compassed about with snares there 's a snare in your refreshments Psal. 69. your estates may become a snare 1 Tim. 6. 9. your duties may become a snare Be not a novice lest you come into the condemnation of the devil 1 Tim. 3. Therefore take heed to your Rule be exact and watchful over your hearts and ways SERMON XXXIII PSAL. CXIX 31. I have stuck unto thy testimonies O Lord put me not to shame IN the former Verse David speaks of his choice I have chosen the way of truth then of the accurateness of his prosecution Thy judgments have I laid before me Now he comes to his constant perseverance therein I have stuck unto thy testimonies These two Verses follow one another in a very perfect order and coherence We must begin with a right choice there we must lay the foundation I have chosen the way of truth and then persevere There is a constancy in good and an obstinacy in evil The Devils sin
11. It is spoken to them who have high thoughts of their Troubles low thoughts of God's Comforts 4. Uncertainty in Religion Principles must be fixed before they can be improved and we can feel their influence and Power But People will be making Essays and try this and try that God's grounds of Comfort are immutably fixed God will not change his Gospel-Laws for thy sake and therefore unless we would have a Mountebanks Cure we must stand to them Ier. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls When we have tried all we must come home at length to these things and our uncertainty in Religion will be none of the meanest causes of our Troubles 5. They look to Means and their natural Operation and neglect God And God onely will be known to be the God of all Comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. Blessed be God even the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of mercies and the God of all comforts who comforteth us in all our tribulation Use 3. Is to exhort us 1. To prize and esteem the Scriptures and consult with them often There you have the Knowledge of God who is best worth our knowing and the way how we may come to enjoy him wherein our Happiness lieth It is a petty Wisdom to be able to gather Riches manage your Business in the World ordinary Learning is a good Ornament but this is the excellent deep and profound Learning to know how to be saved What is it I press you to know the Course of the Heavens to number the Orbs and the Stars in them to measure their Circumference and reckon their Motions and not to know him that sits in the Circle of them nor know how to inhabit and dwell there Oh how should this commend the Word of God to us where Eternal Life is discovered and the way how to get it Other Writings and Discourses may tickle the Fancy with pleasing Eloquence but that Delight is vanishing like a Musicians voice Other Writings may represent some petty and momentany advantage but time will put an end to that so that within a little while the advantage of all the Books in the World will be gone but the Scriptures that tell us of Eternal Life and Death their Effects will abide for ever Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfections but thy commandments are exceeding broad When Heaven and Earth pass away this will not pass that is the Effects will abide in Heaven and Hell Know ye not that your Souls were created for Eternity and that they will eternally survive all these present things and shall your Thoughts Projects and Designs be confined within the narrow bounds of Time Oh no let your Affections be to that Book that will teach you to live well for ever in comparison of which all Earthly Felicity is lighter than Vanity 2. Be diligent in the Hearing Reading Meditating on those things that are contained there The Earth is the fruitful Mother of all Herbs and Plants but yet it must be tilled ploughed harrowed and dressed or else it bringeth forth little Fruit. The Scripture containeth all the grounds of Hope Comfort and Happiness the onely Remedy of Sin and Misery our Rule to walk by till our Blessedness be perfected but we have little benefit by it unless it be improved by diligent Meditation Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the law of the Lord and in that Law doth he meditate day and night This must be your chief Delight and you must be versed therein upon all Occasions Psal. 119. 97. Oh how love I thy Law it is my meditation all the day when we love it and prize it it will be so for our Thoughts cannot be kept off from what we love and delight in 3. Reader hear meditate with a Spirit of Application and an aime of Profit Iob 5. 27. Hear it and know thou it for thy good as the Rule of your Actions and the Charter of your Hopes Rom. 8. 31. What shall we then say to these things That you may grow better and wiser and may have more advantages in your Heavenly progress take home your Portion of the Bread of Life and turn it into the Seed of your Life It is not enough to seek Truth in the Scriptures but you must seek Life in the Scriptures it is not an Object onely to satisfy your Understandings with the Contemplation of Truth but your Hearts with the enjoyment of Life and therefore you must not onely bring your Judgment to find the light of Truth but your Affections to embrace the goodness of Life offered Think not ye have found all when you have found Truth and learned it No except you find Life there you have missed the best Treasure you must bring your Understandings and Affections to them and not depart till both return full SERMON LVII PSAL. CXIX 51. The proud have had me greatly in derision yet have I not declined from thy law IN these Words are 1. David's Temptation 2. His Constancy and Perseverance in his Duty notwithstanding that Temptation 1. In the Temptation observe 1. The Persons from whom the Temptation did arise the Proud The wicked are called so for two Reasons 1. Because either they despise God and contemn his Wayes which is the greatest Pride that can fall upon the heart of a Reasonable Creature Rom. 1. 30. haters of God despitefull proud 2. Or else because they are drunk with worldly Felicity In the general Scoffing cometh from Pride What is Prov. 3. 34. He scorneth the scorners and giveth grace to the lowly is Iam. 4. 6. He resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble 2. Observe the Kind or Nature of the Temptation he was had in derision This may be supposed either for Dependance on God's Promises or for Obedience to his Precepts Atheistical Men that wholly look to the pleasing of the Flesh and the Interest of the present World make a mock of both We have instances of both in Scripture 1. They make a mock of relyance upon God when we are in distress think it ridiculous to talk of relief from Heaven when Earthly Power faileth Psal. 22. 7 8. They laugh me to scorn saying He trusted in the Lord. The great Promise of Christ's coming is flouted at by those Mockers 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. There shall come in the last days mockers walking after their own lusts and saying Where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the Creation Such Scoffers are in all Ages but now they overflow These latter times are the dregs of Christianity in which such kind of Men are more rife then the serious Worshippers of Christ. At the first Promulgation of the Gospel while Truths were new and the Exercises of Christian Religion lively and serious
cause of their Defection Deut. 32. 18. Thou art unmindfull of the Rock that begat thee thou hast forgotten the God that formeth thee Oblivion is an Ignorance for the time Truths lose their efficacy when not remembred On the other side remembring God is made to be the immediate and next cause of our Duty Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creatour in the days of thy youth Youth would not miscarry so shamefully if they did oftener remember God nor be led away by vain and sensual Delights if the thoughts of God did more dwell in their minds So Levit. 8. 11 12. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his Commandments Our Lives will declare whether we do remember God those that do often and seriously keep God in their thoughts will be most carefull to keep his Commandments III. The Reasons of the Point 1. It doth incourage us and quicken us to diligence in our Work as Souldiers fight best in their General 's presence and Scholars ply their Books when under their Masters Eye so by living always in the sight of God we study to please him the oftner we consider him the more we see no service can be holy and good enough for such a God as he is a God as not to be provoked and resisted so not to be neglected and slighted Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiver that hath in his Flock a male and voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my Name is dreadfull among the Heathen implying that when they came with a sickly Sacrifice they did not remember his Excellency and Greatness either they had no or mean thoughts of God but if they had remembred what an one he is they would imploy the best of their strength time and affection in his Service 2. The madness of our Natures is bridled and restrained by thoughts of God 3 Ep. Iohn 11. He that doth evil hath not seen God Will he force the Queen before my face Esth. 7. 8. you will not sport with Sin nor play with the occasions of it nor dare to venture upon God's Restraints It is said of an Arch-Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he durst not bring against him a railing Accusation Jude vers 9. because they beheld the Face of God So if we had a deep sense of God impressed upon our Hearts we would be more awfull You make very bold with God when you dare knowingly venture upon the least Sin Will you affront God to his Face Children that are quarrelling or falling out when the Father or Mother cometh all is hush and silent 3. It comforts and reviveth us in the midst of our faintings and discouragements because of the evils of the present World Ionah 2. 7. When my Soul fainted within me I remembred the Lord. When the burthen of Affliction presseth us sore the stoutest Hearts are broken and lose all Courage but when we come to ponder seriously what God is or what he will be to his People or hath at any time been to our selves it cheereth and reviveth the Heart So Psalm 42. 6. Oh my God my Soul is cast down within me therefore will I remember thee By this way the Saints recover themselves Psal. 77. 10. And I said This is my Infirmity but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High So also Matth. 16. 9. Do ye not remember the five loaves of five thousand nor the seven loaves of the four thousand The Use is to press us to remember God more when we will not look upon another we take it to be a great sign of aversation and hatred the Devils that are most opposite to God abhorr their own thoughts of God for they believe and tremble God thinketh of us he is not far from every one of us why are we so far from him we cannot open our eyes but one object or other will represent God to us What dost thou see hear and feel but the effects of his Power and Goodness he is before thee behind thee within thee round about thee and shall he not find a room in thy Heart when every trifle findeth a room there He that filleth every place shall thy Heart be empty of all thoughts of him To press you to this 1. Consider we are naturally apt to forget God do not like to retain him in our Knowledge Rom. 1. 28. backward to any remembrance of him Psal. 10. 4. The wicked through the pride of their Countenance will not seek after God God is not in all their thoughts 2. How much God hath done to put us in Remembrance of him by Creatures Providences Ordinances and his Spirit 1. Creatures all of them Sun Moon Stars Worms Grass put us in mind of him Psalm 19. 1 2. The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work Day unto day uttereth Speech and night unto night sheweth Knowledge The Creatures have a double Use their natural Use and their spiritual Use their natural Use is the special end for which they were made their spiritual Use is to set forth God to us We look upon them amiss if we look upon them as separated from and independent on God Our food is not onely to nourish Nature but that we may taste the sweetness and goodness of God in it All the Creatures bring this Message to our Consciences Remember God that made us and all things else They all read a Divinity Lecture to those that have a mind to hear it and preach the Goodness and Power and Wisedom of God by a loud and audible Voice It is true we are deaf but they cease not to cry to us Iob 12. 8. Speak to the earth and it shall teach thee and the beasts of the field and they shall declare to thee Not onely the shining Heavens but the dull Earth that heaviest and grossest Element the bruit Creatures that have no Reason the mute Fishes that can make no sound we must ask them parley with them by our own thoughts and so though they have neither Voice nor Ears they will answer us and resolve our Consciences the Question we put to them Is there a God yea and declare his excellent Attributes that he is Eternal Infinite Wise Powerfull and Good We may easily make out these Collections Christ saith the Stones would cry if these held their peace We should hear the Creature as we would hear God himself speaking to us they speak to all Countries in their own Language At first God spake to the World not by Words but things thus hath God engraven his Name upon his Works as those that make Watches or any curious Pieces write their Names upon them as he that carved a Buckler for Minerva had so curiously inlayed his own Name that it could not be rased out without defacing the whole Work so the Creatures are but a draught and pourtraicture of God's Glory
it for every thing which hath passed his hand carrieth God's Signature and Mark It sheweth that it came from a Being of Infinite power and Wisdome and Goodness but Man hath his Image and Likeness stamped upon him there you may discern God's tract and footprint but here his very Face In his first moulding of him he would plainly and visibly discover himself So again when this making of Man is explained Gen. 2. 7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. Before we read that Man was created here we see in what sort his Body was framed with great Art though of base Materials a handfull of dust did God inliven and formed into a beautifull Frame But for the Frame within he had a more excellent and perfect Soul than God gave to any other Creature by the union of both these man became a living Soul Heaven and Earth were married in his Person the dust of the Earth and an immortal Spirit which is called the breath of God were sweetly linked and joyned together with a disposition and inclination to one another the Soul to the Body and the Body to the Soul When he had raised the Walls of the Flesh and built the House of the Body with all its Rooms then he puts in a noble and divine Guest to dwell in it and both make up one Man 2. The making of Man now is the work of God as well as the making of the first Man was God's hands did not onely make and fashion Adam but David he saith Thy hands have made me and fashioned me The Body of Man is of God's framing Psal. 139. 15 16. My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my Members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Our Bodies you see there though the Matter were propagated by our Parents yet his hands made them and fashioned them God is more our Father than our natural Parents are our Parents know not whether the Child will be male or female beautifull or deformed cannot tell the number of the Bones Muscles Veins Arteries this God appointeth and frameth with curious Artifice so that of all visible Creatures there is none in any sort equalleth Man in the curious Composition of his Body whether we look upon the beauty and majesty of his Person or take notice of the variety nature and use of his several Parts with their Composition and framing them together with a wonderfull order and correspondence one to another as if they had been described by a Model and Platform set down in a Book So secretly and curiously was the Matter framed in passing through all the changes in the Womb till it came to a perfect formation Then for the Soul God infuseth that Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall our dust return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit to God that gave it God gave the Body too but especially the Spirit because there he worketh singly and immediately therefore he is called the Father of Spirits they do not run in the Channel of carnal generation or fleshly descent Heb. 12. 9. So Zedekiah swore by the God that made his Soul So Zech. 12. He formed the spirit of man within him The Parent doth instrumentally produce Man in respect of his Body yet the Soul is from God and immediately created and infused into the Body by him and being put into that dead lump of Clay doth animate and quicken it for the most excellent Imployment 3. Man that was created by God was created to serve him He formed us from the Womb to be his Servants as well as the first Man Isa. 49. 5. Adam indeed was appointed for this use all other Creatures were made to serve God but Man especially by the design of his Creation other things ultimately and terminatively but Man immediately and nextly God made all things for himself Prov. 16. 4. and Rom. 11. 36. For of him and through him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Man is the Mouth of the Creation surely 't is but reason that God should have the use of all that he gave us that the Authour of Life and Being should have some glory by them that he should dwell in the House he hath set up he that made it hath most right to use it that we should glorify him with our Bodies and Souls which are his 1 Cor. 6. 20. Man is designed ingaged by greater Mercies furnished with great Abilities as at first endowed with God's Image he hath Faculties and Capacities to know and glorify his Creatour There are natural Instincts given to other things or Inclinations to those things which are convenient to their own Nature but none of them are in a capacity to know what they are and have and where they are they cannot frame a Notion of him who gave them a Being Man is the Mouth of the Creation to speak for them Psalm 145. 10. All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints bless thee He was made to love and serve and glorify God The divine Image inclined him to Obedience at first 4. We are not now what God made us at first but are strangely disabled to serve him and please him Eccles. 7. 29. God made man upright but they have sought out many inventions There is man's original and his degeneration what he was once made and how far now unmade and departed from his primitive Estate his perfection by Creation and defection by Sin first made in a state of Righteousness without Sin and now in a state of Sin and Misery without Grace was created with an holy Disposition to inable and incline him to love please and obey God but now hath found out many Inventions put to his shifts Man was not contented to be at God's finding but would take his own course and hath miserably shifted ever since to patch up a sorry Happiness So Rom. 3. 23. All have sinned and are come short of the glory of God by glory of God is not meant his glorious Reward but his glorious Image Image is called glory 1 Cor. 11. 7. 'T is said of the Man That he is the image and glory of God as the Woman is the glory of the Man So compare 2 Cor. 3. 18. We beholding the glory of the Lord in a glass c. so here We are come short of the glory of God that is his glorious Image Hence it is that all our Faculties are perverted the Mind is become blind and vain the Will stubborn and perverse Conscience stupid the Affections preoccupied and intangled and we find a manifest disproportion in all our Faculties to things carnal and spiritual sinfull and holy In the Understanding there is a
do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly God delighteth not in dealing harshly with his People The Rod is not that he taketh pleasure in if our case doth not call for it Lam. 3. 33. He afflicts not willingly We provoke him to it And shall we grow weary of his service because we suffer justly for our sins There is reason indeed why we should grow weary of sin Ier. 2. 19. we find the bitterness of it But no reason why we should grow weary of Duty Sin less and suffer less Provoke not God and nothing will proceed from him but what is good and comfortable he doth not punish or chasten men for holiness and well-doing no 't is for want of holiness Shall the Physician be blamed for the trouble of Physic when the Patient hath contracted a Surfeit that makes it necessary 'T was sin in general brought us into a state of suffering and particular errors that actually bring it on Secondly The benefits and fruit of Afflictions should allay and abundantly recompence the trouble of them that they should not be an hinderance or a snare but an help to Godliness They prevent our surfeit of wordly Prosperity which would cost us dearer than all the troubles of the Flesh which we meet with Alas what sad work doth Honour and Wealth and Power make in the world Blessed be God that he keepeth us under low humble and contemned like bottles in the smoke Shall a little affliction which saveth us from these opportunities of discovering our corruption be so resented by us as that we should wax weary of God and forget his Precepts Great and long Prosperity would be a sorer temptation to us than sharp and tedious Affliction the one keepeth us modest and humble whereas the other would make us vain and proud and wanton When Iesurun waxed fat he kicked Deut. 32. 15. He forsook God that made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation Slighted God and grew cold in duty ready to sin As a rank Soil breedeth weeds a pleasant Estate doth but fill us with vanity and folly Thirdly God in good time will send help and deliverance If we remember to plead the Promise God will remember to fulfil the Promise And those who are not unmindful of their duty God will not be unmindful of their safety Mal. 3. 16. The Lord hearkned and heard and a book of remembrance was written before him for those that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name You see there that God will not forget those that forget not his Word Those that keep their feet in the worst times when others reel and stagger God hath a great care of them Every word you speak for God every inconvenience you suffer for him every duty you perform to him 't is all upon Record Fourthly We may with the more confidence recommend our case to God Psal. 119. 153. Consider mine affliction and deliver me for I do not forget thy law They that do not make haste to deliver themselves God will deliver them The same God that requireth duty doth assure them of comfort SERMON XCII On the Fifth of November 1668. PSAL. CXIX VER 85. The proud have digged pits for me which are not after thy law THis Verse containeth a Complaint against his Enemies whereas most of the other Verses express his affection to the Law of God Yea this Verse strongly implieth it for he censureth and condemneth his Enemies mainly upon this ground because they did what they please without any regard to that Law which he himself took to be the Rule of his Duty and the Charter of his Hopes and Happiness Observe three things 1. The Character of David's Enemies The Proud 2. Their Practice or subtile and treacherous dealing with him They have digged pits for me 3. David's Censure of that Practice or their manifest Iniquity Which are not after thy law Let us Explain the Words The Proud In the Scripture it signifieth 1 either the Wicked in general Psal. 119. 21. Thou hast rebuked the proud which are cursed which do err from thy commandments 'T is an horrible arrogancy to oppose God's Laws and Interests in the World 2 more particularly such as are puffed up with worldly happiness and success and so either Saul's or Absolom's Counsellors may be intended Have digged pits for me A metaphorical Phrase usual in Scripture to represent the secret Plots and treacherous dealings of wicked Enemies an Allusion to them who digged Pits to take wild Beasts In the Greek 't is They have told me Tales Though this rendring was occasioned by a mistake of the word yet it agreeth well enough with the sense for this digging of Pits by false pretences and ensnaring counsels Prov. 16. 27. An ungodly man diggeth up evil and in his lips there is as a burning fire But let us keep to the Translation we have The manner of Toyls among the Iews was digging Pits and covering them over and hiding snares in them That as the Beast prest the clod and fell therein he might be caught and kept from getting out again Therefore David saith Psal. 35. 7. Without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit which without cause they have digged for my soul. Which are not after thy law Hebr. Not after thy law It may refer to the Men or the Practice who walk not according to thy Law or which fraudulent practices of theirs are not agreeable to thy Law The Law of God condemned Pits for tame Beasts Exod. 21. 33 34. If a man open a pit or dig a pit and not cover it and an ox or ass fall therein The owner of the pit shall make it good and give money to the owners of them Though it was lawful for Hunters to take wild Beasts yet they were to take heed that a tame Beast fell not therein at their peril Yet not for Men innocent and holy Men. But there is a Litotes in the words That is said not to be good or well done which is extremely evil very contrary to thy Law Thus we are wont to speak of a thing horrid in terms of extenuation As when we speak of a Fact it is not very commendable when we mean it is extremely abominable So crafty and subtile dealing consenteth not with the truth of God's Word that is it is extremely opposite to it This is produced by David as a ground of his confidence why he hoped he should not be taken in these Pits These practices were not only injurious to himself but contemptuous of the Law of God He layeth forth his Enemies carriage before God Note I. That secret Plottings against the Interests of God and his People in the world are an ancient practice II. That these Plots usually begin in Pride III. That God can when he will and usually doth protect his People against the Plots of the Proud or the Fraud as well as the Violence of Enemies IV. That God's Law forbiddeth all
upon us to all Eternity but that we have relief from the Word of God 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses There is more glory in these few words and more of God discover'd in them than there is in all the World O! what a deal of comfort and what a foundation for the rejoicing of our Faith is there laid in this Reconciliation in and by Christ Jesus our Lord. That short sentence discovers more of God's intentions and good will to Man than all the bounty of his Providence in and by all the creatures put together Here was a secret which could never enter into Man's heart nor do we find a syllable of it written in any Heathen Book as to the way of it how it shall be brought about A truth so incredible to flesh and blood that the Prophet when he speaketh of this wonder asketh Who hath believed our report Isa. 53. 1. Who hath believ'd that he should bear our sorrows and be wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and that the chastisements of our peace should be upon him and by his stripes we should be healed Here 's the great secret God hath revealed to you in his Word this must needs be a secret in nature for this was a work which meerly proceeded from the free motion of God's Will and therefore being not opus naturae divinae but opus liberi consilii that work which God did not do by any necessity of nature but by the free motion of his own will will never be found out unless God will discover it himself For how could any man divine what God purposed in his heart before he brought it to purpose until he himself had revealed it therefore 't is a good Word because it reveals Reconciliation by Christ. 2. There is something more to draw our hearts to the Word that is eternal salvation We grope and feel about for an immortal good nature will give us some presages of a state after this world some kind of guesses and we are groping and feeling about for an eternal good Acts 17. 27. Man which hath a soul that will not perish must have some happiness that will last as long as his soul shall last he would fain be eternally happy Now it is the Word of God only reveals both the thing and the way to God the thing itself that there is such a state and what it is 2 Tim. 1. 10. Christ hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel It lay in darkness before hidden under some guesses and representations to the old People of God but now it 's brought to light in the Gospel Heathens in their dark notions did stumble upon the immortality of the Soul which they did rather dream of than understand distinctly But now all is open and clear and God hath manifested to you that there is a rest for the Children of God and a happiness after this life And also God hath revealed the way how to seek it and how to attain and get this eternal happiness therefore the holy Scriptures are said to be able to make wise to sabvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. it doth direct you in this way that 's wisdom indeed to be wise to salvation To be able to turn and wind in the world to be wise only in the present generation as the children of this world are it is folly rather than wisdom as when children can set forth their Toys we do not look upon it as any piece of wisdom but folly Wisdom lies in fixing a right end in a choice of fit means and in a dexterous prosecution of those means for the attainment of this end Now the holy Scriptures make you wise to salvation that is to fix upon a right end for they discover that there is a happiness that we may fix upon and they direct us in the way and then by mighty and potent methods of reasoning they quicken and awaken us to look after this business that we may dexterously pursue it as the great care that lies upon us therefore the children of God delight in the Word because this makes them wise to salvation here they have a perfect blessedness and a powerful way of argumentation and the soul is quickned to look after these great and everlasting hopes 3 The Doctrines of the Word are profound truths Thy testimonies are wonderful therefore doth my soul keep them Psal. 119. 129. They are remote from vulgar and ordinary knowledge The Word of God is not only called a doctrine according to godliness 1 Tim. 6. 3. but a mystery of godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. Since the Fall there is a curiosity of knowledge a desire whereby man not only seeks what is true and good but what is rare and profound we have no need to run to other Books True depth and true profoundness is to be found in the Word of God there are wonders in God's Law if we had eyes to see them Psal. 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law Things indeed so profound and so mysterious that the Angels desire to pry into them 1 Pet. 1. 12. Those spirits that live in the blessed Vision and constant fruition of God yet they did find a depth of wisdom in salvation by Christ such a ravishing mystery that they curiously are taken up in the study of it and they delight in the view of those things which are commended to us for our study Ephes. 3. 10. To the intent that now unto the principalities in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God God's Word is a Glass wherein those glorious creatures do as in a mirror behold his wisdom and are in some sort better'd by it The state of Angels is a happy state but it 's finite capable of being improv'd and better'd and that by the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures Well then such are the depths and various excellencies of the Word of God that the Saints know not how more pleasantly and contentedly to spend their thoughts and time than in the search and view of those truths where such notable mysteries are revealed about the Nature of God Creation Providence the Story of Man's Fall Redemption by Christ the way to true happiness and the like both the Grounds of Faith and Rules of Practice are all such as are above the pitch of humane understanding Natural reason cannot find them out and now they are revealed by God the mind doth not fully apprehend them Thirdly The use of Scripture the ends for which God hath appointed it and the uses for which it was given 1 To increase the knowledge of God Now the Saints would know more of God and better their Notions of him as Moses his great request to God is Tell me thy Name when he learned that Shew me thy Glory he would fain know more of God So the Saints
the power that worketh in us He instanceth in that which God hath done for us in Christ which is beyond our Prayer Conceptions and Hopes transcending the hopes and apprehensions of the most inlarged hearts Thus is a Christian a wonder to himself 2. He is a wonder to the world if he keep up the Majesty and vigour of Religion 1 Pet. 4. 4. Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you It was strange to them that they should be altered so of a suddain that of filthy puddles they should become clear as Crystal Waters a Sink turned into a pure Fountain that men should live above Interests of Nature row against the stream of Flesh and blood this is all strange to the world and this is the fruits of the word for the word of God is perfect converting the soul Psal. 19. 8. Every grace is a Mystery and Wonder especially Faith for a man to believe that which he understandeth not to hope for that he seeth not to have that which he wants to be tossed with Tempests and yet to enjoy a sweet calm in our own hearts to be destitute of all things and yet be as little anxious as if we indeed had all things as poor yet making many rich as having nothing yet possessing all things to be a Rock in the midst of a storm as dying and yet we live 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed We are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowful yet always rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things Thus is a Believer the worlds wonder a very Riddle to carnal sense So in other graces he can hate Father and Mother for Christs sake can also love enemies at Christs command he that doth even break his heart for the least sin can bear up against the greatest Trouble Thus I might exemplifie the Point but I must go a little largely to work First Gods Testimonies are wonderful in their Majesty and composure which striketh Reverence into the hearts of those that consider it speaketh to us at a God-like rate Jesus Christ leaves a Character of his divine spirit upon his words Mar. 7. 28 29. And it came to pass when Iesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his Doctrine for he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes There was an impression of his Authority upon his word his hearers were convinced of a Soveraign Majesty proper to the Dignity of his Person Those that went to take him returned this account Ioh. 7. 46. Never man spake like this Man for Authority power and Evidence Now the Scriptures being Christs Doctrine why should they not have the same Power Authority and divine Character in them It is the same Doctrine the voice could add nothing to it and the writing take nothing from it Could not God discover his Soveraign Majesty in Writing as well as Speaking Look into the Scriptures are you not even compelled to say this can be no other but the word of God they speak not as conscious of any weakness or as begging Assent but as commanding it Thus saith the Lord hear it or ye are undone for ever The wisdom Majesty Authority of the Author sheweth it self in every line almost of Scripture Longinus an Heathen admired the Majesty of that passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeed every where there is great Authority mixed with simplicity and plainness of speech Such as moveth Reverence and awe in the consciences of men It may be it is not seen in every phrase and clause of a sentence but it is clearly discovered in the whole frame as the Majesty of a mans countenance is not so fully discovered in any one part of the face as in the whole visage taken jointly together Scriptura sic loquitur saith Austin ut alitudine superbos irrideat profunditate attentos terreat veritate magnos pascat affabilitate parvos nutriat Scripture so speaketh that it laughs proud and lofty men to scorn with the height of it with the depths of it it terrifieth those who with attention look into it with Truth it seedeth men of greatest knowledge and understanding with affability and sweetness it nourisheth babes and sucklings Let a man have but any thing of a prepared mind and he cannot contain his wonder and Reverence but will tremble at the word of God Isa. 66. 2. To this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my word Secondly It is wonderful for the Matter and depth of Mystery which cannot be found elsewhere concerning God and Christ the Creation of the World the Souls of men and their immortal and everlasting condition the Fall of man c. Here God is set forth to us in the clearest representation that we are capable of in this mortal state God is in part seen in the Creatures Rom. 1. 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead Every thing that hath passed his hand discovereth somewhat of the Author and maker of it but as imperfectly as God is discovered there we cannot behold him without wonder and Reverence If we use never so little of an attentive mind those Strictures of God that are seen in mans Body Galen wondered when he saw a mans hand the Sun Moon and Stars yea a gnat yea a pile of grass but these discoveries are not to be compared with the Scriptures revealing the glory of God in the face of Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. If we wonder at so much of God as we find in a Gnat shall not we wonder much more at so much of God as we find in his Law in his Gospel in the whole Oeconomy and frame of his gracious dispensations Besides that the Scriptures help us to interpret the Book of the Creatures they show forth more of God than all the Creatures can do the Book of Nature is an imperfect piece in regard of the Book of Scripture You cannot look upon the Book of the Creatures but in every page and line of it you will find this Truth presented to your eyes that there is an infinite eternal power that made all things this is enough to leave the world without excuse But in the Book of the word you may see more of God and the way how to enjoy him In the 19. Psalm David doth first admire the glory of God by the beauty of the Heavens then by the light of the word By reason the Heathens
thou afflicted and tossed with tempest Names are taken a notioribus things are known and distinguished by their name 't is one of the Way-marks to Heaven Act. 14. 22. Through many tribulations enter into the Kingdom of God As the way to Canaan lay through a howling Wilderness If we were told before that we should meet with such and such marks in our Journey to such a place if we found them not we should have cause to suspect we were out of our way From the beginning of the World the Church hath always been bred up under troubles and innured to the Discipline of the Cross Psal. 129. 1. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say The spirit of enmity wrought betimes The first Family that ever was in the World yielded Abel the Proto-Martyr and Cain the Patriarch of Unbelievers While the Church kept in Families the outward estate of Gods People was worse than their Neighbours Abraham was a Sojourner though owned and blessed by God when the Canaanites were possessors and dwelt in walled Towns Iacob's Family grew up by degrees into a Nation but Esau's presently multiplyed into many Dukes and Princes And as they grew up they grew up in Affliction Egypt was a place of retreat for them for a while but before they got out of it it proved an house of Bondage Their deliverance brought them into a Wilderness where Want made them murmur but oftner Wantonness But then God sent fiery Serpents and broke them and afflicted them with other Judgments After forty years wandring in the Wilderness they are brought into Canaan a Land of Rest but it afforded them little rest for they forfeited it almost as soon as they Conquered it it flowed with Milk and Honey but mixed with Gall and Wormwood Their story as 't is delivered in the Book of God acquaints you with several varieties and intermixtures of Providence till wrath came upon them to the utmost till God saw fit to inlarge the pale and lines of Communication by treating with other Nations Now if the old Testament Church were thus afflicted much more the new God discovered his approbation and improbation then more by temporal Mercies and temporal Judgements The Promises run to us in another strain and since Life and Immortality was brought tolight in the Gospel we must not expect to be so delicately brought up as never to see an evil day he hath told us 2 Tim. 3. 12. We must be conformed to our head Rom. 8. 29. And expect to pledge Christ in his bitter Cup and our condition must inform us that our hopes are not in this World 1 Cor. 15. 19. In the Gospel-dispensation God would deal forth temporal Blessings more sparingly and spiritual with a fuller hand the experience of all Ages verifieth this When Religion began first to fly abroad into all Lands the Pagans first persecuted it and then the Pseudo-Christians the holiest and best People were Maligned and Bound and Butchered and Racked and Stoned but still they Multiplied 'T were easie to tire you with various Instances in every Age those that went home to God were those that came out of tribulations and had washed their Robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb Rev. 7. 14. There is always something set a-foot to try God servants and in the latter times the roaring Lion is not grown more gentle and tame rather more fierce and severe Rev. 12. 12. For the Devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time Dying Beasts struggle most As his Kingdom beginneth to shake so he will be most fierce and cruel for the supporting of it 2. As to particular persons The whole Creation groaneth Rom. 8. 22. and Gods Children bear a part in the Consort they have their share in the Worlds Miseries and Domestical Crosses are common to them with other Men in the World Yea their condition is worse then others Chaffe and Corn are threshed in the same floor but the Corn is grinded in the Mill and baked in the Oven Ieremiah was in the Dungeon when the City was besieged The World hateth them more than others and God loveth them more than others The World hateth them because they are so good and God correcteth them because they are no better There is more care exercised about a Vine than a Bramble God will not let them perish with the World Great receipts call for great expences first or last God seeth it fitting sometimes at first setting forth as the old Germans were wont to dip their Children in the Rhine to harden them so to season them for their whole Course they must bear the yoke from their youth or first acquaintance with God Heb. 10. 32. Sometimes God lets them alone while they are young and raw and of little experience as we are tender of Trees newly planted as Iacob drove as the little ones were able to bear 1 Cor. 10. 13. He will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able They are let alone till middle age till they are of some standing in Religion Heb. 11. 24. Moses when he was come to years 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes let alone till their latter time and their season of fighting cometh not till they are ready to go out of the World that they may die fighting and be crowned in the Field but first or last the Cross commeth and there is a time to exercise our Faith and Patience before we inherit the Promises I will not inlarge in the common place of Afflictions and tell you how necessary the Cross is to subdue Sin which God will do in an accommodate way to weaken Pride to reclaim us from our Wandrings to increase Grace to make us mindful of heavenly things these are discussed in other Verses to make us retreat to our great Priviledges to stir us up to Prayer c. Tribulatio tam nobis necessaria quam ipsa vita immo magis necessaria multoque utilior quam totius mundi opes dignitates saith Luther We think Wealth is necessary for us Dignity and Esteem is necessary for us no Affliction is necessary for us 1 Pet. 1. 6. If need be you are in Heaviness c. Use 1. Let us look for Troubles and provide for them we shall not alwayes have a life of ease and peace the Times will not alwayes be friendly to Religion Then had the Churches rest Acts 9. 31. Halcyon dayes the enmity of wicked men will not always lye asleep we would gather rust and grow dead therefore look for them If because you are Christians you Promise your selves a long lease of temporal Happiness free from Troubles and Afflictions 't is as if a Souldier going to the Wars should promise himself Peace and continual Truce with the Enemy Or as if a Mariner committing himself to the Sea for a long Voyage should promise himself nothing but fair and calm
it appear this is Gods Testimony for that word that is propounded to be believed as such cannot be perceived by ease neither is it known of itself to the Understanding neither is it demonstrable by evident Reasons as to make infallible Conclusions The Word 's giving Testimony of itself doth not solve it indeed one part may give Testimony to another and one Revelation be confirmed by another as the New Testament giveth witness to the Old and confirmeth its Authority but how shall we know that to be Gods Testimony I Answer we have it 1. Partly from the self-evidencing light of the Scriptures themselves they have passed Gods hand and have his Signature upon them as all his Works make out their Author There are Characters of his Wisdom Power Goodness and Holiness impressed upon them 2 Cor. 4. 2 3 4. By manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God But if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not left the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them The Gospel being the result of Gods Wisdom and suited to the heart of man for whose use it was calculated it hath something in itself to commend it to our Consciences It cannot be imagined that the hand of God should pass upon any thing and there should be nothing of his Character left on it to shew it came from God Look upon any fly or gnat any flower of the field or pile of grass And you may see some impressions to discover the Author of them So certainly if God shall set himself to write a book or set forth a frame of Doctrine to do man good surely he hath discovered his Wisdom and Holiness and Grace therein and that in plain and legible Characters that if man were not prepossessed and leavened with Prejudice and Corrupt Affections he could not choose but see it That there is such an objective evidence or aptitude in the Doctrine it self to beget faith in those that consider it is plain from that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 2 3 4. By the manifestation of the truth we commend our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God without Miracle or other Confirmation if they had a clear eye 't is light which discovereth itself and all things else The reason why it is not seen is not in the Object because of any defect there but the faculty the visive faculty their eyes are blinded with Worldly Lusts. Well then when things are spoken so becoming the Nature of God and so agreeable to the necessities of Man and with such an evidence of Reason not to the Law only but also to the Gospel as to establishing of a way of Commerce between God and us and exempting us from the grand scruples that haunt us though these things could not be found out by humane Wit yet now they are revealed they carry a great suitableness thereunto 2. And Partly by the Testimony of the Spirit this is one way of confirming the Truth of the Gospel Acts 5. 32. We are his witnesses of these things and so is the holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him Where the Apostles are mentioned as one sort of witnesses and the Holy Ghost as another the great office of the Spirit is to testifie of Christ Jesus Ioh. 15. 26. Even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me The Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christs Coming and Power is so great a Mystery that 't is not believed and received in the World without the Spirit Upon the beginning of Christs Ministry in his Baptisme the Spirit appeared in the form of a Dove now the Holy Ghost doth two wayes bear witness of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Artificially and Inartificially Artificially per modum argumenti and Inartificially per modum testis Partly as he doth afford sufficient matter of Confirmation and Conviction in those miraculous operations in the primitive times And also as he doth perswade the heart and convince us of the Truth of the Gospel 3. There is Experience of the Truth of the Word in Gods hearing Prayers Psal. 65. 2. O! thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Fulfilling Promises Psal. 18. 30. Thy word is a tryed word he is a buckler to all that trust in him Punishing the Wicked Hosea 7. 12. I will chastise them as their Congregation hath heard Rewarding according to the Rules set down in the Word Rom. 1. 18. and Heb. 2. 3. but of this by and by Thirdly Why we must understand consider and believe Answ. Both in order to our Comfort and Duty 1. Comfort If the Certainty of the Scriptures were more understood believed and thought of we should be more fortified against fears and sorrows and Cares and Discouragements whencesoever they do arise for as fire well kindled doth easily break forth into a flame so assent freely laid doth fortifie the heart against trouble 'T is very notable when the Apostles would raise the joy of Faith they plead the certainty of the Doctrine they delivered for it was comfortable in it self suitable to the Necessities of man all that needed was to assure others of the truth of it See 1 Ioh. 1. 1 2 3 4. That their joy might be compleat and full upon this certainty of evidence and compleat demonstration we could not be so comfortless and dejected if we were perswaded of the reality of these things So 2 Pet. 1. 8. believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious We should love Christ and rejoyce in the believing confident expectation of enjoying of him and where this is firmly believed afflictions cannot damp or hinder this joy A firm trust in the Promises of the Word will fill a man with Comfort and strengthen him against all difficulties Psal. 56. 4 10. 2. Our Obedience would be better promoted 't would be a remedy against boldness in sinning and coldness in Duty Heb. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of Unbelief in departing from the living God You cannot drive a dull ass into the Fire Prov. 1. 17. Surely in vain is the net laid in the sight of any bird Men do not believe the everlasting verity of the Scriptures and therefore are so bold and venterous they think they shall do well enough after all Gods Threatnings Zeph. 1. 12. And it shall come to pass that I will search Ierusalem with candles and will punish the men that are settled upon their lees that say in their hearts the Lord will not do good neither will he do evil Secondly Coldness in Duty how do the Scriptures reason against Neglect Heb. 2. 1 2 3. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time
that is as it groweth more Holy and Heavenly From our first Renovation we should be dying to this World and settle our Affections on a better much more when God beginneth to call us home then draw home as fast as you can For Means to this Desire and Longing there is necessary First A sound Belief of this blessed Estate or a certain Considence of the Truth of it 2 Corinth 5. 1 2. For we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens for in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven Not a bare Conjecture but a certain knowledge Surely Heaven is Amiable and the object of our desires if we be perswaded of the Truth of it we will long after it Secondly A serious preparation for it 2 Corinth 5. 3. If so be that being cloathed we shall not be found naked They have made up their Accounts between God and their Souls sued out their Pardon stand with their Loins girt and Lamps burning then they Long and Wait when God will draw aside the Vail of Flesh and shew them his Glory A Seafaring man desireth his Port especially if Laden with Rich Commodities where there hath been diligent preparing there will be serious waiting and desirous Expectation While we make provision for our fleshly Appetites and Wills we dream of dwelling here we take it for granted they have no thought of removing to another place who make no provision before their coming thither When a Tenant hath warning to be turned out of his old house he will be providing of another and be preparing and making it ready before he enter upon it We now come to the second Clause thy Law is my delight Doctrine II. That we should not only Long for Salvation but delight in the way which leadeth to it Here I shall speak to two things First That we must take the way that leadeth to it Secondly That we must delight in the way First That we must take the way that leadeth to it I. Partly because of the nature of Gods Covenant which is conditional there is in it Ratio dati et accepti something required and something promised Isa. 56. 4. For this saith the Lord unto the Eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths and choose the things that please me and take hold of my Covenant Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Exod. 24. 4. And Moses wrote all the Words of the Lord and rose up early in the Morning and builded an Altar under the hill and twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel And he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the audience of the People and they said all that the Lord hath said we will do and be obedient Surely in the Covenant of Grace God requireth conditions 't is not made up all of promises now a condition is this when one promiseth any good or threatneth any ill not simply but upon Covenant if the thing required be performed or the thing forbidden be committed the performance of the thing required is the condition of the promise the doing a thing forbidden the condition of the threatning 1 Sam. 11. 1 2. And all the men of Iabesh said unto Nahash make a Covenant with us and we will serve thee And Nahash the Ammonite answered them on this condition I will make a Covenant with you that I may thrust out all your right Eyes and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel And Luke 14. 32. While the other is yet a great way off he sendeth an Embassage and desireth conditions of Peace Now these conditions are twofold making Covenant and keeping Covenant 1. The conditions as to making the Covenant arise from the Law of Grace or the lex remedians Faith and Repentance Faith performed or omitted Iohn 3. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the Wrath of God abideth on him So Repentance performed Ezek. 18. 30. Repent yee and turn from your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruin omitted Luk. 13. 5. except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish 2. Then conditions of keeping Covenant which is conformity to the Law of God or new obedience performed Psal. 84. 11. No good thing will he withold from them that walk uprightly omitted Heb. 12. 14. Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. Wel then upon the whole we thus judge that 't is not enough to desire Gods Salvation but we must also delight in his Law that is to say we must repent and believe and so begin our acquaintance with God in Christ and we must also walk in the ways of Gods Precepts if we mean at length to be saved and to enjoy the vision of the blessed God that which is propounded conditionally we must not presume off absolutely and so make reckoning to go to Heaven as in some Whirl-wind or as Passengers at Sea are brought into the Harbour sleeping or to be crowned without striving II. From the nature of this longing and desire which must be Regular and according to the Tenour of the Covenant of Holiness as well as happiness and it must be strong so asto over-master contrary difficulties Lusts and Desires Let us instance in Balaam he said Numb 23. 10. Let me die the death of the Righteous and let my latter end be like his He saw that the State of a righteous man at the end of it is a blessed Estate and this he longed for but there was a double defect in his desire it was not Regular Balaam desired to be saved but he did not delight in Gods Law He would be at the journeys end but was loath to take the way there was a complacency and welpleasedness in the end but a refusing of the means Again This Desire was but a flash a suddain motion occasioned by contemplation of the Blessedness of Gods People but no operative transforming Desire a Desire which the love of the wages of unrighteousness prevailed over all men will long for Salvation but all men will not take a right course to obtain it and so 't is a wish rather than a desire if we long for Salvation but have not an Heart to use the means appointed thereunto where there is a true longing there will be an using the means and an using the means with delight they that will not submit to these Conditions or snuff at these Conditions as troublesome they do not long for his Salvation nor delight in his Law Secondly That we must delight in the way that leadeth to Glory but this Argument being handled in other verses of this Psalm 't is omitted here SERM. CLXXXIX PSALM CXIX VER 175. Let