Wilderness for there is no bread neither any water and our souls loath this light bread Here Gods own institution that once was welcome to them and being now they was mighty eager after it in so much that they could dispence with breaking a law to gather it as Exod. 16. at large proves where we read of its first institution this Manna that the Holy Ghost Psal 78. 25. calls Angels food they now loath and call light bread this Manna though Gods own appointment that fed them to the full and was to continue with them till they come to eat the old corne in the Land of promise Josh 5. 12. yet this they loath under its constant injoyment and wish for Egypts food again How zealous were persons in this age ten or twelve years ago when truth begun more clearly to break forth no cost or early pains mattered happy were they that could come soonest then were assemblies crouded good men incouraged to labor Gods name delightfully worshipped in so much that without wrong one might say since such dayes the Kingdome of Heaven have suffered violence and the violent take it by force is Gods hand shortned that such workings of heart are not now as was then is not now assemblies thin performances small seldome and late is it because God is a Wilderness to his people is it not because they surfeit under fulness Doth not many run too and fro that knowledge is increased and sons and daughters prophesie How then may this serve to rebuke that sloathful Spirit in any that are careless to assemble and calls on them to be restless with God till they are again restored to such a Spirit of zeal as they had in the dayes of their first Espousal lukewarmness here being that inlet sin to spiritual spoiling disappointing God of gratious opportunities to inrich them and thorow this neglectance offers daring occasion to the Devil to tempt them Doth not the holy Apostle Rom. 10. 14 15. plainly imply an impossibility of believing in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear saith he without a Preacher as it is written how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things doth not this saying in so many words declare the reason of perishing to be want of knowledge Hos 4. 6. And the cause of ignorance the want of preaching How doth this then commend Gods high approbation of assembling it being the proper season for preaching Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name In an evil time when many grew weary and said it is a vain thing to serve the Lord what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances and walked mournfully before him then such as met often were high in Gods account Alas alas is not preaching though accompanied with never so much inward and outward pains-taking then matter of scorn to standers by who live vainly also a joy to the Devil our grand adversary when few attend it and of those most part flat low indisposed and weary having little spiritual life or vigor in them on whom common custome to assemble hath eaten out the spiritual relish that should be in them but I shall close this with Gods counsel Heb. 10. 24 25. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as we see the day approaching For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin Doth not this dismall conclusion ver 26. proffer it self as the most probable end of such as cease to assemble and makes way for their fearful and inevitable ruine shall any dare then to content themselves with light excuses to hinder their assembling and not rather provoke and exhort one another to so good a work I shall conclude this first Sign of dying to Christ with offering briefly three Remedies how it may be removed where begun or prevented where like to come First consider and lay to heart That to assemble is a very weighty duty and requires all your heart Isa 35. 3. Encline your ear come unto me hear your souls shall live see Prov. 8. 34 35. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching dayly at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors for who so findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Plainly noting that diligent hearkning which cannot be without assembling is the way to life therefore not to be slightly looked at Acts 3. 23. Every soul that will not hear this Prophet shall be cut off from amongst the People Persons may think it a light thing to forbear hearing and an offence onely to the assembly but God will count it a despising him and the means he hath ordained The Chrildren of Ephraim being armed and carrying bows turned back in the day of Battel they kept not Gods Covenant but refused to walk in his Law therefore the Lord heard this and a fire was kindled in his wrath against Jacob For their hearts was not right with God Let us take heed therefore that we refuse not him that spake from Heaven but as we must consider that it is a weighty duty to assemble so it requires that we come with all our hearts this God calls for and where it is wanting performances will not be acceptable This people draw nigh me with their mouths and honour me with their lips but their heart is far from me Isa 29. 13. it is Gods complaint by Jeremiah Juda hath not turned to me with her whole heart but fainedly with a heart and a heart a heart as much a contrary way as that way they were indifferent as willing not to turn as to turn this makes offerings to be abhord the contrary by Christians must be made at Blessed are they that seek him with their whole heart Psal 119. 25. Lesse then the whole heart begets jarring prevents harmony hinders the spiritual building A second Remedy is to consider that it is not possible to prevent this spirit of indifferency but by continuing as industruous to keep what ye have gained as you were to get it the prayers the teares the searchings of heart the attentive hearing and frequent assemblings that you in order to your first Espousal did diligently follow you must still hold on in that you may keep and increase the same for the promises run in no other channel Prov. 2. 4. If thou seek for wisdome as for silver and search for it as for hid treasure Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God Hos 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the
to pouder Exod. 32. So Phineas in his zeal to the Lord when he saw the evils that were committed in the Camp arose and slew both the man and the woman and so the plague was staid But secondly want of becoming love to others eternal welfare is a Cause of our not sorrowing at their sinnings that good man Jeremiah chap. 13. 17. If they will not hear but persist in their evil way his soul shall weep in secret places for their pride See this also in Jesus Christ that had such love to perishing Jerusalem That when he was come near and be held the City he wept over it Luke 19. 41. As Remedies against this decay First consider what a wide breach it makes in our spiritual state and whither in a little time it will bring us Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will sight against them with the sword of my mouth Revel 2. 16. Secondly In order to removing this do as men do that have a desperate mortal disease growing upon them if not speedily remedied how will they go and run pray and pay leave no stone unturned no means unattempted Even in like sort must spiritual diseases be looked at and laboured with Seest thou a man diligent he shall stand before Kings and not mean men Prov. 22. last Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Psal 51. 2. CHAP. XI Shewing that unsavoury talking among Christians when they meet proves them earthly minded with three Causes of this Decay SIGN XI VVHen in your comings together your talk is not savoury and heavenly Upon various occasions Christians meet together sometimes with those that are wringing their hands for sorrow sometimes with those clapping as it were their hands for joy sometimes at the Assembly sometimes at one anothers dwellings Now all comings together ministers occasion of Talking and will greatly evidence where most is each others Treasure it being natural for persons when they meet by their voyce to express what is the workings of their mind And as the heart is more or less heaven-ward so certainly will their talk bend more or less that way Earthly minded men when they meet will be carrying on their trade counting it matter of duty to promote what lyeth nearest their hearts so those that decay to spirituals having begun to affect themselves with new Lovers and so losing the sense they once had to the best things may be discerned now to have changed for the worst by their unsavory earthly talking and how advantagious all meetings are to the promoting whatsoever it designed none is able to express but such as experimentally make a view of it well considering That evil communications corrupt good manners or lessens a mans hold to the best things and when that pretious time in Christians meetings together is so spent that its rather spilt like water upon the ground such leaving no savour of grace behind them must needs argue that they are falling if not fallen from their first Love besides the dishonour done to God great hath been the wrong such have done both themselves and their adherents in publick or private assembling What more unpreparing the heart and indisposing the affection to the spiritual worshiping of God then either before hand being in a carnal slepy posture or else in such unseasonable if not worse talking some of their Farms others of their Merchandise nay perhaps backbiting and whisperingly opening the infirmities of others to the sowing prejudice in the hearts of those that through ignorance weakness incline to hear them whereas on the contrary such whose minds are alwayes carrying about with them the contemplating of Gods end in giving opportunity after opportunity puts themselves with trembling care into such imployment of still getting or doing good as may obtain from their gracious God the approbation of redeeming time see that good Nehemiahs practise for this he no sooner meets Hanani but what I asked concerning the Jews that had escaped which were left of the captivity and concerning Jerusalem he is inquiring presently how it fared with the people of God and Jerusalem the City of David and place of his Fathers Sepulchre and full near his heart their welfare lay as appears by his hearty affection and affliction at the evil tidings Chap. 1. 4. And it came to pass when I heard these words that I sate down and wept and mourned certain dayes and fasted and prayed before the Lord God of heaven I shall add another text and then proceed to the Causes of this decay Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another but their talking was so savoury and so heavenly that the Lord hearkened and heard it yea and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name Now the Causos of this Decay which being avoyded may also serve as Remedies against it and they are three First Long custome to Christian Meetings Secondly Uunskilfulness in Gospel Self-denial Thirdly Negligence to a plain duty First Long custome to Christian Meetings though this be not in it self a Cause yet it may be easily so converted for without a godly jealousie over the heart in often meeting with Christians the very custome of it will by little and little steal away that spiritual vigour that ought to run in the veins of every one where ever they are to the making their being as much as possible to Gods honour and their souls edifying for custome begets such an aptness to any service that except the heart be still examined persons will be in meetings together very destitute both of suitable preparation and answerable expectation and all through long custome for as in sinning it will take away in time the conscience of sin so in the best performances it will rob a man of that forehand care that should attend him unless he be much upon his watch Secondly A second Cause is Unskilfulness in one great point of Christianity viz. Gospel self-denial which stands in a conforming the whole man to be alwayes pleasing and serving the Lord such knowing themselves not to be their own but bought with a price and therefore whether eating drinking talking walking to be doing all to the glory of God whose they are Now unskilfulness herein will be still carrying on all affairs with much mixture partly in designing the Lord partly designing self having not so learned to live upon anothers bottome as the Gospel grace of self-denial teacheth Mat. 16. 24 25. Mark 6. 34 35. by which means many are at a great stand how to spend this and that opportunity and so instead of asking their fellow Christian how he grows or stands affected to the best things what temptations are upon him when at what times he findes himself most weak and unable to resist And whether often in closet prayer watchings fastings and what assurance he hath from some solid marks whether he
reconciled to thy brother Mat. 6. 12. For give us our debts as we forgive our debters but if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive ye your trespasses A fifth Let is despairing doubts of being answered Jam. 1. 5 6. If any man lack wisdome let him ask it of God that giveth to all liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him but let him ask in saith nothing doubting for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven with the wind and tossed let not that man think he shal receive any thing at the hand of the Lord whatsoever ye shall ask in my name believe that you shall receive it and ye shall receive it Mark 11. 24. We shall now speak of Helps to prayer or saith some I would but I cannot pray I want words all that I can do is to sigh for a Help to this First labour to get a feeling of the necessity and excellency of Prayer so as that thy heart goeth under a grievous burthen because thou canst not pray Jer. 5. 3. O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth thou hast stricken them but they are not grieved Here the Prophet complains that though Israel are stricken smitten and afflicted yet they have not grieved clearly implying that a grieved burthened state at the sense of want is a fair step in the way to obtain supply Psal 38. 4 6. For mine iniquities are gone over my head as a heavy burthen they are too heavy for me I am troubled I am bowed down greatly cast thy burthen upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee Psal 55. 22. Secondly study much how to get deep sense of your great wants of Gods daily help All my springs are in thee without me you can do nothing For in him we live move and have our being Acts 17. 27. 28. Thirdly Consider God hath provided no way for you to acquaint him with your wants but prayer and if you cannot pray how will you make your complaints to God Phil. 4. 6. In every thing by Prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God 2 Chron. 26. Vzzia sought God in the dayes of Ezra and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Psal 50. 15. Hos 5. 15. Fourthly consider that all your outward mercies becomes blessings through Prayer 1 Tim. 4. 5 6. For every creature of God is good if it be reeceived with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and Prayer Give us this day our daily bread When Jesus had made the multitude sit down upon the ground he looked up to Heaven and gave thanks or said grace as the old translations read it Fifthly Consider what a miserable condition will yours be if cast into the Lyons Den Whales Belly or stocks if you cannot pray They poured out their supplications when thy chastening was upon them Sixthly Intreat Jesus Christ to teach you to pray Luke 11. 1. And it came to pass as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples as the Lord commands us to do so he must help us to Pray Zech. 36. 37. CHAP. VIII Shewing the great Decay to Christianity when mindless to Reading and Meditation in the holy Scriptures with six Calamities very observable which Scripture Ignorance brings SIGN VIII VVHen Reading and Meditation in the holy Scriptures is not delightful but burthensome unto you When Israel was pleased to chuse them a King God is pleased to set him his work lest they lose their end and God lose his honour And it shall come to pass when he shall sit upon the Throne of his Kingdome that he shall write him a Copy of Gods Law in a book and it shall be with him and he shall read therain all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God that his heart he not lifted up above his brethren In like manner when Joshua enters upon the Government he hath this charge from God that the Book of the Law should not depart out of his mouth but he must meditate therein day and night that he might observe to do according to all that 's written then should he make his way prosperous and have good success And when King David declares who is the blessed man He is one that delights in the Law of the Lord making it his meditation day and night This premised discovers most pretious worth attainable through Scripture reading with meditation and if need were might call for a multitude more witnesses both from Scripture and Experience But it being not so much my proper work to assert Scripture Excellency as to show and prove that Christian to be dying to Christ that is not delightfully taken up with Meditation and Reading in his Word I shall therefore proceed in a plain method Thus where delight to Reading and Meditation grows low there negligence to Reading and meditation must needs grow high there decay grows great such must decline in their spiritual estate this negligence bringing with it much ignorance and so covers the eyes and hearts of such as with a vail so as that they cannot so see as the spiritual growing man sees Gods Precepts how they command him Gods promises how they uphold him Gods threatnings how awfully they perswade him the Scripture being his Treasury or Store-house from whence he is made able through the spirits help to withstand the fiery darts of the wicked one saying after Christ Jesus his Captain thus and thus it is written It is evident to the meanest capacity that doth but consider how great incapacity all such must needs be in to understand and resist the manifold temptations and wiles of the evil one except they be well acquainted with Gods holy Word that hath in it Armour for the whole man with directions how to put it on and it becometh thus excellent for that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thorowly furnished to all good works 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Ignorance therefore here must make sore desolation and bring as I humbly conceive upon persons these six Calamities First It makes you in a wilderness when sickness and affliction comes because you will not know how and why they come Sickness and Affliction are of two sorts inward and outward Inward are such as seize upon the mind as a judgment caused upon the person where they come Isa 6. 9 10. And he said go and tell this people hear ye indeed but understand not see ye indeed but perceive not make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes