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
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
raise our Bodies after eaten out by Worms and turned into dust Matters of Faith being chiefly or mainly future and to come and difficult to be performed therefore an express belief of God's Power is necessary To convert such an obstinate and to sanctifie such a sinful creature and to raise the dead are no slight things 2. The Emblem of this immutable constancy 't is setled in the Heavens it is not measured by the sloating estate of things here upon Earth but by the perfection of the Heavens which are free from all changes and chances 1. They are fit Emblems of the stability of the Word for they continue to be what his Word once made them to be There is no justling among the Stars but all obey God's Word and Law Psal. 148. 4 5 6. Praise him ye heavens of heavens and waters that be above the heavens Let them praise the Name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created He hath also established them for ever and ever he hath made a decree which shall not pass So that when a Believer looketh up to Heaven there he seeth the Book of the Creatures opened wherein he beholdeth God's constancy and certainty written in indelible characters God's powerful voice did first separate the waters from the waters and those celestial Bodies move in that order wherein God hath set them Now is not this an help to us when we open the Book of Scriptures and compare the one with the other how the stated course of Nature and the stated course of Grace agree with his Power For as long as you trust God's Word you can never fail for both Heaven and Earth are sustained by it Heb. 1. 3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power All is easie to God for he preserveth the Heavens in that estate wherein they are governed and can preserve his people in the most difficult cases 2. God's Constancy and Truth doth appear in the Heavens also there is a witness there of his Eternal Truth for when he had once said Let there be Heavens c. they presently were and ever since have kept one constant tenour and course yea Heaven shall sooner fail than God's Word fail he will not retract what he hath once said and therefore his Word is more firm and stable than the Frame of Heaven and Earth Mat. 5. 18. Till heaven and earth pass not one jot or tittle shall pass from the law till all be fulfilled Mat. 24. 30. Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away So that God's Word is more stable than Heaven and Earth 3. The profit of this Meditation 1. That we may set the sureness of this Word against the diffidence and distrustfulness of our own hearts Luk. 24. 25. Slow of heart to believe Though God hath so firmly bound himself to the Creature by his own Word yet the Promise to us seemeth doubtful and uncertain especially when men are clouded with Troubles and Temptations for we look only to present sense and would not be put on any tryal Now it is comfortable to remember that the order and course of Nature is not so setled as the Grace of the Covenant is Let it have its course resolved and patient obedience will at length end in eternal happiness and therefore we should build surely upon a firm foundation that we may not stagger through unbelief but give glory to God Rom. 4. 20. 2. To comfort us when our hopes are delayed in due time the promise cannot want the effect Heb. 6. 12. There will be day and night summer and winter in their season therefore as in the night we wait for day and in the winter for summer so must we wait for our eternal consolation 3. To support us against the various changes in the state of worldly things Many things fall out in this world that breed trouble in us therefore if we should only look to the present state of things our hearts would float up and down but we must look to the immutable constancy of God's Word that 's a sure Rock for the anchor of hope to take hold on There is a sure Rule to walk by sure Promises to build upon if we would be everlastingly happy There are the sure mercies of David Isa. 55 3. The changes of this world perplex our Faith therefore we should not look to the instability of things below wherein there are continual vicissitudes but to the sure Covenant 4. Not only when our hopes are delayed and obscured by the changes and chances of this world but contradicted by contrary appearances God seemeth to cast us off to have no pleasure in us Now to bear up our Faith in the hardest condition that we may say Iob 13. 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him and believe in hope against hope we should remember the setledness and constancy of his Word The Promises stand firm in Heaven when they seem to fail on Earth God may cover himself with frowns and his dispensations may seem contrary to his intention as Ioseph spake roughly to his Brethren when he meant to discover himself to them or as Christ dealt with the woman of Canaan Mat. 15. But when there seemeth to be such a contradiction between the word and works of God when his voice is sweet like Iacob's and his hand rough like Esau's we must remember that the smart Rod is consistent with Covenant love Psal. 89. 32. And we must not interpret the Promise of God by his providential dealing with us but rather his dealing by his promises his promise being as the light part of the Cloud and his dealing as the dark part of it God is fulfilling promises by hard dispensations and sharp afflictions belong to his faithfulness Psal. 119. 75. Many times that is best for us not what we think best but what God thinks best The buffetings of Satan and oppositions of the world may be most wholsom to us though not most pleasing to the flesh 5. To wean us from the fading vanities of the world Isa. 40. 8. and 1 Pet. 1. 24. There is nothing firm and lasting in this world till we lift up our eyes to Heaven and seek an happiness in the promises 1 Iohn 2. 17. Our happiness lieth not in the present life but in the everlasting enjoyment of God In the Covenant all is setled and sure but in the world all is unstable and uncertain God's Covenant provideth for us eternal joy and bliss USE 1. To shew what contrary and different Conclusions the Carnal and Spiritual will draw from the same principles The Scoffers said 2 Pet. 3. 4. Where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning â—…f the Creation Because the whole Frame of Nature had kept one constant tenour and course they plead for the Eternity of the World and the Falshood of the Promises Now David reasoneth
life Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light that light was the life of men so is this spiritual life it not only discovereth the object but helpeth the faculty filleth the soul with life and strength Fourthly It is lux exhilarans a comforting refreshing cheering light Eccl. 11. 7. Light is sweet and it is a comfortable thing to behold the Sun It is so in two respects First It presents us with excellent grounds of comfort not only against afflictions but against distress of Conscience which is the greatest trouble that can befal the Creature such as the sense of Gods love in Christ so it rejoyceth the soul Psal. 19. 8. The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoying the heart the Commandments of the Lord are pure enlightening the eyes It doth us good to the heart Others tickle the senses but are not affliction-proof stead us not when God rebuketh us for sin The light of Gods Countenance is displayed in the Word Psal. 4. 6 7. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and Wine encreased Secondly Because it is a soul-satisfying light as light easeth of trouble and restlesness of mind which we always lye under till we find a safe way of salvation which we never do till we give up our selves to the conduct of the Word Ier. 6. 16. 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 to your souls There we find enough to satisfie Conscience though it may be not to satisfie curiosity which is libido intellectûs thirst of a sober man and thirst of a Drunkard the one satisfied the other mortified Use 1. Information 1. That without the Word men lye in darkness whatever learning they have if they want the Gospel As the Ephesians before it came to them though given to curious Arts the Apostle telleth them they were sometimes darkness Ephes. 5. 8. The wisest Heathens could only grope and feel about for happiness If they neglect the light though it be among them 't is not excusable Iohn 1. 5. And the light shineth in darkness but the darkness comprehendeth it not But if they refuse the light and this carelesness groweth obstinate their condition is the worse Iohn 3. 19. This is the condemnation that light is come and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil 2. If we get not understanding of the mysteries of salvation we may blame our selves 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. 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 lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them If thou miss the way to Heaven accuse thine own blindness thou canst not accuse the Gospel plead its darkness The true cause of their non-proficiency is unbelief they believe not the superadded cause is spiritual blindness Use 2. Is exhortation to look after this light without which we shall be in the dark as to comfort Isai. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and seeth no light either under actual horrours or doubtfulness and uncertainty Every wicked man is troubled as the leaves of the Trees of the Wood are shaken with the Wind. Now who would live in such a condition to be at the mercy of the Tempter You are in the dark as to Duty our own reason the counsels and examples of others will mislead us and we shall be unsteady carried away with every deceit of sin at least unsatisfied whether in Gods way or no 1 Iohn 2. 11. He that hateth his brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes Oh study the Word But who have this light 1. He that heartily desireth knowledge Prov. 2. 3. If thou cryest after Wisdom and liftest up thy voice for understanding he that diligently labours for it Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night That propoundeth a right end to be Christs Disciple to do Gods will Iohn 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self That humbleth himself for his ignorance Iohn got open the Book with weeping Rev. 5. 5. And one of the Elders said unto me Weep not behold the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah the root of David hath prevailed to open the Book Those Bereans were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actâ—… 17. 11. They received the word with all readiness of mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iames 3. 17. Easie to be entreated The opposite on the one side is slowness of heart Luke 24. 25. O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Or obstinacy on the other a sluggish easiness when light of belief to believe any thing without searching into the reason of it or given up to a foolish credulity Ephes. 4. 14. That ye be not as Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive like a Reed shaken with every Wind. But he that is indued with this light is one that doth not depend on his own wit but submits his reason to God Prov. 3. 5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Well then this earnest desire in the next Verse I opened my mouth and panted I longed for thy Commandments This painful Seeker will find out this Treasure this humble trusting Soul will have it Doctr. III. That the Scriptures are written so that plain and private men may get this light and spiritual understanding by them Psal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple 1. From the Author God who is the fountain of light and surely he was able and-willing conveniently to express his mind to his Creatures Cannot God speak plainly Deus mentis linguae vocis artifex as Lactantius calleth him He that is so wise so loving of mankind our supreme Judg and King would he hide this light under a bushel would he conceal his mind and leave thee in the dark Mic. 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to do justice to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God 2. For whom