Psal. 19. 12. Who can understand his errors This is not meant here of every failing and slip every sin of ignorance and incogitancy no nor every act of rebellion and perversness of affection which may be found in the children of God Though there be a pride in all sins against knowledg and light that kind of sinning is interpretatively a confronting of God a despising of his commandments as David is said to do 2 Sam. 12. 9. pro hic nunc for the time the will of the creature is set up against the Creator Yet this is not the erring here spoken of 2. There 's an erring out of Obstinacy impenitency and habitual contempt of the Law-giver This is spoken of Psal. 95. 10. It is a people that do err in their hearts To err in mind is bad to err out of Ignorance but it is a people that stubbornly refuse to walk in the ways God hath enjoined them Some err out of simple nescience ignorance or mistake or else through the cloud with which some present temptation overcasts the mind these err in their minds but others err in their hearts that care not for or do not desire to hear of their duty to God A man that erreth out of ignorance can say Lord I know not but those that err in their heart they say We desire not the knowledg of thy ways Job 22. 14. they do not only fall into sin but love to continue in it The Apostle speaks of ungodly deeds ungodlily committed Jude 15. The matter of sin is not so much to be regarded as the manner with what heart it is done ungodlily committed with contempt of God Now such contemners of God and his Law are here described as all obstinate and impenitent sinners are Secondly We must distinguish of Pride which is either Moral or Spiritual 1. Moral pride is an over-high conceit of our selves or our own excellencies discovered by our disdain and contempt of others So it is said of Nebuchadnezzar his heart was lifted up This is that pride that is spoken of 1 Pet. 5. 5. God resisteth the proud There should be a mutual condescension between men for God resisteth the proud that is those that are lifted up above others 2. Spiritual pride that 's disobedience and impenitency which is discovered by a neglect of God and contempt of his Law and that pride is often so taken appeareth by these Scriptures Mal. 4. 1. The day of the Lord shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble Mark they that do wickedly and the proud are made synonymous expressions So Neh. 9. 16. But they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardned their necks and hearkened not to thy commandments Their obstinacy in sin or unsubjection to God is made to be pride So Ieremiah when he gives the people good counsel to prevent ensuing judgments Hear ye give ear be not proud Jer. 13. 15. that is do not obstinately refuse to comply with Gods will And afterward v. 17. My soul shall weep sore for your pride So that unhumbled sinners are guilty of this spiritual pride of contempt of God himself Having opened these things that by erring is meant not out of frailty but by obstinacy That by pride is not meant that moral pride by which we contemn others but that spiritual pride when our hearts are unhumbled and unsubdued to God My work is now to prove 1. That Obstinacy and Impenitency is Pride 2. That it is the worst sort of pride First That there is pride in Impenitency and Obstinacy in a course of sin why 1. Because they neglect God To slight a Superior and not to give him due respect hath ever been accounted pride Surely then this is pride with a witness to neglect God who is over all blessed for ever Psal. 10. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God That is of his heart bewrayed by his countenance he will not seek after God and God is not in all his thoughts that is scarce troubled with such a thought of what will please or displease God he doth not think it necessary or worth the time to look after 2. They oppose God and set themselves as parties against him James 4. 6. God resisteth the proud God standeth in a posture of war against the proud The word implies that every proud man is in battel-array or posture of war against God So every impenitent person sethimself against God The quarrel between God and him is who shall stoop whose will shall stand whether God shall serve or they Isa. 43. 24. You have made me to serve with your sins and wearied me with your iniquities Indeed they do not only oppose him but they would depose him or put him out of the Throne while they would subject Gods will to their own He that would be at his own dispose and do what pleaseth him is a God to himself 3. In all this opposition they slight God and despise 1. His Authority in making he Law 2. His Power and Greatness in making good the sanction of the Law 1. They despise the Authority of God in the Law it self When men will set up their own will in a contradiction to God it is a mighty dishonour to God 2 Sam. 12. 9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord Every sin that is committed slights the Law that forbids it as if it were not to be stood upon it is no matter what God saith to the contrary There is fearing the commandment and despising the commandment Fearing the Commandment that 's the effect of a wise heart Prov. 13. 13. He that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded If God interpose it is more than if there were an Angel in the way with a flaming sword there 's a commandment in the way he fears it his way is hedged up he dares not go on But now impenitency that slights the commandment A sinner dares do that which an Angel durst not do It is said of Michael the Archangel Jude 9. That he durst not bring a railing accusation he had not the boldness Thus they despise the Authority of God in the Law 2. They despise the Power of God in the sanction of the Law when they will run the hazard of those sad threatnings as if they were a vain scare-crow as if they could make good their cause against God 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he Sinning is an entring the lists with God as if they could carry their Cause against him and therefore one great cure of hardness of heart and impenitency is seriously to meditate upon Gods power Deut. 10. 16 17. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart and be no more stiff-necked why For the Lord your God is a God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and terrible Do you know what God is and will you contend
of kings Prov. 8. 15 16. By me kings reign and princes decree justice by me princes rule and nobles and all the judges of the earth And as they hold it in dependence on him they must use it in subordination to him God who is the Beginning must also be the End of their Government They are not Officers of Men but Ministers of God from whom they have their Authority and therefore must rule for God and seek his Glory 2. That they may be carried through their Cares and Fears and Snares and may know what Reward to expect from the Absolute Sovereign who is the great Patron of Humane Societies It is trust and dependence upon God that maketh good Magistrates 2 Kings 18. 5. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Iudah nor any that went before him Oh it is a blessed thing when they can go to God for Direction and depend upon God for Success Great are the Cares and Fears which belong to a Governour and who can ease him of this Burthen but the Lord who hath shewed in his Word how far he is to be trusted It is not Carnal Policy which helpeth them out in their work but trust in God in their high Calling Whosoever will improve his Power for God will meet with many discouragements now that which supports his heart in his work is this holy trust Prov. 29. 25. The fear of man bringeth a snare but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe Every Publick Calling hath its Snares and Temptations from the fears of Men. A Minister if he doth not trust God to bear him out in his Work he will do nothing with that Courage which becometh a Minister but comply with the Lusts of Men grow luke-warm and prostitute the Ordinances for handfuls of Barley and pieces of Bread and Family-conveniencies The Magistracy is a higher Calling which is more obnoxious to Temptations from the different Humours of Men who are to be governed nothing will carry a Man through it but this holy Courage and dependence on God The fear of Man brought a snare to Ieroboam that he perverted the Worship of God 1 Kings 12. 30. And this thing became a sin for the people went to worship before the one even unto Dan. So Iehu so others for their Cares But he that trusts in God in his discharge of this publick Office though many difficulties interpose finds the blessed experience of the Psalmist verified In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. 3. As to Success and Acceptance Obedience to God makes them a double Blessing to the People as Governours as Holy As they have the natural Image of God in Dominion and Authority 1 Cor. 11. 7. Forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God which must be reverenced and respected not resisted so the spiritual Image of God in Holiness the People doubly see God in their Rulers And besides it bringeth down God's Blessings while they command and the People obey in the Lord 2 Kings 18. 7. And the Lord was with him and he prospered whithersoever he went forth Good Magistrates are usually more prosperous than good Men in a private condition because they are given as a Publick Blessing Use 1. Is to inform us That Religion hath a great influence on the welfare of Humane Societies for it equally respects Governours and Governed carving out their respective Duties to them causing the one to rule well and the other to obey for conscience sake The Testimonies of the Lord prescribe the Duty of Rulers 2 Sam. 23. 3. He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God There is a word belonging to either Table Iustice to the second Fear of God to the first Now all this Duty is best learned out of God's Testimonies For the Governed it interposeth express Rules for their Obedience Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers and 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men There are many Arguments why we should reverence Magistrates They bear God's Image Psal. 82. 6. I have said ye are Gods visible Representators of his Authority and Dominion over the Creatures because of their Majesty largeness of Command and Empire and because of their Use they are exalted supra alios above others in their Authority but propter alios for others in their Use and Benefit But the supreme Reason is the Will of God The Magistrate was then an enemy to Religion when this Commandment was given forth even then when that part of the World in which the Church was seated was under the Command of Nero whose universal wickedness and particular cruelty against the Christians might tempt them to disobedience and scorn of his Authority then God said Obey not for fear of wrath but conscience sake then Fear God Honour the King for so is the will of God Now let Atheists and Antiscripturists or the enemies of those who profess to live by Scripture think if they can that the Christian Religion doth not befriend Humane Societies or doth contain dangerous Principles to Government Use 2. It sheweth us what to pray for for our Princes and Governours even a wise and an understanding Heart and a Spirit of the Fear of the Lord that they may Rule for God and take his Blessing along with them in all their Affairs 2. Doct. That God's Testimonies are so excellent that we should not be afraid nor ashamed to own them before any sort of men in the world for David saith I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings and will not be ashamed 1. Observe Here are two things supposed which might shut his mouth and obstruct the confidence and boldness of his Profession Fear and Shame Fear represents danger in owning the ways of God Shame representeth Mockage Scorn and Contempt Fear considereth our Superiours and Governourrs we fear them that have Power and Authority in their hands Shame may arise not onely from the consideration of Superiours but Inferiours and Equals also Fear respects the danger of the Party professing Shame the Cause or Matter professed Therefore of the two to be ashamed of the ways of God doth more destroy Godliness than to be afraid to own them for then it is a sign we are not so soundly convinced and deeply possessed of the Goodness of them for Pudor est conscientia turpitudinis It is a consciousness of something that is base Look as on the contrary to be ashamed of Sin doth more wound it to the heart than to be afraid of Sin Many a Man is apprehensive of the danger of Sin who yet doth not hate it in his heart but onely abstaineth out of the fear of Punishment But when he is ashamed of Sin then he beginneth to hate Sin as Sin In Conversion
to plead and standeth to judge his people He will bring matters under a Review and will powerfully shew himself against their Oppressors To this pleading Iob alludeth when he saith Iob 23. 6. Will he plead against me with his great power if he should use his Almighty and Invincible power against me he would easily ruine me So Ezek. 38. 22. I will plead against him with Pestilence and with Blood against Gog and Magog that is the Sythians Turks and Tartars So that you see that God's pleading is not by speaking or by Word of Mouth but by the Veugeance of his Providence against those that wrong his people So against Babylon Ier. 51. 36. Thus saith the Lord Behold I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee But that this is a mixt act of Patron and Judge see Micah 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and execute Iudgment for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his Righteousness When Gods People provoke him to anger by their sins he casteth them into Troubles and then their Adversaries are Chief and their Cause is much darkned and obscured all this while God is pleading against them but it is not the Enemies Quarrel but his own Vindication of abused Mercy and Goodness but when once the controversie is taken up between God and them by their Submission and clearing his Justice and imploring his Mercy then God will plead their Cause and take their part against the instruments of his Vengeance and clear their righteous cause who only sought their own ends in afflicting them when God hath exercised their Humility and Patience he will thus do and how I pray you will he plead for them the Text saith there by executing Judgment for them that is by putting his sentence in Execution and then will restore to them their wonted priviledges and own them in the publick view of all and make manifest they are his he will bring them forth to the Light and they shall see his Righteousness 3. The Effect of God's pleading which is the clearing of God's people and the convincing of their Adversaries which God doth partly by the Eminency and Notableness of the Providences whereby he delivereth his people and the markes of his Favour put upon them Nehem. 6. 16. And it came to pass that when all our Enemies heard thereof and all the Heathen that were about us saw these things they were much cast down in their own eyes for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God Their own Judgments were convinced of their folly in opposing the Iews the extraordinary success shewed the hand of God was in it by such incredible and remarkable occurrences doth God bring about their deliverance So Micah 7. 10. When God shall plead her cause then she that is mine enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which said unto me where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be trodden dâ—…wil as the mire of the streets Those who mocked her Faith should be confounded at the sight of her Deliverance Thus God delights to make the happiness of his people Conspicuous So Rev. 3. 9. Behold I will make them which are of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Iews and are not but do lie behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee He will make their Enemies to know that he hath loved them and ask them forgiveness for the wrongs and outrages done to them Partly by the Convictions of his Spirit undeceiving the World and reproving them for the hatred and malice against his People Ioh. 16. 8. The Comforter when he is come shall reprove the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Iudgment The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Comfort but Convince or Reprove put them to silence so as they shall not in Reason gainsay The Object the World the Unconverted if not the Reprobate The things whereof Convinced of Sin and Righteousness and Judgment of the Truth of Christs Person and Doctrine This was spoken for the Comfort of the Disciples who were to go abroad and beat the Devil out of his Territories by the Doctrine of the Cross that were weak men destitute of all Worldly sufficiencies and Props and Aids Their Master suffered as a seducer their Doctrine cross to mens carnal Interests for them in this manner to venture upon the raging World was a heavy discouraging thing Now the Spirit should come and convince the opposing World so far that some terrified before brought to Evangelical Repentance Acts 2. 37. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart soon desire to share in their great Priviledge Acts 8. 18 19. And when Simon saw that through laying on the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was given he offered them money saying Give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost but he was yet in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Some almost perswaded Acts 26. 28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian. Some forced to magnifie them who did not joyn with them Acts 5. 13. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them but the people magnified them Some would have worshipped them being yet Pagans Acts 14. 11 13. And when the people saw what Paul had done they lift up their voices saying in the speech of Lycaonia the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men Then the Priests of Iupiter which was before their City brought Oxen and Garlands to the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people Others bridled that were afraid to meddle with them Acts 5. 34 35. Then stood there up one in the Council a Pharisee named Gamaliel a Doctor of Law had in reputation among all the people and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space and said unto them Ye men of Israel take heed to your selves what ye intend to do as touching these men That Christ that Messias that Righteous Person one able to Vanquish the Devil thus without any visible force and with mere Spiritual Weapons by this conviction of the Spirit did the Lord subdue the World to the owning and receiving Christs Kingdom at least not go on in an high hand to oppose it God cleared Christ as righteous and Lord. II. The Necessity of this pleading 1. Because the People of God are often in such a Condition that none will plead their Cause unless the Lord plead it and therefore we are driven to him as our Judge and Patron God's design is not to gain the World by Pomp and Force but by spiritual Evidence and Power and therefore as to Externals it is often worse with his People than with others for the World is upon their Tryal and
things The pleasures of the mind are far more pure and defaeeate than those of the body so that if a man would have pleasures let him look after the chiefest of the kind He spoke like a beast rather than like a man that said Eat drink and be merry thou hast goods laid up for many years Luk. 12. 19. That is the most that worldly things can afford us a little bodily cheer Psal. 17. 14. Thou hast filled their bellies with hid treasures there is the poor happiness of a rich Worldling He may have a belly full and fare at a better rate than others do Hab. 1. 16. Their portion is made fat and their meat plenteous When men have troubled themselves and the world to make themselves great it is but for a little belly-cheer which may be wanted as well as enjoyed a modest temperance and mean fare yieldeth more pleasure But what is this to the delights of the mind A Sensualist is a fool that runneth to such dreggy and carnal delights Noble and sublime thoughts breed a greater pleasure What pleasure do some take in finding out a Philosophical Verity the man rejoyceth the senses are only tickled in the other Of all pleasures of the mind those of the spiritual life are the highest for then our natural faculties are quickned and heightned by the spirit The reasonable nature hath a greater joy than the sensitive and the spiritual divine nature hath more than the meer rational There is not only an higher object the Love of God but an higher cause the Spirit of God who elevateth the faculty to an higher manner of sense and perception Therefore both the good and evil of the spiritual life is greater than the good and evil of the rational The evil of the spiritual is greatest a wounded spirit who can bear And the good of the spiritual life is greatest Ioy unspeakable and glorious The higher the life the greater the feeling groans not uttered peace passing all understanding though it maketh no loud noise yet it dissuseth a solid contentment throughout the soul. All this is spoken because the way of Gods Testimonies is looked upon as a dark and gloomy course by carnal men yet it is the life of the blessed God himself Eph. 4. 18. Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart And surely he wants no true joy and pleasure that lives such a life USE 1. Here is an invitation to men to acquaint themselves more with the way of Gods Testimonies that they may find this rejoycing above all riches It is hard to pleasant natures to abjure accustomed delights and carnal men picture Religion with a sowr austere face We shall never see cheerful day more if we are strict in Religion Oh consider your delight is not abrogated but perfected you shall find a rejoycing more intimate than in all pleasures Cyprian saith he could hardly get over this prejudice in his Epistle to Donatus Austin thirty years old parted with his carnal delights and found another sweetness Quà m suave mihi subito factum est It is your disease maketh you carnal when freed from the fervours of lust these things will have no relish with you If it seem laborious at first it will be more joyful than all riches The root is bitter but the fruit sweet At first it is bitter to nature which loveth carnal liberty to render it self captive to the word but after a little pains and when the heart is once subdued to God it will be sweet and comfortable Ask of the Spies that have been in this good Land if it be not a Land flowing with Milk and Honey David tells you In the way of thy testimonies This way would be more trodden if men would believe this if you will not believe make trial if Christs yoke seem burdensome it is to a galled neck USE 2. Trial. 1. Have we a delight in obedience to Gods Precepts Psal. 112. 1. They that fear God delight greatly in his commandments It is not enough to serve God but we must serve him delightfully for he is a good Master and his work hath wages in the mouth of it 'T is a sign you are acquainted with the word of God when the obedience which it requireth is not a burden but a delight to you Alas with many it is otherwise How tedious do their hours run in Gods service no time seemeth long but that which is spent in Divine Worship Do you count the clock at a Feast And are you so provident of time when about your sports Are you afraid that the lean kine will devour the fat when you are about your worldly business What causeth your rejoycing the encrease of Wealth or Grace 2. Is this the Supreme delight of the soul It is seen not so much by the sensible expression as by the serious constitution of the soul and the solid effects of it 1. Doth it draw you off from worldly vanities to the study of the word what are your conceptions of it What do you count your riches to grow in grace or to thrive in the world to grow rich towards God or to heap up treasures to your selves Is it your greatest care to maintain a carnal happiness 2. Doth it support you in troubles and worldly losses and bear you out in temporal adversities You cannot be merry unless you have riches and wealth and worldly accommodations then soul eat drink and be merry 3. Doth it sweeten duties the way of Gods commandments is your way home A beast will go home cheerfully you are going home to rest Let the joy of the Lord be your strength Certainly you will think no labour too great to get thither whither the word directs you As one life exceedeth another so there is more sensibleness in it A Beast is more sensible of wrong and hurt and of pleasure than a Plant and as the life of a man exceedeth the life of a beast so is he more capable of joy and grief And as the life of Grace exceedeth the life of a meer man so its joys are greater its griefs greater There are no hardships to which we are exposed for Religion but the Reward attending it will make us to overcome SERMON XVI PSAL. CXIX 15. I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways ALL along David had shewed what he had done now what he will do V. 10. I have sought V. 11. I have hid V. 13. I have declared V. 14. I have rejoyced Now in the two following Verses he doth engage himself to set his mark towards God for time to come I will meditate in thy precepts c. We should not rest upon any thing already done and past but continue the same diligence unto the end Here is David's hearty resolution and purpose to go on for time to come Many will say Thus I have done when I was
18. And ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles It is for a testimony and that should comfort them in all their sufferings Mark 14. 9. Verily I say unto you wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her The testimony is more valid as being confirmed by their Courage in troubles they are Principles that they will suffer for which as it is a warning to the professors of Religion that they should own no principles in a time of peace but what they would confirm by their avowed testimony in the extremity of trials so also it should convince their enemies in case they be put upon this exercise It is needful that every truth should have a sealed testimony that is we should not only vent opinions but be willing to suffer for them if God should call us out so to do God hath been ever tender of imposing upon the world without sufficient evidence and therefore would not have his people stand upon their lives and temporal concernments that thereby they may give greater satisfaction to the world concerning the weight of those truths which they do profess Secondly On the Persecutors part or the persons molesting so the causes are 1. Their ignorance and blind zeal Joh. 16. 2. They shall put you out of their synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that they do God good service They think it to be an acceptable service to God to molest and trouble those that are indeed his people Those Princes that sate and spake against David were not Pagans and men of another Religion but of Israel and it is often the lot of Gods people to be persecuted not only by Pagans and openly prophane men but even by men that profess the true Religion Pseudo-Christians Rev. 14. 13. those that pretend they are for God and his cause and seem to be carried on with a great zeal and do not oppose truth as truth but their quarrel is coloured by specious pretences 2. Their prejudices lightly taken up against the people of God Satan is first a lyar and then a murderer Joh. 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a lyar and the father of it By lyes he bringeth about his bloody design Christ was first called a Samaritan and one that had a Devil and then they did persecute him as such an one And as was observed before as Christians of old were covered with the skins of wild beasts that Dogs and Lyons might tear them the more speedily so by odious imputations Gods people are brought into distast with the world and then molested and troubled represented as a company of hypocrites and unjust dealers and under that cloak true Religion is undermined Now in the Persecutor this is faulty because they lightly take up every false suggestion and so Christians are condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Iustin Martyr complained because of the common reproach without any distinct inquiry into their way and practice Nolunt audire quod auditum damnare non possunt 3. Their erroneous Principle in Civil Policy That Christs Kingdom and the freedom of his worshippers is not consistent with Civil Interests Whatever hath been the matter worldly Rulers have been jealous of Christs Interest and Kingdom as if it could not consist with publick safety and the civil interests of that State and Nation where it is admitted and suggestions of this kind do easily prevail with them Esther 3. 8. It is not for the Kings profit to suffer them and John 11. 48. If we let him alone all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and Nation Reason of State is an ancient plea against the interest of Religion In the Roman Empire though the Christians were inconsiderable as to any publick charge yet they had a jealous eye upon them Iustin Martyr sheweth the reason of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were often speaking of a Kingdom though they meant it of the Kingdom of heaven and were far enough from all Rebellion USE 1. It informeth us that we should not measure the verity of Religion by the greatness of those that are with it or against it This was one of the Pharisees arguments Do any of the rulers believe in him Joh. 7. 48. but this people that know not the law are accursed Alas men of Authority and great place may be often against Gods Interest James 2. 1. Have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory in respect of persons Mark that title that is given to Christ the Lord of glory he is able to put glory enough upon his worshippers though they have nothing of outward pomp and splendor and not many mighty are called 1 Cor. 1. 26. Many will say they have none of quality to join with them none but ignorant people If a man had judged so in the first times when the Gospel came first abroad in the world would not Christianity it self have seemed a very contemptible thing Therefore a simple plain-hearted love to Christ and his Truth whether Powers be averse or friendly is that which is required of us 2. It reproveth those who are soon discouraged even with the reproach which base people cast upon the ways of God David stood both in the one temptation and in the other the reproach and contempt of the Vulgar and also when Princes sate and spake against him But to these we may say as Jer. 12. 5. If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how wilt thou contend with horses If we be such tender milk-sops that we cannot suffer a disgraceful word from the basest of the people what shall we do when we meet with other manner of conflicts and oppositions in the farther progress of our duty to God If we are tired out with the disgrace and affronts of these mean ones and cannot put up a scornful word at their hands without disorder what shall we do when we are to contest for Gods Interest with those great and masterly ones that are armed with Power and Authority and it may be the advantage of Laws against us Scommata nostra ferre non potes said the Antiochians to Iulian in another case quomodo feres Persarum tela Gods servants do often receive discouragement from the people and from Authority but the goodness of their Cause and the favour of God makes them joyfully persevere 3. It teacheth us what to do when this is not our case I have treated as this Scripture hath led me of the oppositions of Princes and worldly
cease not to love and pity them though it were long of their fear they did not enjoy the like liberty themselves Thirdly As to the continuance of this Separation It was made upon good grounds and it is still to be continued upon the same grounds The Roman Church is not grown better but worse and that which was before but meer practice and custom is since established by Law and Canon and they have ratified and owned their errors in the Council of Trent And now Antichrist is more discovered and God hath multiplied and reformed the Churches and blessed them with his gifts and graces and the conversion of many souls surely we should not now grow weary of our Profession as if Novelty only led us to make this opposition If we shall think so slightly of all the truths of God and blood of the Martyrs and all this a-do to bring things to this pass that Christ may gain ground and we should tamely give up our cause at last as some have done implicitely and others shrink and let the Papists carry it quietly it is such wickedness as will be the brand and eternal infamy of this generation If Hagar the bond woman that hath been cast out should return again and vaunt it over Sarah the lawful wife the mischiefs that would follow are unspeakable God permitted it to be so for a while in Queen Maries days and what precious blood was shed during that time we all know and shall we again return to the Garlick and Onions of Egypt as being weary of the distractions of the Wilderness and expose the Interest of Christ meerly for our temporal good which we cannot be secured of neither Therefore since this Separation was not unjust without cause nor unnecessary without sufficient cause and since it was carried on with so much meekness and Christian lenity and since Rome is not grown better but worse rather surely we have no reason to be stumbled at for our departure from that Apostatical Church In short This Separation was not culpable it came not from error of mind they went out from us but they were not of us 1 Joh. 2. 19. Not from corruption in manners These are those that separate themselves sensual not having the spirit Jude v. 19. Not from strife and contention like those Separations at Corinth where one was of Paul another of Apollo c. 1 Cor. 1. 12. Not from pride and censoriousness like those that said Stand further off I am holier than thou Isa. 65. 5. Not from coldness and tergiversation as those that forsook the assembling of themselves together because they were in danger of this kind of Christianity Heb. 10. 25. but from Conscience and this not so much from the Christians as from the Errors of Christians from the corruptions rather than the corrupted there is no reason we should be frighted with this suggestion But now because that Separation is good or evil according to the causes of it let us a little consider the state of Rome when God first summoned his people to come out of this Spiritual Babylon and if it be the same still there is no cause to retract the change The state of it may be considered either as to its Government Doctrine or Worship the Tyranny of their Discipline and Government the Heresie of their Doctrine and the Idolatry of their Worship And if our fathers could not and if we cannot have communion with them without partaking of their sin it is certain the Separation was and is still justifiable First As to their Government Three things are matter of just offence to the Reformed Churches 1. The Universality or vast Extent and Largeness of that Dominion and Empire which they arrogate 2. The Supremacy and absolute Authority which they challenge 3. The Infallibility which they pretend unto And if there were nothing else but a requiring a submission to these things so false so contrary to the tenor and interest of Christianity this were ground enough of Separation 1. The Universality of Headship over all other Churches this the people of God neither could nor ought to endure Suppose the Roman Church were sound in Faith in Manners in Discipline yet being but a particular Church that it should challenge such a right to it self in giving Laws to all other Churches at its own pleasure and that every particular Society which doth not depend upon her beck in all things should be excluded from hope of salvation or not counted a fellow-Church in the communion of the Christian Faith this is a thing that cannot be endured That the Pope as to the extent of his Government and Administration should be Universal Bishop whose Empire should reach far and near throughout the world as far as the Church of Christ reacheth this as to matter of fact is impossible as to matter of right is sacrilegious As to matter of fact it is impossible because of the variety of Governments and different Interests under covert of which the particular Churches of Christ find shelter and protection in all the places of their dispersion and therefore to establish such an Empire that shall be so pernicious to the Churches of Christ which are harboured abroad it is very grievous and partly by reason of the multitude and diversity of those things that belong to Governments which is a Power too great for any created understanding to wield As to matter of right it is sacrilegious for Christ never instituted any such Universal Vicar as necessary to the unity of his Church But here was one Lord Jesus and one God and one Faith but never in union under one Pope And therefore we see in Temporal Government God hath distributed it into many hands because he would not subject the whole world into one as neither able to manage the affairs thereof or brook the Majesty of so large an Empire with that meekness and moderation as becomes a creature It is too much for meer man to bear Now Religious concernments are more difficult than Civil by reason of the imperfection of light about them and it would easily degenerate into superstition and idolatry therefore certainly none but a God is able to be head of the Church 2. The Authority of making Laws consider it either as to matter or form the matter about which it is exercised or the authority it self their intollerable boldness and proud ambition is discovered in either As to the matter about which this Power is exercised for temporal things God hath committed them to the care of the Magistrate and it is an intrusion of his right for the Pope to take upon himself to interpose in Civil things to dispose of States and Kingdoms a power which Christ refused Man who made me a judg over you Luk. 12. 14. As to matter of Religion some things are in their own nature good and some evil some things of a middle nature and indifferent As to the first God hath established them by his Laws as
God on our part When thou shalt enlarge my heart when is causal because thou shalt enlarge it God only can enlarge the heart We are sluggish and loth to stir a foot in the ways of obedience therefore God must enlarge From first to last God doth all in the work of Grace he gives the habit and act He plants graces in the heart knowledg faith love and delight and then excites and quickens them to act The habit of grace is called the seed of God 1 Ioh. 3. 9. there it begins Before we can fly we must get wings we must have grace before we can run the way of Gods Commandments and then quickning of the habits the exciting of the soul to action the deed as well as the will Phil. 2. 13. it is from God the first inclination and actual accomplishment He giveth to will that is the first inclination 1 King 8. 58. That he may incline our hearts unto him to walk in all his ways c. and then the deed the outward expression of our obedience it is still from God Act. 4. 29. The Apostle goes to God for that Grant unto thy servants that with all boldness they may speak thy word And so Col. 4. 3. he begs prayers to God to open a door of utterance for them There is a door shut until God opens it We cannot utter and express our selves in a way of obedience without Gods concurrence Use. Whenever you would undertake for God get God first to undertake for you as Hezekiah doth Isa 38. 14. O Lord I am oppressed undertake for me Let every earnest prayer beaccompanied with a serious purpose and let every serious purpose be accompanied with earnest prayer Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and we will run after thee So here Lord I will run the ways of thy commandments I but as to the event we must suspend it if thou wilt enlarge my heart This is the method we should use first engage God by prayer then engage our hearts by promise Though we cannot lay wagers upon our own strength yet we may resolve in Gods strength and ought to engage our selves to duty Ier. 30. 21. Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord We must promise what is due but not presume as if we could carry our purpose without God As to the event they speak conditionally When thou shalt enlarge my heart The children of God have no other confidence of their own affections but as God will put forth his power They know they have a deceitful and corrupt heart and to stand to their resolutions immutably faithfully needs more strength than their own They resolve as to work but as to event they suspend that they know their resolution will not be brought to any thing unless God continue his grace and favour The children of God as they would own Christ as Lord and commanding the work so they promise obedience that 's their duty and they would own him a Saviour in helping them through the work so they promise conditionally in his strength As they are sway'd by his Soveraignty in his command so they depend upon his alsufficiency in his promise Here two Cases may be handled one is more generally Case 1. Whether we are to resolve upon a course of obedience when we are uncertain of Gods assistance The reason of doubting is because we cannot perform it in our own strength I answer 1. It is your duty to engage and consent to give up your selves to Gods service whatever comes of it 2 Chron. 30. 8. Yield your selves unto the Lord. In the Hebrew 'tis strike hands with him in his holy Covenant Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you present your selves c. You ought to come and present your selves own your selves solemnly in a way of a dedication to God It was implied in our Baptism which is therefore called 1 Pet. 3. 21. An answer of a good conscience towards God an answer upon Gods demands in his Covenant An answer supposeth a question God puts us to the question Will you be my people Will you serve me faithfully and do my will Then we ratifie it by Baptism Necessary duties must be done whatever comes of it as Abraham obeyed God not knowing whither he went 2. As this is your duty so whether you resolve or no you are already obliged by Gods command This actual resolution of entring into Covenant with God is only required as a means to strengthen us Natural relations enforce duty without consent a father is a father whether a child will own him in the quality of that relation yea or no. Gods right is valid whether you will consent or no. Actual consent or purpose in your heart doth not give God greater right but makes duty more explicite and active upon your own hearts We cannot make the bonds of duty stronger for Gods authority is greater than ours but we have a deeper sense when we own Gods authority by our own engagement 3. You have more cause to expect Gods assistance in this way of engaging your heart to him than in standing loose from God and neglect of his appointed means You know the promise is made Rev. 22. 17. To him that will let him take of the waters of life freely When there is a fixed bent of heart that comes from a secret impression of Gods grace which causeth this will in you when you have declared your will you have more reason to expect Gods concurrence 4. It is a foolish course to refuse to make the Covenant for fear of breaking it as if a Tradesman should neglect his calling forbear to set up because it is possible losses may come Make it then keep it in Gods strength Make it but remember your security lyeth in Gods Promises not in your own It is your duty to engage to God but as to the event you cannot say you can go through with it unless the Lord put in with his grace 2 Case The second Case is more obvious and usual viz. Whether we are to do duties in Case of deadness indisposition and straits of spirit The reason of doubting is because David seems to suspend his running upon Gods enlarging If thou wilt enlarge then I will run Answ. He suspends the event but not his duty He doth not say I will not stir unless thou enlarge my heart but if thou enlarge then I shall run The plea of weakness must not be used from the Doctrine of Gods concurrence to all acts of grace as a shift or turned into a plea for laziness The right use of this Doctrine is a constant dependence in a sense of our own weakness and hearty thanksgiving when we have received any command from God Now a form of thanksgiving is abused when it is made a plea for laziness To resolve upon a loose course and give over all is an absurd inference from this Doctrine it is as if a man should say my plowing and sowing unless God
considerations do shew us our need of understanding and that a Christian should be prudent not headstrong and precipitant like horse and mule that have no understanding Psal. 32. 9. But wise and knowing in all principles actions and circumstances that belong to his duty if he would honour his profession and not follow the bruitish motions of his own heart but Gods direction Now if we would have understanding we must 1. Attend upon the word that will make us wise to salvation wiser than our enemies than our teachers than the ancients Than enemies A man that consulteth not with flesh and blood but the word and rule of his duty will find plain honesty at length to be the best policy Than Teachers Because he contented not himself with the naked rules delivered by them but laboured with his conscience to make them profitable to himself Than Ancients or men of long study and experience That 's a costly wisdom when men have smarted often they learn by their own harms to be circumspect If there were no other way to be wise than by experience miserable were man for a long time and would be exposed to hazards and foul dangers before he could get it But now Scripture which is not the result of mens experience but God's wisdom is not such a long and expensive way 2. Use much meditation in debating matters between God and your souls Psal. 119. 99. I have more understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation And 2 Tim. 2. 7. Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things 3. Prayer as David doth here ask it of God Desire him to remove that darkness of spirit which sin hath brought upon you that you may not govern your life by sense and passion but by his direction Job 32. 8. There is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Man hath reason but to guide it to a spiritual use that is above his power The Psalmist complaineth of all natural men There is none that understandeth none that doth good to no one Psal. 14. 2. and Rom. 3. 11. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God Therefore 't is God must give understanding at first coversion Act. 16. 14. God opened the heart of Lydia and Acts 26. 18. To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins c. by a fuller illumination Eph. 1. 17 18. That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ that father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightned c otherwise we have not an heart to perceive nor eyes to see nor ears to hear Deut. 29. 4. Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive nor eyes to see nor ears to hear unto this day 2. The next thing that I shall observe is this That upon the supposition of this benefit he promiseth obedience I shall keep thy law Doct. They that have understanding given by God will keep his law 1. That 't is their duty and they ought so to do there is no question for all knowledg is given us in order to practice not to satisfie curiosity or feed pride or to get a fame and reputation with men of knowledg and understanding persons but to order our walk Col. 1. 9 10. For this cause we also since the day we heard it cease not to pray for you and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledg of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledg of God 2. That they will do so is also clear upon a twofold account 1. Because answerable to the discovery of good or evil in the understanding There is a prosecution and an aversation in the will for the will doth necessarily follow practicum dictamen the ultimate resolution of the judgment for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a bruitish inclination but a rational appetite God hath appointed this course to nature therefore when the judgment cometh to such a conclusion as is set down in the 73 Psal. verse the last But it is good for me to draw near to God not only 't is good but 't is good for me the will yieldeth For conviction of the judgment is the ground of practice I know conviction and conversion differ and the one may be where the other is not But then 't is taken for a partial conviction the mind is not savingly enlightned and thorowly possessed with the truth and worth of heavenly things the most and greatest sort of men have but notions a weak and literal knowledg about spiritual things and that produceth nothing they do not live up to the truth which they know Others have besides the notion a naked approbation of things that are good Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor They see better things and approve them in the abstract but this doth not come to a practicum dictamen 't is good and good for me all circumstances considered thus to do This is the fruit of spiritual evidence and demonstration which always is accompanied with power 1 Cor. 2. 4. Carnal men think it is better for them to keep as they are being blinded with their passions and lusts though they could wish things were otherwise with them But a godly man's judgment being savingly enlightned determineth 't is good 't is better 't is best for me 't is better to please God than men to look after heaven than the world c. There is a simple approbation of good things and a comparative approbation of them Simple approbation is when in the abstract notion we apprehend Christ and pardon of sins and heaven good but when compared with other things and considered in the frame of Christian doctrine or according to the terms upon which they may be had they are rejected Many approve things simply and in the first act of judgment but disallow them in the second when they consider them as invested with some difficult and unpleasing terms or compare them with pleasure and profit which they must forsake if they would obtain them as the young man in the Gospel esteemeth salvation as a thing worthy to be enquired into but is loth to let go his earthly possessions Mat. 19. 21 22. He would have these good things at an easie rate without mortifying the flesh or renouncing the world But a godly man that sets down and counteth the charges all circumstances considered resolves 't is good for me as Boaz liking the woman as well as her inheritance took them both which his kinsman refused Ruth 4. 9 10. He would have the inheritance without the woman They like Christ and his laws as well
being hard to come by unless Desires be strongly fixed men are soon put out of the Humour and so nothing would be done to any purpose in the World Surely Holiness that is so difficult and distasteful to Flesh and Blood would be but little looked after if there were not strength of Desires to keep it up Therefore is this affection that we may encounter Difficulties and Oppositions As Nehe. 4. 6. When there were Difficulties and Straits it is said They built the Wall for the People had a mind to work that is their Hearts were set upon it So if we had a mind to any Excellent thing it is this mind that keeps us up in the midst of all Difficulties and Labours All excellent Things are hard to come by it is so in Earthly matters much more in Spiritual The Lord will have it so to make us Prize them more for things soon got are little esteemed As riotous Heirs which know not how to get an Estate lavishly spend it A man is chary of what is hardly gotten Iacob prized Rachel the more because he was forced to serve for her so long So we shall prize Heavenly things the more when they cost us a great deal of Diligence and Labour to get them Now sluggish Desires soon fail but Vehement longings keep the Heart a work 5. Consider the issue of these Desires As they come from a good Cause which is the new Nature and a new Life for Appetite follows Life so they tend to a good Effect are sure of a good Accomplishment and Satisfaction God is wont to give Spiritual things to those that desire them there the Rule is Ask and have It is not so in carnal Things many that seek and hunt after them with all the Strength and Labour of their Souls at length are miserably disappointed But all the Promises run for Satisfaction to a Hungry Thirsty Earnest and Longing Soul 5. Math. 6. Those that are hungry and have a strong Desire upon them he will fill 1. Luke 51. And open thy Mouthwide and I will fill it 81. Psal. 10. They that open unto him as the thirsty Land for the Rain God that gives Velle to Will will give Posse to Do First the Desire and then the Satisfaction and therefore where there is this strength of Desire though there may be some failing in other things in our Endeavours and Performances yet the Lord will accept it 6. It argues some nearness to compleat Fruition or to full Satisfaction in Heaven when we begin to be more earnest after Holiness than we were before and after more of God and his Grace and Image to be set up in our Souls The more we desire Holiness the more ripe for Heaven This is a Rule The nearer we are to any good thing our Hearts are set upon the more impatient in the want of it as natural Motions are swifter in the end than in the beginning though violent Motions are swifter in the beginning while the impression of the stone lasts it is swift but afterwards it abates So when the Soul beats so strongly after God and Holiness and larger measures of Grace 't is a sign we are Ripening apace for Heaven Paul when he was grown aged in Christianity then he saith Rom. 7. 24. Who shall deliver me from this Body of Death As what we translate in the Psalms O that Salvation were come out of Sion It is in the Hebrew Who shall give Salvation So here it is an Hebreisme Who shall that is O that I were delivered He had many afflictions he was in Perills often Scourged Whipped Persecuted but he doth not say O that I could get rid of this troublesome Life of affliction but it was the Body of Death the remainders of Corruption was most burdensome to him The Children of God their Pulses beat strongly when they are upon the Confines of Eternity and their full and final Consummation These men begin to Ripen for their Heavenly State into which God will translate them Use 1. For Conviction of several sorts of Persons that are sar from this Temper and frame of Heart To begin with the most Notorious 1. Some desire Sin with a passionate Earnestness Iob 15. 16. He drinketh iniquity like Water As a thirsty Beast in those hot Countries would drink in water so did they drink in Sin Most wicked men are mad when their Lusts are set a working and there are some whose constant frame of Heart it is who make hast who march furiously as if they were afraid of coming to Hell too late bear down Conscience Word and all before them that set themselves to do Evil with both hands earnestly that have a strong desire after Sin and are carried out with as impatient longing after Sin as the Children of God such Eminent ones of God after Holiness 2. Some have no desire to the ways of God at all Iob 21. 14. They say unto God depart from us For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways the Hearts of many say so though their Tongues do not They are those which shut out the Light that cannot endure a searching Ministry lest it should trouble their Lusts disturb the Devils Kingdom that banish the thoughts of God out of their Hearts lest it revive the Sense of their Obligation to duty that set Conscience a challenging Gods right in their Souls that keep off from the Light 3. There are some that are insatiable in worldly things but have no Savour of these Heavenly and Holy things they are Thirsty for the Earth But God is not in all their thoughts Psal. 10. 4. a little Grace will serve their turn and think there is more ado than needs about Heaven and Heavenly things Alass the very contrary is true a little of the World will serve their turn here below If men had not a mind to increase their Temptations and Snares about a frail and temporal Life why do they make so much ado When many times they are taken away before they have Roasted what they have got in Hunting God takes them away but their Eternal estate is little looked after Riches qualifie us not but Holiness doth qualifie us for Heaven and it is our Ornament before God and his holy Angels And woe be to us if our poor Souls be thrust out Naked and Uncloathed in the other World Can we hunger and hanker after these lying Vanities and have no Hungering and Thirsting after Grace a little time will wear out the distinction of Rich and Poor High and Low but the distinction of Holy and Good will continue to Eternity Think of that time when not only the World but the Lust will pass away The lust of the World may be gone before we are out of the World as in Sickness and Pains but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever When we are Sick and Dying we have some kind of Notions and Apprehensions of these things then we can long and wish
separate us from the Love of God Rom. 8. 36. Men may separate us from our Houses Countryes Friends Estates but not from God who is our great Delight In our low Estate we have a God to goe to for Comfort and who should be more to us then our sweetest Pleasures 4. The Scripture sheweth us the true Doctrine about Afflictions and discovereth to us the Author Cause and End of all our Afflictions the Author is God the Cause is Sin the End is to humble mortify and correct his Children that they may be more capable of heavenly Glory God is the Author not Fortune or Chance or the will of Man but God who doth all things with the most exact Wisedom and tender Mercy and purest Love The Cause is just Micah 7. 9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him The End is our Profit for his Chastisements are purgative Medicines to prevent or cure some spiritual Disease If God should never administer Physick till we see it needfull deire to take it or be willing of it we should perish in our Corruptions or dye in our Sins for want of help in due time 1 Cor. 11. 32. But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World Now should we not patiently and comfortably endure those things which come by the will of our Father through our Sins and for our good 3. The Examples of the word which shew us that the dearly beloved of the Lord have suffered harder things then we have done and with greater Patience Christ 1 Pet. 2. 21. who suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps The Servants of the Lord Iames 5. 10. Take my brethren the Prophets of the Lord who have spoken the word of the Lord for an example of suffering Affliction and of Patience We complain of Stone and Gout what did our Lord Iesus Christ endure when the whole weight of his Body hung upon 4 wounds and his Life dropped out by degrees We complain of every painfull disease but how was it with Christ when his Back was scourged and his Flesh mangled with Whips We are troubled at the swellings of the Gout in hands or feet how was it with Him when those sinewy parts were pierced with strong and great Nailes We complain of the want of Spiritual Consolations was not He deserted We mourn when God maketh a breach upon our Relations was not Abraham's Tryal greater when he was to offer his Son with his own hands Heb. 11. 17. By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac and he that had received the promise offered up his onely begotten Son Iob lost all his Children at once by a blast of wind The Virgin Mary near the Cross of Christ Woman behold thy Son John 19. 26. She was affected and afflicted with that sight as if a sword pierced through her heart We complaine of Poverty Christ had not where to lay his head If we lose our Coat to keep our Conscience others of God's Children have been thus tryed before us Heb. 10. 3 4. Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in heaven a better and an enduring substance The Levites left their Inheritance 2 Chron. 11. 14. Thus God doth not call us by any rougher way to Heaven then others have gone before us 4. The Promises of Scripture To instance in all would be endless there are 3 great Promises which comfort us in all our Afflictions the Promises of Pardon of Sins and Eternal Life and the General Promises about our Temporal Estate 1. The Promises of Pardon of Sin We can have no true Cure for our sorrow till we be exempted from the fear of the Wrath of God doe that once and the heart of sorrow and misery is broken others may steale a little Peace when Conscience is laid asleep but not solid Comfort till Sin be pardoned Isai. 40. 1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speake ye comfortably unto Ierusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned Matth. 9. 2. Son be of good chear thy sins be forgiven thee Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. 2. The Promises of Eternal Life Nothing will afford us so much content as one Scripture promise of Eternal Life would doe to a faithfull Soul Heaven in the Promise seen by Faith is enough to revive the most dolefull and afflicted Creature Matt. 5. 12. Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven Nothing can be grievous to him that knoweth a World 〈◊〉 come and hath the Assurance of the Eternal God that shortly he shall enjoy the happiness of it Rom. 5. 2. we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God This comforts against Troubles Sicknesses Wants Everlasting Ease everlasting Joy surely will counterballance all that we can endure and suffer for or from God There all our Fears and Sorrows shall be at an end and all tears shall be wiped from our eyes 3. The General Promises concerning our Temporal Estate There are many particular Promises concerning the supply of all our Necessities removing of our Gâ—…vances and Burdens or else that God will allay our Troubles and inable us to bear them mix with them the tast of his goodness and fatherly Love But I shall onely speak of those General Promises that we may be confident that he will never utterly faile his People Heb. 13. 5. he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee that he will not give us over to insupportable Difficulties 1 Cor. 10. 13. There hath no Temptation taken you but what is common to man but God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the Temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it He will dispose of all things for the best to them that love him Rom. 8. 28. These things are absolutely undertaken and these things should satisfy us 3. From the manner wherein this Comfort is received they are applyed by the Spirit who is a Comforter and received by Faith 1. Applyed by the Spirit which is dispensed in a Concomitancy with this word Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of Hope fill ye with all joy and Peace in believing that ye may abound in Hope through the Power of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is purposely given to be our Comforter If we are fit to receive it he will not be wanting to give solid Joy and Delight to the penitent and believing Soul 2. It 's received by Faith the Word of God cannot deceive us â—…ith is contented with a Promise though it hath not possession for Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Sickness with a Promise
God should onely be heavy when he displeases God but delight in all the Means that enable him to live to God 3. When we are sadned by the Evil of the present World let us make use of this remedy let us meditate on God's Statutes We shall find ease and refreshing by exercising our selves to know God in Christ. 4. To refute the vain conceit which possesseth the minds of Men that the way of Godliness is a gloomy way Assoon as a Man beginneth to think of Salvation or the change of his Life or the leaving of his Sins embracing the Service of God presently his Mind is haunted with this thought Seest thou not how those that serve God are melancholy afflicted sorrowfull never rejoyce more and wilt thou be one of them This is the Opinion of the World that they can never rejoyce nor be merry that serve God But certainly it is a vain conceit no men do more and more truly rejoyce than they which serve God Consult the Scriptures who have more leave shall I say or command to rejoyce Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce Ask Reason who have more cause or matter to rejoyce than they that have provided against the fears or doubts of Conscience by reason of Sin what is more satisfactory to a Soul in doubts and fears than the knowledge of Pardon and Reconciliation with God For the satisfaction of the desires of Nature which carry us after Happiness who have a more powerfull Exciter of Joy than the Holy Ghost Acts 13. 52. The Disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost Who more qualified with Joy than those who have a clear right to the pardon of Sin and so can see all Miseries unstinged Rom. 5. 1 2 3. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we have access by Faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God And not onely so but we glory in Tribulation also How joyfull are those that see themselves prepared for everlasting Life 2 Cor. 5. 1. For we know that if our earthly Tabernacle be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens Yea when a Christian knoweth his Duty his Way is plain before him it is a mighty satisfaction Psal. 19. 8. The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart Look into the Lives and Examples of the Saints who have more true Joy than they The Disciples esteem the Grace of the Gospel such a great Treasure that though they suffer Persecution for it they are filled with Joy Acts 8. 8. And there was great joy in that City 1 Thess. 1. 6. Having received the Word with much affliction and joy in the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 7. 4. I am exceeding joyfull in all our Tribulation Preachers though with great hazard they perform their Office should be joyfull Acts 20. 24. Neither count I my Life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy Phil. 2. 17 18. Tea and if I be offered for the sacrifice and service of your faith I joy and rejoice with you all for the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me The World will reply I know not what this spiritual Consolation meaneth it seemeth hard to relinquish that which I see that which I feel that which I taste for that which I see not and it may be shall never see Answ. 1. By Concession the joy of the Saints is the joy of Faith God is unseen Christ is within the Heavens great Hopes are to come 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory 2 Cor. 5. 7. For we walk by Faith not by sight 2. Thus you see that the World cannot always rejoice in those things which they take to be the proper Objects of Joy they have alternative vicissitudes now rejoice now mourn nor can it be otherwise for they rejoice in things which cannot always last if they rejoice when their Worldly comforts increase they are sad when they wither if they rejoice when their Children are born they weep when they die but a Christian hath always his Songs for he must always rejoice in the Lord who is an eternal God Phil. 4. 4. Rejoice in the Lord always in Christ who hath obtained eternal Redemption for us Heb. 9. 12. in the Promises which give an eternal Influence Psal. 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoicing of my heart The Flesh cannot afford you any thing so delightfull as a Christian hath the Word will hold good for ever 3. We cannot altogether say that a Christian doth rejoice in that which he cannot see for all that they see is their everlasting Father's Wealth 1 Cor. 3. ult All are yours for you are Christ's and Christ is God's If they look to Heaven they can rejoice and say Glory be to thee O Lord who hast prepared this for our everlasting Dwelling-place if they look to the Earth Glory be to thee O Lord who dost not leave us destitute in the House of our Pilgrimage if they consider their Afflictions they rejoice that God is not unmindfull of poor Creatures who are beneath his Anger as well as unworthy of his Love Iob 7. 17 18. What is man that thou shouldst magnifie him and that thou shouldst set thine heart upon him and that thou shouldst visit him every morning and try him every moment That God should trouble himself about us that we may not perish with the ungodly World The same Love that sendeth them Prosperity sendeth Adversity also which they find by the seasonableness of it SERMON LXI PSAL. CXIX 55. I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the Night and have kept thy Law WE often reade and sing David's Psalms but we have little of David's Spirit A Man's Imployment is as the Constitution of his Mind is for all things work according to their Nature A man addicted to God that is to say one who hath taken God for his Happiness his Word for his Rule his Spirit for his Guide and his Promises for his Encouragement his heart will always be working towards God Day and Night in the Day he will be studying God's Word in the Night if his sleep be interrupted he will be meditating on God's Name still entertaining his Soul with God The predominant Affection will certainly set the thoughts awork The Man of God had told us in the former Verse what was his chief Imployment in the Day-time and now he telleth us how his heart wrought in the Night Night and Day he was remembring God and his Duty to him In the Day the Statutes of God were his Solace and as
that they are able to oppress their Underlings and so think they can bring to pass what they would have to be done in despight of God Now somewhat of this may be found in the People of God Psal. 30. 6 7. In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved They drink in some of this poyson are apt to rest and sleep on a carnal Pillow By this you may see that none of us have perfectly put off this sin Plato saith A man doth put it off as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it groweth out of the conquest of other sins But if we would not be proud 1. Let us pray often For in Prayer we profess our subjection and dependance Where Prayers are servent earnest frequent it argueth great humility Where rare cold unfrequent little Humility Where none no humility Seeking to God who is so excellent mindeth us of our own baseness Seeking his daily relief and succor mindeth us of the changeableness of all worldly things and the several vicissitudes of this life Psal. 10. 4. A man serious in Prayer living in a constant dependance upon God must needs be an humble man 2. Let us be contented with a little and not seek great things for our selves for Interest is the great make-bait I am sure a worldly Portion is the usual sewel of â—…ride A Worm may grow in Manna but usually 't is some worldly excellency which giveth us such great advantages here below which puffeth us up If Riches increase by the fair allowance of God's Providence we are not to grow proud of them 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge them that are rich in the world that they be not high minded Moses saith Deut. 8. 12 13 14. Take heed when thou hast eaten and art full and thy gold and silver is multiplied lest thy heart be lifted up Our hearts are mighty apt to be lifted up by a full estate 3. If we excel in gifts and graces double caution is necessary this is a real excellency 2 Cor. 12. 7. Pride maketh us not only unthankful to God but perverse to men Prov. 21. 24. Proud and haughty scorner is his name who dealeth in proud wrath Men conceited of their gifts make their own fancy and conceit their Rule and if any thing be done that pleaseth not them they rend and tear all and trample upon the unquestionable interest of Jesus Christ to wreak their spleen It is a question Whether real Grace may make men proud Gifts to be sure may Knowledge puffeth up yea Grace through Corruption They need caution that have the great presence of God with them as to success when eminently employed in God's service Credit by worldly eminency and esteem falleth in with their services and secretly insinuates high thoughts of their own excellencies 4. Consider how much Pride hath cost us They that are proud and burdensom to other People God will pull down their Pride Isa. 13. 11. And I will punish the world for their evil and the wicked for their iniquity and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible 'T is spoken of the Chaldeans who in a bravery and force offered violence to others God loveth to pull down the Pride and Insolency of Roysters that have been formidable and burdensom to other People The Lord of Hosts hath purposed to stain the Pride of all glory and to bring into contempt the Honourable of the Earth what hath God been a doing not in former but latter times 5. Consider That Christianity was sent into the world not to set up a Kingdom of power but patience Matth. 18. 4. Whosoever therefore shall be humble as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven Luke 1. 51 52 53. He hath shewed strength with his arm he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away 6. Who made us differ 1 Cor. 4. 7. For who made thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it Who would be proud of a borrowed Garment he becometh the more in debt Nothing is ours but sin all other things are the free gift of God Shall the Wall boast it self because the Sun shines upon it or the Pen arrogate the praise of fair Writing The more we have received from God the more we are obliged to acknowledge his goodness and confess our own unworthiness 2 The Event or effect of God's Providence desired together with the reason of it That which he desired was that they might be ashamed The reason because they have dealt perversly without a cause Let us explain both 1. The Event of God's Providence prayed for That they may be ashamed that is that they may not prosper and succeed in their attempts For men are ashamed when they are disappointed and all their endeavors for the extirpation of God's People are vain and fruitless and those things which they have subtlely devised have not that effect which they propounded unto themselves Psal. 70. 3. Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame which say Aha 2. The Reason urged For they dealt perversly with me without a cause The Septuagint have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unjustly Ainsworth readeth With falshood they have depraved me It implieth two things first that they pretended a cause but 2dly David avoucheth his innocency to God and so without any guilt of his they accused defamed condemned his actions as is usual in like cases elsewhere he complaineth Psal. 56. 5. They every day wrest my words and their thoughts are against me for evil They condemned him for wicked perverted his sayings and doings Men pretend causes of their Oppression Heresie Schism Rebellion but meer malice and perversness of spirit inclines them to seek the destruction of the People of God DOCT. That when the Proud are troublesom and injurious to God's People they may boldly commend their Cause to God The Reasons 1. The Effects of their Pride are grievous to be born Now 't is well when any grief findeth a spiritual vent when it puts the Godly upon praying Philip. 4. 6. In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Jer. 20. 12. O Lord of hosts that triest the righteous and seest the reins and the heart let me see thy vengeance on them for unto thee have I opened my cause We may exhibit our Bill of complaint at God's Tribunal carry the Fact thither 2. The Lord may be appealed unto upon a double account Partly as he is an Enemy to the Proud and as a Friend to the Humble Iames 4. 6. God resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble And Psal. 138.
is one of the Love Errors of the Children of God like a Disease which is incident only to the best tempers 3. The Kinds of Fainting 1. There is a Fainting which causeth great trouble and dejection of spirit 2. There is a Fainting which causeth Apostasie and Defection from God and the Cause of Religion 1. There is a Fainting which causeth dejection and trouble this is spoken of Heb. 12. 5. My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him There are the two Extremes Slighting and Fainting Now this is a fault in the children of God to be much perplexed in their Troubles but yet this may be incident to them Religion heightning their sense of Evils and their vehement desires of the comforts of God's presence increasing their trouble 2. There is a Fainting which causeth defection and falling off from God out of cowardice and carnal fear and cast off the profession of Christianity when they find it troublesom they grow weary incline to Apostasie this is not incident to the children of God Rev. 2. 3. Thou hast born and hast patience and hast laboured and hast not fainted not given over the Cause of God There is a Fainting which is a slacking or remitting somewhat in our spiritual course when Men begin a little to relent and to give way to coldness and lukewarmness and do not keep up their former zeal and fervency or diligence in heavenly things This may befal sometimes the Servants of God abate somewhat of their former forwardness Eph. 3. 13. when either they suffer themselves or those who are primarily instrumental in the work of the Gospel are cast into a suffering condition And there is a Fainting which makes totally and finally to abandon the ways of God Gal. 6. 9. He 〈◊〉 reap in due time if he faint not There it is not taken for some remissness which may beâ—… the best of God's Servants but a total defection 4. The Considerations which may preserve us from Fainting First It argueth that you are lazy love the ease of the flesh have small strength if you faint upon every appearance of difficulty and trouble Prov. 24. 10. If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small Sinners are not discouraged with every inconvenience occasioned by their sin but can deny themselves for their lusts sake and shall we be soon discouraged in God's service 2dly Others that have born far heavier Burthens do not sink under them The Lord Christ Heb. 12. 3. For consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds Nay many of his precious Servants Heb. 12. 4. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin If against Sin are we only to praise their courage never shew our own or do we think to go to Heaven without conflicts when it doth cost them so dear 3dly We have given counsel to others Job 4. 5. But now it is come upon thee and thou faintest it toucheth thee and thou art troubled It is an easier matter to instruct others than to carry it well our selves The well will give counsel to the sick and those that stand on land direct those that are apt to sink in deep waters But should not we remember these things our selves 4thly God promises to moderate the Afflictions of his People and to sweeten the bitterness of them to take off the oppressing weight of their troubles lest their souls faint Isa. 57. 16. For I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made The consideration of Man's infirmity and weakness unable to hold out causeth the Lord to stay his hand he will not utterly dishearten and discourage his People that wait for him A good Man will not overburden his Beast 5thly When Reason is tired Faith should supply its place and we should hope against hope Rom. 4. 18. For Faith can fetch one contrary out of another and get water out of the Rock as well as out of the Fountain when probable means miscarry then it is a time for God to work and Faith should bear us out when Sense and Reason cannot 6thly Give vent to the ardor of your desires in Prayer Luke 18. 1. He spake a parable to them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint And Jonah 2. 7. When my sould fainted within me I remembred the Lord and my prayer came in unto thee into thine holy temple Keep up the suit 't will come to an hearing one day though it be long ere God ariseth to the Judgment yet then make sure work of it 7thly By waiting upon God we learn to wait more Isa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Eternal blessings eyed and prepared for will support a fainting Soul in the worst evil 2 Cor. 4. 16. For this cause we faint not though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day The greatest troubles cannot make void thy hope if our spiritual state increase and our eternal hopes thrive III. DOCT. Though the Soul be in a fainting condition yet it will accept of nothing but God's Salvation Thy Salvation Psal. 94. 18. When I said My foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up And ver 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. Men may seek to get out of their troubles from wicked Men two ways either by carnal compliance or by the use of indirect means 1. By carnal compliance when Men violate and prostitute their Consciences for their peace sake 'T is said of some Heb. 11. 35. That they accepted not deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection They might upon certain conditions have been freed from those cruel pains and tortures but those conditions were contrary to the Law of God We have God's deliverance upon better terms than Man's and it is better in its self 2. By using indirect means to get off the trouble this is making too much haste Isa. 28. 16. He that believeth shall not make haste Ravishing the Blessing rather than waiting for the issues of God's Providence Those that do so God will reckon them with the workers of iniquity Psal. 125. 5. As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity but peace shall be upon Israel They that shift for themselves lose the benefit of God's protection These are dealt with as open Enemies Now the Reasons of the Point are these First Because they are satisfied in God's Providential Government God never puts power in the hands of wicked Men but for his own holy ends Therefore while God continueth them they are
have not always the strength of Faith and therefore faint and are ready to perish I said in my haste I am cut off Psal. 31. 22. 4. Religion itself intendereth the heart a Father's anger is no slight thing to a gracious soul. When we are afflicted and God is angry the trouble is the more grievous and it is hard to steer right between the two Rocks of slighting and fainting well then pity poor creatures under their burden and help them but censure them not 3. His Remedy God's Word there is the Paradise of delights and the onely Requies to allay the bitter sense of all our troubles why First As to the main blessings there is represented to us the true Fountain of all comfort who is God the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 13. who distributeth comfort when and where and to whom he pleaseth 2dly There is discovered to us the meritorious and procuring cause who is Jesus Christ Who hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 2 Thess. 2. 16. 3dly The Spirit who is the applier of all comfort therefore called the Comforter and he giveth us peace and joy in believing Rom. 15. 13. 4thly The true instrument means or condition whereby we receive comfort and that is Faith Iohn 14. 1. 5thly The true matter of comfort and that is pardon and life 1. Pardon and Reconciliation with God Rom. 5. 10. no solid cause of rejoycing till then when reconciled to God then true peace and peace that passeth all understanding which will guard both heart and mind Phil. 4. 7. then all miseries are unstinged Solid pâ—…e of Conscience is your best support and comfort under afflictions the intrinsic evil of afflictions is then taken away Lam. 3. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins While sin remaineth unpardoned the thorn still remaineth in the sore 2. The promise of eternal life Rom. 5. 2. There is the Crown set against the Cross heavenly comforts against earthly afflictions the afflictions of God's children comparatively are light and short 2 Cor. 4. 17. This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Nothing should be grievous to them that know a world to come where all tears shall be wiped from our eyes and we shall enjoy fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore 6thly It sheweth us who are the Parties capable the renewed or sanctified Ps. 32. 11. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart To all Christ's sincere faithful and obedient servants these promises are matter of abundant joy As to particular comforts concerning afflictions it is endless to instance in all but take a few instances 1. The Word of God teaches us not only how to bear them but how to improve them as it teaches us how to bear them it breedeth quietness and submission but as it teaches us how to improve them it breedeth peace and joy To bear Micah 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and execute judgment for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his righteousness To improve them Heb. 12. 11. Righteousness brings peace along with it The fruit is better than the deliverance as we get spiritual advantage by them as they promote Repentance purge out Sin bring us home to God They rid us of the matter of our trouble and bring us to the center of our rest 2. The Word teaches to depend upon God for the moderating of them and deliverance from them 1 Cor. 10. 13. Before he giveth a passage out of our pressures he vouchsafeth present support to us and will not permit his servants to be tempted beyond what they are able to bear 3. His people have most experience of God under the Cross they have a more peculiar allowance from God for sufferings than for ordinary services Paul was most strong when weak 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. The greater pressures the more sensible the divine assistance And when ordinary means fail and they are pressed above their own strength the more visible the proof of God's help When they are most apt to have jealousies of God's love they have had the highest manifestations of it never more liberty than in the house of bondage Most of God's smiles when all things seem to frown upon them In short have had more understanding not only of God's Word but his Love 4. God's governing all things for the benefit of his people Rom 8. 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God sure then afflictions Now they submitting and being exercised under sharp dispensations may find it verified to them many things seem for our hurt intendedly many thought so by our selves but God knoweth how to bring good out of them Cant. 4. 16. 4. David saith my delights They that seek their solace and delight in the Word shall find it there It is an excellent frame of heart to be satisfied with the comforts which the Word offereth every one cannot be thus affected to raise this delight 1. Faith is necessary for the comforts of the Word are received and improved by Faith unless we expect the sure accomplishment of God's promises how can we be supported by them Psal. 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living That is without a full assent to the promises which God had made him of his Restauration for he had particular assurance of the Kingdom as we have of the Kingdom of Heaven so for the consent as well as assent to take the happiness contained in the promises as our whole felicity Psal. 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever they are the rejoicing of my heart There is heritage and portion rich enough in God's promises and this breedeth joy in all afflictions 2. Meditation is necessary for thereby the sweetness of the Word is perceived and tasted and the promises laid before us it is the fruit of delight Psal. 1. 2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night And it is the cause of it Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. They who delight in a thing will often view it and consider it and thereby their delight is increased the most lively truths work not on us for want of serious consideration 3. There must be Mortification and Self-denial or prizing spiritual Favors before temporal Benefits The Cross will not be grievous to a mortified spirit when they compare their gain with their loss 2 Cor. 4. 16. To others we speak in vain whose hearts are set upon worldly advantages but they
who value all things in order to the chief good and have weaned their hearts from the false happiness they have their end if they be brought nearer to God though by a bitter and sharp means First Use Is Reproof to four sorts 1. To those that know no comfort but what ariseth from the enjoyments of sense Alas these comforts are dreggy and base and leave a taint upon the soul Iude 19. Again they leave us destitute when we most need comfort Iob 27. 8. When other comforts forsake us and have spent their allowance the comforts of the Word abide with us Again these comforts increase our grief though for a time they seem to mitigate and allay it They are like strong waters that warm the stomach for the present but destroy the true temper and natural heat of it and leave it the colder afterwards they chear us a little but the end of that mirth is heaviness Oh! how much better are the comforts of God's Word which giveth us matter of joy in the saddest condition and do not only save us from desperation in troubles but make us rejoice in tribulation and can bring pleasure to us in our bitterest afflictions there are breasts of consolation for every distressed creature to suck at and be saved 2. It reproves them that think Philosophy as good or a better Institution than Christianity Certainly we should own the wisdom of God by what hand soever it is conveyed to us as Elijah refused not his meat though brought by Ravens But when this is done by men of a profane wit in a contempt of God we must convince them of their dangerous error and mistake and shew how compleat we are in Christ that we be not spoiled by the Rudiments of vain Wisdom or Philosophy Col. 2. 8. Surely God's comforts have greatest authority over the Conscience to silence all our murmurings Psal. 94. 19. Man speaks to us by the evidence of Reason but in Scripture God himself speaks to us and impawneth his Truth with us to do us good they knew not the true cause of trouble sin nor the true remedy Jesus Christ And surely those great mysteries of Christ as Procurer of Comfort the Spirit as the Applier Heaven as the Matter the Word as the Warrant Faith as the Means to receive all these are a more accommodate means to settle the Conscience than those little glimmerings of light which refined nature discovered They speak of submitting out of necessity little of reducing the heart to God and their very Doctrines for comfort were rather a Libel against Providence than a sure ground of peace and tranquility of mind and they taught men to eradicate the affections rather than to govern and quiet them and therefore keep up your Reverence to the Scriptures A Seneca may speak things more neatly and to the gust of carnal fancy but not with greater power and efficacy this is reserved for the Word 3. It reproves them that undervalue the consolations laid down in the Word as if they were but slender empty and unsatisfactory and would have some singular and extraordinary way of getting comfort Iob 15. 11. Are the consolations of God small with thee Is there any secret thing with thee God's ordinary way is the sure way the other layeth us open to a snare therefore they who undervalue the ordinary comforts of the Word obtained in a way of Faith and Repentance and close walking with God as Naaman undervalued the waters of Iordan and would have signs and wonders to comfort them they may long sit in darkness because if God comfort them not in their way they will not be comforted at all Now though God hath sometimes in condescension to his people granted them their desires as to Thomas yet it is with an upbraiding of their weakness and unbelief Iohn 20. 28. We should acquiesce in the common allowance of God's people lest we seem to reflect on the wisdom and goodness of God and lay open our selves to some false consolation and dream of comfort while we affect new means without the compass of the Word especially when we find not our expectations there speedily answered like hasty Patients readier to tamper with every new Medicine they hear of than submit to a regular course of Physick Gregory tells us of a Lady of the Emperor's Court that never ceased importuning of him to seek from God a Revelation from Heaven that she should be saved He answers Rem difficilem inutilem postulas It was a thing difficult and unprofitable difficult for him to obtain unprofitable for her to ask having a surer way by the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1. 19. than Oracles the adhering of the Soul to the promises is the unquestionable way to obtain a sound peace Luther as he confesseth was often tempted to ask a sign of the pardon of his sins or some special Revelation he tells also how strongly he withstood these Temptations Pactum feci cum Domino meo ne mihi mittat visiones vel somnia vel etiam angelos contentus enim sum hoc dono quod habeo Scripturam sanctam quae abunde docet suppeditat omnia quae necessaria sunt tam ad hanc vitam tam ad futuram I indented with the Lord my God that he would never send me dreams and visions I am well contented with the gift of the Scriptures 4. It shews how much they are to blame that are under a Scripture institution and do so little honour it by their patience or comfort under Troubles Wherefore were the great Mysteries of Godliness made known to us and the promises of the world to come and all the directions concerning the subjection of the Soul to God and those blessed priviledges we enjoy by Christ if they all be not able to satisfie and stay your heart and compose it to a quiet submission to God when it is his pleasure to take away his comforts from you Is there no Balm in Gilead Is there no Physician there Will not the whole Word of God yield you a Cordial or a Cure It is a disparagement to the provision Christ hath made for our comfort 1. Surely this comes either from ignorance or forgetfulness you do not meditate in the Word or study the grounds of comfort and remember them Heb. 12. 5. Have you forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children Hagar had a Well of comfort nigh at hand yet ready to dye for thirst 2. You indulge a distemper and the obstinacy and peevishness of grief Ier. 31. 15. A voice was heard in Rama lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her children and refused to be comforted Certainly you do not expostulate with your selves and cite your Passions before the Tribunal of Reason Psal. 42. 5. or else look altogether to the grievance not to the comfort aggravate the grievances extenuate the comforts you pitch too much upon temporal happiness would have God maintain you at your own rate Heb.
for ever I shall illustrate this Proposition by these Considerations 1. That God's Children are sometimes under deadness 2. That in such deadness the Word of God is the onely means to quicken them 3. Though the Word be quick and lively and powerful yet it is God that must bless it that must make it a support to the Soul 4. That whenever we have received these Comforts Quicknings and Supports from him they should ever be recorded and treasured up in the Registers of a thankful memory for the great uses of Christianity I. First God's Children are under deadness sometimes which hapneth to them for many causes 1. By reason of some Sin committed and not repented of or not fully repented of God smites them with deadness and hardness of heart and the spiritual life for awhile is greatly obstructed and impaired that it cannot discover itself and they have not those lively influences of grace as formerly Thus it was with David when he had strayed so greatly from God and begs God not to cast him off Psal. 51. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me As a wound in the body lets out the life blood and the spirits so these grievous sins are as a wound in the soul Sin against the conscience of a renewed man defaceth the work of the holy Spirit so that for a while he seems to be shut out from God's favor and his gracious abilitie are lessened and impaired he is like a wounded man till he be cured and made whole again The Spirit being grieved and resisted withdraws and the strength of the Soul is wasted and therefore be very tender stand in awe not only of greater but smaller sins 2. By reason of some good omitted especially neglect of the means whereby we may be kept alive fresh and lively in God's service Lazy fits of indisposition and omissions of duty do more frequently steal in upon Believers than positive out-breakings and commissions of sin and they are more ready to please themselves in them and lie still under them and so by this means contract much deadness of heart As a Lute that is not play'd upon but hangs by the wall and not used it soon grows out of keller for want of use so if we do not diligently and constantly exercise our selves in godliness our hearts grow dead and vain It is the complaint of the Church Isa. 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee If we do not stir up our selves to keep on a constant commerce with God and respect to God alas deadness creeps upon the heart unawares and we are commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1. 6. To stir up the gift of God which is in us Surely a sloathful servant will soon become an evil servant Mat. 25. 26. Thou evil and sloathful servant Therefore our sinful sluggishness is one cause of our deadness for he that doth not trade with his Talents will necessarily become poor and if we do not continue this holy attendance upon God the heart suffers loss 1 Thess. 5. 19 20. Despise not prophesie quench not the Spirit The coupling of these two things together shews that if we despise Prophesie we quench the Spirit as fire goes out not only by pouring on water but by not stirring and blowing it up To expect help from God when we are sluggish is to tempt Christ and put him still upon a miraculous way to heal and cure our distempers Who will bring bread and meat to a Sluggard's Bed who will not arise to labor for it oâ—… will not rise at least to fetch it Therefore if we will not attend upon God in the means of grace he will not bring us that help comfort and supply that otherwise we might have God worketh but so that we work also 2 Phil. 12. 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh c. God's working is not a ground of laziness but for more strict observance Since all depends upon God therefore take heed you do not offend God and provoke him to suspend his grace We must not lie upon a Bed of ease and cry Christ must do all for this is to abuse the power of grace to laziness It is notable that God bids his people do that which he promiseth to give them Psal. 31. 24. Psal. 27. 14. Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart As if he had said strengthen thine heart and he will strengthen thy heart The courage of Faith is both commanded and promised why God by this would shew how we should shake our selves out of our laziness and idleness that though God gives us grace and power yet he will have us to work as a Father that lifts up his childs arm to a burden and bids him lift it up Usually we complain of deadness with a reflection upon God he quickens the dead and therefore I am dead ay but what hast thou done to quicken thy self for grace was never intended that we might be idle you must complain of your selves as the moral faulty cause God is the efficient cause you do not meditate pray draw life out of the precious promises when the Spouse sleeps and keeps her Bed then Christ withdraws Cant. 5. 6. 3. Another cause is unthankfulness for Benefits received especially spiritual Benefits for God loves to have his grace acknowledged He stops his hand and suspends the influences of his grace when the creature doth not acknowledge his bounty Col. 2. 7. Be stablished and rooted in the faith abounding therein with thanksgiving The way to grow in Faith and get by Faith is to be thankful for what we have received that 's an effectual means both to keep it and to get more Therefore if we be always querulous and do not give thanks for the goodness of God to us for what he hath already vouchsafed to us in Christ no wonder that deadness and discouragement creeps upon our hearts 4. Pride in Gifts for we are told Iam. 4. 6. God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble The Garland we put on our own heads soon withers and those Gifts which we are pusst up with are presently blasted and have deadness upon them for he will teach us to ascribe all to himself 5. Some great and heavy Troubles We read ver 107. of this Psalm I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according unto thy Word O! when we are afflicted sore there 's a deadness upon the heart the spiritual life clogged with what alacrity did they go about good things before but then there 's a damp worldly sorrow deadens the spirit as godly sorrow quickens it and is a means to keep us alive to God 6. Another cause is Carnal liberty or intermedling with worldly vanities So much we may learn from that Prayer Psal. 119. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou
Word yea such an hearty affection as cannot easily be exprest 2. They that love the Word will be meditating therein continually It is my meditation all the day Doct. 1. That God's People have a great love to his Word yea such an hearty affection as cannot easily be exprest I will evidence that by two Considerations 1. The Word deserves this love 2. The Saints are ready to yield it 1. First The Word deserves it in respect of the Author the Matter and the Use in all these respects is the Word of God lovely First For the Author 't is God's Word and they love it for the Author's sake the signification of his mind as a Letter from a beloved Friend is very welcom to us Aristotle in his Rhetoricks mentioning the cause of delight saith thus They that love much when they are speaking of what they love or when they hear any thing of the party beloved or receive any thing from them it is a mighty delight and pleasure to them So it is in this spiritual love the Word is God's Epistle and Love-letter to our souls therefore for his sake it is the more welcome to us And upon this ground God complains of it that when he had written the great things of his Law to a People they were neglected and slighted and counted a strange thing Hos. 8. 12. I have written God is the Author whosoever is the Penman The Scriptures are a writing from him to us Now for us to be strangers to it and little conversant about it argues some contempt of God as to slight a Letter of a Friend shews little esteem of the Writer O the Saints they put it into their bosoms and it gains upon their hearts why it is God's Epistle it is my best Friend's Letter This is certain love God and you love his Law for the Author's sake it will be dear and precious to you Secondly The Saints have such a strong love to the Word of God because of the Matter in it revealed for it hath all the properties of a thing to be beloved 't is true good profound and full of depth and mysteries What would you desire in a doctrine to draw your hearts to it Truth goodness and profoundness of knowledge 1. If certainty of truth will draw love 't is to be found in the holy Scriptures for they are vouched by God himself to be true Psal. 19. 9. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether And the Gospel is called the Word of truth Ephes. 1. 13. After ye had received the Word of truth the Gospel of your salvation And Iohn 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth To improve these places thus Truth is the good of the understanding and without the knowledge of which we can have no tranquility of mind Now of all truths this is the chiefest it is not humane natural or inferior truth but a supreme divine truth ratified by God's authority such as nature could never have found out yea such a truth as carries its own evidence with it and shews how it comes from God and discovers itself to be of God As the Sun is seen by its own beams so the Word of God needs no other testimony than itself to commend its self to the Consciences of Men. Certainly it is such a truth as doth sufficiently evidence itself to be of God all God's works discover their Author and carry about with them their own demonstration not only his greater works upon which he hath imprest most of his wisdom and power but even his lesser works every worm and pile of grass shews who made it To an attentive and discerning eye a Man cannot look upon a Worm or consider a Gnat or any contemptible Creature but he shall see this was made by a wise God God hath left his stamp upon every one of his works and certainly upon his Word much more For he hath magnified his Word above all his Name Psal. 138. 2. There 's a more-clear discovery of the goodness wisdom and power of God than can be in any of his works for upon this he hath laid forth all the riches of his wisdom and goodness Therefore if there be in all creatures and works of God a self-evidencing light to discover their Author and that invisible Godhead and power by which they were made certainly there is somewhat in the Word of God to discover its Author because of this objective evidence which it hath in itself it is more sure than an Oracle or voice from Heaven 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy more sure than what than that voice which he heard from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased This was a confirmation indeed you will think and yet Peter that heard that voice telleth us that comparatively we have greater security from and by the Word of God not more sure in its self but as it is given in evidence to us so we have a more sure Word of prophecy A transient voice is more easily mistaken and forgotten than a standing authentique Record therefore we have a more sure ground to rest upon than ever hath been or can be given to sinners subject to forgetfulness jealousies and mistakes A voice from Heaven speaking to us by name might more easily be suspected to be anothers than the Lord's voice as when God called Samuel he suspected that it was the voice of Eli therefore an Oracle cannot be so sure safe and self-evidencing as this Word of God that he hath commended to us For if God should speak to us still from Heaven how should we be able to distinguish it from delusion or to know it was a voice from God Might not Satan cause a voice to be heard in the Air and deceive us Indeed the holy Men of God that immediately received those Voices and Oracles were certified that it was of God because there was some divine evidence which did accompany the Revelation and if there be the same impressions of God upon the written Word we have as much certainty as they yea more as we view the whole Revelation of God together and more deliberately consider the character and signature of God that is stampt upon it In short the Word when preached by Christ himself in person came in upon the hearts of men chiefly by this self evidencing light therefore it is said of Christ Mat. 7. 29. That he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes His Hearers were convinced of a Sovereign Majesty in his Speech proper to the Divinity of his Person and when the Officers were sent to apprehend him there was such an evidence in his Doctrine that they cryed out Never man spake like this man John 7. 46. And still there is the same evidence in his Doctrine written for the voice could add nothing to it and the writing can take nothing from it The voice is but
practice in order to knowledge saving knowledge is the cause of practice and it is the effect of it Use 1. Learn how much Practice exceeds Speculation and whereby a Man's understanding is to be valued Who is to be accounted a spiritual understanding Man Not he that hath finer Notions but he that is most skilful and ready to every good work Do not content your selves with a few fine Opinions well drest and curiously set forth for all this is nothing to practice It must needs be so for practice is the end of knowledge now the end is always more worthy than the means all the means have their loveliness from their end and all the means have their order and measure from their end that is we must so use the means that we may come to such an end Well then knowledge is worthy for practice sake and only to be sought after in order to practice not to soar aloft but we are to be wise to sobriety nor as wanton fancies such as affect conceits of wit and empty frothy notions all should be suited to practice Use 2. Again I might apply it How ill they do that sever knowledge and a good conscience When the Age grew more knowing they were less moral in Seneca's time as it was so with them so it is with Christianity many times It was the saying of one When I compare former times with ours times of ignorance darkness superstition they had more zeal we have more light where there was less knowledge there was more practice Now we have Notions like a Carbuncle which seems at a distance to be all fire though it is quite cold so we seem to have high floating Notions concerning Godliness the head is stored with these but hearts empty of Grace hands idle less circumspect more careless and loose fruitless in good works It shews us the cause why many that have great dexterity in wit and excellent gifts in other things yet are very stupid and blockish in the things of God There is now a decay of gifts and knowledge why because Professors do not refer all to practice and then ungodliness and less practice provokes the Lord to withdraw the light God punished the Heathens with spiritual blindness because they did not improve their knowledge and we may justly fear it may prove so with us who are all head little heart much in speculations little very little in practical holiness SERMON CVII PSAL. CXIX VER 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I might keep thy Word THE great work of a Fast-day is to put away the evil of our doings as when a Fire is kindled in an house and begins to rage and burn fiercer it concerns those that would stop the fury of it to remove the combustible matter The Fire of God's wrath hath been kindled amongst us and is not yet quenched I suppose none of you doubt your business is to remove the combustible matter to put away your sins this Scripture will be of some use to you to that purpose David had spoken of that wisdom which he had got by the Word of God above Enemies Teachers Ancients it was not such a wisdom as consisted in speculation but practice not only such as did enable him to talk high and set his tongue awork no it was such as did enable him to do things worthy of God as did set his feet awork Our feet are slow and heavy in God's ways but very swift to that which is evil and therefore herein did David's wisdom consist to bridle himself to refrain his feet that he might not run head-long into all manner of evil and not only so but that he might be also more ready to that which is good I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I might keep thy Word Where 1 We have David's practice I have refrained my feet from every evil way 2 His end or motive That I might keep thy Word That he might be exact and punctual with God in a course of obedience 1. In his Practice You may note the seriousness of it I refrained my feet By the feet are meant the affections Eccles. 5. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God Our affections which are the vigorous bent of the soul do engage us to practise therefore fitly resembled by the feet by which we walk to any place that we do desire so that I refrained my feet the meaning is I keep a close and strict hand over my affections that they might not lead me to sin Then you may note the extent of it he doth not only say I refrained from evil but universally from every evil way But how could David say this in truth of heart because of his offence in the matter of Uriah Answ. This was the usual frame and temper of his soul and the course of his life and such kind of assertions concerning the Saints are to be interpreted voce conatu licet non semper eventu This was his errand and drift his purpose and endeavor his usual course though he had his failings 2. What was his Motive and End in this That I might keep thy Word That I might be exact and punctual with God in a course of obedience and adhere to his Word uniformly universally impartially Doct. He that would keep the Word must refrain his feet that is stand at a great distance in heart and practice from all sin For the illustration of the Point observe 1 A Christian must do both he must stand at a distance from sin and he must keep the Word There is a negative and an affirmative part in every Commandment Precepts and Prohibitions we need both the Bridle and the Spur the Bridle to refrain the feet from sin and the Spur to quicken us to walk closely with God according to the direction of his holy Word A simple abstinence from sin without exercising our selves unto godliness will not serve the turn Psal. 34. 15. Depart from evil and do good So Psal. 37. 27. There is a double principle in every renewed man flesh and spirit Gal. 5. 17. and his work is to restrain the one to keep in the flesh that would fain break out and range abroad in unseemly actions and to encourage and put forth the other the Spirit in its necessary operation with vigor and life There 's a double Estate laid before us Heaven and Hell therefore we are not only to forbear sin which is walking to Hell but we must walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing and be fruitful in good works which is our way to Heaven Eph. 2. 10. Forbearing evil and doing good The Pharisees Religion ran upon Negatives I am not an Adulterer an Extortioner c. Luke 18. 28. Many are not vicious rather than godly they keep themselves in a middle lukewarm estate and though they be not defiled with foul sins yet do not set themselves seriously to serve the Lord. 2
first declinings are a cause of all the rest remitting your watch and spiritual fervor by degrees you do not walk with such a strait foot he that looketh to the House to keep it tight and in constant repair prevents the fall of it 2. If through our infirmity we miscarry at any time we must not persist in a wrong course but reclaim speedily not depart wickedly Psal. 18. 21. not lie in the dirt when we have caught a fall There is a departing out of infirmity and a departing wickedly A Candle sucketh light if presently kindled again the longer we lie in our sins the worse the more care and the more speedy the more likely to succeed when there is any breach between us and God not lie in it 2dly As to publick Actions We live in changeable times but it is well that we have a sure Rule this may stablish your hearts if governed by sense and interest with what a gracious face shall we appear to the world Though you meet with troubles for being exact and punctual as to principles of Conscience and many disappointments from God yet in the issue that will be found to be the best course for you and yours Now when you see your duty for which you must consult both with Word and Spirit take heed of two things 1. Unbelief Heb. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God The cause of Apostasie is Unbelief they do not look upon God's directions as judgments Men that look to the present face of things cannot see things to come and so miscarry Hezekiah in the midst of dangers and difficulties was steddy to God 2 Kings 18. 5 6. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel He clave to the Lord and departed not from following him but kept his commandments which the Lord commanded Moses Every duty hath a sanction invested with promises and threatnings therefore as there needeth obedience to make conscience of the precept so faith to believe the sanction which doth enliven the duty and keep our hearts under the awe of it 2. Mortification For till there be an indifferency to all events in temporal things we shall ever be departing and turning off from God sometimes allured out of our obedience sometimes afrighted out of it therefore till dead to worldly accidents and interests we are easily turned out of the way Heb. 12. 13. Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way That which is lame feeble and fearful good men may be carried away thus as Peter Too weak and unconstant are the best of men the least blast of temptation will make them leave off the course of well-doing and without respect had to conscience or credit openly to desert it For fear of man's offence Peter slippeth from his duty fear of losing applause or incurring hatred with men maketh us venture on God's dishonour unmortifi'd lusts make us more tender of our selves than of God Second Point That Divine Teaching causeth Constancy For therefore David saith I departed not for thou hast taught me Here 1. What it is to be taught of God 't is often spoken of in Scripture Isa. 54. 13. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord. John 6. 45. All taught of God Now God teacheth outwardly by his Word but inwardly by his Spirit these two must not be severed Our hearing is necessary Eph. 4. 21. If so be ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Iesus The ordinary means of hearing him preached and set forth in the Gospel and publick Ministry and by that means doth Christ make use of it to teach us by his Spirit so Iohn 6. 45. Heard and learned of the Father it doth not seclude a teaching Ministry in the Gospel but it is said 1 Thes. 4. 9. Ye your selves are taught of God to love one another And 1 Iohn 2. 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him It is a Rhetorical insinuation the Negative to be understood comparatively man 's teaching is nothing to what you have already by the Spirit On the other side much more doth it not exclude the Spirit upon whom the efficacy dependeth God teacheth by men but the effect is from his grace Mark 16. 20. They went forth preaching the Word the Lord working with them 1 Cor. 3. 6. Paul may plant and Apollo water but God giveth the increase The internal efficacy working by external means Docet Spiritus Sanctus sed per verbum saith Ferus docent Apostoli sed per co-operationem Spiritus Sancti God worketh in and by the means 2. Inwardly God teacheth two ways 1. By common Illumination 2. Special Operation 1. Common Illumination barely enlightning the mind to know or understand what he propoundeth by his Messengers so Rom. 1. 20. God shewed it to the Heathen 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 so that they are without excuse But then 2dly By way of special Operation effectually inclining the will to embrace and prosecute duties so known Ier. 31. 33. I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts This way of teaching is always effectual and persuasive now in this sense they are taught of God that they do not only get an ear to hear but an heart to understand learn and practise Secondly Why this teaching is the ground of constancy 1. They that are thus taught of God see things more clearly than others do God is the most excellent Teacher One man seeth a thing by candle-light another by day-light he seeth most clearly that seeth by noon-day The light of the Spirit doth clearly manifest things both Object and Faculty The Unction teacheth us all things 1 Iohn 2. 20. 2 Cor. 3. 18. A distinct clear abiding light Carnal men are blind 2 Pet. 1. 9. How sharp sighted soever in other things yet blind they do not see so as to affect their hearts 2. They know things more surely and with certainty of demonstration whereas others have but dubious conjectures and loose and wavering opinions about the things of God Iohn 6. 69. We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God John 17. 8. Known surely that I came out from thee The many temptations and assaults we meet with need such a certain apprehension 3. This teaching is so efficacious and powerful as that the effect followeth Psal. 86. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth 1 Cor. 2. 4. 'T is a lovely teaching causing us to cleave to what is taught 4. God reneweth this
I am afflicted very sore O Lord quicken me Doct. We must not give over Prayer though our afflictions be never so great and heavy Why because 1. Nothing is too hard for God he hath ways of his own to save and preserve his People when we are at a loss This was the glory of Abraham's Faith that he accounted God was able to raise up Isaac from the dead Heb. 11. 19. difficult cases are fit for God to deal in to shew his Divine Power When means have spent their allowance then is it time to try what God can do Psal. 142. 4 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee O Lord I said Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living When all things fail God faileth not 2. We must still pray Faith must express something above sense or else living by Faith and living by sense cannot be distinguished In desperate cases then is the glory of Faith seen Iob 13. 15. Though he should kill me yet I will trust in him In defiance of all discouragement we should come and profess our dependance upon God Use. To condemn those that despond and give over all treaty with God as soon as any difficulty doth arise whereas this should sharpen Prayer rather than discourage us This is man's temper when troubles are little and small then to neglect God when great then to distrust God A little head-ach will not send us to the Physician nor the scratch of a Pin to the Chyrurgion So if our troubles be little they do not move us to seek after God but we are secure and careless but when our troubles are smart sore and pressing then we are discouraged and give over all hopes so hard a matter is it to bring Man to God to keep an even frame neither to slight the hand of God nor to faint under it as we have direction to avoid both Extremes Heb. 12. 5. to cherish a due sense of our troubles with a regular confidence in God That he prays you have seen Now what he prays for He doth not say deliver me but quicken me Doct. Strength and Support under Afflictions is a great Blessing to be sought from God and acknowledged as a Favor as well as Deliverance 1. You shall see this is promised as a Favor Isa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength That is shall not faint nor be weary but mount up as it were with wings as Eagles they shall have a new supply of grace enabling them to bear and hold out till the deliverance cometh They that wait upon the Lord do not always see the end of their troubles but are quickned comforted and strengthned in them they shall renew their strength 2. This is accepted by the Saints with thanksgiving and valued by them as a special answer of prayer they value it more than temporal deliverance itself many times as 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. Paul prays for the removal of the thorn in the flesh thrice when God only gives him this answer My grace is sufficient for thee saith Paul then I 'll rejoice in mine infirmities so I might have strength and support in grievous weaknesses reproaches and afflictions whatever they be So Psal. 138. 3. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthnedst me with strength in my soul. That 's noted as a special answer of Prayer How did he hear him with strength in my soul. Though he did not give him deliverance he gave him support so that was acknowledged as a very great mercy 3. There are many Cases wherein we cannot expect temporal deliverance then we must only go for quickning and support when by a lingring disease we are drawing down to the chambers of death and our outward strength is clean spent and gone then have we support that 's a great mercy Psal. 73. 26. when strength fail and heart fail God is the strengtâ—… of my heart and portion for ever That is to have his heart quickned by God in the languishing of a mortal disease So 2 Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day There are many troubles that cannot be avoided and therefore we are then to be earnest with God for spiritual strength Use. Well then you see upon what occasion we should go for grace rather than for temporal deliverance we should pray from the new nature not deliver me but quicken me and if the Lord should suspend deliverance why that will be our strength in time of trouble Psal. 37. 39. The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord he is their strength in the time of trouble But more particularly let us take notice of this Request Quicken me saith he Doct. Quickning Grace must be asked of God 1. What is quickning 2. Why asked of God 1 First What is this quickning Quickning in Scripture is put for two things 1. For Regeneration or the first infusion of the life of grace as Ephes. 2. 5. And you that were dead in trespasses and sins hath he quickned That is infused life or making to live a new life 2. It is put for the renewed excitations of God's grace God's breathing upon his own work God that begins life in our souls carries on this life and actuates it Now this kind of quickning is twofold spoken of in this Psalm there is quickning in duties and quickning in afflictions quickning in duties that 's opposite to deadness of spirit quickning in affliction that 's opposite to faintness 1 Quickning in duties that 's opposite to that deadness of spirit which creeps upon us now and then and is occasioned either by our negligence or by our carnal liberty that deadness of spirit that doth hinder the activity of grace 1. By our negligence and sloathfulness in the spiritual life when we do not stir up our selves Isa. 64. 6. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee When Men grow careless and neglectful in their souls An Instrument though never so well in tune yet if hang up and laid by soon grows out of order so when our hearts are neglected when they are not under a constant exercise of grace a deadness creeps upon us Wells are the sweeter for the draining Our graces they are more fresh and lively the more they are kept a work otherwise they lose their vitality A Key rusts that is seldom turned in the Lock and therefore negligence is a cause of this deadness 2 Tim. 1. 6. Stir up the gift that is in thee We must blow up the ashes There needs blowing if we would keep in the fire we grow dead and lukewarm and cold in the spiritual life for want of exercise 2. This deadness is occasioned by carnal liberty Psal. 119. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou me
refuse to run hazard vvith Christ's Sheep shall be cast into Hell-fire for evermore If vve are so tender of suffering vvhat vvill it be to suffer Hell-fire 3. All that we can lose is abundantly made up in the other World Heb. 11. 35. it is said They would not accept deliverance having obtained a better Resurrection There is a Resurrection from death to life when we come out upon ill terms by accepting the Enemies deliverance Ay but there 's a better Resurrection when we come out upon God's terms a Resurrection to life and glory hereafter Violence doth but open the Prison door and let out the Soul that long hath desir'd to be with Christ and therefore we should endure as expecting this better Resurrection 4. Consider upon what slight terms men will put their Lives in their hands for other things and shall we not run hazards for Christ Many venture their Lives for an humor a little vaâ—…n glory to shew a greatness of spirit or they venture their Lives upon Revenges upon 〈◊〉 Punctilio of Honour some will venture their Lives in the Wars for one shilling a day and shall we not carry our Lives in our hands for Christ Scipio boasted of his Souldiers that they lov'd him so as to venture their Lives for him to leap into the Sea and cast themselves down a steep Rock There are none of these but if I spake the word shall go upon a Tower and throw himself down into the Sea if I bid him So Fulgentius his story of those that would obey their Chief whom they call'd Vetus the Old Man of the Mountains if he bid them fall down a steep Rock to shew their Obedience and shall not we venture our Lives for Christ Doct. 2. That when our Souls are continually in our hands no kind of danger should make us warp and turn aside from the direction of God's Word Why 1. A Christian should be above all Temporal Accidents Above carnal grief carnal joy worldly hope worldly fear he should be dead to the World or else he is not throughly acquainted with the virtue of Christ's Cross Gal. 6. 14. 2. God can so restrain the malice of wicked men that though we carry our Lives in our hands we shall be safe enough for all that Prov. 16. 7. When a mans ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him Mark the Lord he can secure you against men when a man pleaseth the Lord but when a man pleaseth men they cannot secure you against the Lord they cannot save you harmless from the wrath of God or answer for you to the Almighty nor give you safety from the terrors of conscience But on the other side many a man by pleasing God finds more safety and comfort in opposing their lusts and the humors of men than in complying with them God's Providence is wonderfully at work for his children when they are reduc'd to these Extremities either he can allay their fury turn in convictions upon their consciences of the righteousness of those whom they molest and trouble as when Saul hunted for David 1 Sam. 24. 17. Thou art more righteous than I. God puts conviction upon him nay sometimes such a fear and reverence that they dare not Mark 6. 20. Herod feared Iohn because he was a strict man Or some check or bridle some contrary interest that God can set up that their hands are wither'd when they are stretched out against them as was Ieroboam's hand and therefore a Christian though his life be in his hand he should not warp why for God can mightily provide for him as to his temporal safety 1 Pet. 3. 13. Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good It is an indefinite Proposition sometimes it will be true let a man follow that which is good who dares harm him there is an awe and he is kept safe though not always 3. We renounced all at our first coming to Christ. Estate Credit Liberty Life it was all laid at Christ's feet if our hearts were really upright with him A man must lay down Self whatever it be else he cannot be Christ's Disciple Mat. 16. 24 Luke 14. 26. This was done in Vow in a time of Peace therefore it must be actually done and made good in a time of Trouble your interests are God's and are only given back to God again your Estate Life and Liberty and Credit all given up why that you may have something of value to esteem as nothing for Christ. 4. Our Sufferings shall be abundantly recompenc'd and made up in the World to come Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed For a man to stand comparing his interest or sufferings here in this World with the glory reveal'd is as foolish a thing as if a man should set a thousand pound weight with a feather So 2 Cor. 4. 17. Our light affliction c. We are often saying If we lose this and that what will become of us what shall we have Mat. 19. 27 28 29. We have left All. A great All they had left for Christ it may be a Net a Fisher boat a Cottage yet he speaks magnificently of it and what shall we have have you shall have enough in the Regeneration you shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel 5. You should not warp though you carry your Lives in your hands because constancy is necessary how necessary for our credit and good name as we are men Do I use lightness saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 17. Men lose their authority and esteem they are not accounted grave serious and weighty when they shift and change and appear with a various face to the World and certainly it is for our comfort for our right to everlasting blessedness is most sensibly clear by constancy in God's cause Phil. 1. 28. I was nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God O! What would a man give for to clear this that he is an Heir of God this is an evident token And it is necessary for the credit of the truth which we profess when we shift turn and wind we bring a dishonor upon it but saith the Apostle Phil. 1. 14. They waxed confident by my bonds this puts heart and courage And it is for the honour of God 1 Pet. 4. 14. On your part he is glorified And John 21. 19. Signifying by what death he should glorifie God Since constancy is so necessary either we should not take up Principles or suffer for them if call'd thereunto Use. Caution to the People of God Take heed you do not forget the Word when you carry your Lives in your hand many of God's People may do so sometimes as when we deny the truth Mat. 26. 72. Peter denied
warnings to us As a Beacon on fire warneth all the Countrey to be in Armes You see what 't is to give way to the beginnings of sin not to be under the blessed Conduct of Gods Spirit Some are notoriously wicked judicially given up to be more visibly under the dominion of sin that others may take warning how they come into that woful slavery Phil. 3. 19 20. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are enemies to the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly who glory in their shame who mind earthly things but our conversation is in Heaven 3. It should make us fly to God for Grace when the whole world lyeth in wickedness Isai. 6. 5. I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips 'T is hard to converse with defiled ones and not be defiled to keep our selves unspotted from the World Psal. 106. 35. They were mingled among the heathen and learned their works The contagion of sin overspreads presently as a man by touching that which was unclean became unclean We easily catch a sickness from others but we cannot convey our health to them Use 2. Teacheth us to keep up our profession even in lesser truths I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things When men would wrangle us out of our Duty we are to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faithful in a little Great matters depend on little things We are tryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 12. by the present truths whether we will owne the ways of God Revel 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord or for the Lord from henceforth yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labour Why from henceforth Why before the sufferings of Christians were from Heathens and professed enemies and they were acknowledged blessed as dying for the Lord. But now when Anti-Christ and false Christians came up they did pretend to be for Christ and friends to him and this might be a discouragement to them in their suffering but saith the Holy Ghost From henceforth blessed are they which dye for the Lord when Pseudo-Christians begin to come up and persecute the heavenly Christians 'T is as blessed a thing to suffer under Pseudo-Christians and Anti-Christianism as it was to suffer under Heathens and Pagans professed enemies to Christianity I speak of this because the Orthodoxy of the world is usually an Age too short In things publickly received 't is easie to be right Christ is forced to gain upon the world by inches A man may acknowledge the Trinity the satisfaction of Christ among Papists but 't is exceeding praise-worthy to owne Christ when others scorn and reject him The world will allow us to esteem the ways of God in some lesser things that are out of Controversie and are not maligned but this esteem must have that extent as becometh the people of God to have an hearty esteem of all the precepts of God and all things contained therein 2. Let me come to his respect to the ways of God and from his respect with the extent I shall observe this Doctrine Doctr. That it becometh the people of God to have a practical heart-engaging esteem of all the precepts of God and all things contained therein Let meshew you what is this esteem the Children of God have for his precepts First There is something implyed and presupposed Secondly Wherein it doth formally consist Thirdly The qualifications of a right and saving esteem of the ways of God First There is something implied and presupposed before we can come to esteem the precepts of God As First Knowledg and a right discerning This is necessary partly that a man may be able to make a distinction between good and evil otherwise he cannot esteem the good and eschew the evil for without knowledg the heart is not good Prov. 19. 2. If we should stumble blindfold upon a good way we are not the more accepted with God nor advantaged in our spiritual Course The clearer our light the warmer our love The more clear and certain apprehension we have of spiritual things our faith is more stedfast love more vehement joy more sound hope more constant patience more sublime our pursuit of true happiness more earnest And partly because a man cannot esteem that which he knoweth not The will being caeca potentia blind in it self followeth the direction and guidance of the understanding The ignorance of the nature and necessity of holiness is the cause of the neglect of it Iohn 4. 10. If thou knewest the gift c. Many condemn good for evil take evil for good boldly rush into sin reject the ways of God for want of knowledge But then 't is spiritual illumination that begets estimation 1 Cor. 2. 14. The truth and worth of spiritual things must be seen by a spiritual eye When the Spirit enlighteneth a man he beginneth to see that which he knew not before to see things in another manner Secondly Advertency or application of the mind to the object or things esteemed that he seriously consider of the matter and what it is best to do it 's not a sudden rash undertaking The Scripture speaketh of applying our hearts to wisdom Psal. 90. 12. and Prov. 2. 2. Apply thy heart to understanding Prov. 23. 12. Apply thine heart to instruction and thines ears to the ways of knowledg Make it your business seriously to consider things that differ But then Secondly Wherein lyes this esteem or wherein doth it formally consist Esteem is an approbation of the will or an hearty love There is the approbation of the understanding and the approbation of the will The approbation of the understanding is a naked sense or an acknowledgment of what is good Rom. 2. 18. Thou knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent There is an excellency in holiness that winneth esteem even there where it is not embraced All convinced men see the evil of sin and are half of the mind to quit it they approve the Law which they violate by a bare naked approbation But then there is the approbation of the heart or will there is love and liking in it and this is called esteem This is seen in two things consent and choice Consent to take this Law for our rule and choice whatever temptation we have to the contrary Men chuse what they highly esteem In short 't is such an approbation as doth engage affection such an affection as doth engage practice Esteem is the fruit of love First There is a consenting to the Law that it is good Rom. 7. 16. There is a difference between assent and consent A man may assent to the truth and goodness of the Law that doth not consent to the goodness of it as the Devils assent to the truth of Gods Being that do not consent to take him for their portion Iames 2. 19.
other Branch And I hate every false way Where we have The Act Hate the Object False way the Extent Every Whatsoever is contrary to the purity of Gods Word Doctr. That 't is a good note of a renewed and obedient heart to hate every false way This will appear from 1. The sorts and kinds of hatred 2. The causes 3. The effects or the comparison of hatred with anger 1. From the sorts and kinds of hatred which are reckoned up to be two First Odium abominationis Secondly Odium inimicitiae First Odium abominationis an hatred of flight and aversation called by some Odiuni offensionis the hatred of offence 'T is defined by Aquinas to be Dissonantia quaedam appetitûs ad id quod apprehenditur ut repugnans c. 'T is a repugnancy of the appetite to what is apprehended as contrary and prejudicial to it Such there is in the will of the regenerate for they apprehend sin as repugnant and contrary to their renewed will to the unregenerate 't is agreeable and suitable as Draff to the appetite of a Swine or Grass and Hay to a Bullock or Horse Now this hatred is a good sign that cannot be found in another that is not born of God The mortification of sin standeth principally in the hatred of it Sin dyeth when it dyeth in the affections When we look upon it as an offence to us destructive to our happiness and as it is truly grieved for and hated by us The unregenerate may hate sin materially considered that is the thing which is a sin but they cannot hate it formally considered as sin under the notion of a sin for then they would hate all sin à quatenus ad omne valet consequentia As for instance thus A covetous man hateth prodigal and riotous Courses not as they are sinful and contrary to Gods Law but as contrary to his humour and covetous will Secondly Odium inimicitiae or the hatred of enmity This enmity is nothing else but a willing of evil or mischief to the thing or person hated and that out of mere displicency dislike or distaste of the person hated This is a sure note the regenerate hate their sins in that they would have them arraigned crucified mortified they would fain see the heart-blood of sin let out therefore they oppose watch against and resist it as their mortal deadly enemy When a man pursues sin would have the life of it this enmity cannot be quiet 't is an active enmity diligent in praying mourning watching striving using all holy means to get it out of our hearts wishing groaning waiting complaining that we may get rid of it Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death They follow their work hard 2. The Causes of this hatred There are three causes of it First Spiritual knowledge and illumination that is one cause of hatred Psal. 119. 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way When the heart is thick set and well fraughted with Divine knowledge a man cannot sin freely Those that are exercised in the word of God find some consideration or other to quicken to the hatred of sin The Word is a proper instrument to destroy sin Psal. 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Ephes. 6. 13. Our affections follow our apprehensions We come to the heart by the mind Ier. 31. 19. After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh In the word of God are the most proper Reasons and Arguments to kill sin Secondly The love of God Psas. 97. 10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil He doth not say forbear it but hate it The cause of hatred is the love of that good unto which the thing or person hated is contrary and repugnant Love to the chiefest good is accompanied with hatred of sin which is the chiefest evil The one is as natural to Grace as the other The new Nature hath its flight and aversation as well as its choice and prosecution to things that are hurtful to it as well as good and profitable Thirnly A filial fear of God Prov. 8. 13. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate Certainly this is to fear God to hate what God hateth and as God hateth and because God hateth Now God hateth all sin pride and arrogancy that is sins of thought which put us upon vain and foolish musings And then the sins of the tongue are expressed by froward mouth Nothing so natural to us as filthy and evil speaking And then the sins of practice the evil way They that fear God will hate all these sins These Graces are Strangers to unrenewed hearts It argueth a Divine Nature when we hate when what and as and because God hates it Eadem velle nolle est summa amicitia 3. A third Argument is from the comparison of hatred with anger Unregenerate men may be angry with sin because anger is consistent with love One may be angry with his Wife Children Friends where yet he tenderly affects First Anger is a sudden and short hatred a lasting and durable passion Anger is furor brevis curable by time hatred incurable by the greatest tract of time The Unregenerate are displeased with their sins for a spurt but the regenerate constantly disaffected towards them There is 1 Iohn 3. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a constant principle of resistance in the renewed heart passion is a casual dislike but the new Nature a rooted enmity an habitual aversation to what is evil Secondly Anger is only against singulars but hatred is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the whole kind Thus we hate every Wolf and every Serpent every Thief and every Calumniator So is this universal it respects sin as sin and hateth all sin though never so profitable and pleasant Not upon foreign and accidental reasons as Esther 3. 16. Haman thought scorn to lay hands upon Mordecai alone but sought the destruction of all the Jews The same reasons that encline us to hate one sin encline us to hate all sin The violation of Gods Law is a contempt of Gods Authority a breach of spiritual friendship one grieveth the spirit of God as well as the other Every sin is hateful to God so 't is to those that are made partakers of the Divine Nature Thirdly Anger may be pacified or appeased with the sufferings of the thing or person with which we are angry but hatred is implacable nothing can content and satisfie it but the ruine or not being of the thing and party hated David was angry with Absolom but loth to have him destroyed only corrected and reduced when he sent out Forces against him Deal gently with the young man So many deal with their sins we reason pray strive complain but 't is but an angry fit we are displeased with
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
of sin If sin but make a motion it is a match presently If ambition bid Absolom rise up against his Father then he will trouble all the Kingdome it will hurry him to run his Father down if envy bid Cain kill his Brother Abel he will not stick at it if covetousness bid Achan take a bribe of that which was devoted to the flames and must be offered as a burnt-Offering to God yet Achan obeys his covetousness if adultery bids Ioseph's Mistress tempt her servant presently she yields So when a sinner yields and is led away like a Fool to the correction of the Stocks Meadow-Ground may in a great Flood be drowned but Marish-Ground is overflown by every return of the Tide so they cannot cease to sin every temptation carries them away When men are impatient of reproof when they have a privy sore they cannot endure should be touched if a man speak to them any thing to help them on to interpret their condition Herod must not have his Herodias touched though he heard Iohn the Baptist gladly in many things Or when men set up a toleration and Court of faculties in their hearts and they will have a dispensation if God will be contented with obedience in some things they will dispense with other things pardon for some sins but not break them off have an indulgence that they may continue in them or in vain practices This shews the reign of sin SERMON CXLIX PSAL. CXIX VER 134. Deliver me from the oppression of man so will I keep thy Precepts IN the former Verse the man of God had begged Grace with respect to internal enemies to the bosome enemy the flesh that no sin might have dominion over him now he beggeth deliverance from external enemies The Saints are not only exercised with their own corruptions but the malice of wicked men We have to do both with sin and Sinners with temptations and persecutions and therefore he desireth first to be kept from sin and after that from danger and trouble first from the dominion of sin and then from the oppression of Sinners both are a trouble to us they were a trouble to David and God can and will in time give us deliverance from both Deliver me from the oppression of man c. In the Text we have 1. A Prayer for mercy 2. A resolution vow and promise of Duty The one is inferred out of the other So will I keep thy precepts 1. A Prayer for mercy Deliver me from the oppression of man In the Hebrew 'tis From the oppression of Adam the name of the first Father for the posterity This term is put either by way of distinction aggravation or diminution First Man by way of distinction There is the oppression and tyranny of the Devil and sin but the Psalmist doth not mean that now Hominum non Daemonum saith Hugo Secondly Man by way of aggravation Homo homini Lupus no Creatures so ravenous and destructive to one another as man 'T is a shame that one man should oppress another Beasts do not usually devour those of the same kind but usually a mans enemies are those of his own houshold Matth. 10. 36. The nearer we are in Bonds of allyance the greater the hatred We are of the same stock and reason should tell every one of us that we should do as we would be done to Nay we are of the same Religion Eodem sanguine Christi glutinati We are cemented together by the blood of Christ which obliges to more brotherly kindness and if we differ in a few things to be sure we have Cords of allyance and relations enough to love one another more than we do But for all this there is the oppression of man Thirdly Man by way of diminution And to lessen the fear of this evil this term Adam is given them to shew their weakness in comparison of God thou art God but they that are so ready and forward to oppress and injure us are but men thou canst easily over-rule their power and break the yoke I think this Consideration chiefest because of other places Psal. 10. 18. Thou wilt judge the fatherless and the oppressed that the man of the earth may no more oppress The Oppressors are but men of the earth a piece of red Clay Earth in his composition Earth in his dissolution frail men that must within a while be laid in the Dust. But 't is more emphatically expressed Isai. 51. 12 13. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye and of the son of man that shall be made as grass and forgettest the Lord thy Maker which hath stretched forth the Heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the Oppressour as if he were ready to destroy And where is now the rage of the Oppressour When thou hast the Immortal and Almighty God to be thy Protector and Saviour shouldest thou be afraid of a weak mortal man that is but Adam a little enlivened Dust within a little while he and all his fury is over and gone 2. The promise of Duty I will keep thy precepts Which is a constant observation of all Gods Commandments if God would interpose for his rescue But did David do well to suspend his obedience upon so uncertain a condition I answer No we must of whom shall I be afraid We can set God against the Creature and thâ—… will quell our fears of them When we set our selves against them our interest against theirs we may see Cause to fear but set God against them and engage him and you have no cause to fear Then Secondly For grief and sorrow It cloggeth the heart and stayeth the Wheels so that we drive on heavily in the spiritual life Worldly sorrow worketh death 2 Cor. 7. 10. It brings on deadness and hardness of heart and quencheth all our vigour Prov. 15. 13. By sorrow of heart the Spirit is broken A dead and heavy heart doth little to the purpose for God Now how shall we get rid of this The Cure is by prayer for vent giveth ease to all our passions Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God As when Wind is gotten into the Caverns of the Earth it causeth terrible Convulsions and Earthquakes till it get a vent so the mind is eased when we can pour out our care into the bosome of God and wait till deliverance cometh from above Prayer sheweth there is some life in our affairs that our right for the present is not dead but sleeps there is a God in Heaven that heareth our groans and is sensible of our sorrows and then we may say Psal. 42. 5. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him c. Prayer is the old refuge of the
for us unless we had some experience of it our selves He tasted of this Cup Matth. 27. 46. And though it be a bitter Cup yet it must go round we must all pledge him in it Conceit will not inform us so much as experience 3. His Justice requires it when we surfeit of our comforts and play the Wantons with them that he should withdraw them We our selves breed the Mist and Clouds which hide from us the shining of Gods favour We raise up those Mountains of transgression that are as a Wall of separation between us and God whence that expression Isai. 59. 2. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you As the Sun dissolves and dispels Mists and Clouds by his bright Beams so God of his free Grace dissolveth these Clouds Isai. 44. 22. I have blotted out thy iniquities as a Cloud and thy transgressions as a thick Cloud Now there are two sins especially which cause God to hide himself First Too free a liberty in carnal pleasures and delights and Secondly Spiritual laziness First Too free a liberty in carnal pleasures and delights When we live according to the Flesh we smart for it these marr our taste and when our affections run out to other comforts we forfeit those which are better Psal. 30. 6 7. When we begin to sleep upon a carnal pillow to compose our selves to rest and lye down and dream golden Dreams of earthly felicity Carnal confidence and carnal complacency make God a stranger to us This carnal complacency hinders a sense of Gods love two ways Meritoriè effectivé Not only meritoriously as it provokes God to withdraw when we set up an Idol in our hearts but also effectively As carnal delights bring on a brawn and deadness upon the heart so that we cannot have a sense of Gods love for that requires a pure delicate Spirit Our tast must be purged resined sensible of spiritual good and evil Now this will never be except the soul be purged from carnal complacency for while there is so strong a relish of the Flesh-Pots of Egypt we are not fit to taste of the hidden Manna but always the more dead the heart is to worldly things the more lively to spiritual sense ever Iude 19. Sensual not having the Spirit i. e. spiritual joyes feelings operations When Solomon withheld not his heart from any joy God left him when he was trying the pleasures of the Creature and went a whoring from God God left him Secondly Spiritual laziness is another cause why God hides his face from his people Cant. 5. 6. compared with ver 2 3. The Spouse neglected to open to Christ upon light and frivolous pretences and then her Beloved had withdrawn himself If we lye down on the Bed of security and grow lazy and negligent then Christ withdraws 4. It is necessary and useful for us sometimes that God should hide his face Cloudy and rainy Days conduce to the fruitfulness of the Earth as well as those that are fair and shining and the Winter hath its use as well as the Summer We are apt to have cheap thoughts of spiritual comforts Iob 15. 11. apt to run riot and to grow neglectful of God and be proud 2 Cor. 12. 7. Paul had his buffettings to keep down his pride We have changes even in our inward man to keep us in the better frame the more watchful diligent and waiting upon God Use. Well if it be so all the use I shall make is To put this Question Is this your Case yea or no There is nothing that conduceth to the safety and comfort of the spiritual life so much as observing God's comings and goings that we may suit our carriage accordingly Our Lord saith Matth. 9. 15. Can the Children of the Bride-Chamber mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them Is God present or is he gone When God is gone not to lay it to heart argues great stupidness You are worse than that Idolater Iudg. 18. 24. He thought he had reason enough for his Laments and Moans when they had taken away his Images his Gods So if God be gone shall we digest and put up such a loss and never mind to lay it to heart Iob complains of this Chap. 29. 3. That the Candle of the Lord did not shine upon his head as it did of old Surely they that have any respect to God any tenderness left in their hearts will be sensible of Gods going On the other side if we get any thing of God his Grace and favour to our hearts it should be matter of joy and consolation to us Rom. 5. 11. We joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement Jesus Christ hath made the atonement but we have received the atonement when we get any thing of the bloud of Christ upon our own Consciences when we have any sense of reconciliation A little Sun-shine inliveneth the poor Creatures the Birds fall a singing that were melancholy and sad before in cloudy Weather they are cheered and comforted when the Sun shines How should we observe the least glympse of Gods favour if he but shew himself through the Lattice Cant. 2. There is nothing keeps Grace lively and freeth us from a dead and stupid formality so much as this But when men are careless and do not observe Gods accesses and recesses hardness of heart encreaseth upon us presently and God loseth that worship and reverence and invocation and praise that is due from us to him Therefore our eye should still wait upon the Lord and as the eyes of servants are on their mistresses Psal. 123. 3. so should our eye be still on Gods hands and observe what he gives out in every Duty or what of God we observe in this or that Ordinance II. The Children of God that are sensible of this cannot be satisfied with this estate but will be praying and always seeking the evidences of his favour and reconciliation Psal. 80. 3 7 19. three times it is repeated Turn us again O Lord of hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved Their great happiness is to be in favour with God They can dispense with other comforts and can want them with a quiet mind let God do his pleasure there but they cannot dispense with this with the want of his favour and manifested good will to them This is the life of their lives the fountain of their comforts this is the Heaven they have upon Earth without which they cannot joy in themselves Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled What are the Reasons of this 1. Because of the value of this priviledg the favour of God is the greatest blessing It may appear in sundry respects Take but that consideration Psal. 63. 3. Thy loving kindness is better than life The favour of God is the life of our souls and his displeasure is our death A Child of
mans holiness consists in loving God therefore his holiness need to be tryed whether it be a sincere love to God Psal. 44. 17. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant There 's a tryal of love A man of strength seeks a fit Adversary to deal withal It is no tryal to a man of strength and courage that he can bear down a Child If we would try our strength fortitude sincerity and courage we had need be exposed to difficulty sometimes as the skill of a Pilot is seen in a Storm and Tempest and a valiant Souldier's in a Battel Verberat nos lacerat nos Iehovah patimur non est saevitia certamen est Sen. Doth the Lord scourge us doth he break us and tear us in all our concernments in pieces bear it it is not cruelty it is a tryal Religion must cost us something else it is worth nothing It will give you no comfort till it be tryed and therefore there 's a necessity that we should be tryed 4. Afflictions have their profit and use and conduce to our good Heb. 12. 11. It yields Grace and comfort to us it is the fruit of righteousness and the peaceable fruit of righteousness that is that righteousness which brings peace Outward troubles occasion an encrease of inward blessings Outward things are but shadows of better If God deny the shadow and give us the substance have we cause to murmure If God do deny the Picture but give the thing it self hath that man cause to complain If we have not abundance yet if we grow rich in faith rich in grace Iames 2. 5. we have no cause to repine against God Though we flow not in ease and plenty yet if we have a full tide of spiritual consolation if we have no respect in the world yet if we have the favour of God we have no reason to complain Levi had no portion among his Brethren but God was his portion So it is here good men have comfort and support at least in all their troubles they may be accounted miserable but they are not so especially if we consider that a great part of their goodness lies in their mortification and contempt of the world So that to a man that is as God would have him to be that which is a misery to others is none to him for his affections are weaned Therefore if we have an encrease of Grace and spiritual comfort we have no reason to quarrel against Gods Providence 5. Good men are but in part good and it is fit their carnal part should be chastised that while there are remainders of sin there should be some trouble that God should burn and cut here that he might spare hereafter that we should be judged of God and not condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. It is better that we should have our troubles than all our consolations here and nothing but Hell and misery in the world to come Use 1. Information If God be righteous then all that comes from him is righteous His word and his works Modus operandi sequitur modum essendi Righteous art thou O Lord and then Upright are thy judgments God acts according to his Being It is true a man may be just and yet all that proceeds from him may not always be just Why He is not essentially just but God being essentially just all that he does or says is just also A mans actions are one thing and his rule another A Carpenter that hath a Line without him may sometimes chop besides his Line but a man whose hand is his own Line can never chop amiss So a mans rule is without him his righteousness is one thing his nature another he may swerve and be just But God's act is his rule his righteousness is himself therefore whatever he does is just and righteous Men may be deceived but God deceiveth none and is deceived by none 1. His Word and every part of his Word is just it is in all things right commanding those things which natural Justice exacteth and forbidding those things which have a natural sinfulness and turpitude in them God is just and all his Judgments are just the way he hath set down for the justifying of Sinners and receiving them are just and righteous Rom. 3. 26. And the way he hath set down for the sanctifying of men to guide men in holiness it is a just Law Rom. 7. 12. The Commandment is holy just and good becoming such a pure nature to give and having nothing of exorbitancy or irregularity 2. The way God hath prescribed for saving such as follow this way of sanctification is just The righteous Judg will give a Crown of righteousness in that day 2 Tim. 4. 8. And the way for punishing such eternally as do despise eternal mercies is just they have received a just recompence of reward especially those that neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. Gods Law flows from his righteous nature and it is a Copy of his righteousness therefore it becometh those that confess God to be righteous to acknowledge his Laws such and to live according to them 3. His works God hath his Judgments for those that do not accept the way of righteousness prescribed by him Psal. 145. 17. The Lord is just in all his ways and holy in all his works We are too busie in interpreting wrongs to others but when it lights upon us we do not acknowledge it Neh. 9. 33. Thou art just in all that is brought upon us c. Nay if thy hand be never so smart upon us Lord thou art righteous in all The only way to suppress murmuring and silence disputes and rebuke the Waves and Winds of discontent that toss the soul to and fro is to remember all Gods ways are just and true God taketh it ill when we question any of his works Are not my ways equal saith the Lord Ezek. 18. 25. When we thus acknowledge the dispensations of God to ourselves we may with profit observe them or others that we may applaud his proceedings Rev. 15. 3. Great and marvellous are thy works just and true are thy ways O King of Saints So Rev. 19. 2. For true and righteous are his judgments for he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the Earth with her fornications There is no hurt done and they are confirmed in his promises and the rule set down in the Scripture not afflicted but on just grounds 'T is good to observe this in all his dispensations Use 2. If God be a righteous God and all his Judgments right this is terrour to wicked men that securely wallow in the pleasures of sin without remorse and trouble Go on in the way of your own hearts give satisfaction to your senses please your eye withhold not your heart from any comfort you delight in but remember for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment As cold water
2. Why all that love the Word they should have this Great and Pure Zeal I. What is true Zeal There is a carnal zeal and there 's a spiritual zeal First The carnal zeal to begin with that is Threefold 1. That which comes from an ill cause and produceth ill effects An ill cause as hatred of mens persons or envy at their Gifts and Excellencies or their success and happiness in the World Iam. 3. 14. If ye have bitter envying in your hearts it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you have bitter zeal in your hearts There is a kind of bitter zeal and malignity at their excellency whether Gifts Graces Rank Dignity in the World And ver 16. he tells us this bitter zeal produceth confusion and every evil work To be consumed and eaten out with envy is little commendable This is not the zeal of the Text With this zeal were the chief Priests filled when they saw that the Gospel came into some reputation and that the people do what they could did haunt and frequent it we read Acts 5. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we render it they were filled with indignation it is in the Greek and in the Margin they were filled with zeal with this bitter zeal malignity envy indignation they would bestir themselves to suppress the growing Gospel by all the means that possibly they could 2. There 's an other sort of carnal zeal which hath an ill Object though it may be a good Cause from whence it proceeds such as an ignorant zeal which proceeds from some love to that which men call Religion but falsly and so the Apostle saith Rom. 10. 2. I bear them witness that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge and such a zeal had Paul when he was a Pharisee he gives us an account of it Gal. 1. 12 14. How that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God being more exceedingly zealous of the Traditions of my Fathers Paul was a man that never acted against his Conscience no not when he was a Pharisee he still acted according to his Light but when he was blinded with Pharasaical prejudices he wasted the Church of God and was exceedingly zealous for a false Religion This is such a zeal as possibly might have a tolerable Cause but it had a bad Object a zeal about the Dictates of a deluded Conscience and this zeal perniciosior est quo flagrantior is the more pernicious the more earnest it is it hath often raised confusions in the Church when men are led with a blind zeal they think for God if they be under then they make divisions if they get a top then they are persecuting and oppressing this is the zeal of a deluded Conscience In short zeal must have a right object otherwise it may be great but cannot be Good Pure and Holy 3. An other false zeal is when it hath no ill Object but it exceeds in the measure and degree and is far beyond the weight of the thing that it is laid out upon this is a superstitious a tristing zeal which runs out to Externals and is altogether employed about lesser things of Religion as the Pharisees Math. 23. 23. That made a great business about a small matter Titheing Mint and Anise and Cummin but neglected weighty Duties Faith Judgment Righteousness and the great things of the Kingdom of God The Apostle tells us Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink in being of this party and that Many all their care and strength of their souls runs out in matters of less importance and keeping up a Party and Faction in Religion we should first make Conscience of principal matters Superstitious scupulosity is always damagefull like those that come into a shop to buy a penny-worth of a Commodity and steal a pounds-worth O! they have a great zeal for lesser things when it runs out mightily about outward things either for that or against that and in the mean time they cherish the World Pride Envy carnal evil Affections that are destructive to and the bane of Godliness Secondly There 's a spiritual holy zeal which we may describe 1. By it's Cause 2. By it's Object 3. By it's Effects 4. By it's Use as to publick Reformation 5. As to it's Use as to Christians private Exercises to carry on the spiritual Life with fervour warmth and vigour 1. I am to speak of the Cause of it The true Cause of holy zeal is Love to God and what belongs to God Zeal is ferventis amoris gradus a higher degree of Love it is the fervor of Divine Charity We should mark still what spirit enflames the zeal that we have Every man is eaten up with one kind of zeal or another The zeal of the World eats up many Ps. 127. 2. They bereave their souls of good and all for a little pelf they work in the Fires they load themselves with thick clay The zeal of the Flesh inflames many they are mad upon carnal delights can let go all considerations so as they may fulfil their lusts they are consumed with these kind of zeales Another spirit should be working in us a zeal for God and that comes from an entire Love to God When the soul doth heartily and earnestly love God above all then there 's a strong desire of promoting Gods glory and interest there should be that spirit which breathes in our zeal and with this zeal should we be eaten up and spent Now they that love God will love all them which belong to God Friends have all things Common so it is between us and God the injuries done to him will be as grievous to us as if they were done to our selves Psal. 69. 9. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me and the glory that comes to them is as acceptable as if some great benefit had come to us Act 15. 3. Declaring the Conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy unto all the Brethren O! this is great joy to a gratious soul when Gods interest thrives in the world O! this is that they would willingly hear spoken of their hearts are upon it when Gods interest stands or falls such an earnest desire of the glory of God which is the highest degree and measure of Love to God! 2. Let us speak of the Object of zeal In three things Gods interest lies in the World viz. His Truth His Worship and His Servants Now it is not enough to have zeal that we do not oppose any of these but they must be tenderly regarded and looked after and we must be affected with these things as we would with our own concernments When wrongs are offered to any of these either to Gods Truth his Worship or his Servants they must go more nearly to our hearts then any personal injuries done to our selves What we cannot remedy we must mourn for All these
satisfieth not And Ioh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat which indureth to everlasting life And partly as it ingageth to Constancy in Obedience for it must last as long as our Rule lasteth You are eternally bound to love God and Fear him and Obey him We must not only begin well or serve him now and then in a good Mood but so love God as to love him for ever so cleave to him as never to depart from him For his Law is an eternal obligation you must never cease your work till you receive your wages and that is when you enter into Eternity Yea much of our work is wages Loving Praising God all Duties that do not imply weakness are a part of our Happiness Thus it hath a greater influence upon our Obedience then we were at first aware of 3. Because it conduceth much to our Comfort The Apostle telleth us that the Comfort of Believers is built upon two immutable grounds therefore 't is so strong Heb. 6. 18. Now this Everlasting Righteousness of Gods Testimonies is a comfort to us 1 In all the changes of Mens Affections towards us sometimes they smile and sometimes they frown but the Promises ever remain the same There is yea and nay with men but not with the Promises they are all yea and amen in Christ. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Times alter and change but the tenour of the Covenant is always the same 2 It Comforts us in the changes of Gods dispensations to us God may change his dispensations yet his purposes of Grace stand firm and are carried on unalterably by various and contrary means We must interpret Providence by the Covenant not the Covenant by Providence We know the meaning of his works best by going into his Sanctuary The World misconstrueth his work and dealing to his Children many times if it be rightly interpreted you will find Gods Righteousness is an Everlasting Righteousness Sometimes Gods Providence is dark but always just Psal. 97. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him Righteousness and Iudgment are the Habitation of his throne Hab. 1. 12. Art not thou from everlasting O Lord my God That was the Prophet's support in those sad times when a Treacherous people were exalted when he was imbrangled and lost about Gods dispensations this was his comfort and support Gods Eternal Immutability in the Covenant He is always the same loveth his People as much as ever as faithful and mindful of his Covenant as ever only a vail of sense covereth our eyes that we cannot see it 3 It Comforts us against the difficulties of Obedience when it groweth Irksome to us The difficulty and trouble is but for a while but we shall everlastingly have the Comfort of it 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Then 't will be no grief of heart to us to have watched prayed striven against sin suffered continued with him notwithstanding all Temptations Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality eternal Life 4 'T is a Comfort in Death We change and are changed but God is always the same the Righteousness of Christ will bear weight for ever Dan. 9. 24. to bring in an everlasting Righteousness The fruits of Obedience last for ever Psal. 112. 7. His Righteousness endureth for ever How Comfortable is this to remember that we may appear before God with this Confidence which he hath wrought in us that the Covenant of Grace is an everlasting Charter that shall never be out of Date nor wax old Use. Let it be thus with us let it be so deeply imprinted upon our Minds that it may leave an Everlastingness there upon the frame of our Spirits for then we are transformed by the Word and cast into the Mould of it Now who are they that have an Everlasting Righteous frame of heart 1. Such as Act out of an everlasting Principle or the new Nature which worketh above the World The Word ingrafted is called an Incorruptible seed or the seed of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. that abideth in us 1 Ioh. 3. 9. when there is a Divine Principle in us such a Principle as is the seed and beginning of Eternal Life when the Word hath rooted it self in our hearts 2. Such as by their constant progress towards an Everlasting estate are going from strength to strength serving God and cleaving to him in a uniform constant Course of Holiness not by fits and starts but unchangeably Act. 24. 16. to have always a Conscience void of offence Again when you are in such an estate wherein you can bear the Trial of those everlasting Rules Gal. 6. 8. He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life Everlasting Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live In short If you have everlasting Ends 2 Cor. 4. 18. While we look not at the things that are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal Not making things Temporal our scope and aim that will not satisfie us when we are deeply possessed with the thoughts of the other World 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have not received the Spirit of the World and look upon all other things by the by and use the World as if we used it not 1 Cor. 7. 29 30. Secondly I come now to the Prayer Give me understanding and I shall live I. Here is the benefit asked Understanding II. The Person asking David Give me III. The Person from whom it is asked from God I. The Benefit asked give me Understanding that is the saving knowledge of Gods Testimonies Doctrine One great request that we have to put up to God should be for the saving knowledge of his Testimonies The Reasons why this should be our great Request to God First The necessity of Understanding that will appear 1. Because of our Ignorance and Folly which is the cause of all our sin Tit. 3. 3. We our selves were sometimes foolish and disobedient Therefore Disobedient because Foolish Every natural man is a Fool blind in spiritual things whatever understanding or quickness of Judgment he hath in other things In all things that relate to God and Heaven Blind and Foolish and cannot see afar off 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh these things is blind And you shall find that sinners are called Fools Prov. 1. 22. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity And scorners delight in scorning and Fools hate knowledge Psal. 75. 4. I said unto the Fools deal not foolishly and to the wicked lift not up the Horn. They follow their own Wit and Will to the
have it so so still the Scripture cryeth down Works and Merits in the Creature in all these gracious influences They all come from Gods Bowels of Compassion to his Creatures labouring under difficulties He loveth to act as a free Agent in giving continuing and actuating the life of his Creatures whether natural or spiritual Yea Lastly any other principle would be against our Profit as well as Gods Glory Our Profit both as to duty and success we should never carry it dutifully to God if we did not acknowledge that all came from Grace Whence cometh impatience murmurings contempt of things afforded but from a secret opinion of our merit and deserving They that prescribe to God ascribe too much to themselves that prescribe to God for time measure 〈◊〉 kind are hasty and murmur under delays and suspensions of Grace And as to 〈◊〉 â—…hout this modest and humble claim God rejecteth the request for he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. Spiritual Pride is the worst of 〈◊〉 The humble supplicant may expect increase of Grace which is denied to othâ—… Psal. 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy Such as fear God and serve him diligently and yet put all their Confidence in his Mercy these are those whom the Lord delights in to keep Communion with them and pour out his Blessings upon them This is enough to shew you 't is an humble modest Plea II. It is a Comfortable Incouraging Argument which that it may appear to you let us Consider 1. The Nature of it 2. The Kinds of it 3. The Proofs and Demonstrations of it 4. The End of it 1. The Nature of it The loving-kindness of God noteth his disposition to do good upon his own motives or his self-inclination to do good to his Creatures especially to his People 2 Sam. 7. 21. According to thine heart hast thou done this His Native willingness to imploy what goodness is in him for the good of his Creatures Now this doth much incourage poor sinners to draw nigh to God for such mercy as they stand in need of Justice giveth what is due but Mercy what is needed Justice seeks a fit Object Mercy and Loving-kindness a fit Occasion His Justice will not hinder his Mercy to be Bountiful 2. The Kinds of it Gods Loving-kindness is twofold General and Special 1 There is a General kindness and good-will from God as Creator to all his Creatures especially to Mankind the effects and fruits of this general kindness flow in the chanel of common Providence So 't is said Psal. 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works God is good to all things to all persons he bestoweth many common Blessings upon the wicked as Natural Life and Being Health and Wealth c. So Psal. 147. 9. He giveth to the beasts his food to the young Ravens which cry To wicked men Matth. 5. 45. Common Blessings do not always argue a good People but they always argue a good God God giveth the Beasts their food in due season Psal. 104. 27 28. Now this is some ground of Hope and so improved Psal. 145. 15 16. if he heareth the cries of the Creatures he will hear the Prayers of the Saints if a Kite much more a Child You see the Lord doth not cast off the care of any living creature which he hath made but hath a constant eye of Providence upon them that their hunger may be satisfied and they may have that sort of good which is fitting for them and that in time and season before they are spent with wants and will he not answer the longings and expectations and cryes of his People and pity their faintings and give that Grace which they so earnestly seek 2 Over and above this common kindness there is a more intire special love and kindness towards Believers in Christ. This may be admired rather than expressed Psal. 36. 7. How excellent is thy loving-kindness O God! This is unto admiration his common kindness his preservation of Man and Beast This is the fruit of his Eternal love Ier. 31. 3. With everlasting love have I loved thee and therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee and this is expressed in blessing them with special and saving Benefits in Christ. The effects of his special kindness do all relate to Life and Godliness and are conveyed to us through the conduit of Christs Merit and Intercession in and by whom he doth fulfil in us all the good pleasure of his goodness 2 Thes. 1. 11 12. Now this special kindness must needs be a mighty incouragement to the Saints to come to him since he loveth them with such a free and special love for all that mercy they stand in need of The former speaketh the goodness of God to all his Creatures this to themselves in particular both together a notable support Yea though we have not yet any experience of the goodness of God yet since there is such a thing as self-inclication in God to do good to his People and besides this a readiness to express his love to all his Creatures more especially to every one without respect of Persons that cometh to him Psal. 86. 5. For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon thee take the cause and you do not know what you may find It may be your portion and lot 3. The Proofs and Demonstrations of this Loving-kindness 1 He hath given evident proof and infallible demonstration of it in Christ 1 Ioh. 4. 12. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world that we might live through him The Cause or first motive was Love his Means was the sending of Christ to be a Propitiation his End Life Spiritual and Eternal This is such a glorious Instance and Manifestation of the Love of God that poor creatures are encouraged to draw nigh to God for such Mercy as they stand in need of 'T is an hidden Love here 's a convincing proof and real demonstration by so glorious an effect and fruit of it 'T was not a well-wishing love only nor a love concealed but manifested and that by a signal proof 2 The Instances of Gods Loving-kindness to others so that according to thy loving-kindness will be according to that Grace and Mercy which thou art wont to shew to others of thy servants All that have had to do with God will assure you that he is a gracious God full of Kindness and Mercy There are examples of it 1 Tim. 1. 16. And Eph. 2. 7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding â—…es of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Iesus Instances of Gods loving-kindness towards others have a peculiar fitness and efficacy to convince us how exceedingly gracious God is and so to
him now you can never reason it out with God it was Iobs Presumption to think that he could order his Cause before him Iob 23. 3 4 5. Oh that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his seat I would order my cause before him and fill my mouth with Arguments I would know the words which he would answer me and understand what he would say unto me No there is no trusting to the equity of our Cause or hope to clear our selves before Gods Judgment-seat we have no way left but submitting and humbling our selves and suing out our pardon in a Broken-hearted manner no way but yielding to the Justice of the first Covenant and putting in the Plea of Favour and Grace according to the second Psal. 130. 3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquity O Lord who can stand but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared If you deny or excuse sin you stick to the first Covenant and plead Innocency and then God will deal with you according to the Tenour of strict Justice but if you humbly confess sin and acknowledge your guiltiness and shame then you may plead Mercy Justice dealeth with the Innocent Mercy with the Guilty We speak now of the first of the strife between Men and Men or the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent who do not only oppress them by Violence but seem to have a Plea against them in Law because of the seeming Justice of their quarrel and the Calumnies and Slaunders wherewith they burden their Cause Therefore David beggeth God to plead his Cause for him and elsewhere that God would stand by him not only as a Champion and Second but as a Patron and Advocate Psal. 35. 1. Plead my cause against them that strive with me fight against them that fight against me as they alledge false things against him and condemn him as being in an evil Cause and evil way so plead my Cause against them that strive with me as they opposed him with Violence so fight against them that fight against me In this Point I. The Nature of Gods pleading our Cause II. The Necessity of it III. What hopes there are that he will plead the Cause of his People I. The Nature of this Pleading would first be explained and here 1. In what Quality God pleadeth for us in all Judicial proceedings there are the principal contending Persons and those are called ultor reus the Plaintiff and Defendant and the manner of proceeding in Judgment is that the Plaintiff bringeth forth his Bill and the Defendant his Answer but besides these principal contending Persons there are the Witnesses the Advocate the Judge Now in some sense God might be all these Testis Advocatus Iudex without any wrong and unjustice Our Witness to attest for us as he knoweth all things and knoweth our hearts for as to such do the Saints often appeal to him Our Advocate to plead for us for he is tender of the credit of his People and hath undertaken to preserve them from the strife of Tongues Psal. 31. 20. Thou shalt hide them in the secreet of thy presence from the pride of Men thou shalt keep them secretly in thy Pavilion from the strife of Tongues As a Judge to give sentence in our behalf or such a Decree whereby the Adversary may be convinced of our righteous cause and our innocency cleared and all this may be called Gods pleading either as Testis Advocatus or Iudex But I rather confine it to the last God's pleading is rather as a Judge not as Advocatus but as Patronus that is a more proper and honourable Name Zonaras tells us that the Romans called their Patrons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it was enacted in the Law of the twelve Tables si Patronus clienti fraudem fecerit sacer esto If any man had deceived his Client he was accursed devoted to slaughter and any man might kill him Clientes quasi colentes Patroni quasi Patres saith Servius So that to deceive a Client was as to deceive a Son This was begun by Romulus who commended the common People and worser sort to the Nobles leaving every Man his liberty to choose whom he would for his Patron and that defence of them was called Patronage and the jus patronatus during this Constitution consisted in these Duties and Offices they were to defend the Poor in Judgment to answer for them in all points of Law they were to take care of them that none might wrong them present or absent they were omnem accusatoris impetum sustinere and this jus patronatus was of such Authority among the Ancients that Marcus Cato telleth us that first the name of Father was most sacred next that of Patron It were long to say all that might be said of them this is enough that their principal work was to be present at all causes wherein their poor Client was concerned and to appear for him and defend him as they would their own cause Advocates were taken in afterward when Laws were multiplied to suggest what was Law they were men skilful in the Law See Halls Lexicon Now thus it is God pleads the cause of his People as their Patron who hath taken them into his Tutelage and Clientship not as Interceder but Defender They have betaken themselves to his Tuition and desire to honour and serve him God will therefore take part with them against their Enemies He doth not only hear pleas and debates on either side but interposeth as the Patron and chief party concerned in the strife and having withal the Power of a Judge will pass Sentence on their behalf and see it executed 2. The manner of Gods pleading it is not a Verbal or Vocal but a Real and Active Plea God pleadeth not by Words but by Deeds by his Judgments and powerful Providence righting the wrongs done to them For since as I said there concur in God the Relations of Iudex and Patronus he maketh the one serviceable to the other as their Patronus he owneth the cause taketh it upon himself as the answerable party and then useth his Judicial power in defence of his People Now the property of a Judge is to pronounce sentence and then to put his sentence in Execution God hath pronounced sentence in his Word and he puts the sentence in Execution in his Providence and that is Gods Pleading Many times there is sententia lata but dilata long ago was sentence past but it is not speedily executed Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence is not speedily executed upon an evil doer therefore do they vaunt and insult over his People as if God had forsaken and disclaimed them and would never more own their cause and quarrel but when God seeth fit to appear and to shew himself in this mixt Relation of Judge and Patron the World will have other thoughts of their Cause and therefore Isa. 3. 13. The Lord standeth up
sweetness in it to Confer together of holy things Rom. 1. 12. That I may be comforted by the mutual faith of you and me Holy discourse doth refresh more than vain and foolish jesting 't is a far sweeter thing to talk of the Word of God and those spiritual and heavenly things which are contained therein than to spend the time in vain and foolish jesting or discoursing about meer Worldly matters should any thing be more delightful to a Christian than Christ and Heaven and the Promises of the World to come and the way that leadeth thither and should it be burdensom to talk of these things which we profess to be our only hope and joy certainly our Relish and Appetite is mightily depraved if we think so judge our-selves in a Prison when we are in good Company who remember God and when they invite you to remember him with them will you frown upon the motion because 't is some check and interruption to your Carnal Vanity 4. The well ordering of our Words is a great point of Christianity and argueth a good degree of Grace He that bridleth his tongue is a perfect man Iam. 3. 2. Death and Life are in the power of the Tongue saith Solomon Prov. 18. 21. upon the good or ill use of it a mans safety doth depend Not only temporal safety but eternal Matth. 12. 37. By thy words shalt thou be justified and by thy words shalt thou be condemned These Evidences are brought into Judgment therefore it concerneth us to see what our Discourses are as well as our actions Solomon often describeth the righteous by his good Tongue Prov. 10. 13. The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom And Prov. 12. 18. The tongue of the wise is health Use. I. Is Reproof It reproveth us for being so dumb and tongue-tyed in holy things We can speak liberally of any subject only we are dumb in spiritual matters which concern our Edification we shew so little Grace in our Conferences because we have so little grace in our hearts Alas many that profess Religion their talk is little different from other mens as if they were ashamed to speak of God or had nothing to say of him and for him I do not alwayes bind you to talk of religious things but sometimes it bindeth Now when is it your Tongues speak of the Word in a serious and affectionate manner Can you love God and never put in a word for him Can you see or hear God dishonoured and suffer your mouths to be sealed up with a sinfull â—…nce that you should not have a word to speak in the cause of God Use. II. Is to Exhort us to be frequent and serious in our discourses of God and spiritual heavenly things For means to help us 1. Divine Illumination to teach others the way of God requireth that we our selves should be taught of God then it cometh the warmer and fresher when we speak not by here-say only but experience as heart answereth to heart so the renewed heart in him that heareth to the renewed heart in him that speaketh and we shew others what God by his illuminating grace hath first shewed us it savoureth of that Spirit that worketh in both he will easily kindle others who is once on fire himself The word passeth through others as water through an empty Trunk without feeling they may speak very good things but they do but personate and act a part but when we have been in the deep waters and God hath bound up our wounds we can more feelingly speak to others 2. A sight of the excellency of the Word and a value and esteem thereof the reason in the Text for all thy Commandments are righteousness We are apt to speak oftenest of those things which we most affect Did not your Souls grow out of relish with these Holy Spiritual and Excellent things your speeches about them would be more frequent lively serious and savoury for we cannot conceal our Affections Our coldness in speaking to others of these spiritual and heavenly things cometh from want of this perswasion that all his commandments are righteousness For they who are perswaded of the excellency of the Word will be talking of the sweetness of its Promises continually 3. A Stock of Spiritual Knowledge Matth. 12. 35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things Every man entertaineth his Guests with such Provisions as he hath 'T is the Word which enableth us to edifie our selves and others with holy Conference the more store the more we have to bring forth upon all occasions Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another A plentiful measure of Gospel Knowledge enableth us to direct and instruct others there all Wisdom is made plain things revealed which cannot be found else-where that which may by long search be found else-where is made ready to our hands and brought down to the meanest Capacity The Heart is the Fountain from whence the Tongue doth run and flow and when the Heart is well furnished the Tongue will be employed and exercised 4. Zeal for the Glory of God and Love to others Souls we should communicate to others what we have learned our selves David would not reserve his knowledge to himself Teach me and my tongue shall speak of thy word Fire turneth all about it into Fire Mules and all Creatures of a Bastard Race do not Procreate Davids Maschil Psal. 32. Title is to instruct others True good is diffusive in itself our Candle enlightened should enlighten others When Philip was called he inviteth Nathaniel to come to Christ Iohn 1. 45. Andrew calleth Simon True Grace sheweth itself in Zeal to promote the Kingdom of Christ and the good of our Neighbours Souls and the new Nature seeketh to multiply the kind and such as are brought to Christ will be careful to invite others 5. Wisdom is necessary Col. 4. 6. Let your speech be alwayes with grace seasoned with salt that you may know how to answer every man that is seasoned with the salt of Holy and Divine Wisdom that it may be savoury and acceptable to the Hearers and both Delight and Edifie Without this Holy Skil and Wisdom how often is Conference turned into Jangling or meer Babling 6. Watchfulness and heed otherwise Corruption will break out in Pride in a vain ostentation of parts Passion in some heat of Words Worldliness and Sensuality in diverting from Holy Conference to that which is Carnal and Worldly Discontent in some unseemly Expressions of Gods dealings with us Indiscretion and Folly in a multitude of impertinent Talk Psal. 141. 3. Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips The Tongue must be watched as well as the Heart all Watching will be to little purpose unless God bridle and direct our Tongue that nothing break out to his Dishonour There must be a constant Guard that nothing
p. 56 402 403. why we must obey without delay p. 402 403. Great Mischief of delays 405. Causes of these delays p. 408 409. Heynousness of the sin of Delaying ibid Delays as well as denials are painful p. 121 Delaying Mercy is not denying mercy p. 167 168 Why God delays Mercy ibid. Delays of God in making good the promises proceed not from Ignorance nor forgetfulness nor mutability nor Impotency p. 324 Delay in helping and delivering discourageth Gods Children p. 549. God may delay so long till 1. The Enemies be proud 2. A land wasted p. 549 Delays of spiritual Mercies sharpen desires p. 912 914 Deliberation in sinning a great Aggravation of sin p. 21 Deliberate sin charg'd on David when many others were omitted p. 739 740 Delight in worldly things as our portion is a main branch of Covetousness p. 254 255 Delight in Gods word what it is why the word is so delightful p. 84 85 95 96 Delight in Gods Word the property of Saints p. 593 885 Delight in Gods Testimonies an evidence that we have made them our Choice p. 741. Trial whether we delight in his Testimonies p. 87 88 89 95. how we are to delight in them p 96. Reasons for delighting in them 96 97. Uses p. 98. Exhortation to it Means to get it p. 98 99 593. It puts us upon prayer for Grace and gives us hope to speed in our prayer p. 244 Delights spiritual and carnal distinguished p. 149 1084 150. Promises to be delighted in before fulfill'd p 10 Delight in Gods Commandements the Causes of it 1. Suitableness 2. Possession 3. A precedent love of the Object p. 885. What is necessary to delighting in Gods Commandements p. 245 Delight its effects 1. Enlarging the heart 2. It causeth thirsting after more p. 886 245 Delight spiritual it's Objects perfect p. 886. Examine whether we have this delight p. 886. 1. By the extent 2. Effects 3. It s perpetuity 4. By comparing these delights with those in sensible things ibid. Delight true only to be had in God p. 386 Deliverance to be sought for in Prayer p. 921 922 It engageth us to Gods Service p. 924 Demerits in the best of Saints p. 839 Deliverance from the power of sin as well as from guilt p. 913 Deliverance when pleaded for we must get 1. Right Principles 2. Right Ends what they are p. 860. It is lawful p. 970 Deliverance will come in due time p. 558 Natural to desire deliverance p. 1083 Deliverances apt to be forgotten when danger is over p. 791 Deliverance two ways p. 737 Denial we are to pray against denials and delays p. 914 Dependancies Carnal God weans his People from them p. 143 645 Dependance on God a condition of those that expect Counsel from him in straights p. 155 769 Dependance on God better than Carnal reaches p. 645 It is a great duty p. 324 1105 Dependance on God never disappointed p. 831 Dependance on God what it implies 1. Committing our selves to his Care 2. Submitting to his Will 3. Waiting his Leisure p. 346 347 Departure from God twofold p. 669. Reasons of it ibid. Desire its proper object Holiness p. 303. how to awaken them p. 309 Desire moderated towards earthly things by considering their Vanity p. 617 Desire of Holiness the Character of Saints and why p. 29 30 901. God will satisfie it ibid. 304 Strong desires a Cause why Saints press after Gods Word p. 901 Desire what it is p. 121 897 303 304 1087. It denotes the absence of the good desired p. 885 897 1087 Desires of the godly and the wicked distinguished-p 30 Unactive desires come to nothing p. 31 Desire of man either 1. after Truth or 2. Immortality p. 623. Several sorts of desires evil p. 305 Desires vehement sweeten enjoyment p. 912 Excellency of vehement desires after spirituals p. 898 901. How to get these desires p. 901 902 Desertion the kinds of it Reasons and Causes of it p. 48 49 925 It is either 1. in appearance or 2 in reality-p 925 Desertion the greatest of sufferings p. 148 Two special sins the Causes of Desertion 1. Too much liberty in Carnal things 2. Laziness in spiritual things p. 925 Design to do good out of Design is evil p. 1076 Despair in our selves not in God p. 29 Despised Christians are despised by Men when brought low by God p 869 Despising Christs little ones a great sin p. 519 520 Despised Saints are highly honoured by God p. 554 870 Despised the common Lot of Saints to be so p. 869 Despisers of Gods Word who they are p. 1001 Despondency an ordinary evil in sharp and tedious Afflictions p. 556 Despondency reproved p. 159 792 Destruction no Creature can desire its own Destruction p. 1095 1096 Determination an Act of the Judgment p. Devil works much on the Concupiscible and Irrascible faculty p. 1031 Devil a great Enemy to us in hearing the Word 1. By Diverting us 2. By raising prejudices 3. By furnishing us with excuses evasions delays c. p. 68 Devil not to be believed p. 411 Vid. Satan Devil seeks to weaken our opinion of Gods goodness p. 440 Devisers of Reproaches and Calumny p. 299. 300 Devices of the Heart of Man p. 759 Devoting our selves to God 1. Entitles us to the Comforts of the Gospel 2. Engages us to all the Duties of it p. 915 Difference of Judgment causeth discord p. 528 Difference between men and men 〈◊〉 free grace p. 647 Difference between the delights of the Godly and the wicked p. 149 Difference between the service of God and all other services p. 850 Different measures in them that are Converted p. 604 Difference made by God in Common judgments p. 805 Difference between good and evil is real p. 939 940 Difference in things call for different affections p. 85 Difference between carnal and regenerate and the regenerate and themselves p. 673 674. 689 Difficulties broken through by the Promises p. 880 Difficulties in Scripture though it be light yet no discoument to us in searching it p. 696 697 Dig a Pit what that expression imports p. 559 Diligence in obeying Gods Commandements required p. 26. Reasons of it p. 26 27 Diligence wherein it lies p. 27 28. 638 Diligence in Prayer makes it a business p. 920 Diligence 1. In observing 2. improving afflictions p. 487 Direction of God general and particular p. 31 Direction literal and effectual p. 32. 841. God must be depended on for Direction Reasons of it 1. The blindness of our minds 2. The forgetfulness of our Memories 3. The obstinacy of our hearts p. 32. 240 Direction 1. For general choise 2. Particular actions p. 692 693 Direction sufficient from Gods Word p. 40 41. 629. 690 691 692 Direction necessary from God to him that would keep in with God p. 152. 240 Direction how to carry our selves till deliverance comes a great mercy p. 842. Why p. 842 843 Direction An act of the Judgment p. 449 Disappointment of Wicked mens
makes wiser then our enemies p. 638. 642 Engagement of the soul to come to God Its usefulness p. 223 Enjoyment and use of a thing how they differ p. 69 Enjoyment of God should be our end and scope p. 573 Enjoyment of God either mediately or immediately p. 71 72 Enlarged heart given 1. At conversion consists in a freedom from guilt and power of sin 2. A particular enlargement given by exciting grace Necessity of an enlarged heart-p 216 217 218 219. Means 220 Enmity of wicked men against the Church p. 882. 729 730. 995 Entertain Gods word How to do it aright p. 887. 888 Entrance of Gods word giveth light how p. 888 889 Envy difference between Envy and VVrath p. 520 Envy strikes at some excellency p. 137. 563 Envy at the prosperity of the wicked checked by the consideration of Gods judgments upon them p. 135 Envy not the comforts of sinners p. 360 Envy makes men undermine others p. 520 Equity the duty should continue whilst we expect Mercy p. 341 Error about Gods word from 1. Presumption 2. Prejudicate opinions 3. A spirit of opposition 4. Carnal affections 5. Superficial apprehensions c. p. 694 695 Error 1. From ignorance 2. Judicial blindness p. 678 679 Error is Natural to us p 184 185. 1101 Error out of frailty or out of pride p. 129 793 Erroneous principles in policy a cause of persecution p. 144 Errors a ground of Apostacy p. 211. 343 Esteem practical of spiritual things p. 677 Vid. Valuation Esteem of the Word motives to get it p. 869. What it is c. p. 872 873 Eternity applyed to keep the soul awake p. 412 All our actions relate to Eternity p. 340 Eternal things to be secured before Temporal p. 403 404 Eternal Salvation longing for it is the duty property of Gods Children p. 1087 Eternal Life makes us willing to submit to Temporal Death p. 1096 Evangelical obedience and legal how they differ p. 11. 15 16 Evangelical obedience accepted it's imperfections pardoned p. 11. 15 16 Events of things confirm the Truth of the Word p. 285 Events of things are not seen do depend on God p. 31 642 Good or bad holy men provided from them p. 643 Everlasting punishment awarded to the despisers of Everlasting mercy p. 874 Everlasting things should be our chief comforts p. 875 Everlasting Covenant p. 875 Everlastingness of Gods Testimonies what it is p. 889 Evidences of Gods favour to be sought earnestly Why p. 920 Evidence of Blessedness Conformity to Gods Law 1. Inclusive all such are blessed 2. Exclusive none but such are blessed p. 6 Evidence of Reason and of the Holy Spirit differ p. 686 Evil speaking very sinful either against Truth or Charity p. 140 141 Whether in any case lawful p. 300 Exact and constant obedience against all temptations Reasons for it p 668 Examples of purity in Gods Word p. 859 Examples are very prevalent especially in evil p. 864 866. 1101 It is no excuse for sinning p. 864 Examples of others fallings a great Temptation p. 790 Example no safe Rule to walk by p. 4. 1075 Examples and instances of Gods goodness should confirm our Faith and Patience p. 912 To take up Religion merely by example no good Ground p. 1075 Excuses for not speedy turning to God vain p. 406 407 Excuses and cavils against keeping Gods Law argue an evil temper p. 1026 Exercise God may exercise his Children with sharp and long afflictions p. 554. 856 God exercises them according to their Reward p. 178 Exercise in Gods Word how p. 151. It encreaseth knowledge and judgment p. 453 Saints are exercised from within and without p. 921 Exceeding great Love to be given to Gods Commandements p. 1048 Expectation its qualifications p. 547 God has more expectations from those that are related especially to him then from others p. 863 Gods people expect deliverance from him 1. What it is to expect it 2. The Reasons for it 3. The singular excellency of it p. 1080 1081 1082. 1083. When it is right p. 1083 Experience of Gods goodness the priviledge of those that walk with him p. 7 Experience of Gods ways a Reason of our desire after them p. 30. 123. It teaches us how ready we are to wander from them p. 61. Reasons thereof p. 61 Experience brings good and sound judgment p. 453 Experience compared with Gods precepts as to getting understanding p. 651 652 Experience of Gods faithfulness in former ages of great use to succeeding ages p. 581. 962 963 Experience proves the good of Obedience p. 789 Experience of Gods grace a great encouragement p. 791 It breeds Confidence p. 166 It is a ground of our valuation of the word p. 492 It begets high thoughts of Gods tender mercies p. 994 External profession and conformity not accepted without the Heart p 236 237 Extremes two extremes we are apt to run into under affliction either to slight or faint under Gods correction p. 884 Two extremes 1. Self-confidence 2. Desperation p. 320 Extremity God permits his people to be reduced to the Extremity of danger p. 944 Reasons 1. To exercise trust 2. To quicken Prayer p. 944 Extremities are to be endured rather then offered against Gods Word p. 733 Eyes the windows whereby sin hath been let in to the Heart proved doctrinally and historically p. 278 279 They are to be watched Great evils from not watching the Eyes p. 279 280 Eye of God an engagement to obedience Reasons p. 1051 1052 Vid. Sight of God It is always on us p. 340 It hath many blessed effects p. 1053 1054 F. FAce of God shining what it implies p. 924 Face of God implies his favour and strength p. 12 Faility of Spirit a Reason of Apostacy p. 213 Fadingness of the World should excite us to look after an Eternal state p. 613 Faculties of the Soul either such as Command or are to obey p. 1103 Failings in the choisest saints p. 11. 17. 1100 1101 1102 p. 336. pardoned to the sincere p. 11. 17. 1106. daily failings and infirmities p. 19. 27 754 How to discern the infirmities of Saints from other men p. 754. 836 How to distinguish them from wilful sins p. 703 When disallow'd they exclude us not from the priviledges of Gods Servants p 846 We must not be too severe upon men failings p. 336 Fainting of Soul from delaying Salvation p. 540 592 Faintings of Spirit 1. Their Nature 2. Causes 3. Kinds described p. 541 542 543. c. Remedies against fainting p. 541 542 c. It s cured by the Word which is 1. A proper 2. An Universal cure p. 183 Fainting argues weakness if not Nullity of grace p. 416 Faintings Twofold 1. Of Dejection 2. Of Defection p. 541 Faith must conquer 1. Our fears 2. Cares 3. Troubles p. 1086 Faith ultimately resolved into Gods Testimonies p. 9 Exprest by terms of motion p. 12 By lifting up the Eyes p. 833 Faiths Excellencies 1. Eminent wisdom in it 2. Nobleness of Spirit it
is to be allotted for immediate Worship p. 1019 Time and things of time lessened by consideration of Eternity p. 570 Time when God will wipe off the Reproach of his people p. 871 Whether it be convenient to have fixed times for Prayer p. 1020 Times bad times discover good Men p. 780 865 God has a time for punishing sinners p. 856 And his time is the best time p. 857 And a short time p. 857 His time is when Impiety is come to the height p. 858 How to be good in bad times p. 865 866 Tongue must not only pray but the Heart p. 903 Trade of sin what p. 17 Tradition of the Church not a sufficient ground for our receiving the Word p. 861 Transitory things not to be sought p. 875 Treading under foot what it implieth p. 793 God treads the wicked under foot why p. 794 Treasâ—…s heavenly beyond these of the earth p. 525 Gods Promises are our Treasures p. 742 Trembling the import of that word p. 808 Trembling at Gods word hinders not our delight in it p. 1003 Trial of Faith and Patience p. 139 538 297 298 God delays to try Faith and Patience p. 325 Trial of Uprightness p. 140 289 Trial of Gods word p. 857 Trials ought not abate our Love to God or his word p. 553 God tries his people before he Crowns them p. 865 One of the ordinary Trials of Gods people is Persecution p. 995 Tribunal of Christ we may appeal thither when unjustly condemned by men p. 38 Sincerity gives confidence to appear before that Tribunal p. 533 Troubles of the Righteous many p. 413 414 When they become Blessings p. 524 158 The word Supports under troubles p. 524 525 The word cures Troubles of heart p. 146 They should drive us to the word p. 526 And to God p. 918 why ibid. p. 1083 God Exercises Churches and Persons with great Troubles p. 882 Truce no Truce to be made with sin p. 339 Trusting in God hath great Benefits annext to it p. 324 God to be trusted upon his naked Word p. 321 325 Trust two grounds of trusting in God 1. Gods Wisdom 2. his Vigilancy p. 563 564. what it is p. 321 322 325 Trusting in outward helps evil p. 918 Arguments to trust in God p. 769 770 324 Gods goodness the life of our Trust in him p. 474 477 Trusting God engages God to secure us p. 822 325 We may plead our trusting God in our Prayers p. 326 Means for trusting in God p. 325 Characters of it p. 326 Truth and Iustice in all Gods Providences p. 39 Truth of Scripture is 1. Certain 2. Profound p. 622 625 Truth is the perfection of the understanding p. 84 Truth must be professed 1. knowingly 2. wisely 3. godly 4. sincerely 5. meekly c. p. 333 334 Truth of Scripture suitable to all our necessities p. 84 Truth of Gods word 1. in making 2. making good his Promises p. 939 940 Truth Relates to some Word of God p. 579 Truth will prevail at last p. 336 What Interest God hath in Truth p. 851 God is Truth p. 830 Truth is to be chosen because there are many crooked and erroneous Paths in the world p. 193 194 Way of Truth 1. to be taken upon good evidence Reasons thereof 206 207 2. we must cleave to it when we have chosen it p. 207 Turning the back upon Gods Counsels what it is who they are that do so p. 154 When a lesser Truth hinders a greater good it ought to be concealed p. 333 Turning to God is the end of considering our ways p. 399 What turning to God is p. 399 400 Type Israel guided by the Pillar of Cloud by day and Pillar of Fire by night a Type of our Conduct by Gods word p. 689 Lamp of the Sanctuary a Type of Gods word burning and shining p. 689 V. VAil upon the understanding fourfold p. 108 Vain-Glory cured by Reproach p. 296 Vanity what meant by it p. 277 Vanity of thoughts appears 1. in their slipperiness 2. Folly 3. Carnality 4. Filthiness p. 758 759 How to be prevented or suppressed p. 762 763 634 cured by Meditation p. 930 vid. Thoughts Valentinian his Zeal against false Worship p. 852 Valuation of Gods word above wealth p. 1062 Value of the word to be judged by the cost that we 〈◊〉 are at for it p. 38 126 Valuation of the word whence p. 492 876 what it is p. 873 874 Motives to value the word p. 869 335 494 Try all whether we value the word p. 869 294 Variety of Gifts and Graces in the Saints and all useful p. 520 527 Variety of Mercies in God meet with the Variety of Necessities in man both in respect of Sin and Misery p. 316 317 Variety of Providences very useful p. 826 Vehemency required in Prayer p. 898 899 921 922 It implies the heart not the voice p. 921 Vigilancy of Providence a ground of trusting in God p. 564 Vigilance in Prayer an Argument we make a business of it p. 920 Vindication of God by his impartial punishing of his own peoples sins p. 810 935 Vindication of Gods love to his people though he afflicts them p. 911 912 980 981 982 935 937 938 Vindicative Iustice of God on sinners p. 935 Visible Church is mixed p. 803 Gods Judgments on the visible Church to make a separation between sincere and hypocritical Professors p. 805 Virtue of Gods word must be expressed in our lives p. 940 in Righteousness and Truth ibid. Unactive Desires come to nothing p. 31 Unbelief sins against Gods Authority and Truth p. 9 It is a cause of delaying Repentance p. 408 Unbelief the cause 1. of coldness in duty 2. boldness in sin p. 286 287 Uncertainty 1. of Life 2. of the means of Grace 3. of the Grace of God accompanying those means p. 404 405 Uncheangeableness of God and his Testimonies p. 889 890 Unchangeableness of Gods Nature argueth the unchangeableness of his Purposes p. 547 Unconstancy of our hearts needs Vows Resolutions Oaths p. 701 708 Undefiled implies not absolute Purity or legal Perfection but Sincerity p. 3 Undefiledness is to be understood according to the tenor of the New Covenant which excludes not Gods mercy p. 5 Undertaking of God more than ours p. 221 Understanding necessary to the keeping Gods Law p. 232 Means to get it p. 234 Understanding Wisdom Counsel how they differ p. 636 Understanding moves the Will and Affections p. 863 685 Motives to get understanding p. 685 Understanding gotten from Gods word v. Knowledge is better than that gotten by long experience p. 651 Undertaking of God for us is sufficient for our security p. 821 221 Undutifulness to Superiors argueth Pride p. 520 Undervaluing Gods word reproved p. 886 887 â—…unded Assent to truth a Reason of Apostacy p. 212 Unseigned desire to return to Duty a note of Sincerity p. â—…106 Uniformity of Obedience to God its Nature p. 5 Uâ—…rm A true Christian is Uniform in all times 〈◊〉 c.
compared with Wealth p. 489 490 491 619 It teaches many excellent Lessons p. 592 593 It deserves Love for the Author Matter Use p. 622 It 's a full Declaration of Gods mind p. 8 153 It 's a certain Declaration of his Mind and Will p. 8 It declares 1. what we must do 2. whether we do it or no 3. what we may expect from God p. 9 It is self-evidencing p. 9 It will excuse or accuse in the day of Judgment p. 6 It 's not only a Direction but an Injunction p. 24 349 It 's a Light by day a Lamp by night p. 687 688 why 689 It s a rule and an Instrument p 53 688 In it we are to consider 1. the Authority 2. the Ministry of it p. 488 892 It 's a Glass to shew us our spots and water to wash them away p. 54 Three main uses of the Word of God p. 491 It 's 1. the Sts. Direction 2. their Support 3. their Charter p. 97 491 619 866 867 It makes rich and happy p. 86 488 489 490 It is an Antidote against sin and a Cordial against sorrow p. 120 151 152 688 359 333 It is Comfort in two Respects p. 688 354 359 It is Bread and Water p. 124 126 How we are to be affected towards the Word p. 620 It is pure in many Respects 1. in it self 2. it makes the Soul pure and that 1. as 't is the appointed Instrument of the spirit 2. as 't is a proper Instrument for Purification 3. as it proposes Precepts Examples and other helps for Purity p. 857 858 It is Righteousness all Righteousness c. p. 1068 It ought to be our Meditation p. 576 It 's a Light proved from 1. the Autâ—…or 2. Instruments 3. the ends of it p. 690 691 It is our Comfort in the day of outward Trouble and inward Anguish It gives these Comforts 1. the Priviledges of the afflicted 2. the blessedness of another World acceptation with God p. 887 619 v. Commandements Believers may humbly challenge God upon his word p. 324 It may be hidden in two Respects 1. in respect of the outward Administration 2. in respect of the inward Influence and Efficacy p. 151 152 It is as good as Gods actual Performance or Deed p. 444 There are wonders in Gods word to be seen when God opens the Eye p. 112 880 881 882 What Gods opening the eyes contributes to the sight of them p. 112 Words idle words weigh heavy in Gods Ballance p. 39 Words are the Female Issue of the Soul Works the Male Issue p. 89 Works Covenants of Grace and Works wherein they agree and wherein they differ p. 906 907 908 909 Word of God upon the Soul may be mentioned before him and pleaded to him in Prayer and how p. 60 61 When God intends to work he sets Prayer on work p. 860 Work of God in what respects and sense ascribed to the Creature and why p. 751 God is always at work for us p. 340 World not our home not to be abused p. 117 It is preserved for the Elects sake p. 859 The spirit of this World p. 572 The spirit of God and the spirit of this World differ p. 478 Love of worldly things two great causes of it 1. A distrust of Gods Care 2. discontent with Gods allowance p. 255 present world p. 1089 Worship false worship severely punished p. 39 Worship of God his Interest therein p. 852 True Zeal appears for purity of Worship and against the corruption of it p. 852 Worship corrupted by Papists p. 205 206 False Worship makes men 1. subtle 2. cruel p. 739 Wounding and healing Gods Praerogative p. 511 Wrath of God They that walk closely with God are discharged from it p. 7 Y. YOkâ—… of Afflictions to be born from the youth p. 883 Young and raw Christians have much Zeal little Knowledge p. 452 Young Christians may have more true Wisdom than aged Persons p. 653 654 Young Men exhorted to beware of evil Company as the Pest and Bane of Youth p. 776 Young men not to be discouraged nor despised p. 654 655 Encouragement to Youth and to those that educate them p. 655 Youth regardless of serious work p. 52 God must be remembred in youth Reasons of it p. 52 53 Youth is tainted with sin p. 52 How a young man may cleanse his ways p. 55 Advantages of remembring God in Youth p. 397 Z. ZEal for false Worship quenches the fire of real Godliness p. 5 It is a high degree of Love It consumes the natural Spirits p. 849 Zeal great and pure becomes those that have any Affection for the ways and word of God p. 650 It is hottest in cold times p. 865 Zeal Spiritual and Carnal their differences Carnal Zeal is faulty in the 1. Cause 2. the Object 3. Measure p. 850 Zeal spiritual described 1. by its Causes 2. Object 3. Effects 4. usefulness to publick Reformation 5. use in private Christian Exercises p. 851 852 Blind Zeal a cause of Persecution p. 144 Iâ—… makes a man a prey for the Devil p. 685 Young Christians have much Zeal but little Knowledge p. 452 Zeal shews it self for purity of worship p. 852 Zeal now is less when there 's more light p. 657 Zion Mourners in Zion and Sinners in Zion p. 929 FINIS
love for that enlargeth the heart but sorrow straitens it and puts it in bonds The word that we translate grief Judg. 10. 16. His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel in the Hebrew it is shortned or lessened A man's mind is lessened when he is under that passion Griefs contract and lessen the soul but joy enlargeth it as Isa. 60. 5. and in this sense it is said Psal. 4. 1. Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress In sorrow the spirits return to comfort and support the heart but in joy they are dilated and scattered abroad and so this is that affection which sends abroad strength and life unto all our actions As this is true of joy and sorrow in common so especially of spiritual joy and spiritual sorrow which are the greatest of the kind no sorrow like that sorrow no joy like that joy therefore nothing more enlargeth the heart When God hides his face when pressing troubles do revive a sense of wrath alas my soul is troubled saith the Psalmist I cannot speak we cannot pour out our hearts to God with that largeness that measure of strength spirit and life as before But now when we can joy in God as those that have received the atonement when we have the comfort of a good conscience the joy in the Holy Ghost this causeth a forward and free obedience and those that could hardly creep before but languisht under the burden of sorrows when cheered and revived with the light of God's countenance they can run and act with vigor and alacrity in Gods service Neh. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is their strength It is as oil to the wheels as wings by which we mount to meet with God Psal. 30. 11. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness It is an allusion to those Eastern Countreys when their garments were girded and tucked up they were more expedite and ready to run so here when thou shalt enlarge my heart then I will run the way of thy commandments when our soul is fill'd with gladness and comfortable apprehensions of the Lord's grace we are carried out to God with greater strength and liveliness 4. We may look upon it as a fruit of love For thus the Apostle doth express his love to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6. 11. O ye Corinthians our mouth is open unto you our heart is enlarged It is love which is the great poise and weight upon the soul that sets all the wheels a going When love is strong the heart is carried out with fervour and earnestness Neh. 4. 6. We built the wall why for the people had a mind to the work then it went on speedily Where we have no affection to a thing the least service is burdensome but when our hearts are for it then the most difficult thing will seem easie Iacob's seven years hard service were sweetned by his love to Rachel Yea duties against the hair as Sechem for Dinah's sake submitted to be circumcised Love sets us a-work strongly Thus the general enlargement is when we are freed from the slavery of sin and bondage of conscience that we may serve God cheerfully and the particular enlargement you may look upon it as a fruit of wisdom and knowledg or of faith or of joy or of love When we have a fruitful understanding a large faith a sweet delight in God and a strong love to him Secondly For the necessity of this that the heart should be enlarged before we can run the way of God's commandments 1. There needs a large heart because the command is exceeding broad Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection but thy commandment is exceeding broad A broad law and a narrow heart will never suit we need love faith knowledg and all to carry us through this work which is of such a vast extent and latitude 2. We need an enlarged heart because of the letts and hindrances within our selves There is lust drawing off from God to sensual objects James 1. 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed Therefore there needs something to poise us to incline us to draw us on to carry us out with strength and life another way to urge us in the service of God Lust sits as a clog upon us it 's a weight of corruption Heb. 12. 1. retarding us in all our flights and motions thwarting opposing breaking the force of spiritual impulsions if not hindering them altogether Gal. 5. 17. Well then lust drawing so strongly one way God needs to draw us more strongly the other way When there is a weight to poise us to worldly and sensual objects we need a strength to carry us on with vigorous and lively motions of soul towards God an earnest bent upon our souls which is this enlargement of heart USE 1. Let us therefore look after this benefit and acknowledg God in it First Ask it often of God God keeps assisting grace in his own hands and disposeth it at pleasure that he may the oftener hear from us The prodigal that had his portion in his own hands went away from his Father and therefore we have but from hand to mouth that we may be daily kept in a dependence and constant course of communion with God It is pleasing to God when we desire him to renew his work to bring forth the actings of grace out of his own seed to blow with his wind with the breath of his spirit upon our gardens that the spices may flow out Cant. 4. 15. But now when we depend upon our selves and neglect God and think to find always a like largeness of heart and a like savouriness of spirit we shall be but like Sampson Judg. 16. 20. When his locks were gone he thought to go forth and shake himself as at other times and wist not that the Lord was departed from him So when our strength is gone and God withdrawn we shall not find a like pregnancy and consistency of thoughts a like readiness and vigor of affections in holy duties but all will be out of order the understanding is lean dry and sapless the heart averse and dead and therefore God will be acknowledged in our enlargements both as to prayer and praise In a way of prayer we should often seek to him and he will be acknowledged in a way of praise likewise Ps. 63. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me If you find any strong actings of faith and love stirr'd up to follow hard after God to pursue him close in holy duties when you feel any of these vigorous and lively motions ascribe it not to your selves but to God's right hand he is to be owned in the work Not I saith the Apostle but the grace of God wrought in me Secondly Avoid the causes of straitning if you would have this enlarged heart What are they 1.
Ignorance and defect of gifts for it is by knowledg all grace comes into the soul Col. 3. 16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly When the understanding is fraught with spiritual treasure when the word of God dwells in us richly then we have upon all occasions to help us we have at home a truth ready and can call it to mind either for suppressing of temptation or encouraging us to duty or for allaying of such a grief speaking comfort under such a cross otherwise we are lean dry and cannot act with that fulness of strength But 2. Another thing that straitens the heart is the love of present things So much as your hearts are enlarged to the flesh so much they are straitned to the spirit 2 Cor. 6. 13. as what the land loseth the sea gains By pleasures and by the cares of the world your hearts are straitned towards God they are overcharged Luk. 21. 34. 3. Sorrow and uncomfortable dejection of spirit through the fears of Gods wrath or by reason of desertion when we have a sense of his wrath and when we can find no effects of his grace God withdraws you have not your wonted influences your wonted answers of prayer Psal. 77. 4. I am so troubled that I cannot speak This locks up the heart and hinders it in the service of God that it cannot so freely come and pour out its soul. 4. Great sins work a shieness of God The faulty child blusheth and is loth to look his father in the face when he hath been doing some offence The Israelites after they had sinned in the matter of the Calf they stood afar off and worshipped every man in his Tent-door You lose your freedom by gross sins 1 Joh. 3. 21. If our hearts condemn us not then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have confidence towards God We may come into God's presence without a self-accusing and condemning conscience You have not this liberty and enlargedness of heart towards God when an accusing conscience pursues you When a man hath lost his peace and comfort he cannot come and tell God all his mind his temptations straits doubts fears 5. Unbelief that 's a cause of straitning when it represents God under an ill notion as terrible Lam. 3. 10. He was unto me as a Bear lying in wait and as a Lyon in secret places Isa. 38. 13. I reckoned till morning that as a lyon so will he break all my bones from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me It fills us with misconceits of God as if he were terrible When one came tremblingly with a Petition to Augustus What! said he art thou giving a sop a bit to an Elephant We disguise the Majesty of God by our unbelieving thoughts we come to him as to a Bear and Lyon that is ready to tear us in pieces and then we cannot have that cheerfulness and delight in his service 6. Pride We are not humbled but puft up when our heart is enlarged and abuse the quickning influences of the Lords grace to feed our pride Psal. 51. 15. Open my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise he doth not say mine own praise then I 'le discover my gifts and shew what I can do but thy praise Many beg quickning and enlargement to set off themselves and ask contributions of heaven to supply the Devil's service or as he that lighted his Lamp at the Altar that he might go and steal with it We would put up self as an Idol in God's stead and have help from God that we might make him serve with our iniquities that we might set off our selves with honour and esteem in the world Therefore God withdraws and withholds his hand These are the causes of straitning USE 2. Let us then see if we have this benefit an enlarged heart which is so necessary for the keeping God's commandments Two things will deceive us Many think they have it when they have it not and many think they have it not when indeed they have it 1. Many think they have it when they have it not Enlargement of gifts differs from enlargement of grace A ready tongue many have that depends upon the temper of the body but not an humble heart They may take pride and complacency in their own gifts and yet not delight in communion with God There are many in the world that have abilities of utterance and some fanatical joys accompanying the exercise of it and yet they have not an unfeigned love to God Such as are enlarged in point of gifts it is many times seen in this that generally in private they are more careless and they are more in expression than in feeling The great deceit and counterfeit of grace is parts and common gifts especially when exercised in holy things in a spiritual way and for the good and edification of others Certainly men have not spiritual enlargement when they still lye under the bondage and dominion of sin and so though they may seem to have particular enlargement in some duties and may be carried on with a great flush of gifts yet they have not a general enlargement the yoke is not broken but still they are the servants of corruption 2. On the other side some think they have it not when indeed they have it why because they are not carried out in the work of God as sometimes they seem to have been with that liveliness and comfort Let me tell you there are necessary aids of grace and there are more liberal aids of grace over and above the necessary If you have the necessary aids of grace you are to acknowledg God hath enlarged your hearts though you have not the larger measure strength and activity in God's service which upon the days of his magnificence and spiritual bounty he is wont to dispense to his people God doth not always continue these dispensations Sometimes we find that Christians outgo themselves and are enlarged beyond the ordinary pitch Let me represent it by a similitude We are not to esteem of a River by its swelling and running over the banks after a mighty long and continued rain but by its constant course nor are we to judg of a Town by the great concourse at a Fair or Market the Town is not every day so fill'd So neither are we to judg of God's assistance by those high tides of comfort or strength of gracious impulses which in the days of spiritual bounty he is wont to give If you are enabled to walk humbly with God though you have not such heighths of affection you should be thankful So much for the first thing the Text offers the blessing asked viz. an enlarged heart SERMON XXXV PSAL. CXIX 32. I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart THE second thing that is offered here is the necessary Precedency of this work on Gods part before there can be any serious bent and motion of heart towards
day of the Lord is near or already begun when the smoke foresheweth the fire is a coming and the Decree ready to break forth these are mourning times 2. The reasons why this is the duty and property of Gods Children they do it out of obedience 't is their duty and they do it out of an innate disposition 't is their property First 'T is their duty because God hath commanded it Now all Gods Commands are equal and full of reason And there is a great deal of reason why God should lay this kind of duty upon the Creature First That it may be an allay to zeal That is an excellent and well-tempered zeal when grief is mixed with anger as it is said of Christ He looked about with anger and was grieved at the hardness of their hearts When we are angry at the sin and mourn for the person and mourn over him Zeal against the sin that shews our love to God and our commiseration of the person that shews our love to man Samuel spared not Saul in his sin yet mourned for him And all the Prophets of God you shall find when they were threatning the people for their sins were grieved lest their threatnings should be accomplished False zeal hath malice and mischief it mourns not for the person because it coveteth his shame and destruction Now it is the great wisdom of God he would have this temper mixed There must be anger for the offence done to God and a grief that our Brother hath offended The world is apt to cry out upon the Children of God as persons peevish and rancorous but this is a rare vindication when they see you as apt to mourn as to chide that all your expostulations with them come rather from Conscience than interest 't is an excellent allay and praise to publick zeal Secondly God would have us mourn for the sins of others to engage us to seek redress and reformation We should soon neglect the duty that we owe to the Age and place where and when we live were it not for this that the want of it would be burthensome to us and the abounding of iniquity will cost us bitter tears upon Gods Command and upon zealous endeavours to get a publick reformation Ezra first mourns bitterly then reforms zealously Ezr. 9. 6 7. I plucked off the hair of my head and rent my garment and said O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee O God for our iniquities are encreased over our head and our trespass is grown up unto the Heavens c. Zealous actions which few practise in their own case yet sins of others you see work an afflictive grief and shame in those that fear God These were the actions of Ezra when he was bewailing the sins of others and this made him so resolute and active in the reformation that is described in the next Chapter Their love begets sorrow and their sorrow care Who would not seek to redress the evil which is burthensom to him Many times the world is angry because we are so clamorous for reformation and repentance You have liberty enough say they and may serve God in your own way and go to Heaven quietly why should you trouble your self about others But can a man that grieveth for the abominations of the times be silent till they be redressed A Christian is troubled about the salvation of others to see so many thousands of souls carried to Hell by Droves and hurried to their own destruction Can pity and remorse behold this without care and endeavours with God and man to get it remedied Certainly the Children of God are not impertinently active and pragmatical Publick reformation is not only a relief to their souls but to their bowels They are troubled therefore thirst and long to see it redressed 2 Cor. 7. 11. Godly sorrow saith he what carefulness it wrought in you He speaketh of their publick Church sorrow Till they mourned they neglected the discipline of the Church and let incest go without censure Oh my Brethren until we mourn for publick Disorders we shall not mourn over one another We think 't is enough to keep our selves free and to make a little Conscience of our own ways Always private sorrow will beget publick care If thou hast wept sore in secret places thou wilt be earnest with God and man to remove the occasion of thy grief Thirdly The Lord requireth this to keep our hearts the more tender and upright 't is an act God useth to make us more careful of our own souls to be troubled at the sins of others at sin in a third person It keepeth us at a great distance from a temptation This is like quenching of fire in a Neighbours house before it comes near us Thou runnest with thy Bucket There is no way to keep us free from the infection so much as mourning The soul will never agree to do that which grieved it self to see another do And as it keepeth us upright so also humble fearful of Divine Judgment tender lest we our selves offend and draw down the wrath of God He that shruggeth when he seeth a Snake creeping upon another will much more be afraid when he cometh near to himself In our own sins we have advantage of Conscience scourging the Soul with remorse and shame In bewailing the sins of others we have only the reasons of duty and obedience They that fight abroad out of love to valour and exploits will certainly fight out of love to their own safety at home So God would have us more abroad more against the sins of others that our hearts may be more set against those sins with which we our selves are apt to be foyled Secondly This is their disposition as well as their duty it must be so and it cannot be otherwise with the Children of God for several reasons First From the tenderness of Gods Glory which is more dear to them than all their own interests A Christian hath a great affection to the Glory of God is very tender of that he cannot endure it should be violated for his heart will even break within him Can a man see an injury done to a person whom he loves and not be troubled Jesus wept for Lazarus because he loved him and they say Behold how he loved him Iohn 11. 36. They that love God can they hear his great name rent with so many blasphemies So many affronts put upon his Grace the Laws of God trampled under foot and not lay it to heart Gods Glory is more dear to them than their own lives They had neither had any standing in Nature nor Grace had it not been for the Glory of God God made all things for himself therefore when the Name of God is violated his Authority despised his Laws broken and set at nought and no more regarded or esteemed than a Ballad or a Song they cannot but express their tenderness and great affection to God
by mourning for this Carnal men are hot in their own cause cold in Gods Gods Children are quite otherwise cold in their own cause and hot in Gods Therefore they are deeply sensible when Gods honour is weakned Moses was the meekest man upon Earth yet he brake the Tables How doth this agree The injuries that were done to himself he could look upon with a meek quiet spirit easily put them up but when he saw the people bring dishonour to the name of God then he hath a high and deep affection They cry out Iosh. 7. 9. Lord what wilt thou do for thy great name So Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory They go to God not to advance our faction and interest we are brought very low yet the wrath of man shall praise thee Thy name is dear and precious they are sorry to see any prophane it God hath abundantly provided for their respect he hath bid all men love them when he bid us love one another So that in effect all the respects of the world are devolved upon one person And they would have all men love God and honour God Secondly It comes from their compassion and pity and love to men O it grieves them to see so many that do not grieve for themselves and their eyes are wet because yours are always dry I tell you weeping saith Paul Phil. 3. 18. Compassion over the miserable estate of such Teachers and those that are led by them they and whole Droves run after fancies that endanger their souls False Teachers and their Proselytes should not only fall under our indignation but our pity They are Monsters in nature that want Bowels much more in Grace Religion doth not harden the heart but mollifie it Jesus Christ was made up of compassion and all Christians partake of Christs spirit Phil. 1. 8. God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Iesus Christ. Pray mark Paul had got some of Christs bowels and let me tell you they were tender ones Compassion towards others and weeping over their sins is somewhat like the love of Jesus Christ. He would take our burthen upon himself when he was not interested so the spirit of Christ worketh in all his Members he hath distributed his bowels among them and therefore they cannot but long for the salvation of others yea their heart is broken and mollified with Christs compassion to them and therefore long for fellows in the same Grace Though they have received personal and private injuries yet they pity their case and mourn for them 'T is matter of humiliation and lamentation 2 Cor. 12. 21. When I come again I fear my God will humble me among you and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already and have not repented of the fornication uncleanness lasciviousness which they have committed It is matter of grief to see so many thousands perish or in a perishing condition Thirdly This disposition cometh from the antipathy and zealous displeasure that is in their hearts against sin They know what sin is the greatest enemy that God and Christ and their own souls have in the world It was sin that made Angels become Devils it was sin that blew up the sparks of Hell fire it was sin that opposed God that crucified Christ it is sin that grieves the Spirit of God and therefore they mourn when sin gets Proselytes A man cannot endure to see a Toad or Viper near him your hearts rise when you see them creep upon another so do the hearts of the Children of God rise that their enemy and Gods should find such respect and entertainment in the world It is said of the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. 2. That she could not bear those which were wicked And David saith Ps. 101. 3. I hate the works of them that turn aside They know this will grieve the spirit of God that this will press him as a Cart is pressed with sheaves and shall God be pressed and burthened and they not troubled It cannot be They that love the Lord will hate evil Psal. 97. 10. both in themselves and others Fourthly This disposition comes out of a sagacity of faith and serious foresight of the effects of sin They know what sin will come to and what is the danger of it therefore when they see sin encreasing Rivers of water run down their eyes Wicked men tremble only at the Judgment of God but good men tremble at his Word and therefore they mourn when others fall into danger of the threatning When Ezra plucked his beard and was in such a zealous indignation against the sins of the people bewailing them before the Lord Ezr. 9. 4. Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel At fasts others are sleight and obdurate they look on threatning as a little mock Thunder they are not sensible of the danger I may set forth this by that allusion 2 Kings 8. 11. The Prophet Elisha wept when he saw Hazael that he looked wishly on his face till he blushed The man of God wept and Hazael said Why weepeth my Lord And he answered Because I know the evil thou wilt do unto the Children of Israel their strong holds wilt thou set on fire and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt dash their Children and rip up their women with child and Hazael said But what is thy servant a Dog c. So when the Children of God look upon sin they know by the complexion of it what will be the dreadful effects This will be bitterness in the issue in time this will produce pestilences famine fire sword and all other mischiefs and judgments and expressions of the angry indignation of the Lord. They foresee a Storm when the Clouds are but a gathering therefore they tremble when they see them This is the sagacity of faith Now carnal men on the other side look upon the threatnings of Scripture but as words of course used as in way of policy that God only would awe and scare them but doth not purpose to condemn them But Faith is sagacious Look as to the promises Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen So as to the threatnings the same evidence of things not seen The Apostle doth not only instance when he had given the general description of the objects of hope for the recompence of reward but he instances in the threatnings Noah being moved with fear prepared an Ark c. They know however men sleight the word of God one day it will be found true and therefore when they see men add sin to sin they are troubled The Word is as sure as execution and works upon them accordingly They have all things in a near view the nearer the objects of our faith are in our view the more they stir up our affections Dangers and death