charity Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be known unto all men whether it be fear or honour that be due Rom. 13. 7. Render therefore to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Or good will ver 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another Secondly For truth You are to adhere to the truth not to be carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love ye may grow up unto him in all things which is the head even Christ Ephes. 4. 14 15. To speak nothing but truth in your ordinary communication Ephes. 4. 25. Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his Neighbour To perform what you promise though to your loss Psal. 15. 4. He sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Thus should the whole course of our lives express the properties of the Word Use 3. To shew the reason why men are so backward in obedience so prone to what is evil so uncomfortable in trouble We do not believe that the testimony of God is righteous and true very true every tittle of it but we are slow of heart to believe therefore is the faithfulness and truth of the Word inculcated Christ saith Believest thou this John 11. 25. Could we believe the word more what advantage should we have in the spiritual life what fear of God what joy of faith what readiness of obedience But we cannot depend upon Gods word and therefore are easily shaken in mind Our hearts are like a Sea one Wave riseth up after another We must be fed with sense and God must do all immediately or else we are apt to sink under our discouragements SERMON CLVI PSALM CXIX VER Cxxxix My zeal hath consumed me because mine Enemies have forgotten thy Words IN these words you may observe 1. Two different persons 2. A different carriage mentioned 1. Two different persons are spoken of David and his Enemies By Enemies is not to be understood those only that were troublesome to himself but those who were an opposite party to God who opposed themselves against God and Godliness these without any breach of the Law of love may be counted Enemies Ps. 139. 21 22. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine Enemies It is a comfort and satisfaction to the godly to have no enemies to themselves but such as are enemies to God also such as rise up against God 2. There 's a different carriage mentioned and asscribed to these two parties on the one side Oblivion and Forgetfulness of Gods Law on the other side zeal 1. On the Enemies part oblivion and forgetfulness of Gods Word The Word of God is not effectual usually but where it is hid in recent memory They have forgotten thy Word a proper phrase to set forth them in the bosom of the visible Church who do not wholly deny and reject the Word and Rule of Scripture but yet live as though they had forgotten it they do not observe it as if God had never spoken any such thing or given them any such Rule They that reject and contemn such things as thy Word enforceth surely do not remember to do them 2. On David's part here is mentioned zeal or a flagrant affection which is set forth 1. By the vehemency of it 2. By the cause of it 1. By the vehemency of it my zeal hath consumed me It was no small zeal that David had but a consuming zeal Vehement affections exhaust and consume the vital Spirits and wast the body The like expression is used Ps. 69. 9. The zeal of thy House hath eaten me up Strength of Holy Affections works many times upon the Body as well as the Soul especially zeal which is a high degree of Love and vents it self by a mixture of grief and anger What a man loves he would have it respected and is grieved when it is dishonoured and under disrepute Both have an influence upon this consuming this wasting of the Spirits that is spoken of in the text because they had lessened and obscured the Glory of God and violated his Law and there was in him a holy care ardour and earnest endeavour to rectifie this abuse and awaken them out of their security and reduce them to their duty 2. Here was the Cause of it Why was David so much wasted pined consumed and troubled Because they have forgotten Thy Word the contempt of God and the offence of God sate nearest his heart as if he had said I should more patiently bear the injury done to my self but I cannot be coldly affected where thy glory O Lord is concerned since I have had a tast of thy grace and felt the benefit of thy Word I cannot endure it should be contemned and it much moves me to see Creatures so mad upon their own Destruction and to make so light of thy Salvation Thus was David consumed not at the sight of his own but at other mens sins and not at others in general but them his enemies that they should make void the Law of God Such was his love to the Word that he could not endure the contempt and violation of it and such was his Compassion to the souls of men that it grieved him exceedingly to see any of the workmanship of God to perish to be captivated to the World to be made Factors for the Devil and fuel for hell fire and to be so violent for their own Destruction Doctrine That Great and Pure Zeal becomes those that have any affection for the Word and for the Ways of God Here is a great zeal for David saith my zeal hath consumed me it prey'd upon his spirit And here 's a pure zeal for he mentions not personal injuries but disrespect to Gods Word when the same men are our Enemies and Gods Enemies we should be more zealous for Gods cause then our own Now both the greatness and purity of his zeal did arise from his love to the Word as appears from the precedent and subsequent verses in the precedent verses he had told them just and upright are thy testimonies and very faithful therefore zeal hath consumed me because this Word should be slighted and contemned And it appears also from the following verse thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it He was troubled to see such a holy and pure Word to be trampled under foot and especially that those seem to disown it he doth not say they deny it who had generally profest to live under this rule that they made light and disregarded the precepts in which I found so much comfort and delight In the prosecution of this point I shall 1. Shew what is true Zeal
nest it is all but the deceit of the heart and usually we find it to be so in the world Most men are better acquainted with other mens duties rather then their own with the Magistrates duties more than their own and so other mens sins more then their own But it is not so where zeal is unfeigned there it begins at home they will allow nothing in their own hearts that may be contraryto Gods interest and to the soveraignty of his spirit 2. Also in perfecting Holiness The whole business of the spiritual Life must be carried on in warmth and vigor Rom. 12. 11. Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seething hot in spirit Nothing done for God should be done negligently but affectionately To be luke-warm and key-cold that makes no work in Religion But when a man hath a great zeal for God O! then he profits and gets ground then sin decays grace is strengthned love is more rooted in his Heart every day and he doth more for God Paul profited in the Jewish Religion Gal. 1. 14. Why Because he was more zealous then others This is the man that will be the honour of Gods Ordinances that man that will shew forth the vertue and power of Religion when his heart grows warm for God and zealous for God II. Why we ought to look after a great and pure zeal if we have any Love to God and the Law of God and his Ways 1. Why a great zeal 1. Because it is not zeal else if it be not in some good degree for zeal is a great fire and a vehement flame not only Love but vehement Love it must needs be great Cant. 8. 6 7. For Love is as strong as death jealousie is cruel as the Grave Zeal is cruel as the grave read it so many waters cannot quench Love c. Mark our love to the ways of God should be of such a nature such a warm and zealous working of heart towards God that many floods cannot quench it that nothing can bribe it Surely the best things deserve the best affections therefore what ever we do in Religion and for God we should do it with all our might Eccl. 9. 10. 2. Otherwise it will not do the work Such as encreaseth with opposition as fire when you put on more fuel it grows more vehement so unless it be a zeal that grows earnest with discouragement alas it will soon be quenched We shall meet with many discouragements from within and without but when we can resolve with David the more they scoffed and opposed him he would be yet more vile 2 Sam. 6. 22. So the more trouble they meet with in the ways of God the more they will cleave to him and will please God though with the displeasure of men True zeal is enflamed with difficulties As Lime the more water they pour on the more it burns as Nehemiah's Courage it sparkled the more the more it was opposed should such a man as I flee Should I betray the Cause of God This is the true zeal when it sparkles by opposition As Paul the more they perswaded him the more he seemed to be bound in spirit to go to Ierusalem Acts 21. 13. Though they did even break his heart they could not break his purpose Such a zeal as is quenched with every drop of water and goes out with every flout and scorn will never do it therefore we had need have a great zeal that we may harden our selves against all oppositions we meet with in the way 2. It needs to be pure too such a fervent affection had need be right for since it makes men so active and resolute certainly it should go upon clear grounds I shewed before nothing hath done more mischief in the world than wild zeal it is like fire out of its place that sets all the House in a flame it doth not comfort and refresh those that have it but it destroys and consumes all But why must we have pure zeal 1. Because there is a false zeal and a self-seeking zeal which men have while they pretend much Love to God and good of souls but are really hunting after their own interest Gal. 4. 17. They zealously affect you but not well yea they would exclude you that ye might affect them that is they sought to rend their affections from Paul and from their faithful Pastors that they might affect them so he tells us Phil. 1. 15. Some indeed preach Christ even of Envy and Strife There may be a zeal that comes meerly out of Envy and Strife Iehu could say come see my zeal for the Lord 2 Kings 10. 16. 2. This false zeal doth a great deal of mischief It 's a dishonour to God to pretend to him and to put the varnish of our Cause upon God God himself is involved in the deceit Ier. 4. 10. It 's a strange expression to be used to God Ah Lord God surely thou hast greatly deceived this People the false Prophets did it in his name And it divides the Church as well as dishonours God Gal. 4. 17. They would exclude you that ye might affect them The meaning is they would rend you from the Body of the Christian Church and alienate the minds of Gods People so as to devote them to a Faction Phil. 1. 16. They preach Christ of Contention not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds And it hardens the Persons themselves as Iehu boasted of his zeal and it was only self-seeking and the Lord counts it Murder Hosea 1. 4. Use. Have we this Pure zeal such a zeal as David speaks of There are many Notes by which it may be discerned as 1. When injuries done to God and Religion affect us more then injuries done personally to our selves when we carry our selves in an indifferency in our own Cause but not in Gods compare Numb 12. 13. with Exod. 32. 19. Moses could with a Meek Spirit bear all the injuries done to himself but could not contain himself when he saw injury done to God but breaks the Tables 2. When the same Enemies are Gods Enemies and ours David was sensible not of the inhumanity of his Enemies but that which most troubled him was because they were Gods Enemies and forsook his words David was not so much troubled at Absaloms Rebellion as dying in his sins 3. When there 's a Compassion mingled with our Zeal Fleshly Anger is all for destruction holy Anger is for Conversion when they grieve and seek to redress the matter 4. True zeal is Universal it is most against their own sins and the sins of those that are nearest and runs out upon weighty things But those that Tithe Mint and Cummin and neglect weighty things they have not true zeal There are many instances of this false disproportionate zeal of a Conscience taken up for a turn when there 's a partial Conscience in some things men are mighty scrupulous and strain at a Gnat
the severe lashes of envy and malice those fiends that haunt all things and persons excellent he must have expected a snarle from the Wolf 's black mouth or a kick from the dull Asse's hoof yet on his behalf I demand this justice that he be not condemn'd for the Printers crimes Their Venial Errors will receive a pardon of course from the Ingenuous Reader and for their mortal transgressions whereof they are sometimes guilty either clouding altering or perverting the scope of the Author enjoin them Gentle Reader a moderate penance and then receive them to full absolution who have voluntarily offered themselves to confession Thus much Christian Reader it was thy interest and mine to have spoken the rest must be to the God of all Grace that he would give thee and this Book his blessing which is the prayer of Decemb. 13th 1680. Thy affectionate Friend and faithful Servant in our Lord Jesus V. A. SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE CXIX PSALM SERMON I. PSAL. CXIX 1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord. THIS Psalm is a choice piece of Scripture In the Hebrew there is much exactness of composure to be observed It is divided into Twenty two parts according to the number of the Hebrew Letters every part containeth eight Verses all beginning with one and the same Letter in which I should think there is nothing of mystery intended only an help to attention and memory I shall go over the several Verses in their order the Lord giving life and assistance And because the same matter will be of frequent recourse I shall endeavour to discuss each Verse in a Sermon The Psalmist beginneth with a description of the way to true Blessedness as Christ began his Sermon on the Mount and as the whole Book of Psalms is elsewhere begun Blessedness is that which we all aim at only we are either ignorant or wretchless of the way that leadeth to it therefore the holy Psalmist would first set us right in the true notion of a blessed man Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord. In the words you have 1. The Priviledg Blessed 2. The manner and form of its consideration not so much in the nature and formality of it as the way that leadeth to it Or First Here is a way spoken of in the general Secondly This way specified The law of the Lord. Thirdly The qualification of the persons sincerity the undefiled and constancy who walk 1. Point That it standeth us much upon to have a true notion of Blessedness and Blessed men David beginneth with that I. All desire it Christians Pagans all agree in this When Paul was dealing with the Heathens he urgeth two notions wherein God might be taken up That of a first Cause Acts 14. 16 17. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness And a chief Good Acts 17. 27. As in the one place there must be a cause of showers of rain and fruitful seasons so in the other there must be an universal Good or else the inclinations of nature were in vain Among Christians the good and bad that do so seldom agree in any thing yet agree in this every man would be happy and not miserable Psal. 4. 6. There be many that say who will shew us any good Good good is the cry of the world it is intended in the very nature of desire for every thing that is desired is desired as good sub ratione boni As God implanted in us affections of aversation to avoid what is evil so affections of choice and pursuit to follow after what is good Well then out of a principle of self-love all would be happy they would have good and they would have it for ever Inanimate creatures are by the guidance and direction of Providence carried to the place of their perfection the bruit Beasts seek the preservation and perfection of that life which they have so do all men hunt about for contentment and satisfaction To ask whether men would be happy or no is to ask whether they love themselves yea or no but whether Holy is another thing II. All without grace are much mistaken in it 1. Some mistake in the end they desire good in common not that which is indeed the true good they seek happiness in Riches Honours Pleasures and so they flye from that which they seek whilst they seek it They intend happiness but chuse misery Luke 16. 25. Thy good things and Psal. 4. 7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and wine increased Their Corn Wine and Oyl not only possessed by them but chosen by them as their felicity and portion 2. They fail in the means they know them not like them not or else faint in the prosecution of the end by them they discern them but weakly as a Spire at a distance they see it so as they know not whether they see it yea or no as the blind man saw men walking as trees The light of nature being so dim they consider them but weakly the mind being diverted by other objects they desire them but weakly the affections being prepossessed and intercepted by things that come next to hand Velleities and cold inclinations they may have but no serious volition or firm bent of heart Or Suppose a man under some conviction both as to the end and means yet his endeavours are very cold and slack they do not pursue it with that earnestness exactness and uniformity of endeavour which is requisite to obtain their happiness They are like Children that seem to desire a thing passionately but are soon out of humour The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing for his hands refuse to labour When true happiness is sufficiently revealed we like it not upon Gods terms Ioh. 6. 34. the Iews when our Saviour told them of the Bread of God that came down from Heaven to give life to the world said unto him Lord evermore give us of this bread But 't is said upon hearing the conditions of obtaining it Verse 66. they murmured went back and walked no more with him All would live for ever but when they must follow a despised Christ up and down the world and incur censures and dangers they like none of that Psal. 106. 24. Yea they despised the pleasant land and believed not his word The Land was a good Land but the way to it was through an howling wilderness When they heard of the strength and stature of the men their fortifications they fell into passion and murmur and gave over the pursuit of Canaan Heaven is a good place but men must get to it with such difficulty therefore they are loth to be at the cost Men would be happy with that kind of happiness which is true happiness but not in
David Psa. 77. 1 c. I cryed unto God with my voice even unto God with my voice and he gave ear unto me In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ran in the night and ceased not my soul refused to be comforted I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Selah Thou holdest mine eyes waking I am so troubled that I cannot speak I have considered the days of old the years of ancient time c. By the sense of Gods wrath he was even wounded to death and the sore running upon him would admit of no plaister Yea the remembrance of God was a trouble to him I remembred God and was troubled What an heavy word was that Soul-troubles are the most pressing-troubles a child of God is as a lost man in such a condition 2. In respect of the heavy weight of outward pressures Thus David fasted and lay all night upon the earth in his childs sickness 2 Sam. 12. 16 17. David therefore besought God for the child and David fasted and went in and lay all night upon the earth And the elders of his house arose and went to him to raise him up from the earth but he would not neither did he eat bread with them And when he was driven from his Palace by Absolom and was in danger of his life every moment which some Interpreters think to be the case intended in the Text when he went up the Mount of Olives bare foot going and weeping 2 Sam. 15. 30. And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet and wept as he went up and had his head covered and he went bare-foot and all the people that was with him covered every man his head and they went up weeping as they went Now the Reasons of this are these 1. To correct them for past sins This was the cause of David's trouble and this puts a sting into all miseries Gods children smart under their sins here in the world as well as others Prov. 11. 31. Behold the righteous shall be recompenced in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner Recompenced in the earth that is punished for his sins Compare with it 1 Pet. 4. 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear God punisheth here that he may spare for ever He giveth some remembrance of the evil and corrects his people not to complete their justification or to make more satisfaction for Gods Justice than Christ hath made yet to promote their sanctification that is to make sin bitter to them and to vindicate the glory of God that he is not partial For these reasons they are even brought to the dust by their own folly 2. To humble them and bring them low in the midst of their great enjoyments therefore he casts them down even to the dust because we cannot keep our hearts low therefore God maketh our condition low This was Paul's case 2 Cor. 1. 7 8 9. And our hope of you is stedfast knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings so shall ye be also of the consolation for we would not brethren have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia that we were pressed out of measure above strength insomuch that we despaired even of life but we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead That is not build too securely on their own sufficiencies 3. To try their graces which are never tryed to the life till we be near the point of death The sincerity of our estate and the strength of faith is not discovered upon the Throne so much as in the dust if we can depend upon God in the hardest condition 4. To awaken the spirit of prayer Out of the depths have I cryed unto thee O Lord Psal. 130. 1. Affliction puts an edge upon our desires They that are flat and careless at other times are oftenest then with God 5. To shew the more of his glory and the riches of his goodness in their recovery Psal. 71. 20 21. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth thou shalt encrease my greatness and comfort me on every side By the greater humiliation God prepareth us for the greater blessings As there are multitude of troubles to humble and try the Saints so his mercies do not come alone but with great plenty USE 1. Let us bless God that we are not put to such great trials How gentle is our exercise compared with David's case We are weak and God will not overburden us There is a great deal of the wisdom and love of God seen in the measure of the Cross and in the nature and kind of it We have no cause to say our belly cleaveth to the dust or that we are pressed above measure God giveth us only a gentle remembrance if brought upon our knees we are not brought upon our faces 2. If this should be our case do not count it strange It is an usual exercise of God's people let us therefore not be offended but approve Gods holy and wise dispensation If there be great troubles there have been great sins or there will be great comforts or for the present there are great graces As such a dispensation is a correction there is reason to approve it If you be laid in the dust have not you laid Gods honour in the dust and trampled his Laws under foot As it is a trial you have cause to approve it for it is but meet that when God hath planted grace in the heart he should prove the strength of it Therefore if you be kept so long in your heavy condition that you seem dead yet if you have faith to keep you alive and patience be exercised 't is for your greater good Rom. 5. 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience And as affliction is an exercise for your benefit and spiritual improvement The husbandman when he teareth and rendeth the ground up with the plow it is to make it more fruitful the longer the metal is in the fire the more pure it cometh forth nay sometimes you have your outward comforts with advantage after troubles as Job 42. 10 11 12. And the Lord turned the captivity of Iob when he prayed for his friends also the Lord gave Iob twice as much as he had before and the Lord blessed the latter end of Iob more than his beginning O! when we are fitted to enjoy comforts we shall have them plenty enough 2d Point That in such great and heavy troubles we should deal with God for help In the dust David calleth to God for quickning The reasons of this why in great troubles we should go to God for help are 1. From the inconvenience of any other course 1. If
you may agree with them I answer In the general certainly the separation of one Christian from another is a great evil which should be carefully avoided and if walls of separation be set up by others yet we must do what in us lies to demolish them They do no service to Christ that make separations needlesly when as much as is possible there should be a union and coalition between Christians Now what shall we say to this Separation from Rome who were in the possession of a Christianity I tell you this Bug-bear needs not fright us out of the good way if we can but clear three things to you 1. That as to the rise it was neither unjust nor unnecessary 2. As to the manner of it it was not made rashly and lightly but as became them that had a serious sense of the Interest of Christ and of his Church in the world 3. As to the continuance of this Separation that if it were made upon good grounds and the same grounds still continue certainly we have no cause to revert and return back the Roman Synagogue not being grown better but much worse since the first breach If all these can be proved there is no reason to complain of our Separation First That this Separation was neither unjust nor unnecessary It is unjust if it be made without a cause it is unnecessary if it be made without a sufficient cause or such a cause as may warrant so great a breach in the Christian world Certain it is that the Schism lyeth not in the Separation but the Cause and so is not chargeable on those that make the Separation but on those that give the cause So that if we would examine whether the Separation be good I think we must examine the causes of it therefore let us a little consider this very thing Certainly the cause was not unjust there was a cause I shall shew that by and by And that it was not unnecessary without a sufficient cause and so no way culpable The business is Whether the Controversies be of such moment as that there should be such a breach among Christians that we and they should keep such a distance I speak only to the sufficiency of the cause the justness we shall see by and by Of what moment soever the Controversies were if the things that are taken to be errors be imposed as a condition of Communion a Christian cannot joyn himself with them Certainly it is no sin to abstain from the communion of any Church upon earth where the conditions of its communion are apparently unlawful and against conscience though it may be the matters in debate be not of great moment I only speak provisionally be they or be they not of moment yet if these be propounded as conditions of its communion for no man is necessitated to sin In some cases it is lawful to withdraw out of a place for fear of danger and infection as if a house or town be infected with the Pestilence it is but a necessary caution to look to our selves be-times and withdraw out of that house or town But now when no men are permitted to tarry but those that are infected with the disease the case is out of dispute the sound must be gone and withdraw from them by all the means they can Now such are the corruptions of Popery and the danger of seducement so manifest that little children are by all means to keep themselves from idols 1 Joh. 5. 21. We should be very cautious and wary of that communion wherein there is so much hazard of salvation if possibly we should keep our selves untainted but when we are bound to the belief practice profession of those errors there needs no more debate a Christian must be gone else he will sin against conscience Now this is the case clearly between them and us Suppose the corruptions were not great nor the errors damnable yet when the profession of them is required and the belief of them as certain truths is imposed we are to endure all manner of extremity rather than yield to them Therefore much more when it is easie to be proved that they are manifest and momentous corruptions Therefore certainly to leave the communion of the Popish Faction is but to return to our union and communion with Christ it can be no fault to leave them that left Christ and the ancient faith and Church The innocent husband that leaves the Adulterous wife is not to be blamed for she had first broken the bonds and violated the rights of the Conjugal relation Or a good Citizen and Soldier are not to be blamed in forsaking their Governour and Captain who first revolted from his allegiance to his Prince I and when he would engage them in the same Rebellion too Secondly As to the management of it or the manner how it was carried on It was not made rashly and lightly without trying all good means and offering to have their complaints debated in a free Council In the mean time continuing in their station and managing the cause of Christ with meek but yet zealous defences until they were driven thence by Antichristian fury for blowing the Trumpet and warning the Church of her danger from that corrupt party until persecuted by censures not only Ecclesiastical but Civil cast out of the Church put to death some for witnessing against others meerly for not owning and practising these corruptions and hunted out from their corners where they were willing to hide and worship God in secret with all rigor and tyranny driven first out of the Church then out of the world by fire and sword unless they would communicate with them in their sin thus were they used So that the Romanist cannot charge the Protestants for Schism for leaving their communion any more than a man that thrusteth another out of dores can be offended at his departure Yea when the Reformed did set up other Churches it was after all hopes of Reformation were lost and defeated And the Princes Magistrates Pastors and people were grown into a multitude and did in great numbers run to the banner which God had display'd because of his Truth and so could not in conscience and spiritual safety live without the means of grace and the benefit of Ordinances and Church-Societies lest they should be scattered as sheep without a shepherd and become a ready prey to Satan And then this Separation which was so necessary was carried on with love and pity and with great distinction between the corruptions from which they separated and the persons from whom they separated and they had the same affection to them and carried it all along just as those that are freed from Turkish slavery and have broke prison and invited the other Christian captives to second them it may be they have not the heart and courage to venture with them though they leave them fast in their enemies chains and will not return to their company they
of a soft Heart which must be asked of God 2 Chron. 34. 27. Because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self when thou heardest the words of the Lord against this place There was an high peace and calm at that time but a tender Heart relenteth at the Threatnings Beg of God to sosten thy Heart 2. There needeth eminent Holiness for such a Frame that we shine as Lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation Phil. 2. 15. The Mourners must not be infected and tainted themselves but save themselves from an untoward Generation condemn the Sins of the Tâ—…es by their Conversation 3. We must have a Fear animated by Faith By Faith Noah was moved by fear concerning things unseen Heb. 11. 7. The danger of the Floud was unseen as yet and they married and gave in Marriage We must not judge of things by the present or by carnal Appearance there is a righteous Judge in Heaven Faith in his Word will shew us our Danger for God's Threatnings are all fulfilled and the more we seek to establish our selves by carnal Means the more our Ruine is hastened 4. There must be a grief set awork by a Love to God and the Souls of Men. In Calamities the true temper for Humiliation is a due Sense of our Fathers Anger and Brethrens Miseries in Sins our Fathers Dishonour and Man's Destruction those who are the same Flesh with our selves Now it should trouble us to see them in the way to eternal Ruine Of some have compassion making a difference And others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted with the flesh Jude 22 23 verses SERMON LX. PSAL. CXIX 54. Thy Statutes have been my Songs in the House of my Pilgrimage DAVID had in the former Verse expressed his great Trouble because of the increase of the Wicked and their Defection from the Law of God Now he sheweth what comforted him the Children of God have a great deal of divine Consolation from the Word in the midst of all their Sorrows and Evils of the present Life David's Comfort is here expressed 1. By the Matter or Object of it thy Stdtutes 2. The Degree of his Rejoycing intimated in the Word Songs The Effect is put for the Cause Joy and Mirth which usually breaketh forth into singing or the sign and indication for the Thing signified 3. The place where he rejoyced in the House of his Pilgrimage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wheresoever I sojourn 1. By God's Statutes is meant his Word in general more especially the Precepts and Promises in the one we have the offer of Life in the other the way and means how to attain it In the Word is both our Charter and our Rule in both regards it is matter of Rejoycing Psal. 19. 8. The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the Soul Nothing is commanded there but what is equitable in it self and profitable to us 2. By Songs a Metonymy of the Effect for the Cause or the Sign for the Thing signified such Pleasure Joy and Contentment as other men had in Songs David had in the Word of God Travellers use to lighten and ease the tediousness of the Way by Songs thy Word doth comfort me wonderfully Or you may take it literally the Themes and Arguments of his singing Profane Spirits must have Songs suitable to their Mirth as their Mirth is carnal so the Songs of carnal Men are obscene filthy and fleshly but an holy Man his Songs suit his Mirth and Joy he rejoyceth in the Lord and therefore his Songs are divine thy Statutes are my Songs Singing of Psalms is a delectable way of Edification which God hath not onely instituted in the Scriptures but Heathens saw an use of it by the light of Nature Aelian lib. 3. nat Hist. cap. 39. telleth us of the Cretians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a spiritual Channel wherein our Mirth may run Iames 5. 13. Is any merry let him sing Psalms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is the Harmony that is a natural Delight the Matter that is a spiritual Comfort I cannot exclude this because it is one way of expressing that Delight which we take in the Word but I prefer the former for David speaketh of the Comfort he took in keeping God's Precepts when they were violated by others 3. In the House of my Pilgrimage you may take it literally for the time of David's Exile when banished by Saul or driven from his Palace by Absalom when he fled from place to place and wandred up and down in great distress then God's Statutes by which his Life was directed Innocency vindicated Hopes confirmed both of present Support and seasonable deliverance were as Songs to him his real and cordial Solaces Wheresoever the Believer is or whatsoever his Case and Condition be he hath still matter of Rejoycing in the Word of God So had David when he was exposed to continual Wandrings without any fixed Habitation Indeed the Children of God in Babylon say Psal. 137. 4. How shall we sing the Lord's Song in a strange Land The meaning is not to exclude their own spiritual Delight and Solace but they would not gratify the carnal Pleasure of the Enemies with a Temple-song or subject Religion to their sportive fancies and humours Rather Metaphorically for the whole Course of his Life whether spent in the Palace or in the Wilderness in whatsoever place he was he was still in the House of his Pilgrimage so he accounted his best and his worst Condition compare verse 19. I am a Stranger in the Earth and Psal. 39. 12. I am a stranger with thee and a Sojourner as all my Fathers were with 1 Chron. 29. 15. We are Strangers before thee and Sojourners as were all our Fathers Not onely when hunted like a Partridge upon the Mountains but also when he was at Rest and able to offer so vast a quantity of Treasure for the building of the House of God Two Points are observable 1 Doct. That the Godly count this World and their whole Estate therein the House of their Pilgrimage 2 Doct. That during this Estate and the Inconveniencies thereof they find matter of Rejoycing in the Word of God 1 Doct. That the Godly count this World and their whole Estate therein the House of their Pilgrimage I shall not handle this Doctrine in its full Latitude having spoken largely thereof in the 19 Verse onely now a few Considerations 1. Here is no fixed Abode there where we live longest we count our home and dwelling not an Inn which we take up in our passage but the place of our constant Residence in this World We are onely in Passage and so should consider it Heb. 3. 14. Here we have no abiding City but we look for one to come whose builder and maker is God Here we stay but a little while passing through to a better Country The Mortality of the Body and the Immortality of the Soul
's the reality Matth. 22. 7. They which were invited to the Wedding varnished their denial over with an excuse Delay is a denial for if they were willing there would be no excuse To be ridd of importunate and troublesome Creditors we promise them payment another time and we know our Estate will be more wasted by that time it is but to put them off So this delay and putting off God is but a shift Here 's the misery God always comes unseasonably to a carnal heart It was the Devils that said Matth. 8. 29. Art thou come to torment us before our time Good things are a torment to a carnal heart and they always come out of time Certainly that 's the best time when the word is prest upon the heart with evidence light and power and when God treats with thee about thine eternal peace Reason 6. There are very urgent reasons to quicken us to make hasâ—…e 1. The state wherein we are at present is so bad and dangerous that we can never soon enough come out of it The state of a man in his Carnal condition is compared in Scripture to a Prison Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded or shut them all up in unbelief And mark it is a Prison that is all on fire Oh when poor Captives are bolted and shut up in a flaming Prison how will they run hither and thither to get out So should we run and strive to get out of this flaming Prison You cannot be too soon out of the power of the Devil or from under the curse of the Law the danger of hell fire and the dominion of sin Matth. 3. 7. Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come He doth not say to goe nor to run but to flee Fleeing from wrath to come that 's the truest motion And so Heb. 6. 18. They which had the avenger of blood at their heels fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before them If there be poyson in our Bowels we think we can never soon enough cast it out If fire hath taken hold of a building we do not say we will quench it hereafter the next week or next moneth but think we can never soon enough quench it Or if there be a wound in the Body we do not let it alone till it 〈◊〉 and rankle Christians you may apply all this to the present case here the danger is greater There is no Poyson so deadly as Sin which hath infected all Man-kind no wound so dangerous for that will be the death of Body and Soul no fire so dreadfull as the wrath of God therefore we cannot soon enough come out of this condition 2. We cannot be happy soon enough for the state we make after is the arms of God the bosome of Iesus the hopes of Eternal Life we cannot soon enough get within the compass of such priviledges Oh shall Christ lie by as a dead Commodity or breaded ware It shews we know not the gift of God Iohn 4. If we had a due sense and value of his Excellency we would take the morning Market and let not Christ Iesus with all his benefits lie by as a Commodity that may be had at the last at any time of the day we would look upon him as the quickest ware in the Market and flock to him as Doves to the windows Isa. 6. You would force your way that you might get into his heart you would count all things but dross and dung that you might gain him It will be sweet to be incircled in the embraces of Iesus Christ to have his left hand under your head and his right hand to embrace you Cant. 2. 6. and will you delay when he stands offering himself and stretching out his hands all the day long to receive you SERMON LXVIII PSAL. CXIX 60. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments I Come now to the Application Use 1. Is to reprove the dallying with God which we are conscious to in the work of Conversion which is so common and natural to us We are apt to put off God from time to time from Child-hood to Youth from Youth to Mans-age from Mans-age to Old-age from Old-age to Death-bed and so the Devil steals away one hour after another till all time be past I shall 1 speak of the causes of this delay 2 represent the hainousness of it that you may not stroke this sin with a gentle censure and think lightly of the matter I. Of the causes of this delay 1. Unbelief or want of a due sense or sight of things to come If men were perswaded of Eternal Life and Eternal Death they would not stand hovering so long between Heaven and Hell but presently engage their hearts to draw nigh to God But we cannot see afar off 2 Pet. 1. 9. Nature is purblind to carnal hearts there 's a mist upon Eternity they have no prospective whereby to look into another World therefore it hath no influence upon them to quicken them to more speed and earnestness If we had a due sense of Eternal Death surely we would be sleeing from wrath to come no motion should be earnest and swift enough to get from such a danger If we had a due sense of Eternal Life we would be running to take hold of the hope that is before us Heb. 6. 18. 2. Security If men have a cold belief of Heaven and Hell if they take up the currant opinions of the Country yet they do not take it into their serious thoughts they put far away the evil day Amos 6. 3. Things at a distance do not startle us as a clap of Thunder afar off doth not fright us so much as when it is just over our heads in our own Zenith We look upon these things as to come so put off the thought of them Next to a want of a sound belief the want of a serious consideration is the cause why men dally with God If we had the same thoughts living and dying our motions would be more earnest and ready When Death and Eternity is near we are otherwise affected than when we look upon it as afar off One said of a zealous Preacher he Preacheth as if Death were at my back Oh could we look upon Death as at our back or heels if men did but consider that within a few dayes they must go to Heaven or Hell that there is but the slender thread of a frail Life upon which they depend that is soon fretted asunder they would not venture any longer to be out of a state of Grace nor dally with God But we think we may live long and time enough to repent by leisure we put far off the day of our change and so are undone by our own security 3. Aversness of heart from God That which makes us desirous to stay longer in a way of Sin doth indeed make us loth to turn at all and what 's that Obstinacy and unsubjection
withall Christ is infinitely to be valued as more precious than all the Wealth in the World 3. A Well-grounded Resolution in the Truth 1 Thess. 5. 2. Prove all things hold fast that which is good When we take up the Ways of God upon fashion or half Conviction or probable Reasons and do not resolve upon sound evidence we are in danger to be shaken when it is a costly thing to be a sincere Christian but when Conscience is soundly informed then all things give way to Conscience If the Wicked spoile us of our goods they should not spoile us of our best Treasure which is a good Conscience Whatever power they have by Gods permission over our outward Estates they have no power over our Consciences that is the best Friend or the worst Enemy No Bird singeth so sweetly as the Bird in our Bosoms here Heaven or Hell is begun and the solaces of the outward Life are nothing to this 4. A Contempt of the World our earthly Affections must be mortified and that upon a twofold account 1. One that they may freely part with them For if they be over-valued our Affliction will be according to the degree of our Affection Mark 10. 26. He was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions We cannot so freely resign them to God and leave all for Treasure in Heaven 2. That we may more intirely depend upon God Heb. 13. 5. Let your Conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave you nor forsake you Till the Heart be purged from carnal Affections the Promises of God have little force and respect with us A little satisfieth a contented and a weaned mind and he can the better cast himself upon God's Providence 5. A sound Belief of God's Providence this hath a great influence upon a free parting with our Estates for our Conscience sake Heb. 11. 8. By Faith Abraham left his Country Kindred Possessions and blindfold trusted himself with God's Providence This Principle was made use of when the King was troubled about the hundred Talents 2 Chron. 25. 9. saith the man of God the Lord is able to give thee much more than this God's Providence is enough for a gracious Heart Indeed it is hard to maintain such a Faith in Providence when exposed to great injuries we are apt to doubt of it Godliness seemeth to be neglected by him Psal. 73. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency doth God know but a Christian must believe in hope against hope 2. Remedies by way of Consideration 1. They cannot rob us of spiritual and eternal Riches of the Fear of God Love of God Treasures in Heaven are out of their reach Matth. 6. 19 20. Lay not up for your selves Treasures upon Earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where Thieves break through and steal But lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where Thieves do not break through or steal Your joy shall no man take from you John 16. 22. heavenly Things can never be taken from their owners 2. If they cannot take away our God and Christ we shall be certainly happy All things in the World depend on God and Christ The favour of the Lord maketh rich Prov. 10. 22. without his Blessing nothing prospereth All Judgment is in the hands of Christ Iohn 5. 22. He hath the Government of the World or Dominion over all things which may conduce to help or hinder his Peoples Happiness Things are not left to their arbitrement or uncertain contingency but are under the government of a supream Providence in the hand of him that loves us 3. Tryed Friendship is most valuable Iames 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him 4. If we suffer with Christ we shall also be glorified with him Rom. 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together SERMON LXX PSAL. CXIX 62. At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee because of thy righteous Iudgments IN these words observe three things 1. David's holy Imployment or the Duty promised giving thanks to God 2. His Earnestness and Fervency implied in the time mentioned at midnight I will rise rather interrupt his sleep and rest than God should want his praise 3. The Cause or Matter of his Thanksgiving because of thy righteous Iudgments Whereby he meaneth the Dispensations of his Providence in delivering the Godly and punishing the Wicked according to his Word Where observe 1. The Term by which these Dispensations are expressed Iudgments 2. The Adjunct righteous Iudgments 1. For the Term Iudgments they are so called partly because they are God's judicial acts belonging to his Government of the World partly because they are dispensed according to his Word the sentences of which are also called Judgments There are the Judgments of his Mouth and of his Hand Psalm 119. 13. With my lips have I declared all the Iudgments of thy mouth 2. The Adjunct righteous or the Judgments of thy Righteousness so called because they are all holy just and full of equity 1 Doct. One special duty wherein the people of God should be much exercised is Thanks giving 2 Doct. That God's Providence rightly considered we shall in the worst times find much more cause to give thanks than to complain 3 Doct. That an heart deeply affected with God's Providence will take all occasions to praise God and give thanks to his name both in season and out of season 1 Doct. One special duty wherein the people of God should be much exercised is Thanksgiving This Duty is often pressed upon us Heb. 13. 15. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually which is the fruit of our lips giving thanks unto his Name There are two words there used Praise and Thanksgiving generally taken they are the same strictly taken Thanksgiving differeth from Praise They agree that we use our voice in Thanksgiving as we doe also in Praise for they are both said to be the fruit of our lips what is in the Prophet Hosea chap. 14. 2. calves of our lips is in the Septuagint the fruit of our lips and they both agree that they are a sacrifice offered to our supream Benefactour or that they belong to the Thanks-offerings of the Gospel but they differ that Thanksgiving belongeth to Benefits bestowed on our selves or others but in relation to us Praise to any Excellency whatsoever Thanksgiving may be in Word or Deed Praise in Words onely Well then Thanksgiving is a sensible acknowledgment of Favours received or an expression of our sense of them by Word and Work to the praise of the bestower The Object of it is the Works of God as beneficial unto us or to those who
unable to keep out of errour and having erred unable to return This is the Emblem by which the Holy Ghost would set forth the nature of Mankind But is it better with us after Grace received no we are in part so still The best of us if left to our selves how soon are we out of the right way into what sad errours do we run our selves Psalm 19. 12. Who can understand his errours cleanse thou me from secret sins Since Grace we all have our deviations though our hearts be set to walk with God for the main yet ever and anon we are swerving from our Rule transgressing our Bounds and neglecting our Duty Good David had cause to say Psalm 119. 176. I have gone astray like a lost sheep Oh seek thy Servant We goe astray not onely out of Ignorance but out of perverseness of Inclination Ier. 14. 10. Thus have they loved to wander they have not restrained their feet We have hearts that love to wander we love shift and change though it be for the worse and so will be making excursions into the ways of Sin 2. This straying humour is much increased and incouraged by Prosperity which though it be good in its self yet so perverse are we by nature that we are the worse for it That the wicked are the worse for it is clear Isa. 26. 10. Let favour be shewed to the wicked yet will they not learn righteousness The Sun-shine upon the dunghill will produce nothing but stinks and the salt Sea will turn all that falleth into it into salt water the sweet dews of Heaven and the tribute of the rivers all becometh salt when it falleth into the Sea So wicked men convert all into their humour Neither God's Mercies nor Judgements will have any gracious and kindly work upon them But if it be well with them they take the more liberty to live loosely and prophanely the Fear of God which is the great hold-back from all wickedness is lessened and quite lost in them when they see no change Psalm 55. 19. Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God That little slavish fear which they have which should keep them back from wandring is then lost and the more gently God dealeth with them the more Godless and secure they are When they goe on prosperously and undisturbedly the more obdurate ever But is it not so with the People of God also Yes verily David whose heart smote him when he cut off the lap of Sauls garment when he was wandring in the wilderness could plott the death of Uriah his faithfull servant when he was at ease in his Palace We lose much tenderness of Conscience watchfulness against sin much of that lively diligence that we should otherwise shew forth in carrying on the spiritual life when we are at ease and all things go well with us We are apt to indulge the Flesh when we have so many baits to feed it and to learn how to abound is a harder lesson of the two than to learn how to be abased Phil. 4. 12. And therefore did not God correct us we should grow careless and negligent The beginning of all obedience is the mortification of the flesh which naturally we cannot endure After we have submitted and subjected our selves to God the Flesh will be seeking its prey and be rebelling and waxing wanton against the Spirit till God snatch its allurements from us Therefore the Lord by divers afflictions is fain to break us and bring us into order We force him to humble us by Poverty or Disgrace or Diseases or by domestical crosses or some incoveniency of the naturall and animall life which we value too much Besides our affections to heavenly things languish when all things succeed with us in this world acccording to hearts desire and this coldness and remisness is not easily shaken off Many are like the children of Reuben and Gad Numb 32. who when they found convenient pastures on this side Iordan were content with it for their portion without seeking ought in the land of Promise So their desires insensibly settle here and have less respect to the good of the world to come 3. When it is thus with us God seeth fit to send Afflictions Much of the wisdome of God's Providence is to be observed Partly in the season of Affliction in what state and posture of Soul it surprizeth us when we are wandring when we most need it when our abuse of Prosperity calleth aloud for it when the sheep wander the Dog is let loose to fetch them in again God suiteth his Providence to our necessities 1 Pet. 1. 6. For a Season ye are in heaviness if need be Alas we often see that afflictions are highly necessary and seasonable either to prevent a distemper that is growing upon us or to reclaim us from some evil course in which we have wandred from God Paul was in danger to be lifted up and then God sendeth a thorn in the flesh This discipline is very proper and necessary before the disease run on too far Partly in the kind of Affliction all Physick doth not work upon the same humour divers lusts must have divers remedies Pride Envy Covetousness Wantonness Emulation have all their proper cures All sins are referred to three impure Fountains 1 Iohn 2. 16. For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the Pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world From the lusts of the flesh do arise not onely the gross acts of Wantonness Fornication Adultery Gluttony Drunkenness which the more brutish and base part of mankind are taken with but an inordinate love of pleasures vain company and vain delights carnall complacency or flesh pleasing wherewith the refined part of the world are too often captivated and bewitched The lust of the Eyes Covetousness and worldly mindedness produce wretchedness Rapines Contentions Strife or that immoderate desire of having or joyning house to house field to field and building up our selves one story higher in the world from Pride of life cometh Ambition lofty conceit of our selves scorn and contempt of others affectation of credit and repute in the world pomp of having multitude of Servants or greatness of train fineness of apparell and innumerable vanities Now God that he may meet with his servants when they are tripping in any kind he sendeth our Afflictions as his faithfull messengers to stop them in their Careere that the flesh may not sail and carry it away with a full and clear gale Against the lusts of the flesh he sendeth sicknesses and diseases against the lusts of the Eyes Poverty and disappointments in our Relations against Pride Disgraces and shame and sometimes he varyeth the dispensation for his Providence doth not keep one tenour and every cure will not fit every humour All will not work alike upon all he sendeth that Affliction which is sure to work he knoweth how to strike in the
have it sought out this way Ezek. 36. 37. I will yet be inquired after to do it for them So Isa. 29. 10 11. Now the Reasons are these 1. Because in Prayer we act Faith and spiritual desire both which are as the opening of the Soul Psal. 81. 10. To raise our confidence or draw forth the principles of trust 2. We ask Gods leave to apply in particular what is offered in the word in general as in the next Verse let thy tender mercies come unto me Verse 77. In every thing we must ask God leave though we have right though in possession we ask leave because we may be mistaken in our claim Thirdly It is a fit way of easing the heart and disburthening our selves Phil. 4. 6 7. When we pray most and most ardently we are most happy and finde greatest ease Fourthly God will be owned as the Author of comfort whoever be the Instrument Isa. 57. 19. in prayer we apply our selves to him the Word is a soveraign Plaister but Gods hand maketh it stick many read the Scriptures but are as dead hearted when done as when they began The spirit is the comforter we are very apt to look to the next hand to the comfort but not to the comforter or the root of all which is loving kindness in God Fourthly The Subject capable thy Servant Here we may ask the Eunuchs question of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himself or of some other man Of himself questionless under the Denomination of Gods Servant But then the question returneth Is it a word of promise made to himself in particular or Gods Servants in the general Some say the former 2 Sam. 12. 13. the promises brought to him by Nathan I incline to the latter and it teacheth us these three truths 1. That Gods Servants are onely capable of the sweet effects of his mercy and the comfort of his promises Who are Gods Servants 1. Such as own his right and are sensible of his Interest in them Acts 23. 23. The God whose I am and whom I serve 2. Such as give up themselves to him renouncing all other Masters Renounce we must for we were once under another Master Rom. 6. 17. and Matth. 6. 24. and Rom. 6. 13. 1 Chron. 30. 8. 3. Accordingly frame themselves to doe his work sincerely Rom. 1. 9. Serve with my Spirit and Rom. 7. 6. In newness of Spirit so as will become those who are renewed by the Spirit diligently Acts 26. 7. and universally Luke 1. 74. and wait upon him for Grace to doe so Heb. 11. 28. These are capable of comfort The Book of God speaketh no comfort to persons that live in sin but to Gods Servants such as do not live as if they were at their own dispose but at Gods beck if he say goe they goe They give up themselves to be and doe what God will have them to be and doe 2. If we would have the benefit of the promise we must thrust in our selves under one Title or other among those to whom the promise is made if not as Gods Children yet as Gods Servants Then it is as sure as if our name were in the promise 3. All Gods Servants have common grounds of comfort every one of Gods Servants may plead with God as David doth The comforts of the word are the common portion of Gods people They that bring a larger measure of faith carry away a larger measure of comfort Oh then let us lift up our eyes and hearts to God this day and in as broken hearted a manner seek this comfort as possibly we can SERMON LXXXV PSAL. CXIX 77. Let thy tender Mercies come unto me that I may live for thy Law is my delight THE man of God had begged mercy before now he beggeth mercy again the doubling the request sheweth that he had no light feeling of sin in the troubles that were upon him and besides the People of God think they can never have enough of Mercy nor beg enough of Mercy they again and again reinforce their Suits and still cry for Mercy after he had said let thy mercifull loving kindness be for my comfort he presently addeth let thy tender Mercies come unto me that I may live In the words we have two things 1. His request let thy tender Mercies come unto me 2. A reason to back it that I may live First the request consists of three Branches 1. The Cause and Fountain let thy tender Mercies 2. The influence and outgoing of that cause or the personal application of it to David let them come unto me 3. The end that I may live 1. The cause and fountain is the Lords tender Mercies 't is remarkable that in this and the former verse he doth not mention Mercy without some additament there 't was mercifull kindness here tender Mercy Mercy in men implyeth a commotion of the bowels at the â—…ight of anothers misery so in God there 's such a readiness to pity as if he had the same working of bowels Ier. 31. 20. My bowels are troubled for him or sound for him Now some are more apt to feel this than others according to the goodness of their Nature or their special interest in the party miserable We expect from Parents that their bowels should yearn more towards their own Children than to strangers so God hath the bowels of a Father Psal. 103. 13. Like as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him There needeth not much a-doe to bring a Father to pity his Children in misery if he hath any thing fatherly in him 2. The outgoing of this Mercy is begged let it come unto me where by a fiction of persons Mercy is said to come or find out its way to him 3. The effect that I may live Life is sometimes taken litterally and in its first sense for life natural spiritual or eternal 2. By a metonymy for joy peace comfort now which of these senses shall we apply to this place 1. Some take it for life naturall that he might escape the death his enemies intended to him Certainly in the former Verse he speaketh as a man under deep troubles and afflictions and in the following words he telleth us that the proud dealt perversely with him and therefore he might have some apprehensions of dying in his troubles which he beggeth God to prevent 3. Some think he beggeth Gods mercy to preserve him in life Spirituall and 3. Bellarmine understandeth it of life Eternall But I rather take it in the latter sense for joy and comfort which is the result of life where 't is vitall and in its perfection Non est vivere sed valere vita 1 Thes. 3. 8. We live if ye stand fast in the truth A man that enjoyeth himself is said to live But if we take it in this notion a double sense may be started for it may imply either a release from temporal sorrows and so the sense will be have pity
preparing us for this delightfull course of holiness Heb. 10. 16 17. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Tit. 3. 4 5. 3. This comfortable sense of Gods mercy should induce us to this by way of argument 1 Ioh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us 1 Cor. 5. 14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again And Gal. 5. 6. In Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love And then by way of gratitude we ought to bend all the powers of our Souls to holiness and obedience and lay out our care and labour upon it 4. Consider the more holiness and obedience any one hath the more acceptable to God An Holy soul is an object capable of Gods love the holy God delighteth in holiness as well as the mercifull God pityeth misery The more holy we are the more God loves us Let us not make wounds for God to cure As we increase in holiness we increase in favour with God This is true of Christ who never had any defect of holiness but onely was to increase in the exercise of it 5. Consider how just it is with God to refuse our cryes for mercy when we despised His precepts for duty besiege your hearts with these considerations and press them daily upon you We are marvellous apt to please our selves with some loose apprehensions of mercy without bending our selves to our duty 6. Consider How reasonable it is that when mercy hath taken us with all our faults at our first entrance into Covenant with God we should afterwards study to please and make it our delight so to doe 7. Consider How impossible it is to cherish a sense of his mercy and love to us while we neglect duty The soul hath Two sentiments of Religion which can never be defaced a desire of happiness and subjection to God ut anima sit subjecta Deo pacata in se as we love our own comfort so we will be troubled about our duty the Soul will not sit easy Comfort follows holiness as light doth fire and sin will cause trouble as the prick of a needle doth pain The Soul cannot be serious and mind things but it will be so Indeed at some times by carelessness our sense of the necessity of obedience is extinguished and then a little serveth turn to keep the conscience quiet or stupid but it will return again Never leave till holiness and obedience be your delight as well as your care 3. Use Is to press us to be earnestly dealing with this mercifull God for comfort We need it now in a time of Judgment when delivered over to Judgments Hosea 11. 8. as sometimes to sins so to plagues When God opens the floudgates le ts out Judgments upon a people without restraint I will hide my face from them I will see what their end shall be Deut. 32. 20. So also the 30th Their Rock sold them and the Lord hath shut them up Mercy can put a stop but that will interpose no more Again when the people of God are much hated and maligned now 2 Cor. 4. 8. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed perplexed but not in despair 1. If it be Gods nature to be mercifull and kind why should we be discouraged Mercy is free favour is shewed to a miserable person Mercy can recall the punishments due to us and mitigate corrections and sweeten our comforts 2. But then you must be content that mercy should issue out in its own way and order First giving us principal mercies then necessary first sanctifying and then comforting saving us by washing us in the laver of regeneration 3. Reckon your comfort more by a sense of Gods care than by removing temporal trouble Spiritual comfort is more excellent than bodily 4. You must sue it out by prayer wherein first it must be with brokenness of heart Let true Spiritual misery be discerned and complained of Let us lay our sins and sores before his pity Secondly with Faith for here is the word mentioned Why are we so disconsolate is there no balm in Gilead It is our usual sault we pore too much upon our Troubles There is a God of comfort who answereth his name every way and will keep his word with his people Let us come to him in all our wants Thirdly with resolution of more faithfull obedience for Gods servants are onely capable renew your Covenant of serving God 5. The Godly have common comforts What will serve ones turn will serve anothers also They have all the same fundamental work of grace in their hearts They are all born of God have his Image stamped on them have the same Redeemer The same Spirit worketh in all And the promises are made alike unto all not upon personal considerations SERMON LXXXVI PSAL. CXIX VER 78. Let the proud be ashamed for they dealt perversly with me without a cause but I will meditate in thy precepts IN these words you have I. David's PRAYER II. David's RESOLUTION I. David's Prayer And there take notice of first the Petition it self Let the proud be ashamed 2dly the Reason For they dealt perversly with me without a cause In the Prayer he beggeth the repression of his Enemies There take notice of 1. The Notion by which they are described The Proud 2. The event or effect of God's Providence desired concerning them Let them be ashamed 1 The Notion is considerable The wicked especially the Persecutors of God's People are usually characteriz'd by this term in this Psalm The Proud ver 51 69 122. And will give us this Note DOCT. That Pride puts wicked men upon being troublesom and injurious to the People of God But why are the Persecutors and the Injurious called the Proud Ans. 1. Because wicked men shake off the yoke of God and will not be subject to their Maker and therefore desist not from troubling his People Exod. 5. 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel go What was in his tongue is in all mens hearts they contemn God and his Laws Every Sin hath a degree of Pride and a Depretiation of God included in it 2 Sam. 12. 9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight There is a slighting of God's Authority and a lifting up our will against the Will of God 2. Because they are drunk with worldly Felicity and never think of changes Psal. 123. 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud When men go on prosperously they are apt wrongfully to trouble others and then to flout at them in their misery and to despise the person and cause of God's People which
6. Though the Lord be high yet he hath a respect to the lowly and the proud he knoweth afar off Partly as he is the Portion of the afflicted and oppressed Psal. 140. 12. I know the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor When Satan stirreth up his Instruments to hate those whom the Lord loveth the Lord will stir up his power to protect and defend them So Psal. 10. 14. Thou hast seen it for thou beholdest mischief and spite to requite it with thy hand the poor committeth himself to thee thou art the helper of the fatherless When they have layed forth their desires poured forth their heart before the Lord they quiet themselves 'T is God's office practice nature to relieve poor helpless Creatures that commit themselves to his custody 3. Innocency giveth confidence in Prayer when we are molested and troubled without a cause The testimony of Conscience giveth boldness towards God and men 2 Cor. 1. 12. and Heb. 13. 18. Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly If God's Children would carry it more holily and meekly they might cut off occasion from them that desire occasion and in their addresses to God experience more humble confidence But is not this a revengeful Prayer Answ. No First Because directly they pray for their own deliverance that they may more freely serve God by consequence Indeed by God's shewing mercy to his People the pride of wicked ones is suppressed Psal. 119. 134. Secondly As it concerneth his Enemies he expresseth it in mild terms That they may be ashamed that is disappointed their counsels hopes machinations and endeavors And therefore it is not against the Persons of his Enemies but their Plots and Enterprises and shame and disappointment may do them good They think to bring in the total suppression of God's People that would harden them in their sins Therefore God's People desire he would not let their innocency be trampled upon but they disappointed that the Proud may be ashamed in the failing of their attempts Thirdly The Prayers of the Faithful for the overthrow of the Wicked are a kind of Prophecies so that in praying David doth in effect foretell that such as dealt perversly should be ashamed as a good cause will not always be oppressed Isa. 66. 5. But he shall appear to your joy but they shall be ashamed They met with despiteful usage at the hand of their Brethren for their loyalty and fidelity to God Fourthly Saints have a liberty to imprecate vengeance but such as must be used sparingly and with great caution Psal. 71. 13. Let them be confounded and consumed who are adversaries to my soul. Malicious Enemies may be expresly prayed against SERMON LXXXVII PSAL. CXIX VER 78 79. But I will meditate in thy precepts Let those that fear thee turn unto me and those that have known thy testimonies WE now come to David's Resolution But I will meditate in thy precepts The word Precepts is not taken strictly but largely for the whole Word of God DOCT. It is a blessed thing when the Molestations we meet with in the World do excite us to a more diligent study of the Word of God and a greater mindfulness of spiritual and heavenly things I. I shall shew what advantages we have by God's Word and Precepts for the staying and bettering of our hearts II. How this cometh by deep and serious meditation III. How Afflictions and Troubles in the Flesh do quicken us to it 1 In the Word of God there are notable Comforts and Supports as also clear directions how to carry our selves in every condition I shall shew what good thoughts do become as a ground of comfort and support and direction 1. That God hath a fatherly care over us Be once persuaded of that and Trouble will not be so grievous and hard to be born This our Saviour opposeth to worldly cares and fears Matth. 6. 32. Your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of these things And Luke 12. 32. Fear not little flock it is your Father's good pleasure to give you a kingdom There are two Notions and they are both Christian which are the great support of the heart under any Trouble Adoption and particular Providence The Heirs of Promise are cared for in their Non-age And by the way once be persuaded of this and it will allay our distrustful cares Carking and shifting is a reproach to your heavenly Father as if your Child should beg or filch God knoweth our wants is able to relieve them willing to supply us this God is my Father 2. That the humble Soul which casts it self into the arms of God's Providence shall either have a full and final deliverance or present support Isa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength To wait on the Lord is with patience and tranquility of spirit to expect the performance of the Promises Now these shall have what they wait for or a supply of strength yet enabling them to bear up or hold out when they seem to be clean spent Psal. 123. 2. Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master and the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until he have mercy upon us 'T was in a time when they were filled with the contempt of the Proud let us be patiently submissive to God's dispensations there is hope of help 3. That God doth wonderfully disappoint the designs of wicked men Psal. 37. 12 13. The wicked plotteth against the just and guasheth upon him with his teeth The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming Haman's Plot was destroyed so was the Conspiracy of them that would have killed Paul There is no wisdom nor counsel nor understanding against the Lord Prov. 21. 30. What is God now a doing in Heaven but defending his own Kingdom Psal. 2. Wherefore doth Christ sit at his right hand but to promote the affairs of his Church and to blast the devices of the wicked Mat. 18. The gates of hell shall never prevail against it 4. That the Proud are near a fall Prov. 16. 5. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord Though hand join in hand they shall not go unpunished Sometimes they seem to be supported by such combined Interests so woven in the Laws and Constitutions of a Nation but who can keep up him whom God will pull down Pride is a sure note and forerunner of destruction Prov. 16. 18. Prov. 15. 25. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud but he will establish the border of the widow Weak and oppressed Innocence standeth upon surer terms than the Proud though they excel in Wealth and Opulency 5. That God will never leave us wholly destitute and to difficulties insupportable Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee
holy thoughts where they are sanctified and work the right way 1. They make us understand the Word more fully and clearly than before Vexatio dat intellectum qui tribulantur saith Luther Sacras Literas melius intelligunt securi fortunati eas legunt sicut Ovidii Carmen A full third part of the Scriptures are lost to the secure and fortunate 2. As they clear the sight so they purge the taste and give us a spiritual relish Carnal comforts cloy the spiritual appetite when they are removed from us then we taste heavenly things Psal. 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. 3. They quicken the heart to our duty and so make us more aweful and watchful Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy law Psal. 119. 167. My soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly If God write his law upon our hearts by his stripes on our backs 't is a blessed effect our happiness is to be measured by our great end which is conformity to God and enjoyment of God and therefore it doth not consist in outward comforts riches honour health civil liberty and comfortable protection but acceptance with God and enjoyment of God Now as afflictions increase grace and holiness we are the more approved of God and enjoy more of God USE Let all our Troubles drive us then to the Word of God there we shall find 1. Grounds of comfort and support 2. Hopes of deliverance 3. Quickenings to duty which being concocted by serious thoughts and blessed to us by the Spirit of God will enable us to ride out the storm chearfully and allay our cares and fears and then we shall put our selves into the way wherein God hath engaged his protection and so shall not be afraid of what man can do unto us I now come to the 79th verse Let those that fear thee turn unto me and those that have known thy testimonies When troubled by the wicked he prayeth for the help and comfort of the godly there is an elegant Allusion between the two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the proud be ashamed And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the godly be turned to me that is let them desert the society of these proud men and join to me In these words God's People are described by a double character 1. Those that fear thee 2. Those that have known thy testimonies David's Petition concerning those that they may turn to him I shall deliver the importance of these words in certain Propositions 1. Observe the Godly are described by two Properties the fear or worship of God and the knowledge of his Word These are Godly who fear to offend God and have the sound knowledge of his Will these are fittest for God's use in the general and for David's use in the particular condition in which he was For God's use Fear and knowledge do make up a godly man Knowledge without fear breedeth presumption and fear without knowledge breedeth superstition and blind Zeal as a blind Horse may be full of mettle but is ever and anon stumbling Knowledge must direct fear and fear must season knowledge then it is an happy mixture and composition Deum cognoscere colere to know God and worship him is the whole duty of man saith Lactantius When we know God's Testimonies so as to regard love and believe them and dare not dispense with our duty to him for all the world this is a good frame our knowledge and fear of God must be according to his Word And these were fittest for David's case fit comforters and strengthners of the Godly in persecution There are many whom we cannot exclude from all fear of God who yet know not his Testimonies run into Error darken and blemish a good cause but those that know and fear understand their duty and are loth to violate it with these should our Souls close Well then David doth in effect say Those whom thou hast joined to thy self let them join to me they will acknowledge the equity of that cause which God owneth and will converse with him whom thou disdainest not to take into favor because they reverence thy Providence and are taught out of thy Testimonies and so weighing the cause as well as regarding the event will be sooner won to the Truth when God sheweth mercy to his People other godly ones will be allured to join themselves to those whom they find to be so dear to God 2. Friendship and fellowship with such godly ones is a great blessing partly as it conduceth to mutual spiritual strength Rom. 1. 12. That I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me 'T is a comfort to see our Father's children wherever we come and to behold their Faith Zeal Self denial Mortification the Godly are a strength to one another in evil times Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another There are many advantages attend the communion of Saints their very sight and presence is a confirmation to us many times that temptation befalleth us which befel Elias we think we are left alone 1 Kings 19. 10. That Godliness is gone out of the world To have company is an encouragement but we have not only company but help every one hath his peculiar gift to help others 1 Cor. 12. one hath quickness of parts but not so solid a judgment another is solid but not of so ready present and good utterance one is zealous but ungrounded another well-principled but timorous 1 Cor. 12. 21. The eye the knowing man cannot say to the hand the active man in God's cause I have no need of thee All have their use by mutual gifts and graces to profit one another as the curtains of the Tabernacle were coupled to one another by loops Exod. 26. 3. or as a body fitly joined and compacted by that which every joint supplieth Eph. 4. 16. Every Christian hath need of anothers help And partly as it conduceth more to publick safety and honour Philip. 1. 27 28. Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel And in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God When the members are cut off the body is less powerful Acts 4. 33. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of our Lord Iesus When they were met with one heart And the Apostle prayeth Rom. 15. 5 6. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Iesus Christ. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God even the
do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly God delighteth not in dealing harshly with his People The Rod is not that he taketh pleasure in if our case doth not call for it Lam. 3. 33. He afflicts not willingly We provoke him to it And shall we grow weary of his service because we suffer justly for our sins There is reason indeed why we should grow weary of sin Ier. 2. 19. we find the bitterness of it But no reason why we should grow weary of Duty Sin less and suffer less Provoke not God and nothing will proceed from him but what is good and comfortable he doth not punish or chasten men for holiness and well-doing no 't is for want of holiness Shall the Physician be blamed for the trouble of Physic when the Patient hath contracted a Surfeit that makes it necessary 'T was sin in general brought us into a state of suffering and particular errors that actually bring it on Secondly The benefits and fruit of Afflictions should allay and abundantly recompence the trouble of them that they should not be an hinderance or a snare but an help to Godliness They prevent our surfeit of wordly Prosperity which would cost us dearer than all the troubles of the Flesh which we meet with Alas what sad work doth Honour and Wealth and Power make in the world Blessed be God that he keepeth us under low humble and contemned like bottles in the smoke Shall a little affliction which saveth us from these opportunities of discovering our corruption be so resented by us as that we should wax weary of God and forget his Precepts Great and long Prosperity would be a sorer temptation to us than sharp and tedious Affliction the one keepeth us modest and humble whereas the other would make us vain and proud and wanton When Iesurun waxed fat he kicked Deut. 32. 15. He forsook God that made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation Slighted God and grew cold in duty ready to sin As a rank Soil breedeth weeds a pleasant Estate doth but fill us with vanity and folly Thirdly God in good time will send help and deliverance If we remember to plead the Promise God will remember to fulfil the Promise And those who are not unmindful of their duty God will not be unmindful of their safety Mal. 3. 16. The Lord hearkned and heard and a book of remembrance was written before him for those that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name You see there that God will not forget those that forget not his Word Those that keep their feet in the worst times when others reel and stagger God hath a great care of them Every word you speak for God every inconvenience you suffer for him every duty you perform to him 't is all upon Record Fourthly We may with the more confidence recommend our case to God Psal. 119. 153. Consider mine affliction and deliver me for I do not forget thy law They that do not make haste to deliver themselves God will deliver them The same God that requireth duty doth assure them of comfort SERMON XCII On the Fifth of November 1668. PSAL. CXIX VER 85. The proud have digged pits for me which are not after thy law THis Verse containeth a Complaint against his Enemies whereas most of the other Verses express his affection to the Law of God Yea this Verse strongly implieth it for he censureth and condemneth his Enemies mainly upon this ground because they did what they please without any regard to that Law which he himself took to be the Rule of his Duty and the Charter of his Hopes and Happiness Observe three things 1. The Character of David's Enemies The Proud 2. Their Practice or subtile and treacherous dealing with him They have digged pits for me 3. David's Censure of that Practice or their manifest Iniquity Which are not after thy law Let us Explain the Words The Proud In the Scripture it signifieth 1 either the Wicked in general Psal. 119. 21. Thou hast rebuked the proud which are cursed which do err from thy commandments 'T is an horrible arrogancy to oppose God's Laws and Interests in the World 2 more particularly such as are puffed up with worldly happiness and success and so either Saul's or Absolom's Counsellors may be intended Have digged pits for me A metaphorical Phrase usual in Scripture to represent the secret Plots and treacherous dealings of wicked Enemies an Allusion to them who digged Pits to take wild Beasts In the Greek 't is They have told me Tales Though this rendring was occasioned by a mistake of the word yet it agreeth well enough with the sense for this digging of Pits by false pretences and ensnaring counsels Prov. 16. 27. An ungodly man diggeth up evil and in his lips there is as a burning fire But let us keep to the Translation we have The manner of Toyls among the Iews was digging Pits and covering them over and hiding snares in them That as the Beast prest the clod and fell therein he might be caught and kept from getting out again Therefore David saith Psal. 35. 7. Without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit which without cause they have digged for my soul. Which are not after thy law Hebr. Not after thy law It may refer to the Men or the Practice who walk not according to thy Law or which fraudulent practices of theirs are not agreeable to thy Law The Law of God condemned Pits for tame Beasts Exod. 21. 33 34. If a man open a pit or dig a pit and not cover it and an ox or ass fall therein The owner of the pit shall make it good and give money to the owners of them Though it was lawful for Hunters to take wild Beasts yet they were to take heed that a tame Beast fell not therein at their peril Yet not for Men innocent and holy Men. But there is a Litotes in the words That is said not to be good or well done which is extremely evil very contrary to thy Law Thus we are wont to speak of a thing horrid in terms of extenuation As when we speak of a Fact it is not very commendable when we mean it is extremely abominable So crafty and subtile dealing consenteth not with the truth of God's Word that is it is extremely opposite to it This is produced by David as a ground of his confidence why he hoped he should not be taken in these Pits These practices were not only injurious to himself but contemptuous of the Law of God He layeth forth his Enemies carriage before God Note I. That secret Plottings against the Interests of God and his People in the world are an ancient practice II. That these Plots usually begin in Pride III. That God can when he will and usually doth protect his People against the Plots of the Proud or the Fraud as well as the Violence of Enemies IV. That God's Law forbiddeth all
Inferiors 1. Take Pride as it venteth it self by envy at any excellency or supposed excellency in others Search the Scriptures and you will say this puts Men upon plotting the mischief of their Neighbors Religious Eminency Man cannot endure to be out-stripped in Religion therefore Men malign and hate what they will not imitate and then seek to destroy and undermine God's people 'T was Abel's goodness that made Cain plot against him to draw him into the Field that he might kill him 1 Iohn 3. 12. The power of Godliness is an Eye-sore to those that would look no further than the form of it or it may be the Men of the world do envy the Godly should thrive by them This made the Presidents lay a Snare and Gin for Daniel When the Gospel was likely to get credit the Iews moved with envy seek to suppress it Acts 17. 5. Pride is loth to stoop or to see Opposites in any honour and request The Pharisees conspired to take Christ John 12. 19. Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing the whole world is gone after him They were galled to the heart to see such flocking and resorting to Christ after he had raised Lazarus from the dead Some Men will neither serve Christ themselves nor endure that others should do it therefore Christ must be taken out of the way The Plots of Sanballat and Tobiaâ—… were their envy at the Iews 2. As Pride venteth it self by Contention with Equals For only by Pride cometh Contention Thus the Iews conspired to kill Paul they looked upon him as one that had cried down the Customs of their Nation This made Absalom plot the death of Amnon because of the quarrel he had with him and the dishonour he had done his Sister he bids him to dinner and plieth him with Cups till he was merry and then killeth him 2 Sam. 13. 22. 3. As it venteth it self by the disdain of Underlings Haman could not endure to see Mordecai in the King's Gate Esther 5. 13. and therefore contriveth how to root him out and all his Nation Pride disdaineth the meanness of God's people and that they should have any subsistence and think they may oppress them freely and root them out Psal. 123. 4. We are filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud They scorn the people of God and think they may do what they please with them without controul Well then this informeth us how much we should look to things betimes The wickedness of David's Enemies began in Pride went on in malicious plotting and then they stick at no iniquity When once we are engaged in a course of Sin there is usually no stop Pride in some sense is the original of all wickedness but more especially of malicious dealing with the people of God Psal. 10. 2. The wicked in the pride of his heart doth persecute the poor The Godly many times are in a mean condition when their Adversaries are in power and can easily oppress them as Underlings But Men forget the great God who is their Defender and whose work and business it is to cast down the proud Iames 4. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He standeth in Battel Array And proud they are certainly who use their power to oppression and care not what terms they put upon them Third Point That God can when he will and usually doth protect his People against the Plots of the Proud For therefore David bringeth the Cause before God First That God can when he will protect his People against the fraud and violence of their Enemies There are two grounds of trust his Wisdom and the vigilancy of his Providence 1. His Wisdom As we have God's power to trust in against their violence so God's wisdom against their frauds and deceits Job 12. 13. With him is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and understanding Wisdom implieth his accurate knowledge of things Counsel his advised Government of them Wisdom his disposing and ordering things aright with respect to their ends He hath understanding to find out all secrets Counsel to know fit means to bring his purposes to pass and Wisdom to order the means for attaining these ends Observe there first how Wisdom and Strength are there coupled as in that Text so elsewhere Iob 9. 4. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength As he hath Wisdom to judge so Power to execute or effect all his counsels So Job 36. 5. Behold God is mighty in strength and wisdom There is no standing out against supreme Wisdom and invincible Power both together make God the most dreadful Enemy and the most desirable Friend Observe again how God's Wisdom is set forth by these three words Understanding Counsel Wisdom To assure the hearts of the Faithful that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church of God Mat. 16. 18. In the Gates anciently was their strength and there their Magistrates and Council sate Now they that believe that God is wise of whom should they be afraid Prov. 21. 30. There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. There may be wisdom counsel and understanding in the Enemies of the Gospel and in the Lord there is wisdom and strength counsel and understanding Only against him there is the wisdom counsel and understanding of the creature in him of the Creator Surely the wisdom counsel and understanding of the creature can do nothing without him nothing against him not without him for it is dependant whatever the creature hath it cometh from him otherwise our understanding is but ignorance our counsel rashness our wisdom folly Pharaoh thought to go wisely to work Exod. 1. 10. but that wisdom costs dear when it tends to suppress God's interest Ahab when God threatned to cut off his Posterity begets Seventy Sons bestowed them in fenced Cities 2 Kings 10. 1. but those Seventy Sons were slain Herod thought to go wisely to work to destroy him that was born King of the Iews in the Cradle but Christ was preserved for all that The Synagogue of Satan is hatching crafty Counsels to destroy the Spouse of Christ but with what effect The Man of Sin is consumed more and more We are afraid of our subtle Enemies but are we in such streights as God knoweth not how to bring us out They cannot over-wit the Lord Whatever is plotted in Rome or Hell against us God knoweth it for he hath understanding God counterworketh it for he hath counsel therefore they will but play the Fool for he hath wisdom he heareth every word they say knoweth their secret juglings is at work for those that depend upon him therefore let us rest in God's wisdom and not be disquieted with every rumor 2. The care and vigilancy of his Providence 't is emphatically expressed in two places Heb. 13. 5 6. He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper and I
for such a time Heb. 4 16. when need comes then it 's a time to improve our interest to put promises in suit when God seems to be an Enemy to us when to appearance he executes the curse of the Old Covenant O then we should work through all discouragements then we should hold God to his second Grant and Charter and come to his Throne of Grace and keep him there For the Reasons 1 God is the Party with whom we have to do whence soever the trouble doth arise there 's his hand and his counsel in it therefore it is best dealing with him about it in all afflictions publick or private Amos 3. 16. Is there evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it Let Men but awaken their Reason and Conscience who is it that is at the upper end of Causes that casts our lot upon such troublesom and distracted times So in private afflictions David owned God's hand Shimei had mocked him but he looks higher the â—…ord hath bid him curse So Iob he doth not say the Caldean and Sabean hath taken away but the Lord hath taken Iob 1. 21. Afflictions have a higher cause than Men ordinarily look at they do not come out of the dust but come from God See what inference Eliphaz draws from this principle Iob 5. 8. I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause That is I would go and deal with him about it 't was Eliphaz's advice to Iob and it is seasonable to us all 2 It is God onely that can help us and relieve us either by giving support under the trouble or removing it from us so saith David Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high unto God that performeth all things for me A Believer looks for all things from God when all things go well with him God is his best Friend when all things go ill with him God is his onely Friend he runs to none so often as to God Now upon these Principles we go to God but for what end let us see what we go to God for 1. That we may know his mind in all his Providences The affliction hath some errand and message to us something to deliver us from God now we need to ask of God to know his mind Micah 6. 9. Hear the rod and who hath appointed it We should not only be sensible of the smart but look to the cause therefore if we would know the cause let us go and expostulate with God about it As Ioab when Absalom set his Corn field on fire he sent for him once and twice but he comes not until he sets his Corn-field on fire and then he comes and expostulates with him Who hath done this 2 Sam. 14. 30 31. So when we make bold and will not come to God nor take notice of his messages God comes and lets out his wrath upon our comforts and conveniences now let us deal with God about it Wherefore is all this 2. That we may have strength to bear it Alas we can bear or do little of our selves for that doing refers to bearing Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me That is I can suffer want need hunger thirst nakedness and run through all conditions through Christ that strengthneth me Now you must ask it of God Iam. 1. 5 If any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God It is wisdom to bear affliction if he would wisely carry himself under the Rod that he may not discover his folly he must ask this strength and grace of God 3. Wisdom to improve our chastisement that we may have the benefit and fruit of them Isa. 48. 17. I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit That is to profit by afflictions to reap the fruit of them So Iob 33. 16. He openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction God by a powerful work upon the heart impresseth their duty upon them that they may see wherefore it is that he hath afflicted them 4. We go to God for deliverance and freedom from the trouble Psal. 34. 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous but out of them all the Lord will deliver them It is God's Prerogative to set us free We break Prison when we attempt to escape meerly by our own means therefore either we shall have no deliverance or no kindly one God hath deliver'd doth deliver and we trust will deliver This must be sought out of God God helping together with your prayers 2 Cor. 1. 10 11. Prayer must fetch it out from God or it is no kindly deliverance Well then in our affliction we need to be often with God SERMON CXVII PSAL. CXIX VER 107. Quicken me O Lord according to thy Word Use 1. TO reprove the stupidness and carelesness of them that neglect God in their troubles Dan. 9. 13. All this evil is come upon us yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God A very sensless slight spirit that when they are under the blows of God's heavy hand they will not be much in calling upon God this is contrary to God's injunction who expects now with earnestness they will seek him God reckons upon it he could not hear from them before but now they 'll pray hard and will make up their former negligence when God sends a Tempest after you as on Ionah yet will you keep off from him It is contrary to the practice of the Saints in their chastisements troubles and afflictions they are much with God opening their hearts to him Nay it is worse than Hypocrites for they will have their pangs of devotion at such a time Iob 27. 10 11. In short you lose the comfort of your affliction Seasons of affliction are happy seasons if they prove praying seasons when they bring you nearer to God it is a sign God is not wholly gone but hath left somewhat behind him when the heart is drawn into him This is the blessing of every condition when it brings God nearer to you and you are more acquainted with him than before Use 2. Then it takes off the discouragements of poor disconsolate ones who misexpound his Providence when they think afflictions put us from God rather than call us to him O no! it is not to drive you from him but to draw you to him Do not think God hath no mercy for thee because he leaves thee to such pressures wants and crosses This is the way to acquaint your selves with God yea though you have been hitherto strangers to him he hath invited you to call upon him in time of trouble he is willing to have you upon any terms A Man will say you come to me in your necessities God delights to hear from you and is glad any occasion will bring you into his presence and therefore be much with God Secondly I observe when this affliction was sore and pressing yet then he hath a heart to pray
before them all saying I know not the man Or when we take any sinful course for temporal safety as when David seigned himself mad before Achish 1 Sam. 21. 13. Or when our spirits are fill'd with passion against the instruments of our trouble and with uncomely heats as Peter drew a Sword in a rash zeal and had no thanks for it but a Rebuke from Christ. Or when we suffer in a heartless and uncomfortless manner as God's children sometimes are in dejections of spirit David took notice of his drooping and disconsolateness Psal. 42. 5. when he flitted up and down in the Wilderness and pursu'd with Saul's Army he had his droopings and discomforts in these Cases we forget the Word of God 2dly To press you to courage and constancy in a time of danger to endure all Extremities rather than do any thing against the Word of God Here I shall inquire 1. What is this Christian Courage There is Military Valor and Christian Valor The one consists in doing the other in suffering great things Peter at Christ's death had more of the Military Valor and Fierceness than of the Passive Valor for he that could venture on a Band of Men was foiled by a Damsels question The one dependeth on hastiness of temper greatness of blood and spirits the other upon Faith and submission of God's Will Acts 7. 55. He being full of the Holy Ghost look'd up stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God It is spoken when the People gnashed on him with their teeth then full of the Holy Ghost There is the Habit of Fortitude and the Act of it when led on There is a great deal of difference between the courage of wicked men and the faith and fortitude of good Christians We see rude men are undaunted in the face of danger but the fortitude of Christians consisteth in lifting up their eyes and hearts to Heaven others not for as soon as they think of God their courage faileth the more brave the more they shut out the thought of divine things all sense of God and immortality 1 Cor. 15. 32. Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye It is a brutish fury inflam'd by Wine stir'd up by Trumpets and Drums not stir'd up by the consolations of God or remembrance of his Covenant then they are dejected Rev. 6. 15 16 17. 2dly To remove such Objections as may hinder your Courage and Constancy 1. It is a sore temptation to keep our service but we must stand to God's Providence to honour him by service or by suffering as he shall think good We are to honour God in his own way we are not to stretch Conscience in the least degree to continue it God hath no need of thy sin when God hath a mind to lay you aside submit 2. The smalness of the difference is another Objection If it were to turn Turk or Heathen or Papist men will say They would not do so and so God standeth upon every peek of his word every dust of truth is precious 3. Another Objection is this We shall be interpreted to hinder the Publick Peace I answer If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Rom. 12. 18. But be sure not to betray the Cause of God nor lose the Interest of Christ that is not possible which is not lawful in a moral sense 4. Another Objection is That we shall be accounted peevish rash stubborn I answer We must be led to credit There is a difference between men stubborn and obstinate and zealous Many may sacrifice a stout body to a stubborn mind but be couragious and constant in the service of God 3dly What is necessary to this well-temper'd Courage that we may suffer not out of humour but out of conscience towards God not because formerly engag'd by profession or out of a desire of a name and esteem among Religious persons but out of Obedience to God who commandeth us to chuse afflictions rather than sin To this Resolution there is necessary 1. An heart weaned from the World Mat. 6. 24. otherwise a man will act very uncertainly and his zeal for God be very uneven 2. An heart intirely devoted to God Every one that cometh to Christ must be thus resolved Luke 14. 26. 3. An heart purged from sin or else our zeal is not uniform besides that our lusts will weaken our courage A carnal person suffering in a good cause is of no account with God The Priests were to search the Burnt offering if sound or had any defect or blemish upon them He that keepeth the Commandments is best able to suffer for them Mat. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer for righteousness sake A Martyr must have all the precedent graces 4. An heart that lieth under a deep sense of Eternity and things to come 1 Ioh. 5. 4. This is the victory we have over the world even our faith Not any looking backward but forward SERMON CXX On the Fifth of NOVEMBER PSAL. CXIX VER 110. The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy precepts HEre is the second Assault made upon David's Integrity the secret snares laid for him The Enemies of God's People do not always go to work in the way of open Persecution and directly for Righteousness sake but then they lay snares what they cannot do by open force they seek to do by fraud Many that have stood out with courage against the shock of violence have been taken in a snare as the Prophet that resisted the King was enticed by the blandishments of the old Prophet 1 Kings 13. Persecution is a more gross way and liable to Exception and therefore they must go secretly to work Sometimes this life is a continued temptation and a Christian that walketh in the world walketh in the midst of snares set for him by his Enemies bodily and spiritual The Devil is the great Snare-layer and wicked men learn it of him The wicked have laid a snare for me c. In the words observe 1. David's Temptation A snare laid for him 2. The Persons who manag'd the Temptation The wicked 3. The Success and Issue Tet I erred not from thy precepts Doct. The Godly have often Snares laid for them not only by Satan but by wicked men Now Snares are to entice or endanger or of a mixt nature 1. Snares to entice them from their Duty Thus the blandishments of the whorish Woman are call'd a snare Prov. 7. 23. As the Bird hasteth unto the snare and knoweth not that 't is for his life Of this nature are crafty Insinuations Baits of Preferment Profit Pleasure or any carnal advantage to pervert our Judgments and draw us off from our Duty 2. Snares to endanger their safety clog'd with some spightful condition to entrap others or when there is a Plot-laid to endanger others as Ieremy complaineth Jer. 18. 22. They have digged
on fire as the whole metal is melted that the dross may be severed Use. 3. All Judgments on the visible Church are to sever the dross from the Gold God suffereth them a while to be mingled and then come trying Judgments to separate the one from the other which is a comfort to us the Church is the purer for these Judgments Isai. 1. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee and I will surely purge away thy dross and take away thy tin So Mal. 3. 3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness He will send such Judgments as will destroy the incorrigible wicked ones and purifie the rest 'T is a comfort against persecutions we murmure under them know not how they shall be turned away God who is the purger of his Church will find out some way And 't is a comfort under his Judgments they are not to destroy but to purge God intendeth only our purging how hot soever the Furnace be therefore let God alone with his work Use 4. Is to teach us to wait upon God in the way of his Judgments He is putting away the wicked of the Earth like dross it is not only a work that he hath done or will hereafter do but he is always doing of it We should observe how God hath already done it and so by faith we should look upon him as still about it First He beginneth with his people he is purging away of their wickedness Isai. 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged But many shall cleave to them by flatteries and some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and make them white Dan. 11. 35. Now when God hath employed wicked men to fann and purge his people then their turn cometh next Ier. 25. 29. For lo I begin to bring evil on the City which is called by my name and should ye be utterly unpunished Ye shall not be unpunished for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the Earth 1 Pet. 4. 17. If punishment begin at the house of God where shall the wicked and ungodly appear Prov. 11. 31. Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner When the Lord hath performed his work upon Mount Zion and Ierusalem then he will reckon with his Enemies he beginneth with his Church and maketh an end with their Enemies his Enemies drink the dregs of the Cup and their end must needs be unspeakably terrible Use 5. Let us see we be not put away like dross when Gods Judgments are abroad in the Earth 1 Cor. 11. 32. We are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world We shall put that out of question if we do two things First If we be faithful to God and cleave to Gods people truth and interest how great soever our tryals be Psal. 44. 17. All this is come upon us yet we have not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsely in the Covenant To consume in the melting is the property of dross but the pure metal is the more united and cleaveth together the more closely Secondly If you are refined by all these tryals Isai. 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged A Christian loseth nothing by his afflictions but sin which is better parted with than kept We come now to the second Branch of the Text and that is the effect it had upon David's heart Therefore I love thy testimonies This use he made of all Gods Judgements Doctr. A gracious heart that observeth the Providence of God and the course of his judicial dispensations will find more cause to love the word of God than ever before 1. Because thereby he hath sensible experience of the truth of it Gods Providence is a Comment upon his Word the effect is answerable to the prediction and the word that God hath said is fulfilled to a tittle Now the more confirmation the word receiveth the more is affection encreased The Apostle telleth us That the word spoken by Angels was stedsast Heb. 2. 2. because every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward the punishment of the transgressours of the Law was a proof of Gods authorizing their Doctrine the same Law made formerly is valid We see the word doth not threaten in vain and they that slight it smart for it Now I see the word of God is to be valued for God will make it good even to a tittle 2. Because if we love not the word we may see great danger likely to ensue even those terrible punishments by which he purgeth out the dross should make us fall in love with Gods Law If we would not perish with the wicked of the earth we should not sin with the wicked of the earth if we partake of their sins we must partake of their plagues Psal. 2. 11. Kiss the son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way if his wrath be kindled but a little blessed are they that trust in him When we see the danger of being enemies to God or unsound with him we have need to learn this wisdome of shewing all affection and reverence and respect to Christ and his ways and submit to him heartily there is no safety in any other course If a spark of his wrath light upon us how soon will it consume us The stupid world regardeth not this to love his ways the more God giveth out proofs of his anger against those that despise them Many are cut off in the mid way sooner than they did or could expect and yet they do not grow one jot the wiser 'T is dangerous to stand out against God his cause work or people 3. It doth indear the mercy of God to us because he hath dealt otherwise with us who in strict Justice have deserved the same Gods Judgments on the wicked commend his Mercies to his Children Rom. 9. 23. The Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction serve to shew the greater love of God to the Vessels of mercy the torments of Hell inflicted on the wicked do the more set forth his love to the Saints to whom he hath appointed the joys of Heaven So the severity of God in his present Judgments doth imply the love of God to his chosen people who can take comfort in the promises when the threatnings are accomplished upon others this might have been our condition too but that Grace hath made the difference Well then as it doth indear the mercy of God to us so it calleth upon us more highly to love and prize him and his word because of this distinction 4. 'T is not only a means to set off the love of God to us but even his Judgments upon others may be a necessary act of love
afflictions Again when Judgments are on our selves when God cometh nearer to us and beginneth to touch us with his hand we should relent presently To be sinning and suffering is the condition of the damned in Hell The Holy Ghost sets a brand upon Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. 22. That in the time of his distress he did yet trespass more and more against the Lord this is that King Ahaz If we keep our pride luxury vanity wantonness still our avarice coldness in Religion Sabbath-prophanation if we be not brought by all our afflictions to fear God the more such a brand will he put upon us yea our Judgments will be encreased and the Furnace heated seven times hotter as when the Child is stubborn and obstinate the Father redoubleth his strokes Therefore we are to beg his Spirit with his Rod that we may be the better by all his corrections Numb 12. 14. If her Father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven days So if our heavenly Father be displeased and casts contempt upon us c. Use 2. It reproveth those that triumph over the faln and declaim and inveigh against their sins but do not consider their own We should rather tremble and learn to fear from every Judgment executed though upon the worst of men and say Well God is a righteous God and whosoever provoketh him to wrath shall not escape unpunished But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this insulting over and upbraiding others with their evil and afflicted condition is a-sin which God cannot endure and will certainly punish Prov. 17. 5. And he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished If God hath stricken them and the hand of Justice found them out we should be tender to them Prov. 24. 17 18. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth lest the Lord see it and it displease him and he turn away his wrath from him Some read it Et convertat iram suam in te he turn his wrath upon thee Thine enemy is not he that thou hatest for a Christian should hate no body but he that hateth thee if we rejoyce in their evil certainly 't is a sign we hate them however we please our selves with the thoughts of forgiving them as not when he falleth so not when he stumbleth not at lesser evils that befal them Many will say They do not wish their destruction but a little evil they could be glad of which sheweth how rare true piety is God will give him like advantage against thee As the leprosie of Naaman doth cleave to Gehazi David when he heard of the death of Saul rent his Cloaths and wept and fasted 2 Sam. 1. 11 12. Therefore to feed our eyes with the misery and torment of others is no holy affection Iob disclaimed it Iob 31. 29. If I rejoyced at the destruction of him that hated me or lifted up my self when evil found him neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. Revenge is sweet to carnal Nature but such a disposition as that cannot or should not find room in a gracious heart to evidence his integrity Iob produceth this vindication Though they that hate us be our worst enemies and should have spirits steeped in bitterness and Wormwood against us yet ought we not to rejoyce at the misery of an enemy Yea to mourn at their fall becometh us more if we would act as Christians and to fear because of it is an act of piety Therefore this old leven of malice and revenge must be purged out this being inwardly delighted when we hear of the fall of those that hate us When thine enemy falleth consider Either I my self am like him or worse or better than he If better who made thee to differ If worse thou hast cause to wonder thou art spared and to fear before the Lord. Let us therefore observe the Judgments of God executed according to his word Lactantius telleth us Quod non metuitur contemnitur quod contemnitur utique non colitur If the wrath of God be not feared it is contemned and if God be contemned he cannot be worshipped SERMON CXXXII PSAL. CXIX VER 121. I have done Iudgment and Iustice leave me not to mine Oppressours HEre is I. David's Plea II. His Prayer I. His Plea I have done Iudgment and Iustice Defensio est non arrogantia saith Ambrose he doth not speak this boasting or trusting in his own righteousness but by way of Apology and just defence 't is no pleading of merit as if God were his Debtor but an asserting of his innocency against slanderers There is Iustitia personae the righteousness of the person and Iustitia causae the righteousness of the cause wherein any one is engaged We may propound the Justice of our cause to God as the Judge of the Earth and appeal to him how innocently we suffer when we are not able to plead the righteousness of our persons as to a strict and legal qualification Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Well then David pleadeth the equity and justice of his Cause and his right behaviour therein They cannot condemn him of any unrighteousness and injustice and yet endeavour to oppress him therefore he pleads Lord thou knowest where the right lyeth so far as concerneth their slanders I appeal to thee for my integrity and sincerity thou knowest that I have given up my self to do just and right things though they are thus forward to mischief I have â—…one them no wrong Hear me O God of my righteousness Psal. 4. 1. They that look to be protected by God must look that they have a good Cause and handle that Cause well otherwise we make him the Patron of sin when we suffer as evil Doers 't is the Devil's Cross not Christ's that we take up But let us see how David expresseth his innocency I have done Iudgment and Iustice these two words are often joined together in Scripture When God is spoken of 't is said of him Psal. 33. 5. He loveth righteousness and judgment and in the 2 Sam. 8. 15. 't is said that David executed judgment and justice over all Israel Muis distinguisheth them thus Iudicium adversus sceleratos Iustitia erga bonos Judgment in punishing the wicked Justice in rewarding the good Besides that David speaketh not here as a King but as a poor oppressed man The words will hardly admit of that Notion Some think they are only put to encrease the sense I have done Judgment justly exactly I suppose the one referreth to the Law or Rule it self according to which every one is to do right that is judgment a clear knowledg of what ought to be done the other referreth to the action that followeth thereupon So that Judgment is a doing of what we know an acting according to received light Ezek. 18. 5. Do that which
not the device of mans brain So none understand by their proper skill and invention There are such knots as cannot be untyed and loosed but by imploring the help of the Spirit Use 1. To press us to be often with God for this teaching and make it our great request to him A gracious heart would fain learn the right way to Heaven Psal. 43. 3. O send out thy light and thy truth Directionâ—… how to carry our selves is a great Blessing 2. The blindness of our understandings should make us more earnest with God We are apt to mistake our way through the natural weakness of our understandings especially when lusts and interests interpose Ier. 10. 23. Lord the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps As Man understandeth not events so easily mistaketh present Duties 3. Our present estate The world is a dark place 2 Pet. 1. 19. compared with the light of Glory 't is but like a light that shineth out of a Room where a Candle is and a Room where a Candle is not seen the glimmerings of the Anti-Chamber of eternity Our own reason the counsel and example of others will easily misguide us So the more we depend upon God the more he will undertake to teach us Prov. 5. 6. Those that make their own bosomes their Oracle God is disengaged from being their Guide they need him not but the snares they run into will soon shew them how much they need him 4. How unapt we are to see Conclusions in the promises and to apply general Rules to particular Cases and times which most Christians cannot do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their inferences Rom. 1. 21. Are vain in their imaginations have their foolish hearts darkened 5. To bind all upon the heart and to lye under the Conscience of our Duty maketh the difficulty the greater many imprison the truth in unrighteousness Well then beg the constant direction and illumination of Gods holy Spirit cast your selves upon him in the sense of your weakness and see if he will refuse you say I am blind and ignorant Lord guide me 'T is dangerous to be left in any part of our Duty to our selves II. If we consider the words with respect to the Context And first the remoter Context where David speaketh like a man under trouble and oppression verses 121 122. Let not the proud oppress me c. Lord shew me what to do in this time of my oppression Doctr. Direction how to carry our selves in trouble till the deliverance cometh is a great mercy and should be earnestly sought of God Reasons 1. From the parties oppressing They that oppress watch for our halting as Ieremiah complained Ier. 20. 10. They accused the Prophet unto the Ruler and so to work his ruine if they could find him tripping in any thing Now when we are watched we need special direction that God would teach us to walk warily and safely Psal. 27. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies Or those which observe me they watch to get some advantage therefore that they may have no advantage against us we should not trust to our own single wisdom 2. Because the danger of sin is a greater inconvenience than the danger of trouble In times of tryals and troubles we are in danger of soul-losing and sinning as well as bodily danger therefore we have need to beg wisdom of God to carry it well under trouble because we are so apt to miscarry unless God guide us continually in our dark condition and take us by the hand and help us over our stumbling Blocks There are many sins incident to our condition First Uncomely passion and unadvised speeches therefore David prayeth in his trouble Psal. 141. 3. Set a watch before my mouth keep the door of my lips In our oppression we are under a temptation to hurt our own Cause by unadvised and passionate speeches when we have too great a sense of the temptation something or other breaketh out to Gods dishonour Secondly Some indirect course to come out of trouble Psal. 125. 3. Men that make haste out of trouble carve for themselves break prison before they are brought out Necessity is an ill Counseller and will soon tempt us to some evil way for our own ease some sinful compliance or confederacy The Devil tempted Christ when he was an hungry Matth. 4. 3. hoping to work upon his necessity Thirdly Private revenge or meeting injury with injuries We are apt to retaliate 2 Sam. 16. 9. Why should this dead Dog curse my Lord the King let me go over I pray thee and take off his head Revenge is soon up No man is troubled if a shower of Rain falleth upon us but if any cast a Bucket or Bason of Water upon us we are in a rage presently We can better bear any trouble from God than injuries from men Oppression maketh a wise man mad A revengeful spirit is contrary to our heavenly Calling Fourthly Waxing weary of our Duty and quite tired and discouraged in Gods service Heb. 12. 3. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners lest you be weary and faint in your minds Weariness and fainting belong properly to the Body and they differ gradually weariness is a lesser and fainting a higher degree of deficiency as when a man laboureth hungers or travelleth it abateth his strength and abateth the active powers or toileth the Spirits the principle of motion And from the Body 't is translated to the Mind to a less or higher degree of defection and is thus When troubles are many and long continued then we begin to grow faint and wax weary of the faith and service of Christ and sink under the burthen 'T is the Devils design to make us weary and tire us out in the service of God Fifthly Another evil is despairing and distrustful thoughts of God David after all his experiences of God though he had conducted him up and down 1 Sam. 27. 1. I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul He had a particular promise and assurance of the Kingdom and had seen much of Gods care over him yet after all this David doubteth of the Word of God Psal. 31. 22. I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou heardest me As if he should say God hath no care of me nor thoughts of me and at that instant deliverance was coming Sixthly Questioning our interest in God by reason of the Cross. Our Lord hath taught us to say My God my God in the bitterest agonies when he was upon the Cross but few learn this Lesson Iudg. 6. 23. If God be with us why hath all this evil befallen us Sometimes we question the love of God because we have no affliction and anon because we have nothing but affliction as if God were not the God of the Valleys as well as of the Mountains
and to revive the heart of the contrite ones 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 For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his ways and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him When the spirit is softened by a deep and serious remorse for sin and a tender sense of their condition with these will God dwell to comfort relieve restore them Secondly The Believer Psal. 33. 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy They that look for God shall find him Thirdly The sincere Psal. 11. 7. His countenance doth behold the upright He hath a singular care of them to manifest his love to them both inwardly and outwardly A good Conscience presents it self to God none but such will say Look upon me Adam hid himself upon his trangression Hypocrites cannot trust him Fourthly Such as love his Name It is the description and mark of Gods people in the Text They love God and all that by which God is especially made known To these God will look that he may bless them and comfort them with his love Ephes. 6. 24. Grace he with them that love our Lord Iesus Christ in sincerity Gods Grace and free Favour is to them they love the name of God that rejoyce to see God honoured known and had in request in the world to be owned to be such as he is by themselves and others Isai. 26. 8. The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Their great desire is That God may be exalted in their own hearts and in the hearts of others To these God will look who take care to honour God love Christ and keep his Commandments Iohn 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him II. The ground and cause of that favour he expects Be merciful unto me David begs what he begs upon terms of Grace Doctr. Gods mercy is the cause of all his favour to us or gracious dealing with us All that we have or would have cometh only and wholly from his mercy and mere mercy If God cast but a look upon us or visit us with one glympse of kindness we can ascribe it to no other cause Only mercy and never a word of merit should be in the mouth of a Believer 1. Because there was nothing in us to move him to be thus gracious to us Gen 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant Let us ask the reason and debate the cause with our selves Why doth or should God do this for me What moveth him Is he necessitated Then he could do no otherwise and should be kind to all Would he be unjust if he did not whereby have I obliged him Who hath given to God first and it shall be recompenced to him again Rom. 11. 35. Could you enter your action and Plea against him Before what Bar and Tribunal And with what Arguments will you manage your Cause How will the Beam plead against the Sun the Stream against the Fountain Is it a Debt to your Kind and rank of Being How many of the same Flesh and Blood are equal in Nature but unequal in condition nay in the same Vicinity and Neighbourhood not only Americans but of your own Nation and Countrey What did God see more in you than in them of the same Calling and Profession Two grinding at a Mill one shall be taken and the other left Luke 18. 35. Of the same Parentage was not Iacob Esau's Brother Indeed what did God see to move him to give you the first Grace Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy 2. There is much to the contrary a manifest unworthiness and contrary desert to what God bestoweth on us First A general unworthiness in all the Sons of Adam Man was left as a condemned Malefactor in the hands of the Law without all hope and possibility of recovery under sin Rom. 7. 14. I am carnal sold under sin Under a curse Ephes. 2. 3. We were by nature the Children of wrath even as others and that God should regard such Secondly A particular unworthiness before Conversion and after First Before Conversion Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient â—…eceived serving divers lusts and pleasures c. We deserve to be abhorred and cast out of Gods presence and might justly expect his vengeance rather than his bounty and goodness his anger and frowns rather than the light of his countenance Secondly Since Conversion Iames 3. 2. In many things we offend all Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not There are mixtures of evil imperfections of holy things Well then First Let mercy be all your Plea when you have any favour to seek from God We cannot claim any good upon any other right and title Justice will except against you and Conscience will take its part What have you to say but on that Dan. 9. 18. We do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses but for thy great mercies We have no other motive that will become God nor bear weight in our own Consciences but only God hath set up a Court where Grace taketh the Throne and giveth out pardons and blessings to Sinners Secondly When you have once tasted one pledge of Gods love vouchsafed to you let this kindle Coals in your bosomes and warm your hearts with love to God It is not only his condescension to take notice of you but his mercy to shew any favour and kindness to you 2 Sam. 7. 19. Is this the manner of men O Lord God Is this the manner of men to requite good for evil Who am I Thirdly Be contented with your measures Where nothing is deserved any thing should be kindly taken Grace communicateth it self to whom and in what measure it will Matth. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own If we are kept under and in great extremities he might have dealt worse with us Lam. 3. 22. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not If we had a prize in our hands to procure better we might complain Now all is free and undeserved we should admire and submit SERMON CXLVI PSAL. CXIX VER 132. As thou usest to do to those that love thy name HERE you have III. The terms of the
resigned our selves to Christ and the hands of Consecration have passed upon us When Ananias had dedicated that which was in his power and kept back part for private use God struck him dead in the place Acts 3. 5. And if we alienate our selves who were Christs before the Consecration of how much sorer vengeance shall we be guilty Gods Complaint was just Ezek. 16. 20. Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters whom thou hast born unto me and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured And if Satan hath a full interest in you by doing his lusts as he had in them by that Rite of Worship is not the wrong done to God the same 2. It is a sure note of a carnal heart For it is not only incongruous that a renewed man should let sin reign but impossible De jure it ought not de facto it shall not be The exhortation and promise Rom. 6. 12. with 14. verse 12. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies There is the exhortation while you have these mortal bodies sin will dwell in you but let it not reign over you God suffereth it to dwell in us for our exercise not our ruine Then the promise Verse 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace Let not shall not It is true sin remaineth in the godly but it reigneth not there 'T is dejectum quodammodo non ejectum tamen Cast down in regard of regency not cast out in regard of inherency Like the Beasts in Daniel Dan. 7. 12. They had their dominion taken away though their lives prolonged for a season Some degree of life but their reign broken The Israelites could not wholly expel the Canaanites yet they kept them under There will be pride earthliness unbelief and sensuality dwelling moving working in them but it hath not its wonted power over them Christ will not reckon men slaves to sin by their having sin in them nor yet by their daily failings and infirmities or by their falling now and then into foul faults by the violence of a temptation unless they make a constant trade of sin and be under the dominion of it without controul and set up no course of mortification against it 3. The reign of sin is so mischievous Sin when it once gets the Throne groweth outragious and involveth us in many inconveniences e're we can get out again Therefore they that know the service of sin as we all do by sad experience should use all caution that it never bring them into bondage again The work and wages of sin are very different from Gods work and wages The Apostle compareth them when he disswadeth them from the reign of sin Rom. 6. 21 22. For when ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness What fruit had you then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those thing is death But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit to holiness and the end everlasting life You have had full experience of the fruits of sin of Satans work what fruit then before you had tasted better things before you had a contrary principle set up in your hearts you are ashamed now to think of that course now you know better things But what fruit then Satans work is drudgery and his reward death The Devil hath one bad property which no other master how cruel soever hath To plague and torment them most which have done him most continual and faithful service Those that have sinned most have most horror and every degree of service hath a proportionable degree of shame and punishment He is an unreasonable Tyrant in exacting service without rest and intermission The most cruel Oppressors Turks and Infidels give some rest to their Captives but sin is unsatisfiable Men spend all their means and all their time and all their strength in the pursuit of it yet all is little enough And what is the reward of all but death and destruction Now judge you to whom should we yield obedience and who hath most right to be Sovereign He who made us and redeemed us and preserveth us every day none but he can claim title to us he to whom we are Debtors by so many Vows so many Obligations Or else Satan our worst enemy who is posting us on to our own destruction 4. It is so uncomely and misbecoming the new estate wherein we have so many helps and encouragements to resist sin First For helps you have an opposite principle to give check to it the seed of God or new nature Since Christ hath put Grace into your hearts to resist sin 't is your Duty not to suffer it to be idle and unfruitful Rom. 6. 11 12. Reckon your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof You want no ability to encourage you have an observing witness to give check to it the Spirit of God who will help you in this work Rom. 8. 13. He will be your Second neither we without the Spirit nor the Spirit without us There is a life and power goeth along with every Gospel-Truth Laziness pretendeth want of power but what is too hard for this Spirit Then Secondly For encouragement In every war are two notable encouragements goodness of the Quarrel and hopes of Victory as David 1 Sam. 17. 36. We have these in our Conflict and Combat with sin First Our Quarrel and our Cause is good 't is the Quarrel of the Lord of Hosts which you fight We stand with Christ our Redeemer who came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might destroy the works of the Devil He hath begun the battle we do but labour to keep under that enemy which Christ hath begun to slay and destroy Sin is not only an enemy to us but to him 'T is against him and hindreth his Glory in the World and the subjection of his Creatures and Servants Were it not for sin what a glorious Potentate would Christ be even in the judgment of the world Secondly Hope of the Victory Our strife will end and it will end well Those that are really earnestly striving against sin are sure to conquer Rom. 6. 14. Let not sin reign c. And it shall not If there be but a likelihood of Victory we are encouraged to fight here a Christian may triumph before the Victory Non aequè glorietur accinctus ac discinctus 1 Kings 20. 11. Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off There will come a good and happy issue in the end even a Conquest of sin For the present we overcome it in part it shall not finally and totally overcome us in this World and shortly all strife will be over Rom. 16. 20. The God of
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
nothing There we must begin They that have not the favour of God are left to their own sway and their own hearts and counsels but those whom he loves know his secrets and are guided by his Spirit 3. The connexion He prays not for one but for both for God giveth both together consolation and direction and we must seek both together for we cannot expect God should favour us while we walk in a wrong way and contrary to his will First Let me speak of the first Petition Where I might observe First The matter of the Petition Make thy face to shine Secondly The Person Upon me Thirdly The Character by which he describeth himself Thy Servant First As to the matter Make thy face to shine It is a Metaphor taken from the Sun When the Sun shines and sheds abroad his light and heat and influence then the Creatures are cheered and revived but when that 's obscured they droop and languish What the Sun is to the outward World that is God to the Saints Or else here 's a Metaphor taken from men that look pleasantly upon those in whom they delight And so the Lord gives a smile of his gracious countenance upon his people indeed it alludeth to both For the allusion to the light and influence of the Sun is clear in the word shine and the allusion to the pleasant countenance of a man upon his child is included in the word face The phrase may be understood by what is said Prov. 16. 15. In the light of the Kings countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain That place will illustrate this we have in hand Look what the smiling and pleasing aspect of the King is to those that value and stand in need of his favour that is the favour of God to the Saints The same form of speech is used in other places as in the form of the Priests blessing Numb 6. 25. The Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee And in that prayer Psal. 67. 1. God be merciful unto us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us Selah Well then the thing begged is a sense of Gods love Secondly For whom doth David beg this For himself Cause thy face to shine upon me David a man after Gods own heart But did he need to put up such a request to God 1. Possibly God might seem to neglect him or to look upon him with an angry countenance because of sin and therefore he begs some demonstration of his favour and good will David had his times of darkness and discomfort as well as others therefore earnestly beggeth for one smile of Gods face 2. If you look not upon him as under desertion at this time the words then must be thus interpreted He begs the continuance and encrease of his comfort and sense of Gods love Gods manifestations of himself to his people in this world are given out in a different degree and with great diversity Our assurance or sense of his love consists not in puncto an indivisible point it hath a latitude it may be more and it may be less and Gods Children think they can never have enough of it therefore David saith Lord cause thy face to shine If it did shine already the Petition intimates the continuance and encrease of it Thirdly He characterizeth himself by the notion of Gods servant as Psal. 31. 16. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant save me for thy mercies sake We must study to approve our selves to be the Lords servants by our obedience If we would have his face shine upon us we must be careful to yield obedience unto him The Points are four I. The sense of Gods favour may be withdrawn for a time from his choicest servants II. The Children of God that are sensible of this cannot be satisfied with this estate but they will be praying for some beams of love to be darted out upon their souls III. They that are sensible of the want or loss of Gods favour have liberty with hope and encouragement to sue out this blessing as David did Lord make thy face to shine upon thy servant IV. Gods Children when they beg comfort they also beg Grace to serve him acceptably I. The sense of Gods favour may be withdrawn for a time from his choicest servants David puts up this petition in point of comfort There 's a twofold desertion in appearance and in reality First In appearance only through the misgivings of our own hearts We may think God is gone and hides his face when there is no such matter as through inadvertency we may seek what we have in our hands Thus a Child of God thinks he is cast out of the presence of God when all the while he hath a full right and place in his heart Thus David Psal. 31. 22. We think God hath forgotten us neglects us casts us off hath no respect for us when in the mean time the Lord is framing an answer of Grace for us One chief cause is misinterpreting Gods Providence and our manifold afflictions The Lord sometimes frowns upon his Children as Ioseph upon his Brethren when his affections were very strong so the Lord covers himself with frowns and anger the visible appearance of it speaks no otherwise Secondly It may be really when he is angry for sin Isai. 57. 17. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth As the Fathers of our Flesh shew their anger by whipping and scourging the Bodies of their Children so the Father of our Spirits by lashing the Soul and Spirits by causing them to feel the effects of his angry indignation Or else withdrawing the Spirit of comfort suspending all the acts and fruits of his love so that they have not that joyful sense of communion with God as they were wont to have Now the reasons why Gods people may want the light of his countenance are these 1. God out of Sovereignty will exercise us with changes here in the World Even in the inward man there we have our Ebbs and Flows that we may know Earth is not Heaven He hath an Eternity wherein to reveal his love and to communicate himself to his people therefore he will take a liberty as to temporal dispensations Isai. 54. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer He hath an everlasting love and kindness for us therefore here in the world he will exercise us with some uncertainties as David concealed his love towards his Son Absolom when yet his bowels yerned towards him Here he takes liberty to do it because he will make it up in Heaven All your changes shall then be recompenced by an uninterrupted comfort 2. To conform us to Jesus Christ. We should not know the bitter agonies our Redeemer sustained
But Justification is but a relative It rendreth us amiable in the eyes of God God hateth sin more than misery Sin is against Gods very nature God can inflict punishmeâ—…t but he cannot infuse sin Gods interest and honour is to be preferred before our comfort and personal benefit In sanctification besides our personal benefit which is the perfection of our natures Gods honour and interest is concerned in our subjection to him Justification is a pledge but Sanctification is not only a pledge but a beginning 't is removens prohibens We love him for pardoning but he delighteth in holiness he delighteth in us rather as sanctified than pardoned We love much because much is forgiven Luke 7. 47. But God delighteth in the pure and upright Prov. 11. 20. Such as are upright in their way are his delight Use. 1. For reproof of three sorts First Of those that would have ease and comfort but care not for duty would have the love of God to pacifie their Consciences but never mind this to have their hearts directed in Gods ways Hos. 10. 11. Ephraim is as an Heifer that is taught that would tread out the Corn but not break the Clodds It yielded food Deut. 25. 4. They would be feasted with priviledges yet abhor service when they prize comfort To these we may argue not only ab incongruo how disingenuous it is to separate duty and comfort to be so ready to expect all from God and so unwilling to do any thing for him 'T is contrary to the disposition of Gods Children Tit. 2. 11 12. and Rom. 12. 1. But ab impossibili Will God ever delight in you till you be conformed to his Image Christ came not to make a change in God but in us not to make God less holy but us more holy 'T is not agreeable to the reasonable nature to conceive that God should be indifferent to good and bad or a friend to those that break his Laws Would you think well of that Magistrate that should let men rob and steal and beat their Fellow-Subjects and not only connive at them but receive them into his bosome You that have but a drop of the Divine Nature cannot delight in the company of Sinners 2 Pet. 2. 8. Secondly Those that would have the favour of God but expect it should be shewed to them in temporal things Alas these things are promiscuously dispensed to all Can be no evidence of his special love God is behind-hand with none of his Creatures Eccl. 9. 1 2. sometimes evil things to good men and good things to evil men Iosiah dyed in wars as well as Ahab Is Abraham rich so is Nabal Is Ioseph honoured by Pharaoh so is Doeg by Saul Hath Demetrius a good report of all men 3 Iohn 12. so have false Teachers Luke 6. 26. Hath Caleb health and strength Iosh. 14. 11. so have wicked ones No bands in their death Psal. 73. 4. Their strength is firm Was Moses beautiful Acts 7. 20. so was Absolom 2 Sam. 14. 25. Did God give learning and wisdom to Moses and Daniel c. Dan. 1. 17. so to the Egyptians Acts. 7. 22. Long life to Ishmael Gen. 25. 17. as well as to Isaac Gen. 35. 20. Thirdly The Children of God that murmure and repine at their sufferings when others ignorant of the mind of God and the strictness of his ways fare better Psal. 17. 14. 'T is often seen That he that encreaseth knowledg encreaseth sorrow Eccl. 1. 18. Drones and Sots have their ampler revenues but we should not be thereby discouraged 'T is their portion Prov. 3. 31 32. Envy thou not the Oppressor and chuse none of his ways for the froward are an abomination unto the Lord and his secret is with the righteous They are hateful to God while they flourish 'T is a greater evidence of Gods favour and friendship to understand his counsel in the Word and to be acquainted with the mysteries of godliness than to enjoy all the power and greatness in the world the knowledg of a despised hated truth than to flourish in opposition against the ways of God through ignorance obstinacy and prejudice Use 2. Is direction to us 1. For strict walking If we would have a comfortable sense of Gods love we must resolve upon a strict course of holy walking Gal. 6. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of God and Psal. 85. 8. and Ephes. 4. 30. 2. If we would walk strictly we must go to God for continual direction Psal. 86. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name Psal. 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness Especially when blinded with interest or apt to be carried away with temptations 3. Gods teaching is not only directive but perswasive it prevents sin Psal. 119. 133. quickens to Duty Psal. 119. 33 34 35. Teach and keep and make me to go for that 's the difference between literal instruction which we have from man and spiritual instruction which we have from God Gods teaching is drawing â—…ohn 6. 44. 45. SERMON CLI PSAL. CXIX VER 136. Rivers of water run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law MOST of the Sentences of this Psalm are independent and do not easily fall under the rules of method so that we need not take pains in clearing up the Context the Verse needs it not the time permits it not only you may observe this That often in this Psalm David had expressed his great joy and now he maketh mention of his exceeding grief There is a time to rejoyce and a time to mourn as times vary so do duties We have affections for every condition Indeed in this Valley of tears mourning is seldome out of season either with respect to sin or misery for our selves or others David that did sometimes mourn for his own sins and watered his Couch with tears Psal. 6. 6. He took also his time to mourn and bewail other mens sins Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law In the Words observe David's grief is set out by 1. Constancy and greatness of it Rivers of tears run down mine eyes 2. The goodness of the cause or reason of it Because they keep not thy Law Rivers of tears He compares his tears to a Stream and River always running The same expression is used Lam. 2. 18. Let tears run down like a River day and night let not the apples of thine eyes cease When affections are vehemently exercised the Scripture is wont to use such kind of expressions The will of a godly man is above his performance it is wont to do much more than the body can furnish him with abilities to express He had such a large affection that he could weep Rivers Because they Some referr it to eyes the
Psal. 94. 15. Iudgment shall return unto righteousness and all the upright in heart shall follow it Sometimes they are asunder Earthly Judges may refuse the justice of righteousness a Judg may suspend the act of his own judgment but they shall not long be severed God will bring forth his righteous Judgment Zach. 8. 17. These things I hate saith the Lord. And then in regard of his Providence God will not be unmindful of his promise Psal. 9. 7 8 9. He hath prepared his Throne for judgment and he shall judge the world in righteousness he shall minister judgment to his people in uprightness Courts of Justice among men are not always open they have Term-time but God is always ready to hear Paintiffs They make Complaints amongst men and they are delayed so much and so long that they are discouraged But we have a friend that is always ready to hear Psal. 48. 10. Thy right hand is full of righteousness for defending his people and punishing his enemies Use 3. To press us to acknowledge this Justice of God that he governeth all things righteously especially when you are under his mighty hand The Lord takes it ill when you question any of his Providences Ezek. 18. 25. Are not my ways equal He will be clear when he judgeth Psal. 51. 4. God will be justified in all that he hath done or shall do for the punishment of sin and therefore when the hand of God is upon you take heed you do not reproach God When his hand is smart and heavy upon you remember affliction opens the eyes of the worst men Nebuchadnezzar that knew no God but himself no happiness but in pleasing his own humour yet when he was whipped and scourged hear him speak Dan. 4. 37. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven all whose works are truth and his ways judgment and those that walk in pride he is able to abase Pharaoh Exod. 2 27. The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked These Acknowledgments and Confessions come from wicked men as Water out of a Still forced by the fire But if affliction opens the eyes of wicked men surely when we are under Gods afflicting hand we should give him the glory of his Justice and acknowledge that he is clear in all that he brings upon us He takes it ill when we murmure and tax his Judgment Mic. 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 And Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandment And when we submissively stoop and accept of the punishment of our sin after he hath been provoked then God will plead for us Lev. 26. 41. When we stoop humbly under Gods correcting hand and bear it patiently and say God is just in all this then it will succeed well Observe the Justice of God especially his remarkable Judgments upon others The Church is brought in acknowledging of it Rev. 15. 3. Iust and true are thy ways thou King of Saints And Rev. 19. 3. True and righteous are his Iudgments Not that we should sit Crowners upon other mens souls and judge their spiritual condition and misinterpret Providence I look upon it as a great sin of a faction and perverse humors But clearly when mens sins are so great that the Judgments of God have overtaken them we ought to say Iust and true art thou O Lord and just in all thy Iudgments I might shew here is much to keep the Children of God in awe the Lord is a righteous God though they have found mercy and taken sanctuary at his Grace the Lord is impartial in his Justice God that did not spare the Angels when they sinned nor his Son when he was a Sinner by imputation will not spare you though you are the dearly Beloved of his soul Prov. 11. 31. The sinful courses of Gods Children occasion bitterness enough they never venture upon sin but with great loss If Paul give way to a little pride God will humble him If any give way to sin their Pilgrimage will be made uncomfortable Gods hand may be smart and dismal Eli for negligence and indulgence there 's the Ark of God taken his two Sons slain in battel his Daughter in Law dies he himself breaks his Neck O the wonderful Tragedies that sin works in the houses of the Children of God! And David when he intermedled with forbidden fruit was driven from his Palace his Concubines defiled his own Son slain a great many calamities did light upon him Therefore the Children of God have cause to fear for the Lord is a just God and they will find it so here upon earth he hath reserved liberty to visit their iniquity with Rods and their transgression with Scourges I might press you to imitate Gods righteousness 1 Iohn 2. 29. If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of God You have a righteous God and here 's the thing you should copy out SERMON CLV PSAL. CXIX VER 138. Thy Testimonies which thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful IN the former Verse the Prophet had spoken of the righteousness of God now God is essentially righteous and therefore all that proceedeth from him is righteous A Carpenter that hath a Rule without him and a Line to measure his work by may sometimes hit and sometimes miss but if you could suppose a Carpenter the motion of whose hand were his Rule he could never chop amiss So must we conceive of God his Act is his Rule Holiness is his Essence not a superadded quality his righteousness is himself therefore from this righteous God there proceedeth nothing but righteousness and from this faithful God nothing but faith He discovereth his Nature both in the Acts of his Providence and the Institutions of his Word We cannot reason so concerning men that because they are righteous nothing cometh from them but what is righteous because righteousness is not their nature but an adventitious quality therefore good men may make ill Laws for though they be meant for good they may be deceived And sometimes wicked men may make good Laws to ingratiate themselves and for the interest of their affairs but God being essentially necessarily good holy and righteous his Laws are also good holy and true Thy Testimonies which thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful In the Words observe I. That there is a Revelation of Gods Will in his Word Thy Testimonies II. The Authority wherewith his Revelation is backed Which thou hast commanded III. The intrinsick worth and excellency of these Testimonies it is double They are 1. Righteous 2. Very faithful In the Hebrew righteousness and faithfulness that is very right and very faithful the one word is referred to the Agenda in Religion the other to the Credenda they are worthy to be obeyed
of Hosts 5. Want of Faith Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest The Woman of Canaan that would take no denial Christ saith O woman great is thy Faith The blind man cryed after the Son of David as we run to a Rich man that is Charitably disposed for an Alms. If we were perswaded that we should be the better for coming to God we should not be so slight and careless in our approaches to him 2. Use. Is to press you to this crying or Holy vehemency in Prayer The Apostle biddeth us to continue instant in Prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 continue with all your might in Prayer Col. 4. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labouring fervently in Prayer for you The word signifieth to be striving in a Battel and in an Agony for them It hath life in it But what is it 1. When the Heart worketh in prayer as before 2. When you follow the suit and will not give over praying Luk. 18. 1. He spake a Parable to them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint Luk. 11. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because of his Importunity he will rise c. The Prophet telleth God plainly what he would do Isa. 62. 1. For Zions sake will I not hold my Peace and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest c. So Iacob Gen. 32. 26. I will not let thee go unless thou Bless me Absque te non recedam 3. When deaf to disappointments and discouragements from without from within from himself from God himself 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you c. Notwithstanding the many Objections in his heart what God would do to a Rebellious People So Elijah when the Heavens were as Brass and the Clouds as Iron And blind Bartimeus Mark 10. 48. Many charged him that he should hold his Peace but he cryed the more a great deal thou Son of David have mercy on me When God seemeth to cast out prayer to give no answer or a contrary one So Daniel when forbidden to pray Dan. 6. 10. When Daniel knew that the writing was signed he went into his House and prayed three times a day as afore-time He doth not make one suit the less or abate one Jot of his Zeal To cleave to God when he seemeth to Thrust us from him Iob 13. 15. This is an Holy Obstinacy very acceptable unto God The Woman of Canaan standeth fending and proving with Christ till he giveth her satisfaction Then be it unto thee as thou wilt When we turn discouragements into arguments and motives of believing and draw near to Christ the more he seemeth to drive us from him however God wrestle with such for a while it is with a purpose to give Faith the Victory and to yield us himself to do for us what our Souls desire of him You pray and God keepeth silence He answered her not a word Matth. 15. 23. 'T is not said he heard not a word but he answered her not a word these two differ Christ often heareth when he doth not answer his not answering is indeed an answer and speaks this Pray on and continue your Crying still the Door is kept bolted that you may knock again afterwards a Rebuke First he answereth not a word then giveth an answer to the Disciples not to the Woman I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel and then it is not meet to take the Childrens bread and to cast it to dogs But she turned the discouragement into an Argument And she said Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the Crumbs which fall from their Masters Table 4. Holy fervency and vehemency will be argumentative and plead with God as Abraham Gen. 18. 25. Shall not the Iudge of all the earth do right So Iacob Gen. 32. 9. Iacob pleadeth Gods promise Return unto thy Fathers house I will deal well with thee Lord I undertook not this Journey but upon this incouragement The little honour God hath by the Churches Calamities Psal. 44. 12. Isa. 52. 4 5. The Praise God will have from his People Psal. 142. 6. do it as David in the Text I will keep thy Statutes The chief Arguments are Gods Covenant Psal. 74. 22. Arise O God plead thine own Cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily Have respect to thy Covenant The Merits of Christ. Lord hear for the Lords sake Desire is witty to find out Arguments and Reasoning to enforce the things we sue for But how shall we get it 1. Have a sincere desire to the things asked we will cry for what we value and earnestly desire Prov. 2. 3 4. If thou cryest for knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding if thou seek for her as for silver and searchest for her as for hid Treasures Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God 2. Be perswaded of the Lords willingness to hear and power to help A Rich and Bountiful person a Beggar will not let him go if he see onely a Rich man Matth. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst It is in the power of your hand to help us But is not God willing also Suppose it be an uncertainty yet cry mightily unto God who can tell that he will not repent Ionah 3. 8 9. If there be but a possibility yet try what importunity will do Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high unto God who performeth all things for me He hath heard once and will again 3. Beg the Assistance of the Spirit our necessities are not sharp enough to quicken our Affections they need the secret influence of Grace it is his work to set us a groaning and crying to God How well are we provided for with an Advocate and Notary Rom. 8. 26. Iude 20. 4. Let us rowse up our selves Isa. 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Psal. 57. 8. Awake up my glory awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake early We must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the gift of God which is in us 2 Tim. 1. 6. 5. Let us take heed we do not Quench the Spirit 1 Thes. 5. 19. bring deadness on our Hearts by carnal liberty So much enlarged as we are to the Flesh so much streightned in the Spirit where desires are after other things there will be little delight in Prayer 6. The way to be fervent is to be frequent and often with God A Key seldom turned rusts in the Lock The fire of the Sanctuary was never to go out by great interruptions we lose what we have wrought The way of the Lord is strength to the upright but destruction shall be to the Workers of Iniquity Prov. 10. 29. I come now to the Second Qualification With my whole Heart
uprightness giveth boldness with God in Prayer 1 Ioh. 3. 21. If our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God So Paul sheweth he was capable of their Prayers or a fit object of them Heb. 13. 18. Pray for us for we trust we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly It is an error to think that Justification giveth us only comfortable access to God and Sanctification hath no Influence at all upon it We lye in some secret sin then our Plea is spoiled If God give thee an heart to adhere close to him in a constant course of Obedience the more you may be assured to be delivered The joy of our Faith is mightily confirmed by the Conscience of our constant respect and obseryance of the Word of God and firm adherence to him Use. If we would boldly come to God in our streights let us not forget or forsake our Duty nor throw off the profession of Godliness whatever we suffer from men Psal. 44. 17. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant Yea from God though he seem to cast us off taketh no care of us Iob 13. 15. Though he slay me yet I will trust in him Diogenes Laertius telleth us of a Cynick that went to Athens to Antisthenes to be taught by him when often met with a repulse yet still insisted on his request SERMON CLXXII PSALM CXIX VER 154. Plead my cause and deliver me quicken me according to thy Word IN this Verse are three Requests and all backt with one and the same Argument The three Requests are First That God would own his Cause Secondly Deliver him out of his Troubles Thirdly And in the mean time before the Deliverance came Quicken him In the first He intimateth the Right of his Cause and that he was unjustly vexed by wicked men therefore as burdened with their Calumnies he desireth God to undertake his Defence Plead my Cause In the second He representeth the Misery and Helplesness of his Condition therefore as oppressed by Violence he saith Deliver me or as the words will bear Redeem me In the third His own Weakness and readiness to Faint under this burden therefore Quicken me Or in short with respect to the Injustice of his Adversaries Plead my Cause with respect to the Misery of his Condition Deliver me with respect to the weakness and Imbecillity of his own Heart Quicken me God is his Peoples Patron to defend their Cause his Peoples Redeemer to rescue them out of their Troubles the Author and Fountain of their Life to quicken them and support them accordingly we may beg of him as the Psalmist doth here Defence of our Cause the Deliverance of our Persons and the support of our Hearts 2. The Reason and ground of asking according to thy Word This last Clause must be applyed to all the branches of the Prayer plead my Cause according to thy Word deliver me according to thy Word quicken me according to thy Word for God in his Word ingageth for all to be Advocate Redeemer and Fountain of Life This Word that David buildeth upon was either the general Promises made to them that keep the Law or some particular Promise made to himself by the Prophets of that time The sum of all is this If we believe the Word of God to be true we may in a Righteous Cause with Comfort and Confidence ask Defence Deliverance and Support I begin with the First Request Plead my Cause Doctrine When we have to do with unjust and wicked Adversaries we should desire God to plead our Cause or as the Original will bear to judge our Iudgment or contend our Contention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. litiga litem meam So others There is a threefold Cause that cometh usually into debate 1. Inter hominem hominem between Man and Man as between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Those that are born after the Flesh and those that are born after the Spirit Gal. 4. 29. He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit The Children of God and Men of this World Ioh. 15. 19. If ye were of the world the world would love its own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you As between Wolf and Lamb Raven and Dove this is an old Controversie that will never be reconciled it is often set afoot in Kingdoms in Cities in Towns Ships and Villages and Families and will continue till the Worlds End For while there are two seeds there will be strifes and enmities Now in this quarrel and strife sometimes success is cast on this side sometimes on that as God seeth fit either to favour or to try and correct his Servants usually the World prevaileth being more numerous only let me tell you this Controversie doth not alwayes appear to the World unvailed or bare-faced Enmity to Godliness is such an odious thing in itself and hath so often miscarried that it is not for its interest to appear openly and in its own colours but under the mask and disguise of other pretences which are the more plausibly taken on when the holy Seed have scandalized their Profession and made the way of Truth to be evil spoken of and yet it is the old Enmity and Antipathy still as appeareth by the parties contesting their aims and designs and the means and wayes they use to compass them with scorning of Faith and Piety 2. Inter Hominem Diabolum between Man and the Devil he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Adversary 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your adversary the Devil like a roaring lion walketh about continually seeking whom he may devour and such an Adversary as hath Law of his side and by Law would carry it against all the Children of fallen Adam if there were not a new Court erected where Grace taketh the Throne So Rev. 12. 10. he is called the Accuser of the Brethren but it is our Comfort that as there is an Accuser so there is an Advocate 1 Ioh. 2. 1. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Righteous who also is the propitiation for our sins We shall do well to put our Cause into his hands and then it cannot Miscarry Satan will not be more ready to accuse then Christ to plead for us and he hath a greater interest in the Court of Heaven then our Adversary hath stronger Arguments to plead merits to represent therefore make him your Attorney to appear in Court for you 3. Inter Hominem Deum God hath a Controversie with us about the breach of his Law and our undutiful carriage 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
therefore though God will give sufficient means of Conviction yet not always such evident marks of his Favour to the best Cause in Temporal things as that mere sense shall lead them to embrace it No he will onely set a good Cause a-foot and then suffer it to be exposed to the hatred of the World and sometimes to be over-born as to any Temporal Interest it can get that the mere Evidence and Love of Truth may gain men and not any secular motives All the countenance and owning God will give to it is by infusing Courage and Constancy to his Servants to suffer for it and so they overcome by the blood of the Lamb and not loving their Lives to the Death Rev. 12. 11. he speaketh of such a time when the Church seemeth weakest like a poor woman Travelling and her Enemies seem strongest like a great Red Dragon ready to devour the Child assoon as born Now though at such a time the Church is overcoming and the Devil and his Instruments are but pulling down their own Throne and establishing Christs while they are shedding the Blood of his Saints Yet none of this appeareth and is visibly to be seen Though suffering be a sealing and ratifying of the Truth yet to the Worlds eye it seemeth a suppressing and over-bearing of it Therefore few will own such a despised hated persecuted way and the difficulty is the greater when there is much of Gods Truth owned by the persecuting side and the contest is not about the main of Christianity but some lesser Truths and so the opposition is more disguised then certainly it may be said Isa. 59. 4. None calleth for Iustice nor any pleadeth for Truth all half Friends are discouraged therefore nothing is left the people of God but their Prayers Lord plead my cause David in the Text appealeth to Gods Judgment when he was deserted by men burdened by prejudices oppressed by mans wrong Judgment So often Gods People are not able to defend themselves and few in the World will own them or be Advocates for them then God will take their cause in hand In the Civil Law if a man could not get an Advocate metu adversarii the Judge was to appoint him one to plead for him So God taketh notice of his Peoples Condition Ier. 30. 13. There is none to plead thy cause that thou mayst be bound up Often among men none can or dareth undertake the defence and patronage of oppressed Right 2. Though we have a good Cause and hopeful Instruments yet we cannot plead it with any effect till God shew himself from heaven Nay though the Cause be never so right and just and Instruments and Means hopeful yet it requireth God's power to keep it a-foot For the justice of the Cause must not be relyed on nor probable means rested in but God must have the Trust of the Cause and the Glory of maintaining it otherwise by our own ill managing or by some secret and unseen opposition it will Miscarry Psal. 9. 4. Thou â—…st maintained my right and my cause thou satest in the Throne judging right This is a work wherein God will be seen while it is in agitation or under decision God will have the Trust and when it is over he will have all the Glory III. What Hopes or Grounds there are to expect that God will plead the Cause of his People 1. He can 2. He will Infinite Power and infinite Justice can do it 1. He can The Lord is able he that pleadeth our Cause hath infinite Power Prov. 23. 11. Their Redeemer is mighty he shall plead their cause with thee It is easie to bear down a few afflicted Creatures that have no strength or heart to oppose being in bonds and under oppression but there is a mighty God who when he pleadeth any ones cause he will do it to the purpose really and effectually delivering them for whom he pleadeth Ier. 50. 34. Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hosts is his name he will throughly plead their Cause that he may give rest to the land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon 2. He will Considering 1. Their Relation to God 2. God's Relation to them and to the whole World 1. Because of their Relation to him the Dominus the Lord whom they had chosen was to be their Patronus they that have put themselves under Gods Protection and are faithful to him keeping close to his Word he will plead their cause and manage it as his own Isa. 51. 22. Thus saith thy Lord the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people Behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling even the dregs of the cup of my fary thou shalt no more drink it again He being their Soveraign Lord had undertaken to protect his Servants he counteth the wrongs done to them done to himself Acts 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Especially since molested for his Truth 2. Because of his Relation to them he is the Supream Potentate and the righteous Judge of the World and so bound by his office to defend the weak and innocent when oppressed Psal. 146. 7. He executeth judgment for the opppressed those that should maintain Right upon Earth and punish Wrongs are often prevaricators but the Judge of all the Earth will do Right he is an impartial Judge and will maintain the cause of his People Prov. 22. 22 23. Rob not the poor because he is poor neither oppress the afflicted in the gate For the Lord will plead their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them Though no Relation to him yet if poor if afflicted if destitute of humane help the Lord taketh himself to be the Patron of all such much more his People Use. I. To rebuke our Fears and Mis-giving of Heart When we see the best men go to the Walls and to be made objects of Scorn and Spight we are apt to say as the Church doth in the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 40. 27. My way is â—…id from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from my God that is in effect that God doth wholly neglect them and will not plead their Cause Oh no! he knoweth what strife there is between us and our Adversaries and how good our Cause is and how much he is concerned in it onely we must wait his leisure and bear his Indignation until he plead True submission to God ought to prescribe no day to him but referr all to his Will Use. II. Let us commit our Cause to the Lord as the expression is Iob 5. 8. I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause who is the Friend and Advocate of the Afflicted and hath promised to be so and to keep us from the hand of the wicked and the mouth of the wicked from their hand and violence so far as it shall be for his Glory Isa. 49. 25. I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I
will save thy Children And from the mouth of the wicked Psal. 5. 15. He saveth the poor from the sword and from their mouth and from the hand of the mighty From slanders that may endanger their Life and Credit So ver 21. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the Tongue from their bitter reproaches Therefore commit your cause to God But then 1. Be sure that your Cause be good for God will not be the Patron of Sin unless he hath passed sentence for us in his Word it is boldness to appeal to him as Baalam that would hire God by sacrifices to Curse his People Hasty Appeals to God in our passion and revengeful humours are a great dishonour to him Sarah Appealed Gen. 15. 3. The Lord judge between me and thee And David Appealed 1 Sam. 24. 15. The Lord therefore be judge and judge between thee and me and see and plead my cause and deliver me out of thy hand But there was more of justice in Davids Appeal in the case between him and Saul than in Sarahs Appeal in the case between her and Abraham it would have been ill for her if God had taken her at her word it sheweth that even Gods Children are too apt to intitle him to their private passions 2. Let us be sure that there be no Controversie between God and our Persons when yet our Cause is good The Israelites had a good Cause Iudges 20. but there was once and again a great slaughter made of them before they had reconciled themselves to God There must be a good Conscience as well as a good Cause otherwise God will plead his Controversie against us before he will plead our Controversie against our Enemies Ier. 2. 35. yet thou sayest because I am innocent surely his anger will turn from me behold I will plead with thee because thou sayest I have not sinned Because we have a good Cause we think God hath no cause to be angry with us therefore he will first plead in Judgment against us So Hos. 12. 2. The Lord hath also a controversie with Iudah and will punish Iacob according to his wayes according to his doings will he recompence him Though God may approve what is right in Worship and Profession yet he will punish our shameful disorders and unanswerable walking in his People 3. Let us Pray in a right manner with Confidence with Earnestness 1. Confidence that God will plead our Cause when he seeth it good and for his own Glory whether there be any likelyhood of it yea or no for he hath promised to support the weak and humble and protect the innocent against their Oppressors Psal. 140. 12. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor God is party with you not against you and leave him to his own wayes and means Faith should support us when sense yieldeth little comfort and hope He knoweth how to justifie your Cause and deliver your Persons and you should know that he will do it and can do it though the way be not evident to you and God seem to sit still for a while 2. Earnestly Oh be not cold in the Churches suit if you be Sions Friends and are willing to take share and lot with Gods people awaken him by your incessant cryes Nay it is God's Cause Psal. 74. 22. Arise O Lord plead thine own cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee dayly The Godly are not maligned for their Sins but their Righteousness So Psal. 35. 23. Stir up thy self and awake to my Iudgment even unto my cause my God and my Lord. There is a long suit depending between the Church of God and her Enemies desire that God would determine it and declare what is Right and what is Wrong Secondly He beggeth God in the Text to Redeem or Deliver him the Word in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the usual word for Goel Redeemer the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ransom me Here he craveth that as his Cause might be in safety so his Person Doctrine We may beg a Deliverance or a Release from our Troubles provided we do not beg it out of an impatiency of the Flesh but a desire of Gods Glory God delights to be imployed in this work what hath he been doing all along in all Ages of the World but delivering his People from those that oppressed them He delivered Iacob from the Fury of Esau Ioseph from the Malice of his Brethren Gen. 37. 21. And Reuben heard it and he delivered him out of their hands saying let us not kill him Daniel from the Lions Den Dan. 6. 22. My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut the Lions mouths that they have not hurt me forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me and also before thee O King have I done no hurt Peter from Prison Acts 12. 11. And when Peter was come to himself he said now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Iews And will not he do the like for his suffering Servants how came his hand to be out He delivered Israel out of Egypt out of Babylon he can do it again it doth not cost him much labour Psal. 68. 2. As smoke is driven away so drive them away as wax melteth before the fire so let the wicked perish at the presence of God Therefore refer your deliverance to God and when you are in a way of Duty be not thoughtful about it there is a price payed for it Christ redeemed us from Temporal Adversity so far as it may be a snare to us God hath his Times we may see it unless he hath a mind to sweep away the unthankful and froward generation that provoked him to so much Anger Numb 14. 22 23. Because all those men that have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt in the wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkned unto my voice surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their Fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it Ier. 29. 31 32. Thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you and I sent him not and he caused you to trust in a lye therefore thus saith the Lord behold I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his seed he shall not have a man to dwell among this people neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my People saith the Lord because he hath taught Rebellion against the Lord. It may be we may be more broken and afflicted first Deut. 32. 36. For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Oh let us desire to see the good of
seriously give up our selves to the observation of Gods Will and attend upon this work Thus wicked men do not seek it is the least of their Cares Psal. 73. 27. Lo all they that are far from thee shall perish The whole stream and course of their Affections Lives and Actions do run from God to the Creature they care not whether they please God yea or no Prov. 19. 16. He that keepeth the Commandments keepeth his own soul but he that despiseth his ways shall dye He slights his way that goeth on as his own heart leadeth him as a Traveller that regardeth not to choose his way but goeth through thick and thin he despiseth his way so he that careth not whether his way be pure or filthy Well then the sum is wicked men care not to know and obey Gods Word II. Reasons Why they are wicked that do not seek Gods Statutes 1. Because Omissions where they are of Duties absolutely necessary and total and universal and do necessarily draw sins of Commission along with them do argue a state of wickedness but such is the Case here to live in a known sin whether of Omission or Commission is damnable Iam. 4. 17. To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin but especially when Total c. The wicked are thus described them that forget God Psal. 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God Iob 8. 13. So are the paths of all that forget God Psal. 50. 22. Now consider this ye that forget God left I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver This sayeth a man open to all Sin and maketh way for his Destruction So Zeph. 1. 6. They have not sought the Lord nor enquired after him that is enough to damn them if they do not break out into Excess 2. Because they are guilty of great wrong to God and to their own Souls 1. To God It is a Contempt of his Authority when men will not study to know and do his declared Will that is make it their business to do so For it is a great slighting of him looking upon his direction as of little importance Hos. 8. 12. I have written to him the great things of my law but they were counted as a strange thing and therefore were strangers to it as if there were no danger in walking contrary to it 2. To themselves Gods Statutes concern our Salvation as well as his own Glory Luk. 7. 30. The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves Thus a wicked man is Felo de se. Prov. 8. 35 36. Whose findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord but he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love Death Use. I. You see now who are far from Salvation they that do not study the Word of God to conform themselves thereunto Use. II. Let us be sure to be far from the disposition of the Wicked let us with all our hearts seek to comply with the Precepts of God and be more diligent and earnest in bringing our hearts to a true Scriptural Holiness that we may not be in this danger Motives 1. From the excellency of these Statutes to be employed in the service of God is the greatest honour and the most blessed Life upon Earth if it be irksome it is a sign of a Disease and some great Distemper or Inclination to some base dreggy delights of the Flesh if the Soul were rightly constituted it would be our greatest pleasure honour and content other work spendeth our strength this increaseth it the way of the Lord is strength to the upright 2. From Salvation it is great sure near Great both as to Body and Soul Sure Gods Word past is unalterable Near should we faint in the sight of our Country and be sluggish and negligent when heaven is at hand 3. There is present content in the sight of our Qualification and clear distinction from the wicked SERMON CLXXIV PSALM CXIX VER 156. Great are thy tender Mercies O Lord quicken me according to thy Iudgments IN the former Verse we presented you with the Judgment of God against the wicked we shall now present you with a more comfortable Argument his Mercies to his people When ever we think or speak of the Damnable Condition of the Wicked we should remember the Grace of God that hath made the difference between us and them We were no better by Nature than they only Mercy interposed for our rescue and snatched us as brands out of the burning So here David flyeth to Gods Mercy as the original Cause of all that he had or hoped for from him great are thy tender mercies O Lord c. In the words there is I. An Eulogy or an Ascription of Praise to God Great are thy tender mercies O Lord. II. A Prayer Quicken me according to thy Iudgments The one maketh way for the other for because Gods Mercies are so great therefore he is incouraged to come unto him for help In the Eulogy we have the thing praised Gods Mercy 'T is set forth by a double adjunct one taken from the Quality the other from the Quantity From the Quality 't is Tender and Bowel-Mercy from the Quantity 't is great Or the word may be rendered many the Mercies of God as one saith are many and Motherlike Having layed this Foundation for his hope the Man of God proceedeth to his Prayer which is our second branch where you have the Request Quicken me the Argument according to thy Iudgments that is thy Promises in the New Covenant as we before explained the word Those Premises are called Judgments because they are Rules of proceeding in the New Court which God hath set up Many things might be observed from these words 1. That the Primary Cause of all that we have and expect from God is his Mercy The Man of God beginneth here when he expected different usage from the wicked or that God should deal with him in another manner than with them 2. That this Mercy is so great and large that it is every way sufficient for our help 3. The Termes and Rules according to which we are to expect this Mercy are set forth in the New Covenant where God hath bound himself to shew Mercy to his People upon such Conditions as are there specified So that this Covenant doth inform us and assure us both of Gods Mercy and Gods Quickning 4. One special New-Covenant-blessing is the preservation of the Life of grace in our Souls There is a great necessity of it because in the spiritual life we are subject to fainting and the Children of God have a great value and esteem for it for they are more sensible of Soul-distempers than other men and when they see others stark dead in Trespasses and Sin they are the more displeased with their own remaining deadness and therefore would have the
God 3. We shall never have such great and large thoughts of Gods tender mercy as when they arise from our own Experience and particular Observation to know God by hear-say will not work upon you as when we have seen him our selves as they said unto the Woman Iohn 4. 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world We do not speak or think of God with any Sense and Life Affection and Admiration till we have studied his Nature and observed his Wayes otherwise we speak by Rote when we praise him for his mercies and 't is but an empty Complement Psal. 103. 1 2 3. Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his benefits whoforgiveth all thy iniquities and healeth all thy diseases c. 4. Then will our own Experience inform us of the greatness and tenderness of mercy when we are sensible of our sins and miseries when a man seeth his Sins great his Dangers great then he will see Gods mercies towards him great also Psal. 86. 13. For great is thy mercy towards me for thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell We do not know the greatness of the Pardon but by the greatness of the Debt nor the greatness of our Protection and Deliverance but by the greatness of the Danger God continueth trouble upon his People that they may be sensible of the sweetness of the mercy and his help in their Deliverance Rom. 5. 8. But herein God commended his love to us that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us 5. When our sense of sins and miseries hath most recommended mercy to us we should magnifie it both with respect to Supplication and Gratulation 1. With respect to Supplication when we are under Fears and Discouragements we should oppose and set these great and tender mercies in the Balance against our doubts and fears Our Sins are many our Troubles great yet let us not be discouraged from Praying and making our supplication to God for God will pardon a penitent People and help a sensible Supplicant The more sensible of our misery the fitter Objects for mercy What is it that troubleth us fear of not speeding with God in Prayer you hear how soon he Relenteth when you Relent and lye at his feet for to what use doth pardoning mercy serve but to incourage broken-hearted sinners We have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings Benhadad having lost the day and in great fear of losing his life with his Kingdom his Friends comforted him with the Fame they had heard of Israels Kings 1 Kings 20. 31. We know most certainly 't is hard to raise up truly poor down-lost sinners how presumptuous soever they have been before God would have these by all means to be incouraged So that though you have many Objections from your unworthiness the multitude and greatness of your sins or is it the power of men and difficulty of our deliverance Gods mercy is beyond the proportion of their Cruelty The more violent and ungodly our Oppressors are the more hope of Gods pity towards us Psal. 86. 14 15. O God the proud are risen against me and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul and have not set thee before them but thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gracious long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and truth 2. Let us magnifie it as to Gratulation Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of all the mercy c. Less than the least of all thy mercies Let us consider our unworthiness that God may have all the Glory Use. II. Is to press us to be Merciful we should be like God let us put on Bowels of mercy Col. 3. 12. Put on therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering Luke 6. 36. Be ye therefore merciful as your heavenly father also is merciful SERMON CLXXV PSALM CXIX VER 161. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word IN this Verse we have First Davids Temptation Secondly The Godly Frame of his Spirit First In Davids Temptation take notice of 1. The Nature of it 't was a Persecution 2. The Instruments of it Saul and the Chief men about him Princes 3. The Malice and Groundlesness of it without a Cause Secondly The Godly Frame of his Heart but my heart c. And there we have 1. The Seat of his Affection my heart 2. The Kind of the Affection standeth in awe 3. The Object of it the Word of God First With Davids Temptation I will not meddle any further than an Introduction or the necessity of an Exposition enforceth me a little to reflect upon And 1. From the Nature of it Persecution is one of the ordinary Trials of Gods Children As God Chasteneth them because they are no better Isa. 27. 9. so the World Persecuteth them because they are so good Iohn 15. 19. This ever hath been and ever will be the Lot of Gods Children while there are two seeds in the World Gen. 3. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed And the Apostle saith Gal. 4. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh â—…uted him that was born after the spirit so 't is now The first place speaketh of the Antipathy between the Church and it 's open Opposites the second was in Abrahams Family and 't is brought to Comfort the true Members of the Christian Church against those Persecutions which they sustained from the false Apostles and such as adhered to the Iewish Synagogue Isaac was begotten by the Power of Gods Spirit according to the Tenour of the Promise Ishmael by the ordinary strength of Nature a Figure of the Regenerate and Unregenerate Iohn 1. 13. Persecution is a thing common to the Church in all Ages then and now therefore as they grow worse let us grow better and let us be content to take the ordinary way by the Cross to come to the Crown 2. The Instruments of his Trouble were Saul and his Chief men about him The man of God had said Many are my Persecutors Verse 157. now he sheweth they were not mean ones and of the inferiour sort but such as by their Power were able to crush him such as by their place should be a Refuge to him I observe the Trial is the sorer when our trouble cometh not only from the basest of the People but from the Rulers themselves No doubt a great part of the People followed Saul in his persecuting of David yet the Nobles most troubled him In the Primitive times lapidibus nos invadit inimicum vulgus the base Rif-raffe were most ready to stone the Christians but this was meer Brutish Rage a
multitude though they have Power yet they have no Authority But when the Rulers were set against them and persecuted them with Edicts and Punishments then the greatest Havock was made of them To see Gods Ordinance abused maketh the Trial the more grievous The Godly should be defended by their Governours for therefore they are called the shields of the Earth Psal. 49. 9. But now when they persecute them for Righteousness sake 't is a sore but no strange Temptation They may do so partly out of Ignorance 1 Cor. 2. 8. Which none of the Princes of this world knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory And partly out of Prejudice and blind Zeal so the Corner-stone is refused by the Builders Psalm 118. 22. applyed to Christs Persecutors Acts 4. 11. The stone that was set at nought by you builders is become the head of the Corner And partly by the instigation of Evil Men. Wicked men labour to ingage those who are in power against the People of God and make them odious to them Prov. 29. 10. The bloud-thirsty hate the upright Flattery giveth the first onset to the work of Impiety Acts 24. 1 2 3. And partly because Riches and Power efferate men swell them with pride fill them with enmity against the ways of God Psal. 123. 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and the contempt of the proud Well then let us not be dismayed though great men be prejudiced against us and we have powerful Enemies in Church and State Matth. 10. 17 18. But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the Counsels and they will scourge you in their Synagogues and ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my sake for a Testimony against them and the Gentiles Though we be persecuted with Censures Civil and Ecclesiastical and both Judicatures thunder against us Iohn 16. 1 2. These things have I told you that you should not be offended they shall put you out of the Synagogue Yea the time cometh when they that kill you think they do God good service 'T is a stumbling block to see Power which is of God bent against God and his Interest the Beast in the Revelations pushed with the Horns of the Lamb but Christ hath told us of these things before-hand that we should be fore-armed against them Christs Followers must not only look for injuries from wicked men in a tumultuous way but ordinarily carried by fixed Judicatures thrown out of the Church by Excommunication and out of the World by Death Let us Bless God that our Rulers deal more Christianly by us and let us not irritate them but shew all Love and Meekness and Obedience and let the mild Government of our Gracious Soveraign move us to pray to God for the Continuance of his Life and the Prosperity of his Affairs 't is but a necessary Gratitude that we should pay him for the Rest and Peace we enjoy under him 3. The Malice and Groundlesness of this Persecution without cause David did not suffer for his Deserts as an Evil doer he had done nothing disobediently against Sauls Authority when he had spared him in the Cave he giveth him an Ample Testimony 1 Sam. 24. 17. Thou art more righteous then I for thou hast rewarded me good but I have rewarded thee evil Again he had another Testimony when he surprized his Camp sleeping 1 Sam. 26. 21. Return my son David I will no more do thee harm because my soul was precious in thine eyes behold I have played the fool and have erred exceedingly Theodoret expoundeth this of the next Verse with application to these passages When David found Saul asleep he would not kill him and this was more Comfort to him than if he had slain and obtained all their Spoiles Observe we may the better represent our Case to God when we suffer without a Cause then our Sufferings are clean Sufferings more Comfortable to us and Honourable to God 'T was Daniels glory that they could find no occasion or fault against him but only in the matter of his God Dan. 6. 4 5. Blamless Carriage disappoints the Malice of wicked men or shameth them Cajus Sejus vir bonus nisi quod Christianus Now a pretended Crime doth not take away the glory from us Saul pretended that David was an Enemy to his Life and Crown but David declared the Contrary by Word and Deed he might have slain him twice Put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 1 Pet. 2. 15. There may be in Mans Court a Cause which before God is no just Cause as when we are punished for the breach of Law which is contrary to our Duty to God Psalm 94. 20. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee which frameth mischief by a law Well then whatever we suffer let it be without a Cause there is cause enough on Gods part to afflict and strike us for our sins but on Mans part let us not procure Sufferings to ourselves by our Provocations We shall hereby have more peace in Sufferings and bring more honour to Religion 1 Peter 3. 17. For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing then for evil-doing 1 Peter 4. 15 16. But let none of you suffer as a murtherer or a theif or as an evil-doer yet if any suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in that behalf Surely Christs Cross is more comfortable than the Cross of Barabbas Secondly Let us come to his gracious frame of heart to stand in Awe of the Word but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word Doctrine 'T is a gracious frame of Heart to stand in Awe of the Word of God Gods People are often described by it Iob 13. 13. Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed but whoso feareth a commandment shall be rewarded There are many fear a Judgment when to visible appearance it is like to tread upon the heels of sin yea and some fear a Threatning at least when it is like to be accomplished but who fears a Commandment but a Gracious Heart this is reason enough to draw back if a Commandment stand in the way 't is more than if there was a Lion in the way or a band of Armed Enemies or an Angel with a drawn Sword such as stood in the way to stop Balaam they have a deep Reverence of Gods Authority and dare not break through when God by his Law hath fenced up their way So Isaiah 66. 2. To him will I look that is of a poor and contrite spirit and trembleth at my word A man that is affected according to his doom and sentence passed in the Word if the Word speaketh bitter things or the Word speaketh Peace accordingly the man is affected this is the Man that God will look at Ezra 9. 4. Then were assembled unto me every one that
was not hearty and durable but only formal and Temporary 2 Because they take all occasions to inlarge themselves out of the stocks of Conscience and as soon as their fear is worn off away go all their Religious Pangs and thoughts of the other World and care about it How often is this verisied by daily Experience Many that were frightned into a course of Religion went on from Duty to Duty out of a Fear of being Damned but their Hearts were another way but afterwards they cast off all when they have sinned away these Fears As Herod feared Iohn and afterwards put him to death Mark 6. 19 20. Yea all the while they did good they had rather do otherwise if they durst and therefore did but watch the occasion to fly out 3 Because men of this frame dispute away Duties rather than practice them and are quarrelling at those things which the new Nature would sufficiently incline them unto if they had it In the New Testament God much trusts Love and the number and length of Duties is not stated so exactly because where the Love of God prevaileth in the Heart men will take all occasions of glorifying God and edifying themselves But when men quarrel How do you prove it to be my Duty to do so much and to give so much when the Duty its self is instituted Love will make God a reasonable allowance and not stand questioning how do you prove it to be my Duty to pray so often in my Family or in secret or hear so many Sermons which our constant necessities do loudly call for Men that have a love to a thing will take all occasions to enjoy it or be conversant about it and a willing heart is liberal and open to God and is rather disputing the restraint than the Command how do you prove it is not my Duty and is loth to be kept back from its delight 3. Some do good out of Craft and Design there is some By-end is the cause as Iehu was not so much Zealous for God as his own Interests 2 King 10. 16. And our Lord telleth us of some that make long Prayers to devour Widows Houses Matth. 23. 14. made Piety a colour and pretext to Oppression and that they might be trusted took as a shew of great Devotion And of this strain were those that followed Christ for the Loaves Ioh. 6. 20. To be fed with a Miracle and to live a life of sloth and ease God never set any good thing afoot but some temporal Interest grew upon it with which men were swayed more than with what belongeth to God Use. II. Is to perswade you to choose Gods Precepts I have chosen thy Precepts said the man of God To this end I shall give you both Motives and Directions Motives why you should choose them and then Directions in what manner things are to be attended upon in your choice First For the Motives 1. Choose them because they are Gods to whom you are indebted for Life Being and all things Shall we not obey him that made us and in whom still we live move and have our being We are debtors to him for all that we have and truly we cannot have a better Master He was angry with his People that when the Beasts would own their Benefactors that his People would not own him from whom they had all things Isa. 1. 3. The Brute-beasts the dullest of them the Oxe and the Ass are willing to serve those that feed them and pay a kind of gratitude and shall not we own God Every day your health strength and comforts come out of his hands so every nights Rest and Ease and after this can you sin against God that keeps you by Night and by day 2. These Precepts are all holy just and good What is it the Lord requires of you but to love him and serve him and fear him and forbear those things which hurt the Soul thus he speaks to Israel Deut. 10. 12. Surely these commands are not unreasonable nor grevious You dare not say sin is better that it is more profitable to please the flesh and to wallow in and seek after worldly things O why then dost thou not choose Gods Precepts before the work which Satan would put thee upon for these Precepts commend themselves by their own Evidence 3. In keeping them there 's a great deal of benefit 1. For the present there 's a deal of Comfort and Peace to be be found in the ways of God If there were no reward of Heaven yet there 's such comfort and peace that attends holy living even as heat from the fire that certainly this should draw our choice All her ways are ways of pleasantness Prov. 3. 17. And again the Prophet tells you the fruit of righteousness is peace A man that doth evil hath a sting in his Conscience and a wound in his own Soul But every good action is followed with a Serenity of Mind and an approbation from the heart of him thar doth it Nay you shall not only have Peace but Joy in the Holy Ghost for if you walk in the fear of God you walk in the comforts of his Spirit Acts 9. 31. And the Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness and Peace ay and a distinct Priviledge Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. What 's the difference between Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Peace is a Tranquility of mind resulting from the rectitude of our actions but this joy is an impression of the comforting Spirit This Joy it hath God for its Author he puts it into our hearts therefore it will more affect us then the bare Act of our natural faculties Peace it is an acquittance from Conscience but Joy in the Holy Ghost it is and Acquittance from God who is our Supream Judge and is the beginning of that endless joy which he hath prepared for them that love him in Heaven 2. For the future and final reward that is great and glorious indeed Surely the Glory of the Everlasting Kingdom should invite us to choose Gods Precepts whatever it may cost us to keep them for in choosing Holiness you choose Life and in choosing the ways of God you choose the heavenly inheritance which is the certain end and issue of them So Prov. 8. 35 36. Whoso findeth me findeth Life and obtaineth favour of the Lord But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul all they that hate me love death Christians when you are about choosing these are the terms propounded to you and they should be seriously weighed by us Evil and Death Good and Life will you choose Sin and Death or Holiness and Life Is the Pleasures of the Flesh for a few hours better then the endless Joy of the Saints If you believe Heaven and hell as you profess to do why should you stand demurring are you content to be thrust out from the presence of the Lord with the Devil and his Angels into unquenchable
the power that worketh in us He instanceth in that which God hath done for us in Christ which is beyond our Prayer Conceptions and Hopes transcending the hopes and apprehensions of the most inlarged hearts Thus is a Christian a wonder to himself 2. He is a wonder to the world if he keep up the Majesty and vigour of Religion 1 Pet. 4. 4. Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you It was strange to them that they should be altered so of a suddain that of filthy puddles they should become clear as Crystal Waters a Sink turned into a pure Fountain that men should live above Interests of Nature row against the stream of Flesh and blood this is all strange to the world and this is the fruits of the word for the word of God is perfect converting the soul Psal. 19. 8. Every grace is a Mystery and Wonder especially Faith for a man to believe that which he understandeth not to hope for that he seeth not to have that which he wants to be tossed with Tempests and yet to enjoy a sweet calm in our own hearts to be destitute of all things and yet be as little anxious as if we indeed had all things as poor yet making many rich as having nothing yet possessing all things to be a Rock in the midst of a storm as dying and yet we live 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed We are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowful yet always rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things Thus is a Believer the worlds wonder a very Riddle to carnal sense So in other graces he can hate Father and Mother for Christs sake can also love enemies at Christs command he that doth even break his heart for the least sin can bear up against the greatest Trouble Thus I might exemplifie the Point but I must go a little largely to work First Gods Testimonies are wonderful in their Majesty and composure which striketh Reverence into the hearts of those that consider it speaketh to us at a God-like rate Jesus Christ leaves a Character of his divine spirit upon his words Mar. 7. 28 29. And it came to pass when Iesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his Doctrine for he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes There was an impression of his Authority upon his word his hearers were convinced of a Soveraign Majesty proper to the Dignity of his Person Those that went to take him returned this account Ioh. 7. 46. Never man spake like this Man for Authority power and Evidence Now the Scriptures being Christs Doctrine why should they not have the same Power Authority and divine Character in them It is the same Doctrine the voice could add nothing to it and the writing take nothing from it Could not God discover his Soveraign Majesty in Writing as well as Speaking Look into the Scriptures are you not even compelled to say this can be no other but the word of God they speak not as conscious of any weakness or as begging Assent but as commanding it Thus saith the Lord hear it or ye are undone for ever The wisdom Majesty Authority of the Author sheweth it self in every line almost of Scripture Longinus an Heathen admired the Majesty of that passage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeed every where there is great Authority mixed with simplicity and plainness of speech Such as moveth Reverence and awe in the consciences of men It may be it is not seen in every phrase and clause of a sentence but it is clearly discovered in the whole frame as the Majesty of a mans countenance is not so fully discovered in any one part of the face as in the whole visage taken jointly together Scriptura sic loquitur saith Austin ut alitudine superbos irrideat profunditate attentos terreat veritate magnos pascat affabilitate parvos nutriat Scripture so speaketh that it laughs proud and lofty men to scorn with the height of it with the depths of it it terrifieth those who with attention look into it with Truth it seedeth men of greatest knowledge and understanding with affability and sweetness it nourisheth babes and sucklings Let a man have but any thing of a prepared mind and he cannot contain his wonder and Reverence but will tremble at the word of God Isa. 66. 2. To this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my word Secondly It is wonderful for the Matter and depth of Mystery which cannot be found elsewhere concerning God and Christ the Creation of the World the Souls of men and their immortal and everlasting condition the Fall of man c. Here God is set forth to us in the clearest representation that we are capable of in this mortal state God is in part seen in the Creatures Rom. 1. 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead Every thing that hath passed his hand discovereth somewhat of the Author and maker of it but as imperfectly as God is discovered there we cannot behold him without wonder and Reverence If we use never so little of an attentive mind those Strictures of God that are seen in mans Body Galen wondered when he saw a mans hand the Sun Moon and Stars yea a gnat yea a pile of grass but these discoveries are not to be compared with the Scriptures revealing the glory of God in the face of Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. If we wonder at so much of God as we find in a Gnat shall not we wonder much more at so much of God as we find in his Law in his Gospel in the whole Oeconomy and frame of his gracious dispensations Besides that the Scriptures help us to interpret the Book of the Creatures they show forth more of God than all the Creatures can do the Book of Nature is an imperfect piece in regard of the Book of Scripture You cannot look upon the Book of the Creatures but in every page and line of it you will find this Truth presented to your eyes that there is an infinite eternal power that made all things this is enough to leave the world without excuse But in the Book of the word you may see more of God and the way how to enjoy him In the 19. Psalm David doth first admire the glory of God by the beauty of the Heavens then by the light of the word By reason the Heathens
found out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a first mover and a first cause but when and how the world was made they were left in uncertainties which was first the Egg or the Hen the Oak or the Acorn Heb. 11. 3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things that do appear A child is taught more than they could find out by their profound researches So concerning the Fall of Man Conscience will inform us of a distinction between good and evil and Heathens by the light of Nature could speak of Vertue and Vice as moral perfection and a deordination but nothing of sin and righteousness relating to a Covenant and whence this mischief began they knew not They complained of Nature as of a Step-mother observed an inclination to evil more than to good that vices are learned without a Teacher that man is born into the world crying beginneth his life with a punishment but the first spring and rise of evil was a secret to them but clearly discovered to us Rom. 5. 12. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Mans restitution and redemption by Christ is wonderful indeed 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory This could not be found by man how could they know the free purposes of Gods Grace unless God revealed them This is the Mystery of Mysteries which Angels desire to pry into 1 Pet. 1. 12. So excellent and ravishing a Mystery is this plot of salvation of lost sinners by Christ incarnate that the very Angels cannot enough exercise themselves in the contemplation of it So union with Christ and communion with him a Mystery that Nature could never have thought of Gods keeping a familiar correspondence with his Creatures Gods dwelling in us our dwelling in God 1 Iohn 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit Words we should not dare to have used if God had not used them before us it would have lookd like blasphemy to speak so if we had not the warrant of Scripture So the resurrection of the body and life eternal they are all wonders 2 Tim. 1. 10. But is now made manifest by the appearance of our Saviour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel Heathens might dream of a life after death but could never understand it distinctly It is brought to light Their wise men saw it like the blind man who saw Men walking like Trees or a Spire at a distance no clearness no certainty Lord thy testimonies are wonderful Thirdly It is wonderful for purity and perfection The Decalogue in ten words compriseth the whole Duty of man and reacheth to the very soul and all the motions of the heart All the precepts of morality are advanced to the highest perfection Those fragments and sorry remainders of the light of Nature that have escaped out of the ruines of the Fall will shew us the necessity of a good life But the word of God calleth for a good heart a regeneration as well as a reformation not only abstaining from acts of sin but lusts 1 Pet. 2. 11. Dearly beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims that ye abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Not only the outward work but the spirit that is weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary Prov. 16. 2. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord weigheth the spirits It mightily establisheth faith fear and love to God as the essential Graces When we consider Duty in the lump we have no admiting thoughts but when we look abroad into all the parts and branches of obedience whereunto the Law diffuseth it self then the holiliness which the Law requireth is admirable then we see it no easie matter to serve this holy and jealous God it is no easie matter to go to the bottom of this perfection Fourthly It is wonderful for the harmony and consent of all the parts All Religion is of a piece and one part doth not interfere with another but conspireth to promote the great end of subjection of the Creature to God The Law hath a mighty subserviency to the Gospel and the first Covenant shutteth up the sinner immediately under the curse that mercy may open the door to him The Gospel is first darkly revealed and still it groweth as the light doth till noon-day At first an obscure intimation The seed of the woman to Abraham In thy seed which after was repeated to Isaac to cut off Ishmael then to Iacob to cut off Esau yet not what Tribe Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor the Lawgiver from between his feet till Shilo come yet not what Family of Iudah to David 2 Sam. 7. 13. I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever then Isai. 7. 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and call his name Immanuel then Iohn the Baptist Iohn 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world points with a finger to Christ. This while in short the Scriptures do so set forth the mercy of God as that the duty of the Creature is not abolished so offers Grace as not to exclude our care and use of means Justification and Sanctification promote one another all is ordered with good advice 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure Thus the wonderful harmony order and consent of all the parts with respect to the great end which was the glorifying of God and the subjection of the Creature demonstrate the wonderfulness of Gods testimonies The glorifying of Gods Grace and Mercy in those that are saved and his Justice in those that are damned With respect to this God made man upright furnished with abilities to do his will but mutable and in case of a Fall to begin with a new Covenant He will have his mercy honoured without prejudice to his justice the comfort of the Creature established so as Duty not abolished not all of commands nor all of promises but these interwoven that they may serve one another A Promise at the back of a Command to make it effectual Command besides a Promise to cause humbling neither looseness nor rigour If the Covenant had been left to our ordering it had been a confused business Now it is wonderfully suited God keepeth up his Dominion and Sovereignty notwithstanding his Grace and condescension Justice hath full satisfaction yet Grace glorified Fifthly Wonderful for the