unto life and by how much the greater is our Impotencie unto the greatest and highest end Yet so desperate is the Aversion of sinfull man from God that when he is convinced of his Impotency and driven off from selfe-dependence and reduced unto such extremities as should in reason lead him backe unto God yet when he hath no horses of his owne to ride upon no meanes of hiâ— owne to escape evill yet still he will betake himselfe unto creatures like himselfe though they be enemies unto God and enemies unto him too for Gods sake for so was the Assyrian unto Israel yet If Ephraim see his sicknesse and Iudah his wound Ephraim will to the Assyrian and King Iareb for help Hos. 5 13. If he must begge he will doe it rather of an enemy then a God yea though he disswade him from it and threaten him for it Ahaz would not beleeve though a signe were offered him nor be perswaded to trust in God to deliver him from Rezin and Pekah though he promise him to doe it but under pretence of not tempting God in the use of meanes will weary God with his provocation and rob God to pay the Assyrian who was not an help but a distresse unto him 2 King 16.5 8.17 18. 2 Chron. 28.20 21. Isay 7.8.13 Isa. 30.5 Well God is many times pleased to way-lay humane Counsels even in this case too and so to strip them not onely of their owne provisions but of their forraigne succours and supplies as that they have no refuge left but unto him Their Horses faile them their Assyrian failes them Hos. 7 11 12. and 8.9 10. Their Hope hath nothing either sub ratione Boni as really Good to Comfort them at home or sub ratione Auxilii as matter of Help and aide to support them from abroad They are brought as Israel into a Wildernesse where they are constrained to goe to God because they have no second causes to help them And yet even here wicked men will make a shift to keepe off from God when they have nothing in the world to turne unto This is the formall and intimate malignity of sinne to decline God and to be impatient of him in his owne way If wicked men be necessitated to implore help from God they will invent wayes of their owne to doe it If Horses faile and Asshur faile and Israel must goe to God whether he will or no it shall not be to the God that made him but to a god of his own making and when they have most need of their glory they will change it into that which cannot profit Jer. 2.11 So foolish was Ieroboam as by two Calves at Dan and Bethel to thinke his Kingdome should be established and by that meanes rooted out his owne family and at last ruined the Kingdome 1 King 12.28 29.14 10 15 29. 2 King 17.21 23. Hos. 8.4 5. 10.5 8 18. So foolish was Ahaz as to seeke helpe of those gods which were the ruine of him and of all Israel 2 Chron. 28.23 Such a strong antipathy and aversnesse there is in the soule of naturall men unto God as that when they are in distresse they goe to him last of all they never thinke of him so long as their own strength and their forraign confederacies hold out and when at last they are driven to him they know not how to hold communion with him in his owne way but frame carnall and superstitious wayes of worship to themselves and so in their very seeking unto him do provoke him to forsake them and the very things whereon they lean goe up into their hand to pierce it Isa. 15.2 Isa. 16.12 1 King 18.26 Now then the proper worke of true Repentance being to turne a man the right way unto God â—t taketh a man off from all this carnall and superstitious confidence and directeth the soule in the greatest difficulties to cast it self with comfort and confidence upon God alone So it is prophesied of the Remnant of Gods people that is the penitent part of them for the remnant are those that came up with weeping and supplication seeking the Lord their God and asking the way to Sion with their faces thither-ward Jer. 31 7 9. 50.4 5. that they should no more againe stay themselves upon him that smote them but should stay upon the Lord the holy One of Israel in truth and should returne unto the Mighty God Isa. 10.20 21. They resolve the Lord shall save them and not the Assyrian So say the godly in the Psalmist An Horse is a vaine thing for safety neither shall he deliver any by his great strength c. Our soule waiteth for the Lord he is our help and shield Psal. 33.17 20. They will not say any more We will flie upon Horses we will ride upon the swift Isa. 30.16 Lastly At that day saith the Prophet speaking of the penitent remnant and gleanings of Iacob shall a man looke to his Maker and his eyes shall have respect to the holy One of Israel and he shall not looke to the Altars the work of his hands neither shall respect that which his fingers have made the groves or the images Isa. 17.7 8. And againe Truly in vaine is salvation hoped for from the Hils and from the multitude of Mountaines that is from the Idols whom they had set up and worshipped in high places Truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel Jer. 3.23 They will not say any more to the worke of their hands ye are our gods So then the plaine duties of the Text are these 1. To trust in God who is All-sufficient to helpe who is Iehovah the fountaine of Being and can give Being to any promise to any mercy which he intends for his people can not onely Worke but Command not onely Command but Create deliverance and fetch it out of darknesse and desolation Hee hath everlasting strength there is no time no case no condition wherein his Help is not at hand when ever hee shall command it Isa. 26.4 2. We must not trust in any Creature 1. Not in Asshur in any confederacy or combination with Gods enemies be they otherwise never so potent Iehoshaphat did so and his Ships were broken 2 Chron. 20.35 37. Ahaz did so and his people were distressed 2 Chron. 28.21 It is impossible for Gods enemies to be cordiall to Gods people so long as they continue cordiall to their God There is such an irreconcileable Enmity betweene the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent that it is incredible to suppose that the enemies of the Church will doe any thing which may pâ—r se tend to the good of it or that any End and designe by them pursued can be severed from their owne malignant interest Let white be mingled with any colour which is not it self and it loseth of its owne beauty It is not possible for Gods people to joyne with any that are his
conversion unto him our greatest businesse And I doe verily believe that England must never thinke of outliving or breaking thorow this anger of God this criticall judgement that is upon it so as to returne to that cold and formall complexion that Laodicean temper that she was in before till she have so publickly and generally repented of all those civill disorders which removed the bounds and brought dissipation upon publick justice and of all those Ecclesiasticall disorders whch let in corruptions in doctrine superstions in worship abuses in Government discountenancing of the power of godlinesse in the most zealous Professors of it as that our Reformation may be as conspicuous as our disorders have beene and it may appeare to all the world that God hath washed away the filth and purged the blood of England from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Iudgement and by the Spirit of burning Secondly That Gods love is the true ground of removing Judgements in mercie from a people Let all Humane counsells be never so deep and armies never so active and cares never so vigilant and Instruments never so unanimous if Gods love come not in nothing of all these can doe a Nation any good at all Those that are most interested in Gods love shall certainly be most secured against his Judgements Hither our eyes our prayers our thoughts must be directed Lord love us delight in us choose us for thy selfe and then though Counsells and treasures and armies and men and horses and all second causes faile us though Sathan rage and hell threaten and the foundations of the earth be shaken though neither the Vine nor the Olive nor the figg-tree nor the field nor the pastures nor the heards nor the stay yeeld any supplies yet we will rejoyce in the Lord and glory in the God of our Salvation sinne shall be healed anger shall be removed nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. THE FIFTH SERMON HOSEA Chap. 14. ver 5.6 7. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his reâ—ts as Lebanon 6. His branches shall spread and his beautie shall be as the Olive Tree and his smell as Lebanon 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall returne They shall revive as the Corne and grow as the Vine the sent thereof shall bee as the wine of Lebanon c. IN these verses is contained â—ods answer unto the second part of Israels petition wherein they desired him to doe them good or to receive them graciously And here God promiseth them severall singular blessings set forth by severall metaphorâ— and similitudes all answering to the name of Ephraim and the ancient promises made unto him Deu. 33.13 17. c. opposite to the many contrary courses threatned in the former parts of the Prophecy under metaphors of a contary importance Here is the dew of grace contrary to the morning cloud the earthly dew that passeth away Cap. 13.3 Lillies Olives Vines Spices contrary to the Judgments of Nettles Thornes Thistles chap. 9 16.10.8 Spreading roots contrary unto dry roots chap. 9.16 A fruitfull vine bringing forth excellent wine contrary to an empty Vine bringing fruit only to it selfe that is so sowre and usavory as is not worth the gathering chap. 10.1 Corne growing instead of corne taken quite away chap. 2.9 instead of no staulk no bud no meale chap. 8.7 Fruit promised in stead of no fruit threatned chap. 9.16 Wine promised in opposition to the failing of wine Chap. 9.2.2.9 Sweet wine opposite to sowre drinke Chap. 4.18 Safe dwelling in stead of no dwelling Chap. 9.3 Branches growing and spreading instead of branches consumed Chap. 11.6 Green trees instead of Dry springs Chap. 13.15 And all these fruits the fruits as of Lebanon which was of all other parts of that Country the most fertill Mountaine full of various kindes of the most excellent Trees Cedars Cypresse Olive and divers others affording rich gummes and balsomes full also of all kinds of the most medicinall and aromatick herbs sending forth a most fragrant odour whereby all harmfull and venemous Creatures were driven from harboring there And in the Vallies of that Mountaine were most rich grounds for Pasture Corne and Vineyards as the Learned in their descriptions of the holy Land have observed The Originall of all these blessings is the heavenly dew of Gods grace and favour alluding to that abundance of dew which fell on that Mouniaine descending upon the Church as upon a garden bringing forth Lillies as upon a Forrest strengthning the Cedars as upon a Vineyard spreading abroad the branches as upon an Olive yard making the trees thereof green and fruitfull and as on a rich field receiving the Corne. Here is spirituall beautie the beautie of the Lillie exceeding that of Solomon in all his glory spirituall stabilitie the rootes of the Cedars and other goodly trees in that mountaine spirituall odors and spices of Lebanon spirituall fruitfulnesse and that of all sorts and kinds for the comfort of life The fruit of the field bread to strengthen the fruit of the Olive trees oyle to refresh the fruit of the Vineyard wine to make glad the heart of man Psal. 104.15 Wee esteeme him a very rich man and most excellently accommodated who hath gardens for pleasure and fields for corne and pasture and woods for fuell for structure for defence for beautie and delight and Vineyards for wine and oyle and all other conveniencies both for the necessities and delights of a plentifull life Thus is the church here set forth unto us as such a wealthy man furnished with the unsearchable riches of Christ with all kinde of blessings both for sanctity and safety as the Apostle praiseth God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ viz. Election to eternall life adoption to the condition of sonnes and to a glorious inheritance redemption from misery unto blessednesse remission of sinnes knowledge of his will holinesse and unblameablenesse of life and the seale of the Holy Spirit of Promise as we find them particularly enumerated Ephe. 1.3 13. The words thus opened doe first afford us one generall Observation in that God singleth out so many excellent good things by name in relation to that generall petition Doe us good That God many times answereth prayer abundantly beyond the petitions of his people They prayed at large only for good leaving it as it becommeth us who know not alwayes what is good for our selves to his holy will and wisedome in what manner and measure to doe good unto them And he answers them in particular with all kinde of good things As in the former petition they prayed in generall for the forgivenesse of sinne and God in particular promiseth the healing of their Rebellions which was the greatest of their sinnes God many times answers the
the aide of God for it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. â— 11.12.13 when we Covenant to turn unto God we must withall pray unto him to turne us Lam. 5.21 Ier. 31. God commands us to turn our selves and to make us a new heart and a new spirit that we may live Ezek. 18.30.31 32. but withall he telleth us that it is hee who gives us one heart and one way and a new spirit that we may walk in his Statutes Ezek. 11.19.20 Ier. â—2 39 He giveth us posse velle agere proficere the power to make us able the heart to make us willing the Act to walk the proficiency to improve the perseverance to finish and perfect holinesse David cannot run in the way of Gods Commandements till he enlarge his heart Psal. 119.32 nothing can finde the way to heaven but that which comes first from heaven Ioh. 2.13 wee cannot give unto God any thing but of his own Who am I saith David and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee 1 Chron. 29.14 For the further understanding of this point and of the sweet concord and concurrence betweene the will of man converted and the effectuall grace of God converting wee shall set down these few propositions 1. That there is in man by nature a power or faculty which wee call Free will whereunto belongeth such an indifferency and indeterminacy in the manner of working that whether a man will a thing or â—ill it choose it or turne from it hee doth in neither move contrary to his owne naturall principles of working A stone moving downward doth move naturally upward contrary to its nature and so violently But which way so ever the will moves it moves according to the condition of its created being wherein it was so made as when it chose one part of a contradiction it retained an inward and fundamentall habitude unto the other like those gates which are so made as that they open both wayes So that as the tongue which was wont to sweare or blaspheme when it is converted doth by the force of the same faculty of speaking being newly sanctified utter holy and gracious speeches so the will which being corrupted did chuse evill and only evill being sanctified doth use the same manner of operation in chusing that which is good the created nature of it remaining still one and the same but being now guided and sanctified by different principles This wee speak onely with respect to the naturall manner of its working for if we speake of liberty in a morall or theologicall sense so it is certaine that the more the will of man doth observe the right order of its proper objects and last end the more free and noble it is the very highest perfection of free will standing in an immutable adherency unto God as the ultimate end of the creature and all ability of receding or falling from him being the deficiency and not the perfection of Free-will And therefore the more the will of man doth cast off and reject God the more base servile and captive it growes In which sense we affirme against the Papists that by nature man since the fall of Adam hath no Free-will or naturall power to beleeve and convert unto God or to prepare himselfe thereunto 2. In man fallen and being thereby universally in all his faculties levened with vitious and malignant principles there is a native privitie and corrupt force which putteth forth it selfe in resisting all those powerfull workings of the word and spirit of grace that oppose themselves against the body of sinne and move the will unto holy resolutions for the wisedome of the flesh cannot bee subject unto the Law of God Rom. 8.7 The flesh will lust against the spirit as being contrary thereunto Gal. 5.17 an uncircumcisied heart will alwayes resist the holy spirit Act. 7.51 there is such a naturall antipathy between the purity of the word and the impurity of the will of man that he naturally refuseth to heare and snuffeth at it and pulleth away the shoulder and hardneth the heart and stoppeth the eare and shutteth the eyes and setteth up strong holds and high reasonings against the wayes of God and is never so well as when he can get off all sight and thoughts of God and be as it were without God in the world Ier. 5.3.6.10.17.23.19.15 Mal. 1.13 2 Chron. 36.16 3. According to the degrees and remainders of this naturall corruption so farre forth as it is unmortified and unsubdued by the power of grace this originall force doth proportionably put forth it selfe in withstanding and warring against the Spirit of God even in the regenerate themselves A notable example whereof wee have in Asa of whom it is said that he was wroth with Hanani the Seer and put him in a Prison-house and was in a rage with him when hee reproved him for his carnall confidence 2 Chron. 16.10 and the Apostle doth in many words both state and bewaile the warring of the Law of his members against the law of his minde so that when hee did with the one serve the law of God hee did with the other serve the law of sinne and was unable to doe the thing which hee would and the evill which he would not he did doe by the strength of sinne that dwelled in him â— Rom. 7.14 15. 4. We are to distingish of the will of God which is set forth in Scripture two manner of wayes There is voluntas signi or that will of God whereby he requires us to work and which he hath appointed to bee observed by us His will signified in precepts and prohibitions This is the will of God saith the Apostle even your sanctification 1 Thess. 4.3 So we are said to prove to try to doe Gods will or that which is pleasing in his sight Matth. 7.21 Rom. 12.2 Ioh. 8.29 and there is voluntas beneplaâ—iti the will of his purpose and counsell according unto which hee himselfe in his owne secret and unsearchable good pleasure is pleased to work for hee worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Eph. 1.11 whatsoever the Lord pleaseth that he doth in heaven and earth Psal. 135.6 And no second causes can doe any thing else though they never so proudly break the order of Gods revealed will but what his hand and Counsell had before determined Acts 4.28 The will of Gods precept and command is every day violated resisted and broken through by wicked men unto their owne destruction How often would I and yee would not Matth. 23.37 Ierem. 13.11 But the will of Gods Counsell and purpose cannot bee resisted or withstood by all the powers of the world the Counsell of the Lord must stand and those very agents that worke purposely to disappoint and subvert it doe by those very workings
Faith Spirits Hopes are all obligations to Fidelity Sermon III. Sect. 1. SAcrifices Propitiatory and Eucharistical 2. Praises the matter of a Covenant a Staple commodity for commerce with Heaven 3. Praises the fruits of Repentance 4. An Argument in prayer God forceth his glory out of wicked men but is glorified actively by the godly 5. A principle of obedience difference between the obedience of fear and of love 6. An Instrument of glory to God Praises of the heart and of the lips Communion of Sinners Communion of Saints 7. Converts report Gods mercies to others No true praises without Piety Sins against mercy soonest ripe 8. The more greedy the less thankeful Gods greatness matter of praise Things strongest when neerest their original Other creatures guided by an external Reasonable by an internal knowledg 9. Gods goodness matter of praise Knowledg of God notional and experimental Praise the language of Heaven Sacrifices were Gods own Love of Communion above self-love 10. We are wide to receive narrow to acknowledg The benefit of praises is our own 11. Wherein the duties of praising God stand 12. Repentance careful of obedience 13. This care wrought by godly sorrow Present sense Holy jealousie Love to Christ. Sons by adoption and regeneration 14. Repentance sets it self most against a mans special sin 15. By this sin God most dishonored By this repentance sincerity most evidenced Sermon IV. Sect. 1. REpentance removes carnal confidence Naturally we affect an absoluteness within our selves 2. This failing we trust in other creatures 3. When all fail we go to God in ways of our own inventing Repentance the cure of all this 4. Confederacies with Gods enemies dangerous Take heed of competition between our own interest and Gods 5. The creature not to be trusted in it wants strength and wisdom 6. Idols not to be trusted in they are lyes Grounds of confidence all wanting in Idols 7. God onely to be trusted absolutely in the way of his commands and providence 8. The way to mercy is to be fatherless weakness in our selves makes us seek help above our selves 9. Sin healed by pardon purging deliverance comfort Why back-sliding pardoned by name 10. Our conversion grounded on free-grace No guilt too great for love to pardon Gods anger will consist with his love 11. Conversion and healing go together Sin a sickness and a wound 12. The proper passions of sickness agree to sin viz. pain weakness consumption deformity 13. Sin a wound the impotent wilful and desperate case of this patient 14. The mercy of the Physitian 15. Guilt cannot look on Majesty Apprehensions of mercy the grounds of prayer 16. Sense of misery works estimation of mercy 17. Back-sliding formally opposite to faith and repentance Apostacy two-fold What it is to speak against the Son of man and against the Spirit How a sin is said not to be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Free love respects not persons nor free pardon sins 18. From beginning to end of salvation all is free grace 19. In judgments Gods anger more to be noted then our sufferings Sermon V. Sect. 1. BLessings as large to the penitent as curses to the impenitent and answer all our wants 2. God answereth prayers beyond the petitions of the people 3. We pray according to the knowledg and love we have of our selves God answers according to his knowledg and love 4. God answers prayer not only with respect to our wants but his own honor Gods ultimate end in working our strongest argument in praying 5. Encouragement to prayer Gods shekel double to ours 6. Prayer may be ambitious and beg great things 7. Free love puts forth it self in various blessings 8. Grâ—ce as dew of a celestial original fruit of a serene heaven 9. Abundant insensible insinuating and searching vegetating and quickning Refreshing and comforting 10. Peace no blessing except it come as dew from Heaven 11. All wants must be supplied from Heaven Christ all beauties to his Church The root and stability of the Church foundation doctrinall personall Righteousnesse of Redemption stronger then of Creation 12. Growth of the Church under the Law Nationall under the Gospell Universall Christ the Olive-tree originall of grace to his Church 13. Our refuge and shelter Our power above afflictions 14. All Christs graces fruits of Lebanon the best of all others Creature-helps liers either by falsenesse or impotency 15. Promises should beget duties God promiseth Beauty to his Church wee should labour to adorn it 16. He promiseth stability we should be rooted in truth and grace all our gifts should serve the Temple 17. He promiseth growth we should grow our selves and endeavour the growth of others Christ both the end and the beinging of the Churches growth 18. Compacture and unity in the Church necessary to the growth of it Divisions hinder it 19. In the body compacted there are severall distinct members each to act in his owne place and joynts fastning members to the head and to one another A different measure of vertue for severall offices A mutuall supply and helpfulnesse on unto another An eternall faculty in each part to form and concoct the matter subministred unto it 20. He promiseth the fruitfulnesse of the Olive which wee should shew forth in workes of grace and peace 21. He promiseth the smell of Lebanon the oyntment of the Gospell the graces of which we should expresse 22. He promiseth protection and conversion we should make him our shelâ—er and from his protection learn our duty of conversion 23. He promiseth reviving out of afflictions profiting by them We should not be discouraged by temptations but amended they have many times mercy in them 24. The vertues of Heathen grapes of Sodom the graces of Christ â—rapes of Lebanon What ever we present unto God must grow in Immanuels land Sermon VI Sect. 1. GOds promise enabling is our confidence to engage Idols sorrows Gods observing us a note of care counsell honour hearing prayers 2. Summe division 3. Mans seal to Gods promise only a confession Gods seal to mans covenant a confirmation 4. Mans covenant of obedience hath its firmnesse in Gods promise of grace Indissolvable dependance of all second causes on the first 5. In sins of men God hath an influence into them as actions a providence over them as sinnes In gracious actions Gods influence necessary both to the substance and goodnesse of them 6. Of the concord between Gods grace and mans will Freewill naturall theologicall Innate praviâ—y and corrupt force which resisteth grace the remainders whereof in the regenerate 7. The will of Gods precept and of his purpose 8. They who are called externally only resist and perish they who eternally are made willing and obedient 9. By an act of spirituall teaching 10. By an act of effectuall enclining and determining the will preventing assisting subsequent grace 11. We may not trust in our owne strength but be ever jealous of our originall impotency unto good our naturall antipathy against
Thus when in one and the same time Mercies and judgements are intermixed then is the most solemne season to call upon men for repentance If we felt nothing but fears they might make us despair if nothing but mercies they would make us secure If the whole year were Summer the sap of the earth would be exhausted if the whole were Winter it would be quite buried The hammer breaks mettall and the fire melts it and then you may cast it into any shape â—udgements break mercies melt and then if ever the soul is fit to be cast into Gods mould There is no figure in all the Prophets more usuall then this to interweave mercies and judgements like those Elegancies which Rhetoricians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to allure and to bring into a wildernes Hos. 2.14 And this of all other is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Physicians call it the Criticall time of diseased people wherein the chief conjecture lieth whether they be mending or ending according to the use which they make of such interwoven mercies I have cursorily run over the first part of the Context the Invitation unto Repentance as intending to make my abode on the second which is the Institution how to perform it Therein we have first a General instruction Take unto you words Secondly a particular form what words they should take or a petition drawn to their hands Take away all iniquitie c. Of the former of these I shall speak but a word It importeth the serious pondering and choosing of requests to put up to God The mother of Artaxeâ—xes in Plutarch was wont to say that they who would addresse themselves unto Princes must use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silken words Surely he that would approach unto God must consider and look as well to his words as to his feet He is so holy and jealous of his worship that he expects there should be preparation in Our accesses unto him Preparation of Our persons by purity of life Iob 11. â—3 Preparation of Our Services by choice of matter Iob 9.1 Luk. 15.17 18. Preparation of Our Hearts by finding them out stirring them up fixing them fetching them in and calling together all that is within us to prevail with God The services which we thus prepare must be Taken from him They must not be the issues of our own private and fleshly hearts For nothing can go to God but that which comes from him and this phrase seemeth to import these three things 1. We must attend unto his will as the Rule of our prayers 2. We must attend unto his precepts and promises as the Matter of our prayers 3. We must attend unto the Guidance of his Holy Spirit as the life and principle of our prayers without which we know not what to ask And prayers thus Regulated are most seasonable and soveraign duties in times of Trouble The key which openeth a doore of mercy the slâ—ce which keepeth out an Inundation of judgements Iacob wrestled and obtained a blessing Hos. 12.4 Amos prayed and removed a Curse Amos 7.1.7 The woman of Canaan will not be denied with a deniall Mat. 15.24 27. The people of Israel will begge for deliverance even then when God had positively told them that hee would deliver them no more Iudg. 10.13 15. Ionah will venture a prayer from the bottome of the Sea when a double death had seised upon him the belly of the deep and the belly of the Whale and that prayer of his did open the doores of the Leviathan as the expression is Iob 41.14 and made one of those deaths a deliverance from the other O let the Lords remembrances give him no rest There is a kinde of omnipotencie in prayer as having an Interest and prevalence with Gods omnipotency It hath loosed iron chains It hath opened Iron gates It hath unlockt the windows of heaven It hath broken the bars of death Satan hath three titles given him in the Scripture setting forth his malignity against the Church of God A Dragon to note his malice a Serpent to note his subtiltie and a Lyon to note his strength But none of all these can stand before prayer The greatest malice the malice of Haman sinks under the prayer of Esther the deepest policy the counsell of Achitophel withers before the prayer of Daivd the hugest Army an hoast of a thousand thousand Ethiopians runne away like Cowards before the prayer of Asa. How should this incourage us to treasure up our prayers to besiege the throne of Grace with armies of supplications to refuse a deniall to break through a repulse He hath blessed those whom he did cripple he hath answered those whom he did reproach he hath delivered those whom he did deny And he is the same yesterday and to day If he save in six and in seven troubles should not we pray in six and seven Extremities Certainly in all the afflictions of the Church when prayers are strongest mercies are nearest And therefore let me humbly recommend to the Cares of this honourable Assembly amongst all your other pressing affairs the providing that those solemne dayes wherein the united prayers of this whole Kingdom should with strongest â—mportunities stop the breaches and stand in the gaps at which Iudgements are ready to rush in upon us may with more obedience and solemnity be observed then indeed of late they are It is true here and in other Cities and populous places there is haply lesse cause to complain But who can without sorrow and shame behold in our Countrey towns men so unapprehensive either of their brethrens sufferings or of their own sins and dangers as to give God quite over to let him rest that they themselvs may work to come in truth to Iehorams resolution Why should we wait upon God any longer to grudge their brethrens and their own souls and safeties one day in thirty and to tell all the world that indeed their daies work is of more value with them then their dayes worship multitudes drudging and moyling in the earth while their brethren are mourning and besieging of heaven I do but name it and proceed The second part of the Institution was the particular form suggested unto them according unto which their addresses unto God are to be regulated which consisteth of two parts a prayer and a promise The prayer is for two Benefits the one Remove all of sin the other Conferring of Good In the promise or Restipulation we have first their Covenant wherein they promise two things 1. Thanksgiving for the hearing and answering of their prayers 2. A speciall care for the Amendment of their lives Secondly the Ground of their Confidence so to pray and of their Resolutions so to promise Because in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy My meditations will bee confined within the
leaven that defile our Passeovers and urge God to passe away and depart from us these the obstructions between his sacred Majesty and you and between both and the happinesse of the Kingdome Think seriously what wayes may be most effectual to purge out this leaven out of the Land The principall sacrificing knife which kils and mortifies sin is the Word of God and the knowledge of it It would have been a great unhappinesse to the Common-wealth of Learning if Caliguâ—a 〈◊〉 as he endevoured deprived the world of the writings of Homer Virgil and Livy But O! what an Aegyptian calamity is it to have in this Sun-shine of the Gospel thousands of persons and families as I doubt not but upon inquirie it would appear without the writings of the Prophets and Apostles A Christian souldier without his sword a Christian builder without his rule and square a Christian calling without the instruments and ballances of the Sanctuary belonging to it O therefore that every Parish had an indowment â—it for a learned laborious and worthy Pastor and Pastors worthy of such endowments that provision were made that every family might have a Bible in it and if by Law it might possibly be procured the exercises of Religion therewithall this would be the surest Magazine to secure the happinesse of a Kingdome that all reproachfull titles which the devill useth as scarcrows and whiâ—lers to keep back company from pressing in upon Christs Kingdome were by Law proscribed That scandalous sins were by the awfulnesse and severity of Discipline more blasted and brought to shame That the Lords house were more frequented and his day more sanctified and his Ordinances more reverenced and his Ministers which teach the good knowledge of the Lord more encouraged then ever heretofore In one word that all the severall fountains of the Common-wealth were settled in a sound and flourishing constitution That in every place we might see Piety the Elme to every other Vine the supporter to every other profession Learning adorned with Piety and Law administred with Piety and Counsels managed with Piety and Trade regulated with Pietie and the Plow followed with Pietie That when Ministers fight against sin with the sword of Gods Word you who are the Nobles and Gentry of the Land would second them and frown upon it too a frown of yours may sometimes do as much service to Christ as a Sermon of ours And he cannot but take it very unkindly from you if you will not bestow your countenance on him who bestowed his blood on you That you would let the strictnesse of your lives and the pietie of your examples put wickednes out of countenance and make it appear as indeed it is a base and a sordid thing If we would thus sadly set our selves against the sins of the Land no power no malice no policies should stand between us and Gods mercies Religion would flourish and peace would settle and trade would revive and the hearts of men would be re-united and the Church be as a City compacted and this Nation would continue to be as it hath been like the Garden of Eden a mirrour of prosperity and happinesse to other people and God would prevent us in the second part of our Petition with the blessing of goodnesse as soon as ever iniquity were removed he would do us good which is the second thing here directed to pray for Receive us graciously In the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take good to wit to bestow upon us so Taking is sometimes used for Giving He received gifts for men so in the Psalm he gave gifts to men so in the Apostle and it is not improbable that the Prophet here secretly leadeth us to Christ the Mediatour who first receiveth gifts from his Father and then poureth them forth upon his Church Act. 2.23 The meaning then is Lord when thou hast pardoned weakned mortified sin go on with thy mercy and being in Christ graciously reconciled unto us give further evidence of thy Fatherly affection by bestowing portions upon us They shall not be cast away upon unthankfull persons we will render the Calves of our lips they shal not be bestowed upon those that need them not or that know where else to provide themselves It is true we have gone to the Assyrian we have taken our horses instead of our prayers and gone about to finde out good we have been so foolish as to think that the Idols which have been beholden to our hands for any shape that is in them could be instead of hands and of God unto us to help us in our need but now we know that men of high degree are but a lie that horses are but a vanity that an Idol is nothing and therefore can give nothing That power belongeth unto thee none else can do it That mercy belongeth unto thee none else will do it therefore since in thee only the fatherlesse find mercy be thou pleased to do us good We will consider the words first absolutely as a single prayer by themselves Secondly relatively in their connexion and with respect to the scope of the place From the former consideration we observe That all the good we have is from God he only must be sought unto for it we have none in our selves I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good Rom. 7.18 we can neither think nor speak nor do it And missing it in our selves it is all in vaine to seek for it in things below our selves They can provide for our back and belly and yet not that neither without God the root out of which the fruits of the earth do grow is above in heaven the Genealogy of Corn and Wine is resolved into God Hose 2.22 But if you go to your Lands or Houses or Teasuries for physick for a sick soul or a guilty conscience they will all return an Ignoramus to that enquiry salvation doth not grow in the furrows of the field neither are there in the earth to be found any Mines or harvests of Grace or Comfort In God alone is the fountain of life he that only is good he only doth good when we have wearied our selvs with having recourse to second causes here at last like the wandering Dove we must arrive for rest Many will say who will shew us any good Do thou lift up the light of thy countenance upon us Psal. 4.6 From him alone comes every go O gift Iam. 1.17 whether Temporall it is his blessing that maketh the creature able to comfort us The woman touched the hem of Christs garment but the vertue went not out of the garment but out of Christ Luk. 8.44 or whether Spirituall sanctified faculties sanctified habits sanctified motions glorious relations in Predestination Adoption and Christian Liberty excellent gifts heavenly comforts all and onely from him And that without change and alteration he doth not do
the Oxen in mine eares what meane these worldly and covetous practises these Lascivious or Revengefull speeches these earthly sensuall or ambitious lusts are these Agags spared and kept delicately and canst thou please thy selfe in the thoughts of a sound repentance Did Paul fear that God wouâ—d humble him for those that had not repented amongst the Corinthians by this argument because hee should finde envyings strifes and debates amongst them 2 Cor. 12.20.21 And wilt thou presume of thy repentance and not be humbled when thou findest the same things in thy selfe Hast thou never yet proclamed defiance â—o thy beloved sinne made it the mark of thy greatest sorrowes of thy strongest prayers and complaints unto God Hast thou never stirred up an holy indignation and revenge against it and above all things taken off thy thoughts from the meditation and love of it and found pleasure in the Holy severity of Gods Book and the ministery thereof against it made no covenant with thine eye put no knife to thy throate set no dore before thy lips made no friends of unrighteous Mammon dost thou still retaine hankering affections after thy wonted delights as Lots wife after Sodom and are the flesh pots of Egypt desirable in thy thoughts still Be not high-minded but feare There is no greater argument of an unsound Repentance then indulgent thoughts and reserved delight and complacency in a master sinne The divell will diligently observe and hastily catch one kinde glance of this nature as Benhadads servants did 1 Kings 20.33 and make use of it to do us mischief David had beene free from some of his greatest troubles if hee had not relented towards Absolom and called him home from banishment He no sooner kissed Absolom but Absolom courted and kissed the people to steale their hearts away from him As there are in points of faith fundamentall articles so there are in points of practice fundamentall duties And amongst them none more primarie and essentiall unto true Christians then selfe-deniall Matth. 16.24 and this is one speciall part and branch of selfe-deniall to keepe our selves from our own iniquity and to say to our most costly and darling lusts Get yee hence Ashur away Idoles away I will rather bee fatherlesse then rely upon such Helpers THE FOURH SERMON HOSEAH 14. VER 3.4 3. Ashur shall not save us wee will not ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the worke of our hands ye are our gods for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy 4. I will heale their back-slidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him THere remaineth the second point formerly mentioned from the Promise or Covenant which Israel here makes which I will briefly touch and so proceed unto the fourth verse and that is this That true Repentance and Conversion taketh off the Heart from all carnall confidence either in domesticall preparations of our owne Wee will not ride upon Horses or in forraigne ayde from any confederates especially enemies of God and his Church though otherwise never so potent Asshur shall not save us Or lastly in any superstitious and corrupt worship which sends us to God the wrong way We will not say any more to the work of our hands ye are our gods and causeth the Soule in all conditions be they never so desperate so desolate so incurable to relie onely upon God It is very much in the nature of man fallen to affect an absolutenesse and a selfe-sufficiency to seek the good that he desireth within himselfe and to derive from himselfe the strength whereby hee would repell any evill which he feareth This staying within it selfe Reflecting upon its owne power and wisedome and by consequence affecting an independency upon any Superiour vertue in being and working making it selfe the first Cause and the last End of its owne motions is by Divines conceived to have been the first sinne by which the creature fell from God and it was the first Temptation by which Satan prevailed to draw man from God too For since next unto God every Reasonable created Being is nearest unto it self wee cannot conceive how it should turne from God and not in the next step turne unto it selfe and by consequence whatsoever it was in a regular dependence to have derived from God being fallen from him it doth by an irregular dependence seeke for from it self Hence it is that men of power are apt to deifie their owne strength and to frame opinions of absolutenesse to themselves and to deride the thoughts of any power above them as Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 and Goliah â— Sam. 17.8 10 44. and Nebuchadnezzer Dan. 3.15 and Senacherib 2 King 18.33 34 35. Isa. 10 8 9 10 11 13 14. And men of wisdome to deifie their owne reason and to deride any thing that is above or against their owne conceptions as Tyrus Ezek. 38.2 6. and the Pharisees Luke 16.14 Iohn 7.48 49 52. Acts 4.11 Isa. 49.7 53.3 and the Philosophers Acts 17.18 32 1 Cor. 1.22.23 And men of Morality and vertue to deifie their owne righteousnesse to relie on their own merits and performances and to deride righteousnesse imputed and precarious as the Jewes Rom. 10. â— and Paul before his conversion Rom. 7.9 Phil. 3.6 9. so naturall is it for a sinfull creature who seeketh onely himselfe and maketh himselfe the last End to seek onely unto himselfe and to make himselfe the first Cause and mover towards that End But because God will not give his glory to another nor suffer any creature to incroach upon his Prerogative or to sit downe in his Throne hee hath therefore alwayes blasted the policies and attempts of such as aspired unto such an Absolutenesse and Independencie making them know in the end that they are but men Psal. 9.19 20. and that the most High ruleth over all And that it is an Enterprize more full of folly then it is of pride for any creature to worke its owne safety and felicity out of it self And as men usually are most vigilant upon their immediate interests and most jealous and active against all incroachments thereupon so wee shall ever find that God doth single out no men to be so notable monuments of his Justice and their own ruine and folly as those who have vied with him in the points of power wisedome and other divine Prerogatives aspiring unto that absolutenesse selfe-sufficiency selfe-interest and independencie which belongeth onely unto him And as he hath by the destruction of Pharaoh Senacherib Herod and divers others taught us the madness of this ambition so doth he by our owne daily preservation teach us the same For if God have appointed that we should goe out of our selves unto thing below for a vitall subsistence to bread for food to house for harbour to cloathes for warmth c. Much more hath he appointed that we should goe out of our selves for a blessed and happy subsistence by how much the more is required unto blessednesse then
Repentance and by consequence is incurable To speak against the Son of man that is against the doctrine Disciples ways servants of Christ looking on him only as a man the leader of a Sect as master of a new way which was Pauls notion of Christ and Christian Religion when he persecuted it and for which cause he found mercy for had he done that knowingly which he did ignorantly it had been a sin uncapable of mercy Acts 26.9 1 Tim. 1.13 thus to sin is a blasphemy that may be pardoned but to speake against the Spirit that is to oppose and persecute the doctrine worship ways servants of Christ knowing them and acknowledging in them a spiritual Holiness and eo nomine to do it so that the formal motive of malice against them is the power and lustre of that spirit which appeareth in them and the formal principle of it neither ignorance nor self-ends but very wilfulness and Immediate malignity Woe be to that man whose natural enmity and antipathie against Godliness do ever swel to so great and daring an height It shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the world to come Matth. 12.32 That is say some neither in the time of life nor in the point or moment of death which translates them unto the world to come Others not in this life by Iustification nor in the world to come by consummate Redemption and publick judiciary absolution in the last day which is therefore called the Day of Redemption in which men are said to finde mercy of the Lord Ephes. 4.30 2 Tim. 1.18 For that which is here done in the Conscience by the ministery of the Word and efficacy of the Spirit shall be then publickly and judicially pronounced by Christs own mouth before Angels and men 2 Cor. 5.10 Others Shall not be forgiven that is shall be plagued and punished both in this life and in that to come Give me leave to add what I have conceived of the meaning of this place though no way condemning the Expositions of so great and learned men I take it By This world we may understand the Church which then was of the Iews or the present age which our Saviour Christ then lived in It is not I think insolent in the Scripture for the words Age or World to be sometimes restrained to the Church Now as Israel was God's First-born and the first fruits of his increase Exod. 4.22 Ierem. 31.9 Ier. 2.3 So the Church of Israel is called the Church of the First-born Hebr. 12.23 and the first Tabernacle and a worldly Sanctuary Hebr. 9.1.8 and Ierusalem that now is Gal. 4.25 And then by the World to come we are to understand the Christian Church afterwards to be planted for so frequently in Scripture is the Evangelical Church called the World to come and the last dayes and the ends of the world and the things thereunto belonging Things to come which had been hidden from former ages and generations and were by the ministery of the Apostles made known unto the Church in their time which the Prophets and righteâ—us men of the former ages did not see nor attain unto Thus it is said In these last dayes God hath spoken to us by his Son Heb. 1.1 And Unto Angels he did not put in subjection the world to come Heb. 2.5 and Christ was made an high Priest of good things to come Heb. 9.11 and The Law had a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10.1 and the times of the Gospel are called Ages to come Ephes. 2.7 and the ends of the world 1 Cor. 10.11 Thus legal and Evangelical dispensations are usually distinguished by the names of Times past and the last dayes or times to come Hebr. 1.1 Ephes. 3.9 10. Colos. 1.25 26. The one an Earthly and Temporary the other an Heavenly and abiding administration and so the Septuagint render the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 9.5 Everlasting Father which is one of the Names of Christ by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father of the world to come The meaning then of the place seems to be this That sinnes of high and desperate presumption committed maliciously against known light and against the evidence of Gods Spirit as they had no Sacrifice or expiation allowed for them in the former world or state of the Iewish Church but they who in that manner despised Moses and his Law though delivered but by Angels died without mercy Numb 15.27 30 31. Hebr. 2.2 3 3. so in the World to come or in the Evangelicall Church though grace should therein be more abundantly discovered and administred unto men yet the same Law should continue stil as we finde it did Hebr. 2.2 3 4 5. Hebr. 6.4 5 6. Hebr. 10.26 27 28. neither the open enemies of Christ in the one nor the false professors of Christ in the other committing this sin should be capable of pardon This doctrine of Apostacy or Back-sliding is worthy of a more large explication but having handled it formerly on Hebr. 3.12 I shall add but two words more First that we should beware above all other sins of this of falling in soul as old Eli did in body backward and so hazarding our salvation if once we have shaken hands with sin never take acquaintance with it any more but say as Israel here What have I to do any more with Idols The Church should be like Mount Sion that cannot be moved It is a sad and sick temper of a Church to tosse from one side to another and then especially when she should be healed to be carried about with every winde Secondly We should not be so terrified by any sin which our soul mourns and labours under and our heart turneth from as thereby to be withheld from going to the Physician for pardon and healing Had he not great power and mercy did he not love freely without respect of persons and pardon freely without respect of sins wee might then be affraid of going to him but when he extendeth forgivenesse to all kindes iniquity transgression sin Exod. 34.6 and hath actually pardoned the greatest sinners Manasses Mary Madalen Paul Publicans harlots backsliders we should though not presume hereupon to turn Gods mercy into poyson and his grace into wantonness for mercy it self will not save those sinners that hold fast sin and will not forsake it yet take heed of despairing or entertaining low thoughts of the love and mercy of God for such examples as these are set forth for the incouragement of all that shall ever beleeve unto eternall life 1 Tim. 1.16 And the thoughts and wayes which God hath to pardon sin are above our thoughts and wayes whereby we look on them in their guilt and greatnesse many times as unpardonable and therefore are fit matter for our faith even against sense to beleeve and rely upon Isa. 55.57 58. Now followeth the Fountain of this Mercy I will leve them freely Gods love is
will nor doe any thing further then we receive from him both to will and to doe Pharoah made promise after promise and brake them as fast Exod. 8.8.28.9.28 Israel makes ptomises one while and quickly starts aside like a deceitfull bow as Ice which melts in the day and hardens againe in the night Psal. 78.34 38. Ier. 34.15.16 to day they will and to morrow they will not againe they repent to day and to morrow they repent of their repenting like the sluggard in his bed that puts out his arme to rise and then puls it in again So unstable and impotent is man in all his resolutions till God say Amen to what he purposeth and establisheth the heart by his own grace Heb. 13.9 When the waters stood as a wall on the right hand and on the left of Israel as they passed through the red Sea this was a work of Gods own power for water is unstable and cannot keep together by its own strength nor be contained within any bounds of its own So great a work is it to see the mutable wills and resolutions of men kept close to any pious and holy purposes The point wee learn from henâ— is this That our conversion and amendment of life is not sufficiently provided for by any band obligation or Covenant of our own whereby we solemnly promise and undertake it except God bee pleased by his free grace to establish and enable the heart unto the performance of it or thus A penitent mans conversion and Covenant of new obedience hath its firmnesse in the promise and free grace of God Israel here in the confidence of Gods mercy prayes for pardon and blessings and in the confidence of his grace maketh promise of Reformation and amendment of life but all this is but like a written instrument or indenture which is invalid and of no effect till the parties concerned have mutually sealed and set to their hands Till God be pleased to promise us that wee shall doe that which wee have promised unto him and doe as it were make our own Covenants for us all will prove too weak and vanishing to continue The grace of God unto the purposes of men is like graine to colours died or like oyle to colours in a Table or Picture which makes them hold fresh and not fade away There is a necessary and indissolvable dependence of all second causes upon the first without whose influence and concurrence they neither live nor move nor have or continue in their Being Acts 17.28 Heb. 1.3 He who is first of causes and last of ends doth use and direct the necessary voluntary contingent motions and activities of all second causes unto whatsoever ends hee himselfe is pleased to preordaine And this the naturall and necessary concatenation of things doth require that that which is the absolutest supremest first and most independent will wisdome and power of all others should govern order and direct all other wills powers and wisedomes that are subordinate to and inferiour under it unto whatsoever uses and purposes he who hath the absolute Dominion and Soveraignty over all is pleased to appoint It cannot be other then a marvellous diminution unto the greatnesse of God and a too low esteeme of the absolutenesse of that Majesty which belongs unto him to make any Counsels Decrees Purposes of his to receive their ultimate forme and stampe from the previous and intercurrent causalities or conditions of the creature This I have alwayes looked on as the principall cause of those dangerous errors concerning grace free-will and the decrees of God wherewith the Churches of Christ have been so miserably in the former ages and in this of ours exercised by the subtlety of Satan and by the pride of corrupt minded men namely the too low and narrow thoughts and conceptions which men have framed to themselves of God the not acquiescing in his Soveraign Dominion and absolute Power of disposing all things which hee made unto whatsoever uses himselfe pleaseth into which I am sure the holy Scripture doth resolve all Matth. 11. 25.26 Rom. 9.18.21.11.33 36. Eph. 1.5.9.11 Psal. 135.6 Even in the sinfull actions of men Gods influence and providence hath a particular hand As actions his influence as sinfull his providence His influence to the naturall motion and substance of the action though not to the wickednesse of it for this standeth not in Being or perfection else the fountaine of Being and perfection must needs be the first cause of it but in defect and privation of perfection As when a hand draweth a line by a crooked rule the line is from the hand but the crookednesse of it is from the rule or as when a man goeth lamely the motion as motion is from the naturall faculty but the lamenesse of the motion is from the defect and vitiousnesse of the faculty A swearer could not speak an oath nor a murtherer reach out his hand to strike a blow but by the force of those naturall faculties which in and from God have all their Being and working But that these naturall motions are by profanesse or malice directed unto ends morally wicked this proceedeth from the vitiosity and defect which is in the second cause making use of Gods gifts unto his owne dishonour 2. The Providence of God hath a notable hand in the guiding ordering and disposing of these actions as sinfull unto the ends of his own glory in the declaration of his Power Wisedome and Iustice unto which the sinnes of wicked men are perforce carried on contrary to those ends which they themselves in sinning did propose unto themselves As an Artificer useth the force of naturall causes unto artificiall effects as an Huntsman useth the naturall enmity of the Dogge against the Fox or Wolfe unto the preservation of the Lambs which otherwise would bee destroyed though the dogge himselfe by nature is as great an enemy to the Lamb as the Fox As the Pharisees were as great enemies to Religion as the Sadduces yet Paul wisely made use of their emnity amongst themselves for his own preservation and deliverance from them both Nothing more usuall then for God to mannage and direct the sinnes of men to the bringing about of his own purposes and Counsels Gen. 50.20 1 Sam. 2.25 1 King 2.26.27 2 Sam. 12.11 compared with 2 Sam. 16.22 Esay 10.5.6 7. Act. 4.28 Psal. 76.10 But now unto gracious actions which belong not at all unto nature as nature but onely as inspired and actuated with spirituall and heavenly principles a more singular and notable influence of God is required not onely to the substance of the action but more especially to the rectitude and goodnesse of it for wee have no sufficiency of our selves not so much as unto the first offers and beginnings of good in our thoughts 2 Cor. 3.5 when we are bid to work out our own salvation with feare and trembling it must be in dependence on the power and in confidence of
poore and slender temptation how strangely did a creature of so high and noble a constitution exchange God himselfe for the fruit of a tree believe a Serpent before a Maker and was so miserably cheated as to suppose that by casting away Gods Image he should become the more like him Who could have thought that David a man after Gods owne heart with one miscarrying glance of his eye should have been plunged into such a gulfe of sinne and misery as he fell into that so spirituall and heavenly a soule should be so suddenly overcome with so sensuall a temptation that so mercifull and righteous a man should so greatly wrong a faithfull servant as he did Vriah and then make the innocent blood of him whom hee wronged a mantle to palliate and to cover the wrong and make use of his fidelity to convey the letters and instructions for his own ruine Who could have thought that Lot so soone after he had been delivered from fire and brimstone and vexed with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites should bee himselfe inflamed with unnaturall incestuous lust who could have suspected that Peter who had his name from a Rock should be so soone shaken like a Reed and after so solemn a protestation not to forsake Christ though all else should to bee driven with the voice of a Maide from his stedfastnesse and with oaths and curses be the first that denied him Surely every man in his best estate is altogether vanity Therefore it behoveth us to be alwayes humbled in the sight of our selves and to be jealous 1. Of our originall impotency unto the doing of any good unto the forbearing of any evill unto the repelling of any temptation by our owne power In his owne might shall no man be strong 1 Sam. 2.9 To bee a sinner and to be without strength are termes equivolent in the Apostle Rom. 5.6 8. Nay even where there is a will to doe good there is a defect of power to perform it Rom. 7.18 our strength is not in our selves but in the Lord and in the power of his might and in the working of his Spirit in our inner man Eph. 6.10.3.19 Phil. 4.13 If but a good thought arise in our mind or a good desire and motion bee stirring in our heart or a good word drop from our lips we have great cause to take notice of the grace of God that offered it to us and wrought it in us and to admire how any of the fruit of Paradise could grow in so heathy a wildernesse 2. Of our naturall antipathy and reluctancy unto holy duties our aptnesse to draw back towards perdition to refuse and thrust away the offers and motions of grace our rebellion which ariseth from the law of the members against the law of the minde the continuall droppings of a corrupt heart upon any of the tender buds and sproutings of piety that are wrought within us our aptnesse to bee weary of the yoke and to shake off the burden of Christ from our shoulders Esay 43.22 our naturall levity and inconstancy of spirit in any holy resolutions continuing but as a morning dew which presently is dryed up beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh having interchangeable fits of the one and the other like the Polypus now of one colour and anon of another now hot with zeale and anon cold with security now following Moses with Songs of Thanksgiving for Deliverance out of Egypt and quickly after thrusting Moses away and in heart returning unto Egypt againe Such a discomposednesse and naturall instability there is in the spirit of man that like strings in an instrument it is apt to be altered with every change of weather nay while you are playing on it you must ever and anon bee new turning it like water heated which is alwayes offering to reduce it selfe to its own coldnesse No longer Sun no longer light no longer Christ no longer grace If his back be at any time upon us our back will immediately be turned from him like those forgetfull Creatures in Seneca who even while they are eating if they happen to looke aside from their meat immediately lose the thoughts of it and goe about seeeking for more 3. Of the manifold decayes and abatements of the grace of God in us our aptnesse to leave our first Love Revel 2.4 How did Hezekiah fall into an impolitick vainglory in shewing all his Treasures unto the Ambassadors of a forraign Prince thereby kindling a desire in him to be master of so rich a Land as soone as God left him unto himselfe 2 King 20.12 13. How quickly without continuall husbandry will a Garden or Vineyard be wasted and overgrown with weeds How easily is a ship when it is at the very shore carried with a storme back into the Sea againe How quickly will a curious watch if it lie open gather dust into the wheeles and bee out of order Though therefore thou have found sweetnesse in Religion joy in the holy Spirit comfort yea heaven in good duties power against corruptions strength against temptations triumph over afflictons assurance of Gods favour vigour life and great enlargement of heart in the wayes of godlinesse yet for all this be not high-minded but feare Remember the flower that is wide open in the morning when the Sunne shines upon it may be shut up in the evening before night come If the Sunne had not stood still Ioshua had not taken vengeance on the enemy Iosh. 10.13 and if the Sunne of righteousnesse doe not constantly shine upon us and supply us wee shall not be able to pursue and carry on any victorious affections While God openeth his hand thou art filled but if he withdraw his face thou wilt be troubled againe Psal. 104.28 29. Therefore take heed of resting on thine owne wisdome or strength Thou mayest after all this grieve the Spirit of God and cause him to depart and hide himselfe from thee thou mayest fall from thy stedfastnesse and lose thy wonted comforts thou mayest have a dead wiâ—ter upon the face of thy conscience and be brought to such a sad and disconsolate condition as to conclude that God hath cast thee out of his sight that he hath forgotten to be gracious and hath shut up his loving kindnesse in displeasure to roare out for anguish of spirit as one whose bones are broken thy soule may draw nigh to the grave and thy life to the destroyers and thou mayest finde it a wofull and almost insuperable difficulty to recover thy life and thy strength again It was so with Iob Chap. 10.16 17. Chap. 13.26.27.28 Chap. 16.9 13. Chap. 30.15 31. It was so with David Psal. 51.8 Psal. 77.2 3 4. It was so with Heman Psal. 88. and diverse others See Iob 33.19.22 Psal. 1â—â— 3 11. Isa 54.6 11. Ion. 2.3 4. Therefore we should still remember in a calme to provide for a storme to stirre up the graces of God continually in our selves that
such a difficultie how to repell such a Temptation how to manage such an action how to order our wayes with an even and composed spirit in the various conditions where into we are cast in this world doth not arise from any defect in the word of God which is perfect and able to furnish us unto every good work but only from our own ignorance and unacquaintance with it who know not how to draw the generall rule and to apply it to our own particular cases and this cannot but be matter of great humiliation unto us in these sad and distracted times when besides our civill breaches which threaten desolation to the State there should be so many and wide divisions in the Church That after so long enjoyment of the Word of God the Scripture should bee to so many men as a sealed book and they like the Egyptians have the darke side of this glorious pillar towards them still that men should be tossed to and fro lâ—ke children and carried about with every winde of doctrine and suffer themselves to be bewitched devoured brought into bondage spoiled led away captive unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse unable to discerne good and evill to prove and try the spirits whether they bee of God alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth and this not onely in matters problematicall or circumstantiall wherein learned and godly men may differ from one another yet stiâ—l the peace and unity of the Church be preserved for things of this nature ought not to be occasions of schisme or secessions from one another but in matters which concern life and godlinesse touching the power of Gods law the nature of free-grace the subjection or â—he conscience unto morall precepts confession of sinne in prayer unto God and begging pardon of it the differencing of true Christian liberty from loose profane â—nd wanton licentiousnesse and a libertie to vent â—nd publish what perverse things sâ—ever men please the very being of Churches of Ministers of Ordinances in the world the necessity of humiliation and solemne repentance in times of publick Judgements the tolerating of all kinde of Religions in Christian Common-Wealths the mortality of the reasonable soul and other the like pernicious and perverse doctrines of men of corrupt minds the Devils Emissaries purposely by him stirred up to hinder and puzzle the Reformation of the Church These things I say cannot but be matter of humiliation unto all that fear God and love the prosperity of Sion and occasions the more earnestly to excite them unto this wisdome in the Text to hear what God the Lord sayes and to lay his righteous wayes so to heart as to walk stedfastly in them and never to stumble at them or fall from them Now there are two things which I take it the Prophet in this close of his Prophecy seems principally to aime at namely the judgements and the blessings of God His righteous wayes in his threatnings against impenitent and in his promises made unto penitent sinners These are the things which wise and prudent men will consider in times of trouble For Iudgements there is a twofold knowledge of them the one naturall by sense the other spirituall by faith By the former way wicked men do abundantly know the afflictions which they suffer even unto vexation and anguish of spirit They fâ—et themselves Isa. 8.21 they are gray-headed with very trouble and sorrow Hos. 7. â— they gnaw their toâ—gues for pain Revel 16.10 they pine away in their iniquities Levit. 26.39 they are mâ—d in their calamities have trembling hearts faâ—ling of eyes and sorrow of minde c. Deut. 28.34.65 and yet for all this they are said in the Scripture when they burn when they consume when they are devoured not to know any of this or to lay it to heart Isa. 42.25 Hos. 7.9 Ier. 12.11 and the reason is because they knew it not by faith nor in a spirituall manner in order unto God They did not see his name nor heare his rod nor consiâ—er his hand and counsell in it or measuâ—e his Iudgements by his word nor look on them as the fruits of sin leading to repentance and teaching righteousnesse nor as the arguments of Goâ—s displeasure humbling us under his holy hand and guiding uâ— to seek his face and to recover our peace with him This is the spirituall and prudent way of knowing judgements Mic. 6.9 Isa. 26.8 9. Isa. 27.9 Levit. 26.40 41 42. Scire est per causam scire true wisedom looks on things in their Causes Resolves Judgements into the causes of them our sinnes to be bewailed Gods wrath to be averted makes this observation upon them Now I finde by experience that God is a God of truth often have I heard Judgements threatned against sinne and now I see that Gods threatnings are not empty winde but that all his words have truth and substance in them The first part of wisdome is to see Iudgements in the word before they come and to hide from them for as faith in regard of promises is the substance of things hoped for and seeth a being in them while they are yet but to come so is it in regard of threatnings the substance of things feared and can see a being in Judgements before they are felt The next part of wisedom is to see God in Iudgements in the rods when they are actually come and to know them in order unto him And that knowledge stands in two things first to resolve them into him as their Authour for nothing can hurt us without a commission from God Iob. 19.11 Satan spoiles Iob of his children the Sabeans and Chaldeâ—ns of his goods but he lookes above all these unto God acknowledging his goodnesse in giving his power in taking away and blesseth his name Iob. 1.21 Ioseph lookes from the malice of his bretheren unto the providence of God He sent me before you to preserve life Gen. 45.5 If the Whale swallow Ionah God prepares him Ionah 1. â—7 and if he vomit him up again God speakes unto him chap. 2.10 Secondly to direct them unto him as the end to be taught by them to seeke the Lord and wait on him in the way of his judgements to be more penitent for sinne more fearefull and watchfull against it to study and practise the skill of suffering as Christians according to the will of God that he may be glorified Psa. 94.12 Psa. 119.67.71 Zach. 13.9 l· Isay 26.9 Heb. 12.11 Deut. 8.16.1 Pet. 4.16.19 So likewise for Blessings there is a double knowledge of them one sensuall by the flesh the other spirituall in the conscience The former is but a brutish and Epicurean feeding on them without feare as Israel upon quailes in the wilderness as Swine which feed on the fruit that fals down but never look up to the tree whereon it grew to use blessings as Adam did the forbidden fruit being drawn by the beauty of them to