bury our Talents but trade them this is to put out our mercies to Use a gracious heart is like a peece of good ground that having received the seed of mercy thrusts forth a crop of obedience 6 Then wee are rightly thankful when we can have our hearts more enlarged for spiritual mercies than for temporal Eph. 1. 3. Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings A godly man blesseth God more for a fruitful heart than a full crop hee is more thankful for Christ than for a Kingdome Socrates was wont to say hee loved the Kings smile more than his gold a pious heart is more thankful for a smile of Gods face than hee would bee for the gold of the Indies 7 Then wee are rightly thankful when mercy is a wheâ— to duty it causeth a spirit of activity for God Mercy is not as the Sun to the fire to dull it but as oyl to the wheele to make it run faster David wisely argues from mercy to duty Psal. 116. 8 9. Thou hast delivered my Soul from death I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living It was a saying of Bernard Lord I have two Mites a soul and a body and I give them both to thee 8 Then wee are rightly thankful when we excite others to this Angelical work of praise David would not only bless God himself but calls upon others to do so Praise ye the Lord Psalm 111. 1. That is the sweetest musick which is in consort when many Saints joyn together in consort then they make heaven ring of their praises as one drunkard will bee calling upon another so in an holy sense one Christian must bee stirring up another to the work of thankfulness 9 Then we are rightly thankful when we do not only speak Gods praise but live his praise It is called gratiarum actio then wee give thanks when wee live thanks such as are mirrours of mercy should be patterns of piety Obad. 17. Upon Mount Sion shall be deliverance and there shall be holiness To give God orall praise and dishonour him in our lives is to commit a barbarism in religion and is to be like those Iews who bowed the knee to Christ and then did spit upon him Mark 15. 19. 10 Then wee are rightly thankful when wee do propagate Gods praises to posterity we tell our children what God hath done for us in such a want hee supplyed us in such a sickness he raised us in such a temptation he succoured us Psa. 44. 1. O God our Fathers have told us what work thou didst in their daies in the time of old By transmitting our experiences to our Children Gods name is eternized and his mercies will bring forth a plentiful crop of praise when wee are gone He man puts the question Psal. 88. 10. Shall the dead praise thee Yes in this sense when we are dead we praise God because having left the Chronicle of Gods mercies with our Children we put them upon thankfulness and so make Gods praises live when we are dead dumque aurea voluet astra polus Memori semper celebrabunt cantu Use 3 Let us evidence our godliness by gratefulness Psa. 29. 2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name 1 It is a good thing to be thankful Psal 147. 1. It is good to sing praises to our God 'T is ill when the tongue that Organ of praise is out of tune and doth jar by murmuring and discontent but it is a good thing to be thankful it is good because this is all the creature can do to lift up Gods name and it is good because it tends to the making us good the more thankful we are the more holy while wee pay this tribute of praise our stock of grace increseth in other debts the more we pay the less wee have but the more wee pay this debt of thankfulness the more grace wee have 2 Thankfulness is the quit-rent wee owe to God Psa. 148. 11 13. King of the earth and all people let them praise the name of the Lord Praise is the tribute or custome to bee paid into the King of heavens Exchequor Surely while God renews our Lease we must renew our rent 3 The great cause we have to be thankful 't is a principle grafted in nature to be thankful for benefits The Heathens praised Iupiter for their victories What full clusters of mercies hang upon us when we go to enumerate Gods mercies we must with David confess our selves to bee nonplussed Psal. 40. 5. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done they cannot be reckoned up in Order And as Gods mercies are past numbring so they are past measuring David takes the longest measuring line hee could get hee measures from earth to the clouds nay above the clouds yet this measure would not reach the heighth of Gods mercies Psal. 108. 4. Thy mercy is great above the heavens O how hath God enriched us with his silver showers a whole constellation of mercies hath shined in our Hemisphere 1 What Temporal favours have wee received every day wee see a new tide of mercy coming in the wings of mercy have covered us the breast of mercy hath fed us Gen. 48. 15. The God which hath fed mee all my life long to this day What snares laid for us have been broken what fears blown over the Lord hath made our bed when he hath made others grave he hath taken such care of us as if he had none else to take care for never was the cloud of providence so black but we might see a Rainbow of Love in the cloud we have been made to swim in a sea of mercy and doth not all this call for thankfulness 2 That which may put a string more into the instrument of our praise and make it sound louder is to consider what spiritual blessings God hath conferred upon us he hath given us of the upper-springs he hath opened the Wardrobe of Heaven and fetched us out a better garment than any of the Angels wear he hath given us the best robe and put upon us the Ring of faith whereby wee are married to him These are mercies of the first magnitude which deserve to have an Asterist put upon them and God keeps the best Wine till last here hee gives us mercies but by retail the greatest things are laid up here are some Hony drops and fore-tastes of Gods love the Rivers of pleasure are reserved for Paradise well may we take the harp and viol and triumph in Gods praise who can tread upon these hot coals of Gods love and his heart not burn in thankfulness 4 Thankfulness is the best policy there is nothing lost by it to bee thankful for one mercy is the way to have more 't is like powring water into a Pump which fetcheth out more Musicians love to sound their trumpets where there is the best Eccho and
allow himself in rash censuring Some think this a small matter they will not swear but they will slander this is very evil thou woundest a man in that which is dearest to him He who is godly turns all his censures upon himself he judgeth himself for his own sins but is very chary and tender of the good name of another Use. As you would be numbred among the Genealogies of the Saints do not indulge your selves in any sin consider the mischief that one sin lived in will do 1. One sin gives Satan as much advantage against thee as more The Fowler can hold the Bird by one wing Satan held Iudas fast by one sin 2. One sin lived in argues the heart is not sound he who hides one Rebel in his house is a Traytor to the Crown that person who indulgeth one sin is a trayterous hypocrite 3. One sin will make way for more as a little Thief can open the door to more Sin is linked and chained together one sin will draw on more Davids adultery made way for murder One sin never goes alone if there be but one Nest-egg the Devil can brood upon it 4. One sin is as well a breach of Gods Law as more Iam. 2. 10. He that shall offend in one point is guilty of all If the King make a Law against Felony Treason Murder if a man be guilty but of one of these he is as well a Transgressor of the Law as if he were guilty of all 5. One sin lived in keeps out Christ from entring one stone in the Pipe keeps out the water one sin indulg'd obstructs the soul and keeps the streams of Christs Bloud from running into it 6. One sin lived in will spoil all thy good duties A drop of poyson will spoil a glass of Wine Abimeleck a Bastard destroyed threescore and ten of his Brethren Iudg. 9. 5. One Bastard-sin will destroy threescore and ten prayers One dead fly will corrupt the box of oyntment 7. One sin lived in will be a Canker-worm to eat out the peace of Conscience it takes away the Manna out of the Ark and leaves only a Rod. Eheu quis intus scorpio One sin is a Pyrate to rob a Christian of his comfort one jarring string brings all the Musick out of tune one sin countenanced will spoil the Musick of Conscience 8. One sin allowed will damn as well as more one disease is enough to kill If a Fence be made never so strong leave open but one gap the wilde Beast may enter and tread down the corn If there be but one sin allowed in the soul you set open a gap for the Devil to enter 'T is a simile of Chrysostom a Souldier that hath his Head-piece on and Breast-plate if in but one place he wants Armour the bullet may enter there and he may as well be shot as if he had no Armour on So if thou favourest but one sin thou leavest a part of thy soul unarmed and the Bullet of Gods Wrath may enter there and â—hoot thee One sin may shut thee out of heaven and as Hierom faith What difference is there in being shut out for more sins or for one Therefore take heed of cherishâ—ng one sin One Milstone will sink a man into the Sea as well as an hundred 9. One sin harboured in the soul will unfit for suffering How soon may an hour of Tryal come he who hath an hurt in his shoulder cannot carry an heavy burden and he who hath any guilt in his Conscience cannot carry the Cross of Christ Will he deny his life for Christ that cannot deny his lust for Christ One sin in the soul unmortified will bring forth the bitter fruit of Apostasie Would you then show your selves godly give a Bill of Divorce to every sin kill the Goliah-sin Rom. 6. 12. Let not sin reign In the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let not sin King it over you Grace and Sin may be together but Grace and the love of Sin cannot Therefore parley with sin no longer but with the Spear of Mortification let out the heart-bloud of every sin SECT XX. 20. A godly man is good in his Relations To be good in general is not enough but we must show forth Piety in our Relations 1. He is godly who is good as a Magistrate The Magistrate is Gods Representative a godly Magistrate holds the ballance of Justice and gives to every one his right Deut. 16. 19. Thou shalt not respect persons neither take a gift for a gift doth blind the eyes A Magistrate must judge the Cause not the person He who suffers himself to be corrupted with bribes is not a Iudge but a Party A Magistrate must do that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Law Act. 23. 3. And that he may do Justice he must examine the Cause Tâ—e Archer that will shoot right must first see the mark 2. He is godly who is good as a Minister A Minister must be 1. Painful 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. Preach the Word be instant in season out of season The Minister must not be idle sloath is as inexcusable in a Minister as sleep in a Centinel Iohn Baptist was a voice crying Mat. 3. 3. A dumb Minister is of no more use than a dead Physitian A man of God must work in the Lords Vineyard It was Austins wish that Christ might find him at his coming either praying or preaching 2. A Minister must be knowing Mal. 2. 7. The Priests lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth It was said in the honour of Nazianzene that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Ocean of Divinity The Prophets of old were called Seers 1 Sam. 9. 9. 'T is absurd to have our Seers blind Christ said to Peter Feed my sheep Ioh. 21. 16. But how sad is it when the Shepherds need to be fed Ignorance in a Minister is like blindness in an Oculist Under the Law he who had the plague in his head was unclean Levit. 13. 44. 3. A Minister must preach plain suiting his matter and stile to the capacity of his Auditory 1 Cor. 14. 19. Some Ministers like Eagles love to soar aloft in abstruse Metaphyfical notions thinking they are most admired when they are least understood they who preach in the Clouds instead of hitting their peoples Conscience shoot over their heads 4 A Minister must be zealous in reprooving sin Tit. 1. 13. Rebuke them sharply Epiphanius saith of Eliah he sucked fire out of his Mother breasts a man of God must suck the fire of zeal out of the breasts of Scripture Zeal in a Minister is as proper as fire on the Altar some are afraid to reprove like the Sword-fish which hath a sword in his head but is without an heart so they carry the sword of the spirit about them but have no heart to draw it out in a reproof against sin
when the Devils Factors are abroad whose whole work is to unsettle people and make them fall off from that former strictness in Religion which they have professed 'T is much to be lamented to see Christians 1. Wavering in Religion How many do we see desultorii ingenii unresolved and unsteady Like Reuben unstable as water Gen. 49. 4. These the Apostle fitly compares to waves of the Sea and wandring Stars Iude 13. They are not fixed in the principles of godliness Beza writes of one Bolsechus his Religion changed like the Moon Such were the Ebionites who kept the Jewish Sabbath and the Christian Many Professors are like the River Euripus ebbing and flowing in matters of Religion they are like reeds bending every way either to the Mass or the Alchoran They are like the Planet Mercury which doth vary and is seldome constant in its motion When men think of heaven and the recompence of reward then they will be godly but when they think of Persecution then they are like the Jews who deserted Christ and walked no more with him Iohn 6. 66. Did mens faces alter as fast as their Opinions we should not know them to be thus vacillant and wavering in Religion argues lightness Feathers are blown any way so are feathery Christians 2. 'T is to be lamented to see men fall from that godliness which once they seemed to have they are turned to worldliness and wantonness the very mantle of their Profession is fallen off and indeed if they were not fixed stars it is no wonder to see them falling stars This spiritual Epilepsie or falling-sickness was never more rife this is a dreadful sin for men to fall from that godliness they-seemed once to have Chrysostom saith Apostates are worse than they who are openly flagitious they bring an evil report upon godliness The Apostate saith Tertullian seems to put God and Satan in the ballance and having weighed both their services prefers the Devils service and proclaims him to be the best Master in which respect the Apostate is said to put Christ to open shame He. 6. 6 This will be bitter in the end Heb. 10. 38. What a worm did Spira feel in his Conscience How did Stephen Gardiner cry out in horror of mind upon his Death-bed that he had denied his Master with Peter but he had not repented with Peter That we may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stedfast in godliness and persevere let us do two things 1. Let us take heed of those things which will make us by degrees fall off from our profession 1. Let us beware of covetousness 2 Tim. 3. 2. Men shall be covetous ver 5. Having a form of godliness but denying the power One of Christs own Apostles was caught with a silver bait Covetousness will make a man betray a good cause and make shipwrack of a good Conscience I have read of some in the time of the Emperour Valens who denied the Christian Faith to prevent the confiscation of their goods 2. Beware of unbelief Heb. 3. 12. Take heed least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God No evil like an evil heart no evil heart like an unbelieving heart why so It makes men depart from the blessed God he that believes nor Gods mercy will not dread his Justice Infidelity is the Nurse of Apostasie therefore unbelieving and unstable go together Psal. 78. 22. They believed not in God ver 41. They turned back and tempted God 3. Take heed of cowardliness he must needs be evil who is afraid to be good Pro. 29. 25. The fear of man bringeth a snare They who fear danger more than sin to avoid danger will commit sin Origen out of a spirit of fear offered Incense to the Idol Aristotle saith the reason why the Camelion turns into so many colours is through excessive fear Fear will make men change their Religion as often as the Camelion doth her colour Christian thou who hast made a profession of godliness so long and others have noted thee for a Saint in their Kalendar why dost thou fear and begin to shrink back The Cause is good which thou art imbarqued in thou fightest against sin thou hast a good Captain which marcheth before thee Christ the Captain of thy Salvation Heb. 2. 10. What is it thou fearest Is it loss of liberty What is liberty worth when Conscience is in bonds Better lose thy liberty and keep thy peace than lose thy peace and keep thy liberty Is it loss of Estate Dost thou say as Amaziah 2 Chron. 25. 9. What shall we do for the hundred Talents I would answer with the Prophet The Lord can give thee much more than this He hath promised thee in this life an hundred-fold and if that be not enough he will give thee life everlasting Mat. 19. 29. 2. If you would hold fast the profession of godliness use all means for perseverance 1. Labour for a real work of Grace in your soul Grace is the best fortification Heb. 13. 9. It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace Quest. What is this real work of Grace Answ. It consists in two things 1. It lies in an heart-humbling work The thorn of sin pricked Pauls Conscience Rom. 7. 9. Sin revived and I died Though some are less humbled than others as some bring forth Children with less pangs yet all have pangs 2 Grace lies in an heart-changing work 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are sanctified A man is so changed as if another soul did live in the same body if ever you would hold out in the waies of God get this vital principle of grace why do men change their religion but because their hearts were never changed they do not fall away from grace but for want of grace 2 If you would hold on in godliness be deliberate and judicious weigh things well in the ballance Luke 14. 28. Which of you intending to build a Tower sitteth not dow◠first and counteth the cost Think with your selves what it will cost you to be godly you must expect the hatred of the world Ioh. 15. 19. the wicked hate the godly for their piety 't is strange they should do so do we hate a flower because it is sweet the godly are hated for the perfume of their graces is a Virgin hated for her beauty the wicked hate the godly for the beauty of holiness which shines in them and secret hatred will break forth into open violence 2 Tim. 3. 12. Christians must count the cost before they build why are people so hasty in laying down Religion but because they were so hasty in taking it up 3 If you would hold fast your profession get a clear distinct knowledge of God know the love of the Father the merit of the Son the efficacy of the Holy Ghost Such as know not God aright will by degrees renounce their