Flames for a little contentment here in the World for a little ease and delight here given to your carnal Nature Is an Earthly Life that you cannot long hold more valuable then an Eternal Heaven you shall enjoy for ever no let us go to heaven though we get thither with many pains and sufferings If you forsake all not only in Vow and Purpose but Actually and in Deed yet still you have something better you shall be no looser in the end you shall so choose the blessed God and live with him for evermore and be fill'd with his Love as full as you can hold and be employed in his service and all this in an Eternal Perfection and glorified Estate 4. Motive Choose for you will never have cause to repent of your choice The Lord stands upon his Justification is very tender of giving his People any Cause to repent of his service Micah 6. 3. O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me Pray what hurt hath Holiness done you Who was ever the better for sinning or who was the worse for Holiness There was none that ever made a carnal choice but first or last they had cause to repent of it either they repent of it in a kindly manner while they may mend the matter or else they shall repent for ever in Misery but who ever repented of his Repentance or cursed the day of his new Birth To whom ever was it any grief of heart that they were acquainted with God and Christ or the way that leadeth unto life who dieth the sweeter death or who repents of their choice then the serious or the carnal Oh they that have chosen the World they cry out how the World hath deceived them but never any repented of choosing God and the wayes of God Let these things perswade you to choose his Precepts Secondly For Directions 1. In Choosing the Object is to be regarded Gods Precepts indefinitely all of them not one excepted the smallest as well as the greatest the troublesome as well as the easie the most neglected as well as the most observed we must choose all Gods Precepts not abate any thing but especially the main or the essential Precepts of Christianity or the Fundamental points of the Covenant Now the Question is What 's the Fundamental Point of the Covenant Truly that 's known by the form of Baptisme Baptisme is the solemn Seal of entring into Covenant with God it 's the Seal of our initiation or first entrance into Covenant with God Mat. 28. 19. Now what is it to be Baptised in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost when you first choose the ways of God here you must begin you must close with Father Son and Holy Ghost heartily take them to be your God that is you must close with God the Father as your All-sufficient Portion or chiefest happiness to be loved above all and also as your highest Lord that he may be served pleased and obeyed above all Well and in the name of the Son that is Jesus Christ he must be taken as your Saviour and Redeemer to bring you to God and to reconcile you to him And to be Baptised in the name of the Holy Ghost is this to take him as your Sanctifier Guide and Comforter to make you a holy people to God to cleanse your hearts from sin to write all Gods Laws upon your Hearts and put them into your Minds and to guide you by the Word and Ordinances to everlasting Life This is the main thing that is first to be minded because it contains all and doth necessarily infer the rest for otherwise to be resolute in some by-point of Religion though it be right this is but the Obstinacy of a Faction not the constancy of a Christian Zeal 2. As you must look to the Object of this choice so to the Causes of it and what are they An Enlightned Mind a renewed Heart a Love to God and then the Spirit of God enlightning and inclining our Hearts 1. An Enlightned Mind is a cause of choosing the ways of God when the Lord hath taught us his Precepts an enlightned mind discovers a beauty and amiableness in the ways of God Psal. 119. 128. I esteem all thy Precepts to be right and they are the rejoycing of my soul. 2. A Renewed Heart wherein all the precepts of God are written over again They were written upon our Hearts in Innocency but that 's a blurred Manuscript therefore in Regeneration they are written over again God writes his Law in our hearts and puts them in our inward parts Heb. 8. 10. and then the Law within suits with the Law without for the new Creature is created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness In true Holiness which relates to the first Table of the Law and Righteousness which relates to the second Table of the Law the renewed heart that hath this inclination and propension is carried out to them 3. Love to God for that 's implied in the choice Iohn 14. 21. He that hath my Commandements and keeps them he it is that loves me and he that loves me hath my Commandements and keeps them It follows the other way where there is love to God there will be choosing of his ways 4. Gods Spirit the Lord Enlightning and Inclining our Hearts to this choice God Enlightens for he teacheth us the way that we shall choose and when we see these things in the light of the Spirit then we see the Beauty of them Psal. 25. 12. It holds good as to the path of Life and in particular cases but chiefly in the main case God teacheth him the way that he shall choose And the Spirit of God enclines the Heart too as well as enlightens the Mind 1 Pet. 1. 22. Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit 3. There are the Effects of this Choice What are they Delight Diligence and Patience 1. Delight Psal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy law is within my heart When the Law is not only written in the Book but written in the heart then there 's a Delight a ready and willing Obedience It is spoken first of Christ of David it was said in Type it 's true also of all Believers for they have the Spirit of Christ and the same also is exprest of the People of God Psal. 112. 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments When a man hath chosen the precepts of God and bound himself in this way then his heart is taken with a delight 2. Diligence Gods Precepts are the great business and employment of our lives and then there 's a constant study to please him Col. 1. 9 10. Filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that you may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing We must do Gods Will and
compared with Wealth p. 489 490 491 619 It teaches many excellent Lessons p. 592 593 It deserves Love for the Author Matter Use p. 622 It 's a full Declaration of Gods mind p. 8 153 It 's a certain Declaration of his Mind and Will p. 8 It declares 1. what we must do 2. whether we do it or no 3. what we may expect from God p. 9 It is self-evidencing p. 9 It will excuse or accuse in the day of Judgment p. 6 It 's not only a Direction but an Injunction p. 24 349 It 's a Light by day a Lamp by night p. 687 688 why 689 It s a rule and an Instrument p 53 688 In it we are to consider 1. the Authority 2. the Ministry of it p. 488 892 It 's a Glass to shew us our spots and water to wash them away p. 54 Three main uses of the Word of God p. 491 It 's 1. the Sts. Direction 2. their Support 3. their Charter p. 97 491 619 866 867 It makes rich and happy p. 86 488 489 490 It is an Antidote against sin and a Cordial against sorrow p. 120 151 152 688 359 333 It is Comfort in two Respects p. 688 354 359 It is Bread and Water p. 124 126 How we are to be affected towards the Word p. 620 It is pure in many Respects 1. in it self 2. it makes the Soul pure and that 1. as 't is the appointed Instrument of the spirit 2. as 't is a proper Instrument for Purification 3. as it proposes Precepts Examples and other helps for Purity p. 857 858 It is Righteousness all Righteousness c. p. 1068 It ought to be our Meditation p. 576 It 's a Light proved from 1. the Autâ—…or 2. Instruments 3. the ends of it p. 690 691 It is our Comfort in the day of outward Trouble and inward Anguish It gives these Comforts 1. the Priviledges of the afflicted 2. the blessedness of another World acceptation with God p. 887 619 v. Commandements Believers may humbly challenge God upon his word p. 324 It may be hidden in two Respects 1. in respect of the outward Administration 2. in respect of the inward Influence and Efficacy p. 151 152 It is as good as Gods actual Performance or Deed p. 444 There are wonders in Gods word to be seen when God opens the Eye p. 112 880 881 882 What Gods opening the eyes contributes to the sight of them p. 112 Words idle words weigh heavy in Gods Ballance p. 39 Words are the Female Issue of the Soul Works the Male Issue p. 89 Works Covenants of Grace and Works wherein they agree and wherein they differ p. 906 907 908 909 Word of God upon the Soul may be mentioned before him and pleaded to him in Prayer and how p. 60 61 When God intends to work he sets Prayer on work p. 860 Work of God in what respects and sense ascribed to the Creature and why p. 751 God is always at work for us p. 340 World not our home not to be abused p. 117 It is preserved for the Elects sake p. 859 The spirit of this World p. 572 The spirit of God and the spirit of this World differ p. 478 Love of worldly things two great causes of it 1. A distrust of Gods Care 2. discontent with Gods allowance p. 255 present world p. 1089 Worship false worship severely punished p. 39 Worship of God his Interest therein p. 852 True Zeal appears for purity of Worship and against the corruption of it p. 852 Worship corrupted by Papists p. 205 206 False Worship makes men 1. subtle 2. cruel p. 739 Wounding and healing Gods Praerogative p. 511 Wrath of God They that walk closely with God are discharged from it p. 7 Y. YOkâ—… of Afflictions to be born from the youth p. 883 Young and raw Christians have much Zeal little Knowledge p. 452 Young Christians may have more true Wisdom than aged Persons p. 653 654 Young Men exhorted to beware of evil Company as the Pest and Bane of Youth p. 776 Young men not to be discouraged nor despised p. 654 655 Encouragement to Youth and to those that educate them p. 655 Youth regardless of serious work p. 52 God must be remembred in youth Reasons of it p. 52 53 Youth is tainted with sin p. 52 How a young man may cleanse his ways p. 55 Advantages of remembring God in Youth p. 397 Z. ZEal for false Worship quenches the fire of real Godliness p. 5 It is a high degree of Love It consumes the natural Spirits p. 849 Zeal great and pure becomes those that have any Affection for the ways and word of God p. 650 It is hottest in cold times p. 865 Zeal Spiritual and Carnal their differences Carnal Zeal is faulty in the 1. Cause 2. the Object 3. Measure p. 850 Zeal spiritual described 1. by its Causes 2. Object 3. Effects 4. usefulness to publick Reformation 5. use in private Christian Exercises p. 851 852 Blind Zeal a cause of Persecution p. 144 Iâ—… makes a man a prey for the Devil p. 685 Young Christians have much Zeal but little Knowledge p. 452 Zeal shews it self for purity of worship p. 852 Zeal now is less when there 's more light p. 657 Zion Mourners in Zion and Sinners in Zion p. 929 FINIS
greater influence of grace from God How often doth it fall out thus with Gods children that their right is more confirmed to spiritual blessings when their sense is lost then they are more industrious and diligent to get a sense of Gods love again A Summer's Sun that 's clouded yields more comfort and warmth to the earth than a Winters Sun that shines brightest These cloudy times have their use and their fruit and Christians have the less of a happy part of communion with God that they may have more holiness and less of sweetness and sensible consolation that they may have more grace 4. There is desertio correctiva eruditiva a desertion for correction and a desertion for instruction Sometimes the aim of it is meerly for correction for former sins it is a penal over-clouding for our unkind and ungracious dealing with him God may do it for sins nay many times for old sins long ago committed he may charge them anew upon the conscience Job 13. 24. compared with v. 26. Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy Thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth An old bruise may trouble us long after upon every change of weather Many that have grieved Gods Spirit in their youth after they have been converted God will reckon with them about it in their age A man will smart for his ungracious courses first or last Sometimes it is meerly for Instruction it instructs us chiefly to shew us Gods Soveraignty with the changeableness of the best comfort on this side heaven To shew us his Soveraignty that he will be free to go and come at his own pleasure He will have his people know he is Lord and may do with his own as pleaseth him The heavenly irradiations and outshinings of his love are not at our beck God will dispense them according to his pleasure A Mariner hath no cause to murmure and quarrel with God because the wind bloweth out of the East when he desireth a Westerly gale why because it is his wind and he will dispose these things according to his pleasure So the comfort and outshinings of his love are his and he will take them and give them as he thinks good Again to shew us the changeableness of the best comforts on this side heaven When Christ hath been in the soul with a full and high influx of comfort this doth not remain long with us God may withdraw Observe it often after the highest enlargements there may be some forsaking Cant. 5. 1. there we read of a Feast between Christ and his beloved Come eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Here they are feasted with love presently we read of desertion the Spouse waxeth lazy and drowsie and Christ is gone then she is forced to go up and down to find him Paul had his Raptures then a Messenger of Satan to busset him The same Disciples that were conscious to Christs Transfiguration Peter Iames and Iohn Mat. 17. the same Disciples are chosen also to be conscious to his Agonies Mat. 26. 37. He took with him Peter Iames and Iohn First they had a glimpse of his Glory then a sight of his bitter Agonies and sufferings Ieremiah in one line singing of praise and in the next cursing the day of his birth Jer. 20. 13 14. After the most ravishing comforts may be a sad suspension Iacob saw the face of God and wrestled with him but his thigh halted There needs something to humble the Creature after these experiences 5. Desertion is either felt or not felt not felt and then it is more dangerous and usually ends in some notable fall as Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 31. God left him and he was not sensible and then he runs into pride and vain-glory and draweth wrath upon him and his people God's children when they do not observe his comings and goings they fall into mischief it begins their wo. We do not observe what experiences we have of God then we faint we do not observe his goings then that makes way for some scandal and imprudent and unseemly action and that makes way for some bitter and sharp affliction But if it be felt it is the better provided against If we do not murmur but seek to God in Christ to get the loss made up then it is better Meek acknowledgments are better than complaining expostulations It is a sign it works kindly 6. There 's a total and a partial desertion Those who are bent to obey God may for a while and in some degree be left to themselves We cannot promise our selves an utter immunity from desertion but it is not total We shall find for his great names sake The Lord will not forsake his people 1 Sam. 12. 22. and Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Not utterly yet in part they may be forsaken Elijah was forsaken but not as Ahab Peter was forsaken in part but not as Iudas that was utterly forsaken until he was made a prey to the Devil So carnal professors are forsaken utterly until they are made a prey fit for the Devils tooth David was forsaken to be humbled and bettered but Saul was forsaken utterly to be destroyed Saith Theophylact God may forsake his people so as to shut out their prayers Psal. 80. 4. so as to interrupt the peace and joy of their heart to abate their strength the spiritual life may be much at a stand and so as sin may break out and they fall foully but not utterly forsaken But one way or other God is present present in light sometimes when he is not present in strength when he manifests the evil of their present condition so as to mourn under it and present in awakening desires though not in giving enjoyment As long as there is any esteem of God he is not yet gone there is some light and love yet left manifested by our desires of Communion with him 7. There is a Temporary desertion and an Eternal desertion One is spoken of Isa. 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee God may forsake his servants for a little while Indeed they may have a long winter of it sometimes as David lay for many months under his sin until Nathan rouzed him but this is but a moment to the eternity wherein God loves them But the eternal forsaking is of the final Impenitent when God saith Never see my face more go ye cursed c. Thus for the kinds Secondly The Reasons of Desertion 1. To correct us for our wantonness and our unkind dealing with Christ. If we neglect him upon frivolous pretences certainly he will be gone Cant. 5. 2. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on See v. 6. My beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone When we are not at Gods call he will not be at our beck She that would not open to Christ when
things The pleasures of the mind are far more pure and defaeeate than those of the body so that if a man would have pleasures let him look after the chiefest of the kind He spoke like a beast rather than like a man that said Eat drink and be merry thou hast goods laid up for many years Luk. 12. 19. That is the most that worldly things can afford us a little bodily cheer Psal. 17. 14. Thou hast filled their bellies with hid treasures there is the poor happiness of a rich Worldling He may have a belly full and fare at a better rate than others do Hab. 1. 16. Their portion is made fat and their meat plenteous When men have troubled themselves and the world to make themselves great it is but for a little belly-cheer which may be wanted as well as enjoyed a modest temperance and mean fare yieldeth more pleasure But what is this to the delights of the mind A Sensualist is a fool that runneth to such dreggy and carnal delights Noble and sublime thoughts breed a greater pleasure What pleasure do some take in finding out a Philosophical Verity the man rejoyceth the senses are only tickled in the other Of all pleasures of the mind those of the spiritual life are the highest for then our natural faculties are quickned and heightned by the spirit The reasonable nature hath a greater joy than the sensitive and the spiritual divine nature hath more than the meer rational There is not only an higher object the Love of God but an higher cause the Spirit of God who elevateth the faculty to an higher manner of sense and perception Therefore both the good and evil of the spiritual life is greater than the good and evil of the rational The evil of the spiritual is greatest a wounded spirit who can bear And the good of the spiritual life is greatest Ioy unspeakable and glorious The higher the life the greater the feeling groans not uttered peace passing all understanding though it maketh no loud noise yet it dissuseth a solid contentment throughout the soul. All this is spoken because the way of Gods Testimonies is looked upon as a dark and gloomy course by carnal men yet it is the life of the blessed God himself Eph. 4. 18. Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart And surely he wants no true joy and pleasure that lives such a life USE 1. Here is an invitation to men to acquaint themselves more with the way of Gods Testimonies that they may find this rejoycing above all riches It is hard to pleasant natures to abjure accustomed delights and carnal men picture Religion with a sowr austere face We shall never see cheerful day more if we are strict in Religion Oh consider your delight is not abrogated but perfected you shall find a rejoycing more intimate than in all pleasures Cyprian saith he could hardly get over this prejudice in his Epistle to Donatus Austin thirty years old parted with his carnal delights and found another sweetness Quà m suave mihi subito factum est It is your disease maketh you carnal when freed from the fervours of lust these things will have no relish with you If it seem laborious at first it will be more joyful than all riches The root is bitter but the fruit sweet At first it is bitter to nature which loveth carnal liberty to render it self captive to the word but after a little pains and when the heart is once subdued to God it will be sweet and comfortable Ask of the Spies that have been in this good Land if it be not a Land flowing with Milk and Honey David tells you In the way of thy testimonies This way would be more trodden if men would believe this if you will not believe make trial if Christs yoke seem burdensome it is to a galled neck USE 2. Trial. 1. Have we a delight in obedience to Gods Precepts Psal. 112. 1. They that fear God delight greatly in his commandments It is not enough to serve God but we must serve him delightfully for he is a good Master and his work hath wages in the mouth of it 'T is a sign you are acquainted with the word of God when the obedience which it requireth is not a burden but a delight to you Alas with many it is otherwise How tedious do their hours run in Gods service no time seemeth long but that which is spent in Divine Worship Do you count the clock at a Feast And are you so provident of time when about your sports Are you afraid that the lean kine will devour the fat when you are about your worldly business What causeth your rejoycing the encrease of Wealth or Grace 2. Is this the Supreme delight of the soul It is seen not so much by the sensible expression as by the serious constitution of the soul and the solid effects of it 1. Doth it draw you off from worldly vanities to the study of the word what are your conceptions of it What do you count your riches to grow in grace or to thrive in the world to grow rich towards God or to heap up treasures to your selves Is it your greatest care to maintain a carnal happiness 2. Doth it support you in troubles and worldly losses and bear you out in temporal adversities You cannot be merry unless you have riches and wealth and worldly accommodations then soul eat drink and be merry 3. Doth it sweeten duties the way of Gods commandments is your way home A beast will go home cheerfully you are going home to rest Let the joy of the Lord be your strength Certainly you will think no labour too great to get thither whither the word directs you As one life exceedeth another so there is more sensibleness in it A Beast is more sensible of wrong and hurt and of pleasure than a Plant and as the life of a man exceedeth the life of a beast so is he more capable of joy and grief And as the life of Grace exceedeth the life of a meer man so its joys are greater its griefs greater There are no hardships to which we are exposed for Religion but the Reward attending it will make us to overcome SERMON XVI PSAL. CXIX 15. I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways ALL along David had shewed what he had done now what he will do V. 10. I have sought V. 11. I have hid V. 13. I have declared V. 14. I have rejoyced Now in the two following Verses he doth engage himself to set his mark towards God for time to come I will meditate in thy precepts c. We should not rest upon any thing already done and past but continue the same diligence unto the end Here is David's hearty resolution and purpose to go on for time to come Many will say Thus I have done when I was
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
the letting in of inward comfort and spiritual reviving from the sense of Gods love so Psal. 80. 18 19. Quicken us and we will call upon thy name Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved The shining of Gods face or the sense of Gods love is the reviving of afflicted spirits 2. The actuation of grace there may be life where there is no vigor Now when we are stirred up to be lively in Gods service we are said to be quickned as in the 19. verse of the Psalm before quoted and often it is thus used in this Psalm as verse the 37. Quicken thou me in thy way The Point is this That Gods children need often to go to God for quickning because they often lye under deadness of heart and therefore should desire God who is the fountain of Grace to emit and send forth his influence They need this quickning 1. By reason of their constant weakness 2. Their frequent indispositions and distempers of soul. 1. Their constant weakness in this world 1. By reason of their inclination to sin 2. The imperfection of their motions towards that which is good 1. By reason of their inclination to sin Carnal concupiscence draweth us aside from God to sensual objects James 1. 14. A man is drawn away by his own lust There is a strong biass of corruption drawing us from Christ to present things Heb. 12. 1. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us There is a carnal affection or corrupt inclination which carrieth us out inordinately to things lawful or too often to things unlawful this hangeth as a weight retarding us in all our heavenly flights and motions The love and care of the world which is apt to press down the soul and doth twine about us and insinuate with us the Apostle calleth it a law in his members Rom. 7. 23. a warning to us how when the flesh draweth us off so strongly one way to implore the Divine grace to draw us more strongly to the other 2. Because of the imperfection of their motions to that which is good though there be a purpose bent of heart and inclination that way Our gives are still about us we feel the old maim Grace is like a spark in wet wood that needs continual blowing 2. Their frequent indispositions and distempers of soul. Sometimes they feel a lothness in their souls and a shiness of Gods presence their hearts hang off the spirit indeed is willing but some fleshly thought or carnal excuse checketh the motion It is God alone that can make the soul willing he giveth both will and deed God bendeth the unwilling will as well as helpeth the fainting affections Again sometimes they find a great deadness there is no vigour or liveliness in their affections and they cannot follow after God with such zeal and earnestness though there be not a formal deadness such as usually is in the duties of hypocrites yet there is not always the same strength and agility of grace in the children of God their souls do not so earnestly reach after Christ. Now what can help but divine quickning therefore go to God for it We should rouse and stir up our selves God giveth out influences according to his will or pleasure but we must still stsr up our selves But to answer a case of conscience Whether we are to do duty in case of deadness and indisposition c. 1. The influence of grace is not the warrant of duty but the help 't is the efficient assisting cause not the ground or rule we are to do all acts of obedience on the account of Gods command Luke 5. 5. Simon answering said unto him Master we have toiled all the night nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net God is Soveraign and we are bound to obey whether disposed or indisposed Should the Husbandman never plow but when disposed to plow 2. Our sinful indisposition cannot excuse us In sins of commission our weakness to resist temptation is no excuse So also in sins of omission we cannot be allowed to say it was the Lord suffered me to sin No more will this plea be allowed The Lord did not quicken me to duty Grace is as necessary to prevent sin as to perform duty Gods suspension was no excuse to Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 31. Howbeit in the business of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon who sent to him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his heart This complaint of weakness hath an ill aspect complaining without labouring is rather a taxing of God But 3. Natural men are bound to pray and perform duties therefore renewed men That natural men are bound see Acts 8. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee And Psal. 14. 2. The Lord looked down from heaven to see if there were any that did understand and seek God It is charged as a crime that they did not but much more the renewed for to whom more is given of them more is required It is another talent wherewith they are entrusted Grace is not only donum but talentum Grace is not given as a piece of money to a child to play withal but as we give money to Factors to trade withal for us Now a renewed man should do more being capable of more 4. The outward act of a duty is commanded as well as the inward though they come not up to the nature of a perfect duty there is somewhat of the Ordinance of Christ in them Hos. 14. 2. Take with you words and turn unto the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips Though I cannot do all I must do as much as I can 5. We are to wait humbly in the use of means for the power of his grace When the door is shut knocking is the only way to get it open I will go and offer my self to God and see what he will do for me which is Gods usual way and to be used with the more caution and diligence because God doth all Phil. 2. 12 13. Wherefore my beloved as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Seamen by tacking about get wind so far as you use the means you comply with Gods end A sad threatning there is to those that neglect the use of means that shut the dore upon themselves or if God withdraws are willing he should keep away 6. Acting in spiritual duties fits us for them Iter ad pietatem est intra pietatem Praying fits for praying
of Truth as may keep them savoury and sound in the faith To be able to prattle a little in Religion is not sound knowledg but we must be grounded and setled in the faith Col. 1. 23. That is have not only some floating opinion but well grounded perswasion of the Truth so as we know we are upon firm ground and dare venture our souls upon it and may build surely and safely upon such principles He calleth it elsewhere Col. 2. 2. the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. When men rest contented with obvious Truths or a slight knowledg of the common and easie principles of Christianity there is not such an awe upon their practice nor any establishment of their judgments but like light chaff they are soon carried with the blasts of temptation and the wind of errors And therefore we need to ask again and again Give me an understanding of the way of thy precepts 2. A sound saving knowledge is such as causeth the soul to lye under the dominion life and power of the Truth and aweth and commandeth the heart into obedience Joh. 8. 32. Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free When our knowledg freeth us from the slavery of sin In others that content themselves with a naked knowledg Truth is held captive and cannot break out with any soveraignty in their conversations Rom. 1. 18. Holding the truth in unrighteousness Lust beareth sway but Truth lyeth under fetters and restraint it may talk its fill like a man in bonds but it can do nothing 3. When it giveth us prudence how to practise This is that which David beggeth of God to understand the way of his precepts that is to be taught how to walk in each duty and point of conversation after what sort he may live and direct his life 'T is not sufficient to know the meaning of the Word in general to have a notional understanding of it but to reduce it to practice where and when and how we ought to perform each action Some have a naked module of Truth are wise in generals but fail in the application of the Rule and are to seek in the ordering of their steps and all particular cases 1 Pet. 3. 7. Husbands dwell with your wives as men of knowledg Then is a man a man of knowledg when he knoweth how to order the passages of his life in every relation according to the will of God The narrow way of obedience is hardly found hardly kept and easily mistaken especially where prejudices lusts and interests are apt to pervert us Therefore prudence to apply the Rule is necessary Psal. 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes that I may keep it to the end Not only in the general points of faith and godliness but that it may season all our actions that we may be made partakers of the sweet refreshments that flow from it such a knowledg as endeth in a tast 1 Pet. 3. 2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby if so be ye have tasted c. So Psal. 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart when we do so approve and follow the Lords directions that we experiment the sweetness and are acquainted with the Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Such an understanding as begets judgment and feeling or maketh us to find power and comfort in the word 2. The Children of God think this can never be enough asked of God Why 1. Because of the excellency of Knowledg Light is comfortable and it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun much more the light of the Gospel shining in upon our minds Oh what a pleasant thing is that when all Clouds vanish and the Truths of God are fully cleared up to the soul None knoweth the sweetness of it but he that hath experimented it Prov. 24. 13 14. My son eat thou honey because it is good and the honey-comb which is sweet to thy tast so shall the knowledg of wisdom be unto thy soul when thou hast found it The more perfect the operation of any faculty of the soul is the greater contentment the Conscience in the feeling of God's love the heart when it findeth liberty in the ways of God and the understanding upon the sight of the truth cause all doubts and scruples to vanish Therefore certainly they that know any thing of God will be pressing to know more of his Nature and Will one degree draweth on another Moses desireth God Tell me thy name Exod. 3. 13 14. Then shew me thy glory Exod. 33. 18. And he said I beseech thee shew me thy glory And Hosea 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord. They are not cloyed but desire more The more men know the things of God the more they admire them the more they admire them the more they love them and the more they love them the more they desire to know of them And therefore do they insist so much upon this request Make me to understand the way of thy precepts 2. Because of the vastness and latitude of it Knowledg is a growing thing Religion cannot be taken up all at once we receive a little now and a little anon as narrow-mouth'd Vessels take in things drop by drop We read of Jesus Christ that he grew in knowledg We do not read that he grew in grace Luke 2. 52. He encreased in wisdom and stature as his body encreased in stature so his soul in wisdom And still Christians are growing in knowledg and understand more of the mysteries of the Gospel Though speculative knowledg may be at a stand and a man may see round about the compass of revealed Truths yet practical knowledg is never at a stand Directive affective operative knowledg is never at a stand but encreaseth daily And therefore the Apostle saith He that thinketh he knoweth any thing knoweth nothing as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. Many think they know as much as can be taught them surely they have no experience 3. Natural Blindness is an obstinate disease and hardly cured therefore again and again we had need to pray Open mine eyes Teach me thy statutes Make me to understand the way of thy precepts Our ignorance is great when it is cured in part The clouds of temptation and carnal affection cause it to return upon us so that we know not what we know Therefore open my eyes cause me to understand Yea the more we know the more is our ignorance discovered to us Prov. 30. 2 3. Surely I am more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledg of the Holy Job 42. 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Alas
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
necessity of divine grace but when this proud doctrine found little countenance he called Nature by the name of Grace and when that deceit was discovered he acknowledged no other grace but outward instruction or the benefit of external revelation that a man might by the word of God know and be put in mind of his duty Being yet driven further he acknowledged the grace of pardon and before a man could do any thing acceptably there was a necessity of the remission of sin and then he might obey God perfectly But that not sufficing he acknowledged another grace the Example of Christ which doth both secure our rule and encourage our practice and so made the grace of Christ to consist not in the secret efficacy of his Spirit but only in the example of Christ. But being driven further to acknowledg the same internal grace I mean his followers they made it to consist in some illumination of the understanding or some moral perswasion by probable argument to excite the will and this not absolutely necessary but only for facilitation as a horse to a journey which otherwise a man might go on foot I but the law was impossible through our flesh Rom. 8. 3. But all this is short of that divine grace that is necessary Now there are others grant the secret influences of God's grace but make the will of man to be a co-ordinate cause with God namely that God doth propound the object hold forth inducing considerations give some remote power and assistance but still there 's an indifferency in the will of man to accept and refuse as liketh him best Besides all this there is a prevailing efficacy or a real influence from the Spirit of God on the will whereby it is moved infallibly and certainly to close with those things which God propounds unto him God worketh efficaciously and determinately not leaving it to the liberty of man's will to chuse or refuse it but man is determined inclined and actually poised by the grace of God to that which is good USE 2. To press you to lay to heart these things 1. Be sensible of the strength and sway of thy affections to temporal objects there the work begins And till we have a sight of the disease we are not careful after a remedy David though regenerate took notice of some worldly tendencies in his heart and if we observe our hearts we shall find so Paul groaned under the reliques of the flesh and so should we under our bondage by sin And then 2. bewail it to the Lord I am as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Jer. 31. 14. to bewail this stiffness of heart and the treachery of sin whereby we are inchanted wholly bent to that which is evil And 3. observe the abating of this strength of affection and weaning of thy soul from such desires for then the work of grace goes on when we begin to savour other things and have inclinations of soul towards that which is heavenly and spiritual They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit And then 4. to press you to perpetual watchfulness over your own hearts that you do not return to your old bent and biass again for certainly thus they will do if we do not keep a severe hand over them and be lifting up our affections to things that are above where God is and Christ at the right hand of God SERMON XLI PSAL. CXIX 36. And not unto covetousness DOCTRINE 2. THAT covetousness or an inordinate desire of worldly things is the great lett or hindrance of complying with Gods testimonies By way of proof I need to produce but that Scripture 1 John 5. 3 4. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world The reason implies that if we had a greater conquest over worldly affections it would not be so grievous to us to keep Gods Commandments For the Apostles argument is built upon this supposition that God's commands are only burdensome to them that lye under the power of carnal affections All the difficulty in obedience cometh from our temptations to the contrary Now all or most temptations from Satan and our own flesh have their strength from the World and its suitableness to our affections Master your love to the World and temptations lose their strength To make this more clear let us see 1. What is covetousness 2. How it hindreth from complying with Gods testimonies First What is covetousness I shall give the nature the causes the discoveries of it First The nature of it It is an inordinate desire of having more wealth than the Lord alloweth in the fair course of his Providence and a delight in worldly things as our chiefest good 1. There is an unsatisfied desire of having more We may desire temporal good things for necessity and service We carry about earthly tabernacles that must be supported with earthly things and therefore God alloweth us to seek them in a moderate way But now when these desires grow vehement and impatient of check and by an immodest importunity are still craveing for more it is an evil disease and it must be looked unto in time or it will prove baneful to the soul. There is a vital heat necessary to our preservation and there are unnatural praedatorious heats which argue a distemper See how this desire is exprest in Scripture 1 Tim. 6. 10. He that will be rich falls into temptation and a snare c. He doth not say he that is rich but he that will be rich he that hath fixed that as his scope and makes that his business For the will is known by fixedness of intention and earnestness of prosecution he that makes it his work to grow great in the world So Prov. 15. 27. He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house Desires are the vigorous motions of the will when they are eager impatient and immoderate then they discover this evil inclination of soul. So Eccles. 5. 10. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with encrease This is also vanity There is a spiritual Dropsie when our desires grow the more the more we receive and enjoy as fire by the addition of new fuel grows more fierce the more the flame increaseth The contrary to this is exprest by Agur and should be the temper of every gracious heart Prov. 30. 8. Give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me As to worldly things we should be indifferent and refer our selves to the fair allowance of God's Providence that he might carve out our portion and do by us according to his own pleasure 2. Not only this greedy thirst discovereth covetousness but a complacency delight and acquiescency of soul in worldly enjoyments So Christ Jesus in his Parable
against covetousness brings in a carnal wretch singing lullabies to his soul Luke 12. 19. Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thy ease eat drink and be merry He doth not wish for more but pleaseth himself with what he had already and yet in his language would Christ impersonate and set forth the dispositions of a covetous heart So we are cautioned Psal. 62. 10. If riches increase set not your hearts upon them When we set up our rest here and look no further we are guilty of this sin But now because we may delight in our portion and take comfort in what God hath given us let us see when our delight in temporal things is a branch of covetousness I answer when we delight in them to the neglect of God and the lessening of our joy in his service and our hopes of eternal life are abated and grow less lively when we so delight in them as to neglect God and the sweet intercourse we should have in him Therefore covetousness is called Idolatry Ephes. 5. 5. Col. 3. 5. as it robs God of our trust while we build upon uncertain riches as a stable happiness and the best assurance of our felicity Mark 10. 23 24. How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God And when the Disciples wondred our Saviour answered How hard is it for them that trust in riches c. That is that set their confidence in them in that degree and measure as is only due to God Then it is called Adultery Iam. 4. 4. because out of love to worldly things we can dispense with our love to God and delight in him As the Harlot draws away the affection from the lawful Wife In short when we seek them and prize them with the neglect of better as spiritual and heavenly things are Luk. 12. 21. Mat. 6. 19 20 21 33. Next to the love of God we must love our selves and there first our souls Now we are besotted and inchanted with the love of the world so as to slight the favour of God and the hopes of Blessedness to come this is Adultery spiritual and sets up another chief good Secondly Let us come to the causes of it and they are two Distrust of Gods Providence and discontent with Gods allowance You have both in one place Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have These two distrust and discontent have a mutual influence upon one another distrust breeds discontent with our present portion and discontent breeds ravenous desires and ravenous desires breed distrust for when we set God a task to provide for our lusts certainly he will never do it I say we can never depend upon him that he should provide for our lusts For the first of these that is distrust or a fear of want together with a low esteem of Gods Providence which maketh us so unreasonably solicitous about outward provisions therefore when Christ would cure our covetousness he seeks to cure our distrust Luke 12. 29. And seek not ye what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink neither be ye of doubtful mind Do not hover like Meteors in the air antedating your cares making your selves more miserable by your own suspicions and your own fears what shall become of you and yours So Mat. 6. 34. Take no thought for to morrow sufficient for the day is the evil thereof I say this carking about future things makes us so impatient and earnest after present satisfaction God trained up his people to a waiting upon his Providence Manna fell from Heaven every day so sufficient for the day is the evil thereof Every day we need look no further Give us this day our daily bread But men fear future need and poverty and so would help themselves by their own carking So then diffidence of Gods promises is the latent evil which lodgeth in the heart Sordid sparing and greedy getting that's on the top but that which lies near the heart is distrust we incline to sensible things and cannot tell how to be well without them and so resolve to shift for our selves 2. Discontent Men have not so much as their rapacious desires crave though they are allowed moderate supplies to keep them till they go to Heaven And therefore every thing that they get serves but as a bait to draw them on further so they are always joining house to house and laying field to field Isa. 5. 8. When once men transgress the bounds of contentment prescribed by God there is no stop or stay Look as the channel wears wider and deeper the more water falls into it the water frets more and more So the more outward things increase upon us the more are our desires increast upon us No man hath vast and unlimited thoughts at first Men would be a little higher in the world and a little better accommodated and when they have that they must have a little more then a little more so they seize upon all things within their grasp and reach Whereas if we had been content with our estate at first we might have saved many a troublesome care many a sin many needless desires and many a foolish and hurtful lust that proves our bain and torment Be content with such things as you have now or you will not be content hereafter the lust will increase with the possession As in some diseases of the stomach purging doth better than repletion not to feed the humour but to purge away the distemper So here it is not more that will satisfie us but our lusts must be abated if we were better satisfied with Gods fair allowance we might be happy men much sooner than ever we shall be by great wealth Thirdly For the discoveries of this sin Aristotle as it is a moral vice placeth it in two things in a defect in giving and an excess in taking we may better express both in Scripture-phrase by greedy getting and an unmeet with-holding 1. Greedy-getting manifested either 1. By sinful means of acquisition as lying couzening oppression prophaning the Lords-day grinding the faces of the poor carnal compliances or any other such unjust or evil arts of gain Men stick not at the means when their desires are so strongly carried out after the end Prov. 28. 20. He that maketh hast to be rich cannot be innocent They leap over hedg and ditch and all restraints of honesty and conscience to compass their ends all their endeavours are suited to their profit and therefore consult not with conscience but with interest and so prove treacherous to God unthankful to Parents disobedient to Magistrates unfaithful to Equals unmerciful to inferiors and care not whom they wrong so they may thrive in the world 2. Though it go not so high as injustice yet it appeareth by excessive labours when endeavours are unreasonably multiplied to the wrong both of the body and the soul. To the wrong
of our Interest in Eternal Life They differ in Effects Peace is an Approbation for the present Joy in the holy Ghost a pledge and beginning of that endless Joy we shall have hereafter 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts And Rom. 8. 23. We our selves also who have the first-fruits of the spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body Both together shew that there is no such solid Comfort as in the obedience of God's Commandments certainly more than in all the Pleasures of Sin yea more than in all the Enjoyments of the World whoever have proved them both will find it so Many have proved the Pleasures of Sin but never yet found what comfort is in mourning for Sin Many have proved the Comforts of the World but never yet proved what is the Joy of a good Conscience and the sweet Pleasure of a godly Conversation 2. There is a particular Experience when born out in the Confession of Truth in the time of tryal A Man that out of love to God's Commands hath endured Troubles and Tryals and hath overcome Temptations will see more cause to love these Commandments and to encrease his Obedience to them than ever before in ordinary Temptations Psal. 19. 11. Moreover by them is thy servant warned and in keeping of them there is a great reward When they see that Divine Truth is like to bear out it self and Man that doth confess it in such cases they feel the excellency of God's Truth and the Power of God sustaining them that confess it therefore embrace heartily the Lord's Commands and take pleasure in his Ways The Lord appealeth to this Experience Micah 2. 7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly Have not you found the Fruit answerable Therefore the Children of God value and esteem and look upon them as the greatest Means of their Safety and Comfort 6. Because of their love to God they have a value for every thing which cometh from God and leadeth to him Common Mercies point to their Author and their main end is to draw our Affections to him and enable us in his Service but these are apt to be a snare and are used as an Occasion to the Flesh But here is a greater Impression of God on his Word and Laws their use is more eminent to direct us to God therefore are valued above ordinary Comforts Iob 23. 12. I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food They are his Commandments therefore dear to us who hath obliged us so much in Christ whose Love they believe and have felt The Word is wholly appointed to maintain the Life of Grace in us Use 1. Is to shew us how to bring our hearts to the obedience of God's Commands 1. Love them if we would keep them Nothing is hard to Love An Esteem will quicken us to the Obedience of them 2. Delight in them for then all goeth on easily Delight sweetneth every thing though in themselves toilsom or tedious as Fowling Hunting Fishing Delight never mindeth Difficulties The reason why the Commands are grievous is want of Love and Delight Use 2. Sheweth of what kind our Obedience must be free and unconstrained when we are not forced to our Duty but do willingly delight in it and the Law that prescribeth it and do bewail our daily failings Many doe some external Works of Obedience but not with an inward delight but out of custom or compulsion God never hath our Heart till he hath our Delight till we willingly abstain from what may displease him and chearfully practise what he requireth of us when it is grateful to obey and all Pleasures to this are nothing worth SERMON LIV. PSAL. CXIX 48. My hands also will I lift up to thy commandments which I have loved and I will meditate in thy statutes IN the Morning we opened one Profession of David's Respect to the Word of God now follows another He would employ all his Faculties about the Commandments of God which is his last Argument His Mind for here is Meditation promised his Heart for here is Love asserted his Tongue for that is his original Request which occasioned all these Professions and here his Hands his Life My hands also will I lift up c. Observe 1. The Ground or Cause of his Respect to the Commandments of God in that Clause Which I have loved 2. A double Effect I will lift up my hands to thy commandments and I will meditate in thy statutes 1. Lifting up the Palms or Hands is a Phrase of various use 1. For Praying Psal. 28. 2. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee when I lift up my hands towards thy holy oracle Lam. 2. 19. Lift up thy hands towards him for the life of thy young children c. Hab. 3. 10. The deep uttered his voice and lift up his hands on high Thence the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting 2. For Blessing others Aaron lift up his hands towards the people and blessed them Or for Praising or Blessing God Psal. 134. 2. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord. So Psal. 63. 4. Thus will I bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy name 3. For Swearing or Vowing Gen. 22. 14. I have lift up my hand to the most high God that is sworn So Rev. 10. 5. The Angel lift up his hand and swore So of God Psal. 106. 26. Therefore he lifted up his hand against them to overthrow them in the wilderness that is swore they should not enter into his rest 4. For setting about any Action especially of weight Gen. 41. 22. Without thee shall no man lift up his hand that is attempt or do any thing So Psal. 10. 12. Arise O Lord lift up thine hand forget not the poor that is Set to thine active hand for their assistance So Heb. 12. 12. Lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees that is Set actively and vigorously about the Christian Task To this Rank may be also referred what is said Mat. 6. 3. Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth The Hand is the Instrument of Action Now all these Sences might be applied to the present Place 1. Praying for God's Grace to perform them 2. Blessing God as we do for our daily food giving thanks for them 3. Vowing or promising under an Oath a constant Obedience to them But the Commandments are not the proper Object to which the Acts of Praying Blessing Swearing are directed but God It is not I will lift up my hand to God but thy commandments We ought indeed to bless God and praise God for the Blessings we receive by his
separate us from the Love of God Rom. 8. 36. Men may separate us from our Houses Countryes Friends Estates but not from God who is our great Delight In our low Estate we have a God to goe to for Comfort and who should be more to us then our sweetest Pleasures 4. The Scripture sheweth us the true Doctrine about Afflictions and discovereth to us the Author Cause and End of all our Afflictions the Author is God the Cause is Sin the End is to humble mortify and correct his Children that they may be more capable of heavenly Glory God is the Author not Fortune or Chance or the will of Man but God who doth all things with the most exact Wisedom and tender Mercy and purest Love The Cause is just Micah 7. 9. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him The End is our Profit for his Chastisements are purgative Medicines to prevent or cure some spiritual Disease If God should never administer Physick till we see it needfull deire to take it or be willing of it we should perish in our Corruptions or dye in our Sins for want of help in due time 1 Cor. 11. 32. But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World Now should we not patiently and comfortably endure those things which come by the will of our Father through our Sins and for our good 3. The Examples of the word which shew us that the dearly beloved of the Lord have suffered harder things then we have done and with greater Patience Christ 1 Pet. 2. 21. who suffered for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps The Servants of the Lord Iames 5. 10. Take my brethren the Prophets of the Lord who have spoken the word of the Lord for an example of suffering Affliction and of Patience We complain of Stone and Gout what did our Lord Iesus Christ endure when the whole weight of his Body hung upon 4 wounds and his Life dropped out by degrees We complain of every painfull disease but how was it with Christ when his Back was scourged and his Flesh mangled with Whips We are troubled at the swellings of the Gout in hands or feet how was it with Him when those sinewy parts were pierced with strong and great Nailes We complain of the want of Spiritual Consolations was not He deserted We mourn when God maketh a breach upon our Relations was not Abraham's Tryal greater when he was to offer his Son with his own hands Heb. 11. 17. By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac and he that had received the promise offered up his onely begotten Son Iob lost all his Children at once by a blast of wind The Virgin Mary near the Cross of Christ Woman behold thy Son John 19. 26. She was affected and afflicted with that sight as if a sword pierced through her heart We complaine of Poverty Christ had not where to lay his head If we lose our Coat to keep our Conscience others of God's Children have been thus tryed before us Heb. 10. 3 4. Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in heaven a better and an enduring substance The Levites left their Inheritance 2 Chron. 11. 14. Thus God doth not call us by any rougher way to Heaven then others have gone before us 4. The Promises of Scripture To instance in all would be endless there are 3 great Promises which comfort us in all our Afflictions the Promises of Pardon of Sins and Eternal Life and the General Promises about our Temporal Estate 1. The Promises of Pardon of Sin We can have no true Cure for our sorrow till we be exempted from the fear of the Wrath of God doe that once and the heart of sorrow and misery is broken others may steale a little Peace when Conscience is laid asleep but not solid Comfort till Sin be pardoned Isai. 40. 1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speake ye comfortably unto Ierusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned Matth. 9. 2. Son be of good chear thy sins be forgiven thee Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. 2. The Promises of Eternal Life Nothing will afford us so much content as one Scripture promise of Eternal Life would doe to a faithfull Soul Heaven in the Promise seen by Faith is enough to revive the most dolefull and afflicted Creature Matt. 5. 12. Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven Nothing can be grievous to him that knoweth a World 〈◊〉 come and hath the Assurance of the Eternal God that shortly he shall enjoy the happiness of it Rom. 5. 2. we rejoyce in hope of the glory of God This comforts against Troubles Sicknesses Wants Everlasting Ease everlasting Joy surely will counterballance all that we can endure and suffer for or from God There all our Fears and Sorrows shall be at an end and all tears shall be wiped from our eyes 3. The General Promises concerning our Temporal Estate There are many particular Promises concerning the supply of all our Necessities removing of our Gâ—…vances and Burdens or else that God will allay our Troubles and inable us to bear them mix with them the tast of his goodness and fatherly Love But I shall onely speak of those General Promises that we may be confident that he will never utterly faile his People Heb. 13. 5. he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee that he will not give us over to insupportable Difficulties 1 Cor. 10. 13. There hath no Temptation taken you but what is common to man but God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the Temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it He will dispose of all things for the best to them that love him Rom. 8. 28. These things are absolutely undertaken and these things should satisfy us 3. From the manner wherein this Comfort is received they are applyed by the Spirit who is a Comforter and received by Faith 1. Applyed by the Spirit which is dispensed in a Concomitancy with this word Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of Hope fill ye with all joy and Peace in believing that ye may abound in Hope through the Power of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is purposely given to be our Comforter If we are fit to receive it he will not be wanting to give solid Joy and Delight to the penitent and believing Soul 2. It 's received by Faith the Word of God cannot deceive us â—…ith is contented with a Promise though it hath not possession for Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Sickness with a Promise
2. Providences these do more awaken us God's daily Benefits should bring him to our Remembrance Acts 14. 17. Nevertheless he left not himself without Witness in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitfull Seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Deut. 8. 18. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for he it is that giveth thee power to get Wealth especially the sanctified Remembrance of God's dealing with his People is the way to keep the heart in the Faith Love and Fear of God and the forgetting his Works is the cause of all Defection and falling off to carnal Courses and Confidences Psal. 78. 11. They forgat his Works and Wonders that he shewed them Psal. 106. 21. They forgat God their Saviour which had done great things in Egypt Judges 8. 34. And the Children of Israel remembred not the Lord their God who had delivered them out of the hands of their Enemies on every side It is a base Ingratitude not to remember prize and esteem God for all this 3. Ordinances Ministry was instituted to put you in Remembrance and give you still new and fresh Occasions to think of God 2 Pet. 1. 12. I will not be negligent to put you always in Remembrance our business is not always to inform you of what you know not but to inculcate and revive known Truths there being much Forgetfulness Stupidness and Senselesness upon our Spirits 2 Pet. 3. 1. That I may stir up your minds by way of Remembrance The Impressions of God on our Minds are soon defaced we need to quicken and awaken your Affections and Resolutions to choose and cleave to God 1 Tim. 4. 6. If thou put the Brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Iesus Christ. So Sacraments are instituted to bring God to Remembrance 1 Cor. 11. 24. This doe in Remembrance of me that we may remember his Love and our covenanted Duty The Sabbath was instituted for a Remembrance and Memorial of his creating redeeming Goodness 4. The great office and work of the Spirit is to bring to Remembrance Iohn 14. 26. He shall bring all things to your Remembrance We are apt to forget God and Instructions and Rebukes in their Season the Holy Ghost is our Monitor 3. God will not forget them that remember him he will remember them at every turn Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord harkned and heard it and a book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name if he do not openly reward you with temporal Deliverances yet he taketh notice of every thought and every word you speak for him and taketh pleasure in you It is upon Record if you have not the comfort of it now you shall have it in a little time because they thought of him they spake of him and owned him in an evil time and therefore God is represented as hearing and booking and the books shall one day be opened and then you shall have your publick reward 2. Doctr. God is best Remembred when his Name is studied 1. When is his Name studied In the general when we look upon him as he hath manifed himself in his Word and Works More particularly God is discovered sometimes by the Name of his Essence sometimes by his Attributes 1. By the Name of his Essence When Moses was very inquisitive to know his Name and God can best tell his own Name let us see what answer was made him Exod. 3. 12 13. When they shall say unto me What is his Name and God said I Am that I Am. God was sending Moses upon a strange Message he was giving him Commission to go and speak to a King to dismiss and let go six hundred thousand of his Subjects to lead them to a place which God should shew now Moses thought for such a Message he had need have good Authority therefore desireth a significant Name I Am that I Am the form of the words sheweth it was a wonderfull incomprehensible Name Ask not my Name for it is Wonderfull Judg. 13. 18. This is enough to satisfie sober Inquiry though not wanton Curiosity enough for Faith to work upon the great I Am hath sent me It sheweth his unsearchableness It is our manner of speech when we would cover any thing and not answer distinctly we say It is what it is I have said what I have said Finite understandings cannot comprehend him that is Infinite no more than you can empty the Sea with a Cockle-shell 2. He is the great and onely Being in comparison of which all else is nothing Isa. 40. 19. All Nations before him are nothing they are counted less than nothing and vanity You have not a true and full Notion of God if you conceive him onely as the most eminent of all Beings no Being must appear as Being in his sight and in comparison of him As long as you onely conceive God to be the best you still attribute something to the Creature for all Comparatives include the Positive The Creature is nothing in comparison with God all the Glory Perfection and Excellency of the whole World do not amount to the value of an unite in regard of God's Attributes join never so many of them together they cannot make up one number they are nothing in his regard and less than nothing All created Beings must utterly vanish out of sight when we think of God As the Sun doth not annihilate the Stars and make them nothing yet it annihilates their Appearance to our sight some are of the first magnitude some of the second some of the third but in the Day-time all are alike all are darkned by the Sun's glory so it is here there are degrees of Perfection and Excellency if we compare one Creature with another but let once the glorious brightness of God shine upon the Soul and in that light all their differences are unobserved Angels Men Worms they are all nothing less than nothing to be set up against God this magnificent Title I Am darkneth all as if nothing else were God did not tell Moses that he was the best the highest and the most glorious but I Am and there is none else besides me nothing that hath its Being of it self nothing that can be properly called their own thus the incomprehensible Self-existence of God puts Man into his Original nothing none but God can say I Am because all things else are but borrowed drops of this Self-sufficient Fountain other things are near to nothing God most properly is who never was nothing never shall be nothing who may always in all difference of Time say I Am and nothing else but God can say so The Heaven and Earth for six thousand years ago could not say We are Adam could once have said I am as to his existence in the compounded nature of Man but now he cannot say
'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
Father I have made known unto you 3. By our constancy in Prayer and earnest Supplication to know more of the Mind of God They will not be put off with other things God gave the Spirit to the rest of the Apostles but he gave the Purse to the Son of Perdition Men may have a fit of Devotion in their Prayers but their general Course is not answerable Matth. 6. 33. First seek the Kingdom of God if we seek it in good earnest we shall shew it in our Conversations and Demeanours Prov. 4. 7. Wisdome is the principal thing therefore get Wisdome and with all thy getting get Understanding This must be the chiefest thing that beareth sway in our Endeavours that we may know more of God's Mind in following our Suits uncessantly we must not be put off though God giveth other things you must not cease your Importunity Lord I expect something else from thy Goodness see Psalm 119. 132 133. Look upon me and be mercifull unto me as thou usest to doe to them that fear thy Name Order my steps in thy Word and let no Iniquity have dominion over me And Psalm 27. 7. Hear me O God when I cry with my voice have mercy upon me and answer me If we do not suffer this Desire to languish and die but still it be recommended to God daily my business is rightly to understand and perfectly to doe thy Will this is my one and great Request which I will ever and ever urge I cannot give over this Prayer till thou beest all in all and shewest me the utmost of thy Bounty We desire many things but we are soon put out of the humour as Children that seem passionately and pettishly to desire a thing but by presenting other things to them they are diverted and stilled but 't is not so with God's People As Naomi said of Boaz Ruth 3. 18. For the man will not be in rest until he have finished the thing this day So a Child of God will not be satisfied till his Desire be in some measure accomplished Secondly In what manner we should pray 1. With Earnestness slight Prayers bespeak their own denial Prov. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. My Son if thou wilt receive my Words and hide my Commandments with thee So that thou incline thine ear to Wisdome and apply thine heart to Understanding yea if thou cryest after Knowledge and liftest up thy voice for Understanding If thou seekest her as 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. With Confidence he is wont to doe it for you Ask nothing contrary to his Nature we should come with a confidence of speeding there is in him a propensity and inclination to help us What would ye doe to an hunger-bitten Child if he cometh to you for a Knife or an Apple you would deny him them but not Meat to satisfy his hunger If for Bread to play with or Meat when he hath enough you would deny him not gratify his Fancy if he come to be taught his Book you would readily hear him So when we come not for temporal Things but spiritual Comforts when spiritual Comforts are not asked out of course and for forms sake yea not onely for Comforts but necessary Grace to doe his Will surely it cannot be that he should cast off them that love him and would fain be conformed to his Will that come humbly and long and pray and seek for his Grace 3. That this Confidence must be Evangelical he sets before his Eyes God's Goodness or Readiness to be gracious to all that call upon him so that all the hope we have to prevail should not be taken from any thing in us but something in God himself We must expect and ask Blessings from God for God and because of God's sake it is not for any good we deserve or have done or can doe that God taketh care of his weak foolish Children but for the glory of his Name his Grace and constant Goodness God is our Fountain our Reasons are his Goodness our End his Glory This is the true way of addressing our selves to God deprecating Sins for which he may harden us and remembring his Mercies on which we ground our Hope So doth David Psalm 25. 5 6. Lead me in thy Truth teach me for thou art the God of my Salvation on thee do I wait all the day Remember O Lord thy loving kindnesses and thy Mercies for they have been ever of old His eternal Love is assigned as the cause of all Psalm 23. 3. He leadeth us in paths of Righteousness for his Names sake Thirdly What should be the Grounds and impelling Principle of Prayer 1. A strong bent to please God and that all your Affections and Actions may be ordered so as to be acceptable in his sight Those that stand in awe of God are loth to offend him they may expect Direction and Light in all difficult Cases Psalm 25. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose Vers. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant 2. A desire to injoy him for these things are valuable as they lead us to God Our solid Joy lieth not in outward things but in our Communion with God Psalm 139. 24. Lead me in the way everlasting And Psalm 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me by thy Counsel and afterward receive me to thy Glory Their Business is to be happy hereafter and well guided here that they may attain that Happiness Now there is an inseparable Connexion between our walking in the time of this Life and receiving into Heaven after this Life and he that is resolved to walk by the Rule of God's Direction may promise himself to be received into Glory after his Journey is ended So Psalm 43. 3. Send out thy Light and thy Truth to lead me to thy holy Hill They would fain take the nearest way to Heaven and follow God's Counsel in all things We have his Word continually to guide us in this way but we need also the assistance of his Spirit The promised Rest is much in their Eye and doth mightily prevail with them they would have God to be their Guide here that he may be their Rest hereafter SERMON LXXIX PSAL. CXIX 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes THE Context speaketh of Afflictions by occasion of Persecutions The Proud had forged a lie against him and involved him in many Troubles when in the mean time their heart was as fat as grease They wallowed in Ease and Pleasure but David kept right with God and yet his Afflictions do not cease God doth not presently take away Opposition because of our proud unhumbled unmortified Spirits though we hold fast our Integrity for the main therefore he comforteth himself in his
beast maketh its moan when 't is in pain But much more will his compassion shew it self to his people when they bemoan themselves in a spiritual manner Ier. 31. 18. 20. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself what then My bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. When Ephraim was bewailing his sins God taketh notice of it and returneth an answer full of fatherly affection that he would surely shew him mercy Gods compassion proceedeth from Love as the cause and produceth Relief as the effect Secondly The next word is Kindness that noteth the bounty of God or his free inclination to doe good without our merit and against our merit The cause is not in us but himself We draw an ill picture of God in our mind as always angry and ready to destroy No! The Lord is kind and that many times to the unthankfull and to the evil Luke 6. 35. We should all inlarge our thoughts more about Gods mercifull Nature that we may love him more that we may not keep off from him As long as we think he delighteth in the Creatures misery or seeketh occasions of man's ruine and destruction God is made hatefull No! You must conceive of him as one that is kind that doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men Lam. 3. 33. but is ready to doe good upon all occasions We need not fear any hurt from God but what we willingly bring upon our selves He destroyeth not humble Souls that lie at his feet and would have mercy upon his own terms Secondly What incouragement this is to the people of God 1. 'T is an incouragement because the object of mercy is misery Mercy is favour shewed to a miserable person Now the more sense of our misery especially of our true misery which is sin the greater hopes So that the broken-hearted are more capable of his mercy than others are God will revive the spirit of the contrite ones â—…sa 57. 15 16 17. He taketh care to comfort them and to look after them what ever be neglected Isa. 60. 2. None are so apt to presume of mercy as the careless nor none less capable of mercy or more deserve judgment While we make nothing of sin 't is easy to believe mercy In a time of peace sin is nothing Vanity and Carnality nothing a negligent course of profession nothing vain talk idle mispence of time pleasing the Flesh with all it craveth is nothing and there needeth no such niceness and strictness God is mercifull but when the conscience is awakened and we see our actions with their due aggravations especially at the hour of death and when earthly comforts fail then 't is hard to believe Gods mercy Sin is a blacker thing than they did imagine and they find it another manner of thing than ever they thought of and the same unbelief that now weakens their faith about their Duty and what belongeth to their Duty doth now weaken their faith about their comfort and what belongeth to their comfort Those that now question precepts will then question promises Well then the careless and negligent are not capable objects of the tenders of mercy but the sensible and the contrite and the serious these are the fittest objects though they think themselves farthest off from mercy Those that have a deep sense of their own unworthiness most see a need of mercy and most admire mercy Gen. 32. 10. They see that mercy doth all that there is somewhat of the pity and kindness of God in all things vouchsafed They apprehend they are alwayes in some necessity or in some dependance and they are unworthy and that it is at Gods mercy to continue or take away any comfort they have Health Liberty Strength all is dipt in mercy continued in mercy restored at mercy Secondly It is an incouragement to us because the Scripture saith so much of this mercy in God Id agit tota Scriptura ut credamus in Deum saith Luther 't is natural to him 1 Cor. 1. 3. The father of mercies not Pater ultionum but misericordiarum he is as just as he is mercifull but he delighteth in the exercise of one attribute more than the other Micah 7. 18. The other his strange work There is a fulness and plenty abundant mercy 1 Pet. 1. 3. and Psal. 51. 1. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies Our wants are many and so are our sins onely plentifull mercy can supply and overcome them They are tender mercies compared with those of a Father and Mother Of a Father Psal. 103. 13. As a Father pitieth his Children so doth the Lord pity those that fear him We need not much intreat a Father to pity his Child in misery An earthly Father may be ignorant of our misery as Iacob in Iosephs case an earthly Father pitieth foolishly but God wisely when 't is most for our benefit An earthly Fathers pity may goe no farther than affection and cannot always help his Children and relieve their misery But God as he is Metaphorically said to have the affection so he hath an alsufficient power to remove any evil present or avert that which is imminent With that of a Mother Isa. 49. 15. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet I will not forget thee saith the Lord. In the general passions in Females are more vehement especially in humane Creatures the Mother expresseth the greatest tenderness and largeness of love God hath the Wisdome of a Father and Bowels of a Mother Mark 'T is not to an adopted Child but to her own Son her sucking Child that hangeth on her Breast cannot subsist without the Mothers care Mothers are wont to be most chary and tenderly affected towards them poor helpless Infants and Children that cannot shift for themselves Nature hath impressed this disposition on them Suppose some of them should be so unnaturall as to forget their sucking Babes which is a case rare to be found yet I will not forget you saith the Lord. They are durable compassions his compassions fail not Lam. 3. 22. They are continual mercies supplying daily wants pardoning daily failings bestowing daily mercies Oh that the miserable and the wretched those that find themselves so could believe this and plead this and cast themselves in the arms of this mercifull Father Surely the Penitent are not more ready to ask than he to give Therefore let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. Let not our Sins keep us from him our Misery rather than our Worthiness is an object of his mercy Thirdly His mercy is more to his People than to others There is a general mercy and a special mercy 1. There is a general mercy by which God sustaineth and helpeth any Creature that is in misery especially man so Christ calleth him mercifull as he sheweth himself kind to the unthankfull and evil
love Much work driveth them oftner to the Throne of Grace None rest in duties so much as they that have least cause Mal. 1. What a weariness is it 2. These ask more regularly therefore 't is said Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart Why so unlimitedly Because delight in the Lord retrencheth carnall desires and moderateth earthly desires their hearts are not so set upon outward things as the hearts of other men are Iohn 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you Why doth God make so large an offer he trusteth such as keep communion with Christ. There is a conformity between their wills and ' Gods in the matter of their desire so far as we are renewed and hold communion with him their unruly lusts will be subdued and their unlawfull desires for matter manner and end be laid aside and they will acquiesce in the good pleasure of God and the most excellent things Therefore God maketh them this offer ask what ye will not that men are warranted to pray for what they will or to expect an answer in whatsoever they desire but as their delight in his Law is prevalent their wills are limited by his word and will and the Spirit in them maketh intercession according to the will of God Rom. 8. 26 27. 3. These may with most confidence ask mercy Others are excluded Prov. 28. 9. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law his Prayer is an abomination to the Lord. These are included 1 John 3. 22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight If we refuse God speaking to us in infinite wisdom as he does in the word no wonder if God refuse us stammering foolishly in Prayer Ier. 9. 21. Men that purpose to continue in their sins shall not be heard in other things otherwise the grossest sinners may come to God to have their sins pardoned and removed and expect to be accepted and heard through Christ but the perpetuall assistance and favour of God is not given to them Such as would be heard and accepted and come with assurance of welcome and audience ought to be devoted to him to worship him to call on him 2. These are qualified to receive mercy according to the tenour of that covenant in which mercy is dispensed and magnified in the covenant of Grace or the covenant of Gods mercy in Christ Heb. 5. 9. and Heb. 10. 14. This being apt to be abused let us explain how obedience is a condition of the covenant A condition meriting and purchasing the blessings of the covenant it cannot be For God giveth the ability to obey whole and solely of his own Grace it is short of the rule and infinitely inferiour to the reward A condition applicatory whereby we apply our selves to the covenant on our part it is and therefore necessary It is a secondary condition disposing us to communion with God in and by the covenant At first we must be turned by repentance towards God through faith in the Redeemer before we receive remission of sins Acts 20. 18. Faith and Repentance are conditions of Pardon and sincere Obedience a condition of Salvation The first condition containeth a resolution of obedience for the future though we have not actually so obeyed The secondary condition that we should make good our resolution We must keep covenant as well as make covenant Faith is an entring into covenant for 't is a consent to take Christ as Lord and Saviour and constant and delightfull obedience is a constant keeping covenant Psalm 25. 10. and Psa. 103. 17 18. The making covenant was necessary for our entrance the keeping covenant for our continuance Consent to take any for King Husband Master draweth another condition after it that we carry our selves in these relations dutifully besides promising there must be performing he that is my soveraign must be obeyed There must be conjugal fidelity to the Husband and faithfull service to the chosen Master so in the covenant between us and God us and Christ. Object But you will say how then shall we take comfort in the new covenant who are so many ways faulty Answ. We must consider 1. What it exacts 2. What it accepteth 1. What it exacts To quicken us to more earnest endeavours and humble confession of failings It exacteth perfect obedience admits of no imperfection either of parts or degrees 2. It accepteth a perfection of parts there being truth of Godliness and a single-hearted inclination to observe the whole will of God then our defects and weaknesses are covered by Christ's perfect righteousness The unregenerate lye under the rule of exaction but being out of Christ are denyed the benefit of acceptation The Use Is to inform us that Petitions of mercy and the plea for new obedience are very consistent Let thy tender mercies come unto me And his argument is For I delight in thy Word Mercy is nevertheless free though the creature mind his duty for when we have done all we are but unprofitable servants Luke 17. 10. and Grace helpeth us to doe what we doe Luke 19. 18. Thy pound not my Industry And 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the Grace of God I am what I am and his Grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain But I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the Grace of God which was with me 'T was Grace to appoint such reasonable terms to accept of them though done in that sorry fashion which our frailty permitteth us to tender them to God 2. Use. To quicken us to a delightfull course of Obedience if we would have the sense of Mercy The same spirit that urgeth us to obey a sense of God's Love urgeth us also to delight in his Law The same Spirit that urgeth us to sue out the Promise urgeth also to obey the Precept 1. Consider how God hath twisted his Honour with our Interest and ordered both for his own Glory God's Interest and Honour is to be considered as well as our Salvation We must never look for such Mercy and Grace from God as shall discharge us from our duty and subjection to God or give you liberty to dishonour and disobey him No Christ redeemed us to God Rev. 5. and Luke 1. 74 75. Salvation is our benefit Obedience is Gods Right and Interest Happiness man is not averse from but he sticketh at the terms Some part of this Happiness suiteth well enough with our natural desires as Pardon and life But we care not for his Law and the Obedience we owe by virtue of it We are naturally more willing of what maketh for our selves for our comfort than what maketh for the Honour of God 2. Consider A great part of Gods first mercy is expressed in healing our natures and
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
Conference is empty unsavory barren may much divert our hearts from Heaven and do us a great deal of mischief The Apostle tells us Heb. 10. 24. we should consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Our dulness and backwardness is such that we need the most powerful helps 3. Of all evil Company the Company of Seducers those that cause divisions and offences in the Church and broach novel opinions ought to be avoided Rom. 16. 17. Mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them 2 Iohn 10. If any man bring another Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed 1 Tim. 6. 5. And men that are given to perverse disputings from such withdraw thy self Errour is more catching than Vice and more spreading It is more catching the face of it being represented with the loveliness of some pretence or other whereas foul actions are found hateful and more contrary to natural Conscience And besides it is more spreading Vice is like a Duel it killeth but one Errour is like a War that destroys many at once therefore we should not be familiar with these Erroneous apprehensions in Religion carry a marvellous compliance with a mans natural thoughts 4. It is not enough to avoid bad Company but we must chuse that which is good A man must have friends the use of them in this life is very great Man is a sociable Creature as Aristotle speaks Company and friendship we must have Christ himself was not without his peculiar friends there was Peter Iames and Iohn that were the flower of the Apostles that were conscious to his Transfiguration and his Agonies We must have our friends and our Society so that the advantage of good Company is very great Prov. 13. 20. He that walketh with wise men shall be wise their example will allure and excite to holy emulation and their counsel and instruction will be a great help in the business of Religion Even Saul being among the Prophets had his raptures 1 Sam. 19. 23. so living in the Company of godly men and seeing hearing and conferring with them of good things leaveth some impression 2. Some Helps and Considerations First Consider what is our chiefest good This is Principium universalissimum The last end or chiefest good is the principle which doth influence all our actions And certainly if men fix their last end aright it will have an influence upon all they do our company our business our recreation our holy Duties Well now consider What is your chiefest good and your last end If pleasure were our chiefest good and if we had nothing else to do but to pass away the time and to get rid of melancholy there would need no great care in the choice of our Company But enjoying the blessed God that is our last end and chiefest good every thing must be answerable to help you to Heaven Secondly A sincere resolution to walk with God to keep in with God firmly set for here David saith Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God His resolution was set therefore he shakes them off When Ruth's resolution was set Naomi left off perswading When Paul's Company saw his resolution that he went bound in the spirit they ceased saying The will of the Lord be done Acts 21. 14. So this will fortifie against all suggestion they will be discouraged from haunting you more when you are resolved Thirdly Our Company will be a great part of our happiness in Heaven Heb. 12. 22. We are come to the heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven And Matth. 8. 11. They shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven Company will be a great part of our happiness and for the present it will be a great hinderance or a great furtherance therefore when we think of this it will make us chuse those with whom we shall converse to all eternity that we may say Now I shall change places but not my Company I shall but go from Saints to Saints 4. Bad Company can yield you no comfort hereafter when trouble of Conscience comes When your heart begins to wound you they cannot or will not help Mat. 27. 4. What is that to us see thou to that If they draw you to inconvenience when it comes upon you they will yield you no relief or comfort Well he that considers he is to dye and give an account will not displease God to please men SERMON CXXVII PSAL. CXIX VER 116. Uphold me according to thy word that I may live and let me not be ashamed of my hope IN the former Verse David had bound himself by a firm resolution to keep the Commandments of his God now presently he turneth to Prayer Lord uphold me according to thy word that I may live and let me not be ashamed of my hope Our purposes and resolutions will not hold out without Gods confirming Grace David that would have the wicked depart from him there would have God draw nigh to him here Both are necessary if we would keep the Commands The company of the wicked as a great impediment must be removed Depart from me ye evil doers and then the assistance of God must be entreated Uphold me according unto thy word c. Two things he begs of God in this Verse I. Confirmation in waiting II. The full and final accomplishment of his hope In the first request there 's 1. The Blessing pray'd for Confirmation or Sustentation Uphold me 2. The ground or warrant of asking According unto thy word some Translations have it by thy word making it the instrument of his support 3. To what end That I might live In the second request an argument is intimated That frustration or disappointment of his hope would bring shame I begin with the first the Blessing pray'd for Sustentation and support Uphold me David speaketh not this with respect to his outward man as if God should keep him alive maugre the rage of his enemies Indeed God doth uphold his Creatures in that sence by his outward Providence and Divine maintenance But he speaketh this of his inward man the support of the soul that God would support him in a way of faith and comfort In Verse 114. Thou art my hiding place and my shield I hope in thy word Now Lord that I might live keep up the life of this hope And Verse 115. I will keep the Commandments of my God And now he desires God would support him in a way of courage and obedience Hence observe Doctr. Sustaining Grace is necessary to the Saints Confirmation in a state of Grace is as necessary to them as Conversion to it There is a twofold Grace which God gives habitual and actual either he works upon us per modum habitus infusing
blind guesses Promises are the eruptions and overflows of Gods love he cannot stay till accomplishment but will tell us aforehand what he is about to do for us that we may know how to look for it Use 2. Is to exhort us to rest contented with Gods word and to take his promises as sure ground of hope I shall shew you how you should count it a word of righteousness what is your Duty and that first you are to delight in the promise though the performance be not yet nor like to be for a good while Heb. 11. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being perswaded of them they embraced them Oh how they hugged the promises at a distance and said in their hearts O blessed promise this will in time yield a Mâ—…siah Iohn 8. 56. Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and saw it and was glad Yâ—… hold the blessing by the root this will in time yield deliverance Heb. 6. 18. not only yield comfort but prove comfortable Psal. 119. 111. Thy testimonies I have taken fâ—… an heritage for they are the rejoycing of my heart For your Duty Secondly You are to rest confident of the truth of what God hath promised and be assured that the performance will in time be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 13. Faith is not a failable Conjecture but a sure and certain Grace Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God So Psal. 140. 12. I know that God will maintain the Cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor There is a firm perswasion I know I shall find this to be a truth Men who are conscionable and faithful in keeping their word are believed yet being men they may lye Rom. 3. 4. Let God be true and every man a liar Every man is or may be a liar because of the mutableness of his Nature from interest he will not lye but he can lye If we receive the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater Surely God cannot deceive or be deceived He never yet was worse than his word Thirdly You are to take the naked promise for the ground of your hope however it seem to be contradicted in the course of Gods Providence when 't is neither performed nor likely to be performed 't is his word you go by whatsoever his dispensations be Many times there are no apparent evidences of Gods doing what he hath said yea strong probabilities to the contrary 'T is said Rom. 4. 18. That Abraham against hope believed in hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham had the promise of a Son in whom all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed but there was no appearance of this in Nature or natural hope of a Child both he and Sarah being old yet he believed 'T is an Antanaclasis an elegant Figure having the form of a contradiction he goeth upon Gods naked word Then Faith standeth upon its own Basis and Legs which is not probabilities but his word of promise Every thing is strongest upon its own Basis which God and Nature have appointed For as the Earth hangeth on nothing in the midst of the Air but there is its place Faith is seated most firmly on the word of God who is able to perform what he saith Fourthly This Faith must conquer our fears and cares and troubles Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. He must fix the heart without wavering Psal. 56. 4. In God I will praise his word in God have I put my trust I will not fear what man can do unto me The force of Faith is seen in calming our passions and sinful fears which otherwise would weaken our reverence and respect to God Fifthly Above all this you are to glorifie God publickly not only in the quiet of your hearts but by your carriage before others Iohn 3. 33. Put to his Seal that God is true 't is not said Believed or professed but put to his Seal We seal the truth of God as his Witnesses when we confirm others in the faith and belief of the promises by our joyfulness in all conditions patience under crosses diligence in holiness hope and comfort in great streights Numb 20. 12. God was angry with Moses and Aaron because ye believe not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the Children of Israel We are not only to believe God our selves but to sanctifie him in the eyes of others as when the Thessalonians had received the word in much assurance in much affliction and much joy in the Holy Ghost The Apostle telleth them They were examples to all that believed in Achaia and Macedonia 1 Thess. 1. 5. The worthiness and generousness of our Faith should be a confutation of our base fears but a confirmation of the Gospel But we are so far from confirming the weak that we offend the strong and instead of being a confirmation to the Gospel we are a confutation of it Use 3. Is reproof to us that we do no more build upon this word of righteousness 1. Some count these vain words and the comforts thence deduced fanatical illusions and hopes and joys phantastical impressions Psal. 22. 7 8. All they that see me laugh me to scorn they shoot out the Lip they shake the head saying He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him let him deliver him seeing he delighted in him Nothing so ridiculous in the worlds eye as trust or dependance or unseen comforts Ungodly Wits make the life of Faith a sport and matter of laughter 2. Some though not so bad as the former they may have more modesty yet as little Faith since they are all for the present world present delights present temptations With many one thing in hand is more than the greatest promises of better things to come 2 Tim. 4. 10. they have no patience Afflictions are smart for the present Heb. 12. 11. No affliction for the present seemeth joyous but grievous Yea they do not deal equally with God and man If a man promise they reckon much of that Qui petat accipiet c. They can tarry upon mans security but count Gods nothing worth They can trade with a Factor beyond Seas and trust all their Estates in a mans hand whom they have never seen and yet the word of the infallible God is of little regard and respect with them 3. The best build too weakly on the promises as appeareth by the prevalency of our cares and fears If we did take God at his word we would not be so soon mated with every difficulty Heb. 13. 5 6. Let your conversations be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me There would be more resolution in trials more hardness
himself and intrust us with a stock of Grace but after he hath done that we 〈◊〉 are faulting and sinning Rom. 8. 1. Yet now there is no condemnation to them that are 〈◊〉 Christ notwithstanding the reliques of corruption and its breaking out 4. From the temper of the Saints their humility None have such a sight and sense of sin as they have because their eyes are anointed with spiritual eye-salve They have a clearer insight into the Law Ier. 31. 19. After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh They are enlightened by Gods Spirit the least Mote is espied in a Glass of clear Water None are so acquainted with their own hearts and ways as they who often commune with their own hearts and use self-reflection Others that live carelesly do not mind their offences but they that set themselves do more consider their ways none have a more tender sense of the heinousness of sin She loved much wept much because much was forgiven her Luke 7. Some are of a more delicate constitution the back of a Slave is not so sensible of stripes as they that have been more tenderly brought up The Beams of the Sun shining into a house we see the Dust and Motes in the Sun-Beams which we saw not before They profess as Iacob I am not worthy of all the mercy and truth thou hast shewed me They groan as Saint Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Use 1. Is information We learn hence that we should not be discouraged when our hearts are touched with a deep remorse and sense of our failings and are desirous to break off our sins by repentance that mercy which is freely vouchsafed in the Covenant which all Gods servants have so often experienced which the best make their only plea and ground of hope will find out a remedy for us If you have an heart to give up your selves to Gods service and so to get an interest in the promises and blessings of the Covenant you may come and sue out this mercy for God desireth to exalt his Grace God saith Return to the Lord your God and I will heal your backslidings and love you freely Hos. 14. 'T is the delight of Grace to do good notwithstanding unworthiness The worst of sins do not hinder Gods help are not above his cure There is hope for such as are convinced and see no worth in themselves why God should do them any good God needs not will not be hired by the Creatures to do it Use 2. How inexcusable those are that reject the offers of Grace If they have any liking to the blessings of the Covenant they have no ground to quarrel and differ with God about the price Isai. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth let him come to the Waters and drink freely without money and without price You have no cloak for your sin if you will not deal with God upon these terms Nothing keepeth you from him but your own perverse will Use 3. What reason there is the best of Gods servants should carry it thankfully all their days From first to last the mercy of God is your only plea and claim No flesh hath cause to glory in his presence there being no meritorious cause in the Covenant of Grace no moving and inducing cause no co-ordinate working cause Not for your sakes do I this Ezek. 36. 32. And in the 1 Cor. 7. 4. 't is said Who maketh thee to differ We paid nothing for Gods love nothing for Christ the Son of his love nothing for his Spirit the fruit of his love nothing for sanctifying Grace and Faith the effects of his Spirit dwelling and working in our hearts nothing for pardon we have all freely nothing for daily bread protection maintenance and shall pay nothing for Glory when we come to receive it Iude 21. Looking for the mercy of God unto eternal life 'T is all without our merit and against merit we should regard this especially when we are apt to say in our hearts This is for our righteousness as Haman thought none so fit for honour and preferment as himself Esth. 6. 6. Haman thought so in his heart So proud-hearted self-conceited Sinners say in their hearts God seeth more in them than in others Alas you are not only unworthy of Christ the Spirit Grace and Glory but the Air you breathe in and the Ground you tread upon What did the Lord see in you to judge you meet for such an Estate Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and all thy truth Did not you slight Grace neglect Christ as well as others and doth not sin break out and make a forfeiture every day Use 4. That we should carry it humbly as well as thankfully The best of Gods Children should most admire Grace and glorifie Mercy set the Crown on Mercies head Consider First What was the first rise of all Gods love what set all a stirring in Gods bosom Iohn 3. 16. There was no cause beyond this In other things we may rise higher from his Power and Wisdom to his Love but why did he love us There is no other cause to be given he loved us because he loved us 'T was love first moved the business in the ancient counsel of Gods will Gods love is the measure of its self Secondly When he came to apply it he found us in our blood 'T was a great mercy that God would take us into his service with all our faults We were his Creatures but quite marr'd not as he made us We are not what we were when first his as we came out of his hands we were pure and holy but since the Fall quite spoiled Ier. 2. 21. I had planted thee a noble Vine wholly a right seed how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me Strangely changed and altered If a Servant run from his Master and is become altogether blind deformed and diseased will his Master look after him or care for him or take him again This was our case Thirdly What is spoken already is common to others you your selves knew what you were Tit. 3. 3. Every man is soundly affected more sensible of his own case seeth particular reasons why God should refuse him yet you are as brands plucked out of the burning who did resist such powerful means such fair advantages you dallied with God You know the case of others by ghess your own by feeling You lay not only in the common polluted Mass but had your particular offences Fourthly When taken in a fault that God will pity our weakness and infirmities in his service Mal. 3. 17. I will spare them as a man spareth his Son that serveth him that is he will continue his favour and good-will to them that serve him So surely they that have a Conscience and are privy to their manifold infirmities and failings will admire this Fifthly
other Branch And I hate every false way Where we have The Act Hate the Object False way the Extent Every Whatsoever is contrary to the purity of Gods Word Doctr. That 't is a good note of a renewed and obedient heart to hate every false way This will appear from 1. The sorts and kinds of hatred 2. The causes 3. The effects or the comparison of hatred with anger 1. From the sorts and kinds of hatred which are reckoned up to be two First Odium abominationis Secondly Odium inimicitiae First Odium abominationis an hatred of flight and aversation called by some Odiuni offensionis the hatred of offence 'T is defined by Aquinas to be Dissonantia quaedam appetitûs ad id quod apprehenditur ut repugnans c. 'T is a repugnancy of the appetite to what is apprehended as contrary and prejudicial to it Such there is in the will of the regenerate for they apprehend sin as repugnant and contrary to their renewed will to the unregenerate 't is agreeable and suitable as Draff to the appetite of a Swine or Grass and Hay to a Bullock or Horse Now this hatred is a good sign that cannot be found in another that is not born of God The mortification of sin standeth principally in the hatred of it Sin dyeth when it dyeth in the affections When we look upon it as an offence to us destructive to our happiness and as it is truly grieved for and hated by us The unregenerate may hate sin materially considered that is the thing which is a sin but they cannot hate it formally considered as sin under the notion of a sin for then they would hate all sin à quatenus ad omne valet consequentia As for instance thus A covetous man hateth prodigal and riotous Courses not as they are sinful and contrary to Gods Law but as contrary to his humour and covetous will Secondly Odium inimicitiae or the hatred of enmity This enmity is nothing else but a willing of evil or mischief to the thing or person hated and that out of mere displicency dislike or distaste of the person hated This is a sure note the regenerate hate their sins in that they would have them arraigned crucified mortified they would fain see the heart-blood of sin let out therefore they oppose watch against and resist it as their mortal deadly enemy When a man pursues sin would have the life of it this enmity cannot be quiet 't is an active enmity diligent in praying mourning watching striving using all holy means to get it out of our hearts wishing groaning waiting complaining that we may get rid of it Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death They follow their work hard 2. The Causes of this hatred There are three causes of it First Spiritual knowledge and illumination that is one cause of hatred Psal. 119. 104. Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way When the heart is thick set and well fraughted with Divine knowledge a man cannot sin freely Those that are exercised in the word of God find some consideration or other to quicken to the hatred of sin The Word is a proper instrument to destroy sin Psal. 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Ephes. 6. 13. Our affections follow our apprehensions We come to the heart by the mind Ier. 31. 19. After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh In the word of God are the most proper Reasons and Arguments to kill sin Secondly The love of God Psas. 97. 10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil He doth not say forbear it but hate it The cause of hatred is the love of that good unto which the thing or person hated is contrary and repugnant Love to the chiefest good is accompanied with hatred of sin which is the chiefest evil The one is as natural to Grace as the other The new Nature hath its flight and aversation as well as its choice and prosecution to things that are hurtful to it as well as good and profitable Thirnly A filial fear of God Prov. 8. 13. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate Certainly this is to fear God to hate what God hateth and as God hateth and because God hateth Now God hateth all sin pride and arrogancy that is sins of thought which put us upon vain and foolish musings And then the sins of the tongue are expressed by froward mouth Nothing so natural to us as filthy and evil speaking And then the sins of practice the evil way They that fear God will hate all these sins These Graces are Strangers to unrenewed hearts It argueth a Divine Nature when we hate when what and as and because God hates it Eadem velle nolle est summa amicitia 3. A third Argument is from the comparison of hatred with anger Unregenerate men may be angry with sin because anger is consistent with love One may be angry with his Wife Children Friends where yet he tenderly affects First Anger is a sudden and short hatred a lasting and durable passion Anger is furor brevis curable by time hatred incurable by the greatest tract of time The Unregenerate are displeased with their sins for a spurt but the regenerate constantly disaffected towards them There is 1 Iohn 3. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a constant principle of resistance in the renewed heart passion is a casual dislike but the new Nature a rooted enmity an habitual aversation to what is evil Secondly Anger is only against singulars but hatred is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the whole kind Thus we hate every Wolf and every Serpent every Thief and every Calumniator So is this universal it respects sin as sin and hateth all sin though never so profitable and pleasant Not upon foreign and accidental reasons as Esther 3. 16. Haman thought scorn to lay hands upon Mordecai alone but sought the destruction of all the Jews The same reasons that encline us to hate one sin encline us to hate all sin The violation of Gods Law is a contempt of Gods Authority a breach of spiritual friendship one grieveth the spirit of God as well as the other Every sin is hateful to God so 't is to those that are made partakers of the Divine Nature Thirdly Anger may be pacified or appeased with the sufferings of the thing or person with which we are angry but hatred is implacable nothing can content and satisfie it but the ruine or not being of the thing and party hated David was angry with Absolom but loth to have him destroyed only corrected and reduced when he sent out Forces against him Deal gently with the young man So many deal with their sins we reason pray strive complain but 't is but an angry fit we are displeased with
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
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
that scoff at the Mourners in Zion they count it melancholy and mopishness to be so often and seriously humbling themselves before the Lord. The world deals perversely with the people of God they provoke their sorrow and then upbraid them with it You should bear them company mourn with them pine in consort with those Doves of the Valleys Better be a Mourner than a Mocker and Scoffer Others there are that yet can make a shift to hold out some profession of Religion yet can delight in the company of prophane carnal persons Would a man willingly put himself upon occasions of grief Are you like Lot whose soul was vexed day by day Do but consider how much your temper differs from theirs David saith Psal. 119. 115. Depart from me ye evil Doers Others there are that by censures and bitter invectives seek to make the Sinner rather than the sin more odious This is to exercise malice and pride not Christian affection We should not censure but mourn Tears flow from charity censures from pride and by this means you lose a duty for a sin which is a sad exchange Others again are apt to laugh at them and to make sport with the sins of others but do not mourn This is a vile abuse and yet we are many times guilty of it Men laugh at drunkenness and make the slips of others matter of boasting and vain talk This should rather set our hearts a bleeding and mourning He were a monster rather than a man that could see a man take a fall even to the breaking of his back or neck and turn it into a jest or a man wound himself and he make a sport of it And shall we be more kind to the bodies than to the souls of men Oh consider the danger of these practices as much as in him lyeth he hath put himself into Hell and wilt thou laugh at it Use 2. Is Tryal Are we so tenderly affected I know every one is not of a like tender constitution and cannot weep rivers of tears but tell me or rather tell God I cite thy Conscience to make answer to God When thou didst ever go aside into thy Closet or some secret place to lay to heart the dishonour done to God or the affronts put upon his Grace Do not tell me thou hast declaimed against the sin of the times that thou hast not cried up a confederacy with them that cry up a confederacy against God There may be somewhat of faction and interest and obstinacy in those things but when hast thou mourned and wept sore in secret places Do not tell me that thou hast joyned in publick Fasts Hasty and transient sighs do not wound the heart Hast thou ever done it in secret or hast thou often done it It may be thou hast resented injuries and spread them before God and so there is a spirit of self-self-love and revenge that breaths into thy prayers Men will be hot in their own cause but what hast thou done in this Duty 'T is a plain question and therefore I hope it will have the more force upon the Conscience True zeal for injuries done to God would ease it self by tears rather than anger True Penitents will not satisfie themselves only with publick humiliation to which Law custome and example may draw them but will make conscience of this Duty in their Families yea in secret where no eye seeth them but Gods mourn apart Zech. 12. 12 13 14. and bring home publick provocations to their own doors Ier. 11. 17. Use 3. Is to exhort you to get this practice and to get this disposition of the Saints 1. There is a great deal of need to practise it now whether we look upon the sins or dangers of the Nation the sins such horrid blasphemies and reproaches cast upon Gods Servants his Ways Truths Doctrines according to godliness I think in the wisest judgment that a man can make never was there such a dangerous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and temper of any Nation as of ours at this time Never were sins boiled up to such an height and consistency as now such snarling at reformation that was hopefully begun Now sin walketh in the Streets with a bold face drunkenness swearing and prophaneness seem to triumph and with the more pretence because the stricter sort have so much dishonoured God and Religion Church-affairs are much out of order And for our dangers we hear again of wars and rumours of wars and God knoweth what may be the issue and effect of them Acts 13. 41. Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your days a work which ye will in no wise believe though a man should tell you of them The danger of a Nation doth not lye in outward probabilities so much as in the threatnings of the word He alludeth to the horrible devastation of Iudea by the Chaldeans and applyeth it to the despising of the Gospel Would any believe that the Temple and City should be destroyed and the people of God carried captive that not one should remain yet this came In the time of Noah when they abounded in all things who would have thought of a Flood Many would say as that Nobleman If the Windows of Heaven were opened how could this be Who would have believed the horrible dissolution by the Romans or thirty years agone that which is now faln out in Germany Never think that our Armies and Forces are so strong as to withstand the threatnings of the Gospel for our horrible contempt God may blow upon all these props in an instant Therefore weep and mourn for the pride and rebellion of the Daughter of your people So for our private place What sins are there among us Some have withstood the ways of God though they have had convictions yet held out against them Some are prophane many defects in all Orders Paul was mightily troubled because the Church of Corinth was so much out of order he bewailed it with many tears 2 Cor. 2. 4. Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears So may I speak and you think of these things 't is time to mourn By way of motive consider First This is the best way to enter our protestation and dissent against the iniquity of the times When we cannot help a thing 't is good to retract it and commit it by tears to God for then it shall not be laid to our charge When the Corinthians mourned for incest committed among them and sorrowed with a godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 13. Ye are verily clear in this matter many of them did not only not approve but abhor that foul act before but they were not clear till they mourned and purged the Church from the imputation So you are not clear till you have done this Duty Secondly God may take occasion to punish you from their sins We are all Fuel fit for the burning Gods dispensation is not unrighteous as
difficult grievous and irksome to you 'T is love maketh all things pleasant and easie and to go on roundly 1 Iohn 5. 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous A love to the Commands of God will make us do them with chearfulness VVhen a man loves God it will be no grievous thing to serve him 'T is said in the 4th of Nehemiah and the 6. That the Building went on because the People had a mind to the work The building of the Temple was a difficult task to remove the rubbish and carry on such a vast piece of work But they had a mind to the work and then it went on Love to any thing makes it go on sweetly and chearfully as we use to say so in Gods service if we love the work we cannot count it difficult 3. You will never be constant with God without this love An unwilling servant is ever running from his work and he that hath not an heart fixed and set will find discouragement enough in heavens way They fell off that received not the Truth in the love of it 2 Thess. 2. 10. Fear hath Compulsion in it but it will not hold when the fear is worn of but love is a lasting affection when your hearts love holiness and and you love the work for the works sake Third Consideration 'T is not enough to love the word but we must look after the grounds and reasons of this love 1. Because a true love to the word is not blind but rational and may be justified Matth. 11. 19. Wisdom is justified of her Children All that love God and his Truth are able to plead for it If you are not able to shew your grounds and reasons for your love to the word your love is but customary Phil. 1. 9. I pray that your love may abound in all knowledge and judgment Such a love and zeal is commendable as hath a proportionable measure of knowledge going along with it When the Spouse had spoken so much of her beloved the question is propounded Cant. 5. 9. What is thy beloved more then another beloved that thou dost thus charge us Christians should be able to say what is their Christ and what is the Religion they do profess that there 's more in their Religion then in all Religions in the World 2. Because many love it upon wrong reasons there may be a natural and carnal love to spiritual things Look as a religious man in outward things rejoyceth spiritually so a carnal man in spiritual things rejoyceth carnally So Herod rejoyced in Iohns preaching with a humane passion Mark 6. 20. As he was a plausible preacher and a rare and pregnant interpreter of the Law This was but a carnal affection that is thus They may be pleased with notions and elevated strains of wisdom I remember a Moralist gives this similitude A Gallant going into a Garden prizeth Flowers altogether for the beauty of them but a Physician he looks after their use and vertue in Medicine but they both go to look after Flowers So a Godly man delights in the word of God 't is that he may be brought under the power of it and made more holy and heavenly minded But others go to hear an Argument rationally traversed or to hear Cadences of speech and pleasant language 'T is not enough to take a liking to things but we must know why Nay let me tell you that meer forreign and external reasons may sway us to delight in the word when Religion is in request and groweth in fashion and becometh matter of reputation 't is no great matter to be an honourer and admirer of it Simon Magus will be a disciple and turn Christian too when the whole City of Samaria listened to the Apostles and embraced their Doctrine Acts. 8. When there was so great an outward affluence 3. The more we view the grounds and reasons the more our love is encreased 'T is clear the Will and Affections are moved by the understanding and that Ignorance is the cause of the Contempt of the Lords grace If thou knewest the Gift Iohn 4. 10. We Love and Fear and Hate and Joy according to the apprehensions that we have of things And therefore the more knowledge we have the more love Phil. 1. 9. I pray that your love may abound in all Knowledg if thou dost not encrease in knowledge thou wilt never increase in affection 2 Pet. 1. 2. Grace and Peace be multiplyed unto you by the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ our Lord. Now The more these grounds and reasons are drawn forth in the view of Conscience the more thy love is stirred as the more we beat the steel upon the flint the more the sparks fly out Fourth Consideration Of all the grounds and reasons of our love to the word of God the most noble and excellent is to love the Word for its purity 1. Because this sheweth indeed that we are made partakers of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. For I pray you mark when we hate evil as evil and love good as good we have the same love and hatred that God hath It sheweth that the soul is changed into the likeness of God when we love a thing for its purity God hath no interest to be advanced by the Creature he loves them more or less as they are near or further off from his glorious being When once we come to love things because they are pure 't is a sign that we have the same love that God hath 2. This argueth a sutableness of heart to what God requireth for things affect us as they sute with us They that are after the flesh savour the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. The pure will only delight in pure things but Swine delight in puddles they that have the Spirit of the World they must have worldly pleasure and honour but the pure will delight in the word of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of God and because they are not sutable to him First We love things as sutable to our necessity and then we love them upon interest and afterwards as sutable to our disposition Now it argueth a good frame of heart and a deep sense of Gods interest when we love the word because 't is so pure A man first loves the word customarily because he is born there where that Religion is in fashion and then when he beginneth to have a Conscience he loveth it for pardon and peace as it offers a Saviour his own happiness self love puts him upon seeking after God then afterwards his heart is suted to Gods Will and there is something of kin in his heart to the Will of God revealed without and he loveth it for its suitableness of Nature unto the Will of God 3. To be sure this love is no way questionable but is an undoubted Evidence of right and sound love to
have it so so still the Scripture cryeth down Works and Merits in the Creature in all these gracious influences They all come from Gods Bowels of Compassion to his Creatures labouring under difficulties He loveth to act as a free Agent in giving continuing and actuating the life of his Creatures whether natural or spiritual Yea Lastly any other principle would be against our Profit as well as Gods Glory Our Profit both as to duty and success we should never carry it dutifully to God if we did not acknowledge that all came from Grace Whence cometh impatience murmurings contempt of things afforded but from a secret opinion of our merit and deserving They that prescribe to God ascribe too much to themselves that prescribe to God for time measure 〈◊〉 kind are hasty and murmur under delays and suspensions of Grace And as to 〈◊〉 â—…hout this modest and humble claim God rejecteth the request for he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. Spiritual Pride is the worst of 〈◊〉 The humble supplicant may expect increase of Grace which is denied to othâ—… Psal. 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy Such as fear God and serve him diligently and yet put all their Confidence in his Mercy these are those whom the Lord delights in to keep Communion with them and pour out his Blessings upon them This is enough to shew you 't is an humble modest Plea II. It is a Comfortable Incouraging Argument which that it may appear to you let us Consider 1. The Nature of it 2. The Kinds of it 3. The Proofs and Demonstrations of it 4. The End of it 1. The Nature of it The loving-kindness of God noteth his disposition to do good upon his own motives or his self-inclination to do good to his Creatures especially to his People 2 Sam. 7. 21. According to thine heart hast thou done this His Native willingness to imploy what goodness is in him for the good of his Creatures Now this doth much incourage poor sinners to draw nigh to God for such mercy as they stand in need of Justice giveth what is due but Mercy what is needed Justice seeks a fit Object Mercy and Loving-kindness a fit Occasion His Justice will not hinder his Mercy to be Bountiful 2. The Kinds of it Gods Loving-kindness is twofold General and Special 1 There is a General kindness and good-will from God as Creator to all his Creatures especially to Mankind the effects and fruits of this general kindness flow in the chanel of common Providence So 't is said Psal. 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works God is good to all things to all persons he bestoweth many common Blessings upon the wicked as Natural Life and Being Health and Wealth c. So Psal. 147. 9. He giveth to the beasts his food to the young Ravens which cry To wicked men Matth. 5. 45. Common Blessings do not always argue a good People but they always argue a good God God giveth the Beasts their food in due season Psal. 104. 27 28. Now this is some ground of Hope and so improved Psal. 145. 15 16. if he heareth the cries of the Creatures he will hear the Prayers of the Saints if a Kite much more a Child You see the Lord doth not cast off the care of any living creature which he hath made but hath a constant eye of Providence upon them that their hunger may be satisfied and they may have that sort of good which is fitting for them and that in time and season before they are spent with wants and will he not answer the longings and expectations and cryes of his People and pity their faintings and give that Grace which they so earnestly seek 2 Over and above this common kindness there is a more intire special love and kindness towards Believers in Christ. This may be admired rather than expressed Psal. 36. 7. How excellent is thy loving-kindness O God! This is unto admiration his common kindness his preservation of Man and Beast This is the fruit of his Eternal love Ier. 31. 3. With everlasting love have I loved thee and therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee and this is expressed in blessing them with special and saving Benefits in Christ. The effects of his special kindness do all relate to Life and Godliness and are conveyed to us through the conduit of Christs Merit and Intercession in and by whom he doth fulfil in us all the good pleasure of his goodness 2 Thes. 1. 11 12. Now this special kindness must needs be a mighty incouragement to the Saints to come to him since he loveth them with such a free and special love for all that mercy they stand in need of The former speaketh the goodness of God to all his Creatures this to themselves in particular both together a notable support Yea though we have not yet any experience of the goodness of God yet since there is such a thing as self-inclication in God to do good to his People and besides this a readiness to express his love to all his Creatures more especially to every one without respect of Persons that cometh to him Psal. 86. 5. For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon thee take the cause and you do not know what you may find It may be your portion and lot 3. The Proofs and Demonstrations of this Loving-kindness 1 He hath given evident proof and infallible demonstration of it in Christ 1 Ioh. 4. 12. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the world that we might live through him The Cause or first motive was Love his Means was the sending of Christ to be a Propitiation his End Life Spiritual and Eternal This is such a glorious Instance and Manifestation of the Love of God that poor creatures are encouraged to draw nigh to God for such Mercy as they stand in need of 'T is an hidden Love here 's a convincing proof and real demonstration by so glorious an effect and fruit of it 'T was not a well-wishing love only nor a love concealed but manifested and that by a signal proof 2 The Instances of Gods Loving-kindness to others so that according to thy loving-kindness will be according to that Grace and Mercy which thou art wont to shew to others of thy servants All that have had to do with God will assure you that he is a gracious God full of Kindness and Mercy There are examples of it 1 Tim. 1. 16. And Eph. 2. 7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding â—…es of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Iesus Instances of Gods loving-kindness towards others have a peculiar fitness and efficacy to convince us how exceedingly gracious God is and so to
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
compared to the joy of victory p. 1003 Ioy carnal has contrary qualities and effects ibid. Iudg God is the Judg of his Law p. 877 Iudgments spiritual the forest Judgments p 936 Iudgments Gods precepts called Iudgments why p. 38 39. 666. 121. Use of it p. 40. Promises call'd Iudgments p. 989 293 Iudgments of God on the Visible Church are to separate the dross from the Gold p. 805 Iudgments selt or fear'd call for mourning and why p. 931 Iudgments of Gods mouth denote Gods will revealed in the Scriptures and why p. 76 Iudgments of Gods mouth and of his hand p. 342. 419. 720 They are both righteous p. 1013 Iudgments of God on sinners a mean to preserve us from sinning p 792. They are to be wisely observed p. 796. Gods Iudgments of old p. 342 343 344 345 Iudgments ordinarily begin at the house of God p. 805 Iudgments on the wicked his mercy to his Church p 806 344. God to be praised for his Judgments p. 1097 A judicious mind a great blessing p. 448. A threefold Use of a judicious mind 1. To distinguish 2. To determine 3. To direct why to be beg'd of God p. 450 451 Iurisdiction of God the greatest p. 130 Iurisdiction how it differs from propriety p. 130 Iustice and Mercy distinguished p. 938 Iustiâ—…e and Iudgment how distinguisht p. 813 Iustice no escaping it if God should deal with us in strict Iustice p. 5 To do Iustice and Iudgment is the Saints comeliness p. 814. 1. By it we are made like God 2. 'T is acceptable to God 3. Fits us for communion with God 4. It is suitable to the new nature 5. Is honourable in the eyes of men 6. Conduceth to the good of Society p. 814 815 Iustice is either 1. general 2. or particular p. 934 Iustice 1. Legislative 2. Judicial 3. Remunerative p. 934 935 Iust God is just proved by four Reasons p 935 Iustice and Mercy are both friends to Saints p. 939 Iustice of God to be acknowledged p. 939. 509 Iustification of a sinner a great secret p. 40. 873 Iustified Divine Wisdom justified of all its children p. 873 339 K. KEeping and doing the Commandments how they differ p. 1042 Keeping Gods Law requires 1. Labour 2. Courage 3. Self-denial p. 1025. And understanding p. 232 Examine whether we keep Gods Law or no p. 1025 Keeping Gods precepts brings 1. Peace of Conscience 2. Joy in the Holy Ghost 3. Increase of Grace c. p. 377 378 Keep what it is to keep Gods testimonies p. 9 It implys 1. Exactness 2. Perseverance p. 10 It relates to a charge committed to us p. 9. 28. 375. It is twofold Legal Evangelical p. 376. 1039. 237 Keep Covenant with God Motives p. 709 710 Quest. how far a man may be said to have kept Gods Law p. 1039 Keep a good conscience Dispositions required to the keeping of it Considerations to move us to keep a good Conscience p 417 418 No keeping the Commandments without love p. 1046 Kindness of God is either 1. General or 2. Special the nature of both p. 9 8. 512. Vid. Loving kindness It 's the original cause of all mercy p. 512 Kings Princes c. have great need to know Gods precepts Reasons of it p. 307 731 Kings Princes c. their Countenance a great advan tage to Religion p. 560 They are jealous of their prerogative p. 560 Knocking of Christ at the door of the heart what it is Seasons of Christ knocking p. 412 Know none know so much of God but they still need to know more why p. 895 To know signifies 1. To understand 2. To consider 3. To believe p. 959 960 Knowledg of Divine mysteries is twofold 1. That which is a gift 2. That which is a grace p. 1058 Knowledg twofold 1. Knowledg of Faith 2. Of Sense p. 956 Knowledg of Gods mind unactive not sufficient p. 15. 231 Knowledg without practice is not right p. 318 452. 685. 690 691. 231 Knowledg of Gods will various degrees of it p. 108 In order to knowledg much is required p. 229 Knowledg saving what it is 1. Such as establishes the heart against delusions 2. Such as brings the foul under its dominion 3. Such as gives prudence to practise it p. 171 It is the effect of Divine bounty p. 477. 4â—…5 Knowledg saving should be one part of our constant prayer p 893. We can never enough ask it p. 170. 452. Reasons why p. 171 172. 893 846 435. 436 In getting Knowledg we must pass through the Porch before we can come to the deep mysteries p. 890 891 Knowledg of God causeth us 1. To trust him 2. To love him 3. To fear him in proportion to our knowledg of him p. 172 Two things considerable in Knowledg p. 1058 Knowledg saving our cure ignorance our disease p. 893 Knowledg 1. The necessity of it 2. The excellency of it 1. It 's mans excellency in general 2. Divine Knowledg is better than all other knowledg 3. Practical Knowledg the best part of Divine knowledg 4. Transforming Knowledg the best part of practical p. 893 894 895 Saving Knowledg of Gods Testimonies the only way to live p. 896 Knowledg ought to be 1. Comprehensive 2. Distinct 3. Experimental 4 Practical p 173 Knowledg to be desired for a right end 1. Not out of curiosity 2. Nor vain glory But 3 to satisfie others 4. To save our own souls p. 176 L. LAmentation for other mens sins special seasons for it 1. When gross sins are frequent 2. Universal 3. When incorrigible 4. When they grow impudent p. 930 931. Reasons thereof 1. They do it because it is their duty 2. Their property ibid. Vid. Other mens sins Reasons why it is the disposition and property of Saints to mourn for other mens sins 1. They are tender of Gods glory 2. They have a pity for men 3. They have an antipathy against sin as such 4. It proceeds from the foresight of the effects of sin 5. They are publick spirited p. 931 932 Late coming to God many have come too late none too soon p. 411 Law of God is truth p. 878. in what sense 1. It 's the chiefest truth 2. The only truth 3. The pure truth 4. The whole truth p. 879 Reasons why it is Truth 1. From the Author God 2. The matter 3. The end 4. It s own assertion p. 879. Uses Ibid. Law of God the Rule of our lives p. 4. 16 It is put oftentimes for the whole word of God p. 621. Christs humane nature under a Law p. 4 Angels Rational beings inanimate creatures are under a Law p. 4. 201. 876. Law of God taken in a limited or a large sense-p 1022 Law of God informing and awing p. 4 Law of God must be loved that it may be kept-p 1024 its office and work p. 4 It abates humane pride by propounding the rigor of the first Covenant p. 15 It brings us to Christ p. 16 It is holy just and good how p.
deliver his people from them p. 560 561 562 Property of wicked men to be plotting mischief 738 Plotting mischief exceeding sinful on many accounts Ibid. Policy Civil policy is not opposed by Christs Kingdom and liberty of Gospel-worship p. 144 Popery three grand evils in it 1. Universal Soveraignty 2. Absolute Supremacy 3. Infallibility p. 203 204 Portion of believers is full lasting sure Sure because 1. Confirmed by Gods word and Oath 2. Cannot be wrested from them by violence 3. Shall not be wasted by their own prodigality p. 743 744 Portion of believers is not in this life p. 867 Portion a double notion of the word p. 381 God alone is the godly mans portion p. 382 383 384 385 386 387 388. Whether God be our portion p. 389 Power and faithfulness oft engaged for desence p. 790 Power of Gods word is wonderful in what respects p. 884 885 Power 1. Natural 2. Moral from God p 308 Power of God seen 1. In preserving his Saints in dangers 2. In over-ruling all accidents for their benefit p. 729. Seen in Providence p. 368 369 370 Practise the end of giving forth the word as a light 690 Practice the end of all teaching p. 231 Practice without it the hearing knowing liking of the word are nothing p. 10. 41. 318 319. 690 To approve love delight in commend c. Gods ways without practice profits nothing p. 318 219. 452. 690 691 Practical holiness the way to encrease in spiritual understanding p. 656. why Ibid. 657 Practical knowledg is 1. Directive 2. Perswasive p. 173 Prayer of faith is the voice of Gods Spirit p. 326 Prayer and faith must be conjoined p. 790. 904. 923 Faith set on work in prayer p. 317. 514 Prayer oftentimes a better Vindication of our innocency than an Apology p. 136 An excellent mean to persevere p. 789 790 It 's a duty proper to the best of Christians p. 535 It 's excellencies p. 12. Private and publick prayer p. 921 It supposes our impotency emptiness c. p. 29 It is an excellent remedy against pride p. 521 Prayer doubled argues great sense of sin and mercy p. 515 Prayers sluggish p. 29. 899. Prayer must be join'd with hearing p. 57. Vid. Sincere prayer With purposes of better obedience p. 919. Reasons Ibid. We must be the same out of prayer that we are in prayer p. 904. Vid. Business We must be more affectionate in prayer for Heavenly and spiritual than earthly things p. 904 Precepts must be turn'd into prayer p. 28 Fit matter for prayer p. 479 How we may know whether what we pray for come from the temper of the heart in four particulars p. 479 In what manner we are to pray p. 480. 909 923 What are the grounds of prayer p. 480 It must be continued under the sorest afflictions 716 Praise unseemly in a wicked mans mouth p. 43 Praise belongs to God especially for his loving-kindness p. 940 Praise and Blessing how they differ p. 70. 1014 Why we are so backward to praises p. 1019 Praise and faith live and die together p 420 Matter of praise p. 1016 1017 Praises continue in Heaven p. 42. 1014 Praising God a profitable duty p. 445. 1015 Praising God 1. The Nature 2. The Grounds 3. The Formality 4 The fruit of it p. 1014 1015. Motives to it p. 1015 We must not cease to praise God p. 1016 1017 1018 Precepts Gods precepts must be turned into prayer-28 Vid. Commandments Testimonies Statutes c. Precepts of God to chuse them implys 1. Deliberation 2. Esteem 3. Inclination 4. Resolution 5. Delight p. 1071 1072 Reasons why they are to be chosen p. 1073 Preachers Teachers c. are to preach Gods Word only and wholly p. 77 Predominant sin p. 19 Prodominant love to Gods Commandments p. 1048 1049 Prejudice against God removed by consideration of his Goodness p. 474 Prejudice one great cause of Persecution p. 144 Prejudices lye more directly against the means of Salvation than Salvation it self p. 2 Why men are prejudiced against Holiness p. 70 How to remove prejudices p. 304 Prejudices against Obedience answered by Gods Soveraignty p. 25 Prejudices cause discord amongst Gods people p. 528 They are a cause of error about the word p. 694 Prepared for all events and conditions wisdom p. 644 Prerogative of God to kill and make alive p. 1094 Present things not to be too mucâ—…â—…ored upon p. 546 Present state imperfect p. 1090 Preservation of life is to give 〈◊〉 our life twice over p. 1095 Presumption a rock to be shunned p. 47 48 It renders us incapable of grace and pardon p. 320 It forfeits Gods assisting grace p. 782 The discovery and cure of presumption p. 47 48 It 's a cause of error in judgment p. 694 Presence of God with us in our houses of clay and our Presence with God in the Mansions of glory the best comforts of a Christian p. 514 Pride makes Persecutors p. 517. 563 Discovery of Pride in three things 1. In envying those that are more excellent 2. In contending with Equals 3. In disdaining of Inferiors p. 520. 563 Cure of Pride by three things p. 521 Pride renders not to God according to his benetsfi p. 44 It is abated by the rigor of the first Covenant p. 15 Pride is either Moral or Spiritual p. 129 It is an enemy to knowledg p. 454 The worst sort of Pride to err wilfully from Gods Commandments p. 128 129 130 131 It opposes 1. The Authority 2. The power of God p. 130 It is discovered by impenitency and obstinacy p. 129 829 It is cured by reproach p. 138. 295 And by a sense of our own emptiness p. 243 Priests all Christians are Priests to God p. 721 722 723 Principal mercies promised absolutely others conditionally p. 510 Principles by which we are acted the most considerable thing in our actings p. 760. 791 Principles of Obedience true and false some rotten some less evil some tolerable some purely Evangelical p. 791 863 865 Principles evil 1. Example 2. Force from fear of God or men slavish 3. Bad Designes p. 1075 1076 Privilege and duty of the godly p. 918 919 837 Private prayer p. 921 Vid. Business Private spirit p. 9 Private Christians are to confer of not to preach Gods Word publickly p. 77 78 Whether they are to study Controversies and how far p. 196 Prize the Scriptures why p. 645 Profane persons who p. 1045 Profession of the truth twofold p. 306 Profession of Christianity upon terms of losses d. 415 It is necessary why in what manner how far p. 332 333 Profit by the word of God comes from the grace of God p. 72 And from owning the word as righteous and faithful p. 939 940 Progress of sin 303 Promises should be our delight before their accomplishment p. 081 Promises our encouragement in walking with God p. 6. 29 They go hand in hand with precepts p. 28. 742. 458. 338 They give more comforts than arguments drawn from
p. 539 Constancy in Obedience will turn to good account at lastp 375 376 377. Vid. Perseverance Constant endeavours against Sin a sign of Grace p. 20 Constant Obedience from a new Principle p. 753 Constancy the glory of Obedience p. 339 Constant Zeal for God p. 855 Constant Obedience against all Temptations p. 668 Contempt of Gods Word two Reasons of it p. 1005 338 339. Must not drive from Duty p. 339 340 Contemptuous wanderers from Gods Precepts God will pull down p. 793 Contention with Equals a fruit of Pride p. 520 Contentment in trouble from the Faith of Gods Protection p. 768 We should be Content with what measures of grace God alloweth p. 905 Continuance in sin exceeding dangerous p. 21 Continuance in Obedience the same Reason to continue it that there was to begin it and more p. 341 Contraries subserve Gods designs p. 525 Conversation of a Christian should be a Hymn to God p. 1096 Converse with God delightful p. 952 Converse with Saints comfortable p. 504 505 Conversion occasioned by Afflictions p. 464 Conversion may be observed and known p. 603 Conversion Gods method in it 1. In Conviction of sin 2. Compunction for sin p. 603 604 626 1. By humbling for sin 2. Cleansing the heart 3. Binding up the broken heart p. 626 Conviction in various degrees p. 604 Convictions stiâ—…led harden the heart more p. 400 412 Convictions their saving effects p. 605 Conviction 1. By way of prevention 2. Humiliation p. 688 Corruptions always ready to break out upon us p. 790 A cause of Apostasie p. 803 Corrupt communication 1. Obscene 2. Calumniating 3. Proud 4. Passionate Discourses c. p. 1064. its evil p. 1065 Cost and charge in the service of God an Argument of true Zeal p. 853 A priviledge of the Covenant to be taught Gods Statutes p. 845 Covenant of works leaves no room for Repentance-p 838 Arguments to enter into Covenant with God and keep it p. 707 708 909. Covenant Right the priviledge of them that walk with God p. 7. Covenant of Grace in the form of Precepts and Promises p. 28 It differs from all other Covenants p. 941 Covenant between God and man is mutual p. 608 821 Difference and agreement between the two Covenants p. 906 907 908 Covenant not to â—…e modelled by our fancies p. 578 Covenant Relation to God implies an entire surrender of the whole Soul to him p. 683 It ought to be often renewed and why p. 706 when p. 706 707 Covetousness a great Enemy to Righteousness p. 818 and to obedience what it is p. 254. Reasons p. 257 Counsel Wisdom Understanding how they differ-p 737 Counsels of God are Commands p. 24. Counsel of God in his Word sufficient for all our necessities p. 153 Counsellors Gods Testimonies the best Counsellors p. 148 152 Evil Counsellors Envy Covetousness Pride Revenge p. 829 Courage Christian what it is difference between it and Military Valour p. 723. Objections answered p. 734 Courage for God A Christian must not only be Laborious as an Oxe but Valiant as a Lion p. 851 852 Court of Gods Iudgment p. 942 Creation discovers the Author to be God p. 9. End of Creation to make us seek God the Creator p. 13 397 448 It discovers God to be Merciful p. 437 Creation gives God a right to the whole heart and our whole Obedience p. 16 Creatures serve man man his Creator p. 589 498 Creatures when spoken of as eternal it must be understood of a Communicated and dependant et cruity p. 570 Creatures utmost perfection is Vanity p. 613 614 It is of a perishing Nature p. 615 Credit God stands upon the Credit of his Word p. 831 Cross hath done its work when it hath purged away our sins p. 868. We never more advance in Christianity then under the Cross p. 147 Cross serves to awake the drowzy Conscience p. 464 465 Crosses must 1. be looked for 2. prepared for 3. borne with patience when laid on us p. 966 Crown of Glory to be set against the Cross p. 592 Under the Cross to have good thoughts of God glorisies him p. 511 Crown of Glory forfeited by Apostacy p. 342 Crying to God in Prayer opposed to lifeless formality p. 898. We may cry we must cry to God and why so what it is to cry to God p 898 899 Reasons why men do not cry to God 1. They want a right sense of their necessities 2. They are tongue-tyed through guilt 3. They have no spiritual Desires 4. Nor Reverence of God 5. They want Faith p. 900 901 Cure of Sin two ways 1. by abating the inward Lust. 2. Removing the outward bait p. 867 Curiosity and Conscience p. 689 Curse of God the Nature of it p. 132 133 Curse of God lies upon every man by Nature p. 133 How to know we are not under the Curse p. 134. Custom no safe Rule to walk by p. 4 Custom in sin makes sin stronger p. 56. It it a second Nature p. 303 Customariness and Complement in praying make no business of that great Duty p. 920 D. DAY of Iudgment An account of thoughts words and actions to be given in that Day p. 39. the necessity of that Day p. 457 The Triumph of Gods Justice will be glorious at the last day p. 937 Daily grace to be sought as well as daily bread p. 789 Why God permits his Children to be in daily danger of their lives p. 74 728 Danger sense of it puts an edge on Prayer p. 916 917 Danger may be nigh to gods People p. 943. Reasons p. 943 944 Deadness of heart in the Children of God whence 1. From some sin committed 2. Some good omitted 3. Unthankfulness 4. Pride of gifts 5. Great outward Troubles 6. Carnal liberty indulged to themselves p. 597 598 Helps against deadness p. 601 602 Deadness of heart towards that which is good caution'd against p. 777 Deadness in prayer reproved whence it comes p. 890 900 Death to the Soul to be without sense of Gods Love p. 516 Death how far it may be desired and how not p. 104 1095 Ministers should Preach and People hear as if Death were at their backs p. 408 Death it self should not make us warp from the Word p. 732 Death not desirable for it self p. 1095 Deceitfulness of sin in two particulars p. 679 680. Decay first decays of the soul to be observed p. 344 Deceived wicked men are Deceived in their Trust p. 798 Deceivings of the Heretick the superstitious and the seeming Religious Person p. 799 Declame A man may declame against other mens sins and yet never mourn for them in secret p. 932 Declaring our Case before God argues sincerity p. 164 165 Defection of others should make us more esteem Gods Word why p. 871 Vid. Apostacy Degenerated man the worst of all Creatures p. 897 Degeneracy of Man and Mankind p. 496 1100 Degrees of Holiness p. 18 Degrees of love to the Word p. 867 868 Delays in turning to God dangerous
p. 56 402 403. why we must obey without delay p. 402 403. Great Mischief of delays 405. Causes of these delays p. 408 409. Heynousness of the sin of Delaying ibid Delays as well as denials are painful p. 121 Delaying Mercy is not denying mercy p. 167 168 Why God delays Mercy ibid. Delays of God in making good the promises proceed not from Ignorance nor forgetfulness nor mutability nor Impotency p. 324 Delay in helping and delivering discourageth Gods Children p. 549. God may delay so long till 1. The Enemies be proud 2. A land wasted p. 549 Delays of spiritual Mercies sharpen desires p. 912 914 Deliberation in sinning a great Aggravation of sin p. 21 Deliberate sin charg'd on David when many others were omitted p. 739 740 Delight in worldly things as our portion is a main branch of Covetousness p. 254 255 Delight in Gods word what it is why the word is so delightful p. 84 85 95 96 Delight in Gods Word the property of Saints p. 593 885 Delight in Gods Testimonies an evidence that we have made them our Choice p. 741. Trial whether we delight in his Testimonies p. 87 88 89 95. how we are to delight in them p 96. Reasons for delighting in them 96 97. Uses p. 98. Exhortation to it Means to get it p. 98 99 593. It puts us upon prayer for Grace and gives us hope to speed in our prayer p. 244 Delights spiritual and carnal distinguished p. 149 1084 150. Promises to be delighted in before fulfill'd p 10 Delight in Gods Commandements the Causes of it 1. Suitableness 2. Possession 3. A precedent love of the Object p. 885. What is necessary to delighting in Gods Commandements p. 245 Delight its effects 1. Enlarging the heart 2. It causeth thirsting after more p. 886 245 Delight spiritual it's Objects perfect p. 886. Examine whether we have this delight p. 886. 1. By the extent 2. Effects 3. It s perpetuity 4. By comparing these delights with those in sensible things ibid. Delight true only to be had in God p. 386 Deliverance to be sought for in Prayer p. 921 922 It engageth us to Gods Service p. 924 Demerits in the best of Saints p. 839 Deliverance from the power of sin as well as from guilt p. 913 Deliverance when pleaded for we must get 1. Right Principles 2. Right Ends what they are p. 860. It is lawful p. 970 Deliverance will come in due time p. 558 Natural to desire deliverance p. 1083 Deliverances apt to be forgotten when danger is over p. 791 Deliverance two ways p. 737 Denial we are to pray against denials and delays p. 914 Dependancies Carnal God weans his People from them p. 143 645 Dependance on God a condition of those that expect Counsel from him in straights p. 155 769 Dependance on God better than Carnal reaches p. 645 It is a great duty p. 324 1105 Dependance on God never disappointed p. 831 Dependance on God what it implies 1. Committing our selves to his Care 2. Submitting to his Will 3. Waiting his Leisure p. 346 347 Departure from God twofold p. 669. Reasons of it ibid. Desire its proper object Holiness p. 303. how to awaken them p. 309 Desire moderated towards earthly things by considering their Vanity p. 617 Desire of Holiness the Character of Saints and why p. 29 30 901. God will satisfie it ibid. 304 Strong desires a Cause why Saints press after Gods Word p. 901 Desire what it is p. 121 897 303 304 1087. It denotes the absence of the good desired p. 885 897 1087 Desires of the godly and the wicked distinguished-p 30 Unactive desires come to nothing p. 31 Desire of man either 1. after Truth or 2. Immortality p. 623. Several sorts of desires evil p. 305 Desires vehement sweeten enjoyment p. 912 Excellency of vehement desires after spirituals p. 898 901. How to get these desires p. 901 902 Desertion the kinds of it Reasons and Causes of it p. 48 49 925 It is either 1. in appearance or 2 in reality-p 925 Desertion the greatest of sufferings p. 148 Two special sins the Causes of Desertion 1. Too much liberty in Carnal things 2. Laziness in spiritual things p. 925 Design to do good out of Design is evil p. 1076 Despair in our selves not in God p. 29 Despised Christians are despised by Men when brought low by God p 869 Despising Christs little ones a great sin p. 519 520 Despised Saints are highly honoured by God p. 554 870 Despised the common Lot of Saints to be so p. 869 Despisers of Gods Word who they are p. 1001 Despondency an ordinary evil in sharp and tedious Afflictions p. 556 Despondency reproved p. 159 792 Destruction no Creature can desire its own Destruction p. 1095 1096 Determination an Act of the Judgment p. Devil works much on the Concupiscible and Irrascible faculty p. 1031 Devil a great Enemy to us in hearing the Word 1. By Diverting us 2. By raising prejudices 3. By furnishing us with excuses evasions delays c. p. 68 Devil not to be believed p. 411 Vid. Satan Devil seeks to weaken our opinion of Gods goodness p. 440 Devisers of Reproaches and Calumny p. 299. 300 Devices of the Heart of Man p. 759 Devoting our selves to God 1. Entitles us to the Comforts of the Gospel 2. Engages us to all the Duties of it p. 915 Difference of Judgment causeth discord p. 528 Difference between men and men 〈◊〉 free grace p. 647 Difference between the delights of the Godly and the wicked p. 149 Difference between the service of God and all other services p. 850 Different measures in them that are Converted p. 604 Difference made by God in Common judgments p. 805 Difference between good and evil is real p. 939 940 Difference in things call for different affections p. 85 Difference between carnal and regenerate and the regenerate and themselves p. 673 674. 689 Difficulties broken through by the Promises p. 880 Difficulties in Scripture though it be light yet no discoument to us in searching it p. 696 697 Dig a Pit what that expression imports p. 559 Diligence in obeying Gods Commandements required p. 26. Reasons of it p. 26 27 Diligence wherein it lies p. 27 28. 638 Diligence in Prayer makes it a business p. 920 Diligence 1. In observing 2. improving afflictions p. 487 Direction of God general and particular p. 31 Direction literal and effectual p. 32. 841. God must be depended on for Direction Reasons of it 1. The blindness of our minds 2. The forgetfulness of our Memories 3. The obstinacy of our hearts p. 32. 240 Direction 1. For general choise 2. Particular actions p. 692 693 Direction sufficient from Gods Word p. 40 41. 629. 690 691 692 Direction necessary from God to him that would keep in with God p. 152. 240 Direction how to carry our selves till deliverance comes a great mercy p. 842. Why p. 842 843 Direction An act of the Judgment p. 449 Disappointment of Wicked mens