stedfast in his Covenant Many have a little forced Religion in their Extremities but it weareth off with their Trouble Sin is but suspended for a while and the Devil chained up they are very good under the Rod they are frighted to it but after the Deliverance cometh the more prophane It is true many may begin with God in their Troubles and their Necessities drive them to the Throne of Grace and Christ had never heard of many if Feavours and Palsies and Possessions and Blindness Deafness and Dumbness had not brought them unto him thanks to the Disease but if a course of Godliness begin upon these occasions and continue afterwards God will accept it He is willing to receive us upon any terms Men will say you come to me in your Extremity but he doth not upbraid us provided we will come so as to abide with him and will not turn the back upon him when our turn is served if you doe so take heed God hath other Judgments to reach you as Iohn said Matth. 3. 11 12. He that cometh after me is mightier than I whose shoos I am not worthy to bear He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire Whose fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire So that which cometh after is mightier than that which went before the last Judgment is the heaviest The Ax is laid to the root of the Tree therefore every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire Matth. 3. 10. He will not onely lop off the Branches but strike at the Root as the Sodomites that escaped the Sword of Chedorlaomer perished by Fire from Heaven The Israelites that were not drowned in the Red Sea were stung to death by Fiery Serpents As if a man did flee from a Lyon and a Bear met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him Amos 5. 19. When you avoid one Judgment you may meet another and find a stroke where you think your selves most secure Use 1. Let us consider these things that we may profit by all the Chastenings of the Lord. It is now a time of Affliction both as to publick Judgments and as to the private Condition of many of the People of God we have been long straying from God from our Duty from one another it was high time for the Lord to take his Rod in his hand and to scourge us home again Upon these Three Nations there is somewhat of God's Three great Judgments War Pestilence and Famine they are all dreadfull The Pestilence is such a Judgment as turneth Populous Cities into Desers and Solitudes in a short time then one cannot help another Riches and Honour profit nothing then and Friends and Kinsfolks stand afar off Many die without any spiritual Helps In War what Destructions and Slaughters expence of Bloud and Treasure In Famine you feel your selves to die without a Disease know not where to have fuel to allay and feed the fire which Nature hath kindled in your Bodies But blessed be God all these are in moderation Pestilence doth not ragingly spread the War is at a distance the Famine onely a scarcity Before God stirreth up all his Wrath he observeth what we doe with these beginnings Besides the People of God are involved in an heap of Miseries on all hands the oppressed dejected Party burthened with jealousies and ready to be haled to Prison and put under restraint Holy men sometimes have personal Afflictions added to the publick Calamities Ieremy was cast into the Dungeon when the City was besieged The Chaff and Grain both are threshed together but the Grain is besides ground in the Mill and baked in the Oven Besides who thinks of his strayings and returning with a more severe Resolution to his Duty If we would profit by Afflictions we must avoid both the faulty extreams Heb. 12. 5. My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Slighting and Fainting must be avoided 1. Let us not slight them When we bear them with a stupid senseless mind surely that hindereth all Profit None can endure to have their Anger despised no more than their Love a Father is displeased when his Child slights his Correction That we may not slight it let us consider 1. Their Authour God We think them fortuitous from chance but they do not rise out of the dust Job 5. 6. Whoever be the Instruments or whatever be the means the Wise God hath the whole ordering of it He is the first Cause He is to be sought to He is to be appeased if we would stop Evil at the Fountain head for all Creatures willingly or unwillingly obey him and are subject to his Empire and Government Amos 3. 6. Is there any evil in the City and I have not done it saith the Lord Isa. 45. 7. I form the Light and create Darkness I make Peace and create Evil I the Lord doe all these things Job 1. 21. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away 2. The meritorious Cause is Sin Lamentat 3. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his Sin that first brought Mischief into the World and still continueth it God never afflicts without a cause either we need it or we deserve it Micah 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute Iudgment for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his Righteousness We should search for the particular Sins that provoke God to afflict us for while we onely speak of Sin in general we do but inveigh against a Notion and personate a Mourning but those we can charge upon our selves are most proper and powerfull to break the heart 3. The end is our Repentance and Amendment to correct Sin past or prevent Sin to come 1. For Correction to make us more penitent for Sin past We being in a lower sphere of understanding know things better by their Effects than their Nature Ier. 2. 19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy backslidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is not in thee saith the Lord of Hosts Moral Evil is represented to us by natural Evil Pain sheweth what Sin is 2. For prevention of Sin for time to come The Smart should make us cautious and watchfull against Sin Ioshua 22. 17 18. Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us from which we are not cleansed to this day although there was a Plague in the Congregation of the Lord but that ye must turn away this day from following the Lord And it will be seeing ye rebel to
Psal. 19. 12. Who can understand his errors This is not meant here of every failing and slip every sin of ignorance and incogitancy no nor every act of rebellion and perversness of affection which may be found in the children of God Though there be a pride in all sins against knowledg and light that kind of sinning is interpretatively a confronting of God a despising of his commandments as David is said to do 2 Sam. 12. 9. pro hic nunc for the time the will of the creature is set up against the Creator Yet this is not the erring here spoken of 2. There 's an erring out of Obstinacy impenitency and habitual contempt of the Law-giver This is spoken of Psal. 95. 10. It is a people that do err in their hearts To err in mind is bad to err out of Ignorance but it is a people that stubbornly refuse to walk in the ways God hath enjoined them Some err out of simple nescience ignorance or mistake or else through the cloud with which some present temptation overcasts the mind these err in their minds but others err in their hearts that care not for or do not desire to hear of their duty to God A man that erreth out of ignorance can say Lord I know not but those that err in their heart they say We desire not the knowledg of thy ways Job 22. 14. they do not only fall into sin but love to continue in it The Apostle speaks of ungodly deeds ungodlily committed Jude 15. The matter of sin is not so much to be regarded as the manner with what heart it is done ungodlily committed with contempt of God Now such contemners of God and his Law are here described as all obstinate and impenitent sinners are Secondly We must distinguish of Pride which is either Moral or Spiritual 1. Moral pride is an over-high conceit of our selves or our own excellencies discovered by our disdain and contempt of others So it is said of Nebuchadnezzar his heart was lifted up This is that pride that is spoken of 1 Pet. 5. 5. God resisteth the proud There should be a mutual condescension between men for God resisteth the proud that is those that are lifted up above others 2. Spiritual pride that 's disobedience and impenitency which is discovered by a neglect of God and contempt of his Law and that pride is often so taken appeareth by these Scriptures Mal. 4. 1. The day of the Lord shall burn as an oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be stubble Mark they that do wickedly and the proud are made synonymous expressions So Neh. 9. 16. But they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardned their necks and hearkened not to thy commandments Their obstinacy in sin or unsubjection to God is made to be pride So Ieremiah when he gives the people good counsel to prevent ensuing judgments Hear ye give ear be not proud Jer. 13. 15. that is do not obstinately refuse to comply with Gods will And afterward v. 17. My soul shall weep sore for your pride So that unhumbled sinners are guilty of this spiritual pride of contempt of God himself Having opened these things that by erring is meant not out of frailty but by obstinacy That by pride is not meant that moral pride by which we contemn others but that spiritual pride when our hearts are unhumbled and unsubdued to God My work is now to prove 1. That Obstinacy and Impenitency is Pride 2. That it is the worst sort of pride First That there is pride in Impenitency and Obstinacy in a course of sin why 1. Because they neglect God To slight a Superior and not to give him due respect hath ever been accounted pride Surely then this is pride with a witness to neglect God who is over all blessed for ever Psal. 10. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God That is of his heart bewrayed by his countenance he will not seek after God and God is not in all his thoughts that is scarce troubled with such a thought of what will please or displease God he doth not think it necessary or worth the time to look after 2. They oppose God and set themselves as parties against him James 4. 6. God resisteth the proud God standeth in a posture of war against the proud The word implies that every proud man is in battel-array or posture of war against God So every impenitent person sethimself against God The quarrel between God and him is who shall stoop whose will shall stand whether God shall serve or they Isa. 43. 24. You have made me to serve with your sins and wearied me with your iniquities Indeed they do not only oppose him but they would depose him or put him out of the Throne while they would subject Gods will to their own He that would be at his own dispose and do what pleaseth him is a God to himself 3. In all this opposition they slight God and despise 1. His Authority in making he Law 2. His Power and Greatness in making good the sanction of the Law 1. They despise the Authority of God in the Law it self When men will set up their own will in a contradiction to God it is a mighty dishonour to God 2 Sam. 12. 9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord Every sin that is committed slights the Law that forbids it as if it were not to be stood upon it is no matter what God saith to the contrary There is fearing the commandment and despising the commandment Fearing the Commandment that 's the effect of a wise heart Prov. 13. 13. He that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded If God interpose it is more than if there were an Angel in the way with a flaming sword there 's a commandment in the way he fears it his way is hedged up he dares not go on But now impenitency that slights the commandment A sinner dares do that which an Angel durst not do It is said of Michael the Archangel Jude 9. That he durst not bring a railing accusation he had not the boldness Thus they despise the Authority of God in the Law 2. They despise the Power of God in the sanction of the Law when they will run the hazard of those sad threatnings as if they were a vain scare-crow as if they could make good their cause against God 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he Sinning is an entring the lists with God as if they could carry their Cause against him and therefore one great cure of hardness of heart and impenitency is seriously to meditate upon Gods power Deut. 10. 16 17. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart and be no more stiff-necked why For the Lord your God is a God of gods and Lord of lords a great God a mighty and terrible Do you know what God is and will you contend
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
stupid and scornfull as not to cast a look upon him Then we begin to be serious when thoughts of God are more fastened upon our Hearts 2. Why did he make thee not in vain for no wise Agent will make a thing to no purpose especially with such advice Let us make Man Certainly not for a Life of Sin to break his Laws and follow your Lusts and satisfy your fleshly Desires was this God's end that the Creature might rebel against himself This is not consistent with his Goodness to make us for such an end or if so why did he make the Rules of Justice and Equity natural to us so that Man is a Law to himself Rom. 2. 14. nor for Sport and Recreation to eate drink and be merry or to melt away your days in Ease and Idleness He spake rather like a Beast than like a Man Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry thou hast goods laid up for many years Luke 12. 19. If merely for Pleasures why did he give us a Conscience the bruit Beasts are fitter for such an use who have no Conscience and therefore no remorse to imbitter their Pleasures What was the End for which God made us was it to gather Wealth and that the Soul might cater for the Body and we might live well here in the World No for then God's Work would terminate in it self And why were such noble Faculties given us such an high flying Reason that hath a sense of another World if this were all God's end that we might grovel here upon Earth and scrape and heap up this World's Riches We see they are the basest of Men who are given to these kind of pursuits Surely this was not God's end but why was it Prov. 16. 4. God hath made all things for himself for his Glory and so Man to glorify him and enjoy him The Beasts were made to glorify him in their kind but Man to enjoy him This is my End to seek after God to please him to serve him Psal. 14. 2. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God God that hath fixed his End observeth what Man doth in compliance with it what affection and care they have to find him please him glorify him Reason will tell us as well as Scripture that the first Cause must be the last End and we must end there where we began at first 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatever ye doe doe all to the Glory of God Well then I was not made for nothing not to sin away my Life nor to sport it away nor to talk it away nor to drudg it away in the servile and basest Offices of this Life my end is to enjoy God and my work and business is to serve and glorify him 3. How little you have answered this End God complaineth of our backwardness to this Work Ier. 8. 6. No Man repented of his wickedness saying what have I done God upon a review found every days work good very good in themselves and their correspondence and frame Gen. 1. 31. But when we consider our Ways we shall find that all is evil very evil We have too long gone on in a course of Sin and the more we go on the more we shall goe astray and wander from the great End for which we were created which was God's Service and Honour Oh consider your Ways especially when Conscience is set awork by the Word or when we smart under the folly of our own wandrings and God maketh us sensible of our mistake by some smart Scourge if we never seriously thought on our Ways before then is a time to think of them and to count it a Mercy that we are not left to goe on in a course of Sin without checks and disappointments Oh look upon the drift and course of your Lives and Actions pry into every corner of them what have I been doing hitherto spending my days in Vanity and Sin have I remembred my Creatour made it my work to serve him my scope to glorify him have I looked after this as the unum necessarium the great Law and Business of my Life that I might enjoy Communion with God Oh for how long a time hath God been kept out of his right and I have been sowing to the Flesh and never minded the great Errand for which I was sent into the World None can excuse himself 4. The unkindness and baseness of such a course that you may make it odious to the Soul God hath not onely made me but kept me and provided for me day after day The God which fed me all my life-time saith Iacob Gen. 48. 15. I have been fed at his Table cloathed at his cost defended kept when long agoe God might have struck me dead in my Sins and yet all this while I have not thought of God to pay the return of my thanks and obedience to my great Benefactour The vâ—…ry Beasts are more dutifull in their kind to Man who as God's Instrument provideth for them Isa. 1. 3. The Ox knows his owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but my People will not know Israel will not consider How senseless have I been of the great Obligations wherein I stand bound to God there is the fault we do not know and will not consider what hath been done to God for this 5. What it will come to or what will become of you if you should still so continue or if I should go on in this course what will be my portion for ever nothing but an eternal Separation from God and endless Torments with the Devil and his Angels Psal. 50. 22. Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Oh this is the means to awaken the Conscience and to affect the Heart with high and right thoughts of God What will be the end of those that goe far away from God if they do not make hast to come home to him eternal and merciless Vengeance for God will not always bear with forgetfull Sinners they shall be torn in pieces the Soul sent to Hell and the Body to the Grave Oh it concerneth the poor impenitent wretch that now goeth on fearless in a course of Sin immediately to stop in his march lest he be hurried away to the place of Torment and there be no escaping Now urge this upon the Heart and exercise your Thoughts in the remembrance of it and if you have overcome and overwrestled some former qualmes of Conscience now lay it to heart and doe so no more It may be the hour is at hand when God will take away your Souls from you and all your Sins shall be set in order before you and the stupid Conscience that is now senseless shall have a lively feeling of all your Rebellions and Unkindnesses done to God as the Paper which was but
same mind For he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from Sin that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God Now that this Resolution may be made knowingly and with the greater strength not onely with the strength of Inclination or our own resolved renewed Will but in the sense of God's Authority a strong belief is necessary that this course of life is pleasing to God 2. That we may hold on with God in an awfull watchfull serious course of Godliness it is necessary that the belief of the Commandments be deeply impressed upon us alas otherwise we shall be off and on forward and backward according to the impulsion of our own Inclinations and Affections and the sense of our Interest in the World Many of the Commandments are crossing to our natural Inclinations and corrupt Humours or contrary to our Interests in the World our Profit Pleasure and nothing will hold the heart to our Duty but the Conscience of God's Authority this is the Lord's Will then the gracious Soul submitteth 1 Thess. 4. 3. For this is the will of God even your Sanctification that ye should abstain from Fornication And 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men That is Reason enough and instead of all Reasons to a Believer to awe and charge his heart that we may not shift and distinguish our selves out of our Duty that we may shake off sloath and negligence much more deceits and fraudulency and corrupt Affection Many shifts will be studied by a naughty heart that dispense with our Credit Esteem Honour Preferment in the World for our loyalty to God nothing but a deep belief of the Sovereignty of God and the sight of his Will can be of sufficient power to the Soul when such Temptations arise and our Duties are so contrary to the inclinations of the Flesh Heb. 11. 8. By Faith Abraham when he was called to goe out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance he obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went and verse 17 18. By Faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac and he that had received the promises offered up his onely begotten Son Of whom it was said That in Isaac shall thy seed be called Gen. 12. 3. In thee shall all Families of the Earth be blessed Oh how have Believers need to bestir themselves upon such an occasion and to remember no evil can be compared with God's Wrath no earthly good with his Favour that transitory Delights are dearly bought if they endanger the Soul to compass them That the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8. 18. The ordinary experience of Believers in lesser Temptations is enough to evince this c. Use 1. Is for Reproof 1. That men do so little revive the belief of God's Commandments hence Sins of omission Iames 4. 17. Therefore to him that knoweth to doe good and doth it not to him it is Sin of Commission Ier. 8. 6. I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done every one turned to his course as the Horse rusheth into the battel Would men venture to break a known Law if they did consider that it was the Command of God that hath power to save and to destroy Surely want of Faith in the Precepts is a great cause of their coldness in Duty boldness in sinning Prov. 13. 13. Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the Commandment shall be rewarded Now any one would fear God's Commandment if he did consider it in all its Circumstances 2. Those that would strongly believe the Promises but weakly believe that part of the Word that requireth their Duty from them all for Privileges seldome reflect upon their own Qualification it is a good temper when both goe together Psal. 119. 166. I have hoped for thy Salvation and have done thy Commandments So Psalm 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his Mercy But when asunder all is naught God's Promises cannot comfort us if we be not of the number of them to whom they do belong Not onely consider what God is but what we are and what is required of us our Qualification as well as his Goodness our Duty as well as his Mercy Use 2. To believe the Commandments with a lively Faith we should be tender of disobeying God's Law The Law may be considered as a Covenant of Works or as a Rule of Life as a Covenant of Works so it is satisfied by Christ for those that have an interest in him and serveth to quicken us to get this interest in him as it is a Rule of Life so in the New Covenant we give up our selves to God to walk according to the Tenour of it as Israel by a voluntary submission Exod. 19. 8. All that the Lord hath spoken we will doe So in the Church of the New Testament we ingage our selves by a voluntary submission to walk according to the Will of God and confirm it by the Sacraments Baptism and the Lord's Supper Well then we are still to regard it as a binding Rule looking for Grace to perform it it is not onely a Rule given us for advice and direction but for a strong obligation to urge and inforce us to our Duty So Psalm 40. 8. Thy Law is in my heart I delight to doe thy will O God Use 3. Do we believe the Commandments Then 1. We will not please our selves with a naked Trust in the Promises while we neglect our Duty to God That which God hath joyned together no man must put asunder The Prophet saith Hos. 10. 11. Ephraim is an Heifer that is taught and loveth to tread out the Corn compared with Deut. 25. 4. Thou shalt not muzzel the Ox when he treadeth out the Corn. We are addicted to our own ease prize Comforts but loath Duty Oh make more Conscience of Obedience 2. Their Faith will be lively and operative cause to keep God's Charge and observe his Commandments otherwise it is but an Opinion and a dead Faith Iames 2. 20. Wilt thou know O vain man that Faith without Works is dead Many may discourse of the necessity of Duty that have little sense of it as the Children in the Furnace the fire had no power over them neither was one hair of their Heads singed nor their Coats changed not a Lust mortified no good by their strict Notions 3. They must be obeyed as God's Commands abstaining from evil because God forbiddeth it practising that which is good because God commandeth it Notitia voluntatis 1 Thess. 4. 3. This is the will of God even your Sanctification that ye should abstain from
your Interest When the main care is about your Souls you will value other losses the less as long as your Jewel is in safe hands 5. You must resign your Souls to God intirely without exception refer your selves to his Methods and let him take his own way to bring you to everlasting Glory When you do with quietness of heart put your Selves into God's hands as being perswaded of his Love and Faithfulness you will be the sooner satisfied in God's Providence seeing he doth all things well The Apostle bids them 1 Pet. 4. 19. Put your souls in Christ's hands and hold on your duty with courage and confidence chearfully and constantly You have no reason to doubt but Christ will take the custody and charge of the Soul that is committed to him 1 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed that he is able to keep that I have committed to him Venture your Souls in this bottom he hath power to keep it he hath pawned his Faithfulness in the Promise SERMON LXXXIV PSAL. CXIX 76. Let I pray thee thy mercifull kindness be for my comfort according to thy word unto thy Servant IN the foregoing Verse he had acknowledged that God had afflicted him and now he prayeth that God would comfort him The same hand that woundeth must heale and from whom we have our Affliction we must have our Comfort Hosea 6. 1. Come let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heale us he hath smitten and he will binde us up Affliction it is God's judicial Act a kind of putting the Creature in Prison which being done by the supream Judge who hath an absolute power to save and to destroy to ruine or pardon there is no breaking Prison or getting out without his leave He doth there not onely speak of Affliction but of the Justice and Faithfulness which God shewed in it 1. Justice Those that humbly confess the justice of his stroaks may with the more confidence implore his Mercy Judgement hath done its work when the Creature is humble and penitent There lieth an appeal then from the Tribunal of his Justice to the Throne of his Grace Though our Sins deserve Affliction yet there is Comfort in the mercifull Nature of God and the Promises of the Gospel David first acknowledgeth that he was justly afflicted and then he flyeth to Mercy and beggeth Comfort 2. He observeth also a Faithfulness in all God's Dispensations he doth not afflict his Children to destroy them but to prepare them for the greater Comfort As one of his Children and Servants David sueth out his priviledge God that is just and true will also be kind and mercifull To have Judgement without Mercy and Desolation without Consolation is the Portion of the Wicked but Lord saith he I am thy Servant Therefore I pray thee let thy mercifull kindness be for my comfort So that you see this Request is fitly grafted upon the former Acknowledgment In it observe 1. The original Cause of all the good which we expect Thy mercifull loving kindness 2. The Effect now sued for be for my comfort or to comfort me 3. The Instrument or means of obtaining it which is double 1. On God's part The Word According to thy Word 2. On our part Prayer Let I pray thee 1. In the Word there is the relief discovered and offered and thereby we are incouraged and assured 2. On our part there is Prayer In which we act Faith and spiritual Desire 3. We have hope given in the Word and we sue it out by Prayer 4. The Subject capacitated to receive this effect from that Cause in this order Thy Servant Doct. That the people of God have liberty and much incouragement from God's mercifull Nature and Promises to ask comfort in their Afflictions This Point will be best discussed by going over the parts and branches of the Text as they have been laid forth to you 1. The primary and principal cause of all Comfort is the mercifull kindness of God We reade in the 2 Cor. 1. 3. That he is the Father of Mercies and then it presently followeth That he is the God of all Comfort The remedy of all our Evils lyeth in the Mercy of God And his Kindness and Goodness is the Fountain of all our Blessedness I shall inquire 1. What his mercifull kindness is 2. What special incouragement this is to the People of God First What his mercifull kindness is you see here is a compound Word which importeth both his pity and his bounty Here is mercifulness and kindness mentioned First His mercifulness Mercy hath its name from misery Misericordia is nothing else but the laying of the misery of others to heart with intention of affording them relief and succour In God it noteth his readiness to do good to the miserable notwithstanding Sin The motion cometh from within from his own Breast and Bowels For our God is pitifull and of tender mercy James 5. 11. and the act of it is extended and reached out unto the Creature in seasonable relief For the Throne of Grace was erected for this purpose Heb. 4. 11. Two things there are in mercy First A propension and inclination to commiserate the afflicted Secondly A ready relief and succour of them according to our power affectus effectus First There is a compassion or a being affected with the misery of others This properly cannot be in God in whom as there is no passion so strictly speaking there is no compassion yet something Analagous there is a taking notice of our misery Something like a pity arising in his heart upon the sight of it which the Scripture frequently ascribeth to God and we can best understand as we consider the Divine perfections shining forth in the humane nature of Christ. Exod. 2. 24. He heard their groaning and Isa. 63. 4. In all their afflictions he was afflicted Judges 10. 16. His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel Forms of Speech taken from the manner of men who use to be thus affected when they see a miserable object God in his simple and perfect Nature cannot be said either to joy or grieve but he carrieth himself as one thus affected Or these expressions were laid in aforehand to suit with the Divine perfections as manifested in Christ who is touched with a feeling of our infirmities Secondly Mercy noteth the actual exhibition of help and relief to the miserable When his people cry to him he runneth to the cry Psal. 78. 38. He being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not yea many a time turned he his anger away and did not stir up all his wrath Mark there Gods forgiving the iniquity was not inflicting the temporal punishment or destroying the sinner presently the cause of all was not any good in the sinner but pity in God that moved him to spare them for the time So he doth sometimes for those that cry to him but in a natural manner as a
to the Creature Christians if we meet with any change in our outward condition any new impediments oppositions and discouragements that we were not aware of when we first entred into our Oath it was our rashness for we should sit down and count the charges we should allow for it The first Article of the New Covenant was that we should deny our selves Mat. 16. 24. and after Vows we should not make enquiry but before Prov. 20. 25. When we are bound we must take our lot and hazard and whatever comes we must perform them to God 2. Because our Oath is a further aggravation of our sin therefore better never swear than not to keep it Eccles. 5. 5. Better it is that thou should'st not vow than vow and not pay God is mocked by an Oath and a Covenant when it is not observed A man that refuseth to be listed doth not meet with the like punishment as he that runs from his Colours so he that never came under the Oath of God doth not sin so much as he that hath sworn to his Covenant that which is but simple Fornication in the Gentiles in Christians it is Adultery breach of Vow Indeed in things that are absolutely and indispensibly necessary to salvation we are bound to consent ay but when a consent thus solemnly made is broken it aggravates the sin but when we shall be like the man in the Gospel that was possest with the Devil whom no chains could hold fast when neither the bond of duty nor the bonds of our own Oaths and Engagements will hold us but we break all Cords the greater is our rebellion and disobedience to God 3. Therefore must we perform the Obedience that we have sworn to God because God hath been ever a severe and just avenger of breach of Covenants by way of argument à minori ad majus those made with man and therefore certainly he will avenge his Covenant so solemnly made with himself and everywhere in Scripture you will find it is propounded as a sure mark of vengeance When one man hath sworn to another and hath called upon the Most High God to confirm that Covenant that he makes with him if there be a failure a trespass though it be in point of Omission God hath avenged that Covenant An instance for this you have Amos 1. 9. For three transgressions of Tyrus and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom and remembred not the brotherly Covenant Tyrus and Iudah they were in Covenant one with another a mutual League offensive and defensive that were solemnly sworn now though God had many causes of his vengeance and many quarrels with Tyrus because of their Idolatries but chiefly because of breach of Covenant they forgat the friendship that was between the children of Israel and Iudah and did not assist the people of Iudah as they should and were bound to do but suffer'd them to be led into captivity and spoil'd by the Edomites and other Nations So for a sin of Commission it is spoken of as a mark of sore vengeance Psal. 55. 20. He hath put forth his hand against such as be at peace with him he hath broken his covenant In those faederal Transactions and Oaths that pass between Man and Man God takes himself to be specially interessed and will see that the breach of them be severely punish'd The next step is not only between Equals but when a Covenant hath been made with Servants and poor Underlings and would not set them free at the year of Jubilee see how severely God threatens them Ier. 34. 16 17 18. for the breach of it nay a Covenant made with Enemies Ezek. 17. 18 19. Nay carry it one gradation higher though the Covenant were extorted by fraud as the Covenant made vvith the Gibeonites Josh. 9. 19 20. They vvere part of the Canaanites and God severely enjoin'd the Israelites that they should cut off all those Nations yet vvhen they craftily got them into Covenant vvhen this people vvere vvronged by Saul the Lord takes notice of it 2 Sam. 21. 1 2 3. see hovv God judgeth for them there vvere three years Famine and Pestilence vvhich vvas not appeased until Saul's Sons vvere hang'd before the Sun Novv the Lord hath ever been such a severe avenger of an Oath betvveen Man and Man betvveen his People and their Servants betvveen his People and their Enemies and vvhen extorted from them certainly in such a solemn Covenant as he hath made betvveen us and himself and that in things absolutely necessary in things enjoin'd before the Covenant vvas made it is not safe to break vvith God Ananias vvhen he vovv'd a thing to the Lord though he vvas free before God strikes him dead It is not free vvith us vvhether vve vvill obey yea or no vvhat is enjoin'd upon upon us therefore vvhen vve vvill break vvith God vvhat shall vve expect but that he should avenge the quarrel of his Covenant SERMON CXV PSAL. CXIX VER 106. I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments Doctr. 4. I Now come to the fourth Point That our Oath of Obedience to God should be often revived and renewed upon us David recognizes and takes notice of the Oath wherein he was bound to God and here he renews it again I will perform it It should be so 1. Because we are apt to forget and not have such a lively sense of a thing long since done so that we either break the Oath or perform our duty very negligently our old Baptismal Covenant we are apt to forget it especially by being under the Bond of it in Innocency and dedicated to God by the act of another viz. our Parents The Apostle instanceth in those that were baptized in grown years 2 Pet. 1. 9. he intimates they were apt to forget they were purged from their old sins I suppose it relates to Baptism in that Clause forgotten his Baptismal Vow and obligation of renouncing his sin and giving himself to the service of the Lord and therefore there should be a purpose to revive it upon our heart and the obligation should ever and anon be made new and fresh to quicken us to our duty 2. This forgetfulness it will cost us dear it will be an occasion of many and great troubles Iacob had forgotten his Vows of building an Altar at Bethel God quickens him to his duty by sharp affliction Gen. 35. 1. Arise go up to Bethel c. God was fain to quicken him with a scourge Sampson when his Vow was broken into how many dangers is he thrown into taken and bound and made a sport of by the Philistines God will rub up the memories of his servants by some sharp and severe dispensations of his Providence when they are not sensible of their Vow and Faith plighted to God Never forget your obligation to God Deut. 4. 23. Take heed to your selves
our Cause as his own Psal. 9. 4. For thou hast maintained my right and my cause and in his own time and manner will shew it to the world and justifie us against our enemies Oh how should our hearts rejoyce in this that he will be the party responsible make our Cause his own and be liable to the Suit as a Debtor is to the Creditor He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Zach. 2. 8. He that despiseth you despiseth me Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 4. And Isai. 63. 8. And he said Surely they are my people Children that will not lye so he was their Saviour Fifthly God is a sufficient Surety Here we may consider two things The satisfaction of Christ and The power of Gods Providence in respect of both which he is a Pledge and Surety every way sufficient for our comfort safety and deliverance 1. I would not leave out Christs satisfaction though it lye not so full in this Text for as God hath a hand in all our sufferings and all our affairs are determined in an higher Court this satisfaction is necessary to answer the Controversy and Quarrel of Gods Justice against us Thus Christ the Second Person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Surety Heb. 7. 22. Christ is the surety of a better testament There is a double sort of Surety by way of caution and satisfaction as Sureties in case of Debt and Sureties for good behaviour the one for what is past the other for what is to come The example of the one we have in Paul for Onesimus Phil. 18. If he hath wronged or owed thee ought put it upon my account I Paul have written it with mine own hand and I will repay it An example of the other we have in Iudah for Benjamin Gen. 43. 9. I will be Surety for him at mine hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee then let me bear the blame for ever In both these respects Christ is a Surety he is our Surety as a Surety undertaketh for another to pay his debt and he is our Surety as he hath undertaken that his redeemed ones shall keep Gods Laws be carried safe to Heaven Of his Suretiship by way of caution we speak now Though Theodoret understand that in the Text undertake for me that I shall keep thy Laws but 't is more proper to consider the Speech as it referreth to the payment of our debt by virtue of this Suretiship Solomon hath assured us Prov. 11. 15. that he that is Surety for another shall smart for it or be broken and bruised The same word is used concerning Christ Isai. 53. 10. he was our Surety and was bruised and broken suffered what we should have suffered we have a right to appear to Gods Justice but our Surety having made a full satisfaction for us God will not exact the Debt twice of the Surety and the Principal When the Ram was taken Isaac was let go Iob 33. 24. Deliver him from going down to the pit for I have found a ransom Well then as our punishment is a due Debt to Gods Justice the Lord Christ undertaketh or is become a Surety for us not only our Advocate to plead our Cause but our Surety to pay our Debt from a Judge become a party and bound to pay what we owe Isai. 53. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs 2. The power of Gods Providence If God undertake for us his Bail is sufficient none of our enemies can resist his Almighty power surely he is able to deal with our enemies Isai. 23. 4. Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battel they are matter to feed the fire not to quench it He rescueth us just as going to prison If he put himself a pledge between us and our enemies he will defeat all their oppositions and machinations against us and stand between us and danger as an able Bail or Surety doth between the Creditor and poor Debtor Well then Suretiship as it noteth our necessity so Gods engagement and his ability and faithfulness to do what he undertaketh We must set God against the enemies Isai. 51. 13. And forgettest the Lord thy Maker he hath stretched forth the Heavens and laid the foundation of the Earth and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressour as if he were ready to destroy and where is the fury of the oppressour Dan. 3. 17. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace We have the Almighty to be our Saviour and Protector why are you afraid of a man God against man is great odds if we had Faith to see it man is mortal God is immortal man is a poor weak Creature but God is Almighty what is he not able to do for us Surely he will not leave his friends in the lurch his power is such that he is able to keep us safe and sound II. The Reasons Why we have leave and encouragement to desire God to interpose 1. From Gods Covenant where in the general there is a mutual engaging to be each others In our several capacities we engage to stand by God and owne his Cause and God is engaged to stand by us We make over our selves Bodies Souls Interests all to God God quantus quantus est as great as he is is all ours therefore if he be ours we may pray him to appear for us and owne us in our distress and trouble Our friend is a friend in distress A gracious heart by virtue of this mutual and interchangeable Indenture appears for God and taketh his Cause though never so hated as its own The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me Psal. 6. 9. We are his Witnesses Isai. 43. 10. Surely it is too high a word for the Creature but God taketh our Cause as his is Surety for us by virtue of the general tenour of the Covenant he is our God jure venit in auxilium nostrum his Covenant engageth him to undertake for us More particularly God undertaketh to defend and maintain his people as to be a rewarder so to be a defender Gen. 15. 1. I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward And Psal. 84. 11. For the Lord is a Sun and a shield This defence is sometimes expressed with respect to the violence of assaults in the world by the Notion of a shield So with respect to the process of the Law by the Notion of a Surety Isai. 52. 3. we have the term of a Redeemer So that we have leave to pray him to fulfil his Covenant Engagement 2. Gods affection is such that he will refuse no office that may be for his peoples comfort We are often disswaded from Suretiship especially for strangers by the wise man by great vehemency and instance Prov. 6. 1 2. My son if thou be surety for thy friend if thou hast stricken thy hand
with a stranger thou art snared with the words of thy mouth Prov. 11. 15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it Prov. 17. 18. A man void of understanding striketh hands and becometh surety in the presence of his friend Prov. 20. 16. Take his Garment that is surety for a stranger Prov. 22. 26 27. Be not thou one of them that strike hands or of them that are sureties for debts if thou hast nothing to pay why should he take the bed from under thee And in other places Our pity is stirred towards a man that is like to be undone and ruined therefore there is such disswading from suretiship and hath not God a greater pity over the afflictions of his people He pities the afflictions of them that suffer most justly yea far below their desert Iudg. 10. 16. His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel 2 Kings 14. 26. For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel that it was very bitter for there was not any shut up nor any left nor any helper for Israel How much more will he pity them that are unjustly oppressed of men Acts 7. 34. I have seen the afflictions of my people which is in Egypt and have heard their groanings and am come down to deliver them His bowels worketh God loveth his people better than they love themselves fide-jube Domine pro servo 3. Our relation to him I am thy servant and I know thou art a good Master and he is our Sovereign Lord and therefore hath undertaken to provide for us the master was to be the servants Patronus God hath found us work and he will find us defence This is the Argument of the Text Be Surety for thy Servant We are employed in his work engaged in his Cause If a rich man set a poor man at work as to dig such a Ditch if he be afterward troubled for it the rich man is concerned to bear him out Psal. 116. 16. O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant and the son of thy Handmaid Whilest we are engaged about our masters business and in his work he is engaged to protect us and bear us out in it 4. Our very running to him and committing our selves into his hands is an engaging God Psal. 86. 2. Preserve my soul for I am holy O thou my God save thy servant that trusteth in thee Psal. 10. 14. The poor committeth himself unto thee thou art the helper of the fatherless Employ God and find him work he will not fail to do what he is entrusted with Psal. 57. 1. Be merciful unto me O God be merciful unto me for my soul trusteth in thee yea in the shadow of thy wing will I make my refuge until these calamities be over-past God taketh it well that we should make bold with him in this kind and tell him how we trust him and expect relief from him Nothing is so dishonourable to God nor vexatious to us as the disappointment of trust An ingenuous man will not fail his friend that doth trust and rely upon him much less will a faithful God fail those that look to him and depend upon him for help Use Is advice to us what we should do in our deep distresses and troubles when able to do nothing for our selves God will be Surety that is make our Cause his own 1. As your matters depend in an higher Court and with respect to your own guilt and sin which hath cast you into these troubles acknowledge your debt but look upon Christ as your Surety who gave himself a ransome for us The Controversie between God and us must be taken up by submission on our parts for God is an enemy that cannot be overcome but must be reconciled The way is not to persist in the Contest and stand it out but beg terms of peace for Christs sake 2 Chron. 6. 38 39. If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul then hear thou from the Heavens even from thy dwelling place their prayers and supplications and maintain their Cause and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee Job 5. 8. I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my Cause 2. As your danger lyeth with men acknowledge your impotency but consider who is your Surety and will take your part against the instruments that have had a hand in your trouble First God who hath such a pity over his suffering servants is ready ever to do them good Psal. 35. 1. Plead my Cause O Lord with them that strive with me fight against them that fight against me He is in such full relation and so fast bound to them that they may not be weary and impatient and swallowed up of despair he will interpose God seeth our sufferings heareth our groans suffereth together with us and is afflicted in all our afflictions believe it assuredly that he will take the matter into his own hand and be the party responsible Psal. 140. 12. I know that the Lord will maintain the Cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor Wo be to them that would not have God for their party joined in the Cause of the afflicted God hath given assurance of his protection not by words only but by deeds Prov. 22. 23. The Lord will plead their Cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them He hath past his word and he will do it Prov. 23. 11. For their redeemer is mighty he shall plead their Cause with thee 'T is his title Isai. 51. 22. Thus saith thy Lord the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the Cause of his people not by a verbal or local but a real and active Plea Ezek. 38. 22. And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood and I will rain upon him and upon his bands and the people that are with him an overflowing rain and great hail-stones fire and brimstone And Isai. 40. 8. He is near that justifieth me who will contend with me let us stand together who is mine adversary let him come near to me that is let him join issue with me commence his Suit in Law We should be confident upon Gods undertaking Ier. 50. 34. Their redeemer is strong the Lord of Host is his name he shall thoroughly plead their Cause that he may give rest to the land 'T is a great ease in affliction to commit our Cause unto God and put our affairs into his hand 2. God who hath such power we need not fear any opposite if God be our Surety Psal. 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Psal. 46. 1 2. God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble therefore will not we fear though the Earth be removed and the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea a resolution to adhere to God and his truth
whatever cometh if they be mighty God is mightier if they be crafty God is wiser 'T is a great crime to fear men so as not to trust in God 't is a great sin to fear men so as not to fear God when we comply with them in things displeasing to God this is to set men above God Secondly We come to the limitation end or fruit of this suretiship For good There are three Expositions of this Clause as noting the end the cause the event 1. Undertake for me ut sim bonus justus so Rabbi Arama on the place be surety for me that I may be good Theodoret expounds it Undertake that I shall make good my resolution of keeping thy Law He that enjoineth undertaketh though we have precepts and promises without Gods undertaking we shall never be able to perform our Duty 2. In good so some read it God would not take his part in an evil Cause to commend a wrong Cause to Gods protection is to provoke him to hasten our punishment to make us serve under our Oppressours But when we have a good Cause and a good Conscience he will owne us we cannot expect he should maintain us and bear us out in the Devils service wherein we have intangled our selves by our own sin 3. For good so 't is often rendered Psal. 86. 17. Shew me a token for good Jer. 14. 11. Pray not for this people for good So Neh. 13. 31. Remember me O my God for good So here Be surety for thy servant for good Doctr. We should only desire the interposing of Gods Providence so as may be for good to us I shall first give you the Reasons and then give you some Rules concerning this good here mentioned Reason 1. Because then we pray according to Gods undertaking Psal. 34. 10. But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing they may want food want rayment want many things but they shall want no good thing Psal. 84. 11. No good thing will he withhold He may keep us low and bare withhold many temporal mercies from us feed us from hand to mouth and short Commons may be sweet and wholesome and deny to give us larger revenues and incomes If they were good for us we should have them God withholds these things so as our need and good doth require Ier. 24. 5. Whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Caldeans for their good Their Captivity was for good Reas. 2. Because then we pray according to the new Nature old Nature would have ease the new Nature would have Grace the flesh would be pleased but the spirit would be profited and God hears not the voice of the flesh but spirit in prayer Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God 2. Let me give you some Rules 1. This good is not always the good of the flesh not always the good of prosperity Sometimes the good of prosperity may be good Prov. 24. 25. But to them that rebuke him shall be delight and a good blessing shall come upon them A good blessing shall come upon them that plead Gods Cause against the wicked There is the blessing of prosperity-good and adversity-good All good is more or less so as it cometh near or less near the chiefest good therefore that is good that tendeth to make us spiritually better more like to God and capable of Communion with him Lam. 3. 27. It is good for a man that he bear the Yoke in his youth That is good which conduceth to our everlasting good 2. God knoweth what is better for us than we do our selves We ask a Knife wherewith to cut our selves It would be the greatest misery if God should always carve out our condition according to our own fancy we would soon pray our selves into a snare if our will were the rule of our prayers and ask that which would be cruelty in God to grant I will give you an instance in Lot Gen. 19. 17 18. Make haste escape to the mountain lest thou be consumed I cannot saith he escape to the mountain behold now this City is near it is but a little one and my soul shall live Lot presenteth his own fancy to Gods counsel and choice for him this little place was in the Plain he was perswaded the shower of brimstone would overtake him before he got thither Often 't is thus with us though God should command and we obey we lift up our will above his and doat upon our own fancies and will prescribe to God think 't is better to live by sense than by faith This mountain was the weaker Border of the Plain Now this was weakness in Lot surely God that had took him out of Sodom by the hand of the Angels strucken the Sodomites with blindness which was an instance of Gods great power and goodness to him Now compare the seventeenth and eighteenth Verses with the thirtieth Verse And Lot went out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountain he and his two Daughters with him for he feared to dwell in Zoar and he dwelt in a Cave he and his two Daughters Mark here when God biddeth him go to the mountain then he goeth to Zoar when God gave him leave to tarry in Zoar then he goes and dwells in the mountain he was afraid in Zoar when he saw the horrible desolation of all the Country about it Now see the ill success of his own choice and how badly we provide for our selves A little time will shew us our sin and folly his abode in the mountain drew him to incest Another instance Hos. 13. 11. I gave them a King in mine anger and took him away in my wrath God may let things succeed with us to our hurt If we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us 1 John 5. 14. God is a God of wisdom he knoweth certainly what will be good for us He is a God of Bowels and loveth us dearly and will certainly cast all things for the best therefore God is to be Judge both for time and kind of our deliverance otherwise we may meet with wrath in every condition whether we want or have our will but if we referr it to him we shall never want what is best for us The Shepherd must chuse our Pastures whether lean or fat bare or full grounds the Child is not to be governed by his fancy but the Fathers discretion nor the sick man by his own fancy but the Physicians skill our will is not the chief reason of all things 3. That which is not good may be good and though for the present we see it not yet we shall see it though not good in its nature it may be good in its fruit Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God a little faith and a
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
to plead and standeth to judge his people He will bring matters under a Review and will powerfully shew himself against their Oppressors To this pleading Iob alludeth when he saith Iob 23. 6. Will he plead against me with his great power if he should use his Almighty and Invincible power against me he would easily ruine me So Ezek. 38. 22. I will plead against him with Pestilence and with Blood against Gog and Magog that is the Sythians Turks and Tartars So that you see that God's pleading is not by speaking or by Word of Mouth but by the Veugeance of his Providence against those that wrong his people So against Babylon Ier. 51. 36. Thus saith the Lord Behold I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee But that this is a mixt act of Patron and Judge see Micah 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and execute Iudgment for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his Righteousness When Gods People provoke him to anger by their sins he casteth them into Troubles and then their Adversaries are Chief and their Cause is much darkned and obscured all this while God is pleading against them but it is not the Enemies Quarrel but his own Vindication of abused Mercy and Goodness but when once the controversie is taken up between God and them by their Submission and clearing his Justice and imploring his Mercy then God will plead their Cause and take their part against the instruments of his Vengeance and clear their righteous cause who only sought their own ends in afflicting them when God hath exercised their Humility and Patience he will thus do and how I pray you will he plead for them the Text saith there by executing Judgment for them that is by putting his sentence in Execution and then will restore to them their wonted priviledges and own them in the publick view of all and make manifest they are his he will bring them forth to the Light and they shall see his Righteousness 3. The Effect of God's pleading which is the clearing of God's people and the convincing of their Adversaries which God doth partly by the Eminency and Notableness of the Providences whereby he delivereth his people and the markes of his Favour put upon them Nehem. 6. 16. And it came to pass that when all our Enemies heard thereof and all the Heathen that were about us saw these things they were much cast down in their own eyes for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God Their own Judgments were convinced of their folly in opposing the Iews the extraordinary success shewed the hand of God was in it by such incredible and remarkable occurrences doth God bring about their deliverance So Micah 7. 10. When God shall plead her cause then she that is mine enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which said unto me where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be trodden dâ—…wil as the mire of the streets Those who mocked her Faith should be confounded at the sight of her Deliverance Thus God delights to make the happiness of his people Conspicuous So Rev. 3. 9. Behold I will make them which are of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Iews and are not but do lie behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee He will make their Enemies to know that he hath loved them and ask them forgiveness for the wrongs and outrages done to them Partly by the Convictions of his Spirit undeceiving the World and reproving them for the hatred and malice against his People Ioh. 16. 8. The Comforter when he is come shall reprove the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Iudgment The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Comfort but Convince or Reprove put them to silence so as they shall not in Reason gainsay The Object the World the Unconverted if not the Reprobate The things whereof Convinced of Sin and Righteousness and Judgment of the Truth of Christs Person and Doctrine This was spoken for the Comfort of the Disciples who were to go abroad and beat the Devil out of his Territories by the Doctrine of the Cross that were weak men destitute of all Worldly sufficiencies and Props and Aids Their Master suffered as a seducer their Doctrine cross to mens carnal Interests for them in this manner to venture upon the raging World was a heavy discouraging thing Now the Spirit should come and convince the opposing World so far that some terrified before brought to Evangelical Repentance Acts 2. 37. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart soon desire to share in their great Priviledge Acts 8. 18 19. And when Simon saw that through laying on the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was given he offered them money saying Give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost but he was yet in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Some almost perswaded Acts 26. 28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian. Some forced to magnifie them who did not joyn with them Acts 5. 13. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them but the people magnified them Some would have worshipped them being yet Pagans Acts 14. 11 13. And when the people saw what Paul had done they lift up their voices saying in the speech of Lycaonia the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men Then the Priests of Iupiter which was before their City brought Oxen and Garlands to the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people Others bridled that were afraid to meddle with them Acts 5. 34 35. Then stood there up one in the Council a Pharisee named Gamaliel a Doctor of Law had in reputation among all the people and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space and said unto them Ye men of Israel take heed to your selves what ye intend to do as touching these men That Christ that Messias that Righteous Person one able to Vanquish the Devil thus without any visible force and with mere Spiritual Weapons by this conviction of the Spirit did the Lord subdue the World to the owning and receiving Christs Kingdom at least not go on in an high hand to oppose it God cleared Christ as righteous and Lord. II. The Necessity of this pleading 1. Because the People of God are often in such a Condition that none will plead their Cause unless the Lord plead it and therefore we are driven to him as our Judge and Patron God's design is not to gain the World by Pomp and Force but by spiritual Evidence and Power and therefore as to Externals it is often worse with his People than with others for the World is upon their Tryal and
will save thy Children And from the mouth of the wicked Psal. 5. 15. He saveth the poor from the sword and from their mouth and from the hand of the mighty From slanders that may endanger their Life and Credit So ver 21. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the Tongue from their bitter reproaches Therefore commit your cause to God But then 1. Be sure that your Cause be good for God will not be the Patron of Sin unless he hath passed sentence for us in his Word it is boldness to appeal to him as Baalam that would hire God by sacrifices to Curse his People Hasty Appeals to God in our passion and revengeful humours are a great dishonour to him Sarah Appealed Gen. 15. 3. The Lord judge between me and thee And David Appealed 1 Sam. 24. 15. The Lord therefore be judge and judge between thee and me and see and plead my cause and deliver me out of thy hand But there was more of justice in Davids Appeal in the case between him and Saul than in Sarahs Appeal in the case between her and Abraham it would have been ill for her if God had taken her at her word it sheweth that even Gods Children are too apt to intitle him to their private passions 2. Let us be sure that there be no Controversie between God and our Persons when yet our Cause is good The Israelites had a good Cause Iudges 20. but there was once and again a great slaughter made of them before they had reconciled themselves to God There must be a good Conscience as well as a good Cause otherwise God will plead his Controversie against us before he will plead our Controversie against our Enemies Ier. 2. 35. yet thou sayest because I am innocent surely his anger will turn from me behold I will plead with thee because thou sayest I have not sinned Because we have a good Cause we think God hath no cause to be angry with us therefore he will first plead in Judgment against us So Hos. 12. 2. The Lord hath also a controversie with Iudah and will punish Iacob according to his wayes according to his doings will he recompence him Though God may approve what is right in Worship and Profession yet he will punish our shameful disorders and unanswerable walking in his People 3. Let us Pray in a right manner with Confidence with Earnestness 1. Confidence that God will plead our Cause when he seeth it good and for his own Glory whether there be any likelyhood of it yea or no for he hath promised to support the weak and humble and protect the innocent against their Oppressors Psal. 140. 12. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor God is party with you not against you and leave him to his own wayes and means Faith should support us when sense yieldeth little comfort and hope He knoweth how to justifie your Cause and deliver your Persons and you should know that he will do it and can do it though the way be not evident to you and God seem to sit still for a while 2. Earnestly Oh be not cold in the Churches suit if you be Sions Friends and are willing to take share and lot with Gods people awaken him by your incessant cryes Nay it is God's Cause Psal. 74. 22. Arise O Lord plead thine own cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee dayly The Godly are not maligned for their Sins but their Righteousness So Psal. 35. 23. Stir up thy self and awake to my Iudgment even unto my cause my God and my Lord. There is a long suit depending between the Church of God and her Enemies desire that God would determine it and declare what is Right and what is Wrong Secondly He beggeth God in the Text to Redeem or Deliver him the Word in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the usual word for Goel Redeemer the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ransom me Here he craveth that as his Cause might be in safety so his Person Doctrine We may beg a Deliverance or a Release from our Troubles provided we do not beg it out of an impatiency of the Flesh but a desire of Gods Glory God delights to be imployed in this work what hath he been doing all along in all Ages of the World but delivering his People from those that oppressed them He delivered Iacob from the Fury of Esau Ioseph from the Malice of his Brethren Gen. 37. 21. And Reuben heard it and he delivered him out of their hands saying let us not kill him Daniel from the Lions Den Dan. 6. 22. My God hath sent his Angel and hath shut the Lions mouths that they have not hurt me forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me and also before thee O King have I done no hurt Peter from Prison Acts 12. 11. And when Peter was come to himself he said now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his Angel and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Iews And will not he do the like for his suffering Servants how came his hand to be out He delivered Israel out of Egypt out of Babylon he can do it again it doth not cost him much labour Psal. 68. 2. As smoke is driven away so drive them away as wax melteth before the fire so let the wicked perish at the presence of God Therefore refer your deliverance to God and when you are in a way of Duty be not thoughtful about it there is a price payed for it Christ redeemed us from Temporal Adversity so far as it may be a snare to us God hath his Times we may see it unless he hath a mind to sweep away the unthankful and froward generation that provoked him to so much Anger Numb 14. 22 23. Because all those men that have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt in the wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkned unto my voice surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their Fathers neither shall any of them that provoked me see it Ier. 29. 31 32. Thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you and I sent him not and he caused you to trust in a lye therefore thus saith the Lord behold I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his seed he shall not have a man to dwell among this people neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my People saith the Lord because he hath taught Rebellion against the Lord. It may be we may be more broken and afflicted first Deut. 32. 36. For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left Oh let us desire to see the good of
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