are likely to be Cruel because Profane When the Fear of God is layed aside and all respect to his Word there is nothing to be expected but the worst of Evils They mind not thy Law therefore care not what Mischief they do me 2. To increase his Confidence of help For God will not favour a Corrupt Party Psal. 139. 19. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked O God Psal. 94. 10. The throne of wickedness hath no fellowship with thee Doctrine The iniquity of Persecutors is some matter of Confidence to the Oppressed As David from those that drew near to mischief him conceiveth some incouragement Because they were far from Gods Law There are several Considerations 1. Usually the Servants of God have been most hated and troubled by the worst of Men so it usually falls out that the worst and most virulent Enemies of Religion are those that are infamous for other Crimes They have the greatest pike against them because they cannot endure the Righteousness of Gods Image on them Psal. 38. 20. They are my Adversaries because I follow the thing that good is So Ioh. 7. 7. The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works thereof are evil 2. You may take notice of this wickedness and represent it so to God For he is the Judge of the World and it concerneth him to cut short their power to do mischief that have such a ready principle to act it and are likely to have no other restraints than God layeth upon them by his Providence and the Interest of their Affairs But of this before about aggravating the Danger 3. When we do so be sure the thing be true That they are not only injurious to us but open Enemies to God and Godliness before we speak thus of those that hate us or work any Trouble to us in the World As long as the Cause will admit of a favourable Construction we should take heed of such Suggestions I observe this the rather because man is so partial to himself that whosoever are Enemies to him he presently thinketh they are enemies to Godliness And therefore when we pass our Judgment on any Person and Cause it had need be conformed to Truth for otherwise it argueth great irreverence towards God to make him Conscious to our Revenges and private Passions Psal. 139. 21 22 23 24. We had need try our Cause when Gods quarrel and our interest are joyned that there be not some dregs of private Spleen and rash Censurings mixed therewith and that Passion doth not rule us but Duty in these Complaints and that it is not our own Interest but Gods Quarrel they being open Enemies to him And therefore we must be confident that such as we pray against are in a wicked condition and ingaged in an evil Course 4. When this is clear there is some Comfort and Confidence in the badness of our Enemies 1. Because God and we are ingaged in a common Cause for our Adversaries are against God as well as against us Now it is better to be afflicted by them than to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness or to cry up a confederacy with them that cry up a confederacy against God Psal. 139. 22. 2. 'T is a great satisfaction to us to be opposed by evil Men or common Enemies of the power of Godliness Certainly it would be more grievous to us to be oppressed by them that have a show of Godliness than the openly profane Psal. 55. 12 13. the worst that a professed enemy can do is more tolerable than the injury of a Friend It importeth a dishonour to be opposed by the good as having an ill Cause in hand or unworthy to be assisted but it helpeth to make the Cause more clear when we see what kind of Persons we have to do withal such as we cannot but count wicked because they have no regard to Gods Law Our Cause would not be so clear if it were with them that fear God 3. The more wicked they are the more ripe for Judgment especially if they be a corrupt party in the Visible Church For where we perceive wickedness to Reign there we may be sure Destruction will follow Use. Well then when ever this falleth out mind God of it and be not discouraged An ill Cause will not always prevail Only let us be prepared for Deliverance as they are ripe for Destruction Otherwise none so bad but good enough to make a Rod to scourge Gods Children And then have Patience such are our Enemies as are Gods also they are far from Obedience to Gods Law SERMON CLXIX PSALM CXIX VER 151. Thou art near O Lord and all thy Commandments are truth IN the former Verse the Enemies are represented as near and near to do Mischief but far from the Law of God Here in the Text there is somewhat put in opposition to both 1. For their nearness to do Mischief God is near to help 2. They are far off from the Law the Man of God asserteth that God's Commandments are Truth All their contempt of the Law did not abate and lessen his Esteem of it so that the summ of the Verse is That the Enemies cannot be so ready to hurt as God is to help and deliver they cannot go about to defeat Promises as God will go about to fulfil them Mark he compareth the readiness of wicked men to hurt with the readiness of God their Contempt of the Word with the Truth of the Word or God's Justification of it In short in the Verse we may observe two branches I. Something spoken of God And II. Something of his Law I. That which is spoken of God is That he is near a present help to those that persist in the Obedience of his Will for nearness doth not only import his favour or Inclination to help them but that he will not delay his help too long his help is at hand therefore called a present help in trouble Psal. 46. 1. and the Lord is at my right hand Psal. 16. 8. Ready as our Second in all Conflicts to stand by us support and comfort us in our Troubles yea to deliver us that is the Notion of nearness in the Text near as the Enemies are near onely he is near to defend as they are near to destroy when to appearance Danger is nearest at the same time help and salvation is nearest also and this doth allay all our Cares and Fears Phil. 4. 5 6. The Lord is at hand therefore be careful for nothing Still present by his Providence or hastening his second coming Rev. 22. 20. I come quickly I rather quote that place for the Septuagint have it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore he bids us be careful for nothing certainly the belief of God's nearness should incourage us 2. That which is said of his Word and Law is Thy Commandments are Truth one would think it had been more
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
according to the Analogy of Faith and there is not a more powerful incentive of Duty Psal. 130. 5. There is forgiveness with thee that thou maist be feared Jer. 2. 11 12. The Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable Service This is true Divinity The flesh deviseth another Doctrine let us Sin that Grace may abound to make a carnal Pillow of Gods Mercy that they may sleep securely in sin yea a Dung-cart to carry away their filth God is Merciful but to those that count sin a burden and misery God is slow to Anger but yet angry when provoked abused Patience kindleth into Fury as water when the mouth of the Fountain or course of the River is stopped breaketh out with more violence God hath his Arrows of Displeasure to shoot at the wicked you must not fancy a God all Honey all sweetness He is the Father of Mercies but so that he is also a God of Vengeance Psal. 68. 19 20. Blessed be the Lord who daily leadeth us with Benefits even the God of our Salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of Salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from Death But God shall wound the hairy scalpe of his Enemies the mercy of God is large and free if men do not make themselves uncapable by their Impenitency 4. We must beg 1. The Application of these to me also We have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings 1 Kings 20. 31. Now we would feel it 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a Faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief Wind in our selves within the Covert of a Promise enter at the back door of a Promise there comes Virtue from Christ if but touched the Woman came behind him and touched the hem of his garment so we must seek the Application of this Vertue 2. Effectual Application Let it come unto me Mercy cometh unto us or we shall never come unto it 1 Pet. 1. 10. The Grace that cometh to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grace which is brought to you at the Revelation of Jesus Christ Gods Grace is brought home to our doors we seek not after it but it seeketh after us Salvation is gone forth saith the Prophet to find out lost sinners Wisdom hath sent forth her Maidens she crieth upon the high places of the City whoso is simple let him turn in hither Prov. 9. 3 4. God sends the Gospel up and down the Worldto offer his Grace to men it worketh out its way Use. Here is Incouragement and Direction to poor Creatures how to obtain Gods Mercy for their Comfort 1. Incouragement Mercy doth all with God it is the first cause that setteth every thing awork 1. Mercy is natural to God 2 Cor. 1. 3. Father of Mercies God is not merciful by Accident but by Nature the Sun doth not more naturally shine nor Fire more naturally burn nor Water more naturally flow than God doth naturally shew Mercy 2. It is pleasing to him Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that Pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgression of the remnant of his Heritage he retaineth not his Anger for ever because he delighteth in Mercy Judgment is called his Strange work Isa. 28. 21. That he may do his work his strange work and bring to pass his Act his strange Act. Primitive Acts he is forced to but he rejoyceth to do good as Life-Honey droppeth of its own accord 3. It is plentiful in God he is rich in Mercy abundant in Goodness and Truth thy sins are like a spark of Fire that falleth into the Ocean it is quenched presently so are all thy sins in the Ocean of Gods Mercy there is not more water in the Sea than there is Mercy in God 4. It is the great wonder of the Divine Nature Every thing in God is wonderful especially his pardoning Mercy It is no such great wonder in God that he stretcheth out the Heavens like a Curtain since he is Omnipotent that he formed the Earth or the Waters since he is strong that he distinguished Times adorned the Heavens with so many Stars decked the Earth with such variety of Plants and Herbs since he is Wise that he hath set Bounds to the Sea Governeth the Waters since he is Lord of all that he made Man a living Creature since he is the Fountain of Life but that he can be Merciful to Sinners infinitely Merciful when infinitely Just. There is a conflict in the Attributes about us but Mercy rejoyceth over Iudgment Iames 2. 13. That he is so Gracious and condescending when his first Covenant seemed to bind him to destroy us that he that hateth sin is so ready to forgive it pardoneth it so often and punisheth it so seldom 5. He is Communicative it is over all his Works Psal. 145. 9. Not a Creature but subsisteth by Gods Mercy he loveth Man and Beast Psal. 36. 6. and 1 Tim. 4. 10. He is the Saviour of all men especially of those that believe the whole Earth is full of his goodness Lord shew it to me also he heareth the cry of Ravens 2. To direct us how to sue for it in a broken hearted manner there are two Exreams Self-confidence and Desperation Self-confidence challengeth a Debt and Despair shutteth out hopes of Mercy a proud Pharisee pleads his Works Luke 18. 11. Kain saith Gen. 4. 13. My Punishment is greater then I can bear The middle between both is the penitent Publican Luke 18. 13. He stood afar off and would not lift up so much as his eyes to Heaven but smote on his Breast saying God be merciful to me a Sinner Go to him that which with men is the worst Plea with God is the best SERMON XLVIII PSALM CXIX Verse 42. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that Reproacheth me for I trust in thy Word IN the former Verse we saw the man of God begging for Deliverance or Temporal Salvation from the Mercies of God according to his Word Salvation belongeth to the Lord and his Mercy can pardon great sins and fetch us off from great extremities and that according to the Word of God he had boasted of this there is his Request here is his Argument from the use and fruit of his Deliverance he should have something to reply to the Scoffs and Mocks of wicked men who insulted over him in his Distress and Calamity he had spoken of great things or the Promise and now desireth the Promise to be made good that he might have an Answer ready against their Reproaches So shall I have wherewith to answer him that
God to command and how reasonable it is that we should obey the supreme being His will is the Reason of all things and who should give Laws to the world but the universal Sovereign who made all things out of nothing Whatsoever you are you received it from the Lord and therefore whatsoever a Reasonable Creature can doe you owe it to him you are in continual dependance upon him For in him you live and move and have your being Acts 17. 28. And he hath redeemed you called you to life by Christ 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. What know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's You owe all your time and strength and service unto him and therefore you should still be doing his will and abounding in his work 3. He injoyneth nothing but what is good Deuter. 5. 29. Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them and with their children for ever Deuter. 6. 24. And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always that he might preserve us alive as it is at this day God hath tempered his sovereignty towards the Reasonable Creature and ruleth us not with a rod of Iron but with a Scepter of Love He draweth us with the Cords of a man Hos. 11. 4. That is with Reasons and Arguments taken from our own happiness Man being a rational and free Agent he would lead and quicken us to our duty by the consideration of our own benefit and when he might say only Thus shall ye doe I am the Lord yet he is pleased to exhort and perswade us not to forsake our own Mercies or to turn back upon our own happiness and to propound rewards that we may be encouraged to seek after him in that way of duty which he hath prescribed to us The reward is everlasting glory with the mercies of this life in order to it Heb. 11. 6. God is and he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him 4. How indispensibly Obedience to his Commandments is required of us As long as the heart is left loose and arbitrary such is the unruliness and self-willedness of mans nature Rom. 8. 7. The Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be The Carnallist will not be held to his duty but leave that which is honest for that which is pleasing and be governed by his Appetite rather than his Reason therefore Faith hedgeth up his way sheweth him that without holiness it is impossible to see God Heb. 12. 14. That there is no coming to the End unless we take the way that there is no hope of Exemption or excuse for the breaches of his Law allowed but the plea of the Gospel which doth not evacuate but establish Obedience to God's Commands requireth a renouncing of our former conrse and a hearty Resolution To serve God in holiness and righteousness all our days Luke 1. 74 75. Our duty is the end of our deliverance In the Kingdom of Grace we are not our own Masters or at liberty to do what we will Christ came not only as a saviour but as a lawgiver he hath his Laws to try our obedience Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Authour of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him He came not to lessen God's Sovereignty or Man's Duty but to put us into a greater Capacity to serve God he came to deliver us from the curse and indispensible rigours of the Law upon every failing not from our Duty nor that we might not serve God but serve him without fear with Peace of Conscience and joy of Heart and requireth such a degree of Grace as is inconsistent with any predominant Lust and Affection 5. That God loveth those that obey his Law and hateth those that despise it without respect of persons Acts 10. 35. In every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Psalm 5. 5. Thou hatest all the workers of Iniquity Prov. 11. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an Abomination to the Lord but such as are upright in their way are his delight The more obedient the more God loveth us the less obedient the less God loveth us Therefore unless we love what God loveth and hate what God hateth doe his commands carefully and avoid the contrary we cannot be acceptable with him for God would not make a Law in vain but order his Providence accordingly 6. That one day we shall be called to an account for our conformity and inconformity to God's law There are two parts of Government Legislation and Execution the one belongeth to God as King the other as Judge Laws are but a shadow and the sanction a Mockery unless there shall be a day when those that are subject to them shall be called to an account and reckoning His threatnings are not a vain Scare-Crow nor his Promises a golden Dream therefore he will appoint a day when the Truth of the one and the other shall be fully made good and therefore Faith enliveneth the sense of God's Authority with the remembrance of this day when he will judge the World in Righteousness II. The Necessity 1. The Precepts are a part of the Divine Revelation the object of Faith is the whole Word of God and every part of divinely inspired Truth is worthy of all belief and reverence The word worketh not unless it be received as the Word of God 1 Thess. 2. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of Men but as it is in Truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Now we cannot receive the Word as the word of God unless we receive all there are the same reasons to receive one as the other therefore if any part take good rooting the whole is received There may be a superficial affection to one part more than another but if there be a right Faith we receive all 'T is the engrafted Word that is effectual to the saving of our Souls Iames 1. 21. if we would ingraft the Word the Precepts must stir up answerable Affections as well as the Promises Every part must affect us and stir up Dispositions in us which that part is apt to produce if the Promises stir up Joy and Trust the Precepts must stir up Love Fear and Obedience The same Word which calleth upon us to believe the free Pardon of our Sins doth also call upon us to believe the Commandments of God for the regulating and
that are comfortable though they have things sparingly though they have of the meanest yet they have that which is good for them So Psalm 84. 11. No good thing will he withhold He may keep us low and bare feed us Cibo extemporali as Lactantius but that is good for us If it were good for us to have larger revenues and incomes we should not want them The true and absolute ground of all submission is to think that which God sendeth is good be it prosperity or adversity the having or wanting Children or other comforts 2. The next measure is this that Good is to be determined by its respect to the chief Good or true Happiness Now what is our chief Happiness but the Injoyment of God Our Happiness doth not consist in outward comforts Riches Health Honour civil Liberty or comfortable Relations as Husband Wife Children but in our Relation to and Acceptance with God other things are but additional Appendages to our Happiness Matth. 6. 33. Affliction taketh nothing from our Essential solid Happiness rather helpeth us in the Enjoyment of it as it increaseth Grace and Holiness and so we injoy God more surely That is Good that sets us nearer to God and that is Evil which separateth us from him therefore Sin is Evil because it maketh an estrangement between us and God Isa. 59. 2. But Affliction is good because many times it maketh us the more earnestly to seek after him Hosea 5. 16. In their Afflictions they will seek me right early Therefore every Condition is Good or Evil as it sets farther off or draweth us nearer to God that is Good that tendeth to make us better more like unto God capable of Communion with him conduceth to our everlasting Happiness So It is good that a man â—…ear the Yoke from his Touth Lam. 3. 27. that he be trained up under the Cross in a constant obedience to God and subjection to him and so be fitted to entertain Communion with him In Afflictions conduce to this end they are good for then they help us to â—…joy the chief Good 3. That Good is not always the Good of the flesh or the Good oâ—… outward prosperity and therefore the Good of our condition is not to be determinâ—… by the interest or the Flesh but the welfare of our Souls If God should bestow upon us so much of the Good of the outward and animal life as we desire we could not be said to be in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…tion if he should deny us Good Spiritual We should lose one half of the 〈◊〉 of the Coâ—…nt by doating upon and falling in love with the rest the flesh is importâ—… to be pâ—…sed but God will not serve our carnal turns We are more concerned as a Soul 〈◊〉 a Body Heb. 12. 10. He verily for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness Certain it is God will chasten us for our Profit What do we call Profit the good things of this world the great Mammon which so many worship if we call it so God will not he meaneth to impart to us Spiritual and Divine Benefit which is a participation of his own Holiness And truly the People of God if they be in their right temper value themselves not by their outward Injoyments but their inward by their improvement of Grace not the injoyment of worldly Comforts 2 Cor. 4. 16. For this cause we faint not but though our outward mâ—…n perish our inward man is renewed day by day A discerning Christian puts more value upon Holiness wrought by Affliction than upon all his Comforts So that though Affliction be Evil in it self 't is good as sanctified 4. A particular Good must give way to a general Good and our personall benefit to the advancement of Christ's Kingdome The good of the Church must be preferred before our personal contentment Paul could want the Glory of Heaven for a while if his continuance in the Flesh were needfull for the Saints Phil. 7. 24. To abide in the Flesh is more needfull for you We must not so desire Good to our selves as to hinder the Good of others All Elements will act contrary to their particular for the conservation of the Universe That may be Good for the Glory of God which is not Good for our personal contentment and ease Now the Glory of God is our greatest Interest if it be for the Glory of God that I should be in pain bereft of my comforts my sanctified subjection to the will of God must say 't is Good Iohn 12. 27 28. there you have expressed the innocent inclination of Christ's humane Nature Father save me from this hour and the overrulling sense of his duty or the obligation of his office but for this cause came I to this hour We are often tossed and tumbled between inclination of Nature and conscience of Duty but in a gracious Heart the sense of our duty and the desire of glorifying God should prevail above the desire of our own Comfort Ease and Safety and Welfare Nature would be rid of trouble but grace submits all our interests to God's honour which should be dearer to us than any thing else 5. This Good is not to be determined by present feeling but by the Judgment of Faith Affliction for the present is not pleasant to natural sense nor for the present is the fruit evident to spiritual sense but 't is good because in the issue it turneth to good Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for good While God is striking we feel the grief and the Cross is tedious but when we see the end we acknowledge 't is good to be afflicted Heb. 12. 11. No affliction for the present seemeth joyous but grievous but afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness A good present is the cause of joy and an evil present is the cause of sorrow but there are two terms of abatement the sorrow is from the present sense and the conceit of the sufferer When we are but newly under the Affliction we feel the smart but do not presently find the benefit but within a while especially in the review 't is Good for me 't is matter of Faith under the Affliction 't is matter of sense after it Good Physick must have time to work that which is not good may be good though it be not good in its nature 't is good in its seasonable use and though for the present we see it not we shall see it Therefore Good is not to be determined by seeling but by Faith The Rod is a sore thing for the present but the bitter root will yield sweet fruit If we come to a person under the Cross and ask him what is it good to feel the lashes of God's correcting Hand to be kept poor and sickly exercised with Losses and Reproaches to part with Friends and Relations to lose a beloved Child sense will complain But this poor Creature after he hath been Exercised and Mortified and gotten
the bonds of Christ's Communion are the Essentials of Religion If they fear God and hope in his Word though Christians may be distinguished by several denominations yet an angry Brother cannot cast us out of our Fathers family We set up walls of partition between Christian and Christian but God will not measure his Fold by our inclosure Lingua Petiliani non est ventilabrum Christi 't is well Petilian's tongue is not Christs fan surely when we meet with our everlasting companions they should be dear to us and for some private differences we should not omit the necessary duties of Christianity this mutual and cordial respect we should have for one another 3. It informs us of the mischief and evil of a private Spirit which doth not take notice of the Favours of God done to others nor is affected with others Mercies Most men seek their own things Phil. 2. 21. Nature is sensible of nothing but natural bonds the lines of its Communication are too narrow either their own flesh the smart and ease of their own bodies or their own Kindred now the Saints have a more diffusive Love they can strive with God earnestly in prayer for those whose face they never saw in the flesh Col. 2. and can be thankfull for their Mercies as far as they come to their notice All Christians are not onely of the same kind but of the same body though they have not a private benefit by the Mercy yet they can heartily praise God for it the Angels praise God for us Luke 2. for his good will to men they are onely spectators not the parties interessed When the Lord set a-foot that blessed design 't was good will to men yet the multitude of the Heavenly host rejoyced and praised God We had both honour and benefit by Christ's incarnation So to praise God for the good of others argueth a good Spirit like the Angels but to envy the good of another and be grieved thereat is Devilish like the spirit of the Devil In Heaven we shall not onely rejoyce in our own but in one anothers Salvation because there shall be no envy no privateness of affection why are we so selfish and senseless now who is afflicted and I mourn not said Paul Now to those that mourned for others calamity their deliverance is a kind of relief Will you lose your evidence of being in the body for want of rejoycing in their Mercies Gifts and Deliverances 4. It informeth us how much it concerneth us to preserve an interest in the hearts of God's people and to behave our selves so that they that fear God may be glad of our Mercies and bless God for them the Communion of Saints is a sweet thing we must not forfeit this privilege by our inordinate walking Pride Contention sowrness and bitterness of Spirit unusefulness to the Church as having an Interest divided from the Church Those whose Mercies are apprehended as a publick benefit are the strictly conscientious those that fear God and hope in his Word who labour to keep themselves from the snares of the present world and look for the happiness of the world to come the one is the fruit of fearing God the other of hoping in his word the tender Conscience and the Heavenly minded Christian. Partly because they are our everlasting companions we shall live for ever with them they were chosen from all eternity to be heirs of the same grace together with us therefore 't is sweet to praise God for any good that befalleth them Psal. 66. 18. Come near all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul Psal. 22. 22. I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren but when a man walketh questionably he obscureth the life of God in himself or like a string that is out of tune spoileth the harmony The Saints may mourn for the wicked but they cannot so easily bring their hearts to rejoyce with them they may give thanks for their Mercies 't is true 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. but not with that cheerfullness with that sense The Conscience of our duty ingageth us to bless God that he hath spared them reprieved them a little longer given them more time to repent and correct their errors but 't is very sweet to joyn with them who are our Brethren and Companions not onely now but to all eternity And partly because our Mercies proceed from the Covenant upon which is built all our hope and all our desire and so we are edified by the support and help which God affordeth to them that fear him and hope in his word thereby we see that they that wait long wait not in vain on the word of Gods promise and so learn to wait with patience our selves because those who depended on his promised assistance are then answered and supported yea 't is a ground of hope to all that so many will be gratified by the deliverance of one when we so work for the deliverance of one that at length both he and others will have cause to be glad 2. Another thing is it doth incourage others Prayers and Praises for us when we are usefull and profitable and bring in that supply to the Body which may be justly expected from us according to the measure of that part which we sustain in the Body Look as in the natural Body the Blood and the Life passeth two and fro there is a giving and receiving between all the Members that live in the communion of it so mutual obligations pass between the Children of God Many are interessed in their mercies that are of use in the Church Rom. 5. 7. For a good Man some would even dare to die such as David or Paul yet this is no discouragement to the meanest or weakest for they have their honour and use when ye fail they shall receive you Luke 16. 9. they have their Ministry and Service Now the head cannot say to the foot I have no need of thee 1 Cor. 12. 21. 3. The humble and the meek for the proud procure their own just dislike and disappointment Solomon telleth us onely by pride cometh contention Prov. 13. 10. pride is the great impediment and lett to all Christian offices We cannot so heartily pray for one another nor praise God for one another when pride and contention prevaileth We should overcome this Stomach and Spleen bless them that curse you As David fasted for his Enemies when they sought his life Psal. 35. 12. You should not lay this stumbling-block in the way of their duty 't is a great discouragement 5. It informeth us how comfortable and how pleasant the converse and conference of godly persons is and how much it excelleth the merriest meetings of the carnall The special love which the godly have to one another doth exceedingly sweeten their converse for the very presence of those we most dearly love is a pleasure to us to see but much more their holy conference When Christians meet
preparing us for this delightfull course of holiness Heb. 10. 16 17. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Tit. 3. 4 5. 3. This comfortable sense of Gods mercy should induce us to this by way of argument 1 Ioh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us 1 Cor. 5. 14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again And Gal. 5. 6. In Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love And then by way of gratitude we ought to bend all the powers of our Souls to holiness and obedience and lay out our care and labour upon it 4. Consider the more holiness and obedience any one hath the more acceptable to God An Holy soul is an object capable of Gods love the holy God delighteth in holiness as well as the mercifull God pityeth misery The more holy we are the more God loves us Let us not make wounds for God to cure As we increase in holiness we increase in favour with God This is true of Christ who never had any defect of holiness but onely was to increase in the exercise of it 5. Consider how just it is with God to refuse our cryes for mercy when we despised His precepts for duty besiege your hearts with these considerations and press them daily upon you We are marvellous apt to please our selves with some loose apprehensions of mercy without bending our selves to our duty 6. Consider How reasonable it is that when mercy hath taken us with all our faults at our first entrance into Covenant with God we should afterwards study to please and make it our delight so to doe 7. Consider How impossible it is to cherish a sense of his mercy and love to us while we neglect duty The soul hath Two sentiments of Religion which can never be defaced a desire of happiness and subjection to God ut anima sit subjecta Deo pacata in se as we love our own comfort so we will be troubled about our duty the Soul will not sit easy Comfort follows holiness as light doth fire and sin will cause trouble as the prick of a needle doth pain The Soul cannot be serious and mind things but it will be so Indeed at some times by carelessness our sense of the necessity of obedience is extinguished and then a little serveth turn to keep the conscience quiet or stupid but it will return again Never leave till holiness and obedience be your delight as well as your care 3. Use Is to press us to be earnestly dealing with this mercifull God for comfort We need it now in a time of Judgment when delivered over to Judgments Hosea 11. 8. as sometimes to sins so to plagues When God opens the floudgates le ts out Judgments upon a people without restraint I will hide my face from them I will see what their end shall be Deut. 32. 20. So also the 30th Their Rock sold them and the Lord hath shut them up Mercy can put a stop but that will interpose no more Again when the people of God are much hated and maligned now 2 Cor. 4. 8. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed perplexed but not in despair 1. If it be Gods nature to be mercifull and kind why should we be discouraged Mercy is free favour is shewed to a miserable person Mercy can recall the punishments due to us and mitigate corrections and sweeten our comforts 2. But then you must be content that mercy should issue out in its own way and order First giving us principal mercies then necessary first sanctifying and then comforting saving us by washing us in the laver of regeneration 3. Reckon your comfort more by a sense of Gods care than by removing temporal trouble Spiritual comfort is more excellent than bodily 4. You must sue it out by prayer wherein first it must be with brokenness of heart Let true Spiritual misery be discerned and complained of Let us lay our sins and sores before his pity Secondly with Faith for here is the word mentioned Why are we so disconsolate is there no balm in Gilead It is our usual sault we pore too much upon our Troubles There is a God of comfort who answereth his name every way and will keep his word with his people Let us come to him in all our wants Thirdly with resolution of more faithfull obedience for Gods servants are onely capable renew your Covenant of serving God 5. The Godly have common comforts What will serve ones turn will serve anothers also They have all the same fundamental work of grace in their hearts They are all born of God have his Image stamped on them have the same Redeemer The same Spirit worketh in all And the promises are made alike unto all not upon personal considerations SERMON LXXXVI PSAL. CXIX VER 78. Let the proud be ashamed for they dealt perversly with me without a cause but I will meditate in thy precepts IN these words you have I. David's PRAYER II. David's RESOLUTION I. David's Prayer And there take notice of first the Petition it self Let the proud be ashamed 2dly the Reason For they dealt perversly with me without a cause In the Prayer he beggeth the repression of his Enemies There take notice of 1. The Notion by which they are described The Proud 2. The event or effect of God's Providence desired concerning them Let them be ashamed 1 The Notion is considerable The wicked especially the Persecutors of God's People are usually characteriz'd by this term in this Psalm The Proud ver 51 69 122. And will give us this Note DOCT. That Pride puts wicked men upon being troublesom and injurious to the People of God But why are the Persecutors and the Injurious called the Proud Ans. 1. Because wicked men shake off the yoke of God and will not be subject to their Maker and therefore desist not from troubling his People Exod. 5. 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel go What was in his tongue is in all mens hearts they contemn God and his Laws Every Sin hath a degree of Pride and a Depretiation of God included in it 2 Sam. 12. 9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight There is a slighting of God's Authority and a lifting up our will against the Will of God 2. Because they are drunk with worldly Felicity and never think of changes Psal. 123. 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud When men go on prosperously they are apt wrongfully to trouble others and then to flout at them in their misery and to despise the person and cause of God's People which
Law but the doctrine of the Gospel As if he had said Stick to that Doctrine where you have been quickned comforted revived and your hearts setled for God hath owned that doctrine He appeals to their own conscience and to their own known experience that they should not quit the doctrine of Faith but prize and keep close to it for surely that which hath been a means of begetting grace in our souls that should be highly prized by us If God hath wrought grace and any comfort and peace stick there and own God there and be not easily moved from thence Another Apostle reasons Iam. 1. 18 19. God hath begotten us by the word of truth wherefore be swift to hear that is O! do not neglect hearing take heed of forsaking or neglecting the Word for then you go against your own known experience you know here you had your life quickning comfort strength and will you be turned off from this for many times a Seducer may turn off a Believer from the Word which hath given him his first knowledge of Christ. There are three Causes which carry Saints to the Word and other Ordinances viz. Necessity Natural Appetite and inward Inclination and Experience Necessity they cannot live without the Word Natural Appetite and inward Inclination they have hearts suited to this work the Spirit which wrought in the heart hath put a nature in them sutable to the work And Experience they have found benefit by it These are the three grand Causes of respect to the Word and they are all implied or exprest in that 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word there 's natural appetite for the Word we have them come as new born Babes and there 's necessity you cannot live nor keep nor increase what you have unless you keep to the Word and there 's Experience if so be you have tasted you have had powerful impressions and quicknings by this Word We should engage our hearts upon experience the comfort life and light that we have had by the Word of God 3d Reason Our own spiritual Estate will sooner be discerned by these Experiences the comfort and quickning received from the Word in the way of duty for experience worketh hope Rom. 5. 4. If your experiences be observed and regarded this works a hopeful dependance upon God for everlasting glory your evidences will be more ready and sooner come to hand The motions of our souls are various and through corruption very confused and dark and this is that which makes it so difficult upon actual search to dâ—…cern how it stands between us and God it 's for want of observation But now if there be constant observation of what passeth between us and God how he hath quickned comforted and owned us in our attendance upon him and what he hath done to bring on our souls in the way of life these will make up an evidence and will abundantly conduce to the quickning and comforting of our hearts Use I. For Information It shews us 1. The Reason why so many neglect and contemn God's Word because they never gâ—… benefit by it they find no life in it therefore no delight in it Those that are quickned 〈◊〉 knowledge the mercy and improve it they esteem the Word and have a greater câ—…science of their duty It is not enough to find truth in truth not to be able to contradâ—… it but you must find life then we will prize and esteem it when it hath been lively in its operations to our souls 2. It shews the Reason why so many forget the Word because they are not quickned You would remember it by a good token if there were a powerful impression left upon your souls and the reason is because you do not meditate upon it that you may receive this lively influence of the Spirit For a Sermon would not be forgotten if it had left any lively impression upon your souls 3. If we want quickning we must go to God for it and God works powerfully by the influence of his grace and so he quickens us by his Spirit and he works morally by the Word both by the Promises and Threatnings thereof and so if you would be quickned you must use the means attend upon Reading and Preaching and meditating upon the Word As he works powerfully with respect to himself so morally by reasonings Use II. By way of Reflection upon our selves Have we had any of these Experiences David found life in God's Word therefore resolves never to forego it or forget it Therefore what experience have you had of the Word of God surely at least at first conversion there was the work of Faith and Repentance at first you will have this experience How were you brought home to God what have you had no quickning from the Word of God Case But here 's a Case of Conscience Doth every one know their Conversion or way of their own Conversion Christians are usually sensible of this first work There is so much bitter sorrow and afterwards so much rejoycing of hope which doth accompany that surely this should not be strange But though you have not been so wary to mark God's dealings with you and the particular quicknings of your souls yet at least when the Lord raised you out of your security and brought you home to himself you should have remembred it 1 Thess. 1. 9. They themselves shew of us what manner of entring we had unto you The entrance usually is known though afterward the work be carried on with less observation Growth is not so sensible as the first change God's first work is most powerful meets with greater opposition and so leaves a greater feeling upon us and therefore it were strange if we were brought home to Christ and no way privy and conscious to the way of it as if all were done in our sleep I say to think so were to give security a soft Pillow to rest on And therefore what quicknings had you then Can you say Well I shall never forget this happy season and occasion when God first awakened me to look after himself Many of God's Children cannot trace the particular Footsteps of their Conversion and mark out all the Stages of Christ's Journey and approach to their Souls 〈◊〉 are not alike thus troubled But yet that men may not please themselves with the 〈◊〉 position of imaginary grace wrought in them without their privity and knowledge let â—…e speak to this grand Case this manner of entrance of Christ into our souls how we are quickned from the dead and made living 1. None are converted but are first convinced of their danger and evil estate God's first work is upon their understandings Ier. 31. 19. After I was instructed I smote upon the thigh c. There is some light breaks in upon the Soul which sets them seriously a considering What am I Whither am I going What will become of me And Rom. 7. 9. When the
with the wise God which is the ready and compendious way to success whereas secular wisdom takes a long way about and must work through many mediums and subordinate causes before the intended effect can be brought about Psal. 37. 12 13. The wicked plotteth against the just God is the other Party The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming He doth not say the just counterbalance the wicked or strains his wit to match his Enemy with craft but God hath a providence and love ever waking on his behalf therefore it lies not between Policy and Piety but between Men's craft and God's wisdom Then he hath the power of God on his fide and therefore he is wiser than his Enemies he is of the stronger side Gen. 17. 1. I am God all-sufficient walk before me and be thou perfect All warping comes from doubting of God's All-sufficiency evidenced by our carnal fear and our distrustful care what shall become of us and how we shall do to live Certainly if God be able we need not doubt or run to indirect courses Again he hath him of his side who hath dominion over all Events Carnal Policy is full of jealousies they know not what will succeed they have no sure bottom to stand upon they are not sure of Events when their business is never so well laid But now a Child of God is wiser and hath much the more comfortable course as well as successful he can do his duty and leave the event to God when a business is never so well and cunningly laid yet God loves to dispose of Events and to take the wise in their own craft Job 5. 12 13. They are out-witted and they outreach themselves that so Christ may as it were get upon the Devil's shoulders and even be beholden to his Enemies never are they such Fools as when they seem to say things wisely against God and his People Carnal wisdom is the greatest folly it brought Moses to the flags but Pharaoh to the bottom of the Sea The Devil was the first Fool of all the Creation and ever since his first attempts against his God he hath been playing the Fool for these thousand of years The tempting our first Parents seemed a Master-piece of wit but it was indeed the ruine of his Kingdom So in the attempts of wicked Men against his People God still disposeth of the event contrary to their aim 2. As long as God hath work for him to do he will maintain him and bear him out in the midst of all dangers that 's certain as he did David in the very face of Saul There is an invisible Guard set upon plain-hearted and zealous Christians every day they do as it were by their pleading against the corruptions of wicked Men exasperate them they are in the secret of God's presence and are kept none knows how none so nigh to dangers yet none so free from them in the Lyon's mouth yet preserved As Christ lived in the midst of his Enemies yet they could not touch him till his hour was come John 11. 8 9 10. Christ had work to do in Iudea Master say the Disciples the Iews of late sought to stone thee and goest thou thither again And Iesus answered Are there not twelve hours in the day If any man walk in the day he stumbleth not because he seeth the light of this world But if a man walk in the night he stumbleth because there is no light in him In the Disciples question is bewray'd the true genius of carnal fear O Men say Why will you go run your self into the mouth of danger They think the discharge of duty will cost them their utter ruine Master the Iews sought to kill thee Now Christ's answer sheweth that Men should not chuse their way according to their apprehensions of danger and safety but as God cleareth a call to them he answers by a similitude taken from God's order in the course of nature God made the day for work and the night for rest and sleep Now as long as Men have day-light they will not stumble but if they set forth in the night then they would stumble the meaning is as long as a Man hath a clear call from God for a call from God is compar'd to the day and can say This is a duty God hath put upon me he hath day-light he shall not stumble though he doth come and go in the face and teeth of Enemies on God's cause and pleads against their corruptions and base miscarriages he shall not stumble Indeed when a Man is in the dark and knows not what God's mind is then he is ever and anon stumbling A Christian is to study his duty rather than his danger and then leave the care of all Events to God he is in a safe course when he is in God's way and shall not be interrupted till he have finished his work Luke 13. 31 32. The Pharisees said unto him Get thee out and depart hence for Herod will kill thee And he said Go tell that Fox Behold I cast out Devils and I do Cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected If he cast himself into troubles he is sure they are not sinfully procured but Men that run on danger without a calling may meet with many a snare or he that doth not observe his call meet with more difficulties than ever he thought of 1 Pet. 3. 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good The best way to eschew trouble is to adhere closely to what is right in the sight of God he can allay their fury putting convictions upon their conscience A Man would think to stand nicely upon terms of duty is to run in harms way and there are none so much harmed maligned and opposed in the World as those that follow that which is good as those that will have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but will reprove them rather possibly they may hate and malign you if you keep to that which is good they cannot harm your consciences God can allay the rage of Men by putting convictions upon their Conscience evidencing your sincerity as the History saith when the Arians persecuted the Orthodox Christians they durst not meddle with Paulinus out of reverence therefore who will harm you if you be followers of that which is good 2 In case things succeed ill with him and contrary to his expectation yet they are wiser than their Enemies can be because they have provided for the worst Carnal Policy it is but wisdom in opinion for a time not always while they have matter to work upon in the World but these always in Prosperity and Adversity 1. Because he hath secur'd his great interest which lies in the favor of God and in hopes of eternal life God by his Commandment hath taught him this wisdom to make sure of the Kingdom of
a Pit to take me they have hid snares for my feet Secretly conspir'd and practis'd his destruction And David Psal. 140. 5. The proud have hid a snare for me and cords they have spread a net by the ways side and set gins for my feet Selah Hunters and Fowlers did never go more cunningly to work to catch the Prey than those proud men had laid their design to bring his life under their power And in Psal. 35. 7. For without cause they have hid for me their net in a pit which without cause they have digged for my soul. And Psal. 57. 6. They have prepared a net for my steps my soul is bowed down they have digged a pit for me into the midst whereof they are fall'n themselves Selah Now of this sort are St. Bartholomew's Mattens and the Plot and Contrivance to out the Protestants in France when they were invited to a Wedding that they might destroy them and of this nature was the Gunpowder Treason there was a snare laid When Orestes had plotted Clytemnestra's Death Euripides expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She fitly cometh into the snare 3. Of a mixt nature both to entice by endangering and endanger by enticing 1. As when they put them upon such conditions as may tempt them to Folly and Sin some think the Text verifi'd in David at that time when he said 1 Sam 26. 19. They have driven me out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying Go serve other gods Meaning they excited Saul to pursue him and persecute him and forc'd him to flee into an Idolatrous Countrey and so a snare laid to endanger his stedfastness in the true faith 'T is a great Temptation Necessitas cogit ad turpia Necessity is but an evil Counsellor and this joined with the other Temptation of bad company Psal. 120. 5. Wo is me that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar 2. When they Enact a Law or Statute whereby to force them to sin or trouble as they had a Plot against Daniel either to make him neglect his God or render him obnoxious to Authority Dan. 6. 7 8. When they burden them with such Laws and Statutes as the godly cannot obey without sin or refuse without danger they have their ends either to draw them to sin or suffer Now Snares are laid by the wicked 1. Because usually they excel in Policy Craftiness and worldly Wit are superior to God's children therein their whole hearts run that way and their principle is intire and unbroken and therefore our Lord Christ telleth us Luke 16. 8. For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light They applaud themselves in their Artifices Idolize their Wit Habak 1. 16. Sacrifice to their net and burn incense to their drag therefore use it to the Saints destruction 2. Because they are acted by Satan who will ever be doing against the Church though to little purpose Luke 22. 3. The Devil enter'd into Iudas when he plotted against Christ. They learn their Wiles from Satan and conceive mischief by copulation with the great Incubus of Hell 3. Their own hatred and malice against the People of God Malice is a laying snares Anger vents its self in a storm of words or in some sudden violent Action but hatred lurketh in the soul and puts them that harbor it upon Plots and Contrivances of revenge The Historian observeth of Tiberius In malitiam statim invectus est c. When Absalom hated Amnon because he forced his sister he plotteth how to take away his life 2 Sam. 13. 22. Now whence cometh this malice against the Children of God Either by envy at their Interests or hatred at their Holiness 1. Envy at their Interests their Esteem and Respect in the World when they come to be of any regard among men Esther 5. 9. Haman plotteth against Mordecai because he sate in the King's gate Psal. 112. 9 10. His horn shall be exalted with honour the wicked shall see it and he grieved and gnash with their teeth When the Gospel was like to get credit Acts 17. 5. the envious Iews raised an uproar Pride is loth to stoop to see opposites in glory and power whets their malice and they contrive how to root them out Every man would have himself and his own Faction admir'd and magnifi'd The Pharisees conspir'd to take Christ Iohn 12. 19. All the world is gone after him When Religion prevaileth and groweth in credit and fashion it is deeply resented by naughty men 2. Hatred at their Holiness Men cannot endure to be outstript in Religion and therefore hate what they will not imitate Hatred is quick-sighted in Revenge full of Plots and Contrivances and tickleth the soul with a delight in them but especially Religious Hatred when a man hateth another for his Godliness when Religion instead of a Party becomes a Judge that which should restrain our Passions feeds them no Hatred so great as that against the power of Godliness Cain when he saw Abel so punctual in God's service he plotteth to draw him into the Field 1 Iohn 3. 12. and beginneth a Discourse with him about Providence and Judgment to come and Rewards and Punishments and while Abel maintained God's part Cain fell upon him and slew him To apply this As these Snares tend to our temporal destruction so there is a double use to be made of them 1. To trust God with our safety in the midst of so many snares What shall we do Whatever remedy we have against violence no man by his own foresight can find out all the snares that are laid for him therefore commit your safety spiritual and temporal to the Lord go to him and say Psal. 141. 9. Keep me from the snare they have laid for me and the grins of the workers of iniquity Constant dependance upon God is necessary for there can be no snare hidden from him who watcheth over us and our safety by night and by day There is a double Arguâ—…ent why we should trust God with our safety because of his wisdom and because of his watchful providence Because of his wisdom Alas we are foolish and simple and often betray our selves into an evil condition but God is wise for them that are foolish Psal. 37. 12 13. The wicked plotteth against the just and guasheth upon him with his teeth the Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming There is a wise God acting for a foolish People I tell you the wisdom of God for us is much greater than the wisdom of God in us where Enemies deal proudly God is above them where they deal craftily God is beyond them The wisdom of God for us is greater than the wisdom of any against us And also because of his watchful Providence he hath a waking love and care of us night and day Psal. 121. 4. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep He
11. Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh which I have provided for my Shearers and give it to men I know not affect them not so as to neglect heavenly things affect them not so as to lay out your whole time and care about them Prov. 23. 4. Cease from thine own understanding labour not to be rich Isai. 55. 2. Why do ye spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not but only affect them as you may honour God Prov. 3. 9. Honour the Lord with thy substance you may provide for your families in the fair lawful way of Gods Providence 1 Tim. 5. 8. also you may be helpful to others Ephes. 4. 28. for if you so do you are not the wicked of the earth but those that use this world but hope to enjoy better things Use 2. Let us be contented though we be kept low and mean in the world Gods people are not the Children of this world better things are reserved for them in the world to come and therefore if we have food and rayment and that but of the coursest let us be content 1 Tim. 6. 8. Having food and rayment let us be therewith content Jesus Christ gave thanks for five barley Loaves and two Fishes Mark 6. 41. The wicked are characterized to be of the earth Gods Children are from above as to their original and thither they tend as to their scope and end and if we have any thing by the way we have no cause to complain 1 Pet. 2. 11. I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims What â—…ld a man care for in a journey but a bait or a little refreshing if we seek after more 't is iâ—…dinate affection and must be mortified not satisfied Ephes. 3. 5. Mortifie your members which are upon the earth Evil inclinations bend us to the Earth and earthly things those splendid nothings Riches Pleasures Honours these hinder us from nobler things yea they encrease our difficulties about the things that are necessary for us by the â—…ay Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversations be without covetousness and be content with such tâ—…â—…as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee implying that wâ—…â—…e indulge carnal desires 't is hard to trust God with daily supports for daily proteâ—… and daily maintenance but always distract our selves with fruitless cares and thoughts about the things of this life And also we may say The Lord is my helper I do not fear what man can do unto me Therefore let us not desire more than God alloweth a little with Gods blessing is enough to supplie our necessities as to wants and to give us protection against dangers as the Apostle subjoyneth Gods undertaking and the Saints confidence thereupon by way of cure if we believe Gods promises and have the spirit of his Saints this is enough to us Use 3. Let us not envy the prosperity of the wicked First They are the wicked of the Earth here they flourish as Nettles will more easily grow than choicer Plants the soil bringeth them forth of its own accord so do wicked men thrive here but you need not envy them not only our hopes are much better than their possessions but our present condition is much better Psal. 17. 14. their possessions are not to be compared with our hopes what is a more plentiful table to the everlasting fruition of God the pomp of the world to the seeing God face to face vain-glory to everlasting Glory honour here to the Glory that shall be upon us at Christs appearing their momentany pleasures which pass away suddenly as a dream to the everlasting pleasure you shall enjoy in the sight of God Nay for the present you have Communion with God and the sense of his favour how poor and afflicted soever your outward condition be Psal. 4. 6 7. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time when their Corn and Wine encreased Carnal men rejoyce in sensual earthly good things not in the favour of God and mark this joy is proposed with a supposition of encrease and at the time of this encrease when the Carnalist doth enjoy the greatest affluence of worldly blessings take them at their best when they have the most lively sense of these things yet a Christian hath more cause of rejoycing Thou hast put gladness in my heart here is matter and ground of rejoycing They drink of the Cistern you of the Fountain Ier. 12. 13. they rejoyce not in God but his gifts and not the best gifts but the common sort Riches Pleasures and Honours and these not as the effects of Gods bounty but as happening to them in the ordinary Course of second Causes Who will shew us any good but you rejoyce in God in his best gifts his Love and Grace And then here is the Authour of this joy Thou hast put gladness This joy is allowed by God and wrought by him Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost it is stirred up by his Spirit their joy is neither Gods allowance nor Gods work And then here 's the subject and seat of this joy not tickle the senses but delight the heart Thou hast put gladness in my heart And then here is the measure 't is more joy 't is more pure and sublime of a stronger efficacy which not only overcometh the sense of present infelicities but the fear of Death Hell and Judgment to come Heb. 6. 18. That we might have stronger consolation But wicked men dance about the brink of Hell have their secret gripes and will you envy them as if your condition were not much better When God hath given you the Feast will you be troubled that they have the scraps and fragments of his bounty Secondly In regard of the uncertainty of their condition Psal. 37. 1 2. Fret not thy self because of the evil doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity for they shall soon be cut down like the Grass and wither as the green Herb. Though they seem to be in a very prosperous condition for the present as Grass while it is standing is very green yet they are soon cut down by the Sythe of Providence then presently fadeth and is carried away from the place where it grew You think Providence doth not deal righteously because the unworthy are exalted and the worthy depressed Do but tarry a while and you will have no cause to complain or to grow weary of godliness or to cry up a confederacy with evil men they are never nearer their own ruine than when they come to the height of their exaltation as the Sun declineth presently when he cometh to the highest Point of the Zenith Who would envy those that
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
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
when in hand and in present expectation work far otherwise than they do when they are considered at a distance So when the effects of sin are looked upon as near at hand when faith makes them present then they stir up these affections in the soul. Fifthly A fifth cause is from their publick Spirit and tender respect to the common good When they wisely foresee approaching dangers they are moved with the love and care of their Countrey and this melteth them They know sin is of a destroying nature that one sinner destroyeth much good Eccl. 9. 18. One sinner may do his Countrey a great deal of mischief an open bold fac'd Sinner Achan troubled the whole Camp Iosh. 7. 11 12. much more when a multitude of Sinners are encreased therefore they sigh and mourn Godly men are the truest friends to their native soil they are the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel Those that plead with God stand in the Gap keep off Judgments and have the most publick spirit therefore the least they can do is to sigh for it and to plead with wicked men as Tertullian Si non vis tibi parcere parce Carthagini If thou wilt go on with thy soul-destroying course and wilt not spare thy self yet spare Carthage This will be bitterness in the issue The Children of God are always of a publick Spirit David fasted for his enemies Psal. 35. Abraham prayed to God for Sodom a neighbour Countrey the godly Israelites were good friends to Babylon in their Captivity Ier. 29. 11. Seek the peace of the City whither I have caused you to be carried captive and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace If nothing but their interest and share in the common rest and quietness Passengers are concerned in the welfare of the Vessel wherein they are imbarked Babylon fared the better for the Jews prayers Now more especially are their hearts carried out with a respect to their native Soil and dearest comforts therefore this melteth them to see the Land defiled with sins and ready for Judgments SERMON CLII. PSAL. CXIX VER 136. Rivers of water run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law USE 1. For reproof of two sorts of persons 1. Those that do not lay to heart their own sins Usually men make their affections to prescribe to their judgment and cavil at the fervorous exercises of Religion because unpleasant to flesh and blood To humble our selves before the Lord with a pressing sorrow seriously and indeed to rend our hearts and not our garments In this wanton and delicate Age men are apt to think I speak of a Theam obsolete and out of date as calculated for former times when men were more tender hearted if we could awaken some of the old godly professors out of their Graves as the Prophet calleth up Rachel to weep in Ramah for her Children Ier. 31. 15. then we might hope to prevail Alas to plead now for mourning over the sins of others when men think it a crime to mourn for their own this is like to be lost labour Were this the humour only of ungodly Wretches it might be born with silence and patience but those that would be taken for Christians of the highest form are altogether prejudiced against such Doctrines as this Men would be honeyed and oyled with Grace and distaste the wholesome discipline of repentance as too severe They cry out we are legal How may the poor Ministers of the Gospel go to God and say as Moses did Exod. 6. 12. The Children of Israel have not hearkened unto me how then shall Pharaoh hear me The Professors of Religion will not brook such Doctrine and how shall we hope to prevail with the poor blind carnal world To scoff at Doctrines of repentance and humiliation was once a badg of prophaneness many now adopt it into their Religion But be not deceived the Gospel doth not take away the Conscience of sin It may take away the fear of Hell and damnation upon right terms The heart of flesh is a promise and the spirit of Grace is a promise or mourning apart is a promise You that say that justified persons must no more mourn for sin you may as well say they shall no longer have an heart of flesh or a spirit of Grace and supplications that they shall no longer have a tender Conscience Be not deceived there must be some time to weep for your own sins as Peter went out and wept bitterly Sorrow must have its turn in the Christian life I would press it upon you by this Argument You cannot be sorrowful for others sins unless you be first sorrowful for your own sins Grief must begin at home there where you have the advantage of Conscience and inward remorse 'T is hypocrisie to pitch upon other mens sins and neglect our own as some will zealously declaim against publick disorders yet neglect their own hearts as the crafty Lapwing will go up and down fluttering and crying to draw the Fowler from her own Nest. We have a nest of sin of our own and we are loth it should be rifled and exposed to publick view 2. It reproveth them that in times of publick defection never take care to mourn over Gods dishonour We complain and murmure under our Judgments but do not weep over our sins every person and family apart Whether it be out of negligence and carnal security or out of distaste and displeasure against the conduct of present affairs we seem to have lost our publick affections and can only wonder at the Children of God in former times since they were so broken and tender To many that would now go for Professors this Doctrine seemeth a Riddle a mere strain of wit and fancy like a precept wire-drawn or elevated beyond its pitch and tenour But in the fear of God consider what hath been spoken There are many abuses in our reflections upon the sins of others Wicked men are quite otherwise disposed they do not only do evil themselves but take pleasure in those that do so Rom. 1. 32. would be glad that sin were more common that it might be less odious and then there would be none to put them to the blush Prov. 2. 14. It is said they rejoyce to do evil and delight in the frowardness of the wicked So the Prophet speaks of some corrupt men in the Priesthood They eat up the sin of my people and they set their heart on their iniquity Hos. 4. 8. God had appointed those that served at the Altar should live of the Altar have a proportion of those Offerings Now they flattered them in their sins so they might have meat and get a portion of the Sacrifices Many that would be accounted Ministers care not for the sins of the people but think the less serious men are in Religion the better they can work them to their private advantages and have more respect among them Then there are some
Psal. 94. 15. Iudgment shall return unto righteousness and all the upright in heart shall follow it Sometimes they are asunder Earthly Judges may refuse the justice of righteousness a Judg may suspend the act of his own judgment but they shall not long be severed God will bring forth his righteous Judgment Zach. 8. 17. These things I hate saith the Lord. And then in regard of his Providence God will not be unmindful of his promise Psal. 9. 7 8 9. He hath prepared his Throne for judgment and he shall judge the world in righteousness he shall minister judgment to his people in uprightness Courts of Justice among men are not always open they have Term-time but God is always ready to hear Paintiffs They make Complaints amongst men and they are delayed so much and so long that they are discouraged But we have a friend that is always ready to hear Psal. 48. 10. Thy right hand is full of righteousness for defending his people and punishing his enemies Use 3. To press us to acknowledge this Justice of God that he governeth all things righteously especially when you are under his mighty hand The Lord takes it ill when you question any of his Providences Ezek. 18. 25. Are not my ways equal He will be clear when he judgeth Psal. 51. 4. God will be justified in all that he hath done or shall do for the punishment of sin and therefore when the hand of God is upon you take heed you do not reproach God When his hand is smart and heavy upon you remember affliction opens the eyes of the worst men Nebuchadnezzar that knew no God but himself no happiness but in pleasing his own humour yet when he was whipped and scourged hear him speak Dan. 4. 37. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven all whose works are truth and his ways judgment and those that walk in pride he is able to abase Pharaoh Exod. 2 27. The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked These Acknowledgments and Confessions come from wicked men as Water out of a Still forced by the fire But if affliction opens the eyes of wicked men surely when we are under Gods afflicting hand we should give him the glory of his Justice and acknowledge that he is clear in all that he brings upon us He takes it ill when we murmure and tax his Judgment Mic. 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and execute judgment for me And Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandment And when we submissively stoop and accept of the punishment of our sin after he hath been provoked then God will plead for us Lev. 26. 41. When we stoop humbly under Gods correcting hand and bear it patiently and say God is just in all this then it will succeed well Observe the Justice of God especially his remarkable Judgments upon others The Church is brought in acknowledging of it Rev. 15. 3. Iust and true are thy ways thou King of Saints And Rev. 19. 3. True and righteous are his Iudgments Not that we should sit Crowners upon other mens souls and judge their spiritual condition and misinterpret Providence I look upon it as a great sin of a faction and perverse humors But clearly when mens sins are so great that the Judgments of God have overtaken them we ought to say Iust and true art thou O Lord and just in all thy Iudgments I might shew here is much to keep the Children of God in awe the Lord is a righteous God though they have found mercy and taken sanctuary at his Grace the Lord is impartial in his Justice God that did not spare the Angels when they sinned nor his Son when he was a Sinner by imputation will not spare you though you are the dearly Beloved of his soul Prov. 11. 31. The sinful courses of Gods Children occasion bitterness enough they never venture upon sin but with great loss If Paul give way to a little pride God will humble him If any give way to sin their Pilgrimage will be made uncomfortable Gods hand may be smart and dismal Eli for negligence and indulgence there 's the Ark of God taken his two Sons slain in battel his Daughter in Law dies he himself breaks his Neck O the wonderful Tragedies that sin works in the houses of the Children of God! And David when he intermedled with forbidden fruit was driven from his Palace his Concubines defiled his own Son slain a great many calamities did light upon him Therefore the Children of God have cause to fear for the Lord is a just God and they will find it so here upon earth he hath reserved liberty to visit their iniquity with Rods and their transgression with Scourges I might press you to imitate Gods righteousness 1 Iohn 2. 29. If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of God You have a righteous God and here 's the thing you should copy out SERMON CLV PSAL. CXIX VER 138. Thy Testimonies which thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful IN the former Verse the Prophet had spoken of the righteousness of God now God is essentially righteous and therefore all that proceedeth from him is righteous A Carpenter that hath a Rule without him and a Line to measure his work by may sometimes hit and sometimes miss but if you could suppose a Carpenter the motion of whose hand were his Rule he could never chop amiss So must we conceive of God his Act is his Rule Holiness is his Essence not a superadded quality his righteousness is himself therefore from this righteous God there proceedeth nothing but righteousness and from this faithful God nothing but faith He discovereth his Nature both in the Acts of his Providence and the Institutions of his Word We cannot reason so concerning men that because they are righteous nothing cometh from them but what is righteous because righteousness is not their nature but an adventitious quality therefore good men may make ill Laws for though they be meant for good they may be deceived And sometimes wicked men may make good Laws to ingratiate themselves and for the interest of their affairs but God being essentially necessarily good holy and righteous his Laws are also good holy and true Thy Testimonies which thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful In the Words observe I. That there is a Revelation of Gods Will in his Word Thy Testimonies II. The Authority wherewith his Revelation is backed Which thou hast commanded III. The intrinsick worth and excellency of these Testimonies it is double They are 1. Righteous 2. Very faithful In the Hebrew righteousness and faithfulness that is very right and very faithful the one word is referred to the Agenda in Religion the other to the Credenda they are worthy to be obeyed
disobedience Surely there is no doubt in all this because they are revealed by God who is the supreme and original Truth and who neither is nor can be deceived for Gods understanding is the rule and measure of all other truths nothing is true but what is constant to his knowledge And he cannot deceive us that will not agree with the goodness of his Nature and love to Mankind therefore he is called God that cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. Secondly In making good God hath given us the most solemn assurance Heb. 6. 17 18. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation He hath demitted himself to the terms of a Covenant given us a Seal Rom. 4. 11. And he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith Pledge 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the Earnest of his Spirit in our hearts He hath stood upon his truth above all things Psal. 138. 2. I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name One part of the Word verifieth another in one part you have the promise in another the accomplishment the great promise of sending Christ Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a Body hast thou prepared me In burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure then said I Lo I come to do thy will O God He would not go back being willing to keep the promise afoot It was on our part a hand Writing against us in testification of our guilt and need of expiation but on Gods part an Obligation of Debt to pay our ransome Still he accomplisheth promises in the return of prayers and though the great payment be in the other World yet here God remembreth us still accomplishing the intervening promises and giving proof of his truth So that they that are acquainted with his Name will never distrust him Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee They that have known his way and the course of his dealings will have a confidence in him Prop. 5. They that would receive the Word as the Word of God must be soundly convinced of and seriously consider this righteousness and faithfulness in the Testimonies which he hath commanded for till then the Word worketh not on them 1 Thess. 2. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe And till then they are but customary Christians and can never rightly believe nor obey Iohn 4. 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know That this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world First their Faith depends on the common Tradition or the testimony of the Church afterwards on the sure ground of the Word it self in which they find such clearness and efficacy that they cannot but yield to God The authority of man is nothing to it when our Faith is bottomed on a surer ground the authority of God speaking in his Word 1. There must be sound conviction or belief of this This is called The acknowledgment of the truth Tit. 1. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Col. 2. 2. The riches of the assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. An assurance that God will keep touch with me that he will not delude me in the terms propounded in the Gospel This full perswasion of the truth of Gods Testimonies we must all aim at and seek after The assurance of my interest and my salvation is another thing and yet that I am not to neglect but with this I am to begin 2. There must be serious Consideration for that improveth all truths and maketh them active and effectual Gods Complaint of his people is That they will not consider Isai. 1. 3. The Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider They do not lay truths in the view of Conscience Food without mastication and chewing nourisheth not A thing not considered doth profit as little as if not believed as a forgetting God is a kind of denying of him Seriously then debate it with your selves You must consider the authority of God Authority is that right which a Superior hath to prescribe to such as are under him Doth God usurp upon you when he giveth you a Law or hath he left you in the dark that you do not know whether this be his Law yea or no Are there no strictures of his Majesty in the very oeconomy and frame of it Can any but a God speak at such a rate And for his Justice hath he commanded any thing to your hurt No it is all for thy good Deut. 6. 24. And the Lord commanded us to do all these Statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always And for his Truth Men may deceive and be deceived and though they often speak truth they do not always so but God seeth by his own light not by discourse but vision Truth is his Nature from which he can no more swerve than from himself and what need he court a Worm and flatter us Thus should we urge our hearts Use 1. Let us owne and improve the Word as a righteous and faithful Word which God hath commanded for our good 1. Owne the authority of it It is not an arbitrary thing the Truths revealed imply a command to believe them the Duties required imply a command to obey them Mat. 17. 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him God hath commanded us to hear Christ to believe in his name to love one another 1 Iohn 3. 23. And this is his Commandment That we should believe in the name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment As we value his Word and would one day see his face with comfort we should bind his precepts upon our hearts Say to thy soul As thou wilt answer it to God another day take care of this 2. Owne and improve the righteousness of his Testimonies Man having a total and absolute dependance upon God God might govern us in what manner it pleased him for it is just That one may do with his own what he will Matth. 20. 15. But what hath the Lord required of thee but to love him
are my Meditation We see things in transitu and know them only by hear-say without Meditation To move the Will we had need deal seriously with our own hearts e're we can gain them to a Consent Thoughts are the spokesmen that make up the Match between the Soul and the Temptation they were given for the like office in good things they are the first Acts of the Soul to set a-work all the rest Things lye by till we take them into our Thoughts and Consideration at leisure that we may know what is their tendency and how they concern us You cannot Imagine the Gospel should work as a Charm and Convert us we know not how before Consent and Choice There is a propounding and debating of terms the greatest matters will not work on him that doth not think of them God and Christ and Heaven and Salvation are looked upon in a cold and remiss manner without this serious Consideration And to excite and quicken and stir our Affections Meditation is useful We complain of deadness and we our selves are the Cause because we do not rouse up our selves excite and compel our selves expostulate with our selves Isa. 64. 7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name and stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Man hath a power to whet Truths upon his own heart and if he will not make use of it and reason for God with our selves we are justly left under the power of deadness and stupidness of Spirit 2. 'T is a great help to our Graces Faith takes root by Meditation Matth. 13. 5. The seed forthwith sprang up because it had no deepness of earth A careless slight heart is no fit soil for Faith to grow in 2. Hope is made lively by Consideration of the thing hoped for 3. Charity is inflamed by the sight and frequent view of Divine Objects in their Beauty and Amiableness 3. The Duties of Religion Reading and Hearing are effectual by Meditation The Use is for Exhortation to press you to Meditation 't is the Mother and Nurse of Knowledge and Godlinss the great instrument in all the Offices of Grace otherwise we take up things by hear-say this digests them and maketh them our own 1. It preventeth vain thoughts both as it stocketh the heart with Truth for good seed thick set and well rooted destroyeth the weeds and as it seasoneth the heart with a Gracious disposition and inureth it more to holy thoughts whereas those that do not use to Meditate how are their Minds pestered with swarms of vain thoughts which wholly divert it and turn it aside from God Man is mindless of holy things and if they turn into the heart by accident their entertainment is cold and careless as a man would be used that cometh into an house full of enemies 2. How great an affront is it to God to omit this part of Communion with him it is irkesome to think of him Saints find it otherwise Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet Some God is said to be near in their Mouth and far from their Reins Ier. 12. 2. frequently spoken of but seldom considered by them That soul that hath a sincere and unfeigned love to him will take some time to solace itself with him alone to be sure God taketh it kindly at our hands Mal. 3. 16. A book of remembrance was written for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name that have frequent and high thoughts of God in their hearts without which Love will presently languish and grow cold 3. What a neglect it is of Gods Messages of Love that you will not consider them Matth. 21. 5. And they made light of it And Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation He hath laid out all his Eternal thoughts upon a way of Salvation and manifested it to you and you entertain it with so much scorn that you will not set your minds to it and think it worthy a few sad and sober thoughts What Is it so tedious to think a thought of your own greatest Concernments Surely Man is strangely deprav'd to refuse this 4. What a likely means Meditation is to do you good I know 't is the Lord inclineth the Heart and our Thoughts work no further than God is in them yea he giveth us to think 2 Cor. 3. 5. But as it is our Duty so 't is a very proper means to improve our Graces and our Comfort for a constant steady continued view of truth surely will work more than a glance A transient view cannot leave such an impression upon us as a steady view We taste things better when they are chewed than when they are swallowed whole Meditation goeth over things again and again and pryeth into every part And as 't is a constant light so 't is an argumentative Consideration of things When one scale is not heavy enough we put in weight after weight till we gain our point bring off the Heart from such a vanity ingage it to such a pursuit by our own arguings with our selves Prov. 12. 14. A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his own mouth Acts 17. 11 12. And these were more noble then they of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so Therefore many believed because they had searched with all readiness of Mind 5. This is an Argument should prevail with Gods Children that we may know our growth in Grace by the frequency continuance and efficacy of holy thoughts At first good thoughts are few and rare the heart is so crouded with vanity that there is no room for God or his Word for these things keep their interest in the heart and draw the mind after them so that dayes pass over our heads and we forget God Psal. 10. 11. Or if they arise in our minds they find little entertainment there but are gone as soon as they come 'T is the Policy of the Enemy of our Salvation to draw our minds from one thing to another that good thoughts may pass over without fruit and benefit Or if we force our selves to continue they do not warm the heart only weary the brain But now when truths are ever with us they improve us Psal. 119. 98. Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser then my Enemies for they are ever with me Prov. 6. 22. When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee and when thou wakest it shall talk with thee We have them always ready and at hand They that are sound at heart can pause with delight on heavenly things 'T is a good note of some progress 't is a sign the heart is heavenly carried out with a strong and prevailing love to heavenly things that earthly profits and vain pleasures have not such a hand over us as they were wont to have You have gotten the mastery
when he taketh away when he emptieth and when he filleth us with Blessings a Child of God is of a strange temper he can fear him for his Mercies Hosea 3. 5. and praise him for his Judgments as in the Text it argueth a great measure of Grace to give Thanks to God at all times and for all things 1 Thes. 5. 17 18. Rejoyce ever more pray without ceasing in every thing give thanks Simply we cannot give thanks for Afflictions as Afflictions as we cannot pray for them nor joy in them but as they are a means of good to us A thankful frame of Heart bringeth meat out of the Eater incouragement out of the saddest Providences and taketh occasion to lift up it self in the praises of God even from those things which are matter of greatest discouragement and heartless dejection to others It seeth the hand of God working for good to him And then on the other side an Unthankful Repining Murmuring Spirit sowereth all our Comforts is ever querulous whether crossed or pleased it entertaineth Crosses with Anger and Blessings with Disdain 'T is hard to be in any Condition on this side Hell wherein we have not cause to praise God even in great Calamities either for their fruit and issue as our Souls are bettered and humbled by them Psalm 119. 65. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant according to thy word Wherein In giving him Faith and sensible and seasonable Correction Verse 67. and presently thou art good and dost good Verse 68. Or else for their Mitigation as to deem them not insupportable 1 Corinth 10. 13. That we are not Consumed Lament 3. 22. That not to the full merit of our Sins Ezra 9. 13. Thou hast punished us less then we have deserved That Comforts come along with them That our Afflictions do not exceed the measure of our Comforts 2 Corinth 1. 5. That we have a good God still who knoweth how to turn all to our Advantage Let us be perswaded he is well affected to us in Christ and we will take any thing kindly at his hand All this is spoken that poor murmuring Souls may not set out from so blessed a Work yea when other Arguments fail we may see the Wisdom Justice and Faithfulness of God in his sharpest Corrections Psalm 119. 75. I know that thy Iudgments are right and in Faithfulness thou hast afflicted me 'T is a great honour to God to speak good of his name when his hand is smart upon us Use. Let me press you now to three things First To the Work Secondly Frequency and Constancy herein Thirdly To suit often God's Word and Works together First To the work of praising God many are often complaining or begging but seldom praising or giving thanks Oh surely this should be more regarded not always taken up with complaints against our selves and supplications for Mercies but should sometime give Thanks and praise the Lord 't is the Noblest part of our work 't is nearest the work of Heaven As Love is the Grace of Heaven so Praise is the Duty then in Season 't is good to be preparing setting our Hearts in order for our eternal Estate 't is the work of Angels when we praise God we do the work of Angels The Angels according to the opinion of the Ancient Hebrews do every day sing praises to God and that in the Morning which they gather because the Angel said to Iacob Gen. 32. 26. Let me go for the day breaketh which place the Targum of Ierusalem thus explaineth Let me go for the Pillar of the Morning ascendeth and behold the hour approacheth that the Angels are to sing however that opinion be sure we are that the Angels ever bless God and laud his holy Name Isaiah 6. 1 2 3. The Angels cryed one to another holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory They were blessing God for Creation then the Morning Stars sang for Joy Iob 38. 4 5 6. For the Nativity of Christ Luk. 2. 13 14. They apprehend more of Gods Excellency and Perfection in himself and in his Works than we do and are more sensible of his Benefits than we are Now if this be the work of Angels the highest and greatest of them surely this work should be more prized by us 't is Nobler than other Duties we serve God in our Callings but this work is a part of our Misery this Burden was laid upon Adam after his Fall that in the sweat of his Brows he should eat his Bread Gen. 3. 19. Though honest Labour be a part of our Obedience yet 't is also a part of our Trouble and Exercise There are Works of Righteousness as to give every Man his due these are Good Works but they concern the benefit of Man the good of Humane Society Whereas Praise is more immediately directed to the Honour of God There are Works of Mercy to relieve the Poor to help the Distressed to support the Weak to comfort the Afflicted these are good Works indeed and a very noble part of our service to be reckoned to our Thank-offerings as praise Heb. 13. 15 16. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name but to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is wellpleased 'T is Godlike to do Good and a more blessed thing to give than to receive Acts 20. 35. As God giveth to all and receiveth of none but still this redoundeth to Men. There are opera cultus the fourth sort of Works Works of Worship Internal as humbling our Soul repenting of our Sins and asking Pardon these are good Works indeed but such as imply our Misery and Imperfection External as Prayer Hearing and Reading and other Acts of Communion with God but when we give Thanks this is more Noble In other Duties God is bestowing something on us but here in our way we bestow something upon God In Prayer as Beggars in Hearing as Scholars and Disciples we come to expect something from him here we come to put Honour upon God in our way 't is a kind of Recompence or paying our Debts to him by Word or Deed. Now the Reasons why Men are so backward to this Work are I. Because we have so little of the Love of God Self-love puts us upon Supplication but the Love of God upon Praise and Thanksgiving 'T is a Token of great Love to Praise God without Ceasing We are eager to have Blessings and then forget to return and give God the Glory II. And partly Neglect of Observation We do not gather up Matter of Thanksgiving Colos. 2. 4. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving We should continually observe Gods Answers and Visits of Love Manifestations of himself to the World The Reason then why we have no more pleasure in Praising God is because we observe not so heedfully as we
then soon cool in their desires such are slothful Professors p. 2 Children of God desire to be taught of God p. 230 Reasons why they desire it p. 230 231. They long for Eternal Salvation p. 1087 Choice of Gods Testimonies gives us a Right to them p. 742 After enquiry into the way of Truth we must come to the choice of it p. 197. What it is to choose them p. 1071 To do good out of Choice the Character of a good Man p. 1070 1071. Causes of a right choice p. 1078 Effects of a right choice p. 1079 Christ our Surety p. 820 821. By way of Caution and by way of Satisfaction ibid. Christ the object and end of worship p. 12 Christ uses subordinate Teachers not out of Indigence but Indulgence p. 41. Christ a tender Shepherd p. 1107 Christ. All Sin a great injury 1. To his Merit 2. To his Example p. 20 21. Christ's undertaking the end of it to make us blessed in the enjoyment of God p. 72. Vid. Blessedness Christianity is not to be judged by Nominal Professors p. 1069 Christianity its design not to set up a Kingdom of Power but Patience p. 522. Vid. Conditions of Christianity It hath 2 parts 1. Destructive 2. Adstructive p. 184 Christian Religion onely worthy our choice p. 197. Reas. ibid. Church is Christ's School p. 41 Church true and false their difference p. 518 False Church hath usually the advantage of worldly Power above the true Church p. 518 Chusing Gods Precepts what it is why they must be chosen p. 1071. Motives to chuse them p. 177 Directions how to chuse them p. 1378 Civil Policy and Interest not opposed by Religion p. 144 Circumstances in our obedience much insisted on by God p. 26 27. Great prudence in applying Circumstances p. 449 Claim to Comfort from Gods Tender Mercies p. 516 Cold Prayer teaches God to deny p. 121 Comfort denotes two things p. 513. 'T is the Souls strength p. 513 Comfort in all its Causes matter of Comfort p. 592 Comfort right when according to the Tenour of the Word p. 40 Comfort Spiritual Eternal Temporal 551. All to be ascribed to God p. 552 513 Comfort in death from the everlastingness of Gods Testimonies p. 892. When we beg Comfort we must beg Grace to serve the God of our Comforts p. 927 928 Comfort in Afflictions may be askt from Gods Mercy p. 511 Comfort from Gods Word which teacheth us 1. To look off from Men to God 2. From Providences to Promises p. 147 591 629 329 Comfort under Afflictions 1 From God the Author of them 2 From the necessity of Affliction 3 The manner of Gods Afflicting 4 His helps to bear them p. 150 151. False Comforts p. 334 No comforts in Afflictions like those that are fetcht in from Gods Word p. 329. For 1 The quality of those comforts are Excellent 2 The provision he has made for our comfort are great 3 The manner is sweet p. 329 330 331 332 333. Commandements are exceeding broad 1 In respect of their uses 2 Of their duration p. 619 Command of God to be feared as well as the penalty p. 25 Commandments of God called his Ways why p. 22 Commandments of God excellent in their Matter p. 315 Commandments of God above the power of Corrupt Nature why p. 28. Great and small must be obeyed and why p. 33 They make us wiser than our Enemies how?-p 638 Commands for publick and private Duties relating to the outward and inner Man p. 33. To God and Man p. 34 Commandments have 1 God for their Author 2 God in giving them to be considered as a Lawgiver 3 They are holy just and good p. 455 456 Commerce with God Vid. communion Common Favours not to be rested in p. 912 113 Communion of Saints its excellency p. 504 Communion with God makes blessed p. 11. No communion with him without obedience to him ibid. Communion with God discovers his gloriousness and our vileness p. 61 Communion with God in Donatives and Duties p. 951 952 Company of wicked Men how far to be shunned 1. As to Familiarity with them 2. Durable Relation to them 3. Compliance with them in their Sins p. 773 774. Vid. carnal compliance reproof to such p. 353 Company Observations and Directions about it p. 776 777 It is to be kept with those that are gracious Reasons p. 430 431. Complaints under Affliction what they usually are p. 713 714 Complain we may complain to God not of God p. 551 Compliance with God our safety p. 637 Condescension of God in arguing with us p. 877 Condescension of God in using his Supremacy over us 1. In making overtures of Peace 2. In seeking to reclaim us by Mercies p. 131 Condition of him that falleth off from God worse then his that never begun p. 342 Conditions of professing Christianity and of enjoying outward things p. 415 Conduct of the Spirit necessary p. 170 Conference Religious either stated or occasional-p 81 82 Confession of sin with a broken heart argues one sincere p. 1106 Confession of the Truth gives inward Liberty when it brings us into outward Bonds p. 301 Confession of the Truth hindred by 1 Carnal Fear 2 Carnal Shame p. 306 309 331 332 Confession of Sin its Usefulness p. 164 Not enough to believe the Word with the Heart unless wee confess it with our Mouths p. 330. Reasons p. 330 331. Vid. Profession Confidence in Death and in the day of Judgment-p 30 37. Confirmation in the belief of Gods Word a matter of very great Moment p. 285 286 Congruity of choosing Gods Precepts p. 1073 Conscience Erroneons will mislead us p. 4 Conscience hath no Lawgiver but God p. 878 A good Conscience Comfort against reproach p. 301 Conscience must be the Lords as well as our Afflictions p. 15 Conscience its Light not to be opposed p. 21 26. It takes notice of thoughts as well as Actions p. 33 It is a bridle to restrain from Sin and a whip to lash us for sin p. 532. A great Comfort under and against Reproach p. 141 A good Conscience gives Encouragement to come to God p. 1079 Conscience when it works Christ knocks p. 412 Conscience to be kept necessary why How it may be kept p. 417 418 We must have a good Conscience as well as a good cause p. 977 978 Consent of every individual Person to the Terms of the Covenant of Grace necessary to partake of its benefit p. 909 910. Consideration of our ways makes way for Conversion p. 395 Consideration fit matter of it 1 Who made thee 2 Why did God make thee 3 Hast thou answered the End of his making thee 4 What unkindness not to remember him that made thee c. p. 397 398 399 225. Gods Considering our Afflictions what it signifies p. 969 Consideration of Gods Judgments what and how p. 346 Consolation for the afflicted from Gods Word p. 591 Vid. Comfort from Gods Word Constancy in Gods ways a great Duty p. 210. Motives