you believed you were sealed by the holy Spirit of Promise Ephes. 1. 13 14. 2. There is a Witness which is given to the Saints that the thing may not be always dark and doubtful The Holy-Ghost is given as a Witness If you would know whether or no you are the Children of God see that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God As under the Law in the Mouth of two Witnesses every doubtful Thing was to be established Deut. 17. 6. So here the Spirit beareth Witness together with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Our Spirits alone may be lying deceitful we may flatter our selves and think we are the Children of God when we are Children of the Devil All certainly comes from the Holy-Ghost and therefore the great Question which is traversed to and fro in the Heart is Whether we be God's Children What is the Spirit 's Witness 1. He lays down Marks in Scripture which are the Ground and Decision of this Debate for the Scriptures are of the Holy-Ghost's inditing and so may be said to bear witness Rom. 8. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God 1 John 3. 10. In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil Whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother Thus the Spirit beareth witness to our Spirits by laying down such Marks as we by our own spiritual Sense and renewed Conscience feel to be right within our selves And this is the main thing called the Witness of the Spirit 2. He worketh such Graces as are peculiar to God's Children and are Evidences of our Interest in the Favour of God and therefore it is called the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess. 2. 13. and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost Tit. 3. 5. Look as Iohn knew Christ to be the Son of God by the Spirit 's descending and abiding upon him Iohn 1. 32. So by the Spirit 's Work and the Spirit 's Inhabitation we know whether we are the Children of God or no whether we dwell in God and God in us because of his Spirit that he hath given us that is because of those Graces wrought in us And this is called the Seal of the Spirit for the Holy-Ghost stamping the Impress of God upon the Soul working in us an answerable Likeness to Christ is said to be the Seal then we have God's Impress upon us 3. The Spirit goes further he helpeth us to feel and discover those Acts in our selves There is a stupid Deadness in the Conscience so that we are not always sensible of our spiritual Acts. Hagar saw not the Fountain near her until God opened her Eyes So we may not see the Work of the Spirit without the Light of the Spirit We cannot own Grace in the midst of so much Weakness and Imperfection there is a misgiving of Conscience therefore the Spirit of Sanctification is also a Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1. 17. The Author of the Grace is the best Revealer and Interpreter of it He works and he gives us a sight of it As a Workman that made a thing can best warrant it to the Buyer he knows the Goodness and Strength of it and how it is framed and made So the Holy-Ghost which works Grace he reveals and discovers this Grace to us 4. The Spirit helps us to compare them with the Rule and accordingly to judg of their Sincerity The Spirit opens our Understandings that we may be able to discern the Intent and Scope of the Scripture that so we may not be mistaken We must plow with God's Heifer if we would understand the Riddle In thy Light we shall see Light We shall be apt to misapply the Rule so as to judg of our own Actions Rom. 9. 1. I lie not the Holy-Ghost bearing me witness when he had spoken of some eminent Thing wrought in him We are apt to lie and feign and misapply Rules Comforts and Privileges But now the Holy-Ghost bearing witness with our Spirits by this means we come to have a Certainty There are so many Circuits Wiles Turnings in the Heart of Man that we are not competent Judges of what is wrought in us therefore it is usually ascribed to the Spirit to be the Searcher of the Heart Psal. 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence Acts 5. 4. Thou hast not lied unto Men but unto God The Holy-Ghost is rather spoken of than any other Person because it is his personal Operation to abide in the Hearts of Men and to search and try the Reins It is more particularly ascribed to him tho it belongs to all the Persons 5. As the Spirit helps us to compare that which is wrought with the Rule the impression or thing sealed with the Stamp or the thing sealing so he helps us to conclude rightly of our Estate For many times when the Premises are clear the Conclusion may be suspended either out of Self-Love in case of Condemnation or out of legal Fear and Jealousy in case of Self-acquitment Therefore the Conclusion is of the Holy-Ghost 1 John 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit There 's a great deal of do to bring us to Heaven with Comfort There needs a Person of the Godhead to satisfy us as well as to satisfy God and help us to determine concerning our Condition 6. He enlivens and heightens our Apprehensions in all these Particulars and so fills us with Comfort and raiseth our Joy upon the feeling of the Sense of the Favour of God for all this is the Fruit of his Operation Therefore it is said Rom. 5. 5. The Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy-Ghost which is given unto us Those unspeakable Glimpses of God's Favour and sweet Manifestations of God's Love in the Conscience which we have these are given by the Holy-Ghost There is not one Act of the Soul but the Holy-Ghost hath a stroke in it for our Comfort in every degree all comes from God So that if you would know what the Witness of the Spirit is consider What are the Marks in Scripture What Graces are wrought in your Hearts How doth the Spirit help you to discern those Graces to compare them to the Rule to make accordingly in these Things a Determination of our Condition And what Joy and Peace have you thereupon wrought in your Hearts by the Holy-Ghost For an immediate Testimony of the Spirit the Scripture knows of no such thing All other is but Delusion besides this 3. There are certain Fruits and Effects which do more sensibly evidence it unto the Soul What are those Fruits of the Spirit of Adoption in our Hearts by which we may further evidence it whether we are the
him this is a Lye which is told to the very Face of God But if this be a Truth that all those which would pray aright must clear up their Adoption and get a sense of it then here will Doubts arise Therefore here I shall handle three Cases 1. What shall natural Men do Must they desist from Prayer for they have no right to it 2. What shall they do which have not as yet received the Testimony of the Spirit For a Child of God may have the Right of Children yet have not a sense of his Adoption 3. What are the Evidences by which our Adoption may be cleared up to us how we may know we are taken into a Child-like State First What shall natural Men do must they desist from Prayer for they have no Right to it I answer You may see here the miserable Condition of wicked Men how much they are bound to pray and yet what an Impossibility lieth upon them of praying aright Certainly none should desist from this Duty of Prayer because they cannot perform it aright for tho we have lost our Power and Fitness yet there is no reason God should lose his Right and his Power to our Obedience There is an Obligation and Precept from God as a Father by Creation upon all Mankind all which are reasonable Creatures they are to own God as a Father in this way I say Prayer is an Homage we owe to God by natural Right therefore no doubt wicked Men do sin when they cease to pray It is one of the Accusations brought against natural Men and is an Aggravation of their Sin Psal. 14. 1. They do not call upon God Rom. 3. 10. it is applied to natural Men. This is the Misery they have subjected themselves to that their Prayer is turned into Sin As a natural Man must not omit Hearing because it is a means to bring him to be acquainted with God tho he cannot hear in Faith So he must not omit Prayer because it is one Means to bring us to own God as a Father by Adoption A Man is not to turn the Back upon him but call him Father as well as he can Ier. 3. 19. But I said How shall I put thee among the Children and give thee a pleasant Land a goodly Heritage of the Hosts of Nations And I said Thou shalt call me My Father and shalt not turn away from me Better to own God any way than not to own him at all than not to enquire after him to own him rationally if not spiritually to own him by Choice if not out of Sense If we cannot come and clear up our Title to this great Privilege by the Spirit of Adoption yet any way Thou shalt not turn away from me We should not shut the Door upon our selves It is required of a natural Man being weary of his Sins to flie to God in Christ Jesus for his Grace and Favour that he might become his God and Father Secondly What shall they do which have not as yet received the Testimony of the Spirit that do not know their Adoption I answer A Child of God may have the Effects and Fruits of Adoption yet not always the feeling of it to witness to him that God hath taken him into a Child-like Relation to himself Certainly they are in a very uncomfortable Condition for they want an Help in Prayer Doubtless thou art our Father O what an Advantage is that How much of Eloquence and Rhetorick is there in that when we can speak to God as a Father Yet they are not to neglect their Addresses to God for this is a means to obtain the Spirit of Adoption Luke 11. 13. He will give the Spirit to them that ask him Therefore in what ever Condition we be we must pray otherwise we shut the Door upon our Hopes You continue the Want upon your selves and so wholly detain your selves in a comfortless Condition There is a fourfold spiritual Art we must use in Prayer when we have not the Sense of our Adoption that we may be able to speak to God as our Father 1. Disclaim when you cannot apply When you cannot clear up your own Relation and Interest then disclaim all other Confidences If thou canst not say Father yet plead Fatherless Hos. 14. 3. In thee the Fatherless find Mercy Come as poor helpless shiftless Creatures seek Peace and Reconciliation with God in Christ It may be God may take you into his Favour He is a Father of the Fatherless 2. Own God in the humbling way Learn the Policy of the Prodigal Luke 15. 18 19. Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son This is the Policy and Art of an humble Faith to call God Father As Paul catcheth hold of the Promise on the dark Side Iesus Christ came to save Sinners and presently he addeth Whereof I am chief So when a Believer can come and say Lord I am not worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants 3. The third Policy we should use in Prayer is to call him Father in Wish Optando si non affirmando If we cannot do it by direct Affirmation let us do it by Desire Let us pray our selves into this Relation and groan after it that we may have a clearer Sense that God is our Father in Christ. 4. Faith hath one Art more it maketh use of Christ Jesus God hath a Son whose Name signifieth much in Heaven therefore if you cannot come to him as your Father come to him as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph. 3. 14. For this cause I bow my Knees to the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. Let Christ bring you into God's presence He is willing to change Relations with us Take him along with you in your Arms go to God in Christ's Name Whatsoever you ask in my Name shall be given to you Thirdly But what are the Evidences by which our Adoption may be cleared up to us How shall we know that we are taken into a Child-like State 1. Consider how it is brought about How do we come to be related to God by Christ Jesus By receiving Christ as he is offer'd in the Gospel John 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God It is a Prerogative and special Grant those which receive Christ even those that believe in his Name that is those who out of a sense of their own Need and Sight of Christ offered in the Promise do really consent to take him for the Ends for which God offereth him to wit as Prince and Saviour that he might give you Repentance and Remission of Sins not in pretence but in your Hearts These have full liberty to call God Father to come to treat and deal with him tho they have not a sense of the Blessedness of their State for this followeth Believing After
of Hagar and Religion be crouded out of Doors Faelix illa domus ubi Martha queritur de Maria That 's a happy House where Martha complains of Mary Martha which was cumbred with much Service complained of Mary that she was at the feet of Jesus Christ hearkning to his gracious Counsel but in most Houses Mary may complain of Martha Religion is neglected and goes to the Walls 2. Some want a Place He that doth not want a Heart will find a Place Christ went into a Mountain to pray and Peter to the top of the House 3. Many say they want Parts they cannot tell how to pray Wherefore hath God given his Spirit In one fashion or other a Man can open his Case to God he can go and breath out his Complaints the Lord will hear Breathings Go chatter out thy Requests to thy Father tho you can but chatter like a Crane yet do it with fervency and with a Spirit of Adoption We have not only Christ given us for an Advocate but the Holy-Ghost to help our Infirmities He hath given us the Spirit of his Son whereby we may cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. A Child can acquaint a Father with his Wants VSE 2. To exhort God's Children to Frequency in this Duty and to much Watchfulness and Seriousness in the performance of it First To Frequency For Arguments again to press you 1. It argueth more Familiarity to pray to God alone than in Company He that goeth to a Prince alone and upon all Occasions hath access to him in private when Company is gone hath nearer Friendship and a greater Intimacy with him than those which are only admitted to a Speech with him in the Company of others So the oftner you are with God alone the more familiar He loves to treat with you apart as Friends are most free and open to one another when they are alone 2. Then you will have a more sensible Answer of your own Prayers you will see what God hath done upon your Requests Dan. 9. 21 22. Daniel was praying for the Church and an Angel comes and tells him It is for thy Prayers and Supplications that I am come Therefore surely a Man would take some time to go and plead the Promises with God But further by way of Means 1. Consider the Omnipresence of God which is the Argument in the Text He is in secret and seeth in secret If Men were convinced of that they would make Conscience of secret Prayer Look as Jesus Christ says of himself Iohn 16. 32. You leave me alone and yet I am not alone for the Father is with me So when you are alone you are not alone there is a Father in secret tho no-Body to see and hear yet God is there We are apt to think all is lost which Men are not conscious to and done in their â—â—ght Acts 10. 4. Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial before God God keeps a Memorial of your private Prayers there is a Register kept in Heaven and never a Prayer lost 2. Consider the Excellency of Communion with God Ier. 2. 32. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments and a Bride her Attire Women are very curious and careful of their Ornaments and will not forget their Dressing-Attire especially a Bride upon the Wedding-Day she that is to be set forth in most costly Array she makes it her Business to put on Jewels to be seen in all her Glory God is as necessary to us as Ornaments to a Bride We should be as mindful of Communion with God as a Bride of her dressing Ornaments Yeâ— they have forgotten me days without number What ever is forgotten God must not be forgotten 3. Make God a good Allowance resolve to be much in the practice of it It is best to have set Times for our Religious Worship For Persons which are sui juris at their own dispose it is lawful and very convenient to dedicate a certain part and portion of our Time to the Lord of Time Lazy idle Servants must be tasked and required to bring in their Tale of Brick So it is good to task the Heart to make God a fair and reasonable and convenient Allotment of some part of our Time David had his fixed Hours Three times a day will I call upon thee And Daniel had his set Times he pray'd three times a day Tho we cannot charge you to observe these Hours yet you should make a prudent Choice your selves and consecrate such a part of Time as will suit with your Occasions your Course of Life according to your Abilities and Opportunities It is an Expression of Love to God to give him somewhat that is your own and it will be of exceeding Profit to you and make your Communion with him more seasonable and orderly This will make you careful and watchful how you spend your other Hours that you may not be unfit when Times of Prayer come 1 Pet. 3. 7. Husbands dwell with your Wives according to knowledg that your Prayers be not hindred But do not propose a Task too great for your Strength and perplex your selves with such an unreasonable Allowance as will not suit with your Occasions Men create a Trouble to themselves and bind themselves with Chains of their own making when they propose more Duty than they can well discharge The second Part of the VSE Do it seriously with Caution and warily Here Christ gives direction When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and shut thy Door and then think of thy Father which is in secret We need a great deal of Caution for 1. When you shut the Door upon all others you cannot shut the Devil out of your Closets he will croud in When you have bolted the Door upon you and shut other Company out you do not lock out Satan he is always at hand ready to disturb us in holy Duties where-ever the Children of God are he seeks to come at them When the Sons of God met together Satan was in the midst of them Iob 1. He meets in Congregations he gets into the Closet When Ioshua the High-Priest was ministring before the Lord Satan stood at his right-hand ready to resist him Zech. 3. 1. 2. There needs Caution because in private Duties there may be many Failings and Evils which we are apt to be tainted with in our private Addresses to God 1. There may be danger of Ostentation therefore Christ gives direction here that it should be managed with the greatest Secrecy both as for Place Time and Voice Let none but God be conscious to our drawing aside that we may be alone Withdraw your selves out of the sight and hearing of others lest Pride and Ostentation creep upon you The Devil will seek to blast this serious Acknowledgment to God one way or other 2. There may be Customariness for fashion sake It is said of Christ That he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-Day as his Custom was We may use accustomed Duties
Covenant By Creation to all Mankind kind so he will be ready to sustain that which he hath made he that hath given Life will give Food he that hath given a Body will give Raiment Things expect Supply thence from whence they received their Being But much more by Covenant so he is our Father in Christ Doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us Isa. 63. 16. Well but what 's this to the present Purpose that God is a Father This is a Check to babling therefore we should go to him in an unaffected manner with a Child-like Spirit and Dependance with Words reverent serious and plain Children do not use to make starch'd Speeches to their Fathers when they want Bread but only express their natural Cry and go to them for such things as they stand in need of there they speak and are accepted and a Word from a Child moves the Father more than an Orator can move all his Hearers Even such a naked Address should we make to God in a plain manner for when we come to pray Christ would have us take up God in the Notion of a Father and to behave our selves in a natural way to him for affected Eloquence or Loquacity in Prayer is one of the main things Christ here disproves Prayer ought to be simple and plain Therefore the great Business of the Spirit of Adoption is to make us cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. 2. He is such a Father as is not ignorant of our Wants The care of his Providence is over all the Creatures he hath made God hath an Inspection over them to provide Necessaries for them much more over his People His Eyes run to and fro to find them out in all the places of their Dispersion and he doth exercise his Power for their Relief 2 Chron. 16. 9. Now this Thought should be rooted in our Hearts when we come to pray to God I go to a Father which hath found me out in the Throng of his Creatures and knows what is good for me This is a great ground why we should not use Battology because God knows what my Needs are Words are not required for God's sake but for ours not to inform God but that we may perform our Duty the better Well then so far as they are useful so far they should be used to bound our Thoughts to warm our Affections to strengthen our Faith 1. To bound our Thoughts for an Interruption in Speech is sooner discerned than an Interruption in Meditation 2. And to warm our Affections Words at first are Vent to Affection but afterwards they continue to increase the Affection as a Hearth is first warmed by the Fire and then it serves to keep in the Fire 3. And they conduce to strengthen our Faith while we plead Promises in God's hearing We wrestle with God that we may catch a heat our selves And therefore Words should be only used as they conduce to the strengthning our Faith or continuing our Affection to God Longer than they serve that End in Prayer they are Babling and vain Repetitions and much speaking which Christ here forbids Consider there is not a Change in God but a Change in us wrought by Prayer 'T is neither to give Information to God that he may know our meaning nor to move him and persuade him to be willing by our much speaking but only to raise up our own Faith and Hope towards God 3. He is such a Father as is not unwilling to relieve us Your heavenly Father is very ready to give you such Things as you stand in need of as Christ expresseth it Mat. 7. 11. If ye being evil know how to give good Things unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give good Things to them that ask him And Luke 11. 13. it is How much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit When you come to beg for Grace consider what earthly Parents would do for a Child Their Affections are limited they are in part corrupt and poor straitned Creatures have not such Bowels of Compassion as God and yet when a Child comes to them with a genuine Cry with a sense of his Want and Confidence of his Father he cannot harden his Bowels against his Child This also checks much speaking for we do not pray to stir up Mercy in him as if he needed much Intreaty and were severe and delighted to put the Creature to Penance No he is ready before we ask he knows our Wants and Needs and is ready to supply us with those Things we stand in need of only will have this comely Order observed Sometimes he prevents our Prayers before we ask Before they call I will answer and I am found of them that sought me not Before we can have a Heart to come the Lord prevents us with his Blessing And sometimes he gives us what we ask This is the Condescension of God that when you call he will answer and when you cry he doth in his Providence say What will you have poor Creatures And he gives more than we ask As Solomon asked Wisdom and God gave him more than he asked Wisdom Riches and Honour Object But here 's an Objection These Notions seem not only to exclude long Prayer and much speaking but all Prayer If God know our Wants and is so ready to give whether we ask or no what need we open them to him in Prayer at all I answer It is God's prescribed Course and that should be enough to gracious Hearts that will be obedient to their Father Whatever he intends tho he knows our Wants and resolves to answer them yet it is a piece of religious Manners to ask what he is about to give Ier. 29. 11. I know my Thoughts towards you Thoughts of Peace yet will I be enquired of you for these Things God knows his own Thoughts hath stated his Decrees and will not alter the beautiful Course of his Providence for our sakes yet he will be sought unto So Ezek. 36. God purposed to bless them and therefore promiseth I will do thus and thus for you yet vers 37. I will yet for this be enquired of by the House of Israel to do it for them I will do it but you shall milk out the Blessing by Prayer This Course is also necessary and that both for his Honour and our Profit and Comfort 1. It is necessary for his Honour that God may still be acknowledged that the Creature may be kept up in a constant dependance upon God and may go about nothing but may ask his Leave Counsel and Blessing Prov. 3. 6. In all thy Ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy Paths We ask God's Leave that we may do such a thing for he hath the Dominion over all Events And if we are doubtful we ask his Counsel whether we may stay here or there or dispose of our selves and Families And we ask his Blessing upon our Resolution Now
to bring your Hearts to God in this manner AN EXPOSITION OF THE Lord's-Prayer Our Father which art in Heaven I Have insisted upon the foregoing Verses which do concern the Duty of Prayer let me now come to the Lord's-Prayer it self This Prayer was form'd and digested by Christ and therefore to be highly esteemed by Christians Jesus Christ who was the Wisdom of God he knew both our Necessities and the Father's good Will towards us and therefore surely he would give us a perfect Form and Directory We are not absolutely tied to this Form we do not read that it was ever used by the Apostles tho we have many of their Prayers upon Record in the Acts and in the Epistles yet they plainly differ as to the Construction of the Words And this very Prayer is diversly set down by the Evangelists themselves Mat. 6. 11. Give us this day our daily Bread it is in other Words Luke 11. 3. Give us day by day our daily Bread And v. 12. And forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors in Luke 11. 4. it is And forgive us our Sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us But however tho we are not tied to this Form yet I think it may be humbly used for Christ taught his Disciples how to pray while as yet they were in their Ignorance and Tenderness and had not received the Spirit And God usually puts Words into Sinners Mouths Hosea 11. 2. Take with you Words and say unto him Receive us graciously Look as Ioseph is said to feed his Father and his Brethren as a little Child is nourished as it is in the Margent there is not only Food provided but it is put into their Mouths Gen. 47. 12. So did Christ teach his Disciples to pray not only as directing them what they should pray for but putting a Form of Words into their Mouths In this Prayer there are three Parts observable 1. The Preface 2. The Petitions themselves 3. The Conclusion In the Preface we have a Description of God as always we should begin Prayer with awful Thoughts of God God is described partly from his Goodness and Mercy Our Father and partly from his Greatness and Majesty Which 〈◊〉 in Heaven I. His Goodness and Mercy Our Father Where is set forth 1. The Relation wherein God standeth to his People in the Word Father 2. Their Propriety and Interest in that Relation wherein not the particular Interest of a single Believer is asserted My Father but the general Interest of all the Elect in Christ Our Father I shall wave all which may be said concerning Prayer in general concerning the Lawfulness or Unlawfulness of a Form in Prayer The Disputes concerning the Use of this Form as also all the Disputes concerning the Object of Prayer which we learn from hence to be God alone Surely Prayer is a Sacrifice and belongeth only to God it cannot be made to any other but to him who knoweth all the Prayers that are made in the World at the same time and the Hearts of all those that pray I will also wave what might be spoken concerning Preparation before Petition for here there is a Preface before the Prayer it self Neither shall I speak concerning the Necessity of conceiving right Thoughts of God in Prayer how we may conceive of his Goodness to beget a Confidence of his Majesty to beget an Awe and Reverence That which I shall insist upon is the Notion and Relation under which God is here expressed which is that of Father Our Father Observe Those that would pray aright must address themselves to God as a Father in Iesus Christ. Hypocrites at the last Day will cry Lord Lord but Christ hath taught us to say Our Father Here I shall I. Enquire in what Sence God is a Father II. What Encouragements we have from thence in Prayer when we can take him up under this Notion and Appellation I. In what Sence God is a Father This Title may be given to God either essentially or with respect to personal Relation 1. Essentially and so 't is common to all the Persons in the Godhead Father Son and Holy-Ghost all three are God and our Father And thus not only the First Person but the Second is called the Everlasting Father Isa. 9. 6. And the Holy-Ghost being Author of our Being is called our Maker But 2. It may be ascribed to God personally And so the first Person is called God the Father and that either with relation to Christ or to us 1. With relation to Christ as the Son of God So the first Person is called the Father as he is the Fountain of the Deity communicating to and with him the Divine Essence Psal. 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee The personal Property of the Father is to beget and of the Son to be begotten There is an eternal Now wherein God is said to beget him Thus he may be called the Father of Christ as he is the second Person now as Incarnate and Mediator Tho God be Christ's Father as second Person yet they are all equal in Power Dignity and Glory But as Mediator God is his Father in another respect So it is said Iohn 14. 28. My Father is greater than I Not as God for so he was equal He thought it no Robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2. 6. But greater than I that is consider him as Man and Mediator in the state of his Humiliation For it is notable to consider upon what occasion Christ speaks these Words If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father for my Father is greater than I That is You admire me and prize my Company exceedingly because you see the Power which I put forth in the Miracles which I do ye would rejoice if you understood it aright He is infinitely more glorious than I appear in this State of Abasement and Humiliation Thus with respect to Christ God the first Person may be called the Father 2 With respect to Vs for the first Person is not only the Father of Christ but our Father John 20. 17. I go to my Father and your Father We share with Christ in all his Relations As God was his God by Covenant so he is our God And in this Sence personally it may be taken here for our Business lieth mainly with the first Person with whom Christ intercedeth for us 1 Iohn 2. 1. We have an Advocate with the Father even Iesus Christ the Righteous Before whom doth he appear Before the Father And it is to him to whom we direct our Prayers tho not excluding the other Persons Eph. 3. 14. I bow my Knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesu◠Christ. Tho it be not unlawful to pray to Christ or to the Holy-Ghost for that hath been done by the Saints Stephen saith Lord Iesus receive my Spirit and Iacob saith The Angel of the Covenant bless the Lads
the Lord who made Heaven and Earth As if the Psalmist had said As long as I see these glorious Monuments of his Power these Things framed out of nothing shall I distrust God whatever Exigence or Strait I may be reduced to Secondly More especially there is a particular Sort of Men to whom God is a Father in Christ and that is to Believers Iohn 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to be called the Sons of God Those which in their natural State and Condition were Children of Wrath and Slaves to Sin and Satan when they come and are willing to welcom and receive Christ into their Hearts in a sense of their Misery are willing to make out after God and Christ they have an Allowance to call God Father and may have Child-like Communion with him and run to him in all Straits and lay open their Necessities to him 2 Kings 4. 19. When the Child cried unto his Father he said Carry him to his Mother So when we are ill at ease and in any Straits this is the Privilege of our Adoption that we have a God to go to we may go to our Father and plead with him as the Church Isa. 63. 16. Doubtless thou art our Father tho Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not Thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer It is good to know God under this special Relation of a Father in Christ and this is that which is the Grace of Adoption Adoption is an Act of Free-Grace by which we that were Aliens and Strangers Servants to Sin and Satan are in and by Christ made Sons and Daughters of God and accordingly are so reckoned and treated with to all Intents and Purposes It is a great and special Privilege given to God's own Children by virtue of their Interest in Christ and therefore it is said 1 Iohn 3. 1. Behold what Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! That is Behold it as a certain Truth and admire it as a great Privilege This second Relation is a very great Privilege and it will appear to be so if we consider 1. The Persons that receive it We that were Aliens and Enemies and Bond-slaves that were of another Line and Stock That might say to Corruption Thou art my Father to the Worm Thou art my Mother and my Sister Job 17. 14. We that were Cousin-Germans to Worms a handful of enlivened Dust that we should be taken into such a Relation to God! We that might say indeed to the Devil Thou art our Father and the Lusts of our Father we will do Iohn 8. 44. Satan is the Sinners Father and God disclaims them The Lord disclaims the People which were brought out of the Land of Egypt when they rebelled against him Exod. 32. 7. The Lord said unto Moses Go get thâ— down for thy People which thou broughtest out of 〈◊〉 Land of Egypt have corrupted themselves 〈◊〉 People which thou hast brought in Scorn and Dâ—â—â—dain as if God did disavow them from being hiâ— And so it was with us all When Adam had â—â—belled against God God executed the Law of the rebellious Child against him which was this that he should be turn'd out of Doors So was Adam turn'd out of Paradise and lost his Title and Heritage and we were reckoned to the Devil Now behold what manner of Love was this that we should be called the Sons of God! 2. You will wonder at it you will behold it as an excellent Privilege if you consider the Nature of the Privilege it self To be Sons and Daughters of God to be able to call God Father This was Christ's own Title and Honour When God had a mind to honour Christ he proclaims it from Heaven Mat. 3. 17. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Surely if our Hearts were as apprehensive of heavenly Privileges as they are of earthly we would admire it more Earthly Alliance how is it prized If a great Man should match into our Blood and Line what an Honour and Glory do we reckon it to us 1 Sam. 18. 23. Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a King's Son in Law Do we account this a small Matter to be related to Kings and Princes and Potentates No no we have high thoughts of it And is not this an excellent thing to be Sons and Daughters of God In all other Cases if Men have Children of their own they do not adopt God had a Son of his own in whom his Soul found full Delight and Complacency yet he would adopt and take us wretched Creatures he would invest us with the Title of Sons And shall it be said of this and that Believer Here 's the Son of God O behold what manner of Love c. 3. Then do but consider the Consequents of it both in this Life and the Life to come In this Life what Immunities and Privileges have we Free Access to God we may come and treat with him when we please as Children to a Father when we stand in need of any thing We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. If we ail any thing we may go to our Father and acquaint him with our Case and Grief And we shall have a Child's Allowance here in the World The Heirs of Glory are well provided for in their Non-age they have a Right to a large Portion all the good Things of the World Meat Drink Marriage such Things they have by a Son 's Right They have a Right to the Creature in and by him who is Heir of all Things so they are established in their Right which Adam lost 1 Tim. 4. 3 4. And they are under the Ministry of Angels the Angels are sent forth to be their Guardians and to supply and provide for them And then in the Life to come for we are not only Sons but Heirs we have a Right to the glorious Inheritance Rom. 8. 17. If Children then Heirs Heirs of God Here all the Children are Heirs Male and Female every Son and Daughter an Heir and Joint-heirs with Christ. We do as it were divide Heaven between us we have a great blessed and glorious Inheritance poor despicable Creatures chosen Heirs of a Kingdom James 2. 5. 4. You will see it was a very great Privilege if you consider how we come to be entitled to it Ephes. 1. 5. Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of Children by Iesus Christ to himself We come to it in and by Jesus Christ. Christ was fain to come down and to take a Mother upon Earth that we might have a Father in Heaven He comes down and was made a Man he became our Brother and so layeth the Foundation for the Kindred Heb. 2. 11. Nay not only incarnate but he died to purchase this Title for us When the Business was debated in the Council of the Trinity how
to my Father saith the Prodigal He had forgotten the Duty of a Child he went into a far Country and wasted his Patrimony and that basely and â—ilthily upon Harlots yet upon his Return when he was a great way off The Father runs to meet him half way and kisseth him 4. In disciplining and treating us with much Indulgence and Wisdom and Care A Father takes a great deal of Pains in forming his Child and fashioning its Manners and Behaviour So doth God with his Children If he afflicteth it is as a Father only with purposes of good and not so as an Earthly Father Heb. 12. 10. For verily for a few days they chastned us after their own Pleasure but he for our Profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness They mingle a great deal of Passion with their Correction when they are inflamed but God never mingleth Passion with his Rod When he gives a bitter Cup he is a Father still Ioh. 18. 11. 5. In providing able Guardians for his Children None so attended as God's Children are those which are adopted and taken into Grace and Favour with Christ Heb. 1. 14. Angels are ministring Spirits sent abroad for the Heirs of Salvation They have a guard of Angels to watch over them that they dash not their Foot against a Stone 6. In laying up an Inheritance for them The Apostle saith 2 Cor. 12. 14. Children ought not to lay up for their Parents but Parents for their Children Now God hath laid up for us as well as laid out much upon us Luk. 12. 32. Fear not little Flock it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom He has a Kingdom a glorious Inheritance to bestow upon us And we are kept for that happy State Tho he hath an Heir already Jesus Christ the Heir of all things yet God hath made us Co-Heirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. Thus then it is a mighty Advantage If we did take up God in this Notion to look upon him as a Father it would increase our Confidence and Dependance upon him This is a sweet Relation the Reality is more in God than can be in an Earthly Father for he is a Father according to his Essence knowing our Necessities pardoning our Sins supplying our Wants forming and fashioning our Manners providing able Guardians for us and laying up a blessed Inheritance for us in Heaven Secondly As it encourageth us to pray so it furthereth our Duty in Prayer that we may behave our selves with Reverence Love and Gratitude 1. With a Child-like Reverence and Affection in Prayer Mal. 1. 6. If then I be a Father where is mine Honour And if I be a Master where is my Fear If we expect the Supplies of Children we must perform the Duty of Children God will be owned as a Father not with a Fellow-like Familiarity but humbly and with an awe of his Majâ—sty 2. With Love Now our Love to God is mainly seen by Subjection and Obedience to his Laws Thus Christ would have us take up God in Prayer under such a Relation that we might mind our Duty to him 1 Pet. 1. 17. And if ye call on the Father who without respect of Persons judgeth according to every man's work pass the time of your sojourning here in fear We never pray aright but when we pray resolving to cast off all Sin How can we call him Father whom we care not continually to displease from Day to Day So the Lord treats his People Jer. 3. 5 6. Thou hast said thou art my Father Behold thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest God takes it to be a Contumely and Reproach to himself when we do evil yet come and call him Father He takes it ill that Men should come complementally and flatter him with Lying Lips and do not walk as Children in holy Obedience Therefore it is an engagement to serve God with Holiness 3. With Gratitude When we come to pray we must remember not only what we want but what we have received acknowledging we have all from him he is our Father Deut. 32. 6. Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish People and unwise Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee Hath he not made thee and established thee We must acknowledg the good we have as well as that we expect to come from him Therefore if we would have a praying Frame and be eased of our Sollicitude and that anxious care which is a disparagement to Providence it is good to take up God under the Notion of a Father which makes us rest upon him for all things Mat. 6. 25. Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on Why For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things You that are able Fathers would take your selves disparaged if that your Children should filch and steal for their Living and beg and be sollicitous and go up and down from Door to Door for their Maintenance and Support and not trust to your Care and Provision A Believer which knoweth he hath a Heavenly Father will not be negligent in his Calling but be active and industrious in his way and use those lawful means which by the Providence of God he hath been brought up in and then Be careful for nothing as the Apostle's advice is Phil. 4. 6. And in every thing by Prayer and Supplication make your request known unto God O could we turn Carking into Prayer and run to our Father it would be happy for us Care and Diligence and necessary Provision that 's our work and labour but for the Success and Event of Things leave it to God When we are carking in the World with such anxiousness and troubled with restless Thoughts how we should be provided for in old Age and what will become of us and ours we take God's work out of his Hands this is a disparagement to our Heavenly Father and a reproach to his Providence and Fatherly Care Well then certainly this is of great advantage in Prayer APPLICATION Vse If it be a great advantage in Prayer to take up God under the Notion and Relation of a Father Then those that would pray aright let this instruct and quicken them above all things Clear up your Adoption that you may be able to call God Father for otherwise when you come to pray it is a very Lye to God As Acts 5. 4. When Annanias spake false to the Apostle saith Peter to him Thou hast not lyed unto Men but unto God Why Because he knows all that is done in the World But much more do they lie unto God here this is a very Disgrace and Blasphemy a Contumely rather than a Prayer and Supplication when you will come and make God to father the Devil's Brats When you that live in Sin and have no Reverence and Awe of God upon your Hearts shall come and pray to
Children of God or no 1. In Prayer by a kind of Naturalness or Delight in this Duty of holy Commerce with God Rom. 8. 15. We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father And Zech. 12. 10. I will pour upon the House of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication Where-ever the Spirit of God is dispensed and dwelleth in the Hearts of any the Heart of that Man will be often with God The Spirit of Grace will put him upon Supplication he will be often acquainting God with his Desires Wants Fears 2. You will be mainly carried out to your Inheritance in Heaven Those which are the Children of God do look after a Child's Portion and will look for an Estate in Heaven and cannot be satisfied with present Things Worldly Men they have their Reward Mat. 6. 2 They discharge God for other Things If they may have Plenty Honour worldly Ease and Delights here they never look after Heaven As a Servant hath his Reward from Quarter to Quarter but a Child waits until the Inheritance comes So when we are begotten for this lively Hope when there is an Heavenly-mindedness in you this is a Fruit of the Holy-Ghost wrought in the Heart by which you might know you are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 23. Having the First-Fruits of the Spirit we groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body 3. By a Child-like Reverence and Dread of God when we are afraid to offend God Ier. 35. 5 6. The Sons of Rechab their Father had commanded them that they should drink no Wine now saith God by the Prophet Set Pots full of Wine and Cups and say unto them Drink ye Wine That is present the Temptation No they would not Our Fathers have forbidden us So when a Child of God is put upon Temptation his Heart recoils and reasons thus How can I do this Wickedness and sin against God I dare not my Father hath forbidden me There is an Awe of his Heavenly Father upon him 1 Pet. 1. 17. If you call on the Father who without respect of Persons judgeth according to every Man's Work pass the Time of your sojourning here in Fear We now come to speak of the Possessive Particle Our Father The Word is used for a double Reason 1. To comfort us in the Sense of our Interest in God 2. To mind us of the common Interest of all the Saints in the same God It is not my or thy Father only but our Father First Observe the great Condescension of Christ that poor Creatures are allowed to claim an Interest in God If Christ had not put these Words in our Mouths we never had had Boldness to have gone to God and said Doubtless thou art our Father But he which was in the Bosom of God and knew his Secrets hath told us it is very pleasing to God we should use this Compellation to him This is a Privilege which cannot be sufficiently valued if we consider 1. The Unworthiness of the Persons which enjoy it poor Dust and Ashes sinful Creatures that were Children of the Devil that we should lay Claim and Title to God for our Father And 2. If we consider the Greatness of the Privilege it self O behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called his Children 1 John 3. 1. We think it much when we can say This Field this House is mine but surely this is more to say this God is mine Again Observe here That Interest is a ground of Audience So Christ would have us begin our Prayers Our Father God's Interest in us and our Interest in God God's Interest in us When Christ mediates for his Disciples he saith Ioh. 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavest them me And David Psal. 119. 94. I am thine save me That 's his Argument the Reason is Because God by taking them for his own binds himself to preserve and keep them Every Body is bound to look to his own He that provides not for his own is worse than an Infidel Now what a sweet thing is it when we can go to God and say we are thine So it is the same as to our Interest in God it is an excellent Encouragement Psal. 42. 11. Hope thou in God saith David to his Soul why for he is my God And elsewhere reasoning with himself Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want First his Covenant-Interest is built and then Conclusions of Hope So 2 Sam. 30. 6. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God It is sweet when we can go to God as our God Luther was wont to say God was known better by the Predicament of Relation than by his natural Properties Why is Interest such a sweet thing Because by this Relation to God we have a Claim to God and to all that he can and will do God hath made over himself quantus quantus est as great as great he is for his Use and Comfort Therefore the Psalmist saith Psal. 16. 5. The Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance and of my Cup. A Believer hath as sure a Right and Title to God as a Man hath to his Patrimony to which he is born Look as the Right was any Israelite had to that Share which came to him by Lot so we may lay claim to God and live upon his Power and Goodness as a Man doth upon his Estate Well then labour to see God is yours if you would find acceptance with him It is not enough to know the Goodness and Power of God in general but we must discern our Interest in him that we may not only say Father but Our Father It is the Nature of Faith thus to appropriate and apply Iohn 20. 28. My Lord and my God How is God made ours How shall we know it that we may come and lay our Claim to him Behold Christ teacheth us here to say Our Father by taking hold of his Covenant and this is God's Covenant-Notion I will be your God and you shall be my People When we give up our selves to be God's then he is ours Resignation and Appropriation go together I am my Beloved's there 's the Resignation of Obedience And he is mine there 's the Appropriation of Faith A Believer cannot always say God is his but I am thine however it be with him he would be no others but the Lord's If he cannot say he is God's by an especial interest yet he will be God's by the resignation of his own Vows He knows God hath a better Right and Title to him than he hath to himself Quest. But how shall we know that we do indeed resign up our selves to God I answer When we make him our chief Good and our utmost End that is
holy Name God can turn the Hearts of Men this way and that way according as he pleaseth Prov. 21. 1. The King's Heart is in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of Water he turneth it whithersoever he will As a Man can dispose of a Water-Course turn it hither and thither as the Necessities of his Field or Garden require So can God draw out the Hearts and Respects of Men. Surely there would not be so many Disorders in the World if we did often reflect upon 〈◊〉 Attribute or did deal with God about his Power over the Spirits of Men. We are wrathful and think nothing but the Confusion of Men would serve the Turn and there is no Riddance of our Burthen but by the Destruction of those who stand in our way Whereas the Conversion of Men a Change of their Spirits and Hearts would be a better Cure and bring more Honour to God and Safety with it The truth is we look more to Men than to God and that is the Reason why we pitch rather upon the Destruction than the Conversion of others Destruction that may be executed by the Creature but Conversion that is a Power to order and regulate the Spirits of Men which God hath reserved in his own hands One Angel could destroy above an Hundred and Eighty Thousand in Sennacherib's Camp in one Night but all the Angels with their united Strength cannot draw in one Heart to God But now the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who is too hard for him O did we often reflect upon this we would be dealing with God about this Matter that he would work upon the Spirits of Men. If there be a wicked Ruler or an obstinate Child or Servant c. that he would sanctify himself upon them and change their Hearts 2. You discover much Love to God when as you would not dishonour him your selves so you are careful others may not dishonour him Praise him all ye Ends of the Earth Psal. 98. 4. 100. 1. You would have all the World own him Private Spirits that would impale and enclose Religion that they may shine alone they do not love God but themselves their own Credit and their own Profit Would to God all the Lord's People were Prophets Numb 11. 29. That was a free and noble Speech God is resembled to the Sun because it is He that must shine alone but the Church is compared to the Moon and Stars where all may shine but every Star in its own glory True Christians would have all to be as they are unless it be with respect to their Bonds and Incumbrances 3. You discover Love to others you would have them glorify God The Angels they rejoice when a Sinner is converted they have a great Love to Souls Luke 15. 7. And so do Christians the more spiritual they are the more they come near to the blessed Spirits above and the more affected they are with the good done to others and with their Conversion Saith Paul Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the Flesh Such a Zeal and entire Affection he had to the Souls of others that he could lay all his personal Happiness at Christ's feet And thus you see what need we have to deal seriously with God in this Business if indeed we make this our Aim Especially those which are in publick Relations as Paul was which had an Office put upon him to procure the Salvation of others how will their Hearts run out upon it Secondly It is needful we should deal with God about the sanctifying of his Name as in regard of Persons so of Things and Events God hath the disposal of all Events in his own hands There are many Things which concern the Glory of God that are out of our Reach and are wholly in God's hands and therefore it discovers our Love to his Glory and our Submission to his wise and powerful Government of all Affairs when we deal with God about it and refer the Matter to his disposal and say Lord hallowed be thy Name take the Work into thy own hands We discover our Love to his Glory because we make it a part of our Request that all these Events may conduce to the glory of his Majesty As Ioshua when Israel fell before their Enemies Iosh. 7. 9. Lord what wilt thou do for thy great Name There was his Trouble And Moses Numb 14. 15 16. What will the Nations say round about Because the Lord was not able to bring this People into the Land which he sware unto them therefore he hath slain them in the Wilderness It goeth near to the Heart of God's Children when they see any thing that will tend to God's Reproach But that is not all it is not enough we discover that but also our Submission to his wise and powerful Government when we refer the Matter to his disposal and can see that he can work out his own Ends out of all the Confusions which happen there out of Sins Errors Wars Blood Psal. 76. 10. The Wrath of Man shall praise thee the Remainder of Wrath shalt thou restrain In the Septuagint it is the Wrath of Man shall keep Holy-Day to thee shall increase a Festival for thee God many times gets up in the World upon Satan's Shoulders When Matters are ravell'd and disordered he can find out the right End of the Thread and how to disentangle us again and when we have spoil'd a Business he can dispose it for good and make an Advantage of those things which seem to obscure the Glory of his Name By the way both these must go together our Love to his Glory and our Submission to his Providence Our Love to his Glory for we should not be altogether wretchless and careless how Things go and yet not carking because of the Wisdom and Power of his Providence The truth is we should be more sollicitous about Duties than Events The Glory of Events belongeth to God himself and we are not to take his Work out of his hand but mind him in it Look as some would lern their School-fellows Lesson better than their own so we would have Things carried thus and thus And so by murmuring we tax Providence rather than adore it and we eclipse the Glory of God Yet we must be sensible of the Reproaches cast upon God and must pray the Lord to vindicate and right his Name to take the Way and Means into his own hands Thus you have seen the Necessity of putting up such a Request to God Hallowed be thy Name Vse 1. Is for Information It informs us That whatever we bestow upon God we have it from God at first 1 Chron. 29. 11. Of thine own have we given thee The King of all the Earth we cannot pay him any Tribute but out of his own Exchequer When we are best affected to God's Interest and pray for God's Concernments we must beg the
difference there is between serving God and serving others If you refuse God's Government you are under a worse under Sin and the Power of Darkness you are under your own Lusts nay and by a just Judgment God may give you over to live in Bondage to unmerciful Men. How many Kings and Lords doth he serve that will not serve one Lord O therefore renounce those other Lords that have Dominion over you and come under this Kingdom which God hath set up Vse 2. To press the Children of God 1. To walk worthy of the Gospel it is a Kingdom The Apostle hath an Exhortation and Charge to this purpose 1 Thess. 2. 11 12. That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory Walk in obedience to Christ that 's one thing Christ is a King by a natural Right God hath chosen him God hath set him upon his holy Hill The Lord hath made him to be Head over all Things Ephes. 1. 22. Nay the Church chuseth Christ They shall appoint to themselves one Head Hos. 1. 11. And therefore for you that are called to his Kingdom and Glory that have entred into Covenant with Christ that have subscribed to him as Head and King for you to be disobedient give way to Sin it is worse in you Will ye go away also saith Christ to his Disciples Christ hath a Right to reign over wicked Men but you have actually chosen him Treason is less culpable in those which have not submitted to a Power and Prince and owned him for their King than in those that have sworn Faith and Allegiance You have passed under the Bond of the holy Oath God hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory therefore you should be more obedient than to allow a disloyal Thought or rebellious Lust against Christ. 2. As you should be more holy wary watchful that you do not break the Laws of Christ for you have consented to him so live as Kings exercising all Acts of Regality within your own Souls ruling your own Spirits exercising Judgment over your own Hearts and over every Affection that will not be bridled It is a Disgrace to the Regal Estate of the Gospel for you to be over-mastered by a Lust to lie under the Power of any Sin yet thus it is God's Children are conflicting with one Sin or other more than the rest So far you have not experience of that Truth Iohn 8. 32. And ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free A Man that liveth in Bondage to his Lusts how can he chuse but doubt of those glorious Privileges Have you found the State of the Gospel to be a Kingdom do you walk worthy of the Gospel 3. It teacheth us Contempt of the World and earthly Things Phil. 3. 14. I press toward the Mark for the Prize of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ. It is not for Princes to embrace a Dunghil nor for Eagles to catch Flies Remember thou wilt one day be a King with God in Glory and therefore shouldst not be as low and base as the Men of the World are but walk worthy of God who hath called you to a Royal State 4. A generous Confidence in the midst of the Troubles and Abasements of the World What tho you be accounted as the Scurf and Off-scouring of all Things tho your outward Condition be low and mean know the Worth of your high Calling in Christ. How poor and despicable soever you are in this World yet you are Heirs of a Crown and Kingdom Therefore remember you are Princes that walk up and down in disguise in a foreign Country If you are kept in a mean Condition it is but a Disguise God hath put upon you We are the Sons of God tho for the present it doth not appear what we shall be God's Heirs make little shew in the World But there is a high Dignity a mighty Privilege put upon you you are called to be Heirs of this Kingdom and this blessed and Royal Estate which God hath provided for them that love him Vse 3. Are we translated into this Kingdom Col. 1. 13. He hath delivered us out of the Power of Darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Every Man naturally is under other Lords the Devil hath Dominion over him and he is under the Government of his own Lusts but now are we translated into the Kingdom of Christ The Second Point is Doct. 2. All those that are affected with God's Glory should desire the coming of this Kingdom and seriously deal with God about it None else can rescue and pluck them out of the Power of Darkness and deliver them from the Thraldom of those other Lords that hold them and none else can defend and preserve them I shall handle the Point 1. In a private 2. In a publick Respect First In a private respect Every Man should desire that the Kingdom of God should come down and be set up in his own Heart Here I must repeat and apply the Distinctions of Christ's Kingdom He is to desire the Kingdom of Grace and the Kingdom of Glory may come to himself and others I. The Kingdom of Grace that it may be begun continued and encreased First That this Kingdom may be begun and a Throne erected for Christ in our Hearts The great Necessity of this Request will be evidenced in these Considerations 1. That every Man by Nature is under another King under the Kingdom of Sin and Satan Satan is the Monarch and Sin is the Scepter Christ and the Devil divide the World either we belong to the one or the other Now the Devil by reason of the Fall of Adam he hath the Start of Christ and the Lord Jesus coming to possess the Heart doth not seize upon it as a Waste which belongeth to the next Occupier but he seizeth upon it as already possessed by Satan The Devil quietly ruleth in the Hearts of the Unregenerate he keeps House and all the Goods are in Peace Luke 11. 21. And therefore wicked Spirits are called The Rulers of the Darkness of this World Eph. 6. 12. All the ignorant and carnal part of the World falls to his share and he doth not easily quit possession Christ indeed employeth Men to wrestle with Principalities and Powers The Work of the Ministry is to shake and batter the Empire of the Devil You must be turned you must be rescued You must be turned Acts 26. 18. To turn them from the Power of Satan unto God You must be rescued and plucked out of this Captivity by strong hand Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the Power of Satan who hath taken us out of Darkness by a powerful Rescue Even as the Israelites were brought out of Egypt by a strong Hand and stretched-out Arm so are we brought out of the Power of Darkness By such an irresistible Power of Grace must God recover you otherwise Men yield themselves
up to his Scepter Look as the Spirit of God works holy Motions and gracious Desires in the Hearts of God's Children So the Devil is at work in the Children of Disobedience Eph. 2. 2. framing wicked Devices carnal Desires evil Thoughts against God Man is such a perfect Slave to the Devil that he can do nothing but sin 2. This Kingdom which Satan exerciseth is an invisible Kingdom The Devil doth not sensibly appear to his Vassals and Slaves When Christ's Kingdom and Regiment was more external so was the Devil's also As when God was served by Sacrifices and delivered his Mind by Oracles so Men did then more professedly own the Devil by observing his prescribed Rites of Worship and by being deluded by lying Oracles and Answers to their Prayers and Quesâ—ions But now since the Kingdom of Christ is more spiritual and managed by the Holy-Ghost in the Hearts of his Saints so is Satan's Kingdom invisible So that Men may be Christ's Subjects by external Profession and the Devil 's by internal Obedience and Constitution of Mind tho they worship not by Pagan Rites as he ruleth in their Hearts and takes them off from obeying the Gospel they profess The God of this World hath blinded their Eyes 2 Cor. 4. 4. All carnal Men however they defy Satan and abominate the thoughts of serving him yet while they remain in their Sin and Ignorance they still hold the Crown upon the Devil's Head Look as God's Subjects may own him in verbal pretence yet their Hearts may be far from him Mat. 15. 8. So that wicked Men may defy the Devil in pretence and words and cannot endure to hear of him but they are under the God of this World he hath blinded their Hearts So that this Kingdom is to be sought for in the Heart Christ made a great Inroad upon the Devil beat him out of his Quarters Yet as the Sea gets in one place what it loseth in another so tho the Devil hath lost Ground in the Christian World as to external Profession whilst People renounce the Superstitions of the Gentiles yet still he gets Ground in the Hearts of wicked Men by their carnal Dispositions his Empire is upheld still tho professedly they are Subjects of Christ. 3. Until Satan be cast out of the Throne Christ can have no Entertainment in the Heart The Ark and Dagon cannot sink and stand together either the Ark must be removed or Dagon will down upon his Face So 2 Cor. 6. 14. What Communion hath Christ with Belial and Light with Darkness It is impossible both Kingdoms can stand together or both Kings be set up in the same Heart The Marriage-Bed will admit no Partner nor Rival A Man must be under Christ or Satan Until he be cast out Christ hath no room to be entertained Mat. 6. 24. No Man can serve two Masters Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Look upon the Devil under that Notion as he is Mammon as he doth entice to Worldliness it is impossible to serve him and Christ. Both Masters have Work enough for their Servants and their Commands are contrary If two Masters consent to employ one Man in the self-same Business tho they are two Men yet they are but one Master But now to execute the Wills of Men which differ in their Design and which have a several and full Interest in our Labours and Actions it is as impossible as to move two contrary ways at once Well then Mammon and Christ Belial and Christ divide the World It is impossible to be under Belial and Christ both have full Work for us to do and their Designs are contrary So that either it must appear we have changed Masters or we are under the Power of the Devil still We must come out of the Power of Darkness else we cannot be brought into the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus that we may obtain Remission of Sins 4. Satan may be cast out in part and yet still retain a supreme Interest in the Heart I prove it out of that Parable Mat. 12. 43 44 45. When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a Man he walketh through dry Places seeking Rest but findeth none Then he saith I will return into my House from whence I came out c. Out of that Parable we may plainly conclude there may be a shaking of Satan's Empire Satan may be cast out of a Man in some sort yet the Man not plainly renewed Well how may he be cast out and yet his Empire remain unbroken He may be cast out partly by Conviction and Illumination yet as long as any Lust remaineth there unmortified and unsubdued he still keeps his Sovereignty in the Heart Many begin to be troubled and to be thoughtful about Eternity that see better yet they do that which is worse in the Issue When there 's a Conflict between Corruption and Conviction Corruption carrieth it away As Iron oft heated and oft quenched is so much the harder So when they had some Wamblings of Conscience and the Heart begins to boggle and after this Sin breaks out the more This is the Scope of that place They were convinced of a better Estate and had some thoughts of the Messiah but did not give him entertainment Again the Devil may be cast out in regard of some external Reformation A Man may a little wash his polluted Life and abstain from gross Sins yet Satanâ— have full possession of the inner Man A Man may abjure his former ill Life and for a while carry it fair but afterwards retain his former Filthiness and keep a secret League with his Lusts and so he is entangled again and then his latter End is worse than his Beginning and as it is in 2 Pet. 2. 22. The Dog is turned to his own Vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire A Prisoner which hath made some Escape if ever the Goaler get him into his Clutches is sure to be loaden with Irons So one that hath had some partial Reformation O when the Devil gets such a Man into his power again he is ten times worse than he was before 5. The Difficulty of casting off the Sovereignty of Satan lieth partly in our selves and partly in the Devil Partly in our selves As in the Israelites going out of Egypt the difficulty lay not only in gaining the Consent of Pharaoh for he pursues after them when they were gone but also in persuading the People to give their Consent it was long ere Israel desired to be gone So in our natural Condition the Mind of Man is so depraved that he thinks his Bondage to be his Freedom and that there is no such merry Life as to wallow in carnal Satisfactions and our Affections are so far engaged to this sinful Estate that we dote upon our Shackles and are unwilling to hear of a Change The first Step of coming out of this Kingdom of Darkness is when we find it to be a heavy Burthen
wicked Wretch takes advantage against David and rails at him yet David forgives him when restored to his Crown He shall not die 2 Sam. 19. 23. Nay he sware to him So his Estate When a Debtor is not able to pay and yet submits So Paul bids Philemon to forgive the Wrongs of Onesimus Put it on my Score Philem. Vers. 18. that is for my sake forgive this Wrong 3. We must be ready to perform all Offices of Love to them Luke 6. 27. Love your Enemies do good to them which hate you Mark do not only forbear to execute your Wrath and Revenge upon them but do good to them yea tho they be Enemies upon a religious ground tho Religion be made a Party in the Quarrel and so engage us to the greater Fury when that which should bridle our Passions is the Fuel of them Pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Mat. 5. 44. Miriam when she had wronged Moses yet he falls a praying for her Numb 12. 13. that the Lord would forgive the Sin and heal her For the Reasons why those that would rightly pray to be forgiven of God must forgive others It should be so it will be so there is a Congruency and a Necessity 1. The Congruency it should be so It is fit that he that beggeth Mercy should shew Mercy it is exceedingly congruous For this is a general Rule That we should do as we would be done unto and therefore if we need Mercy from God we should shew Mercy to others and without it we can never pray in Faith He that doth not exercise Love can never pray in Faith why His own revengeful Disposition will still prejudice his Mind and make him conclude against the Audience of his Prayers for certainly we muse on others as we use our selves And that 's one reason of our Unbelief why we are so hardly brought to believe all that tender Mercy which is in God because 't is so irksom to us to forgive seven times a day we are apt to frame our Conclusions according to the Dispositions of our own Heart Can we think God will forgive when we our selves will not forgive A Man 's own Prayers will be confuted What is more equal than to do as we would be done unto And therefore it is but equal if he entreat Mercy for himself he should shew it unto others Look as the Centurion reasoned of God's Power from the Command that he had over his Souldiers Mat. 8. 9. I am a Man under Authority and I say to one Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh Those things we are accustomed to they are apt to run in our Minds when we come to think of God Now he that kept his Souldiers under Discipline that if he said Go they go he reasons thus of God Surely God hath Power to chase away Diseases So accordingly should we reason of God's Mercy according to the Mercy that we find in our selves Therefore it is very notable that when Christ had spoken of forgiving our Brethren not only seven times but seventy times seven the Disciples said unto the Lord Increase our Faith Luke 17. 5. How dotâ— this come in In the 4 th Verse Christ had spoken that they should forgive not only seven times but seventy times seven and they do not say Lord increase our Charity but our Faith implying that we cannot have such large thoughts of God when our own Hearts are so straitned by Revenge and our private Passions 2. In point of Necessity as it should be so so it will be so for God's Mercy will have an Influence upon us to make us merciful All God's Actions to us imprint their stamp in us his Election of us makes us to choose him and his ways his Love to us makes us love him again who hath loved us first so his forgiving of us makes us to forgive our Brethren There is an answerable Impression left upon the Soul to every act of God why for a true Believer is God's Image The new Man is created after God Eph. 4. 24. and therefore he acts as God Certainly if there be such a Disposition in our Heavenly Father it will be in us if we have an Interest in him Look as a Child hath Part for Part and Limb for Limb answerable to his Father tho not so big in Stature and Bulk so hath a Child of God which is created after God he hath all the Divine Perfections in some measure in his Soul And this Consideration is of more force because the New-Creature cannot be maimed and defective in every Part but is entire lacking nothing And therefore if God forgive others certainly the Godly will be inclinable to forgive too Vse 1. Here 's a ground of Tryal whether we are pardoned or no. Is our revengeful Disposition that is so natural and so pleasing to us mortified That 's one Trial or Evidence whether we are forgiven of God can we freely from the Heart forgive others Object But it may be objected against this Do you place so much in this property of forgiving others It doth not agree only to pardoned Sinners because we see some Carnal Men are of a weak and stupid Spirit not sensible of Injuries And on the other side many of God's Children find it hard to obtain to the perfect Oblivion of Injuries that is required of them Answ. As to the first part I answer We do not speak of this Disposition as proceeding from an easy Temper but as it proceedeth from Grace when in Conscience towards God and out of a Sense of his Love to us in Christ our Hearts being tendered and melted towards others to shew them such Mercy as we our selves have received from the Lord that 's the Evidence And again we do not press to judg by this Evidence single and alone but in Conjunction with others when they are humbly Penitent and confessing their Sins and turn to the Lord which is the great Evangelical Condition Job 33. 27. If any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not Then will he restore light to him When a Man is soundly touched with remorse and seeth the folly of his former Courses and asketh Pardon of God then is God gracious to him But this is that we say that this Disposition of Pardon in Conjunction with the great Evangelical Condition of Faith and Repentance it helpeth to make the Evidence more clear 2. As to the other part of the Objection which was this it will be a great weakening of the Confidence of God's Children who cannot get such a perfect Oblivion of Injuries they have received but find their Minds working too much this way I answer As long as we live in the World there will be Flesh and Spirit Corruption as well as Grace there will be an intermixture of the Operations of each Carnal Nature is prone to Revenge but Grace prevaileth and inclineth to a Pardon
culpae but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never but Evil of Fault And we need not anxiously dispute whether the one or the other for one cannot be understood without respect to the other Therefore I shall take it in a general sence That Evil which results from Temptations whether they arise from Satan the World or our own Hearts From the words thus opened the Points will be two First That while we are in this Valley of Tears and Snares we should with earnestness and confidence pray to be delivered from Evil. Secondly To be kept from the Evil of Sin is a greater Mercy than to be kept from the trouble of Temptation I observe the first Point because Christ thus directed us to pray to God The second Because the Evil of Sin is intended For the First We should pray with earnestness because of our Danger and with Confidence because of God's undertaking The Lord Jesus knows what Requests are most acceptable to his Father Now when he would give a perfect Pattern and Platform of Prayer he bids you pray thus Deliver us from Evil. Nay we have not only Christ's Direction but Christ's Example John 17. 15. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the World but that thou shouldst keep them from the Evil. He did not absolutely pray for an exemption from Temptation though he knew the World would be a tempestuous Place that his People must expect strong Assaults Lord take them not out of the World but keep them from the Evil so here Deliver us from Evil. First We should pray with Earnestness because of our Danger from the Enemies of our Salvation which are the Devil the World and the Flesh In respect of all which we pray to be delivered from Evil. 1. From the Evil which the Devil designs against us Both bad and good Men have need to make this Prayer Bad Men have need Good Men will have a Heart certainly to pray thus to God if they consider their Danger 1. Natural and unconverted Men they are under the Power of the Devil if they were sensible of it for the Devils are said to be Rulers of the Darkness of this World Ephes. 6. 12. By which is meant the Wicked Ignorant and carnal part of the World whether they live in Gentilism or within the Pale and Line of Christ's Communion over all those that live in their unrenewed state of Sin and Ignorance over all these Satan hath an Empire and Dominion And mark when God carried on his Kingdom in in a way of sensible Manifestation by Visions Oracles and Miracles So did Satan visibly govern the Pagan World by Apparitions Oracles lying Wonders and sensible manifestations of himself But now when God's Kingdom is Spiritual The Kingdom of God is within you Luke 17. 21. So by proportion Satan's Kingdom is Spiritual too he rules in the Hearts of Men though they little think of it All natural Men whether they be Pagans or Christians though outwardly and apparently they may renounce the Devil's Kingdom and do not seem to have such open communion with him as the Gentiles that consult with his Oraclâ—s and were instructed by his Apparitions acted by his Power and offered Sacrifice to him But Spiritually all natural Men are under the Devil for 1 Io. 3. 8. He that committeth Sin is of the Devil that is he belongeth to him How is he of the Devil They are his Children Acts 13. 10. O thou Child of the Devil And they are his Subjects he ruleth in them he hath a Kingdom among Men which by all means he goeth about to maintain Mat. 12. 26. If Satan be divided against himself how then can his Kingdom stand And they are his Work-houses he worketh in them Ephes. 2. 2. The Spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience The Devil is hard at work in a wicked Man's Heart framing Evil Thoughts Carnal Motions urging them to break God's Laws drawing them on to more Sin and Villany fills their Hearts with lying and all manner of Sins Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan filled thine Heart to lie to the Holy Ghost He binds them with Prejudices and will not suffer them to hearken to the Glorious Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 4. In whom the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them He blinds and holds them captive at his Will and Pleasure their Souls are fettered 2 Tim. 2. 26. And sometimes he oppresses their Bodies for Satan carrieth on his Kingdom by Force Tyranny Fears and Bondage and therefore it is said Acts 10. 38. That Christ went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the Devil Yet further as God's Executioner he hath the Power over Death for their torment Heb. 2. 14. That through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death that is the Devil And unless the Lord be merciful he never ceaseth carrying on wicked Men until both they and he are for ever in Hell Mat. 25. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels All this is spoken to shew Carnal Men their Condition O that they would seriously think of it When they do Evil when they slight the Motions of God's Grace they are under Satan and not only by force as a Child of God may be sometimes but they are willingly ignorant 2 Pet. 3. 5. The more willingly we commit Sin still the more we are under the Power of the Devil Well then if any have need to say Deliver us from Evil certainly unrenewed Carnal Men have need to go to God and say Lord pluck us out of Evil as the same Expression is used Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of Darkness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath delivered us with a strong hand O go to God in the Name of Christ there is no way of escape until God pluck you out by main force And mark this Power by which we are delivered God conveyeth by the preaching of the Word which was appointed to turn us from Darkness unto Light and from the Power of Satan unto God Act. 26. 18. and therefore hearken to God's Counsels before your Condition grow incurable and wait upon the Ordinances for the more you neglect and contemn the means of your Recovery your misery increaseth upon you for every day you are still more given up to Satan by the just Judgment of God and to be captivated and taken by him at his will and pleasure by the Snares he sets for you 2. Good Men or God's own Children though they are delivered from the Power of Satan and brought into the Kingdom of Christ yet they are not wholly free in this World but are sometimes caught by Satan's Wiles Ephes. 6. 11. sometimes wounded by his fiery Darts ver 16. Their Lusts and their Consciences are sometimes set a raging though he hath no allowed
Authority over their Hearts yet he exerciseth a tyrannical Power though he cannot rule them yet he ceaseth not to assault them if it were but to vex and trouble them Briefly the Children of God have cause to pray Deliver us from Evil in regard of Satan because Satan hath a hand in their Persecutions and likewise a hand in their Temptations to Sin It is he that instigateth their Enemies to persecute them and it is he that inflameth their Lusts. 1. In stirring up their Enemies to persecute them All the Troubles of the Children of God they come originally from the Devil Luk. 22. 53. This is your Hour and the Power of Darkness We do not read that Satan did immediatly vex Christ and how was that Hour then said to be the Power of Darkness Why by setting his Instruments a-work to crucify him And as he dealt with the Head so with the Members Rev. 12. 12. The Devil hath great Wrath for he knoweth he hath but a short time When his Kingdom begins to totter and shake then he stirs up all his Wrath and inflames his Instruments as dying Beasts bite hardest So Rev. 16. 14. we read of the Spirits of Devils that go forth unto the Kings of the Earth to stir them up against the Saints If you could behold with you bodily Eyes this Evil Spirit hanging upon the Ears of great Men and buzzing into them and stirring them up and the common People and animating them against the Children of God you would more admire at the Wonders of God's Providence that you do subsist O how they are acted by this wrathful Spirit 2. By inflaming our Lusts and Corruptions So 1 Cor. 7. 5. lest Satan tempt you by your Incontinency sets Lusts a boiling either to vex the Saints or to insnare them It is possible he may sometimes prevail with God's own Children to draw them to some particular Act of gross Sin as 2 Sam. 11. 4. as when David defiled himself with Lust that thereby he may dishonour God for by this means the Name of God was blasphemed 2 Sam. 12. 14. Or that thereby he may disturb their Peace for this made David lie roaring Psal. 32. 3 4. his radical Moisture was even wasted and exhausted Or else to Spiritual Sins as Murmuring Repining against God distrust of Providence when under Crosses Or when they are in their Comforts to drive them to Carnal Complacency and neglect of Holy Things disuse of Communion with God Or to inordinate Passions or Spiritual Wickedness such as is not conversant about Carnal Passions or Fleshly Lusts but Spiritual Pride Error and Unbelief Certainly those that have any thing of experience of the Spiritual Life cannot be ignorant of Satan's Enterprizes Well then we had need go to God to deliver us from Evil For outward Evils for the Protection of his Providence for these God hath undertaken Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the Day of Trouble I will deliver thee Satan is in God's Chains he could not enter into the Herd of Swine without leave therefore certainly he cannot get among the Sheep of Christ's Fold It 's the saying of Tertullian If the Bristles of Swine be numbred the Hairs of our Head are numbred therefore you had need go to God Deliver us from Evil that Persecution may not rage over you that he may hedg you in by his Providence Iob. 1. 10. and that he would be as a Wall of Fire round about you As to inward Evils so we go to God for Wisdom and Strength for Satan assaults us both ways by Wiles and Darts when he comes in a way of Violence he comes with fiery Darts but when he doth lie in Ambush there he hath his Wiles to intice us with a seeming Good We 1. Beg Wisdom that you may espy the Wiles of Satan and may not be caught unawares for he is transformed into an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. Mark the Devil doth not care so much to ride his own Horses to act and draw wicked Men to Evil he hath them sure enough but he laboureth to imploy the Saints in his Work if he can to get one which belongs to God to do his Business therefore he changeth himself into an Angel of Light The Temptation is disguised with very plausible Pretences then a Child of God may be a Factor for Satan and an Instrument of the Devil For instance Would Peter have ever made a Motion for Satan if he had seen his Hand O no the Temptation was disguised to him when he perswaded his Master from suffering He covereth his foul Designs with plausible Pretences Carnal Counsel shall be pity and natural Affection Mat. 16. 22 23. Let not these things be Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee He said unto Peter Get thee behind me Satan Thou art an Offence unto me At another time the Disciples when their Master was slighted and contemned they thought certainly they should do as Elias did call for Fire from Heaven to consume them Luke 9. 54. Revenge will often go for Zeal for God Revenge or storming at Personal Affronts or Injuries done to our selves is looked upon as Zeal then the Disciples may not know what Spirit they are of Many times we are acted by the Devil when we think we are acted by the Spirit of God and that which seems to be Zeal is nothing but Revenge Therefore we had need go to God Lord deliver us from Evil we are poor unwary Creatures that we may not be insnared by fair Pretences and surprised by his Enterprises And thus we beg Wisdom 2. We pray for Strength to withstand his Darts that we may take the Armour of God and withstand the Evil One Ephes. 6. 13. Alas of our selves we cannot deliver our selves from the least Evil or stand out against the least Assault therefore it is God alone that must keep the Feet of his Saints 1 Sam. 2. 9. Therefore we go to him that we may get his Covenant-strength that we may be strong in the power of his Might to conflict with Satan Well then in regard of the first Enemy of our Salvation the Devil we had need pray earnestly That we may not be prevailed over by his Arts 'T is God alone that can keep us 2 dly The World that 's another Evil which is as it were the Devil's Chess-Board we can hardly move backward or forward but he is ready to attach us and surprize us by one Creature or another and draw us into the Snare therefore it is said Gal. 1. 4. That Christ gave himself for us that he might deliver us from this present Evil World That 's one way of being delivered from Evil when we are delivered from an Evil World It concerns us and it is a great point of Religion to be kept unspotted from the World Jam. 1. 27. The whole World is full of Evils and Temptations and we cannot walk any where but we are likely to be defiled
the Devil's work in us 1 John 3. 8. He that committeth Sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the beginning For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil And Joh. 8. 34. Whosoever committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin The one cometh from a just God the other from our corrupt Hearts The one is the Act of an Holy God the other the Act of a sinful Creature 4. The Death of Christ falls more directly upon this Benefit exemption from Sin Mat. 1. 21. He shall save his People from their Sins Acts 3. 26. God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquities not Troubles or Sorrows but Sins 5. Affliction is a more particular temporal Evil but Sin is an infinite universal Evil Sickness depriveth us of Health Poverty of Wealth c. And every adverse Providence doth but oppose some particular temporal Good But Sin depriveth us of God who is the Fountain of our Comfort the other but of some limited Comfort 6. Afflictions are sent to remove Sin Heb. 12. 11. Now no chastning for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby Isa. 26. 9. When thy Iudgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness But Sin is not sent to remove Affliction Now the End must be greater than the Means both as to Prosecution and Aversation As to Prosecution To dig for Iron with Mattocks of Gold and Silver So in Aversation If Death were not worse than the Pain of Physick no Man would take Physick to avoid Death 7. Affliction is the Effect of God's Love Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chastneth But to be left to Sin is an Effect of God's Anger God doth not always exempt from Troubles yet if he keep from Spiritual hurt thereby if he sanctify the Trouble support us with sufficient Grace 2 Cor. 12. 9. if preserved from Evil howsoever tempted and exercised 't is enough Vse 1. To reprove our Folly We complain of other Things but we do not complain of Sin which is the greatest Evil. This is contrary to the Spirit of God's Children who rejoice in Troubles but not in Sins 2 Cor. 12. 9. Most gladly therefore will I rejoice in Infirmities that the Power of Christ may rest upon me They groan bitterly under Sins Rom. 7. 23. O wretched Man c. If any Man had cause to complain of Afflictions Paul had In Perils often Whipped Persecuted Stoned But the Body of Sin and Death was the greatest Burden Lusts troubled him more than Scourges his Captivity to the Law of Sin more than Prisons When Affliction sitteth too close Sin sits loose In Affliction there is some Offence done us but in Sin the wrong is done to God And what are we to God Afflictions may be good but Sin is never good The Body suffereth by Affliction but the Soul suffereth by Sin loss of Grace and Comfort which are not to be valued by all the World's Enjoyments The Evil of Affliction is but for a moment like Rain it drieth up of its own accord But the Evil of Sin is for ever unless it be pardoned and taken away Sin is the Cause of all the Evils of Affliction therefore when we complain we should complain not so much of the Smart as of the Cause of it 2. It directeth us 1. How to pray to God against Sin rather than Trouble This is indeed to be delivered from Evil 2 Tim. 4. 18. Paul reckoned upon that He will deliver me from every evil Work When afflicted you should rather desire to have the Affliction sanctified than removed you will be most careful for that Saints do not pray for the Interests of the Old Man rather than the New Man To be freed from Trouble is a common Mercy but to have it sanctified is a special Mercy Carnal Men may be without Affliction but Carnal Men cannot have experience of Grace Bare deliverance is no sign of special Love 2. In our choice 'T was an heavy Charge they put upon Iob Job 36. 21. Thou hast chosen Iniquity rather than Affliction Sometimes we are put upon the trial To loose the Favour of God or the Favour of Men Duty and Danger Here content my self gratify my Lusts and Interests there offend God Out of the Temptation we could easily judg that all the Misery in the World is to be endured rather than commit the least Sin But how is it upon a trial when a Worldly Convenience and a Spiritual Inconvenience is proposed By chusing Sin a Man cannot altogether escape Affliction here or hereafter Wickedness though it prosper a while yet at length it proveth a Snare 3. It directeth us to submit to God's Providence and to own Mercy in it Though God doth not exempt us from Troubles yet if he keep us from Hurt thereby if he sanctify the Trouble and support us with Grace sufficient 't is his Mercy to us For Daniel to be put into the Lion's Den was not so great a Judgment as for Nebuchadnezzar to have the Heart of a Beast To be given up to our own Hearts Lusts to commit any Sin 't is a greater Cross than any Misery that can light upon us therefore let us be patient under Affliction Our great Care should be not to dishonour God in any Condition God hath promised to be with his People in their Afflictions to comfort them but hath never promised to be with his People in their Sins I will be with you in the Fire and in the Water as the Son of God was with the three Childrâ—â— in the fiery Furnace But God is departed whâ— they siâ— I will go to my own place Sin hindreth Prayer but Afflictions quicken it Isa. 26. 16. Lord in Trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy chastning was upon them In Affliction 't is a time to put the Promises in suit it doth not hinder our access to God and the Throne of Grace but driveth us to it But Sin increaseth our Bondage maketh us stand at a distance and grow â—hy of God The Fruit of Sin is Shame Rom. â— 21. 4. It teaches us how to wait and hope for the issue of our Prayers Pray that ye enter not into Temptation yet be not absolute in that but to be kept from Evil that what way soever we are tried we may be kept from the Evil of Sin For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever Amen IN these words we have the Conclusion of all and that which giveth us confidence in the Requests we make to God First The Confirmation is taken from the Excellency of God to whom we pray where there is a declaration of what belongeth to God Secondly The Duration and Perpetuity for Ever Three things are mentioned