nothing to desertions of God and terrors of conscience Prov. 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can bear 6. That a meek suffering conduceth much to Gods glory 1 Pet. 4. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified whilst you do nothing unworthy of his presence in you and the truth you profess SERMON XXV PSALM CXIX 24. Thy Testimonies also are my delight and my councellors DAVID in the former Verse had mentioned the greatness of his trial That not only the basest sort but Princes also were set against him then he mentions his remedy he had recourse to Gods word but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes Now he shews the double benefit which he had by the word of God not only wisdom how to carry himself during that trouble but also comfort comfort in trouble and counsel in duty it seasoned his affliction and guided his business and affairs What would a man have more in such a perplexed case than be directed and comforted David had both these Thy testimonies are my delight and my councellors First Thy testimonies are my delight or as it is in the Hebrew delights Secondly They are my Councellors in the Hebrew it is the men of my counsel which is fitly mentioned for he had spoken of Princes sitting in council against him Princes do nothing without the advice of their Privy-Council a child of God hath also his Privy-Council Gods testimonies On the one side there was Saul and his Nobles and Councellors on the other side there was David and God's Testimonies Now who was better furnished think you they to persecute and trouble him or David how to carry himself under this trouble Alphonsus King of Arragon being asked who were the best Councellors answered The dead meaning Books which cannot flatter but do without partiality declare the truth Now of all such dead Councellors Gods testimonies have the preheminence A poor godly man even then when he is deserted of all and hath no body to plead for him he hath his Senate and his Council of State about him the Prophets and Apostles and other holy men of God that spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost A man so furnished is never less alone than when alone for he hath Councellors about him that tell him what is to be believ'd or done and they are such Councellors as cannot err as will not flatter him nor applaud him in any sin nor discourage or disswade him from that which is good whatever hazards it expose him too And truly if we be wise we should chuse such Councellors as these Thy Testimonies are the men of my Counsel First Let me speak of the first benefit Thy testimonies are my delight Doct. That a child of God though under deep affliction finds a great deal of delight and comfort in the word of God This was David's case Princes sate and spake against him Decrees were made against him yet thy Testimonies are my delight Let us see 1. What manner of delight this is that we find in the word 2. What the word ministreth or contributeth towards it First What kind of delight it is A delight better than carnal rejoycing Wicked men that flow in ease and plenty have not so much comfort as a godly man hath in the enjoyment of God according to the tenor of his word Psal. 4. 7. Thou hast put more gladness into my heart than when their corn wine and oyl encreased We have no reason to change conditions with worldly men as merry as they seem to be and as much as they possess in the world But more particularly Wherein is the difference 1. This delight is a real joy 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowful yet always rejoycing Their sorrow is but seeming but their joy is real it is joy in good earnest Heb. 12. 11. No affliction seemeth joyous but grievous As to seeming they are in a sad condition but it doth but so seem A wicked man is as it were glad and merry but indeed he is dejected and sorrowful the godly man is as it were sorrowful but indeed comforted 2. It is a cordial joy Psal. 4. 7. Thou hast put more gladness into my heart That 's a delight indeed which puts a gladness into the heart which not only tickles the outward senses but affects the soul and comforts the conscience Carnal joy makes a loud noise and therefore it is compared to the crackling of thorns under a pot But this is that which goes to the heart that fills it with serenity and peace Carnal joy is like the morning-dew which wets the surface but godly joy is like a soaking-shower that goes to the root and makes the Plants flourish They that indulge false comfort rather laugh than are merry But now he that is exercised in the word of God and fetcheth his comfort out of the promises he is glad at the very heart 3. It is a great joy 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom believing ye rejoyced with joy unspeakable and full of glory It doth ravish the heart so that it is better felt than uttered it is unspeakable and glorious The higher the life always the greater the feeling The good and evil of no life can be so great as the good and evil of the spiritual life because it is the highest life of all and therefore hath the highest sense joyned with it Man is more capable of being afflicted than beasts and beasts than plants and a godly man more than other men he hath a higher life therefore the good and evil is greater A wounded spirit is the greatest misery any creature can feel on this side Hell so answerably are its joys As the groans and sorrows of the spiritual life are unutterable so are the joys of it unspeakable 4. It 's a more pure joy than Worldlings can have The more intellectual any comfort is the more excellent in the kind Though beasts may have pain and pleasure poured in upon them by the senses yet properly they have not sorrow and delight The joy of carnal men is pleasure rather than delight it is not fed by the promises and ordinances but by such dreggy and outward contentments as the world affords and so of the same nature with the contentment of the beasts But now the more intellectual and chast our delights are the more sutable to the human nature Well then none hath a delight so separate from the lees as a Christian that rejoyceth in the promises of God He that delights in natural knowledg hath questionless a purer object and greater contentment of soul than the Sensualist can possibly have that delights only in meats and drinks and sports in pleasures that are in common with the beasts Further yet he that delights in bare contemplation of the
suppose command us the contrary forbid us all respect to himself commanding us to worship false Gods transform and misrepresent his Glory by Images and fall down before Stocks and Stones blaspheme his Name continually and despise all those glorious Attributes which do so clearly shine forth in the Creation if he had commanded us to be impious to our Parents to fill the World with Murders Adulteries Robberies to pursue others with Slanders and False-witnessings to covet and take what is another Mans Wife Ox or Ass the heart of Man cannot allow such a Conceit nay the fiercest Beasts would abhor it if they were capable of receiving such an Impression Now surely a Law so reasonable so evident so conducing to the honouring of God Government of our selves and Commerce with others should be very welcom and acceptable to a gracious Heart 2. The State and Frame of a renewed Heart they are fitted and suited to these Commandments and do obey them not onely because injoyned but because inclined Nothing is pleasant to Men but what is suitable to their Nature so that may be delightful to one which is loathsom to another as the Food and Converse of a Beast is loathsom to a Man one Mans Pleasure is anothers Pain There is a great deal of difference between a carnal and a spiritual Mind the Heart sanctified and unsanctified Ezek. 36. 26 27. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and keep my judgments to do them When the Heart is fitted and suited by Principles of Grace the Work is not tedious but delightful Things are easie and difficult according to the poise and inclination of the Soul so Heb. 8. 10. I will write my laws upon their hearts and put them into their minds The Law without suiteth with an Inclination within and when things meet which are suitable to one another there is a delight Psal. 40. 8. Thy law is in my heart I delight to do thy will O God There is an Inclination not Necessary as in Natural Agents but Voluntary as in Rational Agents There is an Inclination in Natural Agents as in light Bodies to move upwards heavy Bodies to move downwards in Rational Agents when a Man is bent by his Love and Choice This latter David speaketh of Psal. 119. 36. Encline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness The Heart of Man standeth between two Objects the Laws of God and Carnal Vanities In our Natural estate we are wholly bent to please the Flesh in our Renewed Estate there is a new bent put upon the Heart now the old bent is not wholly gone though overmastered and overpowered The false Bias of Corruption will still incline us to the Delights of Sense but the new Bias to the way everlasting to spiritual eternal Happiness as that prevaileth we love and delight in the Commandments of God 3. The Helps and Assistances of the Spirit go further and increase this Delight in the way of God's Commandments God doth not onely renew our Wills and fit us with an inward power to do the things that are pleasing in his sight but exciteth and actuateth that Power by the renewed Influences of his Grace Phil. 2. 13. He giveth us to will and to do not onely a Will or an urging and inclination to do good but because of the opposition of the Flesh and manifold Temptations he gives also a Power to perform what we are inclined unto And where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. or a readiness of Mind to perform all things required of us not onely with diligence but delight 4. The great encouragements which attend Obedience as the Rewards of Godliness both in this Life and the next The Rewards of Godliness in this Life I shall speak of in the next Head for the Future the End sweetens the Means to us We have no mean End but the eternal Enjoyment of God in a complete state of Glory and Happiness Now this hath an influence upon the Love and Delight of the Saints to sweeten their Labours and Difficulties and Temptations The Scripture every where witnesseth 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore my beloved brethren be ye steadfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Rom. 5. 2. We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God And Rom. 8. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us 5. Present comfortable Experience 1. In the general of Peace of Conscience and Joy in the Holy Ghost 1. Peace which is the natural result of the Rectitude of our Actions The fruit of righteousness is peace Isa. 32. 17. And Psal. 119. 165. Great peace have they that love thy law and nothing shall offend them Pax est tranquillitas ordinis That Description fits internal Peace as well as external When all things keep their Order Affections are obedient to Reason and Reason is guided by the Spirit of God according to his Word there is a Quiet and Rest from Accusations in the Soul 2. Joy in the Holy Ghost is distinct from the former Rom. 14. 17. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost These two differ in the Author Peace of Conscience is the Testimony of our own Souls approving the good we have done Joy in the Holy Ghost is a more immediate Impression of the comforting Spirit Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost They differ in their Measure Peace is a Rest from Trouble Joy a sweet Reflexion upon our good condition or happy estate It is in the Body a freedom from a Disease and a chearfulness after a good Meal or in the State Peace when no Mutinies and Disturbances Joy when some notable Benefit or Profit accrueth to the State So here they differ in their Subjects the Heathen so far as they did good might have a kind of Peace or Freedom from self-accusing and tormenting Fears Rom. 2. 15. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts in the mean time excusing or else accusing one another but a stranger intermedleth not with these joys The Spirit where a Sanctifier there he is a Comforter They differ in the Ground The Joy of the holy Ghost is not meerly from a good Conscience as to a particular Action but from a good Estate as being accepted with God who is our Supreme Judge and assured
for ever I shall illustrate this Proposition by these Considerations 1. That God's Children are sometimes under deadness 2. That in such deadness the Word of God is the onely means to quicken them 3. Though the Word be quick and lively and powerful yet it is God that must bless it that must make it a support to the Soul 4. That whenever we have received these Comforts Quicknings and Supports from him they should ever be recorded and treasured up in the Registers of a thankful memory for the great uses of Christianity I. First God's Children are under deadness sometimes which hapneth to them for many causes 1. By reason of some Sin committed and not repented of or not fully repented of God smites them with deadness and hardness of heart and the spiritual life for awhile is greatly obstructed and impaired that it cannot discover itself and they have not those lively influences of grace as formerly Thus it was with David when he had strayed so greatly from God and begs God not to cast him off Psal. 51. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me As a wound in the body lets out the life blood and the spirits so these grievous sins are as a wound in the soul Sin against the conscience of a renewed man defaceth the work of the holy Spirit so that for a while he seems to be shut out from God's favor and his gracious abilitie are lessened and impaired he is like a wounded man till he be cured and made whole again The Spirit being grieved and resisted withdraws and the strength of the Soul is wasted and therefore be very tender stand in awe not only of greater but smaller sins 2. By reason of some good omitted especially neglect of the means whereby we may be kept alive fresh and lively in God's service Lazy fits of indisposition and omissions of duty do more frequently steal in upon Believers than positive out-breakings and commissions of sin and they are more ready to please themselves in them and lie still under them and so by this means contract much deadness of heart As a Lute that is not play'd upon but hangs by the wall and not used it soon grows out of keller for want of use so if we do not diligently and constantly exercise our selves in godliness our hearts grow dead and vain It is the complaint of the Church Isa. 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee If we do not stir up our selves to keep on a constant commerce with God and respect to God alas deadness creeps upon the heart unawares and we are commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1. 6. To stir up the gift of God which is in us Surely a sloathful servant will soon become an evil servant Mat. 25. 26. Thou evil and sloathful servant Therefore our sinful sluggishness is one cause of our deadness for he that doth not trade with his Talents will necessarily become poor and if we do not continue this holy attendance upon God the heart suffers loss 1 Thess. 5. 19 20. Despise not prophesie quench not the Spirit The coupling of these two things together shews that if we despise Prophesie we quench the Spirit as fire goes out not only by pouring on water but by not stirring and blowing it up To expect help from God when we are sluggish is to tempt Christ and put him still upon a miraculous way to heal and cure our distempers Who will bring bread and meat to a Sluggard's Bed who will not arise to labor for it oâ—… will not rise at least to fetch it Therefore if we will not attend upon God in the means of grace he will not bring us that help comfort and supply that otherwise we might have God worketh but so that we work also 2 Phil. 12. 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh c. God's working is not a ground of laziness but for more strict observance Since all depends upon God therefore take heed you do not offend God and provoke him to suspend his grace We must not lie upon a Bed of ease and cry Christ must do all for this is to abuse the power of grace to laziness It is notable that God bids his people do that which he promiseth to give them Psal. 31. 24. Psal. 27. 14. Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart As if he had said strengthen thine heart and he will strengthen thy heart The courage of Faith is both commanded and promised why God by this would shew how we should shake our selves out of our laziness and idleness that though God gives us grace and power yet he will have us to work as a Father that lifts up his childs arm to a burden and bids him lift it up Usually we complain of deadness with a reflection upon God he quickens the dead and therefore I am dead ay but what hast thou done to quicken thy self for grace was never intended that we might be idle you must complain of your selves as the moral faulty cause God is the efficient cause you do not meditate pray draw life out of the precious promises when the Spouse sleeps and keeps her Bed then Christ withdraws Cant. 5. 6. 3. Another cause is unthankfulness for Benefits received especially spiritual Benefits for God loves to have his grace acknowledged He stops his hand and suspends the influences of his grace when the creature doth not acknowledge his bounty Col. 2. 7. Be stablished and rooted in the faith abounding therein with thanksgiving The way to grow in Faith and get by Faith is to be thankful for what we have received that 's an effectual means both to keep it and to get more Therefore if we be always querulous and do not give thanks for the goodness of God to us for what he hath already vouchsafed to us in Christ no wonder that deadness and discouragement creeps upon our hearts 4. Pride in Gifts for we are told Iam. 4. 6. God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble The Garland we put on our own heads soon withers and those Gifts which we are pusst up with are presently blasted and have deadness upon them for he will teach us to ascribe all to himself 5. Some great and heavy Troubles We read ver 107. of this Psalm I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according unto thy Word O! when we are afflicted sore there 's a deadness upon the heart the spiritual life clogged with what alacrity did they go about good things before but then there 's a damp worldly sorrow deadens the spirit as godly sorrow quickens it and is a means to keep us alive to God 6. Another cause is Carnal liberty or intermedling with worldly vanities So much we may learn from that Prayer Psal. 119. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou
growth in bulk and stature who from little Plants grow up into most excellent Cedars In hearing smelling seeing many of the Beasts go before us Eagles in sight Dogs in scent c. Sense is their perfection Some see better others hear better others smell better all have a better appetite to their meat and more strong to digest it For life rational endowed with reason many Philosophers and Ethnicks excel Christians in the use of reason Our excellency then lyeth not in the vegetative life wherein Plants excel thee nor in sensitive which Beasts have better than thou nor in the reasonable which many Reprobates have which shall never see the face of God but in life spiritual to have the soul quickned by the spirit of Grace Secondly Life natural is short and uncertain but this eternal Grace is an immortal flame a spark that cannot be quenched All our labour and toil is to maintain a lamp that soon goeth out or to prop up a Tabernacle that is always falling when we have made provision for it taken away this night c. it is in the power of every Ruffian and Assassinate but this is a life that beginneth in Grace and endeth in Glory Thirdly The outward life is short but yet we soon grow weary of it but this is a life that we shall never be weary of 1 Kin. 19. 4. Elijah requested for himself that he might dye the shortest life is long enough to be incumbred with a thousand miseries If you live to Old Age Age is a burthen to it self Days come in which there is no pleasure Eccl. 12. 1. but you will never wish for an end of this life Fourthly In the preparations and costs which God hath been at to bring about this life at first Without any difficulty God breathed into man the breath of life Gen. 2. 7. But to procure this life of Grace God must become man and set up a new fountain of life in our Natures Ioh. 10. 20. And not only so but to dye Iohn 6. 51. My flesh which I give for the life of the world Consider the price payed for it God would not bestow it at a cheaper rate than the death of his only Son Fifthly In the provisions of it Isai. 57. 10. the life of thy hands With a great deal of toil and labour we get a few supports for it But this is fed with the bloud of Christ influences of Grace and comforts from the Spirit not with gross things but sublime high noble Sixthly In the use for which it serveth It fitteth us for Communion with God as the other fits us for Communion with men Things can have no Communion with one another that do not live the life of one another We dwell in God and God dwelleth in us Seventhly Its necessities are greater which shew the value of the life The higher the life the more dependance Things inanimate as stones need not such supplies as things that have life Where Plants will not grow they must have a kindly soil Among Plants the Vine needs more dressing and care than the Bramble Beasts more than Plants their food appointed God hath most left to mans care as the instrument of his Providence Man more than Beasts Saints more than Men much waiting upon God No Creature so dependent in need of such daily supplies as the inward man Eighthly Its sense is greater There is a greater sensibleness in this life than in any other life all life hath a sweetness in it as any life exceedeth another so more sensibleness a Beast is more sensible of wrong and hurt than a Plant. As the life of a man exceedeth the life of a beast so more capable of joy and grief As the life of Grace exceedeth the life of a Man so its joy is greater its grief is greater trouble of Conscience a wounded spirit So the joy of Saints is unspeakable and glorious Peace that passeth all understanding 4. When is this life in good plight It sheweth it self in these two effects First A comfortable sense of Gods love Secondly An holy disposition to serve and please God The vitality of it lyeth in these two Grates Faith and Love when they are kept up in their height and vigour then it is a life begun it lyeth in the height of Faith apprehending and applying Gods love to the soul I live by faith and the height of love swaying and enclining the heart to obedience 2 Cor. 5. 14. Therefore they desire God to uphold them that they might be kept in heart and comfort and in a free inclination to serve him Now when they find any abatement of faith so that they cannot rejoyce in the promises as they were wont to do they count themselves dead or when their inward man doth not delight it self in the Law of God but they are dull and slow to good things they look upon themselves as dead But on the other side when they find the vigour of this life in them they are merry and glad when they feel their wonted delight in prayer and holy exercises this is that they mainly prize that which is not seen and felt is as if it were not to their comfort not to their safety Use. To exhort us all to look after this life and when you have got it to be very chary of it First Look after this life You that are alienated from the life of God through ignorance and hardness of heart be invited to come to him it is for life Iob 2. 4. Skin for skin and all a man hath will he give for his life We all desire life vile things that live excel more precious that are dead A living Dog is better than a dead Lion Eccl. 9. 4. A Dog was an unclean Beast and of all Creatures a Lion is the most noble and generous A Worm is more capable of life than the Sun Now if life natural be so sweet what is life spiritual No such life as this it fits us for communion with God and blessed Spirits Christ chideth them You will not come to me that you might have life Better you had never lived if you live not this life of Grace When Beasts dye their misery dyeth with them but yours beginneth Secondly If you have this life begun be chary of it If the bodily life be but a little annoyed we complain presently but why are you so stupid and careless and do not look after this to keep the spiritual life in good plight Let your prayers and desires be to have this life strengthened make this your prayer To be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man A Christian maketh this to be his main comfort and his main care O how busie are we to provide for the outward man that we may be well fed well cloathed Most mens care is for Back and Belly Oh be more careful for the inner man let that be refreshed with the bloud of Christ and the comforts of the
this they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do The Word can do that which a miracle cannot make the stoutest hearts relent and yield One instance more Acts 24. 25. And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled Mark the disadvantage the Prisoner maketh the Judg tremble the man none of the tenderest a Pagan and to boot an obdurate Sinner but Paul by his power caused these Terrors of Conscience which are raised by the Word all wicked men feel not but soon may they fear them that feel them not Iohn 3. 20. For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved Conviction in one of these spiritual agonies exceeds all natural passions fears of the wrath of God scorch more and breed more restlesness and disquietness to the soul their thoughts become a burthen to them He is convinced of all and judged of all and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. His sins revived the poor Creature lyeth groveling Secondly There is a converting and transforming power in the word of God Rom. 1. 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth 1 Thess. 1. 9. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you and how ye turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God from a false to a true a bad to a better Men brought up in a false Religion there is much ado to take them off Have any Nations changed their gods Though their worship be never so vain and foolish yet this power the Word hath even over those that have been rooted and habituated in superstitious customes The gods they had prayed to in their adversities praised in their prosperity deprecated their anger when any Judgment upon them magnified their goodness when any good received built them Temples offered them Gifts Must they break those Images destroy those Temples deny those Gods How dear Idols are Rachels stealing away her Fathers Images clearly sheweth Gen. 31. 34. She was one of them that built Gods Israel yet she hath an hankering after her Fathers Idols No humours so obstinate and stiff as those that are found in religious Customs They accused Stephen for changing the Customs Moses delivered Acts 6. 14. and Paul that he taught Customs which were not lawful for Romans to observe Acts 16. 21. Certainly it is a very hard thing to bring men out of an old Religion into a new one 2. The converting of man from a state of nature to a state of Grace So that they are as it were born again Iames 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his Creation It is a hard matter to change natures to turn a Lyon into a Lamb Isa. 11. 6. The wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lye down with the kid and the calf and the young Lyon and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them Yet this will the Gospel do make him that resembleth the Devil in his contempt of God Envy Revenge to be like Christ I say the Gospel doth it 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. To bring us to love what we naturally hate and to hate what we naturally love That the heart should be turned from all Creatures himself and all to God That they should be induced to turn from the Creature to God to seek out happiness in him from self to Christ from Sin to Holiness that God's desires should be our desires his will our will his delights our delights The natural heart is averse from this Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subjest to the Law of God neither indeed can be That the hearts spirits dispositions of men should be turned upside down 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of our Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God Isa. 55. 13. Instead of the thorns shall come up the Fig-tree and instead of the bryer shall come up the Myrtle-tree A mighty change wrought to be changed not only in their lives but natures Thirdly In comforting poor distressed Souls their sore runneth upon them and their soul refuseth comfort when they have all things in the world but yet as there are no sorrows like wounds of Conscience for degree so no comforts Groans unutterable so joys unutterable nothing left that will comfort it is as the whole of their joy the reviving of poor wounded Spirits is one of the greatest wonders in the world Creatures can do nothing Reason and humane discourse can do nothing it proceedeth from the apprehension of Gods wrath provoked by sin Iob 33. 23 24 25. If there be an Interpreter one among a thousand to show unto man his uprightness then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom his flesh shall be fresher than a childs he shall return to the days of his youth Nothing but the Covenant of his peace will still such a Soul a Scripture wound will only be cured by Scripture plasters He that puts the soul on the racks of conscience can only release us I create the fruits of the lips to be peace Ier. 6. 16. Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls Mat. 11. 28 29. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls Fourthly The confirming and strengtnhing power of the word that we may despise the world encounter all difficulties and discouragements and to be chearful as the martyrs were in the midst of flames all the oppositions of Satan 1 Ioh. 2. 14. I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Acts 20. 32. And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the word
over our distempers and personal necessities Zech. 12. 10 11 12 13 14. Many will say they have no gifts certainly they that feel their necessities will speak of them in one fashion or another But this cuts off the objection the Spirit is given to help thee I will pour upon them the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and they shall mourn apart Such is Gods condescension to the Saints that he hath provided for them not only an Advocate but a Notary A Notary to draw up their Petitions and an Advocate to present them in Court And surely the gifts of the Spirit should not lie by idle and useless 4. I might urge you too from the practice of the Saints who are called Gods supplicants Zeph. 3. 9. the generation that seek him Psal. 24. 6. They delight in Gods Company and cannot be content to stay away long from him Daniel had his three times a day Dan. 6. 10. So David Psal. 55. 17. Evening and morning and noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my Voice And David Seven times a day will I praise thee Psal. 119. 164. And Cornelius prayed to God alwaies Acts 10. 2. not only with his Family but sometimes alone for his Family They that have an habit of prayer will be thus affected now to be altogether unlike the People of God giveth just cause of suspicion 5. Shall I add our own private Necessities which cannot be so feelingly spoken to by others do challenge such a Duty at our hands or it may be are not so fit to be divulged and communicated to them 1 Kings 8. 38. There is the plague of our own hearts Paul had his thorn in the Flesh 1 Cor. 12. 7. I sought the Lord thriee No Nurse like the Mother none so fit feelingly to lay forth our Case to God as our selves private prayer 't is an help to inlargement of heart for the more earnest men are the more they desire to be alone Ier. 13. 17. My soul shall weep sore in secret places Christ went from his Disciples in his Agony when he would pray more earnestly Luk. 22. 41 42. Strong affections are loth to be disturbed and seek retirement Iacob sent away his Company when he wrestled with God Gen. 23. 24. Oh! then let all this be considered by you if you neglect Closet addresses to God you wrong God and your selves You wrong God because 't is a necessary part of the Creatures Homage to God and you wrong your selves because such duties bring in a great deal of comfort and peace to the Soul and many sweet and gracious experiences which are not vouchsafed else-where Bernard saith The Churches Spouse is Bashful and Christ will not communicate his Loves in Company You are to use acquaintance with God and so peace shall come to us Iob. 22. 21. It argueth little friendship to God when we seldom come at him and maintain no personal Commerce with him When we pray with others we cannot so well tell who is heard as when we pray alone and see what God will do for our Souls Ps. 116. 1. I will love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my Supplication You sought earnestly for such a thing and the Lord heard you To conclude all A man will not pray with any savour and delight in publick that doth not pray in secret I observe in Ezekiel's Vision the Lord removed from the Temple by degrees First from the holy place to the Altar of Burnt-offerings then to the Threshold of the house then to the Mountain on the East-side of the City there it stood hovering as loth to be gone So first God is cast out of the Closet private intercourses are neglected then out of the Family and then out of the Congregation and then publick Ordinances are laid aside as useless then are men given up to a strange giddy and vertiginous Spirit and all manner of Prophaneness As a Tree dies by degrees first bears not Fruit then no Leaves then no Bark so carnal Christians die by degrees II. It was an early Morning Prayer I prevented the dawning of the morning and cried I would not lay a burden upon any ones Conscience so God have his due at any time of the day 't is enough In colder Climates those of a weaker constitution may not be able to rise so soon and therefore if any other time of the day be fittest for Commerce all circumstances considered it cometh to the same issue Yet that the morning is our golden time and should not be neglected out of sluggishness what ever dispensation there be for weakness these Considerations may evince 1. The Example of Christ and his Saints we read of our Lord Jesus Christ Mark 1. 35. That in the morning rising a great while before day he went out and prayed This Example bindeth those to receive it that can receive it if you would take the opportunity of the Morning it deserves to be considered by us how willing Christ was to deny his Natural Rest to be with God in private And have not we more need And accordingly the Saints have practised this Psal. 5. 3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning I will direct my prayer to thee and look up Upon which Chrysostom saith Before thou washest thy hands wash thy soul by Prayer So again Psal. 59. 16. I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning So would David begin his day with praises of God and prayers to him So 1 Sant 1. 19. And they rose up early and worshipped before the Lord. That was their first work and they were betimes at it So the primitive Christians their hymnos Antelucanos they sung Psalms to God and Christ in the morning early as their Persecutors informed against them See Tertul. Apol. Euseb. c. Now this is of some significancy to Christians 2. Because when ever we have strong Affections to any thing we make it our morning work be it good or bad Good so Mary and Mary Magdalen came early to the Sepulchre of Christ Matth. 28. the Disciples when they came to wait for the promise of the Spirit they met betimes for the Holy Ghost fell upon them in the morning Act. 2. 15. For these men are not drunk as ye suppose seeing it is but the third hour of the day which was about Nine of the Clock and some good time had been spent before as appears by this speech that was uttered So Hosea 5. 16. In their afflictions they will seek me early This is their first and chiefest work that which urgeth the heart most we shall think of in the Morning The Objects that have made deepest impression upon our Spirits will present themselves before any images be received from abroad Prov. 6. 22. Bind my Law upon thy heart when thou walkest it shall talk with thee c. Abraham when he went about the work of offering his son Isaac he rose early in the
the way which God propoundeth being prepossessed with carnal fancies 'T is counted a foolish thing to wait upon God in the midst of straits conflicts and temptations 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned More prejudices lye against the means than the end therefore out of despair they sit down with a carnal choice as persons disappointed in a match take the next offer since they cannot have Gods happiness they resolve to be their own carvers and to make themselves as happy as they can in the enjoyment of present things III. Our mistakes about it will cost us dear God is very jealous of what we make our happiness and therefore blasteth the carnal choice Those that will try experiments smart for it in the issue Solomon came home by weeping-cross Eccles. 1. 14. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun and behold all is vanity and vexation of Spirit He hath proved it to our hands He had a large heart and a large Estate and gave himself to pleasures to extract happiness from the Creatures to hunt after worldly satisfactions in a more artificial way than brutish Sots that merely act according to lust and appetite Eccl. 2. 1. I said in mine heart Go to now I will prove thee with mirth therefore enjoy pleasure and behold this also is vanity He gave himself to pleasures not meerly upon sensual but curious and artificial aims yet found his heart secretly withdrawn from God Whoever maketh Tryal will either run into utter mischief or must come home again by a sound remorse and so they learn it and dearly to their cost Use Let us study this Point well 1. That we may not take up with a false happiness or set up our rest in temporal enjoyments as height of honour abundance of riches favour of great men c. Things useful in their Sphere and beneficial to sweeten and comfort the life of man who hath placed his happiness in God Pleasures being enjoyed they do not satisfy being loved they defile being lost they increase our trouble and sorrow 1. They cannot satisfie because of their imperfection and uncertainty They do not answer the whole desire of man carry no proportion with the Conscience That which maketh a man happy must bear a thorow proportion with all the wants desires and capacities of the Soul so as conscience and heart and all may say it is enough But alas these things cannot give us solid peace and contentment Isa. 55. 2. Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Till an hungry conscience be provided for we cannot be happy But besides their low use consider the uncertainty of injoyment Nothing can give us solid peace but what doth make us eternally happy These flowers wither in our hands while we smell at them Nothing but the favour of God is from everlasting to everlasting We have not a sure possession of these things in the world They are possessed with fear 1 Cor. 7. 30 31. 'T is the Apostles Counsel that they that buy should have such remiss affections to the world as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away A man must look for changes and lay forth for several conditions in the World Psal. 39. 11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth surely every man is vanity Selah Like glass brittle when most glistering 2. Being inordinately loved they defile There is not only gall but poison in them They cannot make us better but may easily make us worse as they defile and draw the heart from God and enslave us to our own Lusts. 1 Tim. 6. 10. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition For the love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves thorow with many sorrows 3. Being lost they encrease our Trouble and Sorrow A man that hath not learned to be abased as well as to abound his abundance maketh his case the more miserable It is hard to go back a degree or two They are apt to bring much trouble upon the heart of him that is conversant about them All is vanity and vexation of Spirit The more we make them our happiness when lost they increase our Trouble 2. That we may not be prejudiced against the true happiness Men think it a happiness to live without the yoke of Religion to speak and think and do what they please without restraint but to be always in bonds and held under the awe of the word that they count unreasonable and grievous Psal. 2. 3. Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us In studying of this Point 1. Lean not to thine own understanding Pro. 23. 4. Labour not to be rich cease from thy own wisdom but seek direction from God by his word and Spirit God can only determine who is the Blessed man in whose hand alone it is to make us Blessed 2. Take the light of faith sense and carnal reason will deceive you Blessedness is a riddle which can only be found out by faith Which is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. That a poor Godly man who is counted the filth and off-scouring of all things should be the only happy Man and that the great Men of this world who have all things at will should be poor blind miserable and naked is a paradox will never enter into the heart of a Natural man that hath only the light of sense and carnal reason to judg of things for to sight and reason it is nothing so 3. Wait for the light and power of the Spirit to incline and draw thy heart to God Many times we are doctrinally right in point of Blessedness but not practically we content our selves with the meer notion but are not brought under the power of these Truths that is the work of the Spirit It is easy to prove that it is the Beasts happiness to enjoy pleasure without remorse easy to prove the uncertainty of riches and what unstable foundations they are for the Soul to rest on but to draw off the heart from these things to God is the work of the Holy Ghost Psal. 49. 13. This their way is their folly yet their posterity approve their sayings Many a man who stands over the grave of his Ancestors will say Ah how foolish were they to waste their time and strength in pleasure and in hunting after worldly greatness and esteem and favour with men what doth it profit them now And yet
being hard to come by unless Desires be strongly fixed men are soon put out of the Humour and so nothing would be done to any purpose in the World Surely Holiness that is so difficult and distasteful to Flesh and Blood would be but little looked after if there were not strength of Desires to keep it up Therefore is this affection that we may encounter Difficulties and Oppositions As Nehe. 4. 6. When there were Difficulties and Straits it is said They built the Wall for the People had a mind to work that is their Hearts were set upon it So if we had a mind to any Excellent thing it is this mind that keeps us up in the midst of all Difficulties and Labours All excellent Things are hard to come by it is so in Earthly matters much more in Spiritual The Lord will have it so to make us Prize them more for things soon got are little esteemed As riotous Heirs which know not how to get an Estate lavishly spend it A man is chary of what is hardly gotten Iacob prized Rachel the more because he was forced to serve for her so long So we shall prize Heavenly things the more when they cost us a great deal of Diligence and Labour to get them Now sluggish Desires soon fail but Vehement longings keep the Heart a work 5. Consider the issue of these Desires As they come from a good Cause which is the new Nature and a new Life for Appetite follows Life so they tend to a good Effect are sure of a good Accomplishment and Satisfaction God is wont to give Spiritual things to those that desire them there the Rule is Ask and have It is not so in carnal Things many that seek and hunt after them with all the Strength and Labour of their Souls at length are miserably disappointed But all the Promises run for Satisfaction to a Hungry Thirsty Earnest and Longing Soul 5. Math. 6. Those that are hungry and have a strong Desire upon them he will fill 1. Luke 51. And open thy Mouthwide and I will fill it 81. Psal. 10. They that open unto him as the thirsty Land for the Rain God that gives Velle to Will will give Posse to Do First the Desire and then the Satisfaction and therefore where there is this strength of Desire though there may be some failing in other things in our Endeavours and Performances yet the Lord will accept it 6. It argues some nearness to compleat Fruition or to full Satisfaction in Heaven when we begin to be more earnest after Holiness than we were before and after more of God and his Grace and Image to be set up in our Souls The more we desire Holiness the more ripe for Heaven This is a Rule The nearer we are to any good thing our Hearts are set upon the more impatient in the want of it as natural Motions are swifter in the end than in the beginning though violent Motions are swifter in the beginning while the impression of the stone lasts it is swift but afterwards it abates So when the Soul beats so strongly after God and Holiness and larger measures of Grace 't is a sign we are Ripening apace for Heaven Paul when he was grown aged in Christianity then he saith Rom. 7. 24. Who shall deliver me from this Body of Death As what we translate in the Psalms O that Salvation were come out of Sion It is in the Hebrew Who shall give Salvation So here it is an Hebreisme Who shall that is O that I were delivered He had many afflictions he was in Perills often Scourged Whipped Persecuted but he doth not say O that I could get rid of this troublesome Life of affliction but it was the Body of Death the remainders of Corruption was most burdensome to him The Children of God their Pulses beat strongly when they are upon the Confines of Eternity and their full and final Consummation These men begin to Ripen for their Heavenly State into which God will translate them Use 1. For Conviction of several sorts of Persons that are sar from this Temper and frame of Heart To begin with the most Notorious 1. Some desire Sin with a passionate Earnestness Iob 15. 16. He drinketh iniquity like Water As a thirsty Beast in those hot Countries would drink in water so did they drink in Sin Most wicked men are mad when their Lusts are set a working and there are some whose constant frame of Heart it is who make hast who march furiously as if they were afraid of coming to Hell too late bear down Conscience Word and all before them that set themselves to do Evil with both hands earnestly that have a strong desire after Sin and are carried out with as impatient longing after Sin as the Children of God such Eminent ones of God after Holiness 2. Some have no desire to the ways of God at all Iob 21. 14. They say unto God depart from us For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways the Hearts of many say so though their Tongues do not They are those which shut out the Light that cannot endure a searching Ministry lest it should trouble their Lusts disturb the Devils Kingdom that banish the thoughts of God out of their Hearts lest it revive the Sense of their Obligation to duty that set Conscience a challenging Gods right in their Souls that keep off from the Light 3. There are some that are insatiable in worldly things but have no Savour of these Heavenly and Holy things they are Thirsty for the Earth But God is not in all their thoughts Psal. 10. 4. a little Grace will serve their turn and think there is more ado than needs about Heaven and Heavenly things Alass the very contrary is true a little of the World will serve their turn here below If men had not a mind to increase their Temptations and Snares about a frail and temporal Life why do they make so much ado When many times they are taken away before they have Roasted what they have got in Hunting God takes them away but their Eternal estate is little looked after Riches qualifie us not but Holiness doth qualifie us for Heaven and it is our Ornament before God and his holy Angels And woe be to us if our poor Souls be thrust out Naked and Uncloathed in the other World Can we hunger and hanker after these lying Vanities and have no Hungering and Thirsting after Grace a little time will wear out the distinction of Rich and Poor High and Low but the distinction of Holy and Good will continue to Eternity Think of that time when not only the World but the Lust will pass away The lust of the World may be gone before we are out of the World as in Sickness and Pains but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever When we are Sick and Dying we have some kind of Notions and Apprehensions of these things then we can long and wish
Word to vow our Duty but lifting up the Hand in all these Sences is to God Therefore 4. Here it meaneth no more but I will apply my self to the keeping of them or set vigorously about it put my hands to the practising of thy Law with all earnestness endeavouring to do what therein is enjoyned Two Points 1 Doct. That it is not enough to approve or commend the Commandments of God but we must carefully set our selves to the observance of them 2 Doct. Whosoever would do so must use great Study and Meditation 1 Doct. That it is not enough to approve or commend the Commandments of God but we must carefully set our selves to the practice of them 1. Hearing without Doing is disapproved Deut. 4. 5. I have taught you good statutes and judgments that ye might do so Deut. 5. 1. Hear O Israel the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day that ye may learn them and do them Otherwise we deceive our own Souls Iames 1. 22. But be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely deceiving your own souls We put a Paralogism on our selves build on a sandy Foundation Mat. 2. 26. Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man that built his house upon the sand 2. Knowledge without Practice is not right Luke 12. 47 48. He that knoweth his masters will and prepareth not himself to do it shall be beaten with many stripes Better never known if not done for then they do but aggravate our Guilt and encrease our Punishment 3. Our Love is not right unless it endeth in Practice A Christians Love to whatever Object it be directed must be an unfeigned Love If God if the Brethren if the Word of God those words must ever sound in our ears 1 Iohn 3. 18. My little children love not in word and tongue but in deed and in truth Do you love the Word of God Do it not in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth 4. Our Delight is not right the Pleasure is but an airy idle and speculative Delight unless it set us about the practice of all holy Obedience unto God making it the design and business of our Lives to exercise our selves unto Godliness That sheweth the reality of your Delight when you come under the power of the Truth and are absolutely governed by it for then you delight in them aright as Mysteries of Godliness The Lord complaineth of them that had a delight in the Prophet his voice was as pleasing to them as a minstrel they hear the words and do them not Ezek. 33. 32. They may delight in sublime strains of Doctrine or flourishes of Wit Demosthenes had made a plausible Speech to the Athenians Phocion told them That the Cypress-tree is goodly and fair but beareth no Fruit. There may be flourishes of Wit but no food for hungry Consciences 5. Our Commendation is not right unless it endeth in Practice Many may discourse of the Ways of God never speak of them but with Commendation but they do not lift their hands to this blessed Work They shew some love to God's Commandments but when it cometh to action their hands are remiss and faint Christ refuseth that respect of bare naked Commendation Luke 11. 27 28. Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps that thou hast sucked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea rather blessed is he that heareth the word of God and keepeth it We are Disciples of that Master that did both teach and do Acts 1. 1. The former Treatise have I made O Theophilus of all that Iesus began both to do and teach Of the Pharisees it is said They say and do not Mat. 23. 2 3. But in Christians there must be saying and doing Iames 2. 12. So speak and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty We shall be rewarded not for speaking well but for doing hands lifted up Well then nothing remains but practising Duties that are pressed upon you on the first opportunity Not he that heareth understandeth loveth delighteth commendeth but he that keepeth instruction it is is in the way of life Prov. 10. 17. He that submitteth himself to be guided by God's Word he is going the right way to Eternal Life and Happiness But to set home this Point more fully I shall 1. Inquire What kind of Observance we must address our selves unto 2. Why we must thus lift up our hands or address our selves to our Duty 1. How for the manner must we lift up our hands or what doing is necessary 1. It must be universal Herod did many things Mark 6. 20. Partial Reformation in outward things will not serve the turn In sundry particulars Men may yield to the Word of God but in others deny their Obedience as in some cheap Observances or such Duties as cross not our Lusts But David would lift up his hands to the Commandments without distinction and limitation Many this they will do and that they will do and so do not obey God's Will but their own Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments Luke 1. 6. And they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless 2. This Doing must be serious and diligent Every Christian must bend the powers of his Soul and lay out the first of his Care and Labour in his Obedience unto God Phil. 2. 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling This is not a Work to be done by the bye but with the greatest care and sollicitude 3. This must be our settled and our ordinary Practice To lift up our hands now and then is not enough to do a good thing once or rarely No we must make Religion our business The lifting of the hands to God's Commandments is not a thing done accidentally occasionally or in a fit of Zeal but our trade and course of Life Acts 24. 16. I exercise my self in this to have a conscience void of offence both towards God and men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the Employment of his Life 4. We must persevere or continue with patience in well-doing notwithstanding discouragements Heb. 12. 12. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees There must be no fainting whatever discouragements happen As there was a great deal of doe to hold up Moses's hands in Israels conflict with Amalek Exod. 17. 11 12. As long as he held up the rod of God Israel prevailed but Moses hands were heavy a sign of many Infirmities not able long to endure in spiritual exercise for though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak But Faith should still hold up our hands 5. This lifting up the hands or alacrious diligence should flow from a right Principle and that is Faith and Love 1. Faith or a sound Persuasion of God's Love to
coming to them by chance They not onely say good in general but who will shew me c. As they look after uncertain Blessings so they look after an uncertain Authour as they fall out in the course of second Causes if they have these they bless their Hearts and content themselves To convince these Men of the baseness of their Choice and make them bethink themselves their Choice is part of their punishment There cannot be a greater Punishment than that they should have what they choose that they should be written in the Earth Ierem. 17. they shall have this and no more That God should say to them Silver and Gold you shall have but in this matter no Lot nor Portion Act. 8. Their Bellies shall be filled with hid Treasure they shall have gorgeous Apparel dainty Fare Substance enough to leave to their Babes but be deprived of Heaven It 's the greatest Misery that can be to be condemned to this kind of Happiness That we should thus degrade our selves and sit upon the Threshold when they might sit upon the Throne and lick onely the dust of his Footstool But wicked Men will not be sensible of this now but one day they shall of the Misery of this their foolish Choice at death usually Ier. 17. 11. At his latter end he shall be a fool Then his Heart will rave against him O Fool Mad-man that thou wert not as carefull to get the Favour of God as to get this worldly Pelf when he must goe into another World and he is launching out into the great gulph of Eternity And in Hell they will be sensible Luke 16. 25. Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things c. The Conscience of their foolish Choice is a part of their Torment when their Heart shall return upon them and say This was because thou wouldst look after temporal Things when Snares and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest is poured out upon them what Thoughts have they of their Portion when they are cast out with the Devil and demned Spirits Carnal Men think the difference between them and others will ever hold out when they glitter in the World O but the time is coming when Death will undeceive them And at the day of Judgment they will be sensible of it when they shall be refused as the Out-casts of the World and when the Saints shall have their Portion when the Lord shall take the Godly to himself receive them into his Bosome and welcome them to Heaven and call them to his Right hand and they shall be banished out of his presence with a goe ye cursed when they shall become the loathing of God the scorn of Angels and blessed Spirits when it shall be said as in Psal. 52. 7. Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthned himself in his wickedness O then how will Conscience return upon the wretchedness and folly of their Hearts and be exercised upon it this will vex and gaul them in Hell with anxious thoughts of it to all Eternity As by the fire that never shall be quenched is signified the Wrath of God so by the Worm that never dies the violent working of Conscience upon the folly of choosing perishing Vanities Use 2. It exhorts us to this necessary Duty to choose God for our Portion It is not a slight thing but that upon which your eternal Happiness doth depend it 's the fundamental Article of the Covenant of Grace and the Question God puts you to is whether you will choose him for your Portion therefore he begins the Commandments with this Thou shalt have no other Gods before me God is not your God unless he be set uppermost in your Souls he cannot be your Portion unless he be your chiefest Good There is no possibility of entring into Covenaâ—…t with God unless you subscribe to this main Article Again as 't is a very necessary Work so 't is an Evidence and Fruit of God's Election if a Man would come to know the Thoughts of God concerning him before all the World what his Destiny is God's Election or Choosing of you is manifested by your Election or your choosing of God for all God's Works leave an Impression upon the Creature he chooseth us that we might choose him I will say you are my People and you shall say I am your God Again you must have something for your Portion There 's no Man hath a sufficiency in himself The Soul is like a Spunge always thirsting and seeking of something from without to be filled a Chaos of Desires Man was made to live in dependance Now of all Portions in the World there is none worth the having but God himself nothing else can make you compleatly blessed and satisfy all the Necessities and all the Capacities of Soul and Body When you have outward things what have you for your Conscience If these things could fill up your Affections they bear no proportion with Conscience your Sore will run upon you and your inward Griefs will not be cured But this is such a Portion that besides internal Grace there shall be a competent measure of outward things God will provide for you Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd what then I shall not want This Interest will give you temporal Things and the Comforts of this Life so that you have the Fountain of all other Mercies While others do but drink of the Streams and of Streams where they are muddy where they partake of the Soile through which they run you goe to the clear Fountain Alas others do but pluck the Leaves and Flowers but you have the Fruits and very Root it self the perpetual Fountain and Well-spring of Comfort and Root of all the blessedness the Heart can wish for Again all other Comforts grow upon this Interest and when all other things are lost this can supply you again All worldly Things when we have them yet they have not a Root but you have the Root so that when other things faile this will yield you all manner of Supplies Yea this is that which seasons and makes all other things comfortable when we have them and the Love of God with them This Man of God had a Kingdom and a great deale of Wealth he was a Victorious King as we may see by his Offering 1 Chron. 29. what Cart-loads of Gold and Silver he offers to God yet in the midst of all this fulness he saith Thou art my Portion Other Portions may turn to a Man's hurt as they are occasions of Sin as they expose to Envy and Danger many a man is undone both here and hereafter by making the Creature his Portion but never any man was undone by making God his Portion It was the end of our Creation God passing by all other Creatures set his Heart upon Man He made all things for Man and Man for himself All other things were
sharpness of apprehension in carnal Things but dull slow and blind in spiritual and heavenly Things Thoughts are spent freely and unweariedly about the one but there is a tediousness and barrenness about the other a Will backward to what is good but a strange bent and urging to what is evil in that which is good we need a Spur in evil a Bridle these things persevere with us but how fickle and changable in any holy Resolution the Memory slippery in what is good but firm and strong in what is evil the Affections quick easily stirred like Tinder catch fire at every spark but as to that which is good they are like fire in green Wood hardly kept in with much blowing Again our delight is soon moved by things pleasing to Sense a carnal gust and savour is very natural to us and rise with us Rom. 8. 5. but averse from the chiefest good and every thing that leadeth to it Surely then we have need to goe to God and complain of Corruption sometimes under the notion of a blind and dark Mind begging the illumination of the Spirit sometimes under the notion of a dead hard Heart or an unperswadable Will begging his inclining as well as inlightning Grace Surely they are strangely hardened that do not see a need of a spiritual Understanding Nay God's Children after Grace received though sanctified betimes yet halt of the old Maim dull in Spirituals alive and active in carnal Matters Carnal and worldly Men act more uniformly and suitably to their Principles than the Children of God to theirs Luke 16. 8. The Children of this world are wiser in their generation than the Children of light that is more dexterous in the course of their Affairs Grace for the present worketh but a partial Cure we have the advantage in matter of Motive we have better and higher things to mind but they have the advantage in matter of Principle their Principles are unbroken but the Principles of the best are mixed we cannot doe what we would in heavenly things there is the back-bias of Corruption that turns us away and therefore they need to be instant with God to heal their Souls sometimes a blind Mind and sometimes a distempered Heart 5. We must be new made and born again before we can be apt or able to know or doe the Will of God as Christ inferreth the necessity of Regeneration from the corruption of Nature he had been discoursing with Nicodemus You cannot enter into the Kingdome of God For that which is born of the flesh is flesh John 3. 5 6. Our Souls naturally accommodate themselves to the Flesh and seek the good of the Flesh and all our Thoughts and Care and Life and Love runs that way now what was lost in Adam can onely be recovered in Christ 't is not enough that God's hands have once made us and fashioned us but there is a necessity of being made and fashioned anew of becoming his workmanship in Christ Iesus Eph. 2. 10. and so the words of the Text may be interpreted in this sense Thou hast made me once Lord new make me thy hands made me O Lord give me a new Heart that I may obey thee In the first Birth God gave us a natural Understanding in the second a spiritual Understanding that we may learn his Commandments First that we may be good and then doe good The first Birth gave us the natural Faculty the second the Grace or those divine Qualities which were lost by Adam's Sin better never been born unless born again better be a Beast than a Man if the Lord give us not the knowledge of himself in Christ. The Beasts when they die their Misery and Happiness dieth with them Death puts an end to their Pain and Pleasure but we that have Reason and Conscience to foresee the end and know the way enter into perfect Happiness or Misery at death unless the Lord sanctify this Reason and give us an heart to know him in Christ and choose that which is good Man is but a higher kind of Beast a wiser sort of Beast Psalm 49. 12. for his Soul is onely employed to cater for the Body and his Reason is prostituted to Sense the Beast rides the Man We are not distinguished from the Bruits by our Senses but our Understanding and our Reason but in a carnal Man the Soul is a kind of Sense 't is wholly imployed about the animal Life There is not a more brutish Creature in the World than a worldly wicked Man Well then David had need to pray Lord thou hast given me Reason give me the knowledge of thy self and thy blessed Will 6. When we seek this Grace or any degree of it 't is a proper Argument to urge that we are God's Creatures so doth David here I am now come to my very Business and therefore I shall a little shew how far Creation is pleadable and may any way incourage us to ask spiritual Understanding and renewing Grace 1. In the general I shall lay down this 'T is a good way of reasoning with God to ask another Gift because we have received one already 'T is not a good way of reasoning with Man because he wastes by giving but a good way with God and that upon a double account Partly because in some cases Deus donando debet God by giving doth in effect bind himself to give more as by giving Life to give Food by giving a Body to give Rayment Matth. 6. 25. God by sending such a Creature into the World chargeth his Providence to maintain him as long as he will use him for his glory God loveth to crown his own Gifts Zech. 3. 2. Is not this a brand plucked out of the burnings The thing pleaded there is was not this a Brand plucked out of the fire one Mercy is pleaded to obtain another Mercy So God bindeth himself to give perseverance 2 Cor. 1. 10. but this is not the case here for by giving common Benefits he doth not bind himself to give saving Graces And partly too because he doth not waste by giving his mercy endureth for ever The same reason is given for all those Mercies Psalm 136. Why the Lord chose a Church maintaineth his Church giveth daily bread his mercy endureth for ever God is where he was at first he giveth liberally and upbraideth not James 1. 5. he doth not say I have given already Now a former common Mercy sheweth God's readiness and freeness to give the Inclination to doe good still abideth with him he is as ready and as free to give still daily Bread his mercy endureth for ever spiritual Wisdome his mercy endureth for ever indeed the giving of daily Bread doth not necessarily bind God to give spiritual Wisdome but that which is not a sure ground to expect may be a probable incouragement to ask and learn this that though nothing can satisfy Unbelief yet Faith can pick Arguments out of any thing and make use of
sin to them Paul saith Rom. 7. 12. The Law is holy and the Commandment holy and just and good What 's the meaning of this disjunctive the Law and the Commandment By the commandment he means that particular Law which had so strangely affect-ed him that had wrought such tragical effects upon his heart made sin revive disturbed him discovered himself to himself he loves that law which broke in upon his heart with so much power and evidence and stir'd up his affections Carnal men love the comfortable part of the word to be feasted with priviledges but that part which urgeth them to unpleasing duties or discovers their sins they love not 1 Kings 22. 8. He doth not prophesie good concerning me but evil therefore I will not hear him Though he was a Prophet of the Lord and came with the word of the Lord yet he never prophesied good to me that is such things as did please him Do you think that was the temper of that wicked King alone no it is the temper of every wicked man's heart Amos 5. 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly All wicked men have such a disposition they hate that part of the Word which doth stir up their fears revive their doubts and is contrary to their lusts Iohn 3. 20. It 's their general disposition Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved They shun that part of the Word whereby they might come to know themselves either they could wish such things were not sins or that they did not know them to be sins 2 Pet. 3. 5. For this they willingly are ignorant of A guilty soul hath a secret enmity to the word of God being loth to read his own doom there and be much occupied and employed in that which condemns and accuseth him as a man that hath light ware is loth to come to the ballance or a man that hath counterfeit coin is loth to come to the touchstone so they are loth to come too close and near the word of God that their whole course may be discovered to themselves None but a pure sincere heart can have such an universal Love to God's Law 4. If you love the word you will ever love the Word for the same reasons that drew your heart at first continues still Psal. 119. 20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times By Judgments is meant the word of God which is the rule of God's proceeding with sinners It was not for a pang only that he had that strong and vehement affection but it was a constant thing at all times it was the ordinary frame of his heart Many men have good affections for a while but they abide not with them For some have an adulterous affection only they may love the word of God while it is new for novelty sake Iohn 5. 35. Ye rejoyced for a season in his Light And Act. 17. 20. They flocked about Paul because he seemed to be a setter forth of new Doctrine This is but carnal love that is soon altered or else it may be they have some love to the Word during some qualme of Conscience and they may find some savour in it when they have a little trouble upon them as we desire strong water in a pang not as a constant dyet When they are under some working of Conscience then they run to the word but as soon as they can lick themselves whole again they slight it and their love to the word is gone As their trouble wears off so their affection is worn off These are driven by fearing the word and not by the love of it For a great while men are carryed on pleasingly in their love to the word but when it grates hard bears hard upon Conscience and meets with their lusts then they go away in discontent As Herod heard Iohn gladly for a while Mark 6. 20. until his Herodias was touched and then follows his darling sin again Their Love is to the word if carnal credit accompany it as Iohn was welcome to the Jews until he fell under Herod's displeasure The stony-ground received the word with much joy until the Sun arose with a burning heat Matth. 13. There are certain times when it is a credit to be religious and when the Gospel is befriended in the world then men will have some seeming affection but it dies away God's Children love the word for its own sake therefore they ever love it They which love the truth for foreign reasons because of novelty merely out of present necessity publick Countenance because it is in fashion and repute or because they thought the word would flatter them more in their sins than it doth these do not love the word Thus David's affection is asserted Secondly VVe have David's assertion demonstrated It is my meditation all the day Doct. 2. They that love the Word will be meditating therein continually There are two Grounds for this Love causeth it and Love is encreased by it 1. Love causeth it We are continually thinking of whatsoever we love Rich men that affect worldly things are always thinking of gathering substance and encreasing their worldly portion as that man Luk. 12. 17 18. was dialoguising and discoursing with himself Carnal Lovers are thinking of that they love and ambitious men are feasting their souls with imaginations and suppositions of worldly greatness pleasing themselves by framing Images in their minds and Warriers are thinking of battels and wars and Voluptuaries are thinking of sports and pastimes and a Child of God is thinking of holy things Love causes the soul to be more where it loves than where it lives it 's the best entertainment they can find for themselves to frame Images of things loved in their minds 2. As Love begets meditation so meditation cherishes love Meditation is the life of all the means of grace and that which makes them fruitful to our souls What 's the reason there is so much preaching and so little practice for want of meditation Constant thoughts are operative If a Hen straggleth out from he nest she brings forth nothing her Eggs chill so when we do not set a brood upon holy thoughts if we content our selves with some few transient thoughts and glances about divine things and do not dwell upon them the truth is suddenly put off and doth no good All actions require time and space for their operation if hastily slubber'd over they cool if we give them time and space we shall feel their effects So if we hold truths in our mind and dwell upon them there will be an answerable impression but when they come like a flash of lightning then they are gone and we run them over cursorily That truth may work there is required three things sound belief serious consideration and close application Iob 5. 27. Lo this we have searched
it is seen in overcoming the terrours of the Lord Death Hell Judgment to come the fears and doubts of our own Conscience it will not only swallow up the sense of poverty disgrace and affliction but will bear us out in life and death they have a joy that will help them to do and suffer the will of the Lord. When once they have tasted the Comforts of Gods presence other things will go down easie I might press you to look after this rejoycing of heart It makes much for the Glory of God for the Honour of our Portion that we do not repent us of our choice that we bear up chearfully And it is of abundant profit The joy of the Lord is a Christians strength it bears him out in doing for God To this purpose you should beware of sin that 's a clouding darkning thing men or Angels cannot keep their hearts comfortable that sin against God sin takes away all joy peace and the whole strength of men and an Angel cannot make the Conscience of a Sinner rejoyce therefore the Children of God must take heed that they do not allow sin In Act. 9. 31. They walked in the fear of God and comfort of the Holy Ghost Usually these two go together and the oil of Grace makes way for the oil of gladness and usually obedience concurrs to the establishing of our joy Above all look after Communion with God for he is the fountain of joy and the more Communion we have with him the more we rejoyce The more Communion in Prayer 1 Sam. 1. 6. when Hannah prayed she was no more sad Prayer hath a pacifying Virtue in it And then in the use of the Seals for these are assuring Ordinances now the more we revive the grounds of assurance the stronger the consolation that appears Heb. 6. 18. Act. 8. 39. The Eunuch when he was baptized went away rejoycing When a man hath an inheritance made over to him past in Court all things done the Title not to be made void then he goes and rejoyceth so when the promises have been confirmed by a solemn ratification it makes joy Then Meditation and Thanksgiving keep this joy alive Thanksgiving gives vent and Meditation that maintains it SERMON CXXIII PSAL. CXIX VER 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always to the end DAvid did not only feast his Soul with Comforts but also minded duty and service In the former Verse he had professed his comfort and joy resulting from an interest in the promise now he expresses the bent of his heart to Gods Statutes Ephraim is represented as an Heifer that is taught that would tread out the Corn but not break the Clods 'T is a fault in Christians when they only delight to hear of priviledges but entertain coldly inforcements of duty and obedience David was of another temper first he said I have taken thy testimonies for an heritage and then I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes always to the end In which Words you have all the requisites of Gods service I. The principle of obedience I have inclined my heart II. The Matter of obedience Thy Statutes III. The Mâ—…ner of doing 1. accurately to perform 2. the universality and uniformity always 3. constantly to the end I. That which the Psalmist bringeth in evidence for himself is The frame of his heart he beginneth there not with eyes or hands or feet but my heart Secondly This heart is spoken of as inclined poised and set to shew his proneness and readiness to serve God not compelled but inclined The heart of man is set between two Objects Corruption inclineth it one way and Grace another the law of sin on the one side and the law of Grace on the other when the Scales are cast on Graces side then the heart is inclined to Gods Statutes Now he saith I have inclined 't is the work of Gods Spirit to incline and bend our hearts as David expresseth himself vers 36. But 't is not unusual in Scripture to ascribe to us what God worketh in us because of our subservient endeavours to Grace as we pursue the work of God Certum est nos facere quod facimus sed Deus facit ut faciamus saith Augustine It is our duty to incline our hearts to Gods Law which naturally hang sin-ward but 't is Gods work God beginneth by his preventing Grace and the Soul obeyeth the impression left upon it Turn me and I shall be turned Ier. 31. 18. Yea he still followeth us with his subsequent and cooperating Grace we do but act under him I inclined my heart after thou hadst filled it with thy spirit when I felt the motions of thy Grace my consent followed preventing Grace made me willing and subsequent Grace that I should not will in vain Now what was his heart inclined to To perform thy Statutes not to understand them only or to talk of them but inclined to perform them to go through with the Work that is the Notion of performing Rom. 7. 18. how to perform we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it to be compleat in Gods Will to do his utmost therein this not by fits and starts but always a continual care and conscience to walk in Gods Law not suffering our selves for any respect to be turned out of the way Many have good motions by starts temporize a little their goodness is like the Morning Dew 't is thus not for a time but to the end an holy inclination while the fit lasteth is no such great matter this was to the last Some stop in the middle of the Journey or faint before they come to the Goal but David held out to the last Or this is brought as an evidence of his sincerity the Summ is a bent of heart carrying him out to perform whatsoever God doth command all the days of his life I shall speak of what is most material and observe this Point Doct. They that would sincerely and throughly obey God must have an heart inclined to his Statutes Here I shall shew 1. What is this heart inclined 2. The necessity of it 1. What is this heart inclined God expects the heart in all the service that we do him Prov. 23. 26. My Son give me thy heart not the ear or the eyes or the tongue but the heart the most considerable thing in man in his heart 't is terminus actionum ad intra and fons actionum ad extra 'T is the bound of those actions that look inward the senses report to the fancy that to the mind and the mind counsels the heart Prov. 2. 10. if wisedom enter upon thy heart 'T is also the well-spring of those actions that look outward to the life Prov. 4. 23. Matth. 15. 19. You have both these in one place Let thy heart keep my Precepts let thine heart receive my words Prov. 4. 4. In taking in we end with the heart the Statutes of God they are never well
and to revive the heart of the contrite ones For I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his ways and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him When the spirit is softened by a deep and serious remorse for sin and a tender sense of their condition with these will God dwell to comfort relieve restore them Secondly The Believer Psal. 33. 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him upon them that hope in his mercy They that look for God shall find him Thirdly The sincere Psal. 11. 7. His countenance doth behold the upright He hath a singular care of them to manifest his love to them both inwardly and outwardly A good Conscience presents it self to God none but such will say Look upon me Adam hid himself upon his trangression Hypocrites cannot trust him Fourthly Such as love his Name It is the description and mark of Gods people in the Text They love God and all that by which God is especially made known To these God will look that he may bless them and comfort them with his love Ephes. 6. 24. Grace he with them that love our Lord Iesus Christ in sincerity Gods Grace and free Favour is to them they love the name of God that rejoyce to see God honoured known and had in request in the world to be owned to be such as he is by themselves and others Isai. 26. 8. The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Their great desire is That God may be exalted in their own hearts and in the hearts of others To these God will look who take care to honour God love Christ and keep his Commandments Iohn 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him II. The ground and cause of that favour he expects Be merciful unto me David begs what he begs upon terms of Grace Doctr. Gods mercy is the cause of all his favour to us or gracious dealing with us All that we have or would have cometh only and wholly from his mercy and mere mercy If God cast but a look upon us or visit us with one glympse of kindness we can ascribe it to no other cause Only mercy and never a word of merit should be in the mouth of a Believer 1. Because there was nothing in us to move him to be thus gracious to us Gen 32. 10. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant Let us ask the reason and debate the cause with our selves Why doth or should God do this for me What moveth him Is he necessitated Then he could do no otherwise and should be kind to all Would he be unjust if he did not whereby have I obliged him Who hath given to God first and it shall be recompenced to him again Rom. 11. 35. Could you enter your action and Plea against him Before what Bar and Tribunal And with what Arguments will you manage your Cause How will the Beam plead against the Sun the Stream against the Fountain Is it a Debt to your Kind and rank of Being How many of the same Flesh and Blood are equal in Nature but unequal in condition nay in the same Vicinity and Neighbourhood not only Americans but of your own Nation and Countrey What did God see more in you than in them of the same Calling and Profession Two grinding at a Mill one shall be taken and the other left Luke 18. 35. Of the same Parentage was not Iacob Esau's Brother Indeed what did God see to move him to give you the first Grace Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy 2. There is much to the contrary a manifest unworthiness and contrary desert to what God bestoweth on us First A general unworthiness in all the Sons of Adam Man was left as a condemned Malefactor in the hands of the Law without all hope and possibility of recovery under sin Rom. 7. 14. I am carnal sold under sin Under a curse Ephes. 2. 3. We were by nature the Children of wrath even as others and that God should regard such Secondly A particular unworthiness before Conversion and after First Before Conversion Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient â—…eceived serving divers lusts and pleasures c. We deserve to be abhorred and cast out of Gods presence and might justly expect his vengeance rather than his bounty and goodness his anger and frowns rather than the light of his countenance Secondly Since Conversion Iames 3. 2. In many things we offend all Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not There are mixtures of evil imperfections of holy things Well then First Let mercy be all your Plea when you have any favour to seek from God We cannot claim any good upon any other right and title Justice will except against you and Conscience will take its part What have you to say but on that Dan. 9. 18. We do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses but for thy great mercies We have no other motive that will become God nor bear weight in our own Consciences but only God hath set up a Court where Grace taketh the Throne and giveth out pardons and blessings to Sinners Secondly When you have once tasted one pledge of Gods love vouchsafed to you let this kindle Coals in your bosomes and warm your hearts with love to God It is not only his condescension to take notice of you but his mercy to shew any favour and kindness to you 2 Sam. 7. 19. Is this the manner of men O Lord God Is this the manner of men to requite good for evil Who am I Thirdly Be contented with your measures Where nothing is deserved any thing should be kindly taken Grace communicateth it self to whom and in what measure it will Matth. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own If we are kept under and in great extremities he might have dealt worse with us Lam. 3. 22. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not If we had a prize in our hands to procure better we might complain Now all is free and undeserved we should admire and submit SERMON CXLVI PSAL. CXIX VER 132. As thou usest to do to those that love thy name HERE you have III. The terms of the
difficult grievous and irksome to you 'T is love maketh all things pleasant and easie and to go on roundly 1 Iohn 5. 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous A love to the Commands of God will make us do them with chearfulness VVhen a man loves God it will be no grievous thing to serve him 'T is said in the 4th of Nehemiah and the 6. That the Building went on because the People had a mind to the work The building of the Temple was a difficult task to remove the rubbish and carry on such a vast piece of work But they had a mind to the work and then it went on Love to any thing makes it go on sweetly and chearfully as we use to say so in Gods service if we love the work we cannot count it difficult 3. You will never be constant with God without this love An unwilling servant is ever running from his work and he that hath not an heart fixed and set will find discouragement enough in heavens way They fell off that received not the Truth in the love of it 2 Thess. 2. 10. Fear hath Compulsion in it but it will not hold when the fear is worn of but love is a lasting affection when your hearts love holiness and and you love the work for the works sake Third Consideration 'T is not enough to love the word but we must look after the grounds and reasons of this love 1. Because a true love to the word is not blind but rational and may be justified Matth. 11. 19. Wisdom is justified of her Children All that love God and his Truth are able to plead for it If you are not able to shew your grounds and reasons for your love to the word your love is but customary Phil. 1. 9. I pray that your love may abound in all knowledge and judgment Such a love and zeal is commendable as hath a proportionable measure of knowledge going along with it When the Spouse had spoken so much of her beloved the question is propounded Cant. 5. 9. What is thy beloved more then another beloved that thou dost thus charge us Christians should be able to say what is their Christ and what is the Religion they do profess that there 's more in their Religion then in all Religions in the World 2. Because many love it upon wrong reasons there may be a natural and carnal love to spiritual things Look as a religious man in outward things rejoyceth spiritually so a carnal man in spiritual things rejoyceth carnally So Herod rejoyced in Iohns preaching with a humane passion Mark 6. 20. As he was a plausible preacher and a rare and pregnant interpreter of the Law This was but a carnal affection that is thus They may be pleased with notions and elevated strains of wisdom I remember a Moralist gives this similitude A Gallant going into a Garden prizeth Flowers altogether for the beauty of them but a Physician he looks after their use and vertue in Medicine but they both go to look after Flowers So a Godly man delights in the word of God 't is that he may be brought under the power of it and made more holy and heavenly minded But others go to hear an Argument rationally traversed or to hear Cadences of speech and pleasant language 'T is not enough to take a liking to things but we must know why Nay let me tell you that meer forreign and external reasons may sway us to delight in the word when Religion is in request and groweth in fashion and becometh matter of reputation 't is no great matter to be an honourer and admirer of it Simon Magus will be a disciple and turn Christian too when the whole City of Samaria listened to the Apostles and embraced their Doctrine Acts. 8. When there was so great an outward affluence 3. The more we view the grounds and reasons the more our love is encreased 'T is clear the Will and Affections are moved by the understanding and that Ignorance is the cause of the Contempt of the Lords grace If thou knewest the Gift Iohn 4. 10. We Love and Fear and Hate and Joy according to the apprehensions that we have of things And therefore the more knowledge we have the more love Phil. 1. 9. I pray that your love may abound in all Knowledg if thou dost not encrease in knowledge thou wilt never increase in affection 2 Pet. 1. 2. Grace and Peace be multiplyed unto you by the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ our Lord. Now The more these grounds and reasons are drawn forth in the view of Conscience the more thy love is stirred as the more we beat the steel upon the flint the more the sparks fly out Fourth Consideration Of all the grounds and reasons of our love to the word of God the most noble and excellent is to love the Word for its purity 1. Because this sheweth indeed that we are made partakers of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. For I pray you mark when we hate evil as evil and love good as good we have the same love and hatred that God hath It sheweth that the soul is changed into the likeness of God when we love a thing for its purity God hath no interest to be advanced by the Creature he loves them more or less as they are near or further off from his glorious being When once we come to love things because they are pure 't is a sign that we have the same love that God hath 2. This argueth a sutableness of heart to what God requireth for things affect us as they sute with us They that are after the flesh savour the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. The pure will only delight in pure things but Swine delight in puddles they that have the Spirit of the World they must have worldly pleasure and honour but the pure will delight in the word of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of God and because they are not sutable to him First We love things as sutable to our necessity and then we love them upon interest and afterwards as sutable to our disposition Now it argueth a good frame of heart and a deep sense of Gods interest when we love the word because 't is so pure A man first loves the word customarily because he is born there where that Religion is in fashion and then when he beginneth to have a Conscience he loveth it for pardon and peace as it offers a Saviour his own happiness self love puts him upon seeking after God then afterwards his heart is suted to Gods Will and there is something of kin in his heart to the Will of God revealed without and he loveth it for its suitableness of Nature unto the Will of God 3. To be sure this love is no way questionable but is an undoubted Evidence of right and sound love to
profit with us because we neglect private God complaineth of his People Ier. 2. 32. That they have forgotten him dayes without number How many daies have gone over your heads and God never heard from you You should no more forget him every day then a Bride would forget her Ornaments on the wedding day 2. Let me lay this before you You should be betimes with God that you may not incroach upon your other occasions Yea that you may sanctifie your other occasions and be the fitter for it all the day after Let not the soft Enemy of sleep steal away your golden hours and the flower and choicest part of time A Christian that makes Conscience of his time should not inure himself to a sluggish Course and turn in his Bed like a door upon the hinges if your Constitution will bear it otherwise we lay no blame upon you the Scriptures have many disswasives from immoderate sleep Prov. 5. 9. chap. 13. 4. chap. 26. 14. chap. 6. 6. To be sure a Christian is to make Conscience of Time and how he spendeth it and we may sin and surfeit in sleeping as well as in eating and drinking and therefore we must watch against the incroachments of ease and sloath least a sluggish humour grow natural to us and a morbid custom that cannot be shaken off 3. It presseth you to Fervency though in Private As much Fervency Sense and Zeal as you would express before men so much should we express when alone The Name of God must be sanctified in all that draw near to him in Private as well as in Publick oherwise he is scorned rather than honoured that it may appear you were sincere in Prayer and have not mean and low thoughts of God otherwise you bring a suspition upon all your Publick Duties There may be sometimes more Assistance in Publick more Order and Method for Edification but not more Ardour and Zeal Pray with Fervency as to an All-seeing Spirit Though the Lord delayeth yet he intendeth the inlargement of our Desires Lam. 3. 49 50. Mine eye trickleth down and ceaseth not without any intermission till the Lord looks down from heaven and beholds If you are soon discouraged you 'll get nothing 4. Be sure that God hath his share If business take up more time than Prayer because of the urgency of bodily necessities yet ordinarily a man should not spend more time in any Pastime and Recreations than in Religious Exercises 'T is most equal we should first seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof Matth. 6. 33. The most needful Duty should have most time bestowed upon it 't is an ill Character to be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God 2 Tim. 4. 3. 'T is reasonable to give an equal time to God and Religion as to Sports and Delights Most men have no other thing to do then to eat drink and sleep if they should compare their Religion and their Recreations they would soon see what a large share of time one hath above the other Secondly We come to the Reason and Incouragement of his Diligence I hoped in thy Word that is because I have thy Word for it I do not doubt but in time I shall reap the fruit of my Prayers Doctrine A lively hope grounded upon the Word of God will put us upon this Vigilancy and Diligence in Prayer The Reasons are taken 1. From the Word of God which is the ground of Hope Psal. 130. 5. I wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his word do I hope And 2. From the nature of Hope which is the Fountain of Prayer I. From the Word of God which serveth for two uses Invitation and Assurance 1. For Invitation to give us leave to come to the Throne of Grace David did not come unbidden or uninvited into Gods Presence he had his Word for it the promises of the Gospel give us liberty otherwise we should not assume the boldness to appear before him Psal. 50. 15. The Word is our Warrant 't is as it were the holding out of the golden Scepter 2 Sam. 7. 27. Therefore hath thy Servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee 2. For Assurance and firm Confidence before the thing promised be obtained God pawneth his Word with us which we must hold till the performance come Now they that can thus hold it and believe the promise will be often in Prayer that the Word may be both established to them 2 Sam. 7. 25. and fulfilled Psal. 116. 10. I have believed and therefore have I spoken II. From the nature of Hope which implyeth two things both which have an influence upon Prayer Earnest Expectation and patient tarrying the Lords Leisure 1. Earnest Expectation Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope This exciteth the soul by all means to pursue after the thing hoped for When Daniel understood by books that the time was come then was he vehement and earnest Dan. 9. 2 3. Elijah when he saw a Cloud but as big as a mans hand he saith 1 Kings 18. 43. Go bid Ahab prepare his chariot get thee down that the rain stop thee not What we look for we will pray for 2. Patient tarrying we read of the patience of hope 1 Thes. 1. 3. and so though they seem long delayed yet hope in the Promise will make us wait and abide the performance of them because they are assured they shall find the fruit of them at last Use. You see how we pray the occasion of Prayer is necessity our necessities lead us to the promise that inviteth us and giveth us Assurance and yields matter for Faith and Hope that puts us upon looking and waiting these two make us pray When we can joyn patientiam spei cum ardore desiderii the earnestness of expectation that keepeth us from sloth or negligence in the use of the means or excites us to call upon God and patience that keeps us from fainting or discouragement hence cometh that earnest diligence and constant unceasing importunity so as to give God no rest The belief of Gods promises do not make us neglect means but to be more diligent in the use of them SERMON CLXVI PSALM CXIX VER 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy Word WE hear before of Davids diligence in Prayer now in Meditation His Prayer was incouraged by his Hope his Hope was fed by the Word and the Word improved by Meditation for he saith I hope in thy word and then mine eyes prevent the night watches c. In the Words we have First An account of his Vigilancy and Diligence Mine eyes prevented the night watches Secondly The Duty wherein he was exercised that I might meditate in thy Word The first branch needeth a little illustration what is meant by night watches and what by preventing these night watches I. What is meant by night watches Drusius telleth us that the night among the
them It is not arbitrary whether you will take the testimony of the Lord for your heritage or no. God cannot endure to be despised When Nabal despised Davids kindness I will cut off every one that pisseth against the wall so when the Lord hath made such an offer of himself and his Christ in Covenant and love hath gone to the uttermost to save and we turn back then snares and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup Psal. 11. 6 8. It would make a mans heart tremble to think of the Heirs apparent of the Land of Darkness that is wicked men God will give them their portion with hypocrites in everlasting Burnings therefore take heed of refusing this portion you can look for nothing but terrible things from God for his love is despised Well then go in Gods name and take hold of the Covenant Again this may be of use to press Believers to live answerable to such an heritage Am I an Heir of Heaven and so uncomfortable and dejected Can I have an interest in the Promises and be no more affected This returning upon our Hearts Rom. 8. 31. When the Apostle had spoken that we should be Co-heirs with Christ and laid forth the priviledges of the Covenant he concludes What shall we say to these things So Christians go home return upon your heart and say Have I an interest in him and live at such a low rate both for comfort and grace Do I walk in such a low and unsuitable manner Do I look upon this as the only sure heritage for my Soul Urge your heart with such Questions as these Doct. 2. The taking of Gods Testimonies for our heritage breeds joy and rejoycing in the heart Now this joy ariseth partly from the portion it self partly from the disposition of the Saints and partly from the dispensation of God 1. From the portion it self It is a portion that deserves to be rejoyced in it is so full and God cannot be possess'd without great joy A man cannot think of a little Pelf and worldly Riches that 's his own without some comfort and can a man think of these great things without comfort Consider both what we have in hand and hope and still 't is matter of joy In hand there 's reconciliation with God O to have God in amity with us Rom. 5. 1. If one have but a Great Man to his friend it comforts him that he hath such a prop and stay O but now to have God reconciled And then to have the care of Providence to have God engaged as a Father God caring for us to be under a Promise that he will never fail us till he hath brought us to Heaven And then to have Heaven kept for us those glorious things we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God joy is pitched upon our hopes in many places something in possession and something in reversion this must needs breed a joy in our Soul Heb. 3. 6. The rejoycing of hope and Rom. 12. 12. Rejoyce in hope A Christian hath cause to rejoyce for what he hath in hand God's at peace with him he can go to him as a friend as a God in Covenant with him he is bound to provide for him as a Father and then at the end of all a glorious happiness that is to be enjoyed 2. It ariseth from the disposition of the hearts of Gods people partly from their esteem their faith their assurance they take it for their heritage they esteem it as their portion they believe it and reflect upon their own interest and all this causeth joy It comes from their esteem that which I esteem I will delight in Mat. 6. 21. Where the treasure is there will the heart be Affection follows esteem and above all the affection of delight A man may desire a thing that is nothing worth when he comes to enjoy it then he sleights it We are not acquainted with the imperfection of all worldly things until we come to enjoy them but delight that 's an argument of esteem the choicest affection And then it comes from Faith Many hear of such great promises but they hear like men in a Dream but now a Believer that hath a piercing sight that seeth the reality and truth of them his heart leaps within him Heb. 11. 13. It is said These all dyed in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them When a man is perswaded of the truth the reality and goodness of the promise O his heart leaps they hugged the promises here 's a promise that will yield Glory Heaven and Happiness and all that I stand in need of Spiritual sight makes way for spiritual perswasion and spiritual perswasion for holy rejoycing that 's the order In whom believing we were filled with joy Faith is the immediate ground and that is the reason why carnal men do not feel such lively joy they do not believe it Then it comes too from assurance and reflection upon their own interest when they can challenge it as theirs when it is made over to them The rejoycing of Faith is not only good in common but propriety is a ground of rejoycing and delight is nothing but a complacency in our portion 1 Sam. 30. 6. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God 3. It comes from the dispensation of God for when we esteem the promises and delight in them then the Lord fills the heart with sweetness Rom. 15. 13. The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing The Lord rewards delight with delight Thou shalt call the Sabbath thy delight in one place then presently thou shalt delight thy self there 's the promise There is a delight and rejoycing that is our duty and a delight and rejoycing that is Gods dispensation God loves to reward Grace with Grace Look as in a way of Judgment he punisheth sin with sin as when security is punished with sottish obstinacy and hardness of heart so it is a sweet mercy when Grace is rewarded with Grace when our delight in the promises is rewarded with a sweetness and tast of the promises Use 1. The portion of Gods Children and Religion is no dark gloomy thing The people of God have hidden joys As the Sun shines many times when it rains so though they be under affliction yet they have the shine of Gods face the comfort of Gods promises Let me shew the excellency of the spiritual heritage above the carnal A carnal heritage alas that 's a poor thing there is no strong consolation in it The comforts of wicked men are poor weak comforts they cannot comfort us in any affliction poor things soon overcome but to Gods people their heritage affords strong consolation in overcoming worldly Lusts in spoiling the relish of other pleasures overcoming worldly care and worldly sorrow in bearing us out in all afflictions nay the strength of