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
the Flesh p. 899 Grounds of love to the Word the most noble is the words purity p. 863 Grounds of Faith and Obedience p. 939-940 Guidance of God to be submitted to if we will have him to be ours p. 10 Guilty Creatures cannot immediately enjoy God p. 14 Guilt makes us jealous of God p. 473 H. HAbitual and actual reign of Sin p. 919 Hand of God notes the power of God p. 1070 Our Mercies are in the hand of God p. 513 Happiness of the Saints not in this World p. 867 Happiness as well as Honour to be Gods Servants p. 850 Happiness mistakes about it 1. Some mistake wherein it lies 2. Others mistake the way that leads to it 3. Some are indifferent in the use of means leading to it p. 2 29 30. Mistakes herein very dangerous ibid. Many would be happy that would not be holy ibid. Happiness of Saints that God is near them on all occasions p. 948 Vid. Blessedness Hardness of heart from delaying Repentance p. 405 by converse with wicked men p. 775 prevented by acknowledging Mercies p. 445 from neglecting answers of prayer p. 906 Wicked men harden themselves 1. From Divine Patience 2. Divine Mercy p. 938 Harmony between the Spirit Scripture and Grace p. 66 Harmony between Gods work and our Duty p. 66 Harmony between the Word and Spirit in teaching us p. 74 Hasty we are apt to be hasty with God p. 836 Hatred of God under the Notion of a Iudge not as a Preserver p. 756 Hatred of sin when it is right p. 100S it is twofold ibid. Hatred of the World against Christians because God loves them p. 882 883 Hatred of sin 1. The Kinds 2. Causes 3. Effects of it p. 877 878 879 1006 1007 1008 Hating of sin as it is sin p. 659 660 679 680 683 It is a Character of those that are good-p 680 681 877 None hate sin but they that hate all sin p. 683 Hearing the Word without practice not sufficient p. 318 Hearing Prayer God may hear when he does not answer p. 901 Heart Tender heart soon affected with Gods judgments p. 810 Means to get a tender heart p. 933 Heart purity of heart the internal principle of good Actions p. 8 The Word of God to be laid up in the heart p. 9 What a Mans heart is that the Condition is p. 486 Heart what it implies 1. The Mind 2. The affections p. 9 God will be sought with the whole heart p. 15 236 393 Half-heart what it is p. 393 239 Whole Heart what it is it implies 1. Extension of parts 2. Intention of degrees p. 15 16 Examine whether we give God the whole Heart p. 239 Why God will be sought with the whole heart p. 15 16 58 59 902 236 237 238. Motives p. 239 God enclines the heart and man inclines his own heart how p. 46 751 251 Vid. Inclination Heart enclined to keep Gods Statutes what it is the necessity of it p. 752 753 God requires the Heart in his service p. 236 237 Heart its bent towards the Word how expressed p. 122 Heart must 1. Be drawn off from the Creature Self and Sin 2. Drawn unto God p 373 374 Vid. enlarged heart Heaven the belief of it a great support under the Terrors of this World p. 310 Heavenly things Motives to press after them p. 1089 1090 Heavens an Emblem of the stability of Gods VVord p. 575 Help and Hope when delayed we may complain to God p. 551 Help to be sought of God in heavy troubles p. 158 To be sought of God to encline our hearts to Gods statutes p. 46 Height when is iniquity come to its height p. 858 859 Hell a worm that never dies a pit that hath no bottom a fire that shall never be quenched p. 861 Help in straits may be expected by them that make a Conscience of Gods Commandments p. 1079 Heritage denotes 1. The substance of our portion 2. Our right to it 3. The tenure by which we hold it 4. Our actual possession of it p. 741 742 743 Gods testimonies are 1. a full 2. a sure 3. a lasting Heritage p. 741 742 743 Marks of one that hath Gods testimonies for his Heritage p. 746 747 Consideration to move us to take Gods testimonies for our Heritage p. 748 749 Heirs of the promise rejoice in each others company and in each others mercies p. 501 502 Reasons of it p. 502 503 Hiding Gods word in the heart what p. 63 64 Why Gods word must be hid in our heart p. 64 65 Great advantages of hiding Gods word in our heart in seven particulars p. 65 How we may hide it in our hearts 1. By meditation upon it 2. Receiving it in the love of it p. 67 Hide Gods word not as a Talent in a Napkin but as Gold in a Treasury p. 76 Gods hiding his commandments from us is his not opening our eyes to see into them p. 119 Hieroglyphick of the Egyptians p. 432 Hiding place God is a hiding place to his own It implies many things for their comfort 1. Secresie 2. Capacity 3. Safety 4. Consolation p. 765 766 Hinderers of preaching the word great judgments threatned against them p. 336 Holiness in God is his essence in us a quality p. 859 It 's a means of maintaining communion with God p 389 Holiness negative and positive p. 17 18 22 Not enough to avoid evil but we must do good p 22 Reasons and Uses thereof ibid. Holiness of life is oft made a scorn by carnal men p. 337 It 's better than wisdom wisdom better than strength p 928 Honesty in our dealings with others directions about it p. 817 Honest heart one sign of it is when a man fears to offend and cares to please God p. 478 Honour great honour to be Gods servant p. 101 849 850 To be dishonour'd for Christ's sake p. 311 Horrour at mens forsaking Gods Law argues 1. A due sense of sin 2. Of Gods wrath 3. Of the truth of the threatnings 4. The effects of sin p. 351 It proceedeth from a good cause p. 351 352 Hope teaches us to purifie our selves p. 18 And to obey Gods Commandments p. 1035 1040 Hope and help when delay'd we may complain to God p. 551 Hope and obedience much praised little practised p. 1035 Hope in Christ consider what we have of that hope p. 399 Hope keeps the soul alive under faintings how p. 542 543. What Hope is p. 1036 Hope keeps us from being utterly overcome p. 337 Hope and faith their difference p. 543 Hope its excellency and certainty it causeth earnestness to be delivered out of the trouble and yet patience under the trouble p. 543 827 Hope nourished by the word of God p. 544 927 Hope from worldly things causeth shame p. 786 Hope true and false distinguished p. 786 1036 1. False hope is not built on God 2. It is slight and superficial 3. Dead and cold 4. Weak and inconstant 5. Lazy and Ioitering p. 787 True hope
of Gods Testimonies which ariseth from the conscience of practical obedience not from contemplation only and 't is best to be found when we come to practise and perform what we know It is said of Wisdom Prov. 3. 17. All her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace There is not only a sweetness in our Priviledges but in our Duties No man knoweth the contentment of walking closely with God but he that hath tried So Mic. 2. 7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly Not only speak good but do good There is a certain performance of what the word saith when it is said it may be accounted done but to whom to them that know it and are able to talk of it No but to them that walk And will every slight endeavour and the presumption of conformity to the rule serve the turn No to them that walk uprightly that sincerely frame themselves to obey Gods will with the greatest exactness and care they can use Oh what good what reviving of heart and chearfulness do they find in this work Briefly this delight in the way of Gods Testimonies that you may not be mistaken differeth from that contentment and serenity of mind which is the fruit of integrity or moral sincerity There is some degree of comfort that accompanieth any good action as heat doth fire the conscience so far as he doth good hath some kind of peace in it The Heathens by Gods general bounty and goodness had a conscience excusing when they did good as well as accusing when they did evil Rom. 2. 15. Their thoughts in the mean time accusing or else excusing one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by turns And this excusing cannot be without some sweetness and contentment of mind Sacer intra nos spiritus sedet bonorum malorúmque nostrorum observator custos hic prout à nobis tractatus est ita nos ipse tractat saith Seneca This may be without faith whereas we speak of such a joy as is founded in faith though found in the ways of obedience in Christs service Mat. 11. 29. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest for your souls In short there is delight the duty and the dispensation for it is both promised and required Delight in Gods ways is promised as a gift of God and as the result of our obedience Isa. 58. 13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the sabbath a delight c. Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord c. And Cant. 2. 3. I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste There is sweetness God bestoweth or sensible consolation which must be distinguished from that delight which is a fruit of our gracious esteem I can exclude neither though that delight which is the fruit of our esteem of the word is principally here intended the one is more durable than the other A gracious affection to the word and ways of God should ever remain with us but we are not always feasted with spiritual suavities now and then we have them and when they have done their work they return to God As in the Vision made to Peter the sheet that was shewed him was received up again into heaven Acts 10. 16. when Peter was informed of Gods will so this comfort returneth to the giver when it hath done its work refreshed our hearts and engaged us to wait upon God II. How a gracious heart rejoyceth more in the way of Gods Testimonies than in all Riches 1. There is a broad difference in the things themselves and therefore there should be in our affections to them for our affections should be carryed out according to the worth of things otherwise if an object of less worth have more of our hearts than an object of more value they are like members out of joynt they are not in their proper place There is a great distance between the things themselves as much as there is between the enjoyment of God and the creature and therefore there must be a considerable difference in our affections to them If the difference be so nice that thou canst hardly distinguish which thy heart is more affected with the enjoyment of God in the way of his Testimonies or the enjoyment of wealth and worldly accommodations or if the disproportion be on the worlds side that hath more of thy esteem and complacency then God is not thy chiefest good thou lovest the creature more than God which is inconsistent with Grace for this is the prime act of grace to chuse God for our chiefest good 2. We must distinguish between the sensitive stirring of the affections and the solid complacency of the soul. It is possible a child of God may be more sensibly moved by temporal things as they do more strike upon the senses but the supreme and prevailing delight of the soul is in spiritual things in the way of Gods testimonies To exemplifie this by the contrary affection as in Sorrow a temporal loss may to sense more stir the affections as to bodily expression of them than a spiritual as the drawing of a tooth or any present pain may make us cry out more than the languishings of a Consumption whereas the other may go nearer to the heart and causeth a more lasting trouble So in Joy a man may be pleased with earthly conveniences and yet his solid esteem is more in spiritual things As a Trifle may provoke laughter more than a solid benefit that accrueth to us Therefore the case is not to be decided by the intensiveness of the sensitive expression so much as by the appretiation of the soul. In this sense the point is to be understood he would lose all the world rather than dispense with his obedience to God This is selling all for the pearl of price spoken of Mat. 13. 46. All other things are trampled upon and renounced for this one's sake that we may enjoy God in Christ. And truly this affection to the word is not easily to be found for we often see that men for a little gain will break all the Commandments of God as things not to be stood upon when any temporal commodity is in chace and in the pursuit of worldly riches care not how they neglect Christ and heavenly things III. The reasons why they rejoice more in the way of Gods Testimonies than in all Riches 1. Because of the sutableness of these things to the new nature Every thing hath a kind of joy when it enjoys that which is good for it the ground doth pleasantly receive a shower of rain after drowth the natural man eateth and drinketh and his heart is filled with gladness So the spiritual man is affected with that which is agreeable to the divine nature Every thing is preferred according
are some that a man had need teach them as he teacheth little children letter after letter and line after line little good done 2. In others there is a Grammatical knowledg but not a spiritual a repeating things by rote a talking of all that a Christian enjoyeth 3. Besides the Grammatical knowledg there is a Dogmatical knowledg when the truths of the word are not only understood but begin to settle into an opinion that we bustle for in the world An opinionative receiving of the truth is different from a saving receiving of the truth Many are Orthodox or have so much judgment and knowledg as to hold the Truth strictly but the heart is not possessed with the life and power of it Those are intended in Rom. 2. 20. An instructer of the foolish a teacher of babes which have the form of knowledg and of the truth in the law And such are described 2 Tim. 3. 8. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof It is not to be imagined that this is always in design though many times carnal men swim with the stream and take up with the opinions that are currant in their age but also out of conviction of judgment there is somewhat of conscience in it A sound judgment is a different thing from a sound heart The truths of God have great evidence with them and therefore a rational man being helped with some common work of the Spirit may close with them though they have no experience of the power and prevailing influence of them 4. Besides this Dogmatical knowledg by which we see round about the compass of Truths revealed in the word there is a gracious illumination when men are taught so as drawn to God Iohn 6. 44 45. and they do so understand Christs Doctrine as to apply and make a right use of it such a knowledg as is called not only sight but taste 1 Pet. 2. 3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious and a feeling of what we understand Phil. 1. 9. And this I pray that your love may abound more and more in knowledg and in all judgment This sense and experimental knowledg is that which the Saints seek after 2. The Uses of this spiritual illumination And 1. To give us a clear sight of the Truths of God 2. An applicative sight 3. An affective sight 4. A transforming sight 5. Such a sense of the Truth as is prevalent over lusts and interests 1. A clear sight of the Truths of God Others have but an hear-say-knowledg gathered out of Books and Sermons and the common report which is made of Christ but he that is divinely enlightned drinks of the Fountain and so his draught is more fresh and sweet they do not talk of things by rote after others but it is written upon their hearts Heb. 8. 10. I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and so groweth more intimate and satisfactory and moving upon them 2. An Applicative sight not only knowledg but prudence Prov. 8. 12. I Wisdom dwell with Prudence Wisdom is the knowledg of Principles Prudence is an ability to apply them to our comfort and use that we may know it for our good Iob 5. 28. Many are right in generals but the Spirit doth not only reveal the Truths of the Gospel but applieth those Truths to awaken the conscience that was asleep in sin Many men that are unrenewed may be stored with general truths concerning the misery of man redemption by Christ the priviledges of a Christian but they do not reflect the light of these truths upon themselves so as to consider their own case and so it serveth rather for matter of opinion and discourse than for life and conversation it is not directive 3. An Affective sight Prov. 2. 10. When wisdom entreth upon thy heart which is the seat of affections it stirs up in the soul answerable motions to every truth Whereas when truths rest in empty barren notions without feeling and an answerable touch upon the heart the knowledg of them is like a Winters Sun that shineth but warmeth not the misery of man is not affective and Doctrines of Redemption by Christ are apprehended without any joy and relish 4. A Transforming sight 2 Cor. 3. 18. 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. It is a Light that is both Directive and Persuasive A man may hear the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when it is only known as a rule not as a means to convey the Spirit whereas a believer hears the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle preferreth the Gospel above the Law in the forementioned place for comfortableness perspicuity efficacy c. 5. It is a Light that prevaileth over our lusts and interests such a Light as hath fire in it to destroy lusts 1 John 2. 3 4. He that saith I know him and doth not keep his commandments is a lyar A true knowledg and sight of God is able to bridle lusts and purifie the conscience Therefore it is said He that doth evil hath not seen God Eph. 3. 11. hath not a true sight whatever speculations he may have about the nature of God Other light doth not check and controul vicious desires Reason is not restored to its dominion Rom. 1. 18. the reputed wise men of the world held the truth in unrighteousness Truth may talk its fill but can do nothing as a man that is bound hand and foot may rave and evaporate his passions but cannot relieve himself from the oppressor or the force that he is under II. Reasons that shew the necessity of this work 1. Spiritual blindness is natural to us as that man that was blind from his birth Iohn 9. 1. We are not all born blind in body but all in mind By tasting the tree of knowledg all Adam's sons have lost their knowledg Satan hath brought a greater shame upon us than Nahash the Ammonite would have brought upon the men of Iabesh Gilead in putting out their right eyes The eye of the soul is put out so as we cannot see the light that shineth in the word By the Fall we lost the true and perfect light of Reason but retain the pride of Reason It is no small part of our blindness that we cannot endure to hear of it Rev. 3. 17. Thou sayest I am rich and encreased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Man desireth to be thought sinful rather than weak and will sooner own a wickedness in Morals than a weakness in Intellectuals Men are dishonest out of choice and therefore think there is more of liberty and bravery in it but to be simple argueth imperfection Job 11. 12. Vain man would be accounted wise though man be born like a
trouble it is good to divert them to some other matter But every diversion will not become Saints it must be an holy diversion Psal. 94. 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. The case was the same with that of the Text when the Throne of iniquity frameth mischief by a Law as you shall see here when he had many perplexed thoughts about the abuse of power against himself But now where lay his ease in diversion Would every diversion suit his purpose No Thy Comforts of Gods allowance of Gods providing comforts proper to Saints Wicked men in trouble run to their pot and pipe and games and sports and merry company and so defeat the providence rather than improve it but David who was Gods servant must have Gods comforts So elsewhere when his thoughts were troubled about the power of the wicked I went into the sanctuary there I understood their end Psal. 73. 17. He goeth to divert his mind by the use of Gods Ordinances and so came to be setled against the temptation 2. Among all sorts of holy divertisements none is of such use as Gods word There is matter enough to take up our thoughts and allay our cares and fears and to swallow up our sorrows and griefs to direct us in all straits In brief there is comfort there and counsel there 1. Comfort whilst the word teacheth us to look off from men to God from Providence to the Covenant from things temporal to things eternal from men to God as Moses feared not the wrath of the King when he saw him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. and Eccles. 5. 8. If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perversion of Iudgment and Iustice in a Province marvel not at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than they There is an higher Judg that sitteth in heaven and if he pass sentence for us when they pass sentence against us we need to be the less troubled If he give us the pardon of sins and the testimony of a good conscience it is no matter what men say against us Psal. 40. 4. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust and respecteth not the proud nor such as turn aside to lyes Is not God able to bear you out in his work From Providence to the Covenant Providence is a very riddle we shall not know what to make of it till we gather principles of faith from the Covenant Heb. 13. 5. He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee God over-rules all for good Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things work together for good to those that love God to those that are the called according to his purpose From things temporal to eternal 2 Cor. 4. 17 18. For our light affliction that is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Rom. 8. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us A Feather or a Straw against a Talent a man would be ashamed to compare them together 2. For Counsel A Christian should not be troubled so much about what he should suffer as what he should do that he may do nothing unseemly to his calling and hopes but be kept blameless to the heavenly kingdom Now the word of God will teach him how to carry himself in dangers to pray for persecutors fire is not quenched with fire nor evil overcome with evil how to keep our selves from unlawful shifts and means how to avoid revenge lying flattering yielding against Conscience or waxing weary of well-doing that we may not fight against Satan or his Instruments by their own weapons for so we shall be easily overcome The wicked shall not be so wise to contrive the mischief as a Saint instructed by the word is how to carry himself under it Psal. 119. 98. Through thy commandments thou hast made me wiser than my enemies Malice and Policy shall not teach them to persecute as Gods word to carry your selves in the trouble 3. The word must not be slightly read but our hearts must be exercised in the meditation of it A cursory reading doth not work upon us so much as serious thoughts In all studies Meditation is both the Mother and Nurse of knowledg and so it is of godliness without which we do but know Truths by rote and hearsay and talk one after another like Parrots but when a Truth is chafed into the heart by deep inculcative thoughts then it worketh with us and we feel the power of it Musing maketh the fire burn ponderous thoughts are the bellows that blow it up Eggs come to be quickned by sitting abrood upon them In a sanctifi'd heart the seeds of Comfort by Meditation come to maturity by constant Meditation our affections are quickned this turneth the Promises into marrow Psal. 63. 5 6. My soul shall be filled as with marrow and fatness when I meditate on thee in the night-watches It giveth more than a vanishing taste which hypocrites have USE 1. In all your troubles learn this method to cure them by gracious means Prayer or Meditation By meditation on the word of God that will tell you that we are born to trouble and therefore we should no more think strange to see Gods children molested here than to see a showr of rain fall after a sun-shine or that the night should succeed the day 1 Pet. 4. 12. Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial as though some strange thing happened unto you It were strange if otherwise as if a man were told that his journey lay through a rough stony Countrey and should pass over a smooth Carpet-way Our way-mark is many tribulations Acts 14. 22. Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of Heaven God had one Son without sin none without the Cross. 2. That afflictions though in themselves they are legal punishments fruits of sin yet by the Grace of God they are medicinal to his people 1 Cor. 11. 32. When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world 3. We never advance more in Christianity than under the Cross Heb. 12. 10. They verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes 4. Rather undergo the greatest calamities than commit the smallest sin Heb. 11. 25. Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season 5. That all crosses are
which the Law is established and confirmed by Promises and Rewards such a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory that a clod of earth should shine above the Stars and God provide such a happiness for us that we should be like the Angels Then Threatnings that God hath appointed such a punishment to hold the world in awe as a worm that never dyes and the fire that never goes out the worm of conscience that shall vex us with the remembrance of our past folly and the wrath of God that shall punish us for disobedience and torment us for evermore still O wonderful So for the Gospel every Article of Faith is a mystery to be wondred at Quot Articuli tot miracula The Disciples wondred when they saw the Structure of the Temple O how may we wonder when we see the spiritual Temple that is Jesus Christ in the fulness of his Godhead God dwelt symbolically by outward representations in the Temple but here he dwells bodily When David had provided such a mass of money 1 Chron. 29. 7 8 9. they fell a wondering O! but when the soul comes to view the unsearchable riches of grace in Christ Jesus then it may cry out O wonderful When we see some rare plot all things suit harmoniously we cry out O wonderful This great mystery of godliness the more we look into it the more will we wonder at the wisdom of God discovered in and through Christ Jesus For external Providences to see how God answers prayers how he brings about our mercies according to our wants in a way we know not Psal. 17. 7. Shew thy marvellous loving-kindness O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee In the very common favours that God vouchsafeth to us there is something may be observed that may make us wonder either for the time manner or measure Also in the internal effects of his grace upon the heart when a man is convinced and his own heart is ript up to him by the power of the word 1 Cor. 15. 25. Heb. 4. 12. and Ioh. 4. 29. As when Christ had convinced the woman of Samaria and ript up her life she says come see a man that hath told me all that ever I did When God comes in with such convictive evidence and rips up our privy thoughts O wonderful But especially in changing and renewing the heart when a Lyon shall be turned into a Lamb a Dunghill become a bed of Spices a Swine become a Saint a Persecutor an Apostle we that had such bolts and restraints of sin upon us when we get out when we that were so wedded to sensual delights and worldly vanities are brought to delight in God this is truly admirable 2 Pet. 1. 9. He hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light And then the comfort we have by the word of God and the marvellous sweetness the practice of it diffuseth through the soul it 's unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. So Phil. 4. 7. The peace of God that passes understanding shall guard your hearts c. When a man hath setling and composure of spirit in the midst of tempests and storms the heart is guarded against all fears and sorrows when we consider what God hath done for our souls every grace is a wonder To depend upon what we see not to be safe in the midst of a storm to dye yet live to be poor yet make many rich to have nothing yet possess all things these operations of grace are all wonders USE 1. It inform thus That a man must be carried above his own sense reason and light to understand such wonderful things 'T is the Apostle's argument 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God All things are seen by a suitable light spiritual things are spiritually discerned divine things by a divine light Non loquendum de Deo sine lumine If Beasts would judg of human affairs they must have the reason of men if men of divine things they must have divine illumination There is a cognation between the faculty and the object 2. It informeth us what reason we have to respect the word of God Many curious Wits despise it as a mean knowledg in comparison of Aristotle Plato c. All the Doctrines of it are a continued mystery there is nothing vulgar and of small moment there If there be some rudiments something common with other Writings there are greater things than these even the deep things of God Never was there such a Revelation made to the World as this You despise that which Angels wonder at Eph 3. 10. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things in Iesus Christ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God And 1 Pet. 1. 12. Which things the Angels desire to look into David saith Thy testimonies are wonderful therefore doth my soul keep them Oh! let this Book of God be more dear to us Oh! what trifles are all worldly riches to the unsearchable riches of the Lords Grace Oh! how stupid are they that are not taken with such great things as these 3. Examine your profiting It is one degree of profit to see so much in the word of God as to admire at it Admire God's transcendent goodness in the pardon of sins God giveth us such admirable precepts assisting us in the performance of them accepting our imperfect obedience this giveth wonderful comfort in all our afflictions III. Observe He that is sensible of the wondrous things that are in God's word will be talking of them 1. It will be so 2. It should be so 1. It will be so When the heart is deeply affected the tongue cannot hold but will run out in expressions of it for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh when cheered and revived in their afflictions They are transported with the thought with the excellency of God Psal. 66. 15. Come and I will tell you what God hath done for my soul. The woman when she had found the lost groat calleth her neighbours to rejoyce with her He that hath but a cold knowledg will not be so full of good discourse 2. It should be so in a threefold respect For the honour of God The edification of others And for our own profit 1. For the Honour of God to whom we are so much indebted to bring him into request with those about us experience deserveth praise when you have found the Messiah call one another to him Joh. 1. 41 45. Andrew calleth Peter
Apostle of our Profession The Christian Religion is a Confession not a thing to be smothered and kept in secret or confined to the Heart but to be openly brought forth and avowed in Word and Deed to the Glory of Christ If a man should content himself to own God in his heart what would become of the Church of God and all his Ordinances and the Assemblies of his People among whom we make this open Confession 1. This Confession is necessary as well as the inward Belief because God hath required it by an express Law which Law is confirmed by a Sanction of great weight and moment the greatest Promises on the one hand and the greatest Penalties and Threatnings on the other That there is an express Law for Confession besides what hath been said already see 1 Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifie the Lord God of Hosts in your Hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh you a Reason of the Hope that is in you with meekness and fear where they are required not only to revere God in their Hearts but to be ready to own him with their mouths and to give a Testimony of him when it should be demanded Yea that sanctifying God in their Hearts is required in order to the Testimony given with their Mouths that having due and awful thoughts of God they may not be ashamed to own him before men Now this is backt with the greatest Promises and on the other side with the severest Threatnings God hath promised no less than Salvation to those that confess him Matth. 10. 33. Whosoever will confess me before Men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven Father this is one of mine he will do them more honour than possibly they can do him and Rom. 10. 10. With the Mouth Confession is made to Salvation Salvi esse non possumus saith Austin nisi ad salutem proximorum etiam ore profiteamur Fidem We cannot be Saved unless we profess the Faith that we have On the other side the neglect of Profession either out of Shame or Fear is threatned with the greatest penalties Mark 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my Words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with his Glorious Angels Then when all shadows flee away and we would crouch for a little favour that Christ should be ashamed of us these were Christians but cowardly and dastardly ones I cannot own them to be of my Flock and Kingdom Oh how will our faces gather blackness the same is Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my Words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in his own Glory and in his Fathers and of the holy Angels So for Fear 2 Tim. 2. 11. If we suffer we shall also Reign with him if we deny him he will deny us So that you see it is not a matter of small moment whether we confess or no but a thing expresly enjoyned by God and that upon Terms of Life and Death 2. This Confession is of great use as conducing much to the Glory of God and the good of others 1. The Glory of God which should be the great scope and end of our Lives and Actions is much concerned in our confessing or not confessing what we believe When we boldly avow the truth it is a sign we are not ashamed of our Master Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my Body whether it be by Life or by Death Ministry or Martyrdom he calls this a magnifying of Christ whereas flinching concealing halfing the Truth denying Confession it is called a being ashamed of Christ Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words as if his Name were a thing base unworthy not to be owned 2. The Good of others and their Edification is concerned in our confessing or not confessing No man is born for himself and therefore is not only to work out his own salvation but as much as in him lieth to procure the salvation of others and to bring God and his Truth into request with them therefore not only to believe with the heart that concerneth himself but to confess with the mouth that concerneth the good of others when we own the Truth though it cost us dear that tendeth to the furtherance of the Gospel Phil. 1. 12. 13. For I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel so that my Bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace and in all other places c. But when we dissemble that is a scandal and a stumbling block to others whom we justifie and harden in a false way as Peter fearing them of the Circumcision dissembled and the Iews dissembled with him insomuch that Barnabas was carried away with their Dissimulation Gal. 2. 12 13. Men of publick Fame and Favour when they are not men of courage and of self-denying Spirits their temporizing may do a great deal of hurt and like a Torrent or Stream carry others with them Oh! let us beware of this Zuinglius saith Ad aras Iovis Veneris adorare sub Antichristo fidem occultare idem est As well worship before the Altars of Jupiter and Venus as hide our Faith under Antichrist Fear and weakness excuseth not the Fearful and Unbelieving are put with Murderers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and sent together to the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Revel 21. 8. Use 1. To reprove them that think it to be enough to own the Truth in their Hearts without confessing it with their Mouths This Libertinism prevailed at Corinth where they thought they might be present at Idols Feasts as long as in their Consciences they knew that an Idol was nothing The Apostle argueth against them 2 Cor. 6. and concludes his Argument thus 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these Promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit To pretend to serve God in my heart whosoever thinks so mocketh God and deceiveth himself he that warreth with the Enemies of his Prince and is as forward in Battel as any of the rest can he say I reserve the King my Heart and Affections Or when a woman prostituteth her Body to another will the Husband be content with such an Excuse that she reserveth her Heart for him God is not a God of half of a man he made the whole Body and Soul and will be served with both he bought both 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore Glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirits which are Gods Therefore you should not only
of famine come unto thee in thy land or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies while they pursue thee or that there be three days pestilence in the land Iohn Baptist to Herod Mat. 14. 4. It is not lawful for thee to have her Iehu to Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 17. 2. Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Many times they are impatient of Truth as Ahab could not endure Micajah 1 Kings 22. 8. And the King of Israel said unto Iehoshaphat There is yet one man Micajah the son of Imlah by whom we may inquire of the Lord but I hate him for he doth not prophesie good concerning me but evil c. Iosephus lib. 8 cap. 10. Theodoret lib. 4. cap. 30. 2. If convented before them in a judiciary way as the Three Children were before Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 3. 13. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and they brought these men before the King And ver 16 17 18. They answered and said to the King Oh Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter if it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of thine hand O King but if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set up Mat. 10. 18 19. Te shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my sake for a testimony against them There are some Kings that have not submitted their Crowns and Scepters to the King of Kings so Pagans and wicked Princes who can neither endure the Truth nor those which profess it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Children of God ought not to be daunted by any Power and Fear of Princes Their Power may be a Terror to us and in other cases ought to be reverenced by us but it should not be a snare to us to make us desert our Duty to God We must never forget the Honour put upon them by God they bear his Image and in all lawful cases we acknowledge God's Authority in them they are those by whom God will govern us but if any thing be decreed against God we onely urge our Obedience to the Lord Paramount Acts 21. 19. Peter and Iohn answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than God judge ye Acts 5. 29. Then Peter and the Apostles answered and said We ought to obey God rather than men 2. The latter Branch needeth little explaining What shall we observe 1. If I should take the first Reference and urge the Duty of Kings and Princes that would be unseasonable for this Auditory It is a preposterous Soloecism to preach to the People the Duty of Kings and then to Kings the Duty of their People as foolish a course as to make Fires in Summer and adorn the Chimney with Herbs and Flowers in Winter 2. If I should speak of the second Reference the Clemency of the Government we live under maketh it unseasonable also For our King whom God preserve hath often avowed his Resolutions against Persecution for Conscience sake Therefore waving all other things I shall onely insist upon two Points which are necessary partly to shew the Excellency of our Religion which we profess partly to guide our Practice 1 Doct. That nothing is so necessary for Kings Princes and Magistrates to know as God's Testimonies 2 Doct. That God's Testimonies are so excellent that we should not be afraid or ashamed to own them before any sort of Men in the World Of the first briefly 1 Doct. That nothing is so necessary for the Potentates of the World to know as God's Testimonies The King of Israel was to write a Copy of the Law of God in a Book and to have it ever before him that he might read therein and learn to fear the Lord his God Deut. 17. 18 19. And therefore Iosiah one of the good Kings which God gave unto his People searched for the Book of the Law 1 Kings 23. 2. The Reasons concern them if considered both as Men and as Potentates 1. As Men. 1. They are upon the same level with others and are concerned to understand the way of pleasing glorifying and enjoying God as much as their meanest Subjects for it is said Iob 34. 19. He accepteth not the person of Princes nor regardeth the rich more than the poor for they are all the works of his hands God dealeth with them impartially respecting the Greatest no more than the meanest He hath an equal Interest in all and therefore doth command and dispose of all for all are his Creatures not exempted from being subject to his Dominion As the Potter is not more obliged to Vessels of Honour than of Dishonour As his Law bindeth all so all that continue in impenitency and the neglect of his Grace are obnoxious to the Curse of the Law It is general to all Transgressors Cursed is every one c. And if God should lay their Sins home to their Consciences and speak to them in his wrath they can stand before him no more than the meanest Rev. 6. 15 16. And the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and chief captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. 2. The higher their Station the greater is their Obligation No sort of Men more obliged to God than those that are advanced by him to rule over his People therefore their Ingratitude would be greater if they should sin against God 2 Sam. 12. 7 8 9. I anointed thee king over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hands of Saul and I gave thee thy masters house and thy masters wives into thy bosom and gave thee the house of Israel and of Iudah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given thee such and such things Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight Their Sins do more hurt because of their Example and Authority Iob 34. 20. 2. As Rulers and Potentates they are concerned to be acquainted with God's Testimonies 1. That they may understand their Place and Duty They are first God's Subjects then his Officers They have their Power from God Rom. 13. 4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good They hold their Power in dependence on him both Natural their Strength and Force Thou couldest have no power unless it were given thee from above John 19. 10 11. Legal their Authority or Governing Power they hold it in dependence upon the Absolute and Heavenly Sovereign who is the Lord of lords and King
preparing us for this delightfull course of holiness Heb. 10. 16 17. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Tit. 3. 4 5. 3. This comfortable sense of Gods mercy should induce us to this by way of argument 1 Ioh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us 1 Cor. 5. 14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again And Gal. 5. 6. In Christ Iesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love And then by way of gratitude we ought to bend all the powers of our Souls to holiness and obedience and lay out our care and labour upon it 4. Consider the more holiness and obedience any one hath the more acceptable to God An Holy soul is an object capable of Gods love the holy God delighteth in holiness as well as the mercifull God pityeth misery The more holy we are the more God loves us Let us not make wounds for God to cure As we increase in holiness we increase in favour with God This is true of Christ who never had any defect of holiness but onely was to increase in the exercise of it 5. Consider how just it is with God to refuse our cryes for mercy when we despised His precepts for duty besiege your hearts with these considerations and press them daily upon you We are marvellous apt to please our selves with some loose apprehensions of mercy without bending our selves to our duty 6. Consider How reasonable it is that when mercy hath taken us with all our faults at our first entrance into Covenant with God we should afterwards study to please and make it our delight so to doe 7. Consider How impossible it is to cherish a sense of his mercy and love to us while we neglect duty The soul hath Two sentiments of Religion which can never be defaced a desire of happiness and subjection to God ut anima sit subjecta Deo pacata in se as we love our own comfort so we will be troubled about our duty the Soul will not sit easy Comfort follows holiness as light doth fire and sin will cause trouble as the prick of a needle doth pain The Soul cannot be serious and mind things but it will be so Indeed at some times by carelessness our sense of the necessity of obedience is extinguished and then a little serveth turn to keep the conscience quiet or stupid but it will return again Never leave till holiness and obedience be your delight as well as your care 3. Use Is to press us to be earnestly dealing with this mercifull God for comfort We need it now in a time of Judgment when delivered over to Judgments Hosea 11. 8. as sometimes to sins so to plagues When God opens the floudgates le ts out Judgments upon a people without restraint I will hide my face from them I will see what their end shall be Deut. 32. 20. So also the 30th Their Rock sold them and the Lord hath shut them up Mercy can put a stop but that will interpose no more Again when the people of God are much hated and maligned now 2 Cor. 4. 8. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed perplexed but not in despair 1. If it be Gods nature to be mercifull and kind why should we be discouraged Mercy is free favour is shewed to a miserable person Mercy can recall the punishments due to us and mitigate corrections and sweeten our comforts 2. But then you must be content that mercy should issue out in its own way and order First giving us principal mercies then necessary first sanctifying and then comforting saving us by washing us in the laver of regeneration 3. Reckon your comfort more by a sense of Gods care than by removing temporal trouble Spiritual comfort is more excellent than bodily 4. You must sue it out by prayer wherein first it must be with brokenness of heart Let true Spiritual misery be discerned and complained of Let us lay our sins and sores before his pity Secondly with Faith for here is the word mentioned Why are we so disconsolate is there no balm in Gilead It is our usual sault we pore too much upon our Troubles There is a God of comfort who answereth his name every way and will keep his word with his people Let us come to him in all our wants Thirdly with resolution of more faithfull obedience for Gods servants are onely capable renew your Covenant of serving God 5. The Godly have common comforts What will serve ones turn will serve anothers also They have all the same fundamental work of grace in their hearts They are all born of God have his Image stamped on them have the same Redeemer The same Spirit worketh in all And the promises are made alike unto all not upon personal considerations SERMON LXXXVI PSAL. CXIX VER 78. Let the proud be ashamed for they dealt perversly with me without a cause but I will meditate in thy precepts IN these words you have I. David's PRAYER II. David's RESOLUTION I. David's Prayer And there take notice of first the Petition it self Let the proud be ashamed 2dly the Reason For they dealt perversly with me without a cause In the Prayer he beggeth the repression of his Enemies There take notice of 1. The Notion by which they are described The Proud 2. The event or effect of God's Providence desired concerning them Let them be ashamed 1 The Notion is considerable The wicked especially the Persecutors of God's People are usually characteriz'd by this term in this Psalm The Proud ver 51 69 122. And will give us this Note DOCT. That Pride puts wicked men upon being troublesom and injurious to the People of God But why are the Persecutors and the Injurious called the Proud Ans. 1. Because wicked men shake off the yoke of God and will not be subject to their Maker and therefore desist not from troubling his People Exod. 5. 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel go What was in his tongue is in all mens hearts they contemn God and his Laws Every Sin hath a degree of Pride and a Depretiation of God included in it 2 Sam. 12. 9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight There is a slighting of God's Authority and a lifting up our will against the Will of God 2. Because they are drunk with worldly Felicity and never think of changes Psal. 123. 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud When men go on prosperously they are apt wrongfully to trouble others and then to flout at them in their misery and to despise the person and cause of God's People which
Commandment came sin revived and I died The Commandment the Law of God breaks in with all its terrors and curse upon the Soul by strong conviction and the man is given for gone lost and dead You know the way to the bowels is by the mouth and the stomach and so by other passages There 's no way to the affections but by the ear then to the understanding and then passeth to the apprehension the judgment and conscience and heart From the apprehension to the Grammatical knowledge then they come to the judgment then to the conscience and when conscience is set awork usually there 's some feeling 2. Conviction where 't is strong and serious where 't is not levis mollis it cannot be without some compunction The eye affects the heart Can a man be sensible of a lost condition and of the necessity of a change without being troubled at it without making a serious weighty business of it Are Heaven and Hell such flight matters that a man can think of the one or the other without any commotion of heart Pray do but bethink your selves I shall solve the particular Cases but I must establish the general one especially if he be convinced of his being obnoxious to one and doth not know whether he shall have the other yea or no. Certainly whoever is instructed or convinced will smite upon his thigh and bemoan himself as Ephraim Jer. 31. There 's none ever came to Christ the spiritual Physician but they were in some degree heart-sick none ever came for ease but they felt a load upon their back If there be conviction and compunction this will be felt 3. But then the degrees are various some are more some less some earnestly sollicitous or deeply in horror Some are brought to God by the horrors of despair and are convinced with a higher and more smart degree of sorrow before ever they come to settle but all are serious and anxious There is certainly a difference some mens conversion is more gentle others more violent To some Christ comes like an armed man and doth powerfully vanquish Satan in their hearts to others there 's a great deal of difficulty and conflict which must needs impress a notice of it self Some are sweetly drawn others are snatched out of the fire To some the Spirit comes with a mighty rushing wind to others by a gentle blast sweetly and softly blows open the door God opened the heart of Lydia we read of no more Acts 16. 14. But when he comes to the Jaylor he had more horror of conscience and more sorrow and desperation and was ready to kill himself saying What shall I do to be saved ver 31. The Lord bids us to put a difference to have compassion of some and to pluck others more violently out of the fire Iude 23. So here the Lord's work is various it is to some more gentle but to others it is with a greater horror 4. I answer That no certain Rule can be given as to this different dispensation why some are so gently used and others so violently brought home to God Sometimes they which have had good Education and left Errors of Life have left Terrors of Heart as being restrained from gross Sins at other times they have had most Terrors because they have withstood so many means and because they do not know when God works upon them Sometimes those which are called to greatest services have had most Terrors that they may speak more of the evil of sin having felt the bitterness of it 2 Cor. 5. 10. Knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men Sometimes it is quite otherwise they which have been called to some eminent publick service for God they may not drink so deeply of this Cup but are spared that they may be kept more entire for their publick work which serves instead of sorrow and trouble of conscience Again sometimes men and women of most excellent and acute understandings they are most humble as having clearest apprehensions of the heinousness of sin and terror of wrath at other times on the contrary these horrors and fears come from ignorance as fears arise in the dark and weak spirits are apt to be terrified and have a knowledge of the remedy as soon as they know their disease the work may be more gentle Sometimes these Terrors fall on a strong body as being best able to bear them sometimes on a weak the Devil taking advantage of their weaknesses and manifold infirmities Many times in hot and fiery natures their changes are sudden carried on with extremities but sometimes soft natures whose motions are slow and gentle by degrees are surprized and impressions of grace are made insensibly Thus God acts as he will but in the general all are serious and sollicitous 5. Because no certain Rule can be given the Measure must not be looked after but the effects we are not so much to look to the deepness of the Wound as the soundness of the Care The Means only respect the End therefore the End must be considered and many times the Effects are visible and more evident in fruit and feeling Now if we give sound proof that we are converted I am contented If the work be done that sufficeth which way soever it be done though usually it is done by some notable and powerful impression upon the heart Look as the blind Man said Iohn 9. 25. Which way my eyes were opened I know not but this I know that whereas I was blind I now see So if the renewed soul can say How the work was done I cannot tell I have been waiting upon God and have felt the fruits of his grace upon my heart 6. The Effects of this first work are these 1 A hearty welcoming of Christ Jesus into the soul they do not take up with comfort on this side Christ Mens troubles are known by their satisfaction If Honour satisfie Men then Disesteem and Disrespect was their trouble however they did palliate it with Religious Pretences If Riches satisfie Men then Poverty pinched them If the prosperity of the world satisfie Men it was worldly adversity was their trouble though it crept under Religious Pretences But if we see the necessity of a Saviour receive him into our hearts and believe in him with all our hearts desire and delight and all is carried after Christ and after the refreshings of his Grace and are satisfi'd with none but Christ and our hearts pant for him as the Hart panteth after the water brooks you ought to bless God that he hath left the impression of the effect though he hath not left the impression of the way Psal. 42 1. But now when desires after Christ are either none at all or cold and faint and easily put out of the humor and only provoke you now and then to put up a cold Prayer or express a few faint wishes or heartless sighs that though you have a desire after Christ yet it is
them under sadness and horror Iudas threw away his 30 pieces of Silver when his guilt star'd him in the face I have sinned in betraying innocent blood Mat. 27. 4. When God is angry the creatures cannot pacifie him and make you Friends as when a man is going to Execution with a drooping and heavy heart bring him a Posie of Flowers bid him smell of them and comfort himself with them he will think you upbraid his misery so in troubles of Conscience what good will it be to tell a man of Riches and Honours the remedy must be according to the grief so that if outward things could satisfie the heart they cannot satisfie the Conscience our sore will run among all the creatures and there 's no salve for it Secondly They will not stead us at the hour of Death when a Man must launch out into Eternity and set Sail for an unknown World Can a Man comfort himself then with outward things that a Man is great rich and honourable beautiful or strong or that he hath wallowed in all manner of sensualities If Men would look to the end of things they would sooner discern their mistake Deut. 32. 29. Oh that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end So Ier. 17. 9. At his latter end he shall be a fool He was a Fool before all his life-long but now he is so in the account of his own heart So Iob 27. 8. What hope hath the hypocrite though he hath gained when God cometh to take away his soul The poor Man would fain keep his soul a little longer no but God will take it now and he doth not resign it but God takes it by force And 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of death is sin The dolors and horrors of a guilty Conscience are revived by death and then the weakness of worldly things doth best appear our wealth and honour and pleasure will leave us in the dirt when the soul is to be turned out of doors our vain conceits are blown away and we begin to be sensible of our ill choice if Conscience did not do its office before death will undeceive them When a man dyeth he shall carry nothing away with him his glory shall not descend after him Psal. 49. 17. He shall be eaten out by Worms as others are when he cometh to go the way of all the Earth then for one Evidence for Heaven one dram of the favor of God as Severus the Emperor cryed out I have been all things but now it profits me nothing 4. 'T is of no use to you in the world to come Gold and Silver the great Instruments of Commerce in this world are of no value there all civil distinctions last but to the Grave some are high and others low some are rich and others poor these distinctions will last but awhile but the distinction of good and bad lasts for ever their works follow them but not their wealth outward things cannot save your souls or bring you to Heaven 5. In this World it will not prevent a Sickness or remove it The honorable and the rich have their diseases as well as the poor yea more they are bred upon them by their intemperance All your Houses and Lands and Honors and Estates cannot ease you of a Fit of the Gout or Stone nor an aking Tooth nor keep off Judgments when they are Epidemical There were Frogs in Pharaoh's Bed chamber as well as among the meaner Egyptians and all the King's Guard could not keep them out Well then all these things shew 't is of a limited use indeed they serve to make our Pilgrimage comfortable and to support us during our service that 's the best use we can put them to but the use the most put them to is to satisfie a sensual appetite or please a fleshly mind Psal. 17. 14. The utmost that these things can procure is a back well cloathed and a belly well filled This is but a sorry happiness to feed a little better than others to provide a richer Feast for the Worms yea a Prey for Hell Take all created perfections not as subordinate to grace but separate from it it serveth but to please the appetite or the fancy make the most or best of it Secondly By their time and period as to continuance All these things perish in the using like Flowers they wither in our hands while we smell to them The fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 31. And whosoever liveth here for awhile must look for changes and reckon to act several parts in the World Whatsoever was wonderful in former Ages 't is lost and past with age things that now are are not what they once were Psal. 102. 26 28. They shall perish but thou shalt endure for ever saith the Psalmist speaking to God Yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed but thou art the same and thy years have no end Christ he hath no end but Men will soon see the end of all perfection The World and all things were made ea lege ut aliquando pereant that they might at length fail and come to an end That which you now have you cannot say it shall be yours this time twelve month or it may be a month hence we hold all things by an uncertain tenure God may take away these things from us for Man is compared to Grass and the glory of Man to the flower of Grass 1 Pet. 1. 24. What is the glory of Man Riches Wisdom Strength Beauty Credit all these things are called the Flower now the Flower fadeth before the Grass and withers the neglected stalk remaineth when the leaves of the Flower are shed you may be gone and they gone if they continue with you till death then you must take your final farewell of all your comforts Thus you see all perfection will have an end Fourthly Here is the confirmation from Sense I have seen Consider it 1. As 't is matter of sense or experience 2. As 't is an observation upon experience First The vanity of the Creature is matter of sense and plain experience We have seen and others have seen all outward things come to their final period goodly Cities levied with the Earth mighty Empires destroyed worldly Glory blasted Honours vanished Credit and Esteem shrunk into nothing Beauty shrivelled with Age or defaced by Sickness yea all manner of greatness laid in the dust We trample upon the Graves of others and within a little while others will do the same over ours All things have their times and turns their rise and ruine there 's no man that converseth with the world but he will soon see the vanity of it David found it not only by clear reason but by his own experience I have seen saith he and so will you say too within awhile these things will fail when you have most need
pronounced against evil men but the Lord doth not put the Sentence in execution The Sentence is past against them both sententia Legis the sentence of the Law and so it is said he is condemned already Iohn 3. 18. Nay there 's Sententia Iudicis the Sentence which the Judg passeth upon a Sinner for he ratifieth the Sentence of the Law what is bound upon Earth is bound in Heaven Well the Warrant for Execution is signed yet the Execution is suspended for just and wise reasons Sin is not less odious to God because wicked men do not presently feel the punishment of it There are many righteous ends why Execution should be delayed Partly With respect to the Mediator into whose hands the Government of the World is put Exod. 33. 2 3. I will send an Angel before thee I will not go up with thee lest I consume thee by the way compared with Exod. 23. 20 21 22 23. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him But if indeed thou obey his voice and do all that I speak then I will be an enemy to thy enemies and an adversary to thy adversaries for my Angel shall go before thee that was Christ whom they tempted in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents Partly that the Elect might not be cut off in their unregenerate condition that the Wheat may not be plucked up with the Tares which they might be if Sentence should be speedily executed against every evil Doer there would be no room left for conversion Therefore God is â—…t slack as men count slackness but only waits that all tâ—…ose that belong to the purpose of his Grace might come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. He is long suffering to usward to those that were such as the Apostle was that belonged to the purposes of Gods grace And it is delayed too that his wrath may be glorified in the confusion of the Reprobate Rom. 9. 22. He endureth with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction that he may shew the Glory of his power against them they are hardened and strenghthened in their wickedness by their prosperity When all the favours of God have been abused and the riches of his goodness set at naught they have nothing to say for themselves And Sentence is delayed that the little good they do in the World may not be hindred God knows how to use all his Creatures even the wicked have a ministry and service under his Providence The Lord would not destroy their enemies all at once lest the Beasts of the Field should encrease upon them Deut. 7. 22. They serve as a Hedg of Thorns to a Garden of Roses for his people A dead rotten Post may support a living Tree It may be God will bring some that belong to his Grace out of their Loins Hierome saith Many times an evil Shrub may bear sweet Fruit. And God hath righteous ends too that his people may be humbled and that their perverse humours may be broken for so saith the Lord Isai. 10. 12. When the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Sion and on Ierusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria When he hath sufficiently humbled and purged his people then he will do it And whenever this temptation comes when you see Sentence delayed go to the Sanctuary as David did Psal. 7â—… 17. then you will understand their end There you will see Sentence is not speedily executed but it is surely executed As a Chimney long foul will be fired at length Psal. 55. 19. Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God when they are high and prosperous but God will hear and afflict them even he that abideth of old he whose Essence and Providence hath been always the same he will in due time execute his righteous Judgment and the longer he stays the more heavy the longer he is about drawing of his Bow the deeper will his Arrows pierce they are but treasuring up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. As in Iehojadah's Chest the longer it was e're it was opened the more Treasure there was in the Chest so they are treasuring up wrath c. The Fire that hath been long kindling burns the more grievous at last Secondly There are other punishments besides outward afflictions Invisible Judgments are most fearful blindness of mind hardness of heart terrours of Conscience Tertullian ad Marg. Cogitemus ipsum magis Mundum Carcerem esse exiisse eos de Carcere quà m in Carcerem introisse intelligemus Majores tenebras habet Mundus quae hominum corda excaecant graviores Catenas induit Mundus quae animas hominum obstringunt 2 Cor. 4. 4. Nihil infelicius felicitate peccantium No such misery as to be condemned to this kind of happiness no blindness like a blind understanding no chains like an obstinate will no torments like terrours of Conscience under which a man lives for his further punishment that he may be his own Tormentor Cain had rather dye a thousand deaths than be let loose as a Vagabond here upon Earth and be delivered over to the Hell of his own Conscience Those that are under torments of Conscience will call upon the Mountains and Rocks to cover them The third Consideration is this Providence must not be viewed by halves but in its whole frame and connexion Do but wait a little and you shall see God will shew himself a righteous God When we view the dealings of God by pieces we are apt to break out into those Complaints Psal. 73. 11 12. Doth the Lord see how doth God know Is there knowledge in the Most High Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches c. I but stay a while and you will see There is a God that judgeth in the Earth Psal. 58. 11. I remember the Poet Claudian who had a little tincture of Christianity though a Heathen as appears by his Words when he saw Drones and unworthy men greater than the worthy and vex the pious laetose diu florere nocentes vexarique pios doubted num inesset Rector c. whether there were any Governour of the World any Judge that took notice of things here below incerto florent mortalia casu and thought all things were delivered over to blind Chance but saith he at length Abstulit hunc tandem Ruffini poena absolvit Deos tolluntur in altum ut lapsu graviore ruant The gods were absolved for they are lifted up on high that their fall may be the greater Men give another judgment of the work of God when it is brought to
This is not the fruit of slavish Fear but holy Love 't is not afraid of the Word but delighteth in it as it discovereth the Mind of God to us as in the next Verse 162. This is called by a proper name Reverence or Godly Fear when we consider whose Word it is Gods who is our God and hath right to command what he pleaseth to whose Will and Word we have already yielded Obedience and devoted our selves to walk worthy of him in all well-pleasing who can find us out in all our failings as knowing our very thoughts afar off Psalm 139. 2. and having all our wayes before him and being one who will not forgive our wilful Transgressions Ioshua 24. 19. He is an holy and jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions and your sins that would Impenitently continue in them and so we receive the Word with that trembling of Heart which God so much respects III. The Object thy Word that is the whole Word of God the Precept with its double Sanction the Threatning and the Promise the Precept is the Rule of our Duty the Sanction of Gods proceeding we are to stand in Awe not only of the Threatning but the Precept it self for Love to God hath a great influence in producing this Awe of the Word 'T is in Angels and Heavenly Creatures whose happiness is absolutely secured to them Iude 4. The great ground of it is Gods Authority And that is seen in the Precept as much as in the Sanction Gods Will is the reason of our Duty and his Will declared in his Word is the Rule of it and the Saints obey intuita voluntatis a bare sight of his though no inconvenience should follow of it 1 Thes. 4. 3. For this is the will of God 1 Thes. 5. 18. For this is the will of God concerning you in Iesus Christ. 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the will of God c. But yet I would not exclude the Sanction no not the sad part of it neither the Threatning nor the Promise because I dare not contradict any of the Holy-Ghosts methods nor exclude his Argument from having an influence upon our Obedience as he telleth us of Moses who had an eye to the recompence of reward Heb. 11. 26. So of Iob who was tender of doing any thing contrary to the Will of God because Destruction from God was a Terrour to him Iob. 31. 23. To be afraid of Gods Judgments in an holy manner is not Sin but a Grace a great point of our duty yet a matter of Faith to apprehend that destruction which God in his Word threatneth to sinners Unbelief of the Threatning had a great predominancy in the first sin Ye shall not surely die Gen. 3. 4. and still 't is a main Ingredient men Imbolden themselves to Rebellion because they look upon Gods wrath as a vain Scar-crow and that he doth only frighten us with a deceitful terrour and a flash of false fire but yet reflection upon the threatning must not be alone that breedeth Legalisme nor yet upon the Promises alone but a deep Awe and Reverence of Gods Authority must be the main thing that swayeth the Conscience A Christian should have no more to move or stop him than to know what God will have him do or not do That terrour that doth arise from a meer slavish Fear of God as a Judge and Avenger is not right but such an Awe as doth at once arise from looking upon God at once as a Wise Lawgiver a gracious Father and righteous Judge A Son a Child if he take liberty to break the Bonds of Duty shall smart for it though a Believer obeyeth and keepeth off from sin upon higher and nobler Terms then Wrath yet he maketh a good improvement of these Terrours also for godly Fear is influenced by Gods being a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29 30. Let us have grace whereby we may may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire Secondly We come to the Reasons why we should stand in Awe of the Word of God 1. From the Author of it 't is Gods Word not the Word of a weak man but of the Great and Mighty God his Authority is Supream his Power Infinite his Knowledge Exact his Truth Unquestionable his Holiness Immaculate his Justice Impartial the same Reasons which move us to Fear God do move us also to Reverence his Word and add this above all the rest that therein his Truth is Impawned to us and by it he obligeth himself to make good both his Threatnings and his Promises Three things I shall take notice of which sheweth Gods stamp and impress upon the Word 1. It s Authority in searching the heart Heb. 4. 12 13. The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart that is as a sharp sword doth pierce asunder between Joints and Marrow so doth the Word divide Soul and Spirit and is a discerner that is the Convictions of the Mind and the disposition and inclination of the Soul or sensual Appetite The Soul cleaveth to the sin when the Mind or Spirit disliketh it or plotteth pretences to hide it from himself or others even in those sins which lieth as hidden in the Mind as the marrow in the Bones secret Purposes fall under its judging Power as well as Practices accomplished And what Use must we make of this but that we stand in Awe of the Word avoiding what it forbiddeth and following what it commandeth Now to evidence this Property of the Word he urgeth the Omniscience of God whose Word it is Verse 13. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight for all things are naked and open to him with whom we have to do As the Sinners secret thoughts are under the sight of the All-seeing God so they are under the piercing Power of his Word for God joyneth with his Word and giveth it that discovering and piercing Vertue So the Apostle of the Word preached or explained it 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. 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 The Word is the Rule God is the Judge and the Word being assisted by God God is there where the Word is and so doth ransack the Conscience and discover men to themselves in order to Judgment 2. It hath a mighty Power and Force because of the Spirit that goeth along with it Rom. 1. 16. 'T is the power of God to salvation 1 Cor. 1. 22. The Gospel is the power of God and the wisdom of God It 's powerful to Convince even there where it Converts not as Felix Trembled Acts 24. 'T is
was not hearty and durable but only formal and Temporary 2 Because they take all occasions to inlarge themselves out of the stocks of Conscience and as soon as their fear is worn off away go all their Religious Pangs and thoughts of the other World and care about it How often is this verisied by daily Experience Many that were frightned into a course of Religion went on from Duty to Duty out of a Fear of being Damned but their Hearts were another way but afterwards they cast off all when they have sinned away these Fears As Herod feared Iohn and afterwards put him to death Mark 6. 19 20. Yea all the while they did good they had rather do otherwise if they durst and therefore did but watch the occasion to fly out 3 Because men of this frame dispute away Duties rather than practice them and are quarrelling at those things which the new Nature would sufficiently incline them unto if they had it In the New Testament God much trusts Love and the number and length of Duties is not stated so exactly because where the Love of God prevaileth in the Heart men will take all occasions of glorifying God and edifying themselves But when men quarrel How do you prove it to be my Duty to do so much and to give so much when the Duty its self is instituted Love will make God a reasonable allowance and not stand questioning how do you prove it to be my Duty to pray so often in my Family or in secret or hear so many Sermons which our constant necessities do loudly call for Men that have a love to a thing will take all occasions to enjoy it or be conversant about it and a willing heart is liberal and open to God and is rather disputing the restraint than the Command how do you prove it is not my Duty and is loth to be kept back from its delight 3. Some do good out of Craft and Design there is some By-end is the cause as Iehu was not so much Zealous for God as his own Interests 2 King 10. 16. And our Lord telleth us of some that make long Prayers to devour Widows Houses Matth. 23. 14. made Piety a colour and pretext to Oppression and that they might be trusted took as a shew of great Devotion And of this strain were those that followed Christ for the Loaves Ioh. 6. 20. To be fed with a Miracle and to live a life of sloth and ease God never set any good thing afoot but some temporal Interest grew upon it with which men were swayed more than with what belongeth to God Use. II. Is to perswade you to choose Gods Precepts I have chosen thy Precepts said the man of God To this end I shall give you both Motives and Directions Motives why you should choose them and then Directions in what manner things are to be attended upon in your choice First For the Motives 1. Choose them because they are Gods to whom you are indebted for Life Being and all things Shall we not obey him that made us and in whom still we live move and have our being We are debtors to him for all that we have and truly we cannot have a better Master He was angry with his People that when the Beasts would own their Benefactors that his People would not own him from whom they had all things Isa. 1. 3. The Brute-beasts the dullest of them the Oxe and the Ass are willing to serve those that feed them and pay a kind of gratitude and shall not we own God Every day your health strength and comforts come out of his hands so every nights Rest and Ease and after this can you sin against God that keeps you by Night and by day 2. These Precepts are all holy just and good What is it the Lord requires of you but to love him and serve him and fear him and forbear those things which hurt the Soul thus he speaks to Israel Deut. 10. 12. Surely these commands are not unreasonable nor grevious You dare not say sin is better that it is more profitable to please the flesh and to wallow in and seek after worldly things O why then dost thou not choose Gods Precepts before the work which Satan would put thee upon for these Precepts commend themselves by their own Evidence 3. In keeping them there 's a great deal of benefit 1. For the present there 's a deal of Comfort and Peace to be be found in the ways of God If there were no reward of Heaven yet there 's such comfort and peace that attends holy living even as heat from the fire that certainly this should draw our choice All her ways are ways of pleasantness Prov. 3. 17. And again the Prophet tells you the fruit of righteousness is peace A man that doth evil hath a sting in his Conscience and a wound in his own Soul But every good action is followed with a Serenity of Mind and an approbation from the heart of him thar doth it Nay you shall not only have Peace but Joy in the Holy Ghost for if you walk in the fear of God you walk in the comforts of his Spirit Acts 9. 31. And the Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness and Peace ay and a distinct Priviledge Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. What 's the difference between Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Peace is a Tranquility of mind resulting from the rectitude of our actions but this joy is an impression of the comforting Spirit This Joy it hath God for its Author he puts it into our hearts therefore it will more affect us then the bare Act of our natural faculties Peace it is an acquittance from Conscience but Joy in the Holy Ghost it is and Acquittance from God who is our Supream Judge and is the beginning of that endless joy which he hath prepared for them that love him in Heaven 2. For the future and final reward that is great and glorious indeed Surely the Glory of the Everlasting Kingdom should invite us to choose Gods Precepts whatever it may cost us to keep them for in choosing Holiness you choose Life and in choosing the ways of God you choose the heavenly inheritance which is the certain end and issue of them So Prov. 8. 35 36. Whoso findeth me findeth Life and obtaineth favour of the Lord But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul all they that hate me love death Christians when you are about choosing these are the terms propounded to you and they should be seriously weighed by us Evil and Death Good and Life will you choose Sin and Death or Holiness and Life Is the Pleasures of the Flesh for a few hours better then the endless Joy of the Saints If you believe Heaven and hell as you profess to do why should you stand demurring are you content to be thrust out from the presence of the Lord with the Devil and his Angels into unquenchable