efficacy of the word is a pledge of the truth of it 2. 'T is a Commodious Instrument for this End and Purpose for there is a Wisdom in all Gods Institutions He that looketh upon an Axe will say this is an instrument made to cut So he that looketh upon the Scriptures must needs say this is a means to purifie The Word is more Morally accommodated to work upon the heart of man then any other Instrument Means or Doctrine in the World Now the Word doth so commodiously serve for this purpose because there are 1. Such pure Precepts 2. Such pure Examples 3. Such great helps to Purity 4. Great encouragements to Purity 5. Such great Terrours to disswade men from sin 1. There are pure Precepts setting forth the Nature of that Purity that is pleasing to God and so on the one hand they serve to humble us for our natural filthiness for verum est Index sui et obliqui Truth sheweth it self and discovereth errour also Iam. 1. 23. 'T is such a pure Doctrine that it sheweth a man his natural face and discovers soul spots And on the other side by these Precepts and Doctrines we are urged and injoyned to seek after true Purity and Holiness of the right Constitution 1 Tim. 1. 5. The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned The Word telleth us God will be served and that he will be served with a pure heart the right End and Scope of the whole Law as 't is a Gospel Rule is love to God and Man flowing from a sincere and renewed heart and a good Conscience rightly informed of Gods Will and Faith unfeigned apprehending the Grace of God towards us in Christ our Redeemer So that you see there is required of us not only good Actions but good Principles and Ends. The Apostle telleth us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work of the Law was written upon Mans heart Rom. 2. 14. Natural Conscience will take notice of some gross Acts urge to some external Conformity and show of Duty But the Word of God taketh notice not only of acts but the frame of the heart not only of sins but also of lusts If ever there were an instrument fitted to do a thing the Word is fitted to make men pure and holy Briefly then the Word requireth purity of Heart and Life that we should be pure in heart Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God and pure in Life Blessed are the undefiled in the way Ps. 119. 1. you have both in one place Iam. 4. 8. Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your Hearts ye double minded both must be cleansed both heart and hands But we must first begin with the Heart The Heart is that polluted Fountain from whence floweth all the pollution of Life Matth. 15. 19. Out of the Heart proceed evil thoughts Murthers Adulteries Blasphemies c. 'T is in vain to cleanse the out-side unless the Heart be cleansed and therefore the Scripture presseth us to wash our hearts from wickedness Ier. 4. 14. There is the difficulty 'T is more easie to heal an outward wound than to stanch an inward bleeding and the cause is within The purity of the outside is loathsome to God unless the heart be cleansed 't is more easie to prevent disorders in our Conversations than to cleanse our hearts and therefore the Scripture mainly calleth upon you to purge out sin out of the heart Matth. 23. 26 27. Therefore the great design of the Word of God with which it travaileth is to get the heart clean as Elisha when he would cure the brackishness of the Waters cast falt into the Fountain so doth the Word of God seek to cleanse the hearts of men and all its wooings and pleadings and intreaties tend to this 2. There are pure Examples and Patterns we miscarry by low Examples and grow loose and careless seeing others to be so therefore the Word is still to keep us humble under our defects unsatisfied with our present measure always contending and striving towards the mark it propoundeth all manner of examples to us It propoundeth the example of God 1 Pet. 1. 15. Be ye holy as he that hath called you is Holy in all manner of Conversation God is holy in all his ways and Righteous in all his works and so should we be And the Scripture presseth us to be holy as Christ is holy 1 Iohn 3. 3. He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure 'T is impossible there should be an exact equality yet some answerable Conformity there should be God is essentially immutably infinitely holy He loveth himself so much as he can be loved His Essence and his Being is the same with his Holiness Our Holiness is a superadded Quality Gods Holiness is like a vessel of pure Gold where the substance is the same with the lustre but our holiness is like a vessel of Earth gilded with Gold the substance is one thing the varnish another But yet this God and Christ must ever be before our Eyes we must be holy as he is holy we must always be encreasing in holiness We must come into an abiding state of holiness There must be some kind of Conformity between God and us and Christ and us and head and members must be all of a piece He will shoot farther that aimeth at a Star than he that aimeth at a shrub So he will be more holy that doth as God doth than he that doth as sinful Creatures do like himself Nay the Scripture propoundeth the example of the Saints Heb. 6. 12. We need all kind of examples As we need high and glorious examples that we may not rest in any low degrees and beginnings of purity So lower examples that we may not be discouraged and think it impossible And therefore the Saints of God are propounded to us Men and Women of like affections with us the same natural interests and we the same grace with them the way to heaven is a troden path all along you may see the foot-steps of the Saints before you 3. The Scripture offereth great Helps to purity Christ dyed to purchase it for us Ephes. 5. 27. He gave himself for us that he might Sanctifie and Cleanse us by the washing of water through the Word And God hath promised to give this clean heart to them that seek after it and undertaketh to give what he requireth Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you a heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my judgements
will serve the Lord whatever others do Iosh. 24. 15. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord chuse you this day whom you will serve whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. If he meet with reproaches and scorns 2 Sam. 6. 22. And I will yet be more vile than thus and will be base in mine own sight If inticed by evil Company Psal. 119. 115. Depart from me ye evil Doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God If threatned Acts 4. 19. But Peter and Iohn answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God judge ye Thus they stood by a self-denying resolution whereas the unresolved man Iames 1. 8. is unstable in all his ways is turned like a Weather-Cock with every Wind fitteth his Religion to every interest God biddeth us thus unmoveably to fix our selves Ier. 15. 19. Thus saith the Lord Let them return unto thee but return not thou to them A man that would live quietly must either bring himself to the times or expect the times should come over to him A resolved man stayeth Gods leisure doth not serve his Conscience to fit the times but waiteth till God fit the times to his Conscience 7. A true sight of the worth of spiritual things above carnal This in the Text More than Gold yea fine Gold Till a man cometh to this his Conscience will not be guided by his Religion but his interest and give up all for the worlds sake 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken us and loved the present world Phil. 3. 19 20. Whose end is destruction whose God is their Belly whose Glory is in their shame who mind earthly things For our conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. Loth to suffer turn themselves into all shapes God doth not command them but themselves II. The degree of his affection whence this Doctrine Doctr. We ought not only to love the word but to love it above all worldly things whatsoever 1. Let me explain the grounds of our love to the Word 2. Speak of the degree of it 1. Let me explain the grounds of our love to the Word We love the Word as it is the Charter of our hopes and the rule of our duty We have both respects in this Psalm as the Charter of our hopes ver 111. Thy testimonies have I taken for an heritage for ever for they are the rejoicing of my heart As a rule of our duty ver 14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches And ver 140. Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it So that First To love and esteem the Word as the Charter of our hopes is to love and esteem spiritual priviledges such as the favour of God pardon of sins peace of Conscience taking away the stony heart and eternal life To have a deep sense and value for such things is the fruits of faith It is true some loose velleities and general inclinations men as men have to their own happiness but being but weakly perswaded of these things they are but slightly affected with them and the promises that reveal them Men that have no faith but altogether live by sense know nothing more excellent than Gold or Riches which do all in the World If God would let them alone here to have their portion in Paris they would part with their share in Paradise Such dunghil-souls have they let God keep spiritual things for whom he will so they may live at ease in the World they never mind communion with God or enjoyment of God but gracious hearts love the Word as offering and revealing these things Secondly To love the Word as a rule of Duty is in effect to love holiness loving things as suitable to our necessities and as suitable to our dispositions I love thy Commandments saith David in the Text as urging and directing us to our Duty This is also proper to gracious souls to them all outward things are but toys and trifles for our senses to play withal The least Grain of Grace seemeth better to them than a mountain of Gold They have a spiritual discerning and love things according to the nature and worth of them The things themselves are not to be compared together so should not our affections to them Secondly The degree of it More than all Riches Therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold Take Riches as Riches in that Notion as the word implies happiness abundance contentment The Word of God containeth the true Riches both in the promises and precepts of it First In the promises to us are given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. There the great Controversie is decided about the true happiness and salvation God or the Creature there you have the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes. 2. 7. That in the Ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Iesus The riches of the glory of the Saints inheritance Eph. 1. 18. That ye may know what is the hope of your calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints These are things that make us truly rich Rev. 3. 18. I counsel thee to buy of me Gold tryed in the fire that thou mayst be rich He is not rich that floweth in wealth and plenty but he that hath Christ and an interest in his benefits They are possessors of all things though they have nothing 2 Cor. 6. 10. As having nothing yet possessing all things A little serves the turn they have the good things purchased by Christ happiness enough if he can make them happy So Secondly in the precepts they are means to work Grace the least Dram of which is more worth than all things in the world He is rich enough that is rich in Faith Iames 2. 5. Hearken my beloved Brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of a kingdom in Paradise which he hath promised to them that love him It is more precious than the tryal of Gold 1 Pet. 1. 7. That the tryal of your faith being much more precious than of Gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. The smallest measure of saving faith or love to God or fear of God or repentance is of more worth than what is most precious The word of God does more enrich a man and true benefit is to be preferredbefore counterfeit Reasons for the degree of our love 1. From the worth of the Word the reward and those benefits
But Justification is but a relative It rendreth us amiable in the eyes of God God hateth sin more than misery Sin is against Gods very nature God can inflict punishmeâ—…t but he cannot infuse sin Gods interest and honour is to be preferred before our comfort and personal benefit In sanctification besides our personal benefit which is the perfection of our natures Gods honour and interest is concerned in our subjection to him Justification is a pledge but Sanctification is not only a pledge but a beginning 't is removens prohibens We love him for pardoning but he delighteth in holiness he delighteth in us rather as sanctified than pardoned We love much because much is forgiven Luke 7. 47. But God delighteth in the pure and upright Prov. 11. 20. Such as are upright in their way are his delight Use. 1. For reproof of three sorts First Of those that would have ease and comfort but care not for duty would have the love of God to pacifie their Consciences but never mind this to have their hearts directed in Gods ways Hos. 10. 11. Ephraim is as an Heifer that is taught that would tread out the Corn but not break the Clodds It yielded food Deut. 25. 4. They would be feasted with priviledges yet abhor service when they prize comfort To these we may argue not only ab incongruo how disingenuous it is to separate duty and comfort to be so ready to expect all from God and so unwilling to do any thing for him 'T is contrary to the disposition of Gods Children Tit. 2. 11 12. and Rom. 12. 1. But ab impossibili Will God ever delight in you till you be conformed to his Image Christ came not to make a change in God but in us not to make God less holy but us more holy 'T is not agreeable to the reasonable nature to conceive that God should be indifferent to good and bad or a friend to those that break his Laws Would you think well of that Magistrate that should let men rob and steal and beat their Fellow-Subjects and not only connive at them but receive them into his bosome You that have but a drop of the Divine Nature cannot delight in the company of Sinners 2 Pet. 2. 8. Secondly Those that would have the favour of God but expect it should be shewed to them in temporal things Alas these things are promiscuously dispensed to all Can be no evidence of his special love God is behind-hand with none of his Creatures Eccl. 9. 1 2. sometimes evil things to good men and good things to evil men Iosiah dyed in wars as well as Ahab Is Abraham rich so is Nabal Is Ioseph honoured by Pharaoh so is Doeg by Saul Hath Demetrius a good report of all men 3 Iohn 12. so have false Teachers Luke 6. 26. Hath Caleb health and strength Iosh. 14. 11. so have wicked ones No bands in their death Psal. 73. 4. Their strength is firm Was Moses beautiful Acts 7. 20. so was Absolom 2 Sam. 14. 25. Did God give learning and wisdom to Moses and Daniel c. Dan. 1. 17. so to the Egyptians Acts. 7. 22. Long life to Ishmael Gen. 25. 17. as well as to Isaac Gen. 35. 20. Thirdly The Children of God that murmure and repine at their sufferings when others ignorant of the mind of God and the strictness of his ways fare better Psal. 17. 14. 'T is often seen That he that encreaseth knowledg encreaseth sorrow Eccl. 1. 18. Drones and Sots have their ampler revenues but we should not be thereby discouraged 'T is their portion Prov. 3. 31 32. Envy thou not the Oppressor and chuse none of his ways for the froward are an abomination unto the Lord and his secret is with the righteous They are hateful to God while they flourish 'T is a greater evidence of Gods favour and friendship to understand his counsel in the Word and to be acquainted with the mysteries of godliness than to enjoy all the power and greatness in the world the knowledg of a despised hated truth than to flourish in opposition against the ways of God through ignorance obstinacy and prejudice Use 2. Is direction to us 1. For strict walking If we would have a comfortable sense of Gods love we must resolve upon a strict course of holy walking Gal. 6. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of God and Psal. 85. 8. and Ephes. 4. 30. 2. If we would walk strictly we must go to God for continual direction Psal. 86. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name Psal. 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness Especially when blinded with interest or apt to be carried away with temptations 3. Gods teaching is not only directive but perswasive it prevents sin Psal. 119. 133. quickens to Duty Psal. 119. 33 34 35. Teach and keep and make me to go for that 's the difference between literal instruction which we have from man and spiritual instruction which we have from God Gods teaching is drawing â—…ohn 6. 44. 45. SERMON CLI PSAL. CXIX VER 136. Rivers of water run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law MOST of the Sentences of this Psalm are independent and do not easily fall under the rules of method so that we need not take pains in clearing up the Context the Verse needs it not the time permits it not only you may observe this That often in this Psalm David had expressed his great joy and now he maketh mention of his exceeding grief There is a time to rejoyce and a time to mourn as times vary so do duties We have affections for every condition Indeed in this Valley of tears mourning is seldome out of season either with respect to sin or misery for our selves or others David that did sometimes mourn for his own sins and watered his Couch with tears Psal. 6. 6. He took also his time to mourn and bewail other mens sins Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law In the Words observe David's grief is set out by 1. Constancy and greatness of it Rivers of tears run down mine eyes 2. The goodness of the cause or reason of it Because they keep not thy Law Rivers of tears He compares his tears to a Stream and River always running The same expression is used Lam. 2. 18. Let tears run down like a River day and night let not the apples of thine eyes cease When affections are vehemently exercised the Scripture is wont to use such kind of expressions The will of a godly man is above his performance it is wont to do much more than the body can furnish him with abilities to express He had such a large affection that he could weep Rivers Because they Some referr it to eyes the
and swallow a Camel it discovers the hypocrisie that lights upon the Professors of Religion full of hainous out-cries upon small things yet dash upon things that are against the fundamentals of the Covenant SERMON CLVII PSALM CXIX VER 140. Thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it THere are three things in this Verse 1. The Excellency of the Word Thy Word is very pure 2. Davids respect to it Thy Servant loveth it 3. The Connexion between both in the illative particle Therefore 1. The Excellency of the Word Thy Word is very pure That which we render very Pure signifieth tryed in the Fire and refined the Septuagint reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Word is set on Fire and so you may see it explained Psal. 12. 6. The words of the Lord are pure words like Silver tryed in a Furnace of Earth purified seven times The expression may import two things First the infallible certainty of the Word And secondly the exact purity First The Infallible certainty of the Word As Gold indureth in the Fire when the dross is consumed Vain conceits comfort us not in a time of trouble but the Word of God the more 't is tryed the more you will find the excellency of it the Promise is tryed as well as we are tryed in deep afflictions but when 't is so it will be found to be most sure In the Old Translation 't is thy word is proved most pure Psalm 18. 30. The Word of the Lord is tryed he is a buckler to all them that trust in him So Prov. 30. 5. The word of the Lord is pure he is a shield to all that trust in him as pure Gold suffers no loss by the fire so the promises suffer no loss when they are tryed but stand to us in our greatest troubles Secondly It notes the exact perfection of the Word there is no dross in Silver and Gold that hath been often refined so there is no defect in the Word of God 2. Here is Davids respect to the Word speaking of himself in the third person he saith Thy Servant loveth it The Children of God love the Word and the duty and Obedience it prescribeth so as effectually to follow it that 's love and none but that 3. Here is his reason for it Therefore I love it because 't is pure wicked men hate it and slight it for this very reason the Word of God so is pure that it ransacks their their Consciences and therefore they cannot indure it The Carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. But the Saints do the rather imbrace it wicked men could wish it were less strict that it might be calculated to their turns but the Children of God love it for this reason Doctrine That Gods Children see such purity in his Word that therefore they value it and love it exceedingly The point will be made good by four Considerations 1. That the Word of God is pure 2. That this pure Word must be loved and esteemed by us 3. That we must not only love Gods Word but see why we love it 4. Among all the grounds and reasons of our love to the Word of God this is the most noble and excellent to love it for its purity For the first of these That the Word of God is pure yea as 't is superlatively expressed in the text 't is very pure that will appear in two respects 't is pure in it self and it maketh us pure 1. 'T is pure in it self because 't is an holy rule fit for God to give and us to receive exactly comprizing the whole duty of man We need not seek elsewhere for direction in order to true happiness Psal. 19. 8. The Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the Eyes as Mettal refined from all dross So here is not the least mixture of errour folly or falshood not the least Corruption or flaw to be found in it as in all other Books of humane Composure All other Writings come as short of the Scripture as a Coal doth of the Sun The whole Art and Design of this Holy Book is to advance the Spiritural and Heavenly Life and not to fashion our outward carriage a little for converse with men but to bring us into Fellowship and Communion with God and to direct us to do all things from holy principles in a holy manner to holy ends There is no dead fly in this box of Oyntment no blemish of Weakness and Imperfection it hath the manifest Impress of the Author left upon it and is the Copy of that exact holiness which is in God himself 2. The Word is very pure as it maketh us pure if we diligently attend unto it Ps. 119. 9. By what means may a young man cleanse his way By taking heed thereunto according to thy Word 'T is not said by what means may a young man guide his way as if he were yet to chuse or were as white paper indifferent to any impression But by what means shall a young man cleanse his way Mans heart naturally is a sink of sin and he delighteth to wallow in this puddle as Swine do in the Mire he hath gotten a tang and smatch of the old Adam Now is there no way to make his Heart and his Way clean Yes if he will take Gods Counsel and direct his Life according to the Word A young man that is in the heat and strength of his lusts he may be cured and cleansed Christ prayeth Iohn 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth thy Word is Truth The work is Gods but he doth it by the Truth or his Will revealed in the Word He hath reserved the power of his spirit for this dispensation and way of Institution of Mankind A moral Lecture may make a man change his Life but 't is the Word of God that changeth his Heart his spirit goeth along with his word So Iohn 15. 3. Now you are clean through the Word that I have spoken unto you The Word is the Instrument of purifying sinners and to get rid of their sins But how doth the word make us pure As 't is an appointed Instrument of the spirit and as 't is an accommodate instrument to such an end and purpose 1. 'T is an appointed instrument by which the spirit will work 1 Pet. 1. 22. Ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit 'T is the spirit of Christ that powerfully worketh it but yet in and by the Truth he worketh by his own means he will not joyn his assistance with other things The sum of what I would say is this 't was meet that God should give a rule to his Creatures or else how should they know his will and then 't was meet he should honour his Rule by owning it above all other Doctrines by the concomitant operation of his spirit that this might be a Constant Authentick proof of its divine Authority The
and are inclin'd to believe but when these truths soak into the heart to frame it to the obedience of his will When the Lord had spoken of practical obedience Was not this to know me saith the Lord Jer. 22. 16. And this is to believe So for Love Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might Every faculty must express Love to God Many will be content to give God a part God hath their Consciences but the world their affections Their heart is divided and the evidence of it is plainly this In their troubles and extremities they will seek after God but this is not their constant work and delight We are welcome to God when we are compelled to come into his presence God will not say as men you come in your necessity But we must then be sincere in our addresses and rest in him as our portion and all-sufficient good 2. For intention of Degrees To seek God with the whole heart it is to seek him with the highest elevation of our hearts The whole heart must be carried out to God and to other things for Gods sake As Harbingers when they go to take up room for a Prince they take up the whole house none else must have place there so God he will have the whole heart Again it may be considered as to the exaction of the Law and as a Rule of the Gospel 1. As an exaction of the Law and so Christ urged it to the young man that was of a Pharisaical institution to abate his pride and confidence Mat. 22. 37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind Certainly these words there have a legal importance and signification for in another Evangelist Luk. 10. 28. it is added do and live which is the tenor of the Law And Christs intent was to abate the Pharisees pride by propounding the rigor of the first Covenant The Law requireth compleat love without the least defect according to the terms of it a grane wanting would make the whole unacceptable As a hard Landlord when all the rent is not brought to the full he accepteth none It is good to consider it under this sense that we may seek God in Christ to quicken us that we may value our deliverance by him from this burden which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear a stragling thought a wandring glance the least out-running of the heart had render'd us accursed for ever 2. It may be considered as a Rule of the Gospel which requireth our utmost endeavors our bewailing infirmities and defects but accepts of sincerity There will be a double principle in us to the last but there should not be a double heart So that this expression of seeking the Lord with the whole heart is reconcilable enough with the weaknesses of the present state For instance 1 King 14. 8. My servant David who kept my Commandments and who followed me with all his heart and did that only which was right in mine eyes David had many failings and some that left an indelible brand upon him in the matter of Uriah yet because of his sincerity and habitual purpose God saith He hath kept all my Commandments So in Iosiah 2 King 23. 25. Like to him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart with all his soul and with all his might Yet he also had his imperfections against the warning of the Lord he goes out with a wicked King and dies in Battel So Asa 2 Chron. 15. 17. The high places were not taken away it was a failing in that holy King yet 't is said the heart of Asa was perfect all his days Well then when the whole heart is engaged in this work when we do not only study to know God but make it our work to enjoy him to rest in him as our all-sufficient portion though there will be many defects yet then are we said to seek him with the whole heart Secondly The reasons why God will be sought with the whole heart are 1. He that gives but part to God doth indeed give nothing The Devil keeps an interest as long as one lust remains unmortified and one corner of the soul is kept for him As Pharaoh stood hucking he would fain have some pawn of their return either leave your children behind no no they must go and see the Sacrifices and be trained up in the way of the Lord then he would have their flocks and herds left behind he knew that would draw their hearts back again So Satan must have either this lust or that he knows by keeping part all will fall to his share in the end A bird that is tyed in a string seems to have more liberty than a bird in a Cage it flutters up and down though it be held fast so many seem to flutter up and down and do many things as Herod but his Herodias drew him back again into the Fowlers net Thus because of a sinners danger 2. Because of Gods right By Creation he made the whole therefore requires the whole the Father of spirits must have the whole spirit We were not mangled in our Creation God that made the whole must have the whole He preserves the whole Christ hath bought the whole 1 Cor. 6. 20. Glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And God promiseth to glorifie the whole Christians it would be uncomfortable to us if God should only take a part to Heaven All that you have is to be glorified in the day of Christ all that you are and have must be given to him whole spirit soul and body Let us not deprive him of any part Use. Well do we serve God and seek after God with the whole heart The natural mother had rather part with the whole than to see the child divided 1 King 3. 26. God had rather part with the whole than take a piece Either he will have the whole of your love or leave the whole to Satan The Lord complains Hos. 10. 2. Their heart is divided Men have some affections for God many times but they have affections for their lusts too the world hath a great share and portion of their heart Q. But when in a Gospel-sense may we be said to seek God with the whole heart Take it in these short Propositions 1. When the setled purpose of our souls is to cleave to God to love and serve him with an intire obedience both in the inward and outward man when this is the full determination and consent of our hearts 2. When we do what we can by all good means to maintain this purpose for otherwise 't is but a fruit of conviction a free-will pang Act. 24. 16. Herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards all
Iude v. 9. It is said of Michael the Archangel He durst not bring a railing accusation he had not the boldness when the Commandment of God was in his way 3. Many times we are doubtful of success and so our hands are weakned thereby we forbear duty because we do not know what will come of it Now a sense of Gods Authority and Command doth fortifie the heart against these discouragements Luk. 5. 5. Master we have toiled all the night howbeit at thy command we will cast down the net A poor soul that hath long lain at the Pool that hath been labouring following God from one duty to another and nothing comes sensibly of it Yet at thy command c. they will keep up their endeavours still This is the very case in the Text Blessed is the man that keeps thy precepts and that seeks him with the whole heart then presently Thou hast commanded that is though our obedience had no promise of reward and our felicity were not proposed as the fruit of it yet the command it self and the Authority of God is a reason sufficient 4. In some duties that are not evident by natural light as believing and owning of Christ the heart is more bound to them by the sense of a command than by any other encouragement It is Gods pleasure it should be so Ioh. 6. 29. This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Iesus Christ. It is enough to set a servant about his work in that it is his masters pleasure Thou dost not stand disputing whether thou shouldst repent or no obey or no abstain from fleshly Idols yea or no or from fornication and why should you stand aloof from the work of faith and doubt whether you should believe or no We have many natural prejudices but this his command is a mighty relief to the soul It is his command we should believe in his Son It is not only a matter of comfort and priviledg but also a matter of duty and obedience and therefore though we have discouragements upon us I am unworthy to be received to mercy yet this will bend the heart to the work God is worthy to be obeyed it is his Commandment Thou dost not question whether thou shouldst grieve for thy sins why should you question whether you believe in Christ If God had only given us leave to believe we could not have had such an advantage as now he hath interposed his authority and commanded us to believe Rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice Phil. 4. If God had only given us leave to refresh our selves in a sense of his love it were an unvaluable mercy but we have not only leave to rejoice but a charge 't is our duty to work up our heart to a comfortable sense of the love of God and a fruition of his favour 5. Obedience is never right but when it is done out of a Conscience of Gods authority intuitu voluntatis the bare sight of Gods will should be reason enough to a gracious heart it is the will of God it is his command So it is often urged 1 Thes. 4. 3. the Apostle bids them follow holiness for this is the will of God your Sanctification And servants should be faithful in their burdensome and hard labours 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the will of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men And 1 Thes. 5. 18. In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you That 's argument enough to a a godly Christian that God hath signified his will and good pleasure though the duty were never so cross to his own desires and interests They obey simply for the Commandment sake without any other reason and inducement There is indeed ratio formalis and ratio motiva there are incouragements to Gods service but the formal reason of obedience is Gods will And this is pure obedience to do what he wills because he wills it The Uses are 1. To exhort thee to take this course with thy naughty heart when it hangs back from any duty or from any course of strictness urge it with the authority of God these precepts are not the advices and counsels of men who wish well to us and who would advise us to the best but they are the commands of God who must and will be obeyed Or when thou art carried out to any sin it is forbidden fruit there 's a commandment in the way and that 's as terrible to a gracious heart as an Angel with a flaming sword To back these thoughts let me propound a few Considerations Consider 1. God can command what he will he is absolute his will is the supreme reason of all things It is notable that God backs his Laws with the consideration of his Soveraignty you shall do thus and thus why I am the Lord that 's all his reason Lev. 18. 4 5. it is repeated in that and many places in the next Chapter The Papists speak much of blind obedience obeying their superiors without enquiring into the reason of it Surely we owe God blind obedience as Abraham obeyed God not knowing whither he went Heb. 11. 8. Iohn Cassian makes mention of one who willingly fetched water near two miles every day for a whole year together to pour it upon a dead dry stick at the command of his superiour when no reason else could be given for it And I have read of another who professed that if he were enjoin'd by his superiour to put forth to sea in a Ship that had neither Mast Tackling nor any other Furniture he would do it and when he was asked how he could do this without hazard of his discretion he answered The wisdom must be in him that hath power to command not in him that hath power to obey Thus do they place merit in this blind obedience in giving up their wills absolutely to the power of their superiour Certainly in Gods commands his Soveraignty is enough the uttermost latitude of this blind obedience is due to him if he hath said it is his will how contrary soever it be to our reason lusts interests it must be done It is enough for us to know that we are commanded To command is Gods part and to obey that 's ours whatever shall be declared to be his will and pleasure 2. God can most severely punish our disobedience and therefore his commands should have a power upon us Iam. 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy with a destruction indeed and salvation indeed so there is but one Law-giver in this sense He truly hath potestatem vitae necis God hath the power of life and death why because he can punish with eternal death and bestow eternal life 3. He is neither
them out of his presence they become the scorn of Saints and Angels Dan. 12. 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust shall arise some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt But now the godly are bold and confident Psal. 1. 5. The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous But the godly shall lift up their head with joy and rejoicing Now the Reasons of this Where sin is not allowed there is a threefold comfort 1. Justification 1 Joh. 1. 7. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin It is an evidence that giveth us the comfort He hath failings but they are blotted out for Christs sake 2. It is an evidence of sanctification that a work of grace hath passed upon us 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you ward Heb. 13. 18. We trust that we have a good conscience willing in all things to live honestly An universal purpose and an unfeigned respect hath the full room of an evidence 3. A pledg of glory to ensue Rom. 5. 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Use. It informeth us by the rule of Contraries That we deceive our selves if we look for any thing from sin but shame Rom. 6. 21. For the wages of sin is death Sin and shame entred into the world together How were Adam and Eve confounded after the fall Sin is odious to God it grieveth the Spirit but the person that committeth it shall be filled with shame In the greatest privacy sin bringeth shame Men are not solitary when they are by themselves there is an eye and ear which seeth and observeth them there is a law in our hearts which upbraids our sins to us as soon as we have committed them a secret bosom-witness 2. It informeth us what hard hearts they have that have respect to no commandments yet are not ashamed They have outgrown all feelings of conscience and so glory in their shame Phil. 3. 19. Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Erubuit salva res est By how much less they are ashamed now the more they shall be their shamelesness will encrease their shame Jer. 3. 3. Thou hadst a whores forehead thou refusedst to be ashamed The Conscience of a sinner is like a Clock dull calm and at rest when the weights are down but wound up it 's full of motion 3. Here is caution to Gods children The less respect you have to the Commandments the more shame will you have in your selves Partiality in obedience breaketh your confidence and over-clouds your peace Therefore that we may not blemish our profession let us walk more exactly So shall we not be ashamed when we have respect to all Gods Commandments SERMON VIII PSAL. CXIX 7. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments IN this Verse David expresseth his esteem of the Word by telling what he would give for the knowledg and practice of it As we use to tell a man how thankful we would be if he would do thus and thus for us So Lord if thou wilt give me to learn thy righteous judgments then I will praise thee c. His promise of praise manifesteth his esteem which should affect our stupid hearts The Canon is now larger and the mysteries of the Word are more clearly unfolded If the Saints of God were so taken with it before when there were so scanty and dark representations in comparison of what is now O what honour and praise do we now owe to God! In this Verse observe 1. The Title that is given to the Word Thy righteous judgments 2. His Act of Duty about it or the benefit which he desireth sound erudition When I shall have learned 3. The fruit of this benefit obtained Then will I praise thee 4. The manner of performing this duty With uprightness of heart First The Title that is given to the Word Thy righteous judgments or as it is in the Margent the judgments of thy righteousness Hence observe Doct. Gods precepts are and are so accounted of by his people as righteous judgments or judgments of righteousness There are two Terms to be Explained 1. What is meant by judgments 2. By righteousness For the First Righteousness is sometimes put alone for the Word and so also Judgments as we shall find in this Psalm but here both are put together to increase the signification The precepts of the Word are called judgments for two Reasons 1. Because they are the Judicial sentence of God concerning our state and actions 2. Because of the suitable execution that is to follow First They are the Judicial sentence of God concerning our state and actions The judicial sentence that is they are the Decrees of the Almighty Law-giver given forth with an authority uncontroulable A man may appeal from the sentence of men but this is judgment this is as certain as if he were executed presently There is injustice and oppression many times in the Courts of men but there 's a higher than the highest regards it and there be higher than they Eccles. 5. 8. There may be another Tribunal to which we may appeal from the unjust sentences of men but there is no appeal from God for there is no higher Judicature Paschalis a Minister of the Albigenses when he was burnt at Rome cited the Pope and his Cardinals before the Tribunal of the Lamb. When we are wronged and opprest here we may cite them before the Tribunal of God and Christ but who can appeal from the Tribunal of Christ himself And then this sentence is concerning our state and actions 1 Our State whether it be good or evil The word sentenceth you now for instance If a man be in a carnal state Joh. 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already How condemned already In the sentence of the Law so he is gone and lost Every unbeliever such as all are by nature is condemned already having only the slender thread of a frail life between him and the execution of it The sentence of the Law standeth in force against him since he will not come to Christ to get it repeal'd This sentence standeth in force against all Heathens which never heard of Christ and are condemned already by the Law But now Christians or those that take up such a profession and have heard of the Gospel on them it is confirmed by a new sentence since they will not fly
less upon the more infirm though alike faulty 5. Another comfort which the Scripture propounds is the help we shall have in affliction to bear it partly from the comforts of his spirit and partly from the supports of his grace 1. By way of Consolation The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost at such a time Rom. 5. 3. Cordials are for those that are fainting In time of trouble we have most sensible experience of Gods love God deals with his children many times as Ioseph did with his brethren he calls them Spies and puts them in prison but at length he could hold no longer but tells them I am your brother Ioseph so God seems to deal roughly with his people and take away their dearest Comforts from them I but before the trouble be over he can hold no longer but saith I am your God your Father and exceeding great reward His bowels yern towards us and he opens his heart to us and sheds abroad his love in our consciences 2. Partly by the supports and influences of his grace Psal. 138. 3. In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthnest me with strength in my soul. When David was in trouble this was his comfort though he could not get deliverance yet he got support God is many times gone to appearance but he will never forsake us as to inward support and strength Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee 6. From the fruit and final issue of all 2 Cor. 4. 17. This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory He that can find Christ in his afflictions and can see Heaven beyond it needs not to be troubled All the notions of Heaven are diversified why that they may be suited to those divers trials and many evils we have in the world Sometimes it is exprest by glory and honour to counterbalance the disgrace which Gods children meet with here that the reproach of men may not make us more sad than the eternal glory may make us comfortable Sometimes it is exprest by substance because sometimes Gods children are poor and suffer loss of goods Heb. 10. 34. Sometimes it is call'd our Redemption our Countrey to comfort us in exile and banishment for the name of Christ Heb. 11. 14 15. Sometimes it is called life eternal because we may be called to suffer even to blood Thus the word offereth this comfort against all the evils that befall us that we may counterbalance every particular trouble with what the promises hold forth concerning our blessed hopes USE Well then let us exercise our selves in the word of God and let all his promises be as so many Cordials to us To this end get an interest in these promises for the heirs of promise have strong consolation Heb. 6. 18. There is strong great real and pure comfort but it is to the heirs of promise So Rom. 5. 4. Not only so but we rejoyce in tribulation Who are those those that are justified by faith in Christ v. 1. To others afflictions are the punishments of sin and an occasion of despair not of rejoycing I but when we are interested in reconciliation with God then we take this comfort out of the word of God 2. It informs us of the excellency of Gods testimonies above all outward enjoyments When we have them to the full they cannot give us any solid true peace of conscience nor cure one sad thought Now beg of God that he will comfort you when all things else fail When the labour of the Olive shall fail I 'le comfort my self in the Lord my God Hab. 3. 18. I say when we are under any burden nay when we are under any sorrow for sin when afllictions revive stings of conscience or else the word hath awakened them yet there 's comfort to be had by running to the word of God 3. It shews us what is the property of believers to delight in the testimonies of God when all things go cross to them Temporaries when things run smoothly they have a comfort in the word O but when the afflictions of the Gospel fall upon them they fall a murmuring presently But a true believer can hold up his head and though he hath much affliction yet he can have much joy in the Holy-Ghost and a great deal of comfort from the word of God There follows another benefit Thy testimonies are my Councellors or men of my counsel From thence observe Doct. 2. That one great benefit we have from the word of God is counsel how to direct our affairs according to his will For the clearing of this let me lay down these Propositions 1. That our great interest is to keep in with God or approve our selves to him 2. Whoever would keep in with God needs counsel and direction in all his ways 3. The only good counsel we can have is from God in his word 4. The counsel God hath given us in his word is sufficient and full out for all our necessities Prop. 1. That our great interest is to keep in with God and approve our selves to him in all our actions for God is the scope and end of our lives and actions as the thing prest that we may walkworthy of God in all well-pleasing Col. 1. 10. God being our chiefest good must be our last end therefore in every action there must be an habitual purpose and in all actions of weight and moment there must be an actual purpose to please God Every ordinary affair must be carried forth in the strength of the habitual purpose but in all actions we would make a business of there must be an actual purpose And because his Authority alone can sway the Conscience which is under his dominion therefore it concerns us in all things to exercise our selves that we may have a good conscience void of offence both towards God and man Acts 24. 16. And again we are to approve our ways to God and to keep in with him because to him we are to give an account 2 Cor. 5. 9 10. There will a time come when every action of ours shall be taken into consideration and weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary with all our principles and ends therefore we strive we are ambitious so the word signifies our great ambition should be living or dying to be accepted with God Again Surely it should be our business to approve our selves to God in every action because all the success of our actions depends upon his concurrence and blessing Now we shall find this is often asserted in Scripture When a man's ways are full of hazards likely to be expos'd to great opposition your great work is to keep in with God approve your hearts to him Prov. 16. 7. When a mans ways please the Lord he will make even his enemies to be at peace with him God hath a mighty power over the spirits
love for that enlargeth the heart but sorrow straitens it and puts it in bonds The word that we translate grief Judg. 10. 16. His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel in the Hebrew it is shortned or lessened A man's mind is lessened when he is under that passion Griefs contract and lessen the soul but joy enlargeth it as Isa. 60. 5. and in this sense it is said Psal. 4. 1. Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress In sorrow the spirits return to comfort and support the heart but in joy they are dilated and scattered abroad and so this is that affection which sends abroad strength and life unto all our actions As this is true of joy and sorrow in common so especially of spiritual joy and spiritual sorrow which are the greatest of the kind no sorrow like that sorrow no joy like that joy therefore nothing more enlargeth the heart When God hides his face when pressing troubles do revive a sense of wrath alas my soul is troubled saith the Psalmist I cannot speak we cannot pour out our hearts to God with that largeness that measure of strength spirit and life as before But now when we can joy in God as those that have received the atonement when we have the comfort of a good conscience the joy in the Holy Ghost this causeth a forward and free obedience and those that could hardly creep before but languisht under the burden of sorrows when cheered and revived with the light of God's countenance they can run and act with vigor and alacrity in Gods service Neh. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is their strength It is as oil to the wheels as wings by which we mount to meet with God Psal. 30. 11. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness It is an allusion to those Eastern Countreys when their garments were girded and tucked up they were more expedite and ready to run so here when thou shalt enlarge my heart then I will run the way of thy commandments when our soul is fill'd with gladness and comfortable apprehensions of the Lord's grace we are carried out to God with greater strength and liveliness 4. We may look upon it as a fruit of love For thus the Apostle doth express his love to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6. 11. O ye Corinthians our mouth is open unto you our heart is enlarged It is love which is the great poise and weight upon the soul that sets all the wheels a going When love is strong the heart is carried out with fervour and earnestness Neh. 4. 6. We built the wall why for the people had a mind to the work then it went on speedily Where we have no affection to a thing the least service is burdensome but when our hearts are for it then the most difficult thing will seem easie Iacob's seven years hard service were sweetned by his love to Rachel Yea duties against the hair as Sechem for Dinah's sake submitted to be circumcised Love sets us a-work strongly Thus the general enlargement is when we are freed from the slavery of sin and bondage of conscience that we may serve God cheerfully and the particular enlargement you may look upon it as a fruit of wisdom and knowledg or of faith or of joy or of love When we have a fruitful understanding a large faith a sweet delight in God and a strong love to him Secondly For the necessity of this that the heart should be enlarged before we can run the way of God's commandments 1. There needs a large heart because the command is exceeding broad Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection but thy commandment is exceeding broad A broad law and a narrow heart will never suit we need love faith knowledg and all to carry us through this work which is of such a vast extent and latitude 2. We need an enlarged heart because of the letts and hindrances within our selves There is lust drawing off from God to sensual objects James 1. 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed Therefore there needs something to poise us to incline us to draw us on to carry us out with strength and life another way to urge us in the service of God Lust sits as a clog upon us it 's a weight of corruption Heb. 12. 1. retarding us in all our flights and motions thwarting opposing breaking the force of spiritual impulsions if not hindering them altogether Gal. 5. 17. Well then lust drawing so strongly one way God needs to draw us more strongly the other way When there is a weight to poise us to worldly and sensual objects we need a strength to carry us on with vigorous and lively motions of soul towards God an earnest bent upon our souls which is this enlargement of heart USE 1. Let us therefore look after this benefit and acknowledg God in it First Ask it often of God God keeps assisting grace in his own hands and disposeth it at pleasure that he may the oftener hear from us The prodigal that had his portion in his own hands went away from his Father and therefore we have but from hand to mouth that we may be daily kept in a dependence and constant course of communion with God It is pleasing to God when we desire him to renew his work to bring forth the actings of grace out of his own seed to blow with his wind with the breath of his spirit upon our gardens that the spices may flow out Cant. 4. 15. But now when we depend upon our selves and neglect God and think to find always a like largeness of heart and a like savouriness of spirit we shall be but like Sampson Judg. 16. 20. When his locks were gone he thought to go forth and shake himself as at other times and wist not that the Lord was departed from him So when our strength is gone and God withdrawn we shall not find a like pregnancy and consistency of thoughts a like readiness and vigor of affections in holy duties but all will be out of order the understanding is lean dry and sapless the heart averse and dead and therefore God will be acknowledged in our enlargements both as to prayer and praise In a way of prayer we should often seek to him and he will be acknowledged in a way of praise likewise Ps. 63. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me If you find any strong actings of faith and love stirr'd up to follow hard after God to pursue him close in holy duties when you feel any of these vigorous and lively motions ascribe it not to your selves but to God's right hand he is to be owned in the work Not I saith the Apostle but the grace of God wrought in me Secondly Avoid the causes of straitning if you would have this enlarged heart What are they 1.
just is as the shining-light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Therefore when a man doth heartily apply himself to the things of God and acknowledging his defects doth go on from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. from love to love and from obedience to obedience Heb. 6. 10. and doth study to bring his heart into a farther conformity to God not looking back to Sodom or turning back to Egypt God accepteth of these desires and constant and uniform endeavours and will spare us as a man spareth his only son that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. as a son an only son that is obsequious for the main though he hath his failings and escapes There is in them integrity but not perfection all parts of holiness though not degrees As in the body every muscle and vein and artery hath its use thus all Israel is said to seek the Lord with their whole desire 2 Chron. 15. 15. And all Iudah rejoiced at the oath for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire 'T is said of Asa That he sought the Lord with his whole heart yet the high places were not taken away Now the Reasons why we must keep the Law with our whole heart are these following 1. He that giveth a part only to God giveth nothing to God for that part that is reserved will in time draw the whole after it The Devil keepeth an interest in us as long as any one lust remaineth unmortified as Pharaoh stood hucking he would fain have a pawn of their return first their children then their flocks and herds must be left behind them He knew this was the way to bring them back again So Satan hath a pawn and knoweth that all will fall to him at last Hos. 10. 2. Their heart is divided now shall they be found faulty halting between God and Idols When men are not wholly and solely for God but divided between him and other things God will be justled out at last Grace is but a stranger sin is a native and therefore most likely to prevail and by long use and custom is most strongly rooted Herod did many things but his Herodias drew him back into Satans snare A bird tyed by the leg may flutter up and down and make some shew of escape but he is under command still So may men have a conscience for God and some affections for God but the world and the flesh have the greater share in them Therefore though they do many things yet still God hath no supreme interest in their souls And therefore when their darling lusts interpose all Gods interest in them signifieth nothing As for instance A man that is given to please the flesh but in all other things findeth no difficulty can worship give alms findeth no reluctancy to these duties unless when they cross his living after the flesh which in time swalloweth up his conscience and all his profession and practice A man addicted to the world can deny his appetite seem very serious in holy duties but the world prevaileth and in time maketh him weary of all other things 2. The whole man is God's by every kind of right and title and therefore when he requireth the whole heart he doth but require that which is his own God gave us the whole by Creation preserveth the whole redeemeth the whole and promiseth to glorifie the whole If we had been mangled in Creation we would have been troubled if born without hands or feet If God should turn us off to our selves to keep that part to our selves which we reserved from him or if he should make such a division at death take a part to Heaven or if Christ had bought part 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods If you have had any good work upon you God hath sanctified the whole in a Gospel-sense that is every part 1 Thes. 5. 23. And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Not only conscience but will and affections appetite and body And you have given all to him for his use I am my beloveds not a part but the whole He could not endure Ananias that kept back part of the price all is his due When the world pleasure ambition pride desire of riches unchaste love desire a part in us we may remember we have no affections to dispose of without Gods leave 'T is all his and it is sacriledg to rob or detain any part from God Shall I alienate that which is Gods to satisfie the world the flesh and the Devil It is his by Creation Redemption Donation when our flesh or the world or Satan detain any part this is with Reuben to go up unto our fathers bed Use 1. Is to reprove those that do not give God the heart in their service 2ly Not the whole heart 1. Not the heart but content themselves with outward profession Jer. 12. 2. Thou art near in their mouth but far from their reins God is often in their speech but they have no hearty affection never was there an Age higher in notions and colder in practice of Christianity The heart is all it is the Terminus actionum ad intra fons actionum ad extra It is the bound of those actions that look inward The senses report to the phantasy that to the mind and the mind counsels the heart If wisdom enter the heart Prov. 2. 10. It is the well-spring of those actions that look outward to the life Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Mat. 15. 19. and Prov. 4. 4. Let thy heart retain my words keep my commandments and live Then other things will follow 2. It reproves those that do not give God the whole heart for he requireth that and surely all is too little for so great and so good a master God will have the heart so that no part of it be lest for others or for our selves to dispose of as we will the true mother would not have the child divided 1 Kings 3. 26. God will have all or nothing he will not part stakes with Satan but Satan if he cannot have all will be content with a part But who are they that do not give God the whole heart 1st Those that are for God in their consciences but not in their affections Conscience many times taketh Gods part their affections are for the world but their consciences are for God as convinced men that do some outward work commanded in the law but they have no love to the work this will not serve the turn for whatever is done by constraint or the mere compulsion of a natural conscience can never hold long Nature will return to its byass again however men force themselves
conforms it self to the body and only adheres to objects visible corporeal As water being put into a square vessel hath a square form into a round vessel hath a round form so the soul being infused into the body is led by it and accommodates all its faculties and operations to the welfare of the body And thence comes our ignorance averseness of sâ—…ul from holiness unruliness of appetite and inclination to sensual things In short without grace a mans mind is carried headlong after worldly vanities As water runs where it finds a passage so the soul of man being destitute of the Image of God finds a passage towards temporal things and so runs out that way 2. As man is thus corrupted and prone to worldly objects by natural inclination so by invelerate custom As soon as we are born we follow our sensual appetite and the first years of mans life are meerly governed by sense and the pleasures thereof are born and bred up with us and deeply ingraven in our natures and by constant living in the world conversing with corporeal objects the taint increaseth upon us and so we are more deeply dyed and setled in a worldly frame and we live in the pursuit of honour gain and pleasure according as the particular temper of our bodies and course of our interest do determine us Ier. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Custom is as another nature and hardly left We find by experience the more we are accustomed to any course of life the more we delight in it and are weaned from it with a very great difficulty Every act disposeth the soul to the habit and after the habit or custom is produced then every new deliberate act adds a stiffness of bent or sway unto the faculty into which the custom is seated and the longer this evil custom is continued the more easily are we carried away with temptations that suit it and more hardly sway'd to the contrary Now this stiffness of will in a carnal course is that which the Scripture calls hardness of heart and a heart of stone for a man is ensnared by these customs and of all customs covetousness or worldliness is the most dangerous Why because this is a sin of more credit and less infamy in the world And this will multiply its acts in the soul most and works uncessantly Having hearts exercised with covetous practices 2 Pet. 2. 14. Well then these lusts being born and bred up with us from our infancy they plead prescription Religion that comes afterward and finds us biass'd and prepossest with other inclinations which by reason of long use is not easily broken and shaken off as upon trial when ever we are call'd upon or begin to apply our selves to the ways of life we shall be easily sensible of this stiffness of heart and obstinacy that bends us another way Thirdly The heart being thus deeply engaged to temporal things or things base and earthly it cannot be set upon that which is spiritual and heavenly for David propounds these things here as inconsistent To thy testimonies Lord and not to covetousness If the heart be addicted to worldly things it is necessarily averse from God and his testimonies for the habitual bent of the heart to any one sin is inconsistent with grace or a through obedience to Gods will That which the heart is inclined to hath the throne Now when we enquire after grace Have I grace or no Have I the work of God upon my heart The question is not what there is of God in the heart but whether that of God hath the throne Something of God is in the heart of the wickedest man that is and something of sin in the best heart that is therefore which way in the sway the bent the habitual and prevailing inclination of the soul what hath the dominion Sin hath not the dominion for ye are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. 14. What hath the prevalency of the heart Though the Conscience takes part with God as it may strongly in a wicked man yet which way is the bent of our souls And as all sin in its reign is inconsistent with grace so much more worldly affections Mat. 6. 24. No man can serve two masters c. It is as inconsistent as for a man to look two ways at once And the Chaldee on this very Text Incline my heart to thy testimonies read it and not unto mammon You cannot be inclined to God and manimon 1 Joh. 2. 15. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him The world draws men from the love of God and from his service And labour after temporal things deadens and hindreth us from looking after things which are eternal and we lose the relish of things to come and things spiritual the more the love of worldly things doth increase upon us The School-men say of worldliness it is that which most of all draws us off from God as our last end and chief good and make us cleave to the Creature therefore it is called Adultery and Idolatry Adultery Jam. 4. 4. as it draws away our love delight and complacency from God and Idolatry Col. 3. 5. as it diverts our trust and placeth it in Wealth and sublunary things The Glutton or Sensualist's love is withdrawn from God and therefore his belly is said to be his God Phil. 3. 19. Interpretatively that 's a man's God which is the last end of his actions and upon which all his thoughts affections and endeavours run most But now covetousness is not only a spiritual fornication and adultery which draws off our affections from God but Idolatry Considering our relation in the Covenant it is spiritual adultery and above this 't is idolatry because men think they can never be happy well nor have any comfortable being unless they have a great portion of these outward things Fourthly This frame of heart cannot be altered until we be changed by God's grace why for there is no principle remaining in us that can alter this frame or make us so far unsatisfied with our present state as to look after other things that can break the force of our natural and customary inclinations There are three things which lye against the change of the heart towards God 1. There 's Nature which wholly carrieth us to please the flesh and inordinately to seek the good of the body Now nature cannot rise higher than it self and determine it self to things above its sphear and compass As the Philosopher saith of water it cannot be forced to rise higher than its fountain Our actions cannot exceed their principle which is self-self-love But besides this 2. There 's Custom added to Nature which makes it more stiff and obstinate so that if it may be supposed that Conscience is sensible of our mistake and ill choice and some weighty
such Errors are abroad and Divisions in the Church and the name of God is Blasphemed Now by these daily mercies doth God stablish his Word makes it good to your Souls Psal. 18. 30. The Word of the Lord is a tried Word there is more than Letters and Syllables God standeth to it it is a tryed word When you have challenged him you have found the Scripture fulfilled upon appeals to God and applications to the Throne of Grace When you have been pleading with God Lord is not this thy hand-writing the Promises thou hast made to thy people The Lord hath answered this from Heaven and said yea this is my Promise He hath given in an answerable Promise 2. It ingageth you to dependance and assurance of Faith Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee For thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee Whosoever hath observed Gods dealings will see God is to be trusted he may be depended upon if he hath said any thing in his Word they that know thy name they that have acquainted themselves with God and the course of his dispensations The Promises will not lie by as a dead stock Psal. 116. 1 2. God hath heard my voice and my supplications therefore will I call upon him as long as I live This is that which will quicken you to rejoyce in God and to a holy thankfulness when you compare his Word with the effects of it when you see how it is made good Psal. 56. 10. In God will I praise his word In the Lord will I praise his word A single mercy is not so much nor so engaging upon our hearts to thankfulness as when observing the mercy hath been the fruit of a Promise This hath been the practice of Gods Saints Ioshuah takes notice of it Iosh. 23. 14. Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you 1 Kings 8. 56. There hath not failed one word of all his good Promises which he hath promised by the hand of Moses his Servant You will often find the very Letter of the Promise made good in the course of Gods dealings and if you would but observe his daily Providence you would be trained up in more waiting upon God for your final Blessings Secondly Let us come to the Person for whom he prayes Stablish thy Word but to whom to thy Servant Here note Doct. That Particular Application of general Promises is necessary This word which he would have to be established was most likely to be a Promise of Sanctification for in the former verse he had prayed for Mortification and vivification and now for Sanctification But be it any other Promise certainly that word which was made to others was likewise made to me as if he had been specified therein by name Thus must general truths be taken home by particular application that they may lye the closer to our hearts Psal. 27. The offer of Gods Favour is general seek ye my Face but the application is particular to himself Lord I will seek thy face David takes it as spoken to him in particular So Psal. 1â—…6 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and then truly Lord I am thy Servant and the Son of thy handmaid The comfort concerned all Gods Children the life and death of the Saints is very precious in the eyes of God he hath a particular care over them and tells all their bones now Lord saith David let me have the comfort of this promise I am thy Servant So 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying c. whereof I am chief This holy Art should we learn of creeping under the covert of a Promise and working our selves by Faith into the comfort of it But rather Secondly you may observe the Character that he puts upon himself Thy Servant David was a King but at the Throne of Grace he stiles himself Gods Servant the fittest title that he could use when he prays for Grace Hence note Doct. He that is a Servant of God may seek and expect Grace from him Here I shall shew 1. Who is Gods Servant 2. Why we must use this Plea when we come to have promises accomplished First Who is Gods Servant I Answer He that dedicates himself to Gods use and he that lives under a sense and conscience of his Dedication 1. He that dedicates himself to Gods use We are Gods Servants by Covenant and voluntary Contract 'T is true our service is due to him upon other accounts but we enter into it by contract It is due by vertue of Creation for he made us out of nothing therefore we owe him all that we have and thus all Creatures were made for Gods Service Psalm 119. 91. They continue this day according to thine Ordinances for all are thy Servants Heaven and Earth and Sun and Moon and Stars and Beasts and every creeping thing and every Plant and Herb they all serve God according to the ends for which they were made But especially Men and Angels they were made for Gods use immediately Other things were made ultimately and terminatively for God Man immediately for God Psal. 103. 21. The Angels are his Ministers and so is Man Gods Servant And then by the right of Redemption we are bound to serve him as the Captive was to serve the Buyer He that bought another out of Slavery all his time and strength belonged to him 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God with your Souls and Bodies But this shews only de jure what we ought to be we ought all to be Gods Servants as he Created us and Redeemed us by the Blood of Christ. But de facto none are his Servants but those who resign and yield up themselves to his use Rom. 6. 13. Yield up your selves to the Lord God will have his right and title confirmed by our consent and therefore he that is a Servant of God one time or other hath entred into Covenant with God he hath consented to yield up himself to walk with God in a strict obedience All that thus yield up themselves to be Gods Servants they do it with Shame they are ashamed they did no sooner think of their Creator in their youth at their first coming to the use of Reason and think of him that bought them by his Blood 1 Pet. 4. 3. for the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles c. They have too long dishonoured God destroyed their own Souls and kept their Creator out of his right And they do it too with a sense of Gods Love in the new title he hath by Redemption 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. For the Love of Christ constrains us c. 2. He is one that liveth under a sense and conscience of his Dedication not as his own but Gods When you have given up your selves to Gods
either subject to our dominion or created for our use but Man was made immediately for God for the enjoyment of God made for himself and for none else besides himself we should have no rest in our selves until we come to the enjoyment of God God was not refreshed from his Work he rested not untill he made Man therefore Man should not rest untill he comes to God God takes us for his Portion and therefore you should take God for your Portion Deut. 32. 9. For the Lords Portion is his People Zech. 2. 12. And the Lord shall inherit Iudah his Portion in the holy Land and shall choose Ierusalem again If God shall choose a company of Men to be his Portion certainly it becomes them again to choose him God is willing to communicate his Goodness therefore why should we be satisfied with other things He reasons with us is angry that we will run to other things why will you lay out your Time and Strength in that which will not satisfy you Isa. 55. 2. He doth invite you to come and choose Him He complains and takes it grievously when he offers himself in the Gospel Psal. 81. 11. Israel would none of me O shall the God that made us thus passionately offer himself to us and shall he be refused Let this perswade you to choose God for your Portion Use 3. For Tryal Have you chosen God for your Portion This will be seen 1. By your endeavours to get any thing of God into your Hearts No Man seeketh after God there 's the great complaint If you did choose God you would pursue all ways and means that you might gain him and count all things but dung for Christ as the Apostle doth then nothing would detain you from him you would not be satisfied O I must have God and God would be followed after Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee 2. By your Prayers What do you pray for when you come to God what do your Hearts run upon what do you seek for from God is it God himself To seek to God and not for God is but a carnal Design upon God Hosea 7. 14. They howle upon their beds for Corn and Wine and Oyl They are but bruitish Desires that terminate in other things that are carried out more after them than God's Favour and Grace therefore his Favour must be sought in the first place 3. By your behaviour under Trouble when other things faile Lament 3. 24. The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul therefore I will hope in him When they were driven from their other Portions for that is spoken of when all manner of Calamities did befall them and they were cast out and their Inheritance turned to Strangers then Lord Thou art our Portion When you have nothing lest but God can you live upon God and can he be all in all to you 1 Sam. 30. 6. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God When the Amalekites carried away all yet this was his Comfort God was left still And so Hab. 3. 18. When the labour of the Olive shall faile c. what then then I will rejoyce in the God of my salvation When you can count your self happy enough in God Deus meus omnia if I have God I have all then you have chosen God for your Portion 4. By your Delight in God Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart When this is the great rejoycing of your Souls that you can get but one Beam of God's Love and his Favour darted upon your Consciences this is that which revives more than all other temporal Things whatever 5. In Mourning for his absence if your God be gone that 's the grief of your Souls God can supply the want of the Creature but no Creature can supply the want of God therefore it is ground of trouble if he hide his Face This Lamenting and Mourning after a withdrawn God is frequently spoken off in Scripture But the great Evidence lies in the words Thou art my Portion O Lord what then I have said that I would keep thy Words Hence observe Doct. 2. Those which have chosen God for their Portion will manifest it by a fixed Resolution and strict care of Obedience They are loth to break with God rather break with any thing else It must needs be so because 1. Holiness is a means of maintaining Communion between us and God and keeping up an Interest in him as our onely Happiness 1 Iohn 1. 6 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another But if we walk in darkness and say we have fellowship with him we lye and do not the truth Unless there be a care to please Him certainly you do not choose him for your Portion For if all your Comfort and Happiness lies in God all your Diligence and care will be to please God God was the Portion of the Levites it is said because they ministred before him Numb 18. 20. So it is true of the Spiritual Levites they that are careful to walk with God minister before him and keep close with him God will be their Portion All sincere Christians are purified as the Sons of Levi. 2. Because this is the onely evidence They that love God will love his Word and if they love it they will live by it and square their Actions accordingly By careless walking you blot your Evidences and so weaken your Comfort 3. Because God is your Portion therefore it should encourage us to keep his Word Gen. 17. 1. I am God alsufficient walk before me and be thou perfect If we have an alsufficient Portion all our business should be to keep in with God All warping comes from doubting of God's Alsufficiency as if God alone were not enough for us Carnal Fear Love Hope doth draw us off from God to the Creature we are afraid to lose worldly enjoyments so break with God Therefore if we look upon God as Alsufficient it will necessarily follow we should encourage our selves to serve him 4. If we do not keep his Word our Lusts will carry us forth elsewhere There are certain corrupt Principles within you will draw you off from God to another Portion Ezek. 14. 5. They are all estranged from me through their Idols What kind of Idols were these Idols of Wood and Stone No the Prophet explains them They have set up their Idols in their heart v. 3. Christians a Man may be an Idolater in opinion and grosly when he worships stocks and stones and he may be an Idolater Spiritually and in Practice And which is most incurable of these two think you certainly the Spiritual Idolater A man may easily be convinced of his false worship by Reason and Argument what a bruitish thing it is to worship stocks and stones things that have no Life nor can help him but he cannot be convinced of his Spiritual
Idolatry or cured of that but by Grace Covetousness is Idolatry because it draws off our Love Fear Trust from God and his Service to Riches and so proves a snare to the Soul Idolatry in our affections is more dangerous than gross Idolatry in our opinions and outward worship when our affections carry us out to another Good 5. Again out of Gratitude when God doth all for us can we deny him any thing Dost thou love God as the chiefest Good and wilt not thou fear to offend him Who ever chooseth God for his Portion will have David's disposition I have said I will keep thy Words he will be exact and punctual to keep in with God SERMON LXV PSAL. CXIX 58. I Intreated thy Favour with my whole Heart be mercifull unto me according to thy Word IN the former Verse I took notice of two Parts David's Protestation Thou art my Portion and his Resolution I will keep thy Words To either of the Branches this Verse may be supposed to have Respect To the former thus as a second Evidence if we make God our Portion this will necessarily follow we shall desire his favour above all things else Our Portion is that Good which we choose renouncing all things else therefore when our hearts are set upon it whom have I in Heaven but Thee Psal. 73. 25. When you entreat his Favour with your whole heart that 's the Evidence God is your Portion Or you may referr it to the latter Clause thus I said I will keep thy Words therefore I intreat thy Favour We cannot carry on a good purpose without God's Favour unless He assist us therein When we are most resolved we must expect opposition and assaults both from within and without The Devil will seek all he can to oppose you and to shake your Resolutions and your Lusts will rage a new upon a severe restraint Therefore those that resolve to enter into a strict course must seek Relief from God's Favour and Mercy as David here I intreated thy Favour with my whole Heart In the Words we have an account of David's Practice upon a Choice and Resolution he betook himself to Prayer Here you have 1. The Object or Principle thing sought Gods Favour 2. The manner with my whole Heart with a sincere Affection He doth not say with his Lips onely but his Heart and not with his Heart onely but with his whole Heart 3. The summ of his request or the Fountain of all that he expected from God be Mercifull to me 4. The rule or ground of his Expectation according to thy Word The meaning is that God according to his promise would graciously help him I. For the first I intreated thy Favour or as it is in the Hebrew I painfully sought thy Face meaning that he did with importunate and humble suit beg the smile of Gods councountenance by Face is meant Favour Prov. 29. 26. Many seek the Rulers Favour it is the Rulers face that he may look chearfully upon them and I painfully sought so the Word signifies it notes such importunity as is necessary for so great a Blessing The note is this Doct. Gods People those that have made him their Portion they earnestly and constantly above all things desire his Favour 1. This God calls for Psal. 105. 4. Seek the Lord seek his Face evermore None have such Communion with God but they need seek more Psal. 27. 8. Thou saidst seek my Face Thy Face Lord will I seek Thou saidst it is that which God speaks in all his Ordinances the whole drift of the Word is to press us to get and keep the sense of God's love ever fresh in our Hearts 2. The Nature of the Saints carries them to it This is the difference between them and carnal men Psal. 4. 6 7. The light of his Countenance is spoken of either with Allusion to the Sun whose Light displaid chears the Plants or with Allusion to the smiles of a Friend one good look from God the Children of God preferr above all the World All earthly things cannot please them so much as a smile from God nor put such gladness in their Hearts But more especially do they seek it most painfully 1. When they have never as yet attained any sense of it but lye under doubts fears and auxious uncertainty then if God will but look upon them make out his Love to their Consciences what a comfort will that be to them A man may want assurance and have Grace but he cannot slight assurance and have Grace He that is without it may be one of Gods Children but he that doth not look after it and is satisfied without it certainly is none of that number Therefore this is the desire and earnest prayer of all Gods People in common that God would cause his Face to shine upon them Psal. 80. 17. Thou that dwellest between the Cherubims shine forth that is that sittest upon the Mercy Seat O that he would be good to them in Christ for between the Cherubims there was the Mercy Seat where God sate the meaning is that he would a little dart in Beams of Comfort to their Consciences 2. They thus painfully intreat the Favour of God when they have lost it by sin for then they are afflicted with a double evil want of so great a comfort and a sense of their own folly A sense of Gods favour may be with-held out of meer Soveraignty yet even then God's Children will be earnest but when it is withdrawn out of Justice as a correction for our folly and careless walking there is greater cause of earnestness that we may redeem and recover our loss again Then we are to be more earnest Turn us again Lord God of Hosts and cause thine anger towards us to cease Psal. 80. 7. By their former experience they know the sweetness of God's favour and by their present loss the bitterness of the want of it Basil hath a notable Comparison he saith if an Object be too bright it must be set at a distance from the Eye that we may see better so worldly things must be set at a distance from us therefore God seems to be at a distance hides his Face that his People might know by the loss and want of it how to value their Blessings How far do they discover their earnestness 1. In that they seek it above all other things above Corn Wine and Oil. This is not their painful desire to be made great rich high honourable happy in the World All the World doth them no good without the favour of God As all the Stars though they shine together do not dispel the darkness of the Night so no Creatures can comfort us sufficiently when God hides his Face from them Psal. 30. 1. Thou didst hide thy Face and I was troubled They cannot finde God as they were wont As at Funeral Feasts dear Friends have little comfort when they miss their old Friend that was wont to bid them
not Satan Christians have not onely to do with men who strike at their worldly interests but with Satan who hath a spight at their Souls Eph. 6. 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers against the rulers of the darkness of this World against spiritual wickedness in high places God may give men a power over the bodily lives of his people and all the interests thereof the Devil aimeth at the destruction of Souls He will let you enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season that deprive you of your delight in God and celestial pleasures He can be content you shall have dignities and honours if they prove a snare to you if he seeketh to bring you to trouble and poverty it is to draw you from God 5. Fainting argueth weakness if not nullity of Grace Prov. 24. 10. If thou faintest in the day of Adversity thy strength is small A zealous constant mind will overcome all discouragements 2 Tim. 1. 7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind Trees well rooted will abide the blasts of strong Winds It is hard to those that are guided by flesh and bloud to overcome such Temptations but to the heavenly Mind it is more easy Use 1. Of Information That loss of goods for adhering to God's Word by the violence and rapine of evil-minded men is one Temptation we should prepare for Such Tryals may come Such as mind to be constant must prepare themselves for it to quit their goods We all study to shift off the Cross but none studieth to prepare for the Cross. Profession goeth at too low a rate when People leap into it upon the impulsion of carnal Motives or some light Conviction or Approbation God taketh his Fan in his hand and the Chaff is distinguished from the solid Grain all love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cheap Gospel the Gospel will have many summer Friends gaudy Butterflies that fly abroad in the Sunshine but what cost are we content to be at for the Gospel's sake 2. That where men make conscience of their ways they are not apt to be reduced by penalties for they are guided by an higher Principle than the interests of the Flesh. Conscience looks to the obligation of Duty what we must doe or not doe not to the course of our Interests not what is safe but what is Duty Oh but their Sufferings may make them serious and wise and so reflect upon their errour and change their mind Answ. It rather puzleth the case When a man is divided between his Conscience and his Interests the unsound are blinded by their Interests but a gracious heart in a clear case is more resolute in a doubtfull is more afraid and full of hesitancy lest he gratifies the Flesh and so the case is more perplexed Men sooner come to themselves and relinquish errours if Interest be not in the case Use 2. To Exhort us to keep a good Conscience and to be faithfull with God though our temporal Interests should be indangered thereby The Conscience of our duty should more comfort us than the loss of temporal Things should trouble our Minds But because this is not a bie Point that I am now upon nor a small thing that I press you to but necessary for every Candidate of Eternity or true Disciple of Iesus Christ I must direct to get this Constancy of mind 1. I will shew you what is necessary to it by way of Disposition or Qualification 2. What is necessary to it by way of Consideration 1. By way of Disposition 1. There is required a lively Faith concerning the World to come with some assurance of our Interest therein That Faith is necessary to draw off the Heart from the Conveniencies and Comforts of this Life appeareth by that Heb. 10. 34. Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing of your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and a more enduring Substance There is both Faith implyed and also some assurance of our Interest They knew there was Substance to be had in the other World they that live by sense count present things onely Substance but the World to come onely Fancy and Shadows but the gracious Heart on the contrary looketh upon this World as a vain shew Psalm 39. 6. the World to come to be onely the enduring Substance or that true solid good which will make us everlastingly happy And there is some assurance of our Interest they had this Substance that is by vertue of God's Promise they had a title and right to it and some security for the full possession of it in due time by the first-fruits and earnest of the Spirit This they knew in themselves they discerned their own Qualification and fulfilling the conditions of the Promises and the Spirit did in some measure testify to them that they were the Sons of God and from all this flowed their sufferings of the loss of Worldly goods and their suffering of it joyfully 2. A sincere Love to Christ is necessary for then they will not quit his Interest for what is most near and dear to them in the World Rom. 8. 35. What shall separate us from the love of Christ Love there is not onely taken passively for the Love wherewith Christ loveth us but actively for the Love wherewith we love Christ. For the things mentioned there shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword belong not to the latter for Tribulation is not wont to withdraw God from loving us but us from loving God It is we that are assaulted by Tribulation and not God nor Christ it is our Love which the Temptation striketh at A man that loveth Christ sincerely will be at some loss for him Christ is rather held by the Heart than by the Head onely they that make a Religion of their Opinions will find no such effect if they have a Faith that never went deeper than their Brains and their Fancies that reacheth not their Heart and doth not stir up their love to Christ that will not inable them to hold out against Temptations Though men may sacrifice some of their weaker Lusts and petty Interests yet they will not forsake all for his sake he that loveth Christ will not leave him Why doth a Sinner deny himself for his Lusts he loveth them and sacrifices his Time Strength Estate Conscience So a Christian that knoweth Christ hath loved him and therefore loveth Christ again he will not easily quit him and his Truth a bare belief is onely in the Head which is but the entrance into the inwards of the Soul it is the Heart which is Christ's Castle and Cittadel A superficial Assent may let him go but a faith which worketh by love produceth this close Adherence Well if we would endure spoiling of our goods it is our wisedom to consider what we love most and can least part
the same Spirit As some Philosophers say there is an Anima Mundi which holdeth all the parts of it together so there is a spirit of Communion which uniteth all the Members of Christ's mystical Body and inclineth them one to another 3. Gratitude to Christ maketh us to prize all that belong to him and to own them and to be Companions with them in all conditions 1 Iohn 3. 16 17 18. Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren But whoso hath this worlds good and seeth his Brother have need and shutteth up his bowels of Compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him My little Children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth 1 John 4. 11. Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another God loved us greatly sent his own Son to die for us now how shall we express our thankfulness but by a dear and tender love to those who are Christ's As David when Ionathan was dead inquired Is there none of Ionathan's Posterity to whom I may shew kindness for Ionathan's sake at length he found lame Mephibosheth So is there none upon Earth to whom we may shew kindness for Christ's sake who is now in Heaven yes there are the Saints Now these should be dear and precious to us and we should be Companions with them in all Conditions 4. Because of the Profit and Utility redounding A true Friend is valuâ—…e though in secular matters much more a spiritual Friend Prov. 27. 17. As Iron sharpeneth Iron so doth a man the countenance of his Friend When a man is dull his Friend puts an edge upon him he is a mighty support and stay to us Prov. 17. 17. A Friend loveth at all times and a Brother is born for adversity Prov. 27. 9. The perfume of an Ointment rejoyceth the Soul so doth the sweetness of a man's Friend by hearty Counsel and in some cases he telleth us a Friend is better than a Brother Now if an ordinary true Friend be so valuable what is a Christian Friend An holy heavenly faithfull Friend is one of the greatest Treasures upon Earth therefore we should seek out such and associate with them Use. Let us see then whom we make our Companions let us avoid evil Company lest we be defiled by them and frequent good Company that we may be mutually comforted and quickened I am a Companion of them that fear thee Interpreters suppose it was spoken in opposition to the Bands of the Wicked mentioned verse 61. if they unite so should we this then is our business the rejecting of evil Company and the choice of good Companions To enforce this take these Considerations 1. Friendship is necessary because man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sociable Creature Man was not made to live alone but in company with others and for mutual society and fellowship and they that fly all Company and live to and by themselves are counted inhumane Eccles. 4. 9 10 11 12. there the benefit of society is set forth Two are better than one For if they fall the one will lift up his fellow but woe to him that is alone when he falleth he hath not another to lift him up again If two lie together they have heat but how can one be warm alone and if one prevaile against him two shall withstand him Thus far Solomon The Egyptians in their Hieroglyphicks expressed the unprofitableness of a solitary Man by a single Milstone which alone grindeth no Meal but with his fellow is very serviceable for that purpose The Lord appointed Mankind to live in society that they might be mutually helpfull to one another he never made them to live in Desarts as wild Beasts love to goe alone but the tame in Flocks and Herds The Lord hath given variety of gifts to the sons of Men to all some but to none all that one might stand in need of another and make use of one another and the subordination of one gift to another is the great Instrument of upholding the World Man is weak and needeth Society for every man is insufficient to himself and wants the help of others and man is inclined by the bent of his Nature we have a certain desire to dwell together and live in society 2. Though Man affects Society yet in our company we may use choice and the good must converse with the good for these Reasons 1. Because like will sort with like Friendship is very much founded in sutableness and maintained by it idem velle nolle est amicitia the godly will have special love to the godly and they that fear God will be a Companion of those that fear him they are more dear and precious to them than others as a wicked man easily smelleth out a fit Companion Psalm 50. 18. When thou sawest a thief then thou consentedst with him and hast been partaker with Adulterers Like will to like and therefore the godly should be dear and precious to one another Every man's Company wherein he delighteth sheweth what manner of man he is himself The Fowls of Heaven flock together according to their several kinds Ye shall not see Doves flocking with the Ravens nor divers kinds intermixed Every man is known by his Company They that delight in Drinking love swilling and drunken Companions in Gaming love such as make no conscience of their time in Hunting love such as are addicted to such Exercises in Armes love men of a souldierly and military spirit they that delight in Books love Scholars and persons of a Philosophical breeding That which every man is taken withall he loveth to doe it with his Friend so certainly they that love and fear God delight in those that love him and fear him and their Company is a refreshing to one another 2. If they be not like intimacy and converse will make them like every man is wrought upon by his Company We imitate those whom we love and with whom we often converse Prov. 13. 20. He that walketh with wise men shall be wise but a companion of fools shall be destroyed As a man that walketh in the Sunshine is tanned insensibly and as Moses's Face shined by conversing with God ere we are aware we adopt their manners and customs and get a Tincture from them So Prov. 22. 24 25. Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not goe Lest thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy Soul A man would think that of all Sins Wrath and Anger should not be propagated by Company the motions and furies of it are so uncomly to a beholder yet secretly a liking of the person breedeth a liking of his ways and a man getteth such a frame of spirit as those have whom he hath chosen for his Companions This should be the more regarded by us because
the default of our portion but the distemper of our hearts In choosing God for our portion one hath not the less because another enjoyeth it with him here is a sharing without Division and a partaking without the prejudice of Copartners We straiten others in worldly things so much as we are inlarged our selves finite things cannot be divided but they must be lessened they are not large enough to be parted but every one possesseth all that is good in God who hath God for his portion As the same Speech may be heard of all and yet no man heareth the less because others hear it with him or as no man hath the less light because the Sun shineth on more than himself the Lord is all in all the more we possess him the better As in a Quire of Voices every one is not only solaced with his own voice but with the Harmony of those that sing in consort with him Many a fair stream is drawn dry by being dispersed into several channels but that which is infinite will suffice all 4. He is Eternally Good Psalm 73. 26. God is the strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever The Good things of this life are perishing and of a short continuance we leave other Good things when we come to take full possession of God At death wicked men perceive their error when the Good they have chosen cometh to be taken from them but a man that hath chosen God then entreth into the full possession of him That which others shun he longeth for waiting for that time when the Creature shall cease and God shall be all in all O let all these things perswade us to love God and so to love him that our hearts may be drawn off from other things Let us love him because of the goodness and amiableness of his Nature because of his bounty in our Creation Redemption and daily Providence and because he will be our God for ever 7. God's Goodness is our Consolation and Support in all Afflictions God is a gracious Father and all that he doth is Acts of Grace and Goodness even the sharpest of his Administrations are absolutely the best for us Psalm 73. 1. Truly God is good to Israel all his Work is good as in the six days so in constant Providence it is either good or it will turn to good Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God God may change our Condition yet he doth not change his Affection to us he is all good and doth that which we shall find good at length 8. It is the ground of Prayer if we lack any good thing he hath it and is ready to communicate it The Goodness of God as it doth stir up Desire in us so Hope as it stirreth a Desire to communicate of his Fulness so a Hope that surely the good God will hear us He is not sparing of what he can doe for us Iames 1. 5. If any of you lack Wisdome let him ask it of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Our Wants send us to the Promises and the Promises to God Use 1. Is to press us to imitate our Heavenly Father you should be good and doe good as he is good and doth good for every Disposition in God should leave an answerable Character and Impression upon their Souls that profess themselves to be made Partakers of a Divine Nature therefore it should be our great care and study to be as good and doe as much good as possibly we can He is one like God that is good and doth good therefore still be doing good to all especially to the houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. As we have therefore opportunity let us doe good to all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of Faith With Matth. 5. 44 45. Love your Enemies bless them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven for he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Luke 6. 35. But love ye your Enemies and doe good and lend hoping for nothing again and your Reward shall be great and ye shall be the Children of the Highest for he is kind unto the unthankfull and to the evil 2 Pet. 1. 7. Add to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly kindness Charity Not doing good to our own Party or those of our Friendship but to all So generally all good is to be done as well as that of Bounty and Beneficence Luke 6. 45. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and it is said of Barnabas Acts 11. 24. He was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of Faith A good Man is always seeking to make others good as Fire turneth all thing about it into Fire The Title signifies one not onely of a mild Disposition but of an holy heavenly Heart that maketh it his business to honour God So Ioseph of Arimathea is said to be a good man and a just this is to be like God Use 2. Is Direction to you in the business of the Lord's Supper God is good and doth good 1. Here you come to remember his Goodness to you in Christ. Now the Goodness of God should never be thought on or commemorated but your Hearts should be raised in the wonder and admiration of it Psalm 31. 19. O how great is thy Goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee And Psalm 36. 7. How excellent is thy loving kindness O God! therefore the Children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings This should be delightfull work to you and not gone about with dead and careless hearts We cannot express our selves many times strong Passions do not easily get a vent little things may be greatned by us but great things indeed strike us dumb however our Hearts should be deeply affected and possessed with this we should be full of such admiring Thoughts 2. We come for a more intimate and renewed Tast. By Tast I mean spiritual Sense to have the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given to us Rom. 5. 5. We come to the Feast of the Soul that our hungry Consciences may tast of the Fatness of God's House Psalm 65. 4. That our thirsty Souls may drink of the Rivers of his Pleasure Psalm 16. 11. To have some pledg of the Joys of Heaven if not to ravishment and sensible reviving yet such as may put us out of relish with carnal Vanities some gracious experiences that may make us long for more and go away lauding God 3. To stir up our Love to God as the most lovely
compared with all that may be called life Life is either Natural Spiritual or Eternal Compare it with life Natural and there the Psalmist will tell you Psal. 63. 3. Thy loving-kindness is better than life life is not life without it without the feeling of this love or the hope of feeling it it is little worth To have the light of the Sun which is the comfort of the senses without the light of God's Countenance which is the comfort of the soul is a sad and dark estate especially to the Children of God that know they are made for another world and for this onely in their passage thither Natural life onely giveth us a capacity to injoy the comforts of sense which are base dreggy and corruptive but the special favour of God lets us into such consolations as perfect the Soul and affects it with a greater pleasure than our natural faculties are capable of life natural is a frail brittle thing but these saving effects of Gods mercy lay a Foundation of eternal happiness Life natural may grow a burden but the love of God is never burdensome the days may come in which there is no pleasure Eccl. 12. 1. Job 33. 20. his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty food in sickness and age in troubles of Conscience Men do pretty well with their worldly happiness till God rebuke man for sin then all the glory profit and pleasure of the creature doth us no good Psal. 39. 11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth Iudas halter'd himself when filled with the sense of Gods wrath Iob chose strangling rather than life At death when all worldly things cease and are of no more use to us the sense of Gods love will be of great use to us All the world understand the worth and value of Gods love when death cometh then a child of God feeleth it Oh saith he I would not for all the world but that I had made sure of the love of God before this hour how terrible else would it have been to leave all and leap out into an unknown world Ier. 17. 9. The unjust man at his latter end shall be a fool and Iob 27. 8. What is the hope of the Hypocrite if he hath gained when God cometh to take away his Soul 2. Life Spiritual the Soul hath no life but in communion with God who is the fountain of this new life now the more sensible and close this is the more they live the vitality of this life lyeth in the sensible participation of the effects of his special grace and mercy then we have it more abundantly Iohn 10. 10. not onely living but lively 3. For eternal life a comfortable sense of Gods mercy is the beginning and pledg of the true and heavenly life Rom. 5. 4 5 6. The shedding abroad the love of God in the heart of a believer maketh this his hope sure and certain he needeth not be ashamed for he hath earnest beforehand 2. Gods favour furnisheth us with a remedy against all evils and miseries i. e. wants troubles sins The want of other things may be supplyed by the love of God but the want of the love of God cannot be supplyed with any thing else if poor in the world yet we may be rich in faith Iam. 2. 5. if afflicted destitute yet this loss may be made up by the presence of God in the Soul 2 Cor. 4. 16. As our outward man decayeth our inward man is renewed day by day If they want the creature they have God there is no want of a candle when they have the Sun if they want health the Soul may be in good plight 3. Epist. Iohn 2. as Gaius had a healthy soul in a sickly body If they want liberty they ly open to the visits of his grace the Spirit of God is no stranger to them nor can his company and comforts be shut out Tertullian telleth the Martyrs you went out of the prison when you went into it and were but sequestred from the world that you might converse with God the greatest prisoners are those that are at large darkened with ignorance chained with lusts committed not by the Proconsul but God If they want the favour of men they have the favour of God God smileth when the world frowneth they may be Banished but every place is alike near to God and Heaven Some climates are nearer and some further off from the Sun but all alike near to the Sun of Righteousness Ibi pater ubi patria that is our Country where God is we are harrassed beaten afflicted in sundry manners but the sting is gone therod that is dip'd in guilt smarteth most but a pardoned man may rejoyce in tribulations Rom. 5. 1 2. But now on the contrary suppose a man high in honour wallowing in wealth spending his time and wealth in ease and pleasure but after all this God will bring him to Judgment the world is his friend but God is his enemy and he is all his life time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 14. not always felt but soon awakened and during the time of his comfort and delight he is danceing about the brink of hell liable to an eternal curse and there is but the slender thread of a frail life between him and execution a few serious sober thoughts undoe him 2. Sin that is the great evil both as to the guilt of it and the wages of it the guilt and obliquity of it no creature can provide a plaister for this sore to get our Consciences setled and our natures healed this is the special fruit of Gods mercy in Christ his business is to save us from sin Matt. 1. 21. Acts. 3. 26. God having raised up his son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquity Rom. 11. 26. There shall come out of Zion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Iacob have Gods Image repaired and restored to his Grace and Favour those that have felt sin a burden nothing will satisfie till the Lord looks graciously upon them 3. The favour of the Lord is the fountain of all blessings Get an interest in his special mercy and then all things are yours you have God for your God who commandeth all things 1 Cor. 3. 22. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all things are yours Matt. 6. 33. First seek the Kingdome of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you Prov. 10. 22. The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it 4. It sweetens every Comfort a piece of bread with the love of God is a plentifull feast A little that a righteous man hath is better than the revenue of many wicked Quid prodest regium alimentum si ad Gehennam pascat What profiteth it to be fatted
for slaughter Secondly Reasons from the subject or disposition of the renewed heart 1. They have once had an apprehension of their true misery by reason of sin and the curse None prize the favour of God but they have been burdened with the sense of sin and misery We speak in vain to most men 't is onely the sick will prize the Physician the condemned be earnest for a pardon 2. They are renewed till a man be holy he cannot rejoyce in Spiritual things The fools heart is always in the house of mirth Eccl. 7. 4. For masks and plays and merry meetings feasts and banquets and vain company and idle games and pastimes these are the life and joy of their Souls A fool will make a foolish choice as children prefer their rattles and toys before a solid benefit Rom. 8. 5. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit the desire sheweth what is delightfull and comfortable but now the renewed heart 't is their all to be in favour with God they have not the spirit of the world 1 Cor. 2. 3. many have affections for any thing but God The Use is Reproof to those that care not for this sense of Gods mercy David could not think himself alive till he was reconciled to God Profane men are not much troubled with this care though God be angry they can seek their delight elsewhere they can rejoyce in the Creature apart from God so they may have outward things they are at ease and can sing lullabies to their Souls as that wretch in the parable Luke 12. 19. eat drink and be merry If they be in trouble they seek to put away their troubles by carnal means Let these consider first God can make the stoutest hearted sinner who standeth aloof from him to see he is undone without him 't is no hard thing to put a sinner in the stocks of conscience so that one favourable look would be valued more than all the world Secondly it may be when punishment hath opened their eyes God may hide his face and withhold the blessing from them when they seek it with bitter tears Prov. 1. 28. They shall call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not find me 2. To shame the people of God that have such cold and careless thoughts about that which true believers count as dear as their lives 1. This slightness cometh from carnal complacency or inordinate delight in the Creature or letting out our selves to worldly delights Now this is vile ingratitude when Gods gifts and those of the worser sort draw us from himself Will you be of a Gadaren spirit or as one of the vain fellows as Michal told David scoffingly 2. Consider how dangerous this is to our temporal and eternal felicity Temporal felicity the creature is blasted when our life is bound up with it The world is eclipsed that the favour of God may be more prized and the loss of the creature should more awaken us to seek after God We most prize the evidences of Gods favour and reconciliation with him when we are in trouble and God taketh away our worldly comforts that the consolations of his Spirit may not seem as small things Many have smarted for carnal complacency Eternal felicity when any carnal thing is valued more than God it puts our eternal comforts upon an hazard 't is a selling the birthright for a mess of pottage Heb. 12. 15. Well then let us be weaned from the world for while we take too much delight in the creature God is the less esteemed 2. Use Is Instruction to teach us how to carry our selves with respect to this priviledge a sense of the love of God shed abroad in our hearts in the fruits and effects thereof 1. Let us make it our chiefest care to get and preserve the fresh sense of Gods love upon our hearts grudging at no labour 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure c. No cost Matt. 13. 46. When he had found one pearl of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it Phil. 3. 8 9. denying lusts and Interests 2. Not to hazard it on cheap terms God forbid that I should sell my Inheritance Will you sell away Christ and Heaven for such cheap rates hazard your Souls for carnal satisfaction 3. Let us be sensible of the want of it as the greatest misery Matt. 9. 15. 4. Rejoyce in it above all things Psal. 4. 6 7. Be glad if this be promoted though by sharp afflictions 2. Doctrine All such as would have the comfortable effects and sense of Gods mercy must delight in his law 1. Delight in the law implyeth obedience for it is not a delight that ariseth from speculation or the contemplation of the truth revealed therein I delight to doe thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Psal. 40. 8. and Psal. 112. 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandments not in the knowledg of their duty but in the practice of it 'T is in the Law as the rule of Duty and all tendeth to practice They that delight in the speculation grudg at the practice One that is observant of God's will delighteth to believe and obey as well as to know Gods word 2. A ready and cheerfull obedience must be willingly and heartily undertaken Love to the work for the works sake A man is never truly converted to God till God hath his love and his law hath his love for the constitution of the heart is not seen in our opinions so much as in our affections love desire and delight Many mens Judgment is for God that is Conscience is for God but their hearts are for other things When obedience is practically and chearfully undertaken and the delight of our Souls in them Men have a little compulsory religiousness 't is most when frightned into it Men do something but had rather leave it undone and do not choose rather to walk holily if they had their own choice A man is slavish when fear of being damned doth onely sway him the godly love holiness as holiness they are constant with God But why do they that have a comfortable sense of his mercy delight in his law 1. These are onely fit to ask mercy 2. These are qualified to receive mercy 1. These are onely fit to ask mercy First because they are likely to ask it most feelingly None prize the mercy of God nor will ask it in such an earnest and broken-hearted manner as those that delight in his Law These see their want of it they are sensible of more defects than others are Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am they mind their work which others that exercise themselves not unto godliness mind not they have greater light and greater discoveries more
quickned me O! when a child of God is even dead and hath many damps and discouragements upon his heart when he goes to the Word there he hath quickning reviving and is encouraged to wait upon God again All our discomfort comes from forgetting what God hath spoken in his Word Heb. 12. 5. Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children There 's abundant consolation in the Word but we forget it and do not carry it always in our mind and then we lie under much dejection of heart if we do not study it discomfort will come upon us In the Word there 's a remedy for every malady and an ease for every smart and therefore this is that which makes it precious to the children of God II. Secondly The Saints readily yield this love to the Word Why 1. Because their hearts are suited to the Word The Word is every way suited to the sanctified nature and the sanctified nature is suited to it for that which is written in God's Book is written over again upon their hearts by the finger of the Spirit while we are in our natural state there is an enmity to the Law of God For we are not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom 8. 7. I but when they come to be written upon the heart and mind then our affections are suited to the Word Carnal men do not love the Word why because it is contrary to them as Micaiah to Ahab He prophesieth nothing but evil to me it only rubs their sores and discovers their spots to them and that 's grievous and proud spirits think it to be a simple plain doctrine Worldly spirits love it not for it draweth them off wholly to think of things to come but they whose hearts are suited to it they have a mighty love to it 2. They have tasted the goodness of the Word therefore they love it 2 Pet. 2. 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word why If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious if you have felt any benefit Ier. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine heart When they come to taste digest and have experience of the benefit in comforting changing supporting their own hearts then they love the Word of God that hath been the instrument of it Iam. 1. 18. He hath begotten us by the word of truth then what follows Be swift to hear If a man be begotten if he hath felt the benefit of the Word then he will be taking all occasions to delight himself and refresh his soul in the VVord of God in reading hearing meditating because he hath found sensible benefit Use 1. To shame and humble us that we are so cold in our love It is an admirable and an incredible affection David here speaks Consider who it was that speaks thus David he that was incumbred with the employments of a Kingdom he that had so many Courtly pleasures so many great businesses to divert and draw him aside yet all his employment could not with-hold him from delighting himself in the VVord of God It was David that was a King and mark how he doth express himself he doth not say I endeavor to keep thy Word but I love thy Word Nay he saith more he speaks of it as a thing he could not express How I love thy Law No great wonder that we cannot express the excellency of the Word but that our affections which are so finite that these should not be exprest this is wonderful Then he speaks of it with Exclamation too O how I love thy Law and he speaks this to God the Septuagint read it Lord how have I loved thy Law He makes God himself to be Judge not only of the truth of his love as Peter makes Christ the Judge of the truth of his love I have many failings I have fallen foully of late but Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest I love thee but he makes God the Judge of the strength of his love Lord how do I love thy Law Have we any thing answerable Heart should answer heart Are there such affections wrought in us as David expresseth to be in himself This should shame us for we have more reason there is more of the VVord of God revealed to us more of the counsel of God discover'd the Canon of Scripture being enlarged more discover'd than ever was to David yet our affections so cold SERMON CII PSAL. CXIX VER 97. Oh how love I thy Law c. I Come now to a second Use. To press us to get this Love Take three Arguments 1. This will wean us from sinful delight that is apt to insinuate with us and take our hearts it will draw us off from carnal pastimes curious studies vain pamphlets if you had this Love here would be your recreation in the word of God Castae deliciae meae sunt Scripturae tuae saith Austin here are my chaste delights thy holy Scripture to be ruminating and meditating there Here you will be employing your time and strength of your thoughts There are two things mightily concern us to make Religion our business and recreation our business in regard of the seriousness and our recreation and delight in regard of the sweetness Now if you have a word from God here will be your delight you will be exercising your selves contemplating the height depth and breadth of God's Love in Christ Jesus and turning over this blessed book Iob 23. 12. I have esteemed the words of thy mouth more than my necessary food Your very food for sustentation of your bodies will not be so sweet to you as the word of God for the comfort and refreshing of the Soul when the promises are as dry breasts and withered flowers when men have little or no feeling of the power of it upon their hearts no wonder they are besotted with the pleasures of sin Mans mind must have some pleasure and oblectation but their harts are chained to carnal delights so that they cannot mind the business of their souls 2. Your hearts will be more stable and upright with God more constant in the profession of godliness when you come to love the word and love the truth for the truths sake 2 Thes. 2. 12. Because they received not the truth in the Love of it therefore God gave them up to strong delusions that they might believe lyes The Lord hath seen it sit ever to continue this dispensation in the course of his Providence to suffer seducing spirits to go forth to try how we have received the truth whether only in the bare profession of it or received it in the Love of it Many have received the truth in the light of it that is compelled by Conscience and by humane tradition and currant opinions and custom of the country to profess it but they do not love it therefore they
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
2. There are certain things that cannot be discerned by external senses yet a Christian may have a feeling of them by internal sense 3. The outward senses sometimes set the inward senses awork 1. Because in those things which are liable to external sense a man may have an outward sense of them when he hath not an inward as in Seeing Tasting Touching In Seeing Deut. 29. 2. compar'd with ver 4. Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt and yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day They saw yet had not an heart to see they saw those wonders with the eyes of their body they had a sense outward and natural but not a sense inward and spiritual So for Taste There is a Taste of God's goodness in the creature all taste it by their outward senses Psal. 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works The wicked are not excepted from this taste for the creatures are as useful for the preservation of their lives as the lives of others They do not mind God's love in it and so do rather taste the creature than God's goodness in the creature but the child of God tasteth his love therein The Fly finds no Honey in the Flower but the Bee doth A fleshly â—…alate relisheth only the gross pleasure of the creature not that refined delight which a spiritual Palate hath who hath a double sweetness it doth not only receive the creature for its natural use but it tasts God and feels the love of God in the conscience as well as the warmth of the creature in his bowels So for Feeling Ier. 3. 25. We lie down in our shame and our confusion covereth us for we have sinned against the Lord our God Men may feel the blows of his Providence and be sensible of the natural inconvenience yet they have not a spiritual feeling so as to be affected with God's displeasure and have a kindly impression left upon the soul that may make them return to God 2. It differs from the outward senses because they can by a spiritual sense discern that which cannot be discerned by the outward sense as in that place Heb. 11. 27. By faith Moses saw him that was invisible See the invisible God and are as much affected with his eye and presence as if he were before the eyes of the body as others are awed by the presence of a worldly Potentate this is matter of internal sense So for Taste they have meat which the world knows not of invisible comforts Iohn 4. 37. They have hidden Manna to feed upon and are as deeply affected with a sense of God's love and hopes of eternal life as others are with all outward dainties Then as to Feeling many things the outward sense cannot discern sometimes they feel spiritual agonies heart-breakings when all is well and sound without a man would wonder what they should be troubled about that abound in wealth and all worldly comforts and accommodations they have an inward feeling they feel that which worldly men feel not when they are afflicted in their spirits carnal comforts can work nothing upon them when they are afflicted outwardly spiritual comforts ease their heart And as they feel soul-agonies and soul-comforts so they feel the operations of the spiritual life they have a feeling of the power of the Spirit working in them they live and know that they live Now no man knows that he lives but by sense therefore if a Child of God knows he lives he hath internal sense as well as external We know we live naturally by natural sense and we know we live spiritually by spiritual sense Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me He lived and knew that he lived they have a life which they feel within themselves the operations and motions of the spiritual life they feel its impulsions to duty its abhorrencies from sin tendency of soul to God and spiritual supports and they feel the stirrings of the old nature workings of heart towards sin and vanity which the outward senses cannot discover 3. The outward senses sometimes set the inward senses a work The sweetness of those good things which are liable to sense put us in mind of the sweetness of better things as the Prodigal's Husks put him in mind of the Bread in his Father's House or as the Priests of Mercury among the Heathen when they were eating Figs they were to cry Truth is sweet because the god whom they worshipped was supposed to be the inventer of Arts and the discoverer of Truth So Christians when by the outward taste they find any thing sweet the inward sense is set a work and they have a more lively feeling of spiritual comforts as David Honey is sweet but the Word of God was sweeter than honey to him or the honey-comb Thus Christ when he was eating Bread Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God Luk. 14. 15. and they that have Christ's Spirit they act suitably 2 This sense differs from a bare and simple act of the understanding why for a man may know things that he doth not feel Simple apprehension is one thing and an impression another An apprehension of the sharpness of pain is not a feeling of the sharpness of pain Jesus Christ had a full apprehension of his sufferings all his life-long but felt them not until his agonies therefore he said Iohn 12. 27. Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say We have Notions of good and evil when we neither taste the one nor the other It is one thing to know sin to be the greatest evil and another thing to feel it to be so to know the excellency of Christ's love and to taste the sweetness of it this doth not only constitute a difference between a renewed and carnal man but sometimes between a renewed man and himself 1. Between renewed men and carnal men they know the same truths yet have not the same affections A carnal man may talk of truths according to godliness and may dispute of them and hold opinions about them but doth not taste them so he does but know the grace of God in conceit not in truth and reality as the expression is Col. 1. 6. As a man only that hath read of Honey may have a fancy and imagination of the sweetness of it but he that tasts it knows it in truth and in effect they know the grace of God and the happiness of being in communion with God by the light of nature in conceit but not in reality but the other they taste it If so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2. 3. There 's an impression of sweetness left upon the soul and real experience of the goodness of God in Christ so as to make them affect him with all
something without to draw you forward Nature thrusteth Occasion inviteth but Grace interposeth and checketh the motion Gal. 5. 17. The spirit lusteth against the flesh 't is against the bent and inclination of the New Nature there is a back Biass Ioseph had a temptation we read of occasion inviting but not of Nature inclining but presently his heart recoiled The heart of man is seldome without these counterbuffs 't is an advantage to have the new Nature as ready to check as the old Nature to urge and solicite 1 Iohn 3. 9. He cannot sin for his seed remaineth in him 2. In putting on the heart upon Duties that are against the hair and bent of corruption Such acts of obedience as are most troublesome and burthensome to the flesh as are laborious costly dangerous Laborious as private Worship wrestling with God in Prayer holding the heart to Meditation and self-Examination sluggish Nature is apt to shrink but love constraineth 2 Cor. 5. 14. Spiritual Worship and such as is altogether without secular encouragement that 's tedious to work truth into the heart to commune with God to ransack Conscience 't is troublesome but thy striving will overcome it So there is costly and chargeable work as Alms Contributions to publick good there must be a striving to bring the heart to it Then for actions dangerous as publick Contests for Gods Glory or keeping a good Conscience though with cost to our selves our great work is to keep the will afoot Nature is slow to what is good a Coachman in his journey is always quickning his Horses and stirring them up so must we quicken a sluggish will do what we can though we cannot do all that we should the will must hold up still A Prisoner escaped would go as far as he can but his Bolts will not suffer to make long Journies but yet he thinketh he can never get far enough so this will is a disposition that puts us upon striving to do our utmost for God 2. The matter resolved on To perform thy Statutes always unto the end Uniform obedience always or all his days As long as life lasteth we must be always ready to observe all Gods Commands which notes the continuity of our obedience sincerity and perpetuity of it We are to engage our hearts by a serious resolution to serve him and that not by fits and starts but always not for a time but to the end Resolve to cleave to him to hold him fast that he may not go to keep our hold fast that we may not go Take notice of the first decays and let us keep our hold fast and bewail often the inconstancy of our hearts that we are so unconstant in that which is good Every hour our hearts are changed in a duty What a Proteus would man be if his thoughts were visible in the best duty that ever he performed Rom. 7. 18. Evil is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not our Devotion comes by pangs and fits now humble anon proud now meek anon passionate not the same men in a duty and act of a duty unstable as water Compare it with Gods constancy his unchangeable nature his love to us that we may be ashamed of our levity from everlasting to everlasting God is where he was the same the same to those that believe in him Secondly This to the end Gods Grace holdeth out to the end so should our obedience He that hath begun a good work will perfect it c. Consider how unreasonable it is to desire God to be ours unto the end if we are not his Psal. 48. 14. He is our God for ever and ever he will be our Guide till death He doth not lay down the conduct of his Providence So Psal. 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterwards receive me to Glory We can give nothing to God our obedience is but a profession of homage if God be always in our eye we shall be always in his We receive life breath and motion from him every moment he sustaineth us every day and hour yieldeth new mercy God watcheth over us when we are asleep yet how much of our time passeth away when we do not perform one act of love to God! The Devil is awake when we sleep to do us a mischief but the God of Israel never slumbereth nor sleepeth how can we offend him Let us then take up this serious resolution To perform Gods Statutes always to the end SERMON CXXIV PSAL. CXIX VER 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love THere are in men two great influencing affections Love and Hatred one serves for choice and pursuit the other for flight and aversation The great work of Grace is to fix these upon their proper objects if we could but set our love and hatred right we should do well enough in the spiritual life Man fallen is but the Anagram of man in innocency we have the same affections but they are misplaced we love where we should hate and hate where we should love our affections are like a member out of joint out of its proper place as if the arms should hang backward If men knew how to bestow their love and hatred they would be other manner of persons than now they are In the Text we are taught what to do in both by Davids example see how he bestowed his love and hatred I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Love was made for God and for all that is of Gods side his Law his Ordinances his Image c. but hatred was made for sin All sin must be hated of what kind and degree soever it be Every drop of water is water and every spark of fire is fire so the least degree of sin is sin Thoughts are but a partial act a tendency towards an action and yet thoughts are sin Of all the operations of the soul the world thinketh a man should be least troubled about his thoughts of all actual breaches of the Law these are most secret therefore we think thoughts are free and subject to no tribunal Most of the Religion that is in the world is but mans observance and therefore we let thoughts go without dislike or remorse because they do not betray us to shame or punishment These are most venial in mans account they are but partial or half acts What! not a thought pass but we must make conscience of it this is intolerable Once more of all thoughts vain thoughts would escape censure A thought that hath apparent wickedness in it a murtherous or an unclean thought a natural Conscience will rise up in armes against it but vain thoughts we think are not to be stood upon Oh but David was sensible that these were contrary to the Law of God transgressions as well as other thoughts and therefore inconsistent with his Love to God I hate vain thoughts Secondly He bestows his love on the Law Naturally
men hate God as a Law-giver and as a Judge they cannot hate him as a Creator and Preserver under that formality they do not hate God but the ground of our hatred to God is his Law Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be But now saith David I love thy Law I do not fear it but love it I do not only keep it but love it A Child of God will bless God for his Commands as well as his Promises he ownes God in the holiness of his Law and looks upon it as a Copy and draught of Gods own perfection 't is a good Law there is a suitableness between it and a renewed heart and therefore I love thy Law The one of these is inferred out of the other his love to the Law is mentioned as a ground of his hatred against vain thoughts Love is the great wheel of the Soul that sets all a going Therefore sin is hated because the Law is loved He that hath a true respect to the Law of God is sensible of the least contrariety to it for hatred is uniform the Philosopher tells us it is to the whole kind as Haman when he hated Mordecai sought to destroy all the people of the Jews and when a man hates sin he hates all sin even where he finds it in thoughts words speeches love will not allow it Well then I love thy Law therefore do I hate vain thoughts that is though I cannot wholly keep them out of my heart yet I hate them resist them watch against them they are not allowed there Without further glossing the Point is this Doct. It is a sign of an unfeigned love to the Law of God when we hate vain thoughts I observe it because a man never begins to be really serious and strict till he makes conscience of his thoughts his time and is sensible of his last account Of his thoughts for that 's a sign he minds an intire subjection to the Law of God that he may obey it from his very soul. Of his time that it may not pass away before his great work be done Of his account that is not far off the Christian that lives in a due sense of his great account is always preparing to reckon with God The one of these doth inforce the other A man that is sensible he shall be called to a reckoning will be careful how he spends his time and he that is careful how he spends his time will make conscience of his thoughts I. To give a tast of the vanity of thoughts II. Shew what sins most occasion vanity of thoughts III. The reasons why a godly man will make conscience of his thoughts I. Some tast of the vanity of thoughts There are three solemn words by which the New Testament expresseth thoughts 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Discourses with its compound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render imaginations 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 musings 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render devices These three ways the Dunghil of Corruption reaks out by our thoughts Sometimes in our vain arguings and reasonings by way of image and representations in our musings sometimes by way of foolish inventions and devices that are in the heart of man 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carnal Discourses of the mind come under the notion of vain thoughts If our more refined reason came to scan them how light and vain would they be found Our reasonings are usually against the Soveraignty of God Rom. 9. 22. Who art thou O man that repliest against God We cannot see how it is just that by one mans transgression all should be made sinners that God should chuse some and endow them with Grace and leave others in their corruption how he should have mercy on whom he will have mercy and harden whom he will harden Man would be free from God but would not have God free and therefore contrary to these reasonings and vain discourses the Scripture pleads the Sovereignty of God Mat. 20. 15. to shew he may do with his own as pleaseth him And as against the Right and Sovereignty of God so there are strange discourses against the Providence of God many anxious traverses and debates in our minds and therefore the Scripture takes notice how distrust works by our thoughts Matt. 6. 25. Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink c. and v. 27. Which of you by taking thought can add one Cubit to his Stature We are tortured with many suspensive workings and discourses of mind within our selves whereas a little trust in God would save many of these vain arguings Prov. 16. 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established He sheweth that want of trust in God and his word and Providence and committing all to his Dispose is the cause of a great deal of confusion and darkness in our thoughts and breedeth such perverse reasonings against the Providence of God So against the truth of the Gospel the Law is natural and runneth in by its own light with evident conviction upon the heart but the Gospel is suspected looked upon with prejudice received as a golden Dream and as a well devised Fable we have reasonings in our selves against that which is discovered concerning the salvation of Sinners by Christ therefore the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 10. 5. Bringing into Captivity every thought imaginations or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reasonings Those thoughts that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God in Christ. Then disputes against Christian Faith the Mysteries of the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ we are saying as the Virgin Mary when the Angel brought her tidings of it How can these things be So we have perverse reasonings against positive Institutions 2 King 5. 12. Are not Abana and Pharpar better than all the Rivers of Israel We are apt to say Why is this The means of Grace seems foolish and weak 1 Cor. 1. 19. It pleaseth God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe So our arguings in perverting the truth of the Gospel and holy principles of the Word to the countenance of our Lusts as Deut. 29. 19. When we reason thus within our selves we shall have peace though we walk in the imagination of our own hearts we need not be so nice and strict God will be merciful he will pardon all Iude 4. turning the Grace of God into lasciviousness wresting the truth from its purpose to countenance a laziness It is good to observe the different arguings in Scripture from the same principle To instance in this principle Our time is short what doth a holy man argue from it 1 Cor. 7. 29. Let those that have wives be as those that have none those that weep as though they wept not c. Therefore we should be strict temperate sober
count the worst of Christ better than the best of the world Heb. 11. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Not only the Graces of Christ or the benefits of Christ but the reproaches of Christ. So much is the world lessened and the desires of Grace encreased The heaviest part of Christs Cross is sweeter than the worldly plenty where sin accompanieth it Use 1. To press us to get this esteem and love of the Word above all earthly things by what names soever they are called whether Gold or fine Gold Considerations 1. The word of God containeth the true Riches in comparison of which all other things are but a shadow 2. Except Gods word be clearly esteemed above earthly things it is highly contemned You would think your selves highly sleighted if once it should be put to the question whether you or an Ass or a Swine be better The Case is as clear whether it be better to have a Childs toy or Land of inheritance You think it a disparagement of their reason 'T is so to compare spiritual things with carnal Prov. 16. 16. How much better is it to get Wisdom than Gold and to get Understanding rather to be chosen than Silver 3. The word of God observed and obeyed bringeth all earthly things along with it Gold and fine Gold so far as they are necessary and good for us Matth. 6. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you And 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable unto all things having a promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come It hath all kind of promises it doth not come empty handed it bringeth in a portion in this life and blessing in these outward things 4. How constant the word is and in one tenour 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us But worldly things are uncertain 2 Sam. 19. 43. And the men of Iudah answered the men of Israel and said We have ten parts in the King and we have also more right in David than ye Compare this with the next words 2 Sam. 20. 1. Sheba blew a trumpet and said We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the Son of Iesse The people cry Hosanna to Christ and presently after crucifie him Peter once made a glorious confession of Christ and afterwards a gross denial Paul was received as an Angel by the Galatians Gal. 4. 14. My temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Iesus but afterwards accounted an enemy verse 16. Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Nebuchadnezzar flourishing in a Palace of Gold Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of my Kingdom by the might of my power and for the glory of my Majesty But a voice came to him from Heaven ver 31. O King Nebuchadnezzar to thee it is spoken The Kingdom is departed from thee Use 2. Have we such an esteem and affection to the word of God Then 1. We will do that which in other Cases a greater love would encline us to do Otherwise it is but a Complement we will diligently exercise our selves in the word of God Labour is the fruit of love Remembring your labour of love 1 Thess. 1. 3. He that doth not take more pains in the pursuit of heavenly things than of carnal doth not love the one above the other for love is industrious Iohn 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life What a deal of pains do men take for a little pelf to heap up treasure and fill their houses with the good things of this world and spend all their time and wit their care and strength on outward things The stream runneth stronger for the world when there is no proportionable care taken for the benefits which the word offereth God maketh offer of Grace and Glory Men are as those that travel by water and see buildings ashore and praise them as they pass by but never enter into them never look after them more If you are ready and earnest in the pursuit of the one careless and cold in the other you think no time enough for the one but grudge all time for the other it is a sign the one hath a greater share in our hearts than the other We are to seek worldly things in some measure because God hath appointed every one some work to do but when there is such a manifest disproportion between our seeking the one and the other it sheweth which way our souls bend if a nice difference that hardly distinguisheth it give suspicion more especially when such a manifest disproportion 2. We will part with the one for the others sake If carnal things can withdraw us from the pursuit of heavenly things Heb. 12. 16. As Esau who for one morsel of bread sold his birthright and heavenly things cannot make us to part with carnal things Many make void the Law to seek riches and wealth 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present world break Gods Commands for a small hire and do so constantly frequently easily it is a sign they do but complement and speak from their judgments not from their hearts when they say they love God better than the world or fine Gold the chiefest excellency of it Would a man dispense with his obedience to the Word and be thus affected What is deliberately habitually preferred that hath the greater love We can neglect our Duty to God trample upon God Christ Heaven Scripture Conscience Duty in the way to make speed after worldly things 3. Wherein do we place the happiness of us and ours To carnal men nothing is so dear as their present prosperity Do you value your selves to be more happy when you have a little Grace and sense of Gods love than if you had all the world Psal. 4. 6 7. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreased And for your Children do ye rejoice to see them great or good Many are delighted to see their Children thrive in the world do well in the world but careless whether they have Grace yea or no. If you take the world still as a great part of your felicity it is a sign you have low thoughts and respects for the Word of God SERMON CXL PSAL. CXIX VER 128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way IN this Verse a Child of God is set forth by two marks I. His
Therefore besides the advertency of the understanding there is the consent or approbation of the will Paul speaketh good words of the Law Rom. 7. 12. The Law is holy and the Commandment is holy just and good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law in general and that Commandment which wrought such tragical effects in his heart that rifled all his confidence and hopes and left him wounded with the sense of sin 't is holy in teaching duty to God just in prescribing duties to our Neighbour good in respect to our selves a Law becoming God to give and us to receive suitable and profitable Thus should we approve and like the Law of God Secondly Choice whatever temptation we have to the contrary A preferring or prevailing love an heart-engaging approbation that doth prevailingly determine the soul to the ways of God Non differunt re consensus electio saith Aquinas sed ratione tantum ut consensus dicatur secundum quod placet ad agendum electio autem secundum quod praefertur his quae non placent Consent to the Law and choice of the Law are all one and the same act distinguished by divers respects and considerations 'T is called consent to the Law as it approveth of what the Law adviseth and 't is called choice or esteem as it preferreth the Law and our obedience to it above other things 'T is actualis praelatio unius rei prae altera a preferring one thing above another Thirdly I come to the properties or qualifications of this esteem First 'T is not a simple but comparative approbation There is a twofold act of Judgment the first act and the second The first act is that whereby I distinguish good from evil and pronounce the one to be embraced the other eschewed approve the one disapprove the other But there is a comparative approbation that is that which the understanding judgeth best all circumstances considered better than all other things that can be represented This is the proper Notion of esteem Heb. 11. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ c. We approve of many things simply and in the first act which we disallow in the second when we consider them as invested with some difficulty and unpleasantness or overpoised with contrary desires when we compare them with the pleasure and profit which we must forsake it consents to walk in the ways of God as Orpah will follow Naomi into the Land of Israel if she may do it without inconveniency Ruth 1. 14. The young man esteemed salvation worthy to be enquired after Mark 10. 20. but is loth to forgoe his earthly possessions to purchase that inheritance When the Judgment that we make of the thing simply considered in it self and of the thing as considered with all circumstances as it cometh in comparison with other things that must be endured or forgone Secondly There is a Judgment of general estimation and a Judgment of particular application By the one I bind Duty upon others by the other I engage my own heart as the expression is Ier. 30. 21. Who is he that engageth his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord. To engage his heart to take God for his portion An instance we have in David Psal. 73. 28. But it is good for me to draw near to God I may approve many things as good for which I have no appetite my self Many will yield that 't is good to serve God that cannot work or do not engage their heart to it Many approve piety in the general 't is good to be religious to live a holy life but when it cometh to our own case when we are to abstain from this or that sin we draw back Many know what things are more excellent but do not practise or embrace them commend those that are religious but do not imitate them Acts 5. 13. the people highly esteemed the Christians but yet would not become Christians themselves Psal. 48. 14. This God is our God for ever and ever Many a wicked man judgeth it best for him to continue his evil courses and thinketh Religion is good for other men but 't is not good for him but Gods Children are of another mind Thirdly 'T is not a sleight and superficial esteem but such as is deep and solid Mat. 13. 20. He heareth the word and anon with joy receiveth it 'T is a blessed thing to hear of the pardon of sin Heb. 6. 5. to taste of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come as they that cheapen wines taste though they do not go through with the bargain Some inclination of heart half a mind to be throughly godly and religious Iohn 5. 35. They rejoiced in his light for a season They were much taken with Iohn for a while and the novelty and excellency of his Doctrine But when is this esteem deep and solid It may be known 1. By the root of it 2. The ground and formal object of it 3. The manner or way how we come by it 1. The root of it When the root of this esteem is a vital principle of Grace Mat. 13. 21. He hath not root in himself The Word is not ingraffed Iames 1. 21. The people had a good inclination All that the Lord hath spoken we will do Deut. 5. 29. But Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always c. They had a mind to do well but where faith fear and love are not planted there may be some stirrings of Conscience but not a full purpose of heart There is the approbation of an awakened and enlightened Conscience and the approbation of a renewed heart A convinced man approveth and a converted man approveth but in a different manner The one is but a flash like fire in Straw the other hath a durable affection 2. When the ground and formal object of it is not a temporal natural or carnal motive but the moral goodness of the Law because 't is the pure and holy word and will of God who is the Lawgiver whose authority is absolute There may be carnal motives to encline us to esteem the Word as the novelty of Iohn's Doctrine Iohn 5. 35. They rejoiced in his light for a season delight to hear a plausible and rational discourse as Ezekiel's Hearers Ezek. 33. 32. And lo thou art to them as a very lovely Song of one that hath a pleasant voice that can play well upon an instrument for they hear thy words but do them not Or carnal motives as they Gen. 34. 22 23. Herein will the men consent to dwell with us to be one people if every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised Shall not their Cattel and their substance be ours Only let us consent unto them c. And so temporal interests Religion hath a portion for which 't is courted The consent of many to the Law is the
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
that scoff at the Mourners in Zion they count it melancholy and mopishness to be so often and seriously humbling themselves before the Lord. The world deals perversely with the people of God they provoke their sorrow and then upbraid them with it You should bear them company mourn with them pine in consort with those Doves of the Valleys Better be a Mourner than a Mocker and Scoffer Others there are that yet can make a shift to hold out some profession of Religion yet can delight in the company of prophane carnal persons Would a man willingly put himself upon occasions of grief Are you like Lot whose soul was vexed day by day Do but consider how much your temper differs from theirs David saith Psal. 119. 115. Depart from me ye evil Doers Others there are that by censures and bitter invectives seek to make the Sinner rather than the sin more odious This is to exercise malice and pride not Christian affection We should not censure but mourn Tears flow from charity censures from pride and by this means you lose a duty for a sin which is a sad exchange Others again are apt to laugh at them and to make sport with the sins of others but do not mourn This is a vile abuse and yet we are many times guilty of it Men laugh at drunkenness and make the slips of others matter of boasting and vain talk This should rather set our hearts a bleeding and mourning He were a monster rather than a man that could see a man take a fall even to the breaking of his back or neck and turn it into a jest or a man wound himself and he make a sport of it And shall we be more kind to the bodies than to the souls of men Oh consider the danger of these practices as much as in him lyeth he hath put himself into Hell and wilt thou laugh at it Use 2. Is Tryal Are we so tenderly affected I know every one is not of a like tender constitution and cannot weep rivers of tears but tell me or rather tell God I cite thy Conscience to make answer to God When thou didst ever go aside into thy Closet or some secret place to lay to heart the dishonour done to God or the affronts put upon his Grace Do not tell me thou hast declaimed against the sin of the times that thou hast not cried up a confederacy with them that cry up a confederacy against God There may be somewhat of faction and interest and obstinacy in those things but when hast thou mourned and wept sore in secret places Do not tell me that thou hast joyned in publick Fasts Hasty and transient sighs do not wound the heart Hast thou ever done it in secret or hast thou often done it It may be thou hast resented injuries and spread them before God and so there is a spirit of self-self-love and revenge that breaths into thy prayers Men will be hot in their own cause but what hast thou done in this Duty 'T is a plain question and therefore I hope it will have the more force upon the Conscience True zeal for injuries done to God would ease it self by tears rather than anger True Penitents will not satisfie themselves only with publick humiliation to which Law custome and example may draw them but will make conscience of this Duty in their Families yea in secret where no eye seeth them but Gods mourn apart Zech. 12. 12 13 14. and bring home publick provocations to their own doors Ier. 11. 17. Use 3. Is to exhort you to get this practice and to get this disposition of the Saints 1. There is a great deal of need to practise it now whether we look upon the sins or dangers of the Nation the sins such horrid blasphemies and reproaches cast upon Gods Servants his Ways Truths Doctrines according to godliness I think in the wisest judgment that a man can make never was there such a dangerous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and temper of any Nation as of ours at this time Never were sins boiled up to such an height and consistency as now such snarling at reformation that was hopefully begun Now sin walketh in the Streets with a bold face drunkenness swearing and prophaneness seem to triumph and with the more pretence because the stricter sort have so much dishonoured God and Religion Church-affairs are much out of order And for our dangers we hear again of wars and rumours of wars and God knoweth what may be the issue and effect of them Acts 13. 41. Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish for I work a work in your days a work which ye will in no wise believe though a man should tell you of them The danger of a Nation doth not lye in outward probabilities so much as in the threatnings of the word He alludeth to the horrible devastation of Iudea by the Chaldeans and applyeth it to the despising of the Gospel Would any believe that the Temple and City should be destroyed and the people of God carried captive that not one should remain yet this came In the time of Noah when they abounded in all things who would have thought of a Flood Many would say as that Nobleman If the Windows of Heaven were opened how could this be Who would have believed the horrible dissolution by the Romans or thirty years agone that which is now faln out in Germany Never think that our Armies and Forces are so strong as to withstand the threatnings of the Gospel for our horrible contempt God may blow upon all these props in an instant Therefore weep and mourn for the pride and rebellion of the Daughter of your people So for our private place What sins are there among us Some have withstood the ways of God though they have had convictions yet held out against them Some are prophane many defects in all Orders Paul was mightily troubled because the Church of Corinth was so much out of order he bewailed it with many tears 2 Cor. 2. 4. Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears So may I speak and you think of these things 't is time to mourn By way of motive consider First This is the best way to enter our protestation and dissent against the iniquity of the times When we cannot help a thing 't is good to retract it and commit it by tears to God for then it shall not be laid to our charge When the Corinthians mourned for incest committed among them and sorrowed with a godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 13. Ye are verily clear in this matter many of them did not only not approve but abhor that foul act before but they were not clear till they mourned and purged the Church from the imputation So you are not clear till you have done this Duty Secondly God may take occasion to punish you from their sins We are all Fuel fit for the burning Gods dispensation is not unrighteous as
2 Chron. 1. 12. This will bring other things with it be Importunate take no Nay Prov. 2. 9. Cry for knowledge lift up thy Voice for understanding 'T will not come at the first Call follow God as the blind Man Mark 10. 5. Lord that my eyes may be opened that I may receive my sight So be earnest with God that the eyes of your Understandings may be opened that you may have such a sight of Heaven as that your Affections may be set upon things above such a sight of Hell as that ye may flee for Refuge as if the Avenger of Bloud were at your heels Without this there can be no true Piety Psal. 14. 3. There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God Nay there can be no Salvation without this Isa. 27. 11. It is a people of no Understanding therefore he that made them will have no mercy upon them c. Ignorant people have a saying he that made them will save them but 't is said they have no understanding therefore he that made them will not save them and therefore beg of God that he would break in upon your Minds with the lively light of his Spirit II. Here is the Person asking this Request David one well acquainted with God and his Ways Doctrine None know so much of God and his Wayes but they still need to know more Petitions for understanding do not only become beginners but grown Christians Three Reasons of this Point 1. That we may escape the deceits of a subtle Devil who lyeth in wait for us and assaults us on every hand and maketh great advantage of the Relicks of our Ignorance The Devils are called Eph. 6. 12. Rulers of the darkness of this World The dark part of the World is the Devils Territory and so much of Ignorance as is in the Children of God so much advantage hath Satan against us 2 Corinth 2. 11. Lest Satan should get an advantage for we are not ignorant of his devices The more me know the less Advantage the Devil hath of us he layeth snares for us where we least suspect 2. That we may serve an Holy God with that exactness and diligence as will become his Excellency The fault of the Heathen was that when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1. 21. because they knew so little they did not improve the knowledge they had and this is true in some degree of every Christian God would be more loved feared trusted served did we know more of him the clearer our sight the warmer our hearts will be in his service 1 Chron. 28. 9. Know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind If we did know God we would devote our selves to his service 3. That we may be prepared for our everlasting estate by degrees Our everlasting estate is called the inheritance of the Saints in light Now we grow more meet for it by increasing in holiness Prov. 4. 18 19. The path of the Iust is as the shining Light that shineth more and more to the perfect day the way of the wicked is darkness they know not at what they stumble The Just man is like the light that increaseth as the day groweth The wicked are like the Night that encreaseth to thick darkness till at last they fall into utter darkness Use. Well then Let not only poor ignorant Creatures or young Beginners take up Davids prayer but also grown Christians of longer standing go to God and say Give me Understanding Partly because practical knowledge is never at a stand knowing of things as we ought to know them 't is possible for a man to see round about the compass of revealed truths Though extensively no more truths are to be known yet intensively we may know them better The best are defective in their knowledge And Partly too because 't is a very satisfactory thing to be sure we are in Gods way in some nice debates 't is hard to discern Gods Interest when all circumstances must be considered and Temptations hinder the sight of our Duty And Partly that we may Justifie the wayes of God against Cavils Matth. 24. 24. We have to do with men that would even puzzle the very Elect if it were possible III. To whom is this Petition made To God Doctrine If we would have the knowledge of Divine things we must seek to God I will give you some grounds of this Partly because he is the Fountain of Knowledge the first Mind or Intellect called in Scripture the Father of Lights Iames 1. 17. He is the Sun that must not only shine on us to make us see things but shine through us to make us be inlightened our selves Ours is but a participation now to shew whence we receive all God will be asked And partly too because God gave the Rule and therefore he must Interpret it ejus est interpretari cujus est condere He can best shew his own meaning and therefore in all doubtful cases repair to him especially since he hath undertaken in necessary Cases Ier. 31. 34. For they shall all know me from the least to the greatest and loveth to be imployed by his People for that end and purpose Once more without his Spirit the clearest light we have hath no efficacy Rom. 1. 18. He will have it sought I come to the Third and last thing the Fruit and Benefit and I shall live I shall explain the Words in the prosecution of this point Doctrine The saving knowledge of Gods Testimonies is the only way to live There is a threefold Life I. Life Natural II. Life Spiritual And III. Life Eternal In all these Considerations may the Point be made good I. Life is taken for the Life of Nature or the Life of the Body or Life Temporal called this life in Scripture 1 Cor. 15. 19. 1 Tim. 4. 8. Among outward things nothing is more precious than Life it maketh us capable of enjoying what the World can afford to us we give all that we have to preserve it Iob. 2. 9. Indeed in Competition with Worldly things we do well to value it but not in Competition with our Duty and Love to Christ so we must not count our Life dear to us Act. 20. 24. I count not my life dear to me And Luk. 14. 26. Whosoever hateth not Father and Mother c. and his own Life Out of the Conscience of our Duty to Christ we must be willing to expose it for he can give us a better Life Ioh. 11. 24. but otherwise so far as we can preserve it with our Duty it must be precious to us and we must seek the Interests of it Well then in this sense 't is no unbecoming thing for a Christian to say Give me understanding that I may live My Life present which mine Enemies seek to take from me this Life is from God both Originally and in a way of constant Preservation God
7. 22. Doctrine III. That among other sins we must hate falshood and lying and all kind of frauds and deceits I. I shall open the particular Notion of Lying in the Text. II. Shew you the Reasons against it I. To open the particular Notion of Lying 1. In the Vulgar Accceptation and sense of it we take it to be speaking an Untruth or that which is False with an intention to Deceive Now this is a sin contrary to the New Nature Col. 3. 9. Lye not one to another since ye have put off the old man with his deeds 'T is not only contrary to that natural Order which God hath appointed between the Mind and the Tongue but to that Sincerity and true Holiness which is our great Qualification and the fruit of Regeneration Therefore God saith Isa. 63. 8. Surely they are my people children that will not lye God presumeth that his People will not deal falsely but speak as they think and think of what they speak as it really is and that Christians will not deceive and circumvent others since they are members of the same Mystical Body and should seek one anothers welfare as much as they do their own Eph. 4. 25. Wherefore put away lying speak every one truth with his neighbour seeing ye are members one of another No 't is more unseemly in a Christian more inconsistent with Grace In short no sin maketh a Man more like the Devil Iohn 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a Murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the father of it 2. Concealing the Truth which should be Confessed God would not have his People hide themselves in necessary Truths he would have them believe with the Heart and Confess with the Mouth Rom. 10. 9 10. And Christianity is called a Confession Heb. 3. 1. and all Christians are saved either as Martyrs or as Confessors But how far we are to Confess lesser Truth is a great Case of Conscience Certainly we must do nothing against a Truth not appear in the garb of a Contrary party nor must we lye hid when God in his Providence cryeth out Who is of my side who We read of some Iohn 12. 42. who believed in Christ yet they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the praise of Men more then the praise of God Faith is in a very weak Condition when Confession is not joined with it when men will not own Christ in troublous Times and appear in their own shape Men that have much to lose have many Worldly Considerations they think these lose more than they can gain and lose by the Praise of God rather than the Praise of Men. Now the sincere Christian saith in these Cases I hate and abhor lying 3. 'T is contrary to that Obedience to God which we do profess there is a practical Lye as well as a vertual Lye when our practices do not Correspond with our Profession there is a lye acted as well as a lye told So Ephraim is said to compass God about with Lyes Hosea 11. 12. To say we have fellowship with God and walk in darkness is a Lye 1 Ioh. 1. 6. A Lye that tendeth to the disgrace of Religion in opprobrium Christi 1 Ioh. 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a Liar and the truth is not in him So he that speaketh much of the Spirit and walketh after the Flesh. Reasons 1. God is a God of Truth God cannot nor will not Lye and his People must be like him 2. His Word is the Word of Truth his Law requireth Truth and all falsehoods and deceits are contrary to that Justice and Charity which it establisheth His Gospel is a Gospel of Truth Eph. 1. 13. After ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your Salvation 3. He requireth and worketh Truth in the Reins and inward parts Psal. 51. 7. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts Use. Oh then hate and abhor Lying you cannot be accepted of God else Ier. 5. 3. O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth You cannot have Grace in your own hearts 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world nor long continue undiscovered before men Prov. 26. 26. His wickedness shall be shewed before the Congregation Let us not Lye to God in our Promises we make to him Psal. 78. 34 35 36. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God and they remembred that God was their rock and the most high their redeemer Nevertheless they did flatter him their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues In your Worship do not compass him about with Lyes complain of burdens which you feel not express desires which you have not In your Profession do not make it a Vail and Cover for your Lusts. A wicked or carnal design is inconsistent with uprightness of heart As to men abhor all false and deceitful practices and speeches When the Apostle biddeth us abhor that which is evil he first saith let love be without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. You are not to live by Interest but by Conscience Therefore abhor all Hypocrisie Falsehood Treachery which are unworthy any ingenious Man much more a Christian. SERM. CLXXVIII PSALM CXIX VER 164. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy Righteous Iudgments IN these words the man of God giveth further proof of his love and delight in the Word by praising God for that benefit His praise is illustrated First By the frequent repetition of that duty seven times a day do I praise thee Secondly The subject matter because of thy Righteous Iudgments i. e. Gods dispensations agreeing with his Word First The frequency of the duty seven times a day that is very often Numerus definitus pro indefinito a number certain put for an uncertain seven is often used for many as Levit. 26. 18. I will punish you seven times more for your sins That is not exactly seven but many and divers times Prov. 24. 16. A just man falleth seven times a day and riseth up again Prov. 26. 25. There are seven abominations in his heart 1 Sam. 2. 5. She that is barren hath born seven and she that hath many Children is waxed feeble So here I gave thanks to thee as often as I meditate of them Some of the Jewish Rabbins stick in the very literal number seven twice in the morning before the reading of the Law and once after it and at noon and so in the evening as in the Morning so Rabbi Solomon indeed elsewhere Psal. 55. 17. Evening and Morning and at noon will I praise the Lord but
them more 5. 'T is a sure Word Psal. 19. 7. The testimonies of the Lord are sure making wise the simple These Directions may be safely relyed upon and will not disappoint us for they are not the guesses of deceived men nor the Collections only of the most observing and wisest Men or the result of their Infallible experiences but Inspiration of the Infallible God and therefore a sensible heart that knoweth what 't is to live in a troublesome World and hath been exercised with Doubts knoweth the Comfort of a sure Rule and sure Promises Oh what a Comfort is this in the midst of the uncertainties of the present Life III. Reason There is no keeping the Law without loving the Law there is a keeping the Commandments by way of Defence and by way of Obedience a keeping of them by way of Preservation when we will not suffer them to be violated or wrested from us by others and a keeping of them by way of Observation when we are mindful of them are careful to observe them our selves This latter is the meaning of the Scripture notion of keeping the Law Now this cannot be without Love nothing can hold the heart to it but love what bonds will you cast upon your selves but if a Temptation come you will break them all as Sampson did the Cords wherewith he was bound 'T is not your Promises Vows Covenants Resolutions not your former Experiences of Comfort when put to no Tryal all is nothing to love To Evidence this to you three things are needful Labour Valour and Self-denial 1. To keep the Commandments is a Laborious thing and requireth great Diligence now Love is that disposition that maketh us Laborious and Diligent If any thing keep a man to his work 't is love Labour and Love are often put together Heb. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love 1 Thes. 1. 3. Your work of faith and labour of love 'T is not a sloathful and idle Affection but will make a man take any pains and endure any toil nescit amor molimina love never sindeth Difficulties The reason why they object Difficulties is because they love not The Church of Ephesus when she lost her first love she left her first Works Rev. 2. 4. Our Lord Jesus when he had work for Peter to do Gageth his heart upon this Point Ioh. 21. 15. Simon Peter lovest thou me feed my sheep feed my lambes No man can endure the Toil of the Ministry and the many Troubles and Difficulties he meeteth with in the discharge of it without love to Christ 't is love sets all the wheels in the Soul a going 2. To keep the Commandments requireth Spirit and Courage not only the labour of an Ox but the Animosity and Courage of a Lion for we are not only to work but Fight and Contend for our Duty against the Enemies of our Salvation Now the most Valorous and Couragious Affection is Love a Cowardly Lover is a Monster one that hath all Liver and no Heart The Poets in their Fictions ascribe the Valor of the person whom they would represent as Noble and Heroical to the strength of their Love Certainly the Heroick Acts of the Martyrs came all from love Others will not be at the charge of keeping the Commandments of God that lye cross to their profits and pleasures but love will cause us to do the Will of God whatever it cost us Yea 't is loth to serve God with that which cost nothing Cant. 8. 6 7. Love is as strong as death many waters cannot quench love Death conquereth the stoutest but cannot conquer love They loved not their lives to the death Rev. 12. 11. The waters of Affliction cannot quench it no Threatnings no Promises can quench it Love will not be bribed from Christ nor frighted from Christ you will be assaulted on both sides with Hopes and Fears but nothing shall fright or allure the Soul from Christ. 3. To keep the Commandments there needeth much Self-denial and Submission that he may have an heart to stoop to the least intimation of the Will of God though it be against your own will and against your own carnal sense and Inclination and Interest A man can never keep the Commandments till he thus deny himself therefore the World wondereth what 's the Reason that men do so submit against their humour and Interest And say If this be to be Vile I will be more Vile as Holy David said nothing can do this but love When a man loveth you you have the Keys of his Heart you can open and shut it when you please Sampson like a Child submitted to Dalilah because of his love to her So Gen. 34. Hamer and Sechem submitted to any Terms to be Circumcised because of the delight the young man had to Dinah the Father loved the Son and the Son loveth Dinah and therefore both submitted to that hatefulâ—… painful Ceremony Iacobs service for Rachel seemed but a few years because of his love to her Gen. 29. 20. So if we love the Law of God we will submit to the Duties of it against the hair and bent of our hearts Use. I. Is Examination 1. Do we receive the Truth of God in the love thereof Do we imbrace the offers of Jesus Christ heartily Acts 2. 41. They received the word gladly Do you keep up your relish of the Gospel Delight to hear of Christ to read of Christ to meditate of Christ and the Doctrine of Salvation not one part but all Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the law of God the whole Law Ungodly men will catch at Promises seem to shew a love to these but Grudge at the Mandatory part of the Word Do you delight when 't is pressed upon you when you are warned of your Danger know most of your Duty and the way how to attain your blessedness Do you love it most when you feel the Tragical effects of it as the Apostle saith the Commandment came and sin revived and I â—…d 2. Do you heartily take Christs Yoke upon you and frame your selves to practise what he hath required of you They that love the Law cannot rest in meer speculations and be careless in the Duties required of them love cannot be hidden but it will break forth into action if it be in your hearts it will break out in your lives Psal. 40. 8. The law of God is in my heart You will make Conscience of Duty 1 Ioh. 2. 4. Love is found to be solid and real when we are tender of Christs Laws in vain else do we talk of the new Birth of the Work of Grace or having an Interest in Christ and the like unless we keep his Law 3. Do you practise it willingly and without Grudging 1 Ioh. 5. 3. His Commandments are not grievous they that love the law will not count the Work tedious God doth not look to the Work Praying Hearing strict observing his Ordinances or
Lords Day but minds the Will for the Deed not the Deed for the Will whether Willingly or Unwillingly God dealeth with us as rational Creatures if your Ox draw your Plough and your Ass carry his Burden you care not much whether it be done willingly or unwillingly but God dealeth with us as obliged and looketh that love should constrain us and influence our actions and God dealeth with us as renewed Creatures that have a suitableness to their Work Heb. 8. 10. Psal. 40. 2. When rather from him than with him he delights greatly in Gods Commandments Psal. 112. 1. Delights to know believe and obey Gods Word and God expects it from us because of the pleasures that do accompany well-doing Prov. 3. 17. The speculation of a worthy Truth affects the Mind but Practice doth more as more intimately acquainted with it Use. II. It shews 1. How far they are from the Temper of Gods People that dispute away Duties rather than practise them Cavil at their Work rather than readily accept it 2. They do not love the law that are alwayes full of Excuses and pretend occasions to neglect the service of God excuses are always a sign of a naughty heart the sinners non vacat is indeed non placet Luk. 14. 18. They all began to make excuses If we did not want a heart we should not want an occasion to manifest our respects to God 3. It shews how far they are from the Temper of Gods People that are easily discouraged with difficulties love will make us break thorough all 2 Cor. 5. 14. Love hath a constraining force counts nothing too dear to be parted with for Gods sake they that are weary of well-doing they are out of their Element as they in Malachy enquired When will the Sabbath be over They that brought but a sorry Lamb cryed out Oh what a weariness Again they that love the law are not troubled about the strictness of the law but the unsuitableness of their own hearts Gods Children are grieved for that weariness and uncomfortableness they find in Gods service Glad of any inlargement of Heart Lust is grievous but not the Commandement Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me not from the law but from the body of this death But others when the Truth shineth round about them they receive it not in the love thereof Doctrine II. Those that love the law shall have great peace let me prove this First They shall have Peace Secondly Great Peace First They shall have Peace I. Because the God of Peace is their God they are assured of his love and favourable Acceptance tranquillus deus tranquillat omnia If God be with us who can be against us If he smileth on us 't is enough though all the World should be against us for 't is Gods Wrath that maketh us Miserable and Gods love that maketh us Happy II. Jesus Christ who is the Prince of Peace is their Saviour Isa. 9. 6. He hath made Articles of Peace between God the Father and Us and drawn them into a Covenant of Grace called the Covenant of his Peace Isa. 54. 10. And this founded upon his Bloud which is the price given to purchase our Peace and to set all things at rights between God and Us. Col. 1. 20. Isa. 53. 5. Having made Peace between God and Us No less would serve the turn compleatly to satisfie the Justice of God for our wrong and to purchase his Favour for us III. The Spirit who is a Spirit of Peace Gal. 5. 22. 't is one of his fruits he worketh it in us as a Sanctifier and as a Comforter 1. As a Spirit of Sanctification he doth dispossess Satan and subdueth that Rebellious Disposition that is naturally in us against God and maketh us accept the offer of Friendship and Reconciliation with God and to yield up our selves servants to righteousness unto holiness and then accordingly to walk as People that are at amity with God 1. Your first Resignation in Faith and Repentance is a ground of Peace and wrought in us by the Spirit Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of peace fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost Together with our Faith and in and by our Faith the Holy Ghost worketh this Joy and Peace When we come to sue out our Pardon in his Name to receive the Attonement and to resign up our selves to Gods use then is the Foundation laid Give the hand to the Lord 2 Chron. 30. 8. 2. This Peace is confirmed by holy walking in the Spirit or perfecting Holiness through the power of the Holy Ghost Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this rule peace and mercy be upon them Ier. 6. 16. Ask for the good old way and walk therein and you shall find peace to your souls Keep close to God and you will have peace otherwise not Peace with God and thine own Conscience is a very tender thing you had need be chary of it if you grieve the Spirit you will find it to your bitter Cost when sinful dispositions are indulged and nourished our peace is beclouded and hangeth on uncertain terms 2. As a Comforter whose office it is to give us a sense of Gods Love and to help Conscience to judge of our state and actions The Spirit representeth God as a Father and sheweth us what things are given us of God and dissipateth and scattereth all the black thoughts that are in the Soul Isa. 57. 19. I create the fruit of the lips to be peace Peace is a Sovereign Plaister God maketh it stick and then all the World cannot deprive them of this peace Creation and Annihilation belong to the same power the World can never give nor take 't is Gods work and he will maintain it Secondly It shall be great Peace as to the Nature and Degree of it as was before explained 1. For the Nature of it 't is not an ordinary peace but of an higher Nature Ioh. 14. 27. My peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Let not your hearts be troubled Wherein doth it differ from the Worlds peace The Worlds peace is oftentimes in sin a concord in Evil a Lethargy portending sadder Troubles but this is an holy peace Prov. 3. 17. That 's a crasy peace that is soon broken and distorted depending on the uncertainty of present affaires and the mutable Affections of men the more secure they are the sadder trouble at hand but this is an everlasting peace which we have now in the way and shall have in death and then for ever The Worlds peace is outward 't is but at best a freedom from outward troubles when they are at enmity with God but this is a peace with God himself Prov. 16. 7. The Worlds peace pleaseth the outward man but this is a solid Soul-satisfying peace a
peace that guardeth Heart and Mind Phil. 4. 7. 2. For the degree 't is many times in a great Measure injoyed it may be more or less as our Interest in Gods favour is more or lessened in us and 't is not perfect in this Life There may be Clouds and Interruptions but as our holiness increaseth so doth our peacâ—… a little holiness a little peace but they that love thy law have great Peace Obj. How have Gods Children great Peace None seem more troubled and harrassed with outward Afflictions nor walk more Mournfully then they do Ans. 'T is true this Peace doth not exclude Trouble from carnal men in the World they may have little outward Peace yet they shall have as much of that as God seeth good for them Iob 5. 23 24. but inward peace which is peculiar to them They have God for their Friend are quieted with a true sense and apprehension of his love and favour to them 'T is true as to this inward peace Gods Children may sometimes be without it they that love the Law have a greater sense of sin than others Wicked men swallow sins without remorse but they are very apprehensive of displeasing God But we must distinguish between the time of settling this peace and when 't is settled for a Time they may walk sadly their peace is not grown up light is sown for the Righteous many times they sow in Tears but reap in Joy sometimes their love to the Law is intermitted so their peace may be interrupted But their worst condition is better then a carnal mans best as the darkest cloudy day is brighter then the brightest night there is some comfort and staying upon God in the worst Condition Use. I. Let us from hence see the sad condition of carnal Men this Clause love thy law is exclusive and confineth it to one sort of men The unjustified the unsanctified want this Peace God saith of them they should not enter into my Rest Psal. 95. 11. The Rest is begun in this Life in Reconciliation with God and Peace of Conscience and perfected in an Everlasting Refreshment in that to come Their sins are not pardoned and therefore continually Fear they have often refused Gods peace and therefore cannot injoy comfort with any security nor bear Troubles with any patience and quiet of Mind nor come into Gods presence with any cheerfulness nor wait for eternal Rest with any certain hope There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa. 48. 22. Psal. 57. 20 21. 'T is not allowed to wicked men nor vouchsafed to them 't is true they may have a peace but 't is either in sin or from sin they do not mind the condition of their Souls a blind presumption that meerly cometh from Gods forbearance or Worldly Happiness in Prosperity Carnal Men seem to be in as great quietness as the Children of God as the deep Sea in a Calm which seemeth to be as quiet as other waters until a storm and tempest doth arise then troubled and cannot rest Use. II. To perswade us to love the Law of God by this Argument because we shall have great peace for the Promise is made to this love But you will say How must we shew love to the Law of God that we may obtain this Effect I Answer Practice the Duties it calleth for in order to peace 1. Accept the Articles of peace that are proclaimed between God and Mankind in and through Christ. Eph. 2. 17. There is peace preached not only to them that are afar off but to them that are nigh there is not only a price paid but an offer made Imbrace it lay hold upon it by Faith God is in good earnest with you 2 Cor. 5. 20. Oh love this good Word 't is the gladest tydings that ever sounded in the ears of lost sinners Now is your time agree with your Adversary while he is in the way before you be cast into Prison Luk. 12. 58. If you lose this opportunity and do not imbrace the offered friendship God will be exceeding Angry Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation 2 Chron. 30. 8. Therefore give the hand to the Lord. 2. Perform the duty of Thankfulness which God requires Matth. 11. 29. Peace is the Fruit of Sanctification as well as Justification 't is not to be found elsewhere Isa. 32. 17. 3. Be much in Communion with God and trading with Heaven Acquaint thy self with God Iob 22. 21. 4. Be tender of your peace when 't is once settled of doing any thing that may cause War between God and the Soul Psal. 58. 8. Take heed of venturing your peace for the Vanities of the World those sinful and foolish Courses which will lay you open to Gods Wrath and Displeasure Psal. 37. 11. The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of Peace SERMON CLXXX PSALM CXIX VER 165. Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them I Now come to the effect nothing shall offend them the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no scandal in them the Apostle Iohn applyeth the same phrase or form of speech to him that loveth his Brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no occasion of stumbling in him the meaning is they shall not be in danger of those snares and temptations which the world is full of and which frequently bring other men to sin and ruine or nothing shall wound or hurt them or cause them to fall in their journey to Heaven Doctrine That the Love of Gods Law is a great means to carry a Believer streight on his way to Heaven what ever Temptations he hath to the Contrary Here I shall enquire First What scandals and offences are Secondly How a Believer is preserved First What scandals and offences are I answer Scandals literally signifieth Temptations or Inducements to sin any stumbling-block or hinderance laid in a mans way by which the passenger is detained or diverted Or at which if he be not careful he is apt to stumble or fall spiritually it signifyeth any thing that may discourage or divert us from our duty to God or may occasion us to fall to the great loss or ruine of our Souls Now concerning these scandals or offences I shall give you these distinctions with respect to the subject there are three sorts of scandals 1. Taken but not given 2. Given but not taken 3. Both given and taken 1. There is offence taken where none is given thus Christ himself in his Person Sufferings Doctrine may be an offence to the carnal and unbelieving World In his Person as he is said to be in the 1 Pet. 2. 8. A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to them that stumbled at the Word being disobedient whereunto they were also appointed He that is to the Believer a Corner-stone Elect and Precious is to the obstinate prejudiced unbeliever with allusion to those that Travel
33. 456 457. 707 It is not obscure in it self but our eyes are blind p. 107 Law of God is 1. plain 2. good 3. pure 4. sublime 5. sure p. 1023 1024 Laws of God and men how they differ p. 874 875 876 877 878. Love of Gods Law the property of Gods children p. 1023 The word of God is a Law 875 876 877 Necessary that man be under a Law p. 875 Laws have their Sanctions p. 877 Law gives knowledg of sin three ways p. 686 Lawgiver God the Lawgiver will be obey'd p. 320 Laying open our case before God the way to speed p. 162 What it is to lay open our case before God-p 162 163 Laziness of soul requires vows promises to stir up the soul. It causes back wardness in coming to God-p 708 Learning no learning will enlighten savingly without Gods word p. 893 Learners the most knowing of Gods children are but Learners p. 41 True Learners who get the power of what they know upon their hearts p. 41 Legal and Evangelical commands p. 225 Legal and Evangelical keeping Gods Law p. 237 238 Lessons that we are to learn from the word 1. To know 2. To obey the command of God p. 41 Liberty to walk in Gods ways no such freedom as in his ways p. 301 302 303 Liberty carnal is thraldom Reasons of it p. 302 Liberty given by the Spirit 1. From slavish fear 2. Power of lust p. 304 Signes of true Liberty p. 305 Libertines and Papists enemies to Scripture why p. 693 Lie is either 1. Assertory 2. Promissory the latter is the worse p. 830. 186. Way of lying what whence p. 185. Vid. Lying Life prolonged is Gods free grace p. 101. 1094 A mercy to Saints and sinners p. 101 102. 1095 How far desirable p. 104 105. 1093 1095 Life spiritual what it is 1. The life of Justification 2. The life of Sanctification 3. The life of Glorification p. 783 896 897 Excellency of spiritual life above natural p. 783. 671. All life originally in God p. 313 It is life to the soul to have a sense of Gods tender mercy p. 516. 518 When the spiritual life is vigorous p. 784 1. Whâ—…n it shews it self in a sense of Gods love 2. In a holy disposition to please and serve God p. 784 The end why we should desire continuance of life is that we may glorifie God p. 1093 Life should be a continual expression of thankfulness to God the author of it p. 425 Men are loth to leave this present life p. 1089 Two Reasons 1. Unmortified heart 2. Unsetled Conscience Ibid. Life natural it 's uncertainty improved for a speedy turning to God p. 404 Life natural the end of it is that we may glorifie God p. 1093 Life natural spiritual and eternal p. 896 897 Desires of life below a Christian which p. 1097 Life natural rationally preserved by keeping Gods Commandments p. 896 897 Qu. How can the desire of long life consist with the desire of dissolution Answ. p. 1095 Some circumstances of death may make us desire longer life p. 1096 Lifting up of the eyes implys 1. Faith 2. Hope 3. Patience p. 833 834 Lifting up of hands its various Uses p. 318 Light its Properties p. 892 893 Light of Nature will not discover the first motions of the heart to be sinful p. 686. 174 Light the Scripture is a light in 3 respects p. 687 687 Likeness to God in purity scorned by the profane 864 Limiting God a very great sin p. 549 Litotes a figurative speech wherein more is intended than is expressed Examples of it p. 44. 559. 866 Little sins allow'd become great p. 1107 Living to God how known p. 609 Living is when the spiritual life is in good plight and vigor p. 782 Living-God must be served with living-service p. 935 Looking of God implys 1. His Favour 2. Providence Looking with favour implys 1. Observation 2. Compassion p. 902 903. Whom will God look on p. 904 Lot it is the lot of Gods children to be spoken against in Counsels and upon the thrones of Iudgment p. 142 143 Longing what it implys p. 1081. Vid. Expectation Encouragements to look long for deliverances 1082 Lot of Gods children to be despised reproached mocked p. 870 Love to God is a love of inferiors to a superior-p 1023 Love to sin secret and hatred of sin remiss very dangerous signs p. 1011 Love and hatred are the two great influenceing affections p. 756. 247. 248 Love carries the soul after the beloved object p. 12. 248 Gods goodness draws out our love p. 475 Signs of true love to God p. 12. 30 It interprets all that God doth to be good-486 1032 Love to Gods Commandments Reasons of it p. 315 Arguments to press the love of Gods word p. 628 Love goeth before delight p. 314 Love to God puts a value upon every thing that comes from him or leads to him p. 317 It 's necessary to keep a good Conscience p. 417 Arguments to enforce the love of Gods Commandment p. 1047 Love of good-will and of complacency p. 533 Love of the word abates the love of the world p. 1033 Love of complacency passeth from the person to the action p 533 Love to Gods word 1. As our Rule 2. Our Charter p. 866. 867 Love and praise are twin-duties p. 420 Love to the word a character of a godly man p 622 Why Ibid. Love of Gods word what it is 1. Negatively 2. Possitively p. 861. Why necessary 1. For Acceptation 2. To make the work easie 3. To make us constant p. 862. Examine upon what Reasons we love Gods word p. 863 Love of the world an impediment to repentance-p 408 Trial whether we love the world p. 259 260 Love of Gods word demonstrated by hatred of sin-1006 What it implieth p. 1006 1007. 1048 Love to the word 1. Weans us from the world 2. Makes us constant in profession 3. Gives understanding p. 628. Trial of love to the word-p 630 Love of God and faith in God the main ingredients of spiritual life p. 784 Love to God accompanied with the hatred of all sin 806 Love of a mans self a reason why men turn not to God how p 409 Love and anger cannot endure to be despised p. 884 Lying the true notion of it reasons against it 1011 1012 Lyes three sorts of lyes to men 1. Mendacium jocosum 2. Officiosum 3. Perniciosum p. 187 All these are sinful p. 187 188 Reasons why the children of God should keep far from the way of Lying p. 188. Vid. Way of lying Loving kindness of God it 's our strongest argument in pleading with God 1. It 's a humble argument 2. A comfortable argument for clearing of which consider 1. The nature 2. The kinds 3. The Proofs 4. The end of this loving kindness 937 938 939. 512 It is to be emproved 1. For a ground of trust 2. For a ground of holy fear p. 940 Luther's notable saying p. 209. 329 M. MAin who
increaseth vehemency in prayer p. 914 Oppression a great calamity p. 8â—…8 What it is 827 And to be deprecated by the people of God-827 921 When are we said to be left of God under the Oppression of wicked men p. 8â—…8 It is oftentimes masked with a Law p. 143 It is odious to God p. 827 828 Burdensome to men p. 827 828 Oppression of man a prejudice to our spiritual concerns God is concern'd to deliver us from them p. 925 Directions to the Oppressed what to do p. 923 924 Order of things in our care according to their worth 232. Ordinances God will be sought in them 12 Gods children long to see God in them p. 1090 They are made precious 1. From the necessity of them 2. Spiritual appetite and inward inclination to them 3. Experience p. 602 They are to be considered under a fourfold notion 1. As Duties 2. Priviledges 3. Means 4. Talents p. 905 They stir up desires after Heaven-1090 Origen's example who exhorted others to Martyrdom and yet in persecution was timorous and could not preach the Gospel p. 335 Original sin p. 52 53 It issues out first in evil thoughts p. 760 Other mens sins are bitterly to be mourned for p. 929 1. By all Christians as well as eminent Saints 2. By private Christians as well as those in publick places p. 929 Reproof to 1. Those that mourn not for their own sins Nor 2. own the dishonour cast on Gods Name p. 932 933 Overcoming Saints overcome one way sinners another 868 Outward senses set the inward on work 673 Outward things cannot make us blessed for 1. They want sincerity 2. Fulness 3. Eternity p. 73 How to know whether our care for the outward or inward man be greatest p. 180 Outward acts of duty commanded as well as the inward p. 160 Outward trouble may revive inward trouble p 884 Owned God will be owned the Author whoever is the instrument of prayer p. 514 Truth is sometimes not owned for want of liberty or courage p. 334 P. PAnting what p. 896 Pangs of love to God not sufficient 861. 676 677 Vid. Moods Papists who forbid the simple the use of the word confuted p. 895 Their Government Doctrine Worship corrupt p. 203 204 205 Pardon of sin the main matter of our comfort 592 No pardon for want of sincerity p. 903 Pardon granted in the Gospel 1. A pardon of course to some sins 2. A pardon upon repentance to all sins p. 1039 Pardon established in the New Covenant p. 1105 Partakers in sin partake of the punishment p. 806 Particular faith and hope p. 327 Partiality in obedience destroys our confidence in God p. 37 Partial Reformation will not serve p. 319 Paschalis the Martyr cites the Pope to appear before Christs Tribunal p. 38 Passions dim the eye of Reason p. 229 Passions are like wild horses p. 302 Passions cured by prayer 1. Fear 2. Sorrow 3. Anger 4. Impatience and despair p. 925 Passionate Expressions differ from serious desires 104 Saints lyable to various Passions p. 807 Passionateness of sin and passionateness of spiritual desire p. 900 Patience put to the utmost trial p. 143 Patron God is the Patron of his people but not of their sin p. 976 977 Paul Rom. 7. speaks as a converted person p. 47 Peace in abundance the priviledg of them that walk closely with God p. 7. 1026 Peace great peace the priviledg of them that keep and love God Law p. 1026 1027. Reasons Ibi. Peace of conscience the result of the rectitude of our actions p. 316 Peace of conscience fortifies against scandals p. 1033 Peace of conscience how it differs from joy in the Holy Ghost p. 316 Object How have they great peace that love Gods law when none are more troubled than they Answ. p. 1027 1028 Peace is either 1. External 2. Internal 3. Eternal p. 1021 Peace with Saints not only to be embraced when offered but pursued when rejected p. 528 Peculiar people peculiar favour peculiar spirits peculiar actings p. 607 608 Pelagius his Doctrine and subtilty p. 252 People of God in a special sense God has such a people grounds of Gods title to and interest in them p. 606 607 They may boldly commend their cause to God when the proud are vexations p. 522 Described by their principles p. 427. 607 Peremptoriness of Gods command to turn now as well as to turn at all p. 409 God is peremptory in the terms of Salvation p. 891 Perfection of the Creature cannot give 1. Rest to the soul 2. Nor procure acceptation with God 3. Nor stand us instead in troubles p. 614 615 Persecution whence 1. on Gods part 2. On the part of persecutors in whom 1. Blind zeal 2. Prejudices 3. Erroneous principles in Politicks cause persecution p. 144. Persecutors wickedness is some ground of confidence to the oppressed p. 946 Several pretences to justifie persecution p. 562 Persecution of Saints will undo any Nation p. 859 It s greater under the N. T. than the Old why 730 Permission of God in suffering maliciâ—…us enemies to draw â—…igh to his people p. 944 Perseverance in Ordinances a duty though we find not God in them at present p. 12. 88. 891 One great help to perseverance p. 459 Directions helps means for perseverance p. 211. 212. 343 Necessary to persevere in obedience p. 231. 339 Perswasion of Gods word slighted provoke him to use a more severe discipline p. 400 Philosophy not comparable to Christianity Pilgrims who are the true ones p. 117 Pilgrimage House of Pilgrimage what it is p. 354 Saints account the world their Pilgrimage-355 356 Pity to the sinner must be join'd with zeal against the sin p. 854 855 Pity of God engages him to do his people good in their distresses p. 822 Plainness of the Scriptures to private Christians 894 Reasons thereof p. 894 895 Plea with God twofold 1. A Law plea the merits of Christ 2. A Gospel plea sincerity p. 61 No plea allow'd that is contrary to free grace-p 848 Pleas of sinners for delaying repentance p. 406 407 Vid. Delays Plea from Gods mercy our relation 837. 846 937 No Pleading mercy while we go on in sin p. 845 God pleads the cause of his oppressed servants-p 972 how p. 973 974 975. why p. 976 977 Please God endeavour it in all things or nothing-p 35 It ought to be the end of our service p 851 It 's pleasing to God to hold out in trials p. 864 Pleasure in sin an excuse to delay repentance p. 406 It costs the sinner very dear p. 985 Pleasure not the happiness of the Rational Creature For 1 it cannot satisfie and that because of its 1. Imperfection 2. Uncertainty 3. Disproportion to the desire of man 2 Being inordinately loved it defiles 3 Being lost it encreases sorrow p. 3 Pleasures spiritual are 1. Substantial 2. Such as perfect the rational creature p. 313 Plottings against Gods people an ancient practice they arise from pride God forbids them and will