So God hath put a Sacred Stamp upon this Day the stamp of Divine Authority and the stamp of Divine Benediction This makes it honourable This is a sanctifying the Sabbath to call it a Delight and Honourable 5. Not doing thy own ways That is Thou shalt not defile the Day by doing any Servile Work 6. Nor Finding thy own pleasure That is not gratifying the Fleshly Part by Walks Visits or Pastimes 7. Nor Speaking thy own Words That is Words Heterogeneous and unsuitable for a Sabbath vain impertinent Words Discourses of Worldly Affairs Here is the sanctifying of a Sabbath described Vse II. If the Sabbath-day be to be kept holy it reproves them who instead of sanctifying the Sabbath profane it They take that Time which should be Dedicated wholly to God and spend it in the Service of the Devil and their Lusts. The Lord hath enclosed this Day for his own Worship and they lay God's Day common God hath set an Hedge about this Commandment Remember and they break this Hedge But he who breaks an Hedge a Serpent shall bite him Eccles. 10.8 The Sabbath-day in England lies bleeding And Oh! that our Parliament would pour in some Balm into the Wounds which the Sabbath hath received How is this Day profaned by sitting idle at home by selling Meat by vain Discourse by sinful Visits by walking in the Fields by using Sports The People of Israel might not gather Manna on the Sabbath and may we use Sports and Dancings on this Day Truly it should be matter of Grief to us to see so much Sabbath-profanation When one of Darius's Eunuchs saw Alexander setting his Feet on a rich Table of Darius's he fell a weeping Alexander ask'd him why he wept He said It was to see the Table which his Master so highly esteemed to be now made a Footstool So we may weep to see the Sabbath-day which God so highly esteems and hath so honoured and blessed to be made a Footstool and to be trampled upon by the Feet of Sinners To profane the Sabbath is a Sin of an High Nature it is a wilful Contempt of God It is not only a Casting God's Law behind our back but a trampling it under foot God saith Keep the Sabbath holy but Men will pollute it This is to despise God to hang out the Flag of Defiance to throw down the Gantlet and challenge God himself Now how can God endure to be thus saucily confronted by proud Dust God will not suffer this high Impudence to go unpunished This will draw God's Curses upon the Sabbath-breaker and God's Curse blasts where it comes No sooner did Christ curse the Fig-tree but it withered Tho the Law of the Land lets Sabbath-breakers alone to rob a Man of his Purse shall be punished with Death but to rob God of his Day shall not be punished with Death But God will take the matter into his own hand he will see after the punishing of Sabbath-violation And how doth he punish it 1. With Spiritual Plagues He gives up Sabbath-profaners to hardness of Heart and a seared Conscience Spiritual Judgments are sorest Psal. 81.12 So I gave them up to their own Hearts Lusts. A Sear in the Conscience is a Brand-mark of Reprobation 2. God punisheth this Sin of Sabbath-breaking by giving them up to commit other Sins God to revenge the breaking of his Sabbath suffers Men to break open Houses and so come to be punished by the Magistrate How many such Confessions have we heard from Thieves going to be executed They never regarded the Sabbath and so God suffered them to commit those hainous Sins for which now they are to die 3. God punisheth Sabbath-breaking by sudden visible Judgments on Men for this Sin God punisheth them in their Estates and in their Persons One carrying Corn into his Barn on the Lord's Day both House and Corn consumed with Fire from Heaven In Wiltshire there was a Dancing Match appointed upon the Lord's Day and one of the Company as he was dancing fell down dead suddenly and so was made a Spectacle of God's Justice The Theatre of God's Iudgments relates of one who used every Lord's Day to hunt in Sermon-time and he had a Child by his Wife with an Head like a Dog and it cried like an Hound His Sin was monstrous and it was punish'd with a monstrous Birth The Lord threatned the Jews That if they would not hallow the Sabbath-day he would kindle a Fire in their Gates Jer. 17.27 The dreadful Fire which brake out in London began on the Sabbath-day as if God would tell us from Heaven he was then punishing us for our Sabbath-profanation Nor doth God punish it only in this Life with Death but with Damnation Such as break God's Sabbath let them see if they can break those Chains of Darkness in which they and the Devils shall be held Vse III. It exhorts us to Sabbath-holiness I. Make Conscience of keeping this Day Holy The other Commandments have only an Affirmative in them or a Negative This Fourth Commandment hath both an Affirmative in it and a Negative Thou shalt keep the Sabbath-day holy And Thou shalt not do any manner of Work in it To show how carefully God would have us observe this Day Nor only must you keep this Day your Selves but have a care that all under your Charge keep it Thou and thy Son and thy Daughter and thy Man-Servant and thy Maid-Servant That is Thou who art a Superiour a Parent or a Master thou must have a Care that not only thy self sanctifie the Day but those who are under thy Trust and Tuition To blame are those Masters of Families who are careful that their Servants serve them but have no care that they serve God They care not though their Servants should serve the Devil so long as their Bodies do them Service That which St. Paul saith to Timothy 1 Tim. 6.20 Serva Depositum Keep that which is committed to thy Trust is of a large Extension Not only have a Care of thy own Soul but have a Care of the Souls thou art entrusted with See that they who are under thy Charge sanctifie the Sabbath God's Law provided That if a Man met an Ox or an Ass going astray he should bring him back again Much more when thou seest the Soul of thy Child or Servant going astray from God and breaking his Sabbath thou shouldest bring him back again to a Religious Observation of this Day Now that I may press you to Sabbath-Sanctification consider 1. God hath promised great Blessings to the strict Observers of this Day If this Day be a Delight Isa. 58.14 Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord. Delighting in God is both a Duty and a Reward In this Text it is a Reward Then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord As if God had said If thou keep the Sabbath Conscientiously I will give thee that which shall fill thee with Delight If thou keepest the Sabbath willingly I
content to stay here any longer Again Our unwillingness to go hence declares we love the World too much and Christ too little Love as Aristotle saith desires Union did we love Christ as we should we would desire to be united to him in Glory when we might take our fill of Love be humbled that we are so unwilling to go hence Let us labour to arrive at that divine temper of Soul as Paul had Cupio dissolvi I desire to depart and be with Christ Phil. 1.23 We are encompassed with a body of sin should not we long to shake off this viper We are in Meseck and the Tents of Kedar in a place where we see God dishonoured should not we desire to have our pass to be gone We are in a valley of Tears is it not better being in a Kingdom Here we are combating with Satan should not we desire to be called out of the bloody field where the bullets of Temptation fly so fast that we may receive a victorious Crown O ye Saints breath after the Heavenly Kingdom Though we should be willing to stay to do service yet we should ambitiously desire to be alwayes sunning our selves in the light of Gods Countenance Think what it will be to be ever with the Lord are there any sweeter smiles or embraces than his Is there any bed so soft as Christs bosom Is there any such joy as to have the golden banner of Christs Love displayed over us Is there any such honour as to sit upon the Throne with Christ Rev. 3.21 O then long for the Caelestial Kingdom 6. Wait for this Kingdom of Glory It is not incongruous or improper to long for Heaven yet wait for it long for it because it is a Kingdom yet wait your Fathers good pleasure God could presently bestow this Kingdom but he sees it good that we should wait a while 1. Had we the Kingdom of Heaven presently assoon as ever Grace is infused then God would lose much of his Glory 1. Where would be our living by Faith which is the Grace that brings in the chief revenues of Glory to God Rom. 4.20 2. Where would be our suffering for God which is a way of honouring him which the Angels in Heaven are not capable of 3. Where would be the active service we are to do for God Would we have God give us a Kingdom and we do nothing for him before we come there Would we have Rest before Labour a Crown before Victory This were disingenuous Paul was content to stay out of Heaven a while that he might be a means to bring others thither Phil. 1.23 â— While we wait for the Kingdom our Glory is increasing Every Duty Religiously performed adds a Jewel to our Crown Do we desire to have our Robes of Glory shine brighter let us wait and work the longer we stay for the Principal the greater will the Interest be The Husbandman waits till the seed spring up Wait for the harvest of Glory Some have their waiting Weeks at Court this is your walting time Christ saith Pray and faint not Luke 18.1 so wait and faint not Be not weary the Kingdom of Heaven will make amends for your waiting I have waited for thy Salvation O Lord said that dying Patriarch Gen. 49.18 VSE V. Comfort to the people of God 1. In all their Sufferings The true Saint is as Luther saith Haeres Crucis heir to the Cross Affliction is his Dyet drink but here is that may be as Bezoar-stone to keep him from fainting these sufferings bring a Kingdom The hope of the Kingdom of Heaven saith Basil should indulcorate and sweeten all our troubles 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer we shall reign with him 'T is but a short fight but an eternal triumph this light suffering produceth an eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 1. A weight of Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things which are precious the more weighty the more they are worth the more weight is in a Crown of Gold the more it is worth 'T is a weight of Glory 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An eternal weight of Glory Did this Glory last but a while it would much abate and imbitter the Joyes of Heaven but the Glory of that Kingdom runs parallel with Eternity God will be as a deep Sea of Blessedness and the Glorified Saints shall for ever bathe themselves in that Ocean One dayes wearing the Crown will abundantly pay for all the Saints sufferings how much more then when they shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 22.5 O let this support under all the Calamities and Suffering in this Life What a vast difference is there between a Believers Sufferings and his Reward Rom. 8.18 The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us For a few Tears Rivers of Pleasure for Mourning white Robes This made the Primitive Christians laugh at Imprisonment and snatch up Torments as so many Crowns Though now we drink in a Worm-wood Cup here is Sugar in the bottom to sweeten it 'T is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom 2. Comfort in Death Here is that which may take away from Gods Children the terrour of Death they are now entring into the Kingdom Indeed no wonder if wicked Men be appal'd and terrified at the approach of Death they dye unpardoned Death carries them to the Goal where they must lye for ever without â—ail or Mainprize But why should any of Gods Children be so scared and half-dead with the thoughts of Death What hurt doth Death do to them but lead them to a Glorious Kingdom Faith gives a Title to Heaven Death a Possession let this be a Gospel-antidote to expel the fear of Death Hilarion that blessed Man cryed out Egredere Anima egredere quid times Go forth my Soul go forth what fearest thou Let them fear Death who do not fear Sin But let not Gods Children be over-much troubled at the grim Face of that Messenger which brings them to the end of their Sorrow and the beginning of their Joy Death is yours 1 Cor. 3.22 it is part of a Believers inventory Is a Prince afraid to cross a narrow Sea who shall be Crowned when he comes to Land Death to the Saints shall be an usher to bring them into the Presence of the King of Glory This puts Lilies and Roses into the ghastly face of Death and makes it look amiable Death brings us to a Crown of Glory which fades not away The day of Death is better to a Believer than the day of his Birth Death is aditus ad Gloriam an entrance into a blessed Eternity Fear not Death but rather let your Hearts revive when you think these ratling wheels of Deaths Chariot are but to carry you home to an everlasting Kingdom MATTH vi 10 Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven WE come next to the Third Petition Thy Will be done in Earth as it
Organs in God's Spiritual Temple are going How sad is it that God hath no more of his Glory from us this way Many are full of Murmurings and Discontents but seldom do they bring Glory to God by giving him the Praise due to his Name We read of the Saints having Harps in their hand Rev. 5.8 the Emblem of Praise Many have Tears in their eyes and Complaints in their mouth but few have Harps in their hand blessing and glorifying of God let us Honour God this way Praise is the Quit-rent we pay to God while God renews our Lease we must renew our Rent 12. We glorifie God by being zealous for his Name Numb 25.11 Phinehas hath turned my wrath away while he was zealous for my sake Zeal is a mixed Affection a Compound of Love and Anger it carries forth our Love to God and Anger against Sin in a most intense manner Zeal is impatient of God's Dishonour a Christian fired with Zeal takes a Dishonour done to God worse then an Injury done to himself Rev. 2.2 Thou canst not bear them that are evil Our Saviour Christ did thus glorifie his Father he being baptized with a Spirit of Zeal drove the Money-changers out of the Temple Iob. 2.14 and 17. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up 13. We glorifie God when we have an eye at God both in our Natural and in our Civil Actions 1. In our Natural Actions in eating and drinking 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink do all to the glory of God A gracious Person holds the Golden Bridle of Temperance he takes his Meat as a Medicine to heal the Decays of Nature and that he may be the fitter by the strength he receives for the Service of God he makes his Food not Fuel for Lust but Help to Duty 2. In buying and selling we do all to the Glory of God the Wicked live upon unjust Gain either by falsifying the Ballance Hos. 12.7 The ballances of deceit are in his hand While Men make their Weights lighter they make their Sins heavier or by exacting more then the Commodity is worth they do not for fourscore write down fifty but for fifty fourscore they exact double the Price that a thing is worth But then we buy and sell to the Glory of God when in our buying and selling we observe that Golden Maxim To do to others as we would have them do to us Matth. 7.12 When we so sell our Commodities that we do not sell our Conscience Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and toward men This is to glorifie God when we have an eye at God in all our Civil and Natural Actions and will do nothing that may reflect any Blemish on Religion 14. We glorifie God by labouring to draw others to God we convert others and so make them Instruments of glorifying God We should be both Diamonds and Loadstones Diamonds for the Lustre of Grace and Loadstones for our attractive Vertue in drawing others to Christ Gal. 4.19 My little children of whom I travel c. This is a great way of glorifying God when we break the Devil's Prison and turn Men from the Power of Satan to God 15. We glorifie God in an high manner when we suffer for God and Seal the Gospel with our Bloud Joh. 21.18 19. When thou shalt be old another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldst not This spake he signifying by what death he should glorifie God God's Glory shines in the Ashes of his Martyrs Isa. 24.15 Wherefore glorifie the Lord in the fires Micaiah was in the Prison Isaiah sawn asunder Paul beheaded Luke hanged on an Olive-tree thus did they by their Death glorifie God The Sufferings of the Primitive Saints did Honour God and make the Gospel famous in the World What would others say See what a good Master they serve and how they love him that they will venture loss of all in his Service The Glory of Christ's Kingdom doth not stand in Worldly Pomp and Grandeur as other Kings but it is seen in the chearful Sufferings of his People The Saints of old loved not their lives to the Death Rev. 12.11 They snatch'd up Torments as so many Crowns God grant we may thus glorifie him if he calls us to it many pray Let this cup pass away but not Thy will be done 16. We glorifie God when we give God the Glory of all we do Herod when he had made an Oration and the People gave a shout saying It is the voice of a God and not of a Man and he took this Glory to himself the Text saith Immediately the angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the glory and he was eaten of worms Acts 12.23 Then we glorifie God when we sacrifice the Praise and Glory of all to God 1 Cor. 15.10 I labour more abundantly then they all A Speech one would think savoured of Pride but the Apostle pulls the Crown from his own Head and sets it upon the Head of Free-grace Yet not I but the grace of God which was with me As Ioab when he fought against Rabbah sent for King David that he might carry away the Crown of the Victory 2 Sam. 12.28 so a Christian when he hath gotten power over any Corruption or Tentation sends for Christ that he may carry away the Crown of the Victory as the Silk-worm when she weaves her curious Work she hides herself under the Silk and is not seen so when we have done any thing Praise-worthy we must hide ourselves under the Vail of Humility and transfer the Glory of all we have to done God Constantine did use to write the Name of Christ over his Door so should we write the Name of Christ over our Duties let him wear the Garland of Praise 17. We glorifie God by an holy Life Christianorum religio haâ—c sine macula vivere lactant As a bad Life doth dishonour God 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are an holy nation that ye should shew forth the praises of him that hath called you Rom. 2.24 The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Epiphanius saith That the Loosness of some Christians in his time made many of the Heathen shun the Company of the Christians and would not be drawn to hear their Sermons So by our exact Bible-conversation we glorifie God though the main Work of Religion lies in the Heart yet our light must so shine that others may behold it the chief of Building is in Foundation yet the Glory of it is in Frontis-piece so Beauty in the Conversation When the Saints who are called Jewels cast a sparkling Lustre of Holiness in the Eyes of the World when they walk as Christ walked 1 Ioh. 2.6 when they live as if they had seen the Lord with bodily Eyes and been with him upon the Mount then they adorn Religion and bring Revenues of Glory to the Crown of
is only a Passage-room to Eternity the World is to us as the Wilderness was to Israel not to rest in but to travel through to the glorious Canaan The World is a Tyring-room to dress our Souls in not a place where we are to stay for ever The Apostle tells us of the Worlds Funerals 2 Pet. 3.10 The Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the Works that are therein shall be burnt up 2. Positively God made the World to demonstrate his own glory The World is a Looking-glass in which we may see the Power and Goodness of God shine forth The Heavens declare the glory of God Psal. 19.1 The World is like a curious Piece of Arras or Tapestry in which we may see the Skill and Wisdom of him that made it Use 1. Did God create the World This convinceth us of the Truth of his Godhead to create is proper to a Deity Acts 17.24 This convinced Plato of a Deity when he saw all the World could not make a Fly Thus God proves himself to be the true God and distinguisheth himself from Idols Ier. 10.11 It is written in Chalde Thus shall ye say to them the gods that have not made the Heavens and the Earth even they shall perish Who but God can create The Creation is enough to Convince the Heathen that there is a God There are two Books out of which God will judge and condemn the Heathen viz. the Book of Conscience Rom. 2.15 Who have the Law written in their heart and the Book of the Creation Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of him are clearly seen by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead The World is full of Emblems and Hyeroglyphicks every Star in the Sky every Bird that flies in the Air is a Witness against the Heathen A Creature could not make it self 2. Here is a mighty support for Faith God Creates He that made all things with a word what cannot he do He can create strength in weakness he can create a supply of our wants What a foolish question was that Psal. 78.19 Can he prepare a table in the wilderness Cannot he that made the World do much more Psal. 124.8 Our help standeth in the Name of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth Rest on this God for help who made Heaven and Earth The work of Creation as it is a Monument of God's Power so it is a stay to Faith Is thy Heart hard he can with a word create softness Is it unclean he can create purity Psal. 51.10 Create in me a clean heart O God Is the Church of God low he can create Ierusalem a Praise Isa. 65.18 No such golden Pillar for Faith to stay upon as a creating Power 3. Did God make this World full of Beauty and Glory every thing very good then what an evil thing is sin that hath put out of frame the whole Creation Sin hath much eclipsed the beauty sowrd the sweetness and marred the harmony of the World How bitter is that Gall a drop whereof can imbitter a whole Sea Sin hath brought Vanity and Vexation into the World yea a Curse God cursed the ground for Man's sake Gen. 3. There were several Fruits of the Curse 1. In sorrow shalt thou eat of it vers 17. By that word sorrow is to be understood all the Troubles and Cares of this Life 2. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread vers 19. In Innocency Adam did till the ground he must not live idly but it was rather a delight then a labour that tilling was without toiling The eating in sorrow and the sweat of the brow came in after sin 3. Thorns also and Thistles shall the ground bring forth vers 18. Quest. Whether in Innocency did not the Earth bear Thorns because it is threatned as a punishment Answ. It is likely it did bear Thorns for when God had done creating he made no new Species or Kinds of things but the meaning is now after Sin the Earth should bring forth more plenty of Thorns and now those Thorns should be hurtful and choke the Corn which hurtful quality was not in them before Ever since the Fall all the Comforts of this Life have a Thorn and a Thistle in them 4. The fourth fruit of the Curse was the driving Man out of Paradise vers 24. So he drove out the Man God at first brought Adam into Paradise as into an House ready furnished or as a King into his Throne Gen. 1.28 have dominion over every living thing that moveth Now God's driving Adam out of Paradise signified his dethroning and banishing him that he might look after an heavenly and a better Paradise 5. A fifth fruit of the Curse was Death verse 19. To dust thou shalt return Death was not natural to Adam it came in after sin Iosephus is of opinion Man should have died though he had continued in Innocency only he should have had a longer term of years added to his life but out of question Death grew out of the Root of Sin the Apostle saith Rom. 5.12 By sin came death See then how cursed a thing Sin is that hath brought so many Curses upon the Creation If we will not hate Sin for its Deformity let us hate it for the Curse it brings 4. Did God make this glorious World did he make every thing good was there in the Creature so much beauty and sweetness Oh! then what sweetness is there in God Quicquid efficit tale illud est magis tale the Cause is always more noble than the Effect Think with your selves is there so much excellence in House and Lands then how much more is there in God that made these Is there beauty in a Rose what beauty then is there in Christ the Rose of Sharon Doth Oil make the face shine Psal. 104.15 How will the Light of God's Countenance make it shine Doth Wine chear the heart O what Virtue is in the true Vine How doth the Blood of this Grape chear the Heart Is the fruit of the Garden sweet how delicious are the Fruits of the Spirit Is a Gold Mine so precious how precious is he who founded this Mine What is Christ in whom are hid all Treasures Coloss. 2.3 We should ascend from the Creature to the Creator If there be any Comfort here below how much more is there in God who made all these things How unreasonable is it that we should delight in the World and not much more in him that made it How should our Hearts be set on God and how should we long to be with God who hath infinitely more sweetness in him than any Creature Use 2. of Exhortation 1. Did God create the World let us wisely observe these Works of Creation God hath given us not only the Book of the Scriptures to read in but the Book of the Creation Look up to the Heavens they shew much of God's glory the Sun gilds the World with its bright
and Drunkenness in Noah and Cursing in Iob If God leave a Man to himself how suddenly and scandalously may Original sin break forth in the holiest Men alive 5. Original sin doth mix and incorporate it self with our Duties and Graces 1. With out Duties as the hand which is paralitical or palsy cannot move without shaking as wanting some inward strength so we cannot do any holy action without sinning as wanting a Principle of Original Righteousness As the Leper whatever he touched became unclen if he touched the Altar the Altar did not sanctifie him but he polluted the Altar such a Leprosy is Original sin it defiles our Prayers and Tears we cannot write without blotting Though I do not say that the holy Duties and good Works of the Regenerate are sins for that were to reproach the Spirit of Christ by which they are wrought yet this I say that the best works of the godly have sin cleaving to them only Christ's Blood makes atonement for our holy things 2. With our Graces There is some Unbelief mixed with Faith Lukewarmness with Zeal Pride with Humility As bad Lungs cause an Astmah or shortness of breath so Original Corruption having infected our heart our Greaces breath now very faintly 6. Original sin is a vigorous active Principle within us it doth not lye still but is ever exciting and stirring us up to evil it is an Inmate very unquiet Rom. 7.15 What I hate that do I. How came Paul to do so Original sin did irritate and stir him up to it Original sin is like Quicksilver always in motion when we are asleep sin is awake in the Fancy Original sin sets the Head a plotting evil and the Hands a working it it hath in it principium motus not quiet is it is like the Pulse ever beating 7. Original sin is the cause of all Actual it is fomes peccati it is the Womb in which all actual sins are conceived Hence come Murders Adulteries Rapines it is the Trojan Horse out of which a whole Army of Impieties come Though Actual sins may be more scandalous yet Original sin is more heinous the Cause is more then the Effect 8. It is not perfectly cured in this Life Grace though it doth subdue sin yet not wholly remove it Though we are like Christ having the first fruits of the Spirit yet we are unlike him having the remainders of the Flesh. There are two Nations in the Womb. Original sin is like that Tree Dan. 4.23 though the Branches of it were hewen down and the main body of it yet the stumps and root of the Tree were left Though the Spirit be still weakning and hewing down sin in the godly yet the stump of Original sin is still left it is a Sea that will not in this Life be dried up Quest. But why doth God leave Original Corruption in us after Regeneration he could quite free us from it if he pleased Resp. 1. He doth it to shew the power of his Grace in the weakest Believer Grace shall prevail against a Torrent of Corruption Whence is this the Corrupion is ours but the Grace is Gods 2. God leaves Original Corruption to make us long after Heaven when there shall be no Sin to defile no Devil to tempt When Elias was taken up to Heaven his Mantle dropped off so when the Angels shall carry us up to Heaven this Mantle of sin shall drop off we shall never complain more of an aking head or an unbelieving heart Use 1. If Original sin be propagated to us and will be inherent in us while we live here then it Confutes the Libertines and Quakers who say they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without sin they hold Perfection they shew much Pride and Ignorance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but we see the Seeds of Original sin remain in the best Eccles. 7.20 There is not a just man lives and sins not And St. Paul complained of a body of death Rom. 7.24 Grace though it doth purifie Nature it doth not perfect it Object But doth not the Apostle say of Believers that their old man is crucified Rom. 6.6 and they are dead to sin Rom. 7.11 Resp. They are dead 1. Spiritually they are dead as to the Reatus the guilt of it and as to the Regnum the power of it the love of sin is crucified 2. They are dead to sin Legally as a Man that is Sentenced to Death is dead in Law so they are legally dead to Sin there is a Sentence of Death gone out against sin it shall die and drop into the Crave but at the present sin hath its Life lengthened out nothing but Death of the Body can quite free us from the Body of Death Use 2. Let us lay to heart Original sin and be deeply humbled for it it cleaves to us as a Disease it is an active Principle in us stirring us up to Evil. Original sin is worse then all Actual sin the Fountain is more then the Stream Some think as long as they are civil they are well enough I but thy Nature is poisoned thou hast a proud lustful envious Nature a River may have fair Streams but Vermin at bottom Thou carriest an Hell about thee thou canst do nothing but thou defilest it thy Heart like muddy ground defiles the purest Water that runs thorow it Nay though thou art Regenerate there is much of the Old Man in the New Man O how should Original sin humble us This is one reason God hath left Original sin in us because he would have it as a Thorn in our side to humble us as the Bishop of Alexandria after the People had embraced Cristianity destroyed all their Idols but one that the sight of that Idol might make them loath themselves for their former Idolatry So God leaves Original sin to pull down the Plumes of Pride Under our silver Wings of Grace are black feet 2. Let the sence of this make us daily look up to Heaven for help beg Christ's Blood to wash away the guilt of sin and his Spirit to mortifie the power of it beg further degrees of Grace Gratiam Christi eò obnixiùs ambiamus though Grace cannot make sin to be yet not to reign though Grace cannot expel sin it can repel it and for our Comfort where Grace makes a Combat with sin Death shall make a Conquest 3. Let Original sin make us walk with continual Iealousie and Watchfulness over our Hearts The Sin of our Nature is like a sleeping Lion the least thing that awakens it makes it rage The Sin of our Nature though it seem quiet and lies as Fire hid under the Embers yet if it be a little stirr'd and blown up by a Temptation how quickly may it flame forth into scandalous Evils therefore we had need always walk watchfully Mark 13.37 I say to you all watch A wandring heart needs a watchful Eye MAN's Misery by the FALL Quest. XIII WHat is the Misery of that Estate whereinto Man fell
his Bloud Without Faith Christ himself will not avail us Branch 2. Let us love a Bleeding Saviour and let us show our Love to Christ by being ready to suffer for him Many rejoyce at Christ's Suffering for them but dream not of their Suffering for him Ioseph dreamed of his Preferment but not of his Imprisonment Was Christ a Sacrifice Did he bear God's Wrath for us we should bear Man's Wrath for him Christ's Death was voluntary Psal. 40.7 Lo I come to do thy will O God Luke 12.50 I have a baptism to be baptized with and how am I straitned till it be accomplished Christ calls his Sufferings a Baptism he was to be as it were baptized in his own Bloud And how did he thirst for that time How am I straitned Oh then let us be willing to suffer for Christ Christ hath taken away the Venom and Sting of the Saint's Sufferings there is no Wrath in their Cup. Our Sufferings Christ can make sweet As there was Oyl mix'd in the Peace-Offering So God can mix the Oyl of Gladness with our Sufferings The ringing of my Chain is sweet Musick in my Ears Landgrave of Hesse Life must be parted with shortly what is it to part with it a little sooner as a Sacrifice to Christ as a Seal of our Sincerity and a Pledge of Thankfulness 3. Use of Consolation This Sacrifice of Christ's Bloud may infinitely comfort us This is the Bloud of Atonement Christ's Cross is Cardo salutis Calv. The Hing and Foundation of our Comfort 1. This Bloud comforts in case of Guilt O saith the Soul my sins trouble me why Christ's Bloud was shed for the Remission of Sin Mat. 26.28 Let us see our sins laid on Christ and then they are no more ours but his 2. In case of Pollution Christ's Bloud is an healing and cleansing Bloud 1. It is healing Isa. 53.5 With his stripes we are healed It is the best Weapon-Salve it heals at a distance though Christ be in Heaven we may feel the Vertue of his Bloud healing our bloudy Issue 2. And it is cleansing 'T is therefore compar'd to Fountain-water Zec. 13.1 The Word is a Glass to show us our Spots and Christ's Bloud is a Fountain to wash them away it turns Leprosy into Purity 1 Joh. 1.7 The bloud of Iesus cleanseth us from all our sin There is indeed one Spot so black that Christ's Bloud doth not wash away viz. The Sin against the Holy Ghost Not but that there is Vertue enough in Christ's Bloud to wash it away but he who hath sinned that Sin will not be washed he contemns Christ's Bloud and tramples it under foot Heb. 10.29 Thus we see what a strong Cordial Christ's Bloud is it is the Anchor-hold of our Faith the Spring of our Joy the Crown of our Desires and the only Support both in Life and Death In all our Fears let us comfort our selves with the Propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ's Bloud Christ dyed both as a Purchaser and as a Conquerour 1. As a Purchaser in regard of God having by his Bloud obtained our Salvation 2. And as a Conqueror in regard of Satan the Cross being his Triumphant Chariot wheâ—ein he hath led Hell and Death captive Use ult Bless God for this precious Sacrifice of Christ's Death Psal. 103.1 Bless the Lord O my soul. And for what doth David bless him Who redeemeth thy life from destruction Christ gave himself a Sin-offering for us let us give ourselves a Thank-offering to him If a Man redeem another out of Debt will not he be grateful How deeply do we stand obliged to Christ who hath redeemed us from Hell and Damnation Rev. 5.9 And they sung a new Song saying Thou art worthy to take the Book and open the Seals for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood Let our Hearts and Tongues join in consort to bless God and let us shew our Thankfulness to Christ by Fruitfulness let us bring forth as Spice-Trees the Fruits of Humility Zeal Good-works This is to live unto him who hath died for us 2 Cor. 5.15 The Wise-men did not only worship Christ but presented him with Gifts Gold and Frankincense and Myrrhe Matth. 2.11 Let us present Christ with the Fruits of Righteousness which are unto the Glory and Praise of God CHRIST's Intercession ROM 8.34 Who also maketh Intercession for us WHen Aaron entred into the Holy Place his Bells gave a Sound so Christ having entred into Heaven his Intercession makes a melodious sound in the Ears of God Christ though he be exalted to Glory hath not laid aside his Bowels of Compassion but is still mindful of his Body Mystical as Ioseph was mindful of his Father and Brethren when he was exalted to the Court Who also maketh Intercession for us To Intercede is to make Request in the behalf of another Christ is the great Master of Requests in Heaven Christus est Catholicus Patris Sacerdos Tertul. Quest. What are the Qualifications of our Intercessor Resp. 1. He is holy Hebr. 7.26 For such an High Priest became us who is holy undefiled separate from sinners Christ knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 he knew sin in the weight not in the act It was requisite that he who was to do away the sins of others should himself be without sin Holiness is one of the precious Stones which shines on the Breast-Plate of our High Priest 2. He is faithful Hebr. 2.17 It behoved him to be like unto his brethren that he might be a faithful High Priest Moses was faithful as a Servant Christ as a Son Hebr. 3.5 he doth not forget any Cause he hath to plead nor doth he use any deceit in pleading An ordinary Attorney may either leave out some word which might make for the Client or put in a word against him having receiv'd a Fee on both sides but Christ is true to the Cause he pleads we may leave our Matters with him we may trust our Lives and Souls in his hand 3. He never dies The Priests under the Law while their Office lived they themselves died Hebr. 7.23 They were not suffered to continue by reason of death but Christ ever lives to make Intercession Hebr. 7.25 He hath no Succession in his Priesthood Quest. Who Christ intercedes for Resp. Not for all promiscuously Iohn 17.9 but for the Elect. The efficacy of Christ's Prayer reacheth no further then the efficacy of his Blood but his Blood was shed only for the Elect therefore his Prayers only reach them The High Priest went into the Sanctuary with the Names only of the Twelve Tribes upon his Breast so Christ goes into Heaven only with the Names of the Elect upon his Breast Christ interceeds for the weakest Believers Iohn 17.20 and for all the sins of Believers In the Law there were some sins the High Priest was neither to offer Sacrifice for nor yet to offer Prayer Numb 15.30 The Soul that doth ought presumptuously shall be cut off The
God hath given him his only Son Hath he Scarcity of Bread God hath given him the finest of the Wheat the Bread of Life Are his Comforts gone He hath the Comforter Doth he meet with Storms on the Sea He knows where to put in for Harbour God is his Portion and Heaven is his Haven Thus Assurance gives sweet Contentment in every Condition Effect 6. Assurance would bear up the Heart in Sufferings it would make a Christian endure Troubles with Patience and Chearfulness with Patience Heb. 10.36 Ye have need of Patience There are some Meats we say are hard of Digestion and only a good Stomach will concoct them Affliction is a Meat hard of Digestion but Patience like a good Stomach will be able to digest it and whence comes Patience but from Assurance Rom. 5.5 Tribulation worketh Patience because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts with chearfulness Assurance is like the Mariners Lanthorn on the Deck which gives light in a dark night Assurance gives the light of Comfort in Affliction Heb. 10.34 ye took joyfully the spoiling of your Goods knowing in your selves c. there was Assurance He that hath Assurance can rejoyce in Tribulation he can gather Grapes of Thorns and Hony out of the Lyons Carcass Latimer When I sit alone and can have a setled Assurance of the State of my Soul and know that God is mine I can Laugh at all Troubles and nothing can daunt me Effect 7. Assurance would pacifie a troubled Conscience He who hath a disturbed vexatious Conscience carries an Hell about him Eheu quis intus Scorpio but Assurance cures the Agony and allays the Fury of Conscience Conscience that before was turned into a Serpent now is like a Bee that hath Hony in its Mouth it speaks Peace Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia Tertull. When God is pacified towards us then Conscience is pacified If the Heavens are quiet and there are no Winds stirring thence the Sea is quiet and calm So if there be no Anger in Gods Heart if the Tempest of his Wrath doth not blow Conscience is quiet and serene Effect 8. Assurance would strengthen us against the Fear of Death such as want it cannot dye with Comfort they are in aequilibrio they hang in a doubtful Suspence what shall become of them after Death But he who hath Assurance hath an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an happy and joyful Passage out of the World he knows he is passed from Death to Life he is carried full sail to Heaven though he cannot resist Death yet 〈◊〉 overcomes it Quest. 6. What shall they do that want Assurance Resp. 1. Such as want Assurance let them labour to find Grace when the Sun denies light to the Earth it may give forth its Influence When God denies the light of his Countenance he may give the Influence of his Grace Quest. How shall we know we have a real Work of Grace and so have a right to Assurance Resp. If we can resolve two Queries 1. Have we high Appretiations of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.7 To you that believe he is precious Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all made up of Beauties and Delights our Praises fall short of his Worth and is like spreading Canvass upon Cloth of Gold How precious is his Blood and Incense The one pacifies our Conscience the other Perfumes our Prayers Can we say we have endearing Thoughts of Christ Do we esteem him our Pearl of Price Our bright Morning Star Do we count all earthly Enjoyments but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dung in comparison of Christ Phil. 3.8 do we prefer the worst things of Christ before the best things of the World the Reproaches of Christ before the Worlds Embraces Heb. 11.26 Quer. 2. Have we the indwelling of the Spirit 2 Tim. 1.14 The Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us Quest. How may we know we have the indwelling presence of the Spirit Resp. Not by having sometimes good Motions stir'd up in us by the Spirit it may work in us yet not dwell but by the Sanctifying Power of the Spirit on our Heart the Spirit infuseth Divinam Indolem a Divine Nature it stamps its own impress and Effigies on the Soul making the Complexion of it Holy The Spirit ennobles and raiseth the Heart above the World when Nebuchadnezzar had his Understanding given him he grazed no longer amongst the Beasts but returned to his Throne and minded the Affairs of his Kingdom when the Spirit of God dwells in a Man it carries his Heart above the visible Orbs it makes him Superna anhelare thirst after Christ and Glory if we can find this then we have Grace and so have a right to Assurance 2. If you want Assurance wait for it if the Figures are graven on the Dial it is but waiting a while and the Sun shines When Grace is engraven in the Heart it is but waiting a while and we shall have the Sun-shine of Assurance He that believes makes not haste Isa. 28.16 He will stay Gods leisure say not God hath forsaken you he will never lift up the light of his Countenance but rather say as the Church Isa. 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord which hideth his face from the House of Jacob. 1. Hath God waited for your Conversion and will not you wait for his Consolation How 〈◊〉 did he come a woing to you by his Spirit He waited till his Head was fill'd with Dew He cry'd as Ier. 13.27 Wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be O Christian did God wait for thy Love and canst not thou wait for his 2. Assurance is so sweet and precious that it is worth waiting for the price of it is above Rubies it cannot be valued with th◠Gold of Ophir Assurance of Gods Love is a Pledge of Election 't is the Angels Banquet what other Joy have they As Micah said Iudges 18.24 What have I more So when God assures the Soul of his eternal purposes of Love what hath he more to give Whom God kisseth he Crowns Assurance is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Fruits of Paradise one Smile of Gods Face one Glance of his Eye one Crumb of the hidden Manna is so sweet a Delicious that it deserves our waiting 3. God hath given a Promise that we shall not wait in vain Isa. 49.23 They shall not be ashamed that wait for me Perhaps God reserves this Cordial of Assurance for a fainting time He keeps sometimes his best Wine till last Assurance shall be reserved as an Ingredient to sweeten the bitter Cup of Death Quest. 7. How may deserted Souls be comforted who are cast down for want of Assurance They have the Day-star of Grace risen in their Souls but as Job complains I went Mourning without the Sun Iob 30.28 They go mourning for want of the Sun-light of Gods Face Their Ioy is eclipsed They walk in darkness and see no light Isa. 50.10 How shall we comfort such as lye Bleeding in
his Service 3. Faith gives us a Prospect of Heaven it shews us an invisible Glory and he who hath Christ in his Heart and a Crown in his Eye will not faint away O cherish Faith keep your Faith and your Faith will keep you While the Pilot keeps his Ship his Ship keeps him Sixthly If Persevere let us engage the power of God to help us we are kept by the power of God The Child is safest when it is held in the Nurses Arms so are we when we are held in the Arms of Free-Grace It is not our holding God but his holding us preserves us When a Boat is tied to a Rock it is secure so when we are fast tied to the Rock of Ages then we are impregnable O engage God's power to help us to Persevere we engage his Power by Prayer Let us pray to him to keep us Psal. 17.5 Hold up my goings in thy Paths that my Footsteps slip not It was a good Prayer of Beza Domine quod cepisti perfice ne in portu naufragium accidat Lord perfect what thou hast begun in me that I may not suffer Shipwreck when I am almost at the Haven Seventhly If Persevere set often before your Eyes the noble Examples of those who have Persevered in Religion quot Martyres quot Fideles in Coelis jam Triumphant What a glorious Army of Saints and Martyrs have gone before us How constant to the Death was St. Paul Acts 21.13 How Persevering in the Faith were Ignasius Policarp Athanasius These were Stars in their Orb Pillars in the Temple of God Let us look on their Zeal and Courage and be animated Heb. 12.1 Seeing we are compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses let us run with Patience the Race that is set before us The Crown is set at the end of the Race if we win the Race we shall wear the Crown A Believers Privilege at Death Phil. 1.21 For to me to Live is Christ and to Dye is Gain SAint Paul was a great Admirer of Christ he desired to know nothing but Christ and him Crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 No Julip to the Blood of Christ and in the Text To me to live is Christ and to dye is Gain First To me to live is Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must understand Paul of a Spiritual Life To me to live is Christ i. e. Christ is my Life so Greg. Nyssen Or thus my Life is made up of Christ. As a Wicked Mans Life is made up of Sin So Paul's Life was made up of Christ he was full of Christ. But that I may give you the Sense of the Teâ—â— more fully take it in these Three particulars 1. Christ is the principle of my Life 2. Christ is the end of my Life 3. Christ is the Joy of my Life 1. To me to live is Christ i. e. Christ is the Principle of my Life I fetch my Spiritual Life from Christ as the Branch fetcheth its Sap from the Root Gal. 2.20 Christ liveth in me Jesus Christ is an Head of Influence he sends forth Life and Spirits into me to quicken me to every Holy Action Thus To me to live is Christ. Christ is the principle of my Life from his Fulness I live as the Vine-branch lives from the Root 2. To me to live is Christ i. e. Christ is the end of my Life I live not to my self but to Christ. So Grotius and Causabon Christo Servio To me to live is Christ all my Living is is to do Service to Christ Rom. 14.8 Whether we live we live unto the Lord. When we lay out our selves wholly for Christ as the Factor trades for the Merchant so we Trade for Christs Interest we propagate his Gospel the design of our Life is to exalt Christ and make the Crown upon his Head to flourish Now it may be said to us to live is Christ our whole Life is a Living to Christ. 3. To me to live is Christ i. e. Christ is the Joy of my Life Psal. 42.4 God my exceeding Ioy or the Cream of my Joy A Christian rejoyceth in Christs Righteousness he can rejoyce in Christ when Worldly Joys are gone When the Tulip in a Garden withers a Man rejoyceth in his Jewels When Relations Dye a Saint can rejoyce in Christ the Pearl of Price in this Sense to me to live is Christ he is the Joy of my Life If Christ were gone my Life would be a Death to me Use. It should exhort us all to labour to say as the Apostle to me to live is Christ. Christ is the Principle of my Life the End of my Life the Joy of my Life to me to live is Christ and then we may comfortably conclude that to Dye shall be Gain Secondly And that brings me to the Second part of the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to Dye is Gain Doct. To a Believer Death is great Gain A Saint can tell what his Losses for Christ are but he cannot tell how great his Gains are at Death To me to dye is Gain Death to a Believer is Crepusculum gloriae the Day-break of Eternal Brightness To shew fully what a Believers Gains are at Death were a task too great for an Angel all Hyperboles fall short the Reward of Glory exceeds our very Faith Only let me give you the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some dark views and imperfect Lineaments of that infinite Glory the Saints shall gain at the Hour of Death To me to Dye is Gain 1. Believers at Death shall gain a Writ of Ease from all Sins and Troubles they shall be in a state of Impeccability Sin expires with their Life I think sometimes what an happy state that will be never to have a sinful Thought more And they shall have a quietus est from their Troubles Here David cried out My Life is spent with Griefs and my Years with Sighing Psal. 31.10 Quid est diu vivere nisi diu torqueri Aug. Life begins with a Cry and ends with a Groan but at Death all Troubles Dye 2. Believers at Death shall gain the glorious Sight of God They shall see him First Intellectually with the Eyes of their Mind which Divines call the Beatifical Vision If there were not such an Intellectual sight of God how do the Spirits of Iust Men made Perfect see him Secondly They shall behold the Glorified Body of Jesus Christ and if it be pleasant to behold the Sun then how blessed a sight will it be to see Christ the Son of Righteousness cloathed with our Human Nature shining in Glory above the Angels Through Christ's Flesh as through a Transparent Glass some bright Rays and Beams of the God head shall display themselves to glorified Eyes The sight of God through Christ will be very complacential and delightful The terrour of God's Essence will be taken away Gods Majesty will be mixed with Beauty and sweetned with Clemency it will be infinitely delightful to the Saints to see the amiable
A Christian after his weary Marches and Battels shall put off his Bloody Armour and rest himself upon the Bosom of Jesus that Bed of Perfume When Death hath given the Saints the Wings of a Dove then they shall fly away to Paradise and be at rest 7. The Seventh thing in Glory is Eternity 2 Cor. 4.17 An Eternal weight of Glory First Glory is a Weight The Hebrew Word for Glory quod significat Pondus is a Weight God must make us able to bear it Secondly An Eternal Weight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory is such a Manna as doth not breed Worms If the Saints glory in Heaven were but for a time and they were in fear of losing it it would eclipse and imbitter the Joys of Heaven but Eternity is written upon their Joys The Garland made of Flowers of Paradise fades not 1 Pet. 5.4 I have read of a River which they call the Day-River in which time it runs with a full Torrent but at Night it is dried up such are all Earthly Comforts they run with a full Stream all the Day-time of Life but at the Night of Death they are dried up but the Saints glorified shall drink of the Rivers of Pleasure for evermore Psal. 16.11 Eternity is the Heaven of Heavens in fine Gaudium erit sine fine Bern. The Joys of Heaven as overflowing so ever-flowing Quest. 2. When do Believers enter upon Possession of Glory Resp. They pass immediately after Death into Glory Some hold with the Platonists and Lucianists that the Soul dies But many of the Sober Heathens believed the Souls immortality The Romans when their Great Men died caus'd an Eagle to be let loose and fly about in the Air signifying hereby that the Soul was immortal and did not dye with the Body Christ tells us the Soul is not capable of Killing Luke 12.4 Therefore not of Dying And as the Soul doth not Dye so neither doth it Sleep in the Body for a time If the Soul be at Death absent from the Body 2 Cor. 5.8 then it cannot Sleep in the Body There is an immediate passage from Death to Glory It is but winking and we shall see God Luke 23.43 This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise by Paradise is meant Heaven the Third Heaven into which Paul was wrap'd which all hold to be the Heaven of the blessed was called Paradise 2 Cor 12.4 Now saith Christ to the Thief on the Cross 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise his Body could not be there for it was laid in the Grave But it was spoke of his Soul that it should be immediately after Death in Heaven Let none be so vain as to talk of Purgatory A Soul purg'd by Christs Blood needs no fire of Purgatory but goes immediately from a Death-bed into a glorified State Use 1. See what little cause Believers have to fear Death when it brings such glorious Benefits To me to Dye is Gain Why should the Saints fear their Preferment Is it not a blessed thing to see God to love God and to lye for ever in the Bosom of Divine Love Is it not a blessed thing to meet our Godly Relations in Heaven Why should the Saints be afraid of their Blessings Is a Virgin afraid to be matched into the Crown Now is but the Contract at Death is the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb Rev. 19.9 What hurt doth Death but take us from among Fiery Serpents and place us among Angels What hurt doth it do but to cloath us with a Robe of Immortality Hath he any wrong done that hath his Sack-Cloath pull'd off and hath Cloath of Gold put upon him Fear not Dying who cannot live but by Dying Use 2. You who are Real Saints whose Hearts are purified by Faith spend much time in musing upon these glorious Benefits which you shall have by Christ at Death Thus might you by a Contemplative Life begin the Life of Angels here and be in Heaven before your time Eudoxus was so affected with the Glory of the Sun that he thought he was born only to behold it What should we contemplate but Caelestial Glory when we shall see God Face to Face David was got above the ordinary sort of Men he was in the Altitudes â—sal 139.18 I am ever with thee A true Saint every Day takes a turn in Heaven his Thoughts and Desires are like Cherubims flying up to Paradise Can Men of the World so delight in looking upon their Bags of Gold and Fields of Corn and shall not the Heirs of Heaven take more delight in Contemplating their Glory in Reversion Could we send forth Faith as a Spy and every Day view the Glory of the Ierusalem above how would it rejoyce us as it doth the Heir to think of the Inheritance which is to come into his Hand shortly Use 3. Consolation This is that which may comfort the Saints in Two Cases 1. Under their Wants they abound only in Wants The Meal is almost spent in the Barrel but be patient till Death and you shall have a Supply of all your Wants You shall have a Kingdom and be as Rich as Heaven can make you He who hath the promise of an Estate after the expiring of a few Years though at present he hath nothing to help himself yet comforts himself with this that shortly he shall have an Estate come into his Hands 1 Iohn 2.3 It doth not yet appear what we shall be we shall be enamel'd with Glory and be as rich as the Angels under their Sufferings 2. A true Saint is as Luther Haeres Crucis but this may make us go chearfully through our Sufferings there are great things laid up in store there is Glory coming which Eye hath not seen we shall drink of the Fruit of the Vine in the Kingdom of Heaven though now we drink in a Wormwood Cup yet here is Sugar to sweeten it we shall taste of those Joys of Paradise which exceed our Faith and may be better felt than they can be expressed Of the RESVRRECTION John 5.28 Marvel not at this for the Hour is coming in which all that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done Good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done Evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation Quest. WHat Benefits shall Believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection Resp. 1. Their Bodies shall be raised up to Glory 2. They shall be openly acquitted at the Day of Judgment 3. They shall be made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God for ever 1. The Bodies of Believers shall be raised up to Glory The Doctrin of the Resurrection is a Fundamental Article of our Faith the Apostle puts it among the Principles of the Doctrin of Christ Heb. 6.2 The Body shall rise again we are not so sure to rise out of our Beds as we are to rise out of our Graves The saved Body shall arise again Some
Variety is wanting we are apt to nauseate to feed only on Hony would breed Loathing but in God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Variety of Fulness Col. 1.19 He is an Universal Good Commensurate to all our Wants He is Bonum in quo omnia Bona a Sun a Portion an Horn of Salvation He is called the God of all Comfort 2 Cor. 1.3 There is a Complication of all Beauties and Delights in him Health hath not the comfort of Beauty nor Beauty of Riches nor Riches of Wisdom but God is the God of all Comfort Fourthly In the chief Good there must be Eternity God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is a Treasure that can neither be drawn low nor drawn dry Though the Angels are still spending on him he can never be spent he abides for ever Eternity is a Flower of his Crown Now if God be our God here is enough to let in full Contentment into our Souls What though we want Torch-light if we have the Sun What if God deny us the Flower if he hath given us the Jewel How should this rock a Christians Heart quiet If we say God is our God and we are not content we have cause to question our Interest in him III. If we can clear up this Covenant-Union that God is our God let this chear and revive us in all Conditions To be content with God is not enough but to be chearful what greater Cordial can you have than Union with Deity When Jesus Christ was ready to Ascend he could not leave a richer consolation with his Disciples than this Tell them I go to my God and their God John 20.17 Who should rejoyce if not they who have an Infinite Alsufficient Eternal God to be their Portion who are as Rich as Heaven can make them What though I want Health I have God who is the Health of my Countenance and my God Psal. 42.11 What though I am low in the World if I have not the Earth I have him that made it The Philosopher comforted himself with this though he had no Musick or Vine-Trees yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here are the Houshold Gods with me So though we have not the Vine or Fig-Tree yet we have God with us I cannot be Poor saith St. Bernard as long as God is Rich for his Riches are mine O Let the Saints rejoyce in this Covenant-Union To say God is ours is more than to say Heaven is ours Heaven would not be Heaven without God All the Stars cannot make Day without the Sun All the Angels those Morning Stars cannot make Heaven without Christ the Sun of Righteousness And as to have God for our God is matter of rejoycing in Life so especially it will be at our Death Let a Christian think thus I am going to my God A Child is glad when he is going home to his Father This was Christs comfort when he was leaving the World Iohn 20.17 I go to my God And this is a Believers Death-bed Cordial I am going to my God I shall change my Place but not my Kindred I go to my God and my Father IV. If God be our God then let us break forth into Doxology and Praise Psal. 118.28 Thou art my God and I will praise thee O infinite Astonishing Mercy that God should take Dust and Ashes into so near a Bond of Love as to be our God As Micah said Iudg. 18.24 What have I more So what hath God more What richer Jewel hath he to bestow upon us than himself What hath he more That God should put off most of the World with Riches and Honours and that he should pass over himself to us by a Deed of Gift to be our God and by virtue of this settle a Kingdom upon us O let us praise him with the best Instrument our Heart and let this Instrument be scrued up to the highest Peg Let us praise him with our whole Heart See how David riseth by degrees Psal. 32.11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce and shout for Ioy. Be glad there is Thankfulness rejoyce there is Chearfulness shout there is Triumph Praise is called Incense because it is so sweet a Sacrifice Let the Saints be Queristers in Gods Praises the deepest Springs yield the sweetest Water The more deeply sensible we are of Gods Covenant-Love to us the sweeter Praises we should yield We should begin here to eternize Gods Name and do that Work on Earth which we shall be always doing in Heaven Psal. 146.2 While I live will I praise the Lord. 5. Let us carry our selves as those who have God to be our God that is when we walk so that others may see there is something of God in us Live Holily What have we to do with Sin Is it not this that if it doth not break yet will weaken the Interest Hos. 14.8 What have I to do any more with Idols So should a Christian say God is my God what have I to do any more with Sin with Lust Pride Malice Bid me commit Sin as well bid me Drink Poison Shall I forfeit my Interest in God Let me rather Dye than willingly offend him who is the Crown of my Joy the God of my Salvation Of the Ten Commandments Exod. 20.2 The Land of Egypt c. THE Second part of Preface Who have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage Egypt and the House of Bondage are the same only they are represented to us under a different Expression or Notion I begin with the First Expression Who have brought thee out of the Land of Egypt Quest. Why doth the Lord mention this Deliverance of Israel out of the Land of Egypt Resp. 1. Because of the strangeness of the Deliverance God delivered his People Israel by strange Signs and Wonders by sending Plague after Plague upon Pharaoh blasting the Fruits of the Earth killing all the First-born in Egypt Exod. 12.29 And when Israel march'd out of Egypt God made the Waters of the Sea to part and become a Wall to his People while they went on Dry Ground and as he made the Sea a Cawsey to Israel so a Grave to Pharaoh and his Chariots Well might the Lord mention his bringing them out of the Land of Egypt because of the strangeness of the Deliverance God wrought Miracle upon Miracle for their Deliverance 2. God mentions Israel's Deliverance out of Egypt because of the greatness of the Deliverance God delivered Israel from the Pollutions of Egypt Egypt was a bad Air to live in it was infected with Idolatry The Egyptians were gross Idolaters they were guilty of that which the Apostle speaks of Rom. 1.23 They changed the Glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to Corruptible Man and to Birds and Four-Footed Beasts and Creeping Things The Egyptians Worshipped instead of the true God First A Corruptible Man they Deified their King Apis forbidding all under pain of Death to say that he was a Man
Life of another This makes the Sin of Blood more bloody The less Provocation to a Sin the greater the Sin 2. To shed the Blood of another contrary to Promise Thus after the Princes of Israel had sworn to the Gibeonites that they should live Iosh. 9.15 Saul slew them 2 Sam. 21.1 Here were two Sins twisted together Breach of Oath and Murder 3. To take away the Life of any Publick Person inhanceth the Murder and makes it greater As 1. To Kill a Judge upon the Bench because he represents the King's Person 2. To murder a Person whose Office is Sacred and comes on the King of Heaven's Ambassage The murdering of him may be the murdering of many Herod added this Sin above all that he shut up Iohn Baptist in Prison Luke 3.20 Then much more to behead Iohn in Prison 3. To stain ones Hands with Royal Blood David's Heart smote him because he did but cut off the Lap of King Saul's Garment 1 Sam. 24.5 How would David's Heart have smote him if he had cut off Sauls Head 4. To shed the Blood of a near Relation aggravates the Murder and dies it of a deeper Crimson For a Son to kill his Father is horrid Parricides are Monsters in Nature Qui occidit patrem plurima committit peccata in uno Cicero He who takes away his Fathers Life committeth many Sins in one He is not only guilty of Murder but of Disobedience Ingratitude Ostracism and Diabolical Cruelty Exod. 21.15 He who striketh his Father or Mother shall be surely put to Death Then how many Deaths is he worthy of that destroyes his Father or Mother Such a Monster was Nero who caused his Mother Agrippina to be slain 5. To shed the Blood of any Righteous Person aggravates the Sin First Hereby Justice is perverted Such a Person being innocent is unworthy of Death Secondly A Saint being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Publick Blessing he lies in the Breach to turn away Wrath So that to destroy him is to go to pull down the Pillars of a Nation Thirdly He is precious to God Isa. 15.43 44. He is a Member of Christ's Body therefore what Injury is offered to him is done to God himself Acts 9.4 Caution I. Tho this Commandment forbids Private Persons Thou shalt not kill to shed the Blood of another unless in their own Defence yet such as are in Office must punish Publick Offenders yea with Death else they sin To kill an Offender is not Murder but Justice A Private Person sins if he draws the Sword a Publick Person sins if he put up the Sword A Magistrate ought not to let the Sword of Justice rust in the Scabbard As the Magistrate should not let the Sword be too sharp by Severity so neither should the Edge of it be blunted by too much Lenity Caution II. Neither doth this Commandment Thou shalt not kill prohibit a Iust War When Mens Sins grow ripe and long Plenty hath bred Surfeit Then God saith Sword go through the Land Ezek. 14.17 God did abet the War between the Tribes of Israel and Benjamin When the Iniquity of the Amorites was full then God sent Israel to commence a War against them Iudg. 11.21 Vse I. Lamentation That this Land is so defiled with Blood Numb 35.33 How common is this Sin in this Hectoring Age England's Sins are written in Letters of Blood Some make no more of killing Men than Sheep Ier. 2.34 In thy Skirts is found the Blood of the poor Innocents Iunius reads it in Alis and so in Hebrew In Thy Wings is found the Blood of Innocents It alludes to the Birds of Prey which stain their Wings with the Blood of other Birds May not the Lord justly take up a Controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land because Blood toucheth Blood Hos. 4.2 There is a Concatenation a Plurality of Murders And that which may encrease our Lamentation is that not only Man's Blood is shed among us but Chrst's Blood Such as are profane flagitious Sinners are said to Crucify the Son of God afresh Heb. 6.6 1. They Swear by his Blood and so do as it were make his Wounds bleed afresh 2. Crucifie Christ in his Members Why persecutest thou me The Foot being trodden on the Head cried out 3. If it lay in their Power were Christ alive on Earth they would nail him again to the Cross. Thus Men Crucifie Christ afresh And if Man's Blood doth so cry how loud will Christ's Blood cry against Sinners Vse II. Beware of having your Hands imbrued in the Blood of others Obj. But such a one hath wronged me by Defamation or other ways and if I spill his Blood I do but revenge my own Quarrel Resp. If he hath done you wrong the Law is open but take heed of shedding Blood What because he hath wronged you will you therefore wrong God Is it not a Wrong to God to take his Work out of his Hand He hath said Vengeance is mine and I will repay Rom. 12.19 But you will take upon you to revenge your self You will be both Plantiff and Judge and Executioner your self This is an high Wrong done to God and he will not hold you guiltless Now to deterr all from having their Hands defiled with Blood consider what a Sin Murder is 1. A God-affronting Sin It is a Breach of Commandment trampling upon God's Royal Edict It is a Wrong offered to God's Image Gen. 9.6 In the Image of God made he Man It is a tearing God's Picture and breaking in Pieces the King of Heavens Broad-Seal Man is the Temple of God 1 Cor. 6.19 Know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost So that the Man-slayer destroys God's Temple And will God endure to be thus confronted by proud Dust 2. It is a crying Sin Clamitat in Coelum vox Sanguinis There are three Sins in Scripture said to cry 1. Oppression Psal. 12.5 2. Sodomy Gen. 18.21 3. Blood-shed This comes so loud that it drowns all the other Cries Gen. 4.10 The Voice of thy Brothers Blood cries unto me from the Ground Abel's Blood had as many Tongues as Drops to cry aloud for Vengeance This Sin of Blood lay heavy on David's Conscience Tho he had sinned by Adultery yet that he cried out of most was this Crimson Sin of Blood Psal. 51.14 Deliver me from Blood-guiltiness O God Tho the Lord visits for every Sin yet he will in a special manner make Inquisition for Blood Psal. 9.12 If a Beast did kill a Man the Beast was to be ston'd and his Flesh must not be eaten Exod. 21.8 If God would have a Beast stoned that killed a Man who had not the Use of Reason to restrain him then much more will he be incensed against those who go both against Reason and Conscience in spoiling the Life of a Man 3. Murder is a Diabolical Sin It makes a Man Primogenitum Diaboli The Devil 's First-born He was a Murderer from the beginning Iohn
8.44 By saying to our First Parents Ye shall not die he brought in Death to the World 4. It is a Cursed Sin If there be a Curse for him that smites his Neighbour secretly Deut. 27.4 then he is double cursed that kills him The first Man that was born was a Murderer Gen. 4.11 And now art thou cursed from the Earth He was an excommunicate Person banish'd from the place of God's Publick Worship God set a Mark upon bloody Cain Gen. 24 15. Some think it was Horror of Mind which above all Sins doth accompany the Sin of Blood Others think this Mark was a continual Shaking and trembling in his Flesh which was a Mark of Infamy God set upon him He carried a Curse along with him 5. It is a Wrath-procuring Sin 2 Kings 24.4 1. It procures Temporal Judgments Phocas to get the Empire put to Death all the Sons of Mauritius the Emperor and then slew him But this Phocas was pursued by his Son-in-law Priscus who cut off his Ears and Feet and then kill'd him Charles the 9 th who caused the Massacre of so many Christians at Paris Blood issued out at several parts of his Body of which he died Albonia kill'd a Man and then made a Cup of his Skull to drink in afterwards his own Wife caused him to be murdered in his Bed Vengeance as a Blood-hound pursues the Murderer Bloody Men shall not live out half their Days Psal. 55.23 2. It brings Eternal Judgments It binds Men over to Hell The Papists make nothing of Massacres theirs is a Bloody Religion They dispense with Men for Murder so it be to propagate the Catholick Cause If a Cardinal put his Red Hat upon the Head of a Murderer going to Execution he is saved from Death But let all impenitent Murderers read their Doom Rev. 21.8 Murderers shall have their part in the Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone This is the Second Death We read of Fire mingled with Blood Rev. 8.7 Such as have their Hands full of Blood must undergo the Wrath of God Here is Fire mingled with Blood and this Fire is inextinguishable Mark 9.44 Time will not finish it Tears will not quench it EXOD. XX. 12 Thou shalt not Kill 3. We must not injure anothers Soul This is the greatest Murder of all because there is more of God's Image in the Soul than in the Body Ths Soul tho it cannot be annihilated is said to be murdered because it misseth of Happiness and is for ever in Torment Now how many are Soul-murderers 1. Such as corrupt others by bad Example Vivitur Exemplis The World is led by Example especially the Examples of Great ones are very pernicious Magnates Magnetes We are apt to do as we see others before us especially above us Such as are placed in High Power are like the Pillar of Cloud when that went Israel went When Great Ones move in their Sphere others will follow them tho it be to Hell Evil Magistrates like the Tail of the Dragon draw the third part of the Stars after them 2. Such as entice others to Sin The Harlot by curling her Hair rolling her Eyes laying open her Breasts doth what in her lies to be both a Tempter and a Murderer Such an one was Messalina Wife to Claudius the Emperor Prov. 7.7 10. I discerned a young Man and there met him a Woman with the Attire of an Harlot so she caught him and kissed him Better are the Reproofs of a Friend than the Kisses of an Harlot 3. Ministers are Murderers who either starve or poyson or infect Souls 1. That starve Souls 1 Pet. 5.2 Feed the Flock of God which is among you These Feed themselves and starve the Flock Either through Non-residing they do not Preach or through Insufficiency they cannot There are many in the Ministry a shame to speak it so ignorant that they had need to be taught the First Principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 Was not he fit to be a Preacher in Israel think ye who being asked something concerning the Decalogue answered He never saw any such Book 2. That Poyson Souls Such are Heterodox Ministers who poyson People with Error The Basilisk poysons Herbs and Flowers by breathing on them The Breath of Heretical Ministers like the Basilisks Breath poysons Souls The Socinian that would rob Christ of his Godhead the Arminian that by advancing the Power of the Will would take off the Crown from the Head of Free-Grace the Antinomian who denies the Use of the Moral Law to a Believer as if it were antiquated and out of date these Poyson Mens Souls Error is as damnable as Vice 1 Pet. 2.1 There shall he false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Hereresies denying the Lord that bought them 3. That Infect Souls viz. By their Scandalous Lives Exod. 19.22 Let the Priests which come near to the Lord sanctifie themselves Ministers who by their Places are nearer to God should be holier than others The Elements the higher they are the purer The Air is purer than the Water the Fire is purer than the Air. The higher Men are by Office the holier they should be Iohn Baptist was a shining Lamp But there are many who infect their People with their Bad Life They preach one thing and live another Qui curios simulant Bacchanalia vivunt They like Eli's Sons are in White Linen but they have Scarlet Sins Some say that Prester Iohn the Lord of Africa causeth to be carried before him a Golden Cup full of Dirt A fit Emblem of such Ministers as have a Golden Office but are dirty and polluted in their Lives They are Murderers and the Blood of Souls will cry against them at the last Day 4. Such as destroy others by getting them into bad Company and so making them Proselytes to the Devil Vitia in proximum quemque transiliunt Sen. A Man cannot live in the Aethiopian Climate but he will be discoloured with the Sun nor he cannot be in bad Company but he will partake of their Evil. One Drunkard makes another as the Prophet speaks in another Sence Ier. 35.5 I set before them pots full of Wine and Cups and said unto them Drink ye Wine So the Wicked set Pots of Wine before others and make them drink till Reason be stupified and Lust enflamed These are guilty of the Breach of this Commandment they are Murderers of Souls How sad will it be with these who have not only their own Sins but the Blood of others to answer for So much for the First thing forbidden in the Commandment the Injuring of others II. The Second thing forbidden in it is the injuring ones self Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt do no hurt to thy self 1. Thou shalt not hurt thy own Body One may be guilty of Self-murder either 1. Indirectly and Occasionally 2. Directly and Absolutely 1. Indirectly and Occasionally As First When a Man thrusts himself into Danger which he might prevent
these about to massacre and damn their own Souls 3. They murder their Souls who avoid all means of saving their Souls They will go to Plays to drunken Meetings but will not set their Foot within God's House or come near the Sound of the Gospel Trumpet As if one that is Diseased should shun the Bath for fear of being healed These do wilfully damn their Souls and are as great Murderers of themselves as he who having means of Cure offered him chooseth Death rather than Physick 4. They do voluntarily murder their Souls who suck in false Prejudices against Religion as if Religion were too strict and severe they that espouse Holiness must live a melancholly Life like Hermits and Anchorites and drown all their Joy in Tears This is a Slander which the Devil hath cast upon Religion For there 's no true Joy but in believing Rom. 15.13 No Hony so sweet as that which drops from a Promise Some Men have foolishly taken up a Prejudice against Religion they are resolved rather never to go to Heaven than go thither through the Strait Gate I may say of Prejudice as Paul to Elimas Acts 13.10 O Prejudice thou Child of the Devil thou Enemy of all Righteousness how many Souls hast thou damned 5. They are wilfully set to murder their own Souls who will neither be good to themselves nor suffer others to be so Matth. 23.13 Ye neither go into the Kingdom of Heaven your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in Such are those that persecute others for their Religion Drunken Meetings shall escape Punishment But if Men meet to serve God then let all Severity be used These are resolved to Shipwrack others tho they themselves are cast away in the Storm Oh! Take heed of this of murdering your own Souls No Creature but Man doth willingly kill its self So I have done with the First the Sin Forbidden in this Commandment Thou shalt not kill EXOD. XX. 13 Thou shalt not Kill II. The Second Duty implyed is That we should do all the Good we can to our selves and others 1. In reference to Others We should endeavour to preserve the Lives and Souls of others 2. In reference to our selves To preserve our own Life and Soul 1. In reference to Others 1. To preserve the Life of others Comfort them in their Sorrows relieve them in their Wants Be as the good Samaritan pour Wine and Oyl into their Wounds Iob 29.16 I was a Father to the poor 13. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me This is a great means of preserving the Life of another by relieving him when he is ready to perish Pompey when there was a great Dearth in Rome provided Corn for their Relief and when the Mariners were backward to sail thither in a Tempest saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not necessary that we should live but it is necessary that Rome be relieved Grace makes the Heart tender it causeth Sympathy and Charity As it melts the Heart in Contrition towards God so in Compassion towards others Psal. 112.9 He hath dispersed he hath given to the poor This the Commandment implies That we should be so far from ruining others that we should do all we can to preserve the Lives of others When we see the Picture of Death drawn in their Faces administer to their Necessities Be Temporal Saviours to them draw them out of the Waters of Affliction with a Silver Cord of Charity That I may perswade you to this let me lay before you Arguments First Works of Charity evidence Grace 1. Faith Iam. 2.18 I mill shew thee my Faith by my Works Works are Faith's Letters of Credence to show We judge of the Health of the Body by the Pulse where the Blood stirs and operates Christian judge of the Health of thy Faith by the Pulse of Charity The Word of God is the Rule of Faith and good Works are the Witnesses of Faith 2. Love Love loves Mercy It is a Noble bountiful Grace Mary loved Christ and how liberal was her Love She bestows on Christ her Tears Kisses costly Oyntments Love is like a full Vessel will have Vent it vents it self in Acts of Liberality Secondly To communicate to the Necessities of others is not Arbitrary it 's not left to our Choice whether we will or no but it is a Duty incumbent 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that are Rich in this World that they do good that they be rich in good Works This is not only a Counsel but a Charge If God should lay a Charge upon the Inanimate Creatures they would obey If he should charge the Rocks they would send forth Water If he should charge the Clouds they would melt into Showers If he should charge the Stones they would become Bread And shall we be harder than the Stones not to obey God when he chargeth us to be rich in Good Works Thirdly God supplies our Wants and shall not we supply the Wants of others We could not live without Mercy God makes every Creature helpful to us The Sun doth enrich us with it's Golden Beams The Earth yields us its Encrease Veins of Gold Crops of Corn store of Flowers God opens the Treasury of his Mercy he feeds us every Day out of the Alms-basket of his Providence Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Psal. 145.16 Now doth God supply our Wants and shall not we minister to the Wants of others Shall we be only as a Spunge to suck in Mercy and not as a Breast to milk it out to others Fourthly Herein we resemble God to be doing Good to others 'T is our Excellency to be like God Godliness is God-likeness And wherein are we more like him than in Acts of Bounty and Munificence Psal. 119.68 Thou art good and dost good Thou art good there is God's Essential Goodness and dost good there is his Communicative Goodness The more helpful we are to others the more like we are to God We cannot be like God in Omnisciency or in working Miracles but we may be like him in doing Works of Mercy Fifthly God remembers all our Deeds of Charity and takes them kindly at our Hands Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of Love which ye have shewed towards his Name in that ye have ministred to the Saints The Chief Butler may forget Ioseph's Kindness but the Lord will not forget any kindness we show to his People Mat. 25.35 I was an hungred and ye gave me Meat Thirsty and ye gave me Drink Christ takes the kindness done to his Saints as done to himself God that hath a Bottle for your Tears hath a Book to write down your Alms. Mal. 3.16 A Book of Remembrance was written before him Tamerlane had a Register to write down all the Names and good Service of his Soldiers So God hath a Book of Remembrance to write down all your Charitable Works and at the
hath no Excuse I am saith one grown low in the World and trading is bad and I have no other way to a Livelyhood Resp. 1. This shows a great Distrust of God as if he could not provide for thee without thy Sin 2. This shows Sin is gotten to a great Heighth that because a Man is Low in the World therefore he will Acheronta movere Go to the Devil for a Livelyhood Abraham would not have it said that the King of Sodom had made him rich Gen. 14.23 O let it never be said that the Devil hath made thee rich 3. Thou oughtest not to undertake any Action which thou canst not pray for a Blessing upon But if thou livest on Thieving thou canst not pray for a Blessing upon stollen Goods Therefore take heed of this Sin Lucrum in arca damnum in conscientia Aug. Take heed of getting the World with the Loss of Heaven To disswade all from this horrid Sin consider 1. Thieves are the Caterpillars of the Earth Enemies to Civil Society 2. God hates them In the Law the Cormorant was unclean Lev. 11.17 because a thievish devouring Creature a Bird of Prey by which God shew'd his Hatred of this Sin 3. The Thief is a Terror to himself he is always in Fear Psal. 53.5 There were they in great Fear True of the Thief Guilt breeds Fear If he hear but the shaking of a Tree his Heart shakes It was said of Cataline He was afraid of every Noise If a Briar doth but take hold of a Thiefs Garment he is afraid it is the Officer to apprehend him And Fear hath Torment in it 1 John 4.18 4. The Iudgments which follow this Sin Achan the Thief was stoned to Death Iosh. 7. and Zech. 5.2 What seest thou And I said A flying roll Ver. 3. This is the Curse that goes over the Face of the Earth I will bring it forth saith the Lord and it shall enter into the House of the Thief Fabius a Roman Censor condemned his own Son to die for Theft Thieves die with Ignominy the Ladder is their Preferment And there 's a worse thing than Death while they rob others of Money they rob themselves of Salvation Quest. What is to be done to avoid stealing Resp. 1. Live in a Calling Eph. 4.28 Let him that stole steal no more but rather let him labour working with his Hands c. Such as stand idle the Devil hires them and puts them into the pilfering Trade An idle Person tempts the Devil to tempt him 2. Be contented with the Estate God hath given you Heb. 13.5 Be content with such things as you have Theft is the Daughter of Avarice Study Contentment Believe that Condition best God hath carved out to you God can bless that little Meal in the Barrel We shall not need these things long we shall carry nothing out of the World with us but our Winding Sheet If we have but enough to bear our Charges to Heaven it is sufficient EXOD. XX. 16 Thou shalt not bear False Witness against thy Neighbour The Tongue which at first was made to be an Organ of God's Praise is now become an Instrument of Unrighteousness This Commandment binds the Tongue to its good Behaviour God hath set two Fences to keep in the Tongue the Teeth and Lips And this Commandment is a Third Fence set about it that it should not break forth into Evil Thou shalt not bear False Witness against thy Neighbour This Commandment hath a Prohibitory and a Mandatory Part. The First is set down in plain Words the other is clearly implyed I. The Prohibitory Part of the Commandment or what it forbids in general It forbids any thing which may tend to the Disparagement or Prejudice of our Neighbour More particularly two things are forbidden in this Commandment 1. Slandering 2. False Witness 1. Slandering our Neighbour This is a Sin against the 9 th Commandment The Scorpion carries his Poyson in his Tail the Slanderer carries his Poyson in his Tongue Slandering is to report things of others unjustly Psal. 35.11 They laid things to my charge which I knew not It is usual to bring in a Christian beheaded of his Good Name They rais'd a Slander of Paul that he should preach Men might do Evil that Good might come of it Rom. 3.8 We are slanderously reported and some affirm that we say Let us do Evil that Good may come Eminency is commonly blasted by Slander Holiness its self is no Shield for Slander The Lambs Innocency will not preserve it from the Wolf Christ was the most innocent upon Earth yet was reported to be a Friend of Sinners Iohn Baptist a Man of an holy Austere Life yet they said of him He had a Devil Matth. 11.18 The Scripture calls Slandering Smiting with the Tongue Ier. 18.18 Come and let us smite him with the Tongue You may smite another and never touch him Majora sunt linguae vulnera quam gladii Aug. The Wounds of the Tongue no Physician can heal And to pretend Friendship to a Man yet slander him is most odious St. Hierom speaks thus The Arrian Faction made a show of Kindness they kissed my Hands but slandered me and sought my Life And as it is a Sin against this Commandment to raise a false Report of another so it is a Sin to receive a false Report before we have examined it Psal. 15.1 Lord who shall dwell in thy holy Hill Quis ad Coelum Ver. 3. He that back biteth not nor taketh up a Reproach against his Neighbour We must not only not raise a false Report but not take it up He that raiseth a Slander carries the Devil in his Tongue and he that receives it carries the Devil in his Ear. 2. The Second thing Forbidden in this Commandment is False Witness Here Three Sins are condemned 1. Speaking 2. Witnessing 3. Swearing that which is False contra proximum 1. Speaking that which is false Prov. 12.22 Lying Lips are an Abomination to the Lord. To lie is to speak that which one knows to be an Untruth There is nothing more contrary to God than a Lie The Holy Ghost is call'd the Spirit of Truth 1 Iohn 4.5 6. Lying is a Sin that doth not go alone it ushers in other Sins Absalom told his Father a Lie that he was going to pay his Vow at Hebron 2 Sam. 15.7 and this Lie was a Preface to his Treason Where there is a Lie in the Tongue it shows the Devil is in the Heart Acts 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thy Heart to lie Lying is such a Sin as unfits Men for Civil Society How can you converse or bargain with him that you cannot trust a Word he saith This is a Sin which highly provokes God Ananias and Saphira were struck dead for telling a Lie Acts 5.5 The Furnace of Hell is heated for Liars Rev. 22.15 Without are Sorcerers and whosoever loveth and maketh a Lie Oh abhor this Sin Quicquid dixeris juratum putes Hierom. When
keep under my Body and Phil. 3.14 I press toward the mark Gods Children have that holy fear in them as keeps them from security and wantonness they believe the Promise therefore they rejoyce in hope they fear their hearts therefore they watch and pray Thus you see what strong consolation there is for all the Heirs of the Promise Such as have God for their Father are the happyest persons on Earth they are in such a condition that nothing can hurt them they have their Fathers Blessing all things conspire for their good they have a Kingdom settled on them and the entail can never be cut off How may Gods Children be comforted in all conditions let the times be what they will their Father is in Heaven he rules all If troubles arise they shall but carry Gods Children so much the sooner to their Father The more violently the Wind beats against the sails of a Ship the sooner the Ship is brought to the Haven and the more fiercely Gods Children are assaulted the sooner they come to their Fathers house 1 Thess. 4.18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words VSE IV. Of Exhortation Let us behave and carry our selves as the Children of such a Father In several particulars 1. Let us depend upon our Heavenly Father in all our straits and exigencies let us believe that he will provide for us Children rely upon their Parents for the supply of wants If we trust God for Salvation shall we not trust him for a Livelyhood There is a lawful provident care to be used but beware of a distrustful care Luke 12.24 Consider the ravens they neither sow nor reap and God seedeth them Doth God feed the Birds of the Air and will he not feed his Children ver 27. Consider the lilies how they grow they spin not yet Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of these Doth God cloath the Lilies and will he not cloath his Lambs Even the wicked taste of Gods bounty Psal. 73.7 Their eyes stand out with fatness Doth God feed his Slaves and will not he feed his Family Gods Children may not have so liberal a share in the things of this life but little meal in the barrel they may be drawn low but not drawn dry they shall have so much as God sees is good for them Psal. 34.10 They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing If God gives them not ad voluntatem he will ad sanitatem if he gives them not alwayes what they crave he will give them what they need if he gives them not a feast he will give them a viaticum a bait by the way Let Gods Children therefore depend upon Gods Fatherly Providence give not way to distrustful thoughts distracting cares or indirect means God can provide for you without your Sins 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you An Earthly Parent may have affection for his Child and would provide for him but sometimes he is not able but God can create a supply for his Children yea he hath promised a supply Psal. 37.3 Verily thou shalt be fed Will God give his Children Heaven and will he not give them enough to bear their charges thither Will he give them a Kingdom and deny them Daily bread O depend upon your Heavenly Father he hath said he will never leave you nor forsake you Heb. 13.5 2. If God be our Father let us imitate him The Child doth not only bear his Fathers Image but doth imitate him in his Speech Gesture Behaviour if God be our Father let us imitate him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Nyssen Eph. 5.1 Be followers of God as dear children 1. Imitate God in forgiving injuries Isa. 44.22 I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions As the Sun scatters not only thin mists but thick clouds so God pardons great offences imitate God in this Eph. 4.32 Forgiving one another Cranmar was a Man of a forgiving Spirit he did bury injuries and requite good for evil He who hath God for his Father hath God for his Pattern 2. Imitate God in works of Mercy He looseth the prisoners Psal. 146.7 He opens his hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing Psal. 145.16 He drops his sweet Dew as well upon the Thistle as the Rose imitate God in Works of Mercy relieve the wants of others be rich in good works Luke 6.36 Be merciful as your Father also is merciful Be not so hard-hearted as to shut the poor out of the lines of communication Dives denyed Lazarus a crumb of Bread and Dives was denyed a drop of Water 3. If God be our Father let us submit patiently to his Will if he lay his strokes on us they are the corrections of a Father not the punishments of a Judge This made Christ so patient Iohn 18.11 Shall not I drink the cup which my Father hath given me He sees we need affliction 1 Pet. 1.6 he appoints it as a dyet-drink to purge and sanctifie us Isa. 27.9 therefore dispute not but submit Heb. 12.9 We had fathers of the flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence They might correct out of an humour but God doth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our profit Heb. 12.10 Therefore say as Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good What gets the Child by strugling but more blows What got Israel by their murmuring and rebelling but a longer and more tedious march and at last their Carcases fell in the Wilderness 4. If God be our Father let this cause in us a Childlike Reverence Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is my honour This is a part of the honour we give to God when we reverence and adore him If you have not alwayes a Childlike Confidence yet alwayes preserve a Childlike Reverence and how ready are we to run into extreams either to despond or grow wanton Because God is a Father therefore do not think you may be secure and take liberty to sin if you do God may carry it so as if he were no Father he may throw Hell into your Conscience When David presumed upon Gods Paternal Affection and began to wax wanton under Mercy God made him pay dear for it he withdrew the sense of his Love and though he had the heart of a Father yet he had the look of an Enemy David prayed Cause â—e to hear the voice of joy Psal. 51.8 He lay several months in desertion and it is thought he never recovered his full joy to the day of his death Oh keep alive holy fear with a Childlike confidence preserve an humble reverence The Lord is a Father therefore love to serve him he is the Mighty God therefore fear to offend him 5. If God be our Father let us walk obedientially 1 Pet. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As obedient Children When God bids you be humble and self-denying deny yours part with your bosom
9.21 then well may we look upon it as a favour to be taken into his Royal Service Theodosius thought it a greater Honour to be Gods Servant than to be an Emperour 'T is more Honour to serve God than to have Kings serve us Every Subject of this King is Crowned with Regal Honour Rev. 1.6 Who hath made us Kings Therefore as the Queen of Sheba having seen the Glory of Solomons Kingdom said Happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee 1 Kings 10.8 so happy are those Saints who stand before the King of Heaven and wait on his Throne Br. 2. If God be such a Glorious King crowned with Wisdom armed with Power bespangled with Riches then it showes us what Prudence it is to have this King to be ours To say as Psal. 5.2 My King and my God 'T is counted great Policy to be on the strongest side if we belong to the King of Heaven we are sure to be on the strongest side The King of Glory can with ease destroy his Adversaries he can pull down their Pride befool their Policy restrain their Malice That stone cut out of the Mountains without hands which smote the Image Dan. 2.34 was an emblem saith Austin of Christs Monarchical Power conquering and triumphing over his enemies If we are on Gods side we are on the strongest side he can with a Word destroy his enemies Psal. 2.5 Then shall he speak to them in his wrath nay he can with a Look destroy them Iob 40.12 Look upon every one that is proud and bring him low It needs cost God no more to confound those who rise up against him than a look a cast of the eye Exod. 14.24 In the morning watch the Lord looked to the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and troubled their host and took off their chariot-wheels What Wisdom is it then to have this King to be ours then we are on the strongest side VSE II of Exhortation Br. 1. If God be so Glorious a King full of Power and Majesty let us trust in him Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee Trust him with your Soul you cannot put this Jewel in safer hands and trust him with Church and State Affairs He is King Exod. 15.3 The Lord is a man of war he can make bear his holy Arm in the eyes of all the Nations If means fail he is never at a loss there are no impossibles with him he can make the dry bones live Ezek. 37.10 As a King he can command and as a God he can create Salvation Isa. 65.18 I create Ierusalem a rejoycing Let us trust all our affairs with this great King Either God can remove Mountains or can leap over them Cant. 2.8 Br. 2. If God be so great a King let us fear him Ier. 5.22 Fear ye not me saith the Lord Will ye not tremble at my presence We have enough fear of Men. Fear makes danger appear greater and sin lesser but let us fear the King of Kings who hath power to cast Body and Soul into Hell Luke 12.5 As one wedge drives out another so the fear of God would drive out all base carnal fear Let us fear that God whose Throne is set above all Kings they may be Mighty but he is Almighty Kings have no Power but what God hath given them their Power is limited his is infinite Let us fear this King whose eyes are as lamps of fire Rev. 1.14 The mountains quake at him and the rocks are thrown down by him Nahum 1.6 If he stamps with his foot all the Creatures are presently up in a battalio to fight for him O tremble and fear before this God Fear is Ianitor Animae it is the Door-keeper of the Soul it keeps Sin from entring Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God 3 Br. If God be so Glorious a King he hath jus virae necis He hath the power of Life and Death in his Hand Let all the Potentates of the Earth take heed how they employ their Power against the King of Heaven they employ their power against God who with their Scepter beat down his Truth which is the most Orient Pearl of his Crown who crush and persecute his People which are the Apple of his Eye Zach. 2.8 Who trample upon his Laws and Royal Edicts which he hath set forth Psal. 2.3 What is a King without his Laws Let all that are invested with worldly Power and Grandeur take heed how they oppose the King of Glory The Lord will be too hard for all that come against him Iob 40.9 Hast thou an Arm like God Wilt thou measure Arms with the Almighty Shall a little Child go to fight with an Arch-angel Ezek. 22.14 Can thy Heart endure or can thy Hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee Christ will put all his Enemies at last under his Feet Psal. 110.1 All the Multitude of the Wicked who set themselves against God shall be but as so many Clusters of ripe Grapes to be cast into the Wine-press of the wrath of God and to be trodden by him till their blood comes forth The King of Glory will come off Victor at last Men may set up their Standard but God alwaies sets up his Trophies of Victory the Lord hath a golden Scepter and an iron Rod Psal. 2.9 Those who will not bow to the one shall be broken by the other 4. Br. Is God so great a King having all Power in Heaven and Earth in his Hand let us learn Subjection to him Such as have gone on in Sin and by their Impieties hung out a Flag of defiance against the King of Heaven Oh come in quickly and make your Peace submit to God Psal. 2.12 Kiss the Son least he be angry Kiss Christ with a Kiss of Love and a Kiss of Obedience obey the King of Heaven when he speaks to you by his Ministers and Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5.20 when God bids you fly from Sin and espouse Holiness obey him to obey is better then Sacrifice To obey God saith Luther is better then to work Miracles Obey God willingly Isa. 1.19 That is the best obedience that is chearful as that is the sweetest Honey which drops out of the Comb Obey God swiftly Zech. 5.9 I lift up mine eyes and behold two Women and the wind was in their Wings Wings are swift but wind in the wings denotes great swiftness such should our obedience to God be Obey the King of Glory Vse III. Comfort to those who are the Subjects of the King of Heaven God will put forth all his Royal Power for their Succour and Comfort 1. The King of Heaven will plead their Cause Ier. 51.36 I will plead thy Cause and take Vengeance for thee 2. He will protect his People He sets an invisible guard about them Zech. 2.5 I will be a Wall of Fire to her rounâ— about A wall that
is defensive a wall of Fire that is offensive 3. When it may be for the good of his People he will raise up deliverance to them 1 Chron. 11.14 The Lord saved them by a great deliverance God Reigning as King can save any way by contemptible means the blowing of Trumpets and blazing of Lamps Iudg. 7.20 By contrary means He made the Sea a wall to Israel and the waters were a means to keep them from drowning The Fishes Bâ—lly was a Ship in which Ionas sailed safe to shore God will never want ways of saving his People Rather then fail the very Enemies shall do his Work 2 Chron. 20.23 He set Ammon and Mount-Seir one against another And as God will deliver his People from Temporal Danger so from Spiritual from Sin and from Hell Iesus hath delivered us from Wrath to come 1 Thess. 1.10 Vse IV. Terrour to the Enemies of the Church If God be King he will set his â—tmost strength against them who are the Enemies of his Kingdom Psal. 97.3 A Fire goes before him and burneth up his Enemies round about 1. He will set himself against his Enemies He will set his Attributes against them his Power and Justice and who knows the power of his Anger Psal. 90.11 2. God will set the Creatures against them Iudg. 5 20. The Stars in their course fought against Sisera Tertullian observes that the Persians fighting against the Christians a mighty Wind arose which did make the Persians Arrows to fly back in their own Faces Every Creature hath a Quarrel with a Sinner The Stone out of the Wall Hab. 2.11 The Hail and Frost Psal. 78.47 He destroyed their Vines with Hail and their Sycamore Trees with Frost 3. God will set Men against themselves 1. He will set Conscience against them and how terrible is this Rod when turned into a Serpent Melancthon calls it Erinnys Conscientiae a Hellish Fury It is called Vermis Conscientiae the Worm of Conscience Mark 9.44 What a Worm did Spira feel in his Conscience he was a Terror to himselfe The worst Civil Wars are between a Man and his Conscience 2. God will set the Diseases of Mens Bodies against them 2 Chron. 21.18 The Lord smote Iehoram in his Bowels with an incurable disease God can raise an Army against a Man out of his own Bowels He can set one Humour of the Body against another the heat to drie up the moisture and the moisture to drown the heat the Lord needs not go far for Instruments to punish the Sinner He can make the joints of the same Body to smite one against another as Dan 5.6 3. God will set Mens Friends against them where they used to have Honey they shall have nothing but Aloes and Wormwood When a mans ways please the Lord he shall make his enemies to be his friends Prov. 16.7 But when he opposeth God he maketh his Friends to be his Enemies Commodus the Emperour his own wife gave him poison in perfumed Wine Sennacherib's two Sons were the death of him 2 Kings 19.37 4. God will set Satan against them Psal. 109.6 Let Satan stand at his Right hand What doth Satan at the Sinners Elbows 1. He helps him to contrive Sin 2. He tempts him to commit Sin 3. He terrifies him for Sin He that hath Satan thus standing at his Right hand is sure to be set at Gods Left hand Here is the misery of such as oppose Gods Royal Scepter he will set every thing in the world against them If there be either Justice in Heaven or fire in Hell Sinners shall not be unpunished Vlt. If God be such an absolute Monarch and Crowned with such Glory and Majesty let us all engage in his Service and stand up for his Truth and Worship dare to own God in the worst Time He is King of Kings and is able to reward all his Servants VVe may be Losers for him we shall never be Losers by him we are ready to say as Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.9 What shall I do for the Hundred Talents If I appear for God I may lose my Estate my Life I say with the Prophet God is able to give you much more then this He can give you for the present inward Peace and for the future a Crown of Glory which fades not away Quest. What Kingdom doth Christ mean here Resp. Negat 1. He doth not mean a Political or Earthly Kingdom The Apostles indeed did desire 1. Christs Temporal Reign Acts 1.6 When wilt thou restore the Kingdom to Israel But Christ said his Kingdom was not of this world Ioh. 18.36 So that when Christ taught his Disciples to pray Thy Kingdom come he did not mean it of an Earthly Kingdom that he should reign here in outward Pomp and Splendor 2. It is not meant of Gods Providential Kingdom Psal. 103.19 His Kingdom ruleth over all that is the Kingdom of his Providence This Kingdom we do not pray for when we say Thy Kingdom come for this Kingdom is already come God exerciseth the Kingdom of his Providence in the World Psal. 75.7 He putteth down one and setteth up another Nothing stirs in the World but God hath an Hand in it He sets every wheel a working He humbles the Proud and raiseth the Poor out of the Dust to set them among Princes 1 Sam. 2.8 The Kingdom of Gods Providence ruleth over all Kings do nothing but what his Providence permits and orders Act. 4.27 This Kingdom of Gods Providence we do not pray should come for it is already come What Kingdom then is meant here when we say Thy Kingdom come Answ. Positively there is a twofold Kingdom meant here 1. The Kingdom of Grace which Kingdom God exerciseth in the Consciences of his People this is Regnum Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods lesser Kingdom Luke 17.21 The Kingdom of God is within you 2. The Kingdom of Glory which is sometimes called the Kingdom of God Luke 6.20 and the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.3 When we pray thy Kingdom come 1. Here is something tacitly implied That we are in the Kingdom of Darkness 1. We pray that we may be brought out of the Kingdom of Darkness 2. That the Devils Kingdom in the World may be demolished 2. Something positively intended Adveniat Regnum Gratiae Gloriae 1. We pray that the Kingdom of Grace may be set up in our Hearts and encreased 2. When we pray Thy Kingdom come we pray that the Kingdom of Glory may hasten and that we may in Gods good time be translated into it These two Kingdoms of Grace and Glory differ not specifically but gradually they differ not in nature but only in degree The Kingdom of Grace is nothing but the inchoation or beginning of the Kingdom of Glory the Kingdom of Grace is Glory in the Seed and the Kingdom of Glory is Grace in the Flower the Kingdom of Grace is Glory in the Day-break and the Kingdom of Glory is Grace in the full Meridian the Kingdom of
his Master as a Wife gives up her self to her Husband so we give up our selves to God by obedience and this obedience is 1. Free as that is the sweetest honey which drops from the comb 2. Uniform we obey God in one thing as well as another Psal. 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed or as it is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall not blush when I have respect to all thy commandments A good Christian is like a pair of Compasses one foot of the Compass stands upon the Centre the other part of it goes round the Circle so a Christian by Faith stands on God the Centre and by Obedience goes round the Circle of Gods Commandments a sign the Kingdom of Grace is not come into the heart when it doth not reign there by universal Obedience Hypocrites would have Christ to be their Saviour but they pluck the government from his shoulders they will not have him rule but he who hath the Kingdom of God within him submits chearfully to every command of God he will do what God will have him do he will be what God will have him be He puts a blank Paper into Gods hand and saith Lord write what thou wilt I will subscribe Blessed is he that can find all these things in his Soul He is all glorious within Psal. 45.13 he carries a Kingdom about him and this Kingdom of Grace will certainly bring to a Kingdom of Glory I shall answer some Doubts and Objections a Christian may make against himself Object I Fear the Kingdom of Grace is not yet come into my heart Answ. When a Christian is under temptation or Grace lies dormant he is not fit to be his own judge but in this case he must take the witness of others who have the Spirit of discerning But let us hear a Christians Objections against himself why he thinks the Kingdom of Grace is not yet come into his heart Object 1. I cannot discern Grace Answ. A Child of God may have the Kingdom of Grace in his heart yet not know it The Cup was in Benjamins sack though he did not know it was there thou mayest have Faith in thy heart the Cup may be in thy sack though thou knowest it not Old Iacob wept for his Son Ioseph when Ioseph was alive thou mayest weep for want of Grace when Grace may be alive in thy heart The seed may be in the ground when we do not see it spring up the seed of God may be sown in thy heart though thou dost not perceive the springing of it up think not Grace is lost because it is hid Object 2. Before the Kingdom of Grace come into the heart there must be some preparation for it The fallow ground of the heart must be broken up I fear the plough of the Law hath not gone deep enough I have not been humbled enough therefore I have no Grace Answ. God doth not prescribe a just proportion of sorrow and humiliation The Scripture mentions the truth of sorrow but not the measure Some are more flagitious â—inners than others these must have a greater degree of humiliation A knotty piece of Timber requires more wedges to be driven into it Some Stomachs are fouler than others therefore need stronger Physick But wouldst thou know when thou hast been humbled enough for sin 1. When thou art weary of thy sin and sick of love to Christ. What doth God require sorrow for but as sawce to make Sin rellish bitter and Christ sweet 2. When thou art willing to let go thy sins Then the Gold hath lain long enough in the Furnace when the dross is purged out so when the love of sin is purged out a Soul is humbled enough to divine acceptation though not to divine satisfaction Now if thou art humbled enough though not so much as others what needs more Frustra fit per plura c. If a Needle will let out the Imposthume what needs a Launce Be not more cruel to thy self than God would have thee Object 3. If the Kingdom of God were within me it would be a Kingdom of Power it would inable me to serve God with vigour of Soul but I have a spirit of infirmity upon me I am weak and impotent and untuned to every holy action Answ. There is a great difference between the weakness of Grace and the want of Grace A Man may have Life though he be sick and weak Weak Grace is not to be despised but cherished Christ will not break the bruised reed Do not argue from the weakness of Grace to the nullity 1. Weak Grace will give us a Title to Christ as well as a strong Weak Faith justifies as well as a strong A weak hand of Faith will receive the Almes of Christs merit 2. Weak Faith is capable of growth The seed springs up by degrees first the blade and then the ear and then the full corn in the ear the Faith that is strongest was once in its infancy Grace is like the waters of the Sanctuary which did rise higher and higher Be not discouraged at thy weak Faith though it be now but blossoming it will by degrees come to more maturity 3. The weakest Grace shall persevere as well as the strongest A sucking Child was as safe in the Ark as Noah An infant-believer that is but newly laid to the breast of a Promise is as safe in Christ as the most eminent heroick Saint Object 4. I fear the Kingdom of Grace is not yet come because I find the Kingdom of Sin so strong in me Had I Faith it would purifie my heart but I find much Pride Worldliness Passion Answ. The best of the Saints have remainders of corruption Dan. 7.12 They had their dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season So in the regenerate though the dominion of sin be taken away yet the life of it is prolonged for a season What pride was there in Christs own Disciples when they strove which should be greatest The issue of sin will not be quite stopped till death The Lord is pleased to let the in-being of sin continue to humble his people and make them prize Christ the more but because you find corruptions stirring do not therefore presently un-saint your selves and deny the Kingdom of Grace to be come into your Souls That you feel sin is an evidence of Spiritual Life that you mourn for sin what are these tears but fruits of love to God That you have a combate with sin argues antipathy against it those sins which you did once wear as a crown on your head are now as fetters on the leg is not all this from the Spirit of Grace in you Sin is in you as poyson in the body which you are sick of and use all Scripture-antidotes to expel Should we condemn all those who have the in-dwelling of sin nay who have had sin at some times prevailing we should blot some of the best Saints out of
fit of Musick Such are they who let Heaven go for a song This will make the Devil insult at the last day to think how he hath gull'd Men and made them lose their Souls and their happiness for lying vanities If Satan could make good his brag in giving all the Glory and Kingdoms of the World it could not countervail the loss of the Celestial Kingdom All the tears in Hell are not sufficient to lament the loss of Heaven VSE II. Of Reproof 1. Branch It reproves such as do not at all look after this Kingdom of Glory As if all we say about Heaven were but a Romance they do not mind it That they mind it not appears because they do not labour to have the Kingdom of Grace set up in their hearts If they have some thoughts of this Kingdom yet it is in a dull careless manner they serve God as if they served him not they do not vires exerere put forth their strength for the Heavenly Kingdom How industrious were the Saints of old for this Kingdom Phil. 3.13 Reaching forth unto those things which are before The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stretching out the neck a Metaphor from Racers that strain every limb and reach forward to lay hold on the prize Luther spent three hours a day in Prayer Anna the prophetess departed not from the temple but served God with fasting and prayers night and day Luke 2.37 How zealous and industrious were the Martyrs to get into this Heavenly Kingdom they wore their Fetters as Ornaments snatched up Torments as Crowns and embraced the Flames as chearfully as Elijah did the fiery Chariot which came to fetch him to Heaven and do not we think this Kingdom worth our labour The great pains the Heathens took in their Olympick Races when they ran but for a Crown made of Olive intermixed with Gold will rise up in Judgment against such as take little or no pains in seeking after the Kingdom of Glory The dulness of many in seeking after Heaven is such as if they did not believe there were such a Kingdom or as if it would not countervail their labour or as if they thought it were indifferent whether they obtained this Kingdom or no which is as much as to say whether they were saved or no whether they were Crowned in Glory or chained as Gally slaves in Hell for ever 2. Branch It reproves them who spend their sweat more in getting the World then the Kingdom of Heaven Phil. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who mind earthly things the World is the great Diana they cry up as if they would fetch happiness out of the earth which God hath cursed They labour for and Honour Riches many are like Korah and Dathan the earth swallowed them up Num. 16.32 So the earth swallows up their Time and Thoughts these if they are not Pagans yet they are Infidels they do not believe there is such a kingdom they go for Christians yet question that great Article in their Faith Life Everlasting these like the Serpents lick the dust O what is there in the World that we should so idolize it when Christ and Heaven are not regarded what hath Christ done for you died for your sins what will the World do for you can it pacify an angry Conscience can it procure Gods Favour can it flee death can it bribe your Judge can it purchase for you a place in the kingdom of heaven O how are Men bewitched with worldly Profits and Honours that for these things they will let go Paradise It was a good prayer of St. Bernard Sic possideamâ—u mundana ut non perdamus aeterna Lo let us so possess things temporal that we do not lose things eternal 3. Branch It reproves such who delay and put off seeking this kingdom till it be too late like the foolish Virgins who came when the door was shut Mora trahit periculum People let the Lamp of Life blaze out and when the Symptoms of death are upon them and they know not what else to do now will look up to the kingdom of Heaven Christ bids them seek Gods kingdom first and they will seek it last they put off the kingdom of heaven to a Death-bed as if it were as easie to make their Peace as to make their Will How many have lost the Heavenly kingdom through Delays and Procrastinations Plutarch reports of Archias the Lacedemonian being among his Cups one delivered him a Letter and desired him to read it presently being of serious business saith he seria cras I will mind serious things to morrow and that Night he was slain Thou that saiest thou wilt look after the kingdom of Heaven to morrow knowest not but that thou maiest be in Hell before to morrow Sometimes death comes suddenly it strikes without giving warning What folly is it putting off seeking the kingdom of heaven till the day of Grace expire till the radical moisture be spent as if a Man should begin to run a Race when a fit of the Gout takes him 4. Branch It reproves such as were once great Zealots in Religion and did seem to be touch'd with a coal from Gods Altar but since they have cool'd in their Devotion and have left off the pursuing the Caelestial kingdom Hos. 8.3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good there is no face of Religion to be seen they have left off the House of Prayer and gone to Play houses they have left off pursuing the Heavenly Kingdom Quest. Whence is this Resp. 1. For want of a supernatural Principle of Grace That Branch must needs dye which hath no Root to grow upon That which moves from a Principle of Life lasts as the beating of the Pulse but that which moves only from an artificial Spring when the spring is down the motion ceaseth The Hypocrites Religion is artificial not vital he acts from the outward spring of Applause or Gain and if that spring be down his motion towards Heaven ceaseth 2. From Unbelief Heb. 3.12 An evil heart of Vnbelief departing from the living God Psal. 78.22 They believed not in God Verse 41. they turned back Sinners have hard thoughts of God they think they may pray and hear yet never the better Mal. 3.14 they question whether God will give them the kingdom at last then they turn back and throw away Christs Colours they distrust Gods Love no wonder then they desert his Service Infidelity is the Root of Apostacy 3. Men leave off pursuing the heavenly kingdom it is from some secret Lust nourished in the Soul perhaps a wanton or a covetous Lust Demas for love of the world forsook his Religion and afterwards turned Priest in an idol Temple One of Christs own Apostles was caught with a silver Bait Covetousness will make Men betray a good Cause and make shipwrack of a good Conscience if there be any Lust unmortified in the Soul it will bring forth the bitter fruit either of
the Earth and with the other Foot upon the Sea There are Rivers of Pleasure Gates of Pearl sparkling Crowns white Robes may not this make our hearts heavenly it is an heavenly kingdom and only such go into it as are heavenly VSE IV. Of Exhortation To all in General 1. Branch If there be such a glorious Kingdom to come believe this great Truth Socinians deny it The Rabbins say the great dispute between Cain and Aâ—â—l was about the world to come Abel affirmed it Cain denied it this should be engraven upon our hearts as with the point of a Diamond there is a blessed Kingdom in reversion Psal. 58.11 Doubtless there is a Reward for the Righteous Let us not haesitate through unbelief doubting of Principles is the next way to denying them Unbelief as Sampson would pull down the Pillars of Religion be confirmed in this there is a Kingdom of Glory to come whosoever denies this cuts a sunder the main Article of the Creed Life Everlasting 2. Branch If there be such a blessed Kingdom of Glory to come let us take heed least we miss of this Kingdom let us fear least we lose Heaven by short shooting trembling in the Body a Malady in the Soul a Grace this fear is not a fear of Diffidence or Distrust such a fear as discourageth the Soul for such a fear frights from Religion it cuts the Sinews of Endeavour but this holy fear least we miss of the Kingdom of Heaven is a fear of diligence it quickens us in the use of means and puts us forward that we may not fail of our hope Heb. 11.6 Noah being moved with fear prepared an Ark Fear is a watch Bell to awaken sleepy Christians it guards against security it is a spur to a sluggish heart He who fears he shall come short of his Journey rides the faster And indeed this Exhortation to fear least we miss of this Kingdom is most necessary if we consider two things First There are many who have gone many steps in the way to Heaven yet have fallen short of it Mark 12.34 Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God yet he was not near enough Quest. How many steps may a Man take in the way to the Kingdom yet miss of it Resp. 1. He may be adorned with Civility he may be morally righteous he may be prudent just temperate he may be free from paenal Statutes this is good but not enough to bring a Man to Heaven 2. He may hang out the Flag of a glorious Profession yet fall short of the Kingdom the Scribes and Pharisees went far they sate in Moses Chair were Expounders of the Law they pray'd gave Alms were strict in the observation of the Sabbath if one had got a Thorn in his Foot they would not pull it out on the Sabbath day for fear of breaking the Sabbath they were so externally devout in Gods worship that the Iews thought that if but two in the all World went to Heaven the one should be a Scribe and the other a Pharisee but the Mantle of their Profession was not lined with Sincerity they did all for the applause of Men therefore they missed of Heaven Mat. 5.20 Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of God 3. A Man may be a Frequenter of Ordinances and yet miss of the Kingdom 't is a good sight to see People flock as Doves to the Windows of Gods House 't is good to lye in the way where Christ passeth by yet be not offended if I say one may be an Hearer of the word and fall short of Glory Herod heard Iohn Baptist gladly yet beheaded Iohn instead of beheading his sin the Prohpet Ezekiel's Hearers did come with as much delight to his Preaching as one would do to a fit of Musick Ezek. 33.32 Thou art to them as a lovely Song of one that hath a pleasant Voice and can play well on an Instrument they hear thy Words but they do them not What is it to hear ones Duty and not do it As if a Phisician prescribe a good Receipt but the Patient doth not take it 4. A Man may have some trouble for sin and weep for it yet miss of the Heavenly Kingdom Quest. Whence is this Answ. 1. A Sinners tears are forced by Gods Judgments as water which comes out of a Still is forced by the fire 2. Trouble for sin is transient it is quickly over again as some that go to Sea are Sea-sick but when they come to Land they are well again So Hypocrites may be Sermon-sick but this trouble doth not last the sick fit is soon over 3. A Sinner weeps but goes on in sin his sins are not drowned in his tears 5. A Man may have good desires yet miss of the Kingdom Numb 23.10 O that I might dye the death of the righteous Quest. Wherein do these desires come short Answ. 1. They are sluggish A Man would have Heaven but will take no pains As if one should say he desires water but will not let down the bucket into the well Prov. 21.25 The desire of the slothful kills him his hands refuse to labour 2. The Sinner desires Mercy but not Grace he desires Christ as a Saviour but not as he is the â—oly One he desires Christ only as a bridge to lead him over to Heaven Such desires as these may be found among the damned 6. A Man may forsake his Sins Oaths Drunkenness Uncleanness yet come short of the Kingdom Quest. Whence is this Answ. 1. He may forsake gross sins yet he hath no reluctancy against heart sins Pride Unbelief and the first risings of Malice and Concupiscence Though he dams up the Stream yet he lets alone the Fountain though he lop and prune the Branches yet he doth not strike at the Root of it 2. Though he leaves Sin for fear of Hell or because it brings shame and penury yet he still loves Sin as if a Snake should cast her Coat yet keep her Poyson Hos. 4.8 They set their heart on their iniquity 3. 'T is but a partial forsaking of Sin though he leave one Sin he lives in some other Herod reformed very much Mark 6.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He did many things but he lived in Incest Some leave Drunkenness and live in Covetousness they forbear Swearing and live in Slandering It is but a partial reformation and so they miss of the Kingdom of Glory Thus you see there are some who have gone many steps in the way to Heaven yet have come short Some have gone so far in Profession that they have been confident their estate hath been good and they should go to the Kingdom of Heaven yet have missed it Luke 13.25 When once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door and ye begin to stand without and to knock saying Lord Lord open to us How confident were these of Salvation they
on the Morning of the Marriage day he puts on his Vesture and wedding Robes in which he shall be married to his Bride so in all the Duties of Religion we are putting on those wedding Robes in which we shall be married to Christ in Glory O what solace and inward Peace is there in close walking with God Isa. 32.17 The Work of Righteousness shall be Peace Serving of God is like gathering of Spices or Flowers wherein there is some labour but the labour is recompenced with delight Working for Heaven is like digging in a Gold Mine the digging is labour but getting the Gold is pleasure O then let us bestir our selves for the Kingdom of Heaven it is a labour full of Pleasure a Christian would not part with his Joy for the most delicious Musick he would not exchange his Anchor of Hope for a Crown of Gold Well might David say in keeping thy Precepts there is great Reward Psal. 19.11 not only after keeping thy Precepts but in keeping them a Christian hath both the Spring Flowers and the Crop inward delight in serving God there is the Spring Flowers and the Kingdom of Glory at last there is the full Crop 22. How industrious have the Saints in former Ages been they thought they could never do enough for Heaven they could never serve God enough love him enough minus te amavi Domine Austin Lord I have loved thee too little What Pains did Saint Paul take for the Heavenly Kingdom Phil. 3.13 Reaching forth unto those things which are before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek Word to reach forth signifies to stretch out the neck a Metaphor from Racers who strain every Limb and reach forward to lay hold on the Prize Anna the Prophetess Luke 2.37 departed not from the Temple but served God with Fastings and Prayers night and day Basil the Great by much labour and watching exhausted his bodily strength Let Racks Pullies and all torments come upon me said Ignatius so I may win Christ. The Industry and Courage of former Saints who are now crowned with Glory should provoke our diligence that so at last we may sit down with them in the Kingdom of Heaven 23. The more pains we take for Heaven the more welcome will Death be to us What is it makes Men so loath to dye they are like a Tenant that will not out of the House till the Sergeant pull him out they love not to hear of Death why so because their Conscience accuseth them that they have taken little or no pains for Heaven they have been sleeping when they should have been working and now they are afraid least Death should carry them Prisoners to Hell Whereas he who hath spent his time in serving of God he can look Death in the Face with comfort he was wholly taken up about Heaven and now he shall be taken up to Heaven he traded before in Heaven and now he shall go to live there Phil. 1.23 Cupio dissolvi I desire to be dissolved and be with Christ Paul had wholly laid out himself for God 1 Cor. 15.10 and now he knew there was a Crown laid up for him and he longed to take Possession Thus I have given you twenty three Perswasives or Arguments to exert and put forth your utmost diligence for the obtaining the Kingdom of Heaven O that these Arguments were written in all your Hearts as with the Point of a Diamond and because delaies in these Cases are dangerous let me desire you to set upon this Work for Heaven presently Psal. 119.60 I made hast and delayed not to keep thy Commandments Many People are convinced of the necessity of looking after the Kingdom of Glory but they say as those Hagg. 1.2 The time is not yet come They adjourn and put off till their time is slip'd away and so they lose the Kingdom of Heaven beware of this fallacy delay strengthens sin hardens the heart and gives the Devil fuller possession of a Man 1 Sam. 21.8 The Kings business requires hast so the business of Salvation requires hast do not put off an hour longer volat ambiguis mobilis alis hora what assurance have you that you shall live another day have you any lease of life granted why then do you not presently arise out of the Bed of Sloath and put forth all your strength and Spirits that you may be possessed of the Kingdom of Glory should not things of the highest importance be done first setling a Mans Estate and clearing the Title to his Land is not delayed but done in the first place what is there of such grand importance as this the saving of your Souls and the gaining of a Kingdom therefore to day hear Gods Voice now mind Eternity now get your Title to Heaven cleared before the Decree of Death bring forth what imprudence is it to lay the heaviest Load upon the weakest Horse so to lay the heavy Load of Repentance on thy self when thou art infeebled by sickness the Hands shake the Lips quiver the Heart faints O be wise in time now prepare for the Kingdom He who never begins his Voyage to Heaven but in the storm of Death it is a thousand to one if he doth not suffer an Eternal Shipwrack VSE VI. Of Exhortation 1. Branch If there be such a glorious Kingdom a coming then you who have any good hope through Grace that you are the Heirs of this Kingdom let me exhort you to six things 1. Often take a Prospect of this heavenly Kingdom climb up the Caelestial Mount take a turn as it were in Heaven every day by holy Meditation Psal. 48.12 13. Walk about Sion tell the Towers thereof mark well her Bulwarks See what a glorious Kingdom Heaven is go-tell the Towers view the Palaces of the Heavenly Ierusalem Christian show thy Heart the Gates of Pearl the Bed of Spices the Clusters of Grapes which grow in the Paradise of God say O my Soul all this Glory is thine it is thy Fathers good pleasure to give thee this Kingdom The Thoughts of Heaven are very delightful and ravishing can Men of the World so delight in viewing their Bags of Gold and Fields of Corn and shall not the Heirs of Promise take more delight in contemplating the Caelestial Kingdom The serious Meditation of the Kingdom of Glory would work these three effects 1. It would put a damp and slur upon all worldly Glory Those who stand upon the top of the Alps the great Cities of Campania seem but small in their eye Could we look through the Perspective Glass of Faith and take a view of Heavens Glory how small and minute would all other things appear Moses slighted the Honours of Pharaohs Court having an eye to the Recompence of Reward Heb. 11.26 St. Paul who had a Vision of Glory and Saint Iohn who was carried away in the Spirit and saw the holy Ierusalem descending out of Heaven having the Glory of God in it Rev. 21.11 how did the world
of Gods Will Thy Will be done 3. By doing the Will of God we evidence Sincerity as Christ said in another sense Iohn 10.25 The works which I do bear witness of me So it is not all our golden words if we could speak like Angels but our works our doing of Gods Will which bears witness of our Sincerity We judge not of the health of a Mans Body by his high Colour but by the Pulse of the Arm where the Blood chiefly stirs so a Christians soundness is not to be judged by his Profession what is this high Colour but the estimate of a Christian is to be taken by his Obediential acting his doing the Will of God this is the best Certificate and Letters Testimonial to shew for Heaven 4. Doing Gods Will much propagates the Gospel this is the Diamond that sparkles in Religion Others cannot see what Faith is in the Heart but when they see we do Gods Will on Earth this makes them have a venerable opinion of Religion and become Proselites to it Iulian in one of his Epistles writing to Arsatius saith That the Christian Religion did much flourish by the Sanctity and Obedience of them that professed it 5. By doing Gods Will we show our Love to Christ Iohn 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me What greater Love to Christ than to do his Will though it cross our own Every one would be thought to love Christ but how shall that be known but by this do you do his Will on Earth Neque principem veneramur si odio ejus Leges habemus Isid. 'T is a vain thing for a Man to say he loves Christs Person when he slights his Commands Not to do Gods Will on Earth is a great evil 't is 1. Sinful 2. Foolish 3. Dangerous 1. It is Sinful 1. We go against our Prayers we pray Fiat voluntas tua thy will be done and yet we do not obey his will we confute our own Prayer 2. VVe go against our Vow in Baptism we have vowed to fight under the Lords Banner to obey his Scepter and this Vow we have oft renewed in the Lords Supper if we do not Gods will on Earth we are forsworn and God will indite us of Perjury 2. Not to do Gods will on Earth is Foolish 1. Because there is no standing it out against God If we do not obey him we cannot resist him 1 Cor. 10. â—2 Are we stronger than he Iob. 40.9 Hast thou an arm like God Canst thou measure Armes with him To oppose God is as if a Child should fight with an Arch-Angel as if an heap of Bryars should put themselves into a battalia against the Flame 2. Not to do Gods will is foolish because if we do not Gods will we do the Devils will Is it not folly to gratifie an enemy To do his will that seeks our ruine Quest. But are any so wicked as to do the Devils will Answ. Yes Iohn 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do VVhen a Man tells a lye doth he not do the Devils will Acts 5.3 Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost 3. Not to do Gods Will is dangerous it brings a Spiritual Praemunire If Gods Will be not done by us he will have his will upon us if we obey not Gods will in commanding we shall obey his will in punishing 2 Thess. 1.7 The Lord Iesus shall be revealed with his mighty Angels in flames of fire taking vengeance on them that obey not his gospel Either we must do Gods will or suffer it 6. VVhatever God wills us to do is for our benefit Behold here self-interest As if a King commands his Subject to dig in a Mine of Gold and then gives him all the Gold he hath digged God bids us do his will and this is for our good Deut. 10.13 And now O Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God and keep the commandments of the Lord which I command thee this day for thy good It is Gods will that we should repent and this is for our good Repentance ushers in remission Acts 3.9 Repent that your sins may be blotted out It is Gods will that we should believe and why is it but that we should be crowned with Salvation Mark 16.16 He that believes shall be saved VVhat God wills is not so much our Duty as our Priviledge he bids us obey his voice and it is greatly for our good Ier. 7.23 Obey my voice and I will be your God I will not only give you my Angels to be your guard but my self to be your portion my Spirit shall be yours to sanctifie you my Love shall be yours to comfort you my Mercy shall be yours to save you I will be your God 7. To do Gods will is our Honour A Person thinks it an Honour to have a King speak to him to do such a thing the Angels count it their highest Honour in Heaven to do Gods will Servire Deo regnare est To serve God is to reign Non onerant nos sed ornant Salvian How chearfully did the Rowers row the Barge that carried Caesar to be imployed in his Barge was an Honour to be imployed in doing Gods will is insigne Honoris the highest ensign of Honour that a Mortal Creature is capable of Christs Precepts do not burden us but adorn us 8. To do Gods Will on Earth makes us like Christ and akin to Christ. 1. It makes us like Christ Is it not our Prayer that we may be like Christ. Jesus Christ did his Fathers will Iohn 6.38 I came down from Heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me God the Father and Christ as they have but one Essence so but one VVill Christs will was melted into his Fathers Iohn 4.34 My meat is to do the will of him that sent me By our doing Gods will on Earth we resemble Christ nay we are akin to Christ and are of the Blood-Royal of Heaven Alexander called himself Couzen to the Gods what Honour is it to be akin to Christ. Matth. 12.50 Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother Did King Solomon arise off his Throne to meet his Mother and set her on a Throne by him 1 Kings 3.19 such Honour will Christ bestow on such as are doers of Gods will he will salute them as his Kindred and set them on a Glorious Throne in the Amphitheatre of Heaven 9. Doing Gods will on Earth brings Peace in Life and Death 1. In Life Psal. 19.11 In keeping thy precepts there is great reward not only after keeping them but in keeping them when we walk closely with God in Obedience there is a secret Joy let into the Soul and how swiftly and chearfully do the wheels of the Soul move
is a kind of mutinee in the Soul against God Numb 21.5 The people spake against God When a Cloud of Sorrow is gathered in the Soul and this Cloud doth not only drop into Tears but out of this Cloud come Hail-stones murmuring wordâ— against God this is far from patient submission to Gods Will. When water is hot the scum boils up when the Heart is heated with anger against God then this scum of murmuring boils up Murmuring is very evil it springs 1. From Pride Men think they have deserved better at Gods hands and when they begin to swell they spit Poyson 2. Distrust Men believe not that God can make a Treacle of Poyson bring good out of all their troubles therefore they murmur Psal. 106.24 They believed not his word but murmured Men murmur at Gods Providences because they distrust his Promises God hath much ado to bear this Sin Numb 14.27 this is far from submission to Gods Will. 3. Discomposedness of Spirit cannot stand with quiet submission to Gods Will. When a Man saith I am so encompassed with trouble that I know not how to get out Head and Heart are so taken up that a Person is not fit to pray When the strings of a Lute are snarled the Lute can make no good Musick so when a Christians Spirits are perplexed and disturbed he cannot make Melody in his Heart to the Lord. To be under a discomposure of Mind is as when an Army is routed one runs this way and another that the Army is put into disorder so when a Christian is in an hurry of Mind his Thoughts run up and down distracted as if he were undone this cannot stand with patient submission to Gods Will. 4. Self-apology cannot stand with submission to Gods Will instead of being humbled under Gods hand a Person justifies himself A proud Sinner stands upon his own defence and is ready to accuse God of unrighteousness which is as if we should tax the Sun with darkness This is far from submission to Gods Will. God smote Ionahs goard and he stands upon his own vindication Ionah 4.9 I do well to be angry to the death What to be angry with God And to justifie this I do well to be angry This was strange to come from a Prophet and was far from this Prayer Christ hath taught us Thy Will be done Quest. 4. What this patient submission to Gods Will is Answ. It is a gracious frame of Soul whereby a Christian is content to be at Gods dispose and doth acquiesce in his Wisdom 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Acts 21.14 The will of the Lord be done That I may further illustrate this I shall show you wherein this submission to Gods Will lyes it lyes chiefly in three things 1. In acknowledging Gods hand seeing God in the Affliction Iob 5.6 Affliction ariseth not out of the dust it comes not by chance Iob did eye God in all that befel him Iob 1.22 The Lord hath taken away He complains not of the Chaldeans or the influence of the Planets he looks beyond second Causes he sees God in the Affliction The Lord hath taken away There can be no submission to Gods Will till there be an acknowledging of Gods hand 2. Patient submission to Gods Will lyes in our justifying of God Psal. 22.2 O my God I cry unto thee yet thou hearest not thou turnest a deaf ear to me in my affliction ver 3. But thou art holy God is Holy and Just not only when he punisheth the Wicked but when he afflicts the Righteous Though God put Wormwood in our Cup yet we vindicate God and proclaim his Righteousness As Mauritius the Emperour when he saw his Sons slain before his eyes Iustus es Domine Righteous art thou O Lord in all thy wayes We justifie God and confess he punisheth us less than we deserve Ezra 9.13 3. Patient submission to Gods Will lyes in the accepting of the punishment Lev. 26.41 And they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity Accepting of the punishment that is taking all that God doth in good part He who accepts of the punishment saith Good is the Rod of the Lord he kisseth the Rod yea blesseth God that he would use such a Merciful severity rather to afflict him than lose him This is patient submission to Gods Will. This patient submission to Gods Will in Affliction showes a great deal of Wisdom and Piety The skill of a Pilot is most discerned in a storm and a Christians Grace in the storm of Affliction and indeed this submission to Gods Will is most requisite for us while we live here in this lower Reâ—â—gion in Heaven there will be no need of Patience no more than there is need of the Star light when the Sun shines In Heaven there will be all joy and what need of Patience then It requires no Patience to wear a Crown of Gold but while we live here in a Valley of Tears there needs patient submission to Gods Will Heb. 10.36 Ye have need of patience 1. The Lord sometimes layes heavy Afflictions upon us Psal. 38.2 Thy hand presseth me sore The word in the Original for afflicted signifies to be melted God sometimes melts his People in a Furnace 2. God sometimes layes divers Afflictions on us Iob 19.17 He multiplies my wound God shoots divers sorts of Arrowes 1. Sometimes God afflicts with Poverty The Widow had nothing left her save a pot of Oyl 1 Kings 17.12 Poverty is a great Temptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menand To have an Estate boyled away almost to nothing is hard to Flesh and Blood Ruth 1.20 Call me not Naomi but Mara I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty This exposeth to Contempt When the Prodigal was poor his Brother was ashamed to own him Luke 15.30 This thy Son he said not this my Brother but this thy Son he scorned to call him Brother When the Deer is shot and bleeds the rest of the herd push it away when God shoots the Arrow of Poverty at one others are ready to push him away When Terence was grown poor his Friend Scipio cast him off The Muses Iupiters Daughters the Poets feign had no Suitors because they wanted a Dowry 2. God sometimes afflicts with Reproach Such as have the light of Grace shining in them yet may be eclipsed in their Name The Primitive Christians were reproached as if they were guilty of Incest saith Tertullian Luther was called A Trumpeter of Rebellion David calls reproach an heart-breaking Psal. 69.20 this God lets his dear Saints be oft exercised with Dirt may be cast upon a Pearl those Names may be blotted which are written in the Book of Life Sincerity though it shields from Hell yet not from Slander 3. God sometimes afflicts with loss of dear Relations Ezek. 24.16 Son of man behold I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke This is like a pulling away
a Limb from the Body He takes away an holy Child Iacobs Life was bound up in Benjamin Gen. 44.30 and that which puts Teeth into the Cross and is worse than the loss of Children is when they are continued as living Crosses where the Parents expected Honey there to have Wormwood What greater cut to a Godly Parent than a Child who disclaims his Fathers God! A Corrosive applyed to the Body may do well but a bad Child is a Corrosive to the Heart Such an undutiful Son had David who conspired Treason and would not only have taken away his Fathers Crown but his Life 4. God sometimes afflicts with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infirmness of Body scarce a well day Sickness takes away the Comfort of Life and makes one in Deaths oft thus God tryes his People with various Afflictions so that there is need of Patience to submit to Gods Will. He who hath divers Bullets shot at him needs Armour when divers Afflictions assault we need Patience as Armour of Proof 3. God sometimes lets the Affliction continue long Psal. 74.9 as it is with Diseases there are some Chronical that linger and hang about the Body several years together so it is with Affliction the Lord is pleased to exercise many of his precious ones with Chronical Afflictions such as lye upon them a long time so that in all these Cases we need Patience and submissiveness of Spirit to Gods Will. VSE I. It reproves such as have not yet learned this part of the Lords Prayer Thy Will be done they have only said it but not learned it If things be not according to their Mind if the Wind of Providence crosseth the Tide of their Will they are discontented and querulous where is now submission of Will to God To be displeased with God if things do not please us is this to lye at Gods feet and acquiesce in his Will This is a very bad temper of Spirit and God may justly punish us by letting us have our Will Rachel cryed Give me Children or I dye Gen. 30.1 God let her have a Child but it cost her her Life Gen. 35.18 Israel not content with Manna Angels Food they must have Quails to their Manna God punished them by letting them have their Will Numb 11.31 There went sorth a wind from the Lord and brought quails ver 33. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them and the Lord smote them with a great plague They had better been without their Quails than had such sower sawce to them Many have importunately desired the Life of a Child and could not bring their Wills to Gods to be content to part with it and the Lord hath punished them by letting them have their Will the Child hath lived and been a burden to them Seeing their Wills crossed God their Child shall cross them VSE II. Of Exhortation Let us be exhorted whatever troubles God doth exercise us with aequo animo ferre to resign up our Wills to God and say Thy Will be done Which is fittest that God should bring his will to ours or we bring our will to his Say as Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And as David 2 Sam. 15.26 Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him It was the saying of Harpulas Placet mihi quod Regi placet that pleaseth me which pleaseth the King So should we say that which pleaseth God pleaseth us Thy Will be done Some have not yet learned this art of submission to God and truly he who wants Patience in Affliction is like a Souldier in Battle who wants Armour Quest. When do we not as we ought submit to Gods Will in Affliction Answ. 1. When we have hard thoughts of God and our Hearts begin to swell against him 2. When we are so troubled at our present Affliction that we are unfit for Duty We can mourn as Doves but not pray or praise God We are so discomposed that we are not fit to hearken to any good Counsel Exod. 6.9 They hearkened not to Moses for anguish of spirit Israel were so full of grief under their present burdens that they minded not what Moses said though he came with a Message from God to them They hearkened not to Moses for anguish of spirit 3. We do not submit as we ought to Gods Will when we labour to break loose from Affliction by indirect means Many to rid themselves out of trouble run themselves into Sin When God hath bound them with the cords of Affliction they go to the Devil to loosen their bands Better it is to stay in Affliction than to sin our selves out of Affliction O let us learn to stoop to Gods Will in all afflictive Providences Quest. But how shall we bring our selves to this Christian Temper in all Occurrences of Providence patiently to acquiesce in Gods Will and say Thy Will be done We know not what Tryals Personal or National we may be exercised with We seem now to be under the Planet Saturn which hath a malignant Aspect Our Ship is steer'd so strangely that we are in danger on one hand of the Sands on the other hand of the Rocks If Affliction comes how shall we keep a Christian Decorum how shall we bear things with equanimity of mind and say Thy Will be done Answ. The means for a quiet resignation to Gods Will in Affliction is 1. Judicious Consideration Eccles. 7.14 In the day of adversity consider When any thing burdens us or runs cross to our desires did we but sit down and consider and weigh things in the ballance of Judgment it would much quiet our Minds and subject our Wills to God In the day of adversity consider Consideration would be as Davids Harp to charm down the evil Spirit of frowardness and discontent Quest. But what should we consider Answ. That which may make us submit to God in Affliction and say Thy Will be done is 1. To consider that the present state of Life is subject to Afflictions as a Seamans Life is subject to storms Ferre quam sortem omnes patiuntur nemo recusat Iob 5.7 Man is born to trouble he is heir apparent to it he comes into the World with a cry and goes out with a groan Ea lege nati sumus The World is a place where much Wormwood grows Lam. 3.15 He hath filled me with bitterness Hebr. Bammerorim with bitternesses he hath made me drunk with wormwood Troubles arise like sparks out of a Furnace Afflictions are some of the Thorns which the Earth after the Curse brings forth VVe may as well think to stop the Chariot of the Sun when it is in its swift motion as put a stop to trouble the consideration of this our Life is exposed to eclipses and sufferings should make us say with Patience Thy Will be done Shall a Mariner be angry that he meets with a storm at
a Son of Sorrow it cost her her Life in bringing forth Gen. 35.18 We must pray for outward things with submission to Gods Will else they come in anger 2. When we pray for things pertaining to this Life we must desire Temporal things for Spiritual ends we must desire these things to be as helps in our journey to Heaven If we pray for Health it must be that we may improve this talent of Health for Gods Glory and may be fitter for his Service If we pray for a competency of Estate it must be for an holy end that we may be kept from the temptations which Poverty usually exposeth to and that we may be in a better capacity to sow the golden seeds of Charity and relieve such as are in want Temporal things must be prayed for for Spiritual ends Hannah prayed for a Child but it was for this end that her Child might be devoted to God 1 Sam. 1.11 O Lord if thou wilt remember me and wilt give unto thine hand-maid a man child then I will give him unto the Lord all the dayes of his life Many pray for outward things only to gratifie their sensual appetite The ravens cry for food Psal. 147.9 To pray for outward things only to satisfie Nature is to cry rather like Ravens than Christians We must have an higher end in our Prayers we must aim at Heaven while we are praying for Earth And must we pray for Temporal things for Spiritual ends that we may be fitter to serve God then how wicked are they who beg Temporal Mercies that they may be more inabled to sin against God Iam. 4.3 Ye ask that ye may consume it upon your lusts One Man is sick and he prays for Health that he may be among his Cups and Harlots another prays for an Estate he would not only have his Belly filled but his Barns and why would he be rich that he may raise his Name or that having more power in his hand he may now take a fuller revenge on his enemies This is impiety joyned with impudence to pray to God to give us Temporal things that we may be the better inabled to serve the Devil VSE If we are to pray for Temporal good things then how much more for Spiritual if we are to pray for Bread then how much more for the Bread of Life if for Oyl then how much more for the Oyl of gladness if we pray to have our hunger satisfied much more should we pray to have our Souls saved Alas what if God should hear our Prayers and grant us these Temporal things and no more what were we the better What is it to have Food and want Grace what is it to have the back clothed and the Soul naked to have a South land and want the living springs in Christs Blood what comfort could that be O therefore let us be earnest for Spiritual Mercies Lord do not only feed me but sanctifie me rather an Heart full of Grace than an House full of Gold If we are to pray for daily Bread the things of this Life much more for the things of the Life that is to come 3. From this word give I note That they who God hath given a large measure of outward things to yet we must pray Give us daily Bread And this may answer a Question Quest. Some may say we have an Estate already and what need we pray Give us daily Bread Answ. Supposing we have a plentiful Estate yet we need make this Petition Give us Bread And that upon a double account 1. That we may have a Blessing upon our Food and all that we enjoy Psalm 132.5 I will bless her provision Man lives not by bread alone but by every word which proceedeth out of Gods mouth Matth. 4.4 what is that but a word of Blessing Though the Bread is in our hand yet the Blessing is in Gods hand and it must be fetch'd out of his hand by Prayer Well therefore may rich Men pray Give us our Bread let it be seasoned with a Blessing If God should with-hold a Blessing nothing we have would do us good our Cloths would not warm us our Food would not nourish us Psal. 106.15 He gave them their request but sent leanness into their soul that is they pined away and their Meat did not nourish them If God should with-hold a Blessing what we eat would turn to bad humours and hasten Death If God doth not bless our Riches they will do us more hurt than good Eccl. 5.13 Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt So that granting we have plentiful Estates yet we had need pray Give us our Bread let us have a Blessing with what we have 2. Though we have Estates yet we had need pray give that we may hereby engage God to continue these Comforts to us How many Casualties may fall out How many have had Corn in their Barn and a fire hath come on a sudden and consumed all How many have had losses at Sea and great Estates boyled away to nothing Ruth 1.21 I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty Therefore tho' we have Estates yet we had need pray Give us Lord give a continuance of these Comforts that they may not before we are aware take wings and fly from us So much for this first word in the Petition Give Secondly Vs. Give us Quest. Why do we pray here in the plural Why give us Why is it not said Give me Answ. To show that we are to have publick Spirits in Prayer we must not only pray for our selves but others both the Law of God and the Law of Love bind us to this We must love our Neighbours as our selves therefore we must pray for them as well as for our selves Every good Christian hath a fellow-feeling of the wants and miseries of others and he prays that God would extend his bounty to them especially he prays for the Saints Eph. 6.18 Praying alwayes for all Saints These are Children of the Family VSE I. Should we have publick Spirits in Prayer Give us it reproves such narrow-spirited Men as move only within their own sphere they look only at themselves but mind not the case of others they leave others out of their Prayers if they have daily Bread they care not though others starve if they are cloathed they care not though others go naked Christ hath taught us to pray for others Give us but selfish persons are shut up within themselves as the Snail in the shell and never speak a word in Prayer for others These have no commiseration or pity they are like Iudas whose Bowels fell out VSE II. Let us pray for others as well as for our selves Give us Vir bonus aliis prodest aeque ac sibi Spiders work only for themselves but Bees work for the good of others the more excellent any thing is the more it operates for the good of others The Springs refresh others with
God in forgiving sin puts forth infinite Mercy Numb 14.19 Pardon I beseech thee the Iniquity of this people according to the Greatness of thy Mercy It is Mercy to have a Reprieve and if there be Mercy in sparing a sinner what Mercy then is in pardoning him This is the Flos lactis the Cream of Mercy For God to put up so many Injuries to wipe so many debts off the score this is infinite Favour forgiveness of sin is spun out of the Bowels of God's Mercy 3. Forgiveness of sin is a choice Blessing as it lays a Foundation for other Mercies It is a leading Mercy 1. It makes way for Temporal Good Things 1. It brings Health when Christ said to the palsy man Thy sins are forgiven this made way for a bodily Cure Arise take up thy Bed and walk Mat. 9.6 The pardon of his sin made way for the healing of his Palsy 2. It brings Prosperity Ier. 33.8 9. 2. It makes way for Spiritual good Things Forgiveness of Sin never comes alone but hath other spiritual Blessings attending it Whom God pardons He sanctifies adopts crowns It is a voluminous Mercy it draws the silver Link of Grace and the golden Link of Glory after it It is an high Act of Indulgence God seals the sinners pardon with a Kiss And should not we above all things seek after so great a Blessing a forgiveness 6. Consideration That which may make us seek after forgiveness of sin is God's Inclinableness to pardon Nehem. 9.17 Thou art a God ready to pardon In the Hebrew it is Eloha Selicoth a God of Pardons We are apt to entertain wrong Conceits of God that he is inexorable and will not forgive Mat. 25.24 I knew thou wert an hard man But God is a sin pardoning God Exod. 34.6 The Lord merciful and gracious forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin Here is my Name saith God if you would know how I am called I tell you my Name The Lord the Lord God merciful forgiving Iniquity A Pyrat or Rebel that knows there is a Proclamation out against him will never come in but if he hears that the Prince is full of Clemency and there is a Proclamation of Pardon to him if he submit this will be a great incentive to him to lay down his Arms and become Loyal to his Prince See God's Proclamation to repenting Sinners Ier. 3.12 Go and proclaim these words and say Return thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause my Anger to fall upon thee for I am merciful God's Mercy is a Tender Mercy the Hebr. word for Mercy Rakem signifies Bowels God's Mercy is full of Sympathy He is of a most sweet Indulgent Nature Psal. 86 5. Thou Lord art Good and ready to forgive the Bee doth not more naturally give Hony than God shews Mercy Object 1. But doth not God seem to delight in Punitive Acts or Acts of Severity Prov. 1.26 I will laugh at your Calamity Resp. Who doth God say so to see ver 25. Ye have set at naught all my Counsel and would none of my Reproof God delights in their Destruction who despise his Instruction but an humble penitentiary breaking off sin and suing out his Pardon the Lord delights in shewing Mercy to such an one Micah 7.18 He delighteth in Mercy Object 2. But tho' God be so full of Mercy and ready to forgive yet his Mercy reacheth not to all he forgives only such as are Elected and I question my Election Resp. 1. No man can say he is not Elected God hath not revealed this to any particular man that he is a Reprobate excepting him only who hath sin'd the Sin against the Holy Ghost which sin thou art far enough from who mournest for sin and seekest after Forgiveness 2. These thoughts of Non-Election that we are not Elected and that there is no pardon for us come from Satan and are the poison'd Arrows he shoots He is the Accuser he accuseth us to God that we are great sinners and he accuseth God to us as if he were a Tyrant one that did watch to destroy his Creature These are diabolical Suggestions say Get thee behind me Satan 3. 'T is sinful for any to hold that he is not Elected it would take him off from the Use of Means from praying and repenting it would harden him and make him desperate Therefore pry not into the Arcana Coeli the Secrets of Heaven Remember what befel the men of Bethshemesh for looking into the Ark 1 Sam. 6.19 Know that we are not to go by Gods Secret Will but by his Revealed Will look into God's Revealed Will and there we shall find enough to cherish Hope and Encourage us to go to God for the pardon of our sins God hath revealed in his Word That he is rich in Mercy Ephes. 2.4 That he doth not delight in the Destruction of a sinner Ezek. 18.32 Iurat per Essenâ—iam Musculus he swears by his Essence Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked Hence it is God waits so long and puts off the Sessions from time to time to see if sinners will repent and seek to him for pardon therefore let God's tender Mercies and pretious Promises encourage us to seek to him for the forgiveness of our sins Consideration 7. To seek earnestly for Pardon is the unspeakable Misery of such as want Forgiveness it must needs be ill with that Malefactour that wants his Pardon 1. The unpardoned sinner that lives and dies so is under the greatest Loss and Privation Is there any Happiness like to the injoying of God in Glory This is the Joy of Angels the Crown of Saints glorified but the unforgiven sinner shall not behold God's smiling Face he shall see God as an Enemy not as a Friend he shall have an affrighting sight of God not beatifical he shall see the Black Rod not the Mercy-Seat Sins unpardoned are like the Angel with a flaming Sword who stop'd the passage to Paradise Sins unpardoned stop the way to the Heavenly Paradise and how doleful is the Condition of that Soul which is banish'd from the place of Bliss where the King of Glory keeps his Court 2. The unpardoned sinner hath nothing to do with any Promise the Promises Mâ—lctralia Evangelii the Breasts that hold the sincere Milk of the Word which fills the Soul with precious Sweetness they are the Royal Charter But whâ—t hath a stranger to do to meddle with the Charter 'T was the Dove pluck'd the Olive-branch 'T is only the Believer plucks the Tree of the Promise till the Condition of the Promise be perform'd no man can have right to the Comfort of the Promise and how sad is that not to have one promise to shew for Heaven 3. An unpardoned sinner is continually in danger of the Out-cry of an accusing Conscience An accusing Conscience is a little Hell Siculi non invenere Tyranni tormentum majus we tremble to hear
Iob remains holy he worships God and blesseth God ver 20.21 Here Iobs sincerity was proved Iob had Fiery Temptations but he came out of the Fire a Golden Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. Temptation is a touchstone of sincerity 2. By Tentation God tries our Love the Wife of Tigranes did never so shew her chastity and love to her Husband as when she was tempted by Cyrus but did not yield So our love to God is seen in this when we can look a Temptation in the Face and turn our back upon it tho' the Devil come as a Serpent subtilly and offers a Golden Apple yet we will not touch the forbidden fruit When the Devil shew'd Christ all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them such was Christs love to his Father that he abhor'd the Temptation True love will not be bribed When the Devils Darts are most fiery a Saints love to God is most Fervent 3. By Temptation God tries our courage Hos. 7.11 Ephraim is a silly Dove without an Heart So it may be said of many they are excordes without an Heart they have no Heart to resist a temptation no sooner doth Satan come with his sollicitations but they yield like a Coward as soon as the thief approacheth he delivers his Purse But he is the valorous Christian that brandisheth the Sword of the Spirit against Satan and will rather die than yield the courage of the Romans was never more seen than when they were assaulted by the Carthaginians the Heroick Spirit of a Saint is never more seen than in a Field Battle when he is fighting with the Red-Dragon and by the power of faith puts the Devil to flight Fidei robur potest esse concussum non excussum Tertul. This is one reason why God lets his People be tempted that their mettal may be tryed their sincerity love magnanimity when Grace is proved the Gospel is honoured 2. God suffers his Children to be tempted that they may be kept from Pride quos non Gula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superavit Cypr. Pride crept once into the Angels and into the Apostles when they disputed which of them should be greatest and in Peter tho' all men forsake thee yet I will not as if he had had more Grace than all the Apostles Pride keeps Grace low that it cannot thrive as the Spleen swells so the other parts of the body consume As Pride grows so Grace consumes God resists Pride and that he may keep his Children humble he suffers them sometimes to fall into temptation 2 Cor. 12.7 lest I should be exalted there was given to me a Thorn in the Flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet me When Paul was lifted up in Revelations he was in danger to be lifted up in Pride Now came the Messenger of Satan to Buffet him that was some sore temptation to humble him The Thorn in the Flesh was to prick the Bladder of Pride Better is that temptation that humbles me than that duty which makes me Proud Rather than a Christian shall be Proud God lets him fall into the Devils Hands a while that he may be cured of his Imposthume 3. God lets his People be tempted that they may be fitter to comfort others as are in the same distress they can speak a word in due season to such as are weary St. Paul was train'd up in the Fencing School of temptation 2 Cor. 2.11 and he was able to acquaint others with Satans Wiles and Stratagems A Man that hath rid over a place where there are Quick sands is the fittest to guide others through that dangerous way He who hath been buffeted by Satan and hath felt the Claws of this Roaring Lion is the fittest Man to deal with one that is tempted 4. God lets his Children be tempted to make them long more for Heaven where they shall be out of Gunshot there they shall be freed from the hissing of the old Serpent Satan is not yet fully cast into Prison but is like a Prisoner that goes under Bail he doth vex and molest the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chr. He lays his snares throws his Fire-balls but this is only to make the People of God long to be gone from hence and that they may pray that they had the Wings of a Dove to fly away beyond Satans temptations God suffered Israel to be vexed with the Egyptians that they might long the more to be in Canaan Heaven is centrum a place of rest centrum quietativum no Bullets of temptation fly there the Eagle that Soars aloft in the Air and sits pearching upon the tops of high Trees is not troubled with the stinging of Serpents so when believers are gotten above into the Empyrean Heaven they shall not be stung with the Old Serpent The Devil is cast out of the Heavenly Paradise Heaven is compared to an exceeding high Mountain Rev. 21.10 it is so high that Satans fiery Darts cannot reach up to it Nullus ibi hostium metus nullae insidiae daemonum Bern. The Temptations here are to make the Saints long till Death sound a Retreat and call them off the Field where the Bullets of Temptation fly so thick that they may receive a victorious Crown Thus I have answered this question why God lets his dear Servants be tempted Quest. 2. What Rocks of support are there or what comfort for tempted Souls Answ. 1. That it is not our case alone but hath been the case of Gods eminent Saints 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 common to man yea to the Best Men Christs Lambs which have had the ear mark of Election upon them have been set upon by the Wolf Elijah that could shut Heaven by Prayer could not shut his Heart from a temptation 1 Kin. 19.4 Iob was tempted to Curse God Peter to deny Christ hardly ever any Saint hath got to Heaven but hath met with a Lion by the Way sortem quam omnes sancti patiuntur nemo recusat nay Jesus Christ himself tho he were free from sin yet not from Temptation we read of Christs Baptism Mat. 3.16 and Mat. 4.1 Then was he led into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil No sooner was Christ out of the Water of Baptism but he was in the Fire of Temptation and if the Devil would set upon Christ no wonder if he set upon us There was no sin in Christ no Powder for the Devils fire Temptation to Christ was like a Bur on a Christal Glass which glides off or like a spark of fire on a marble Pillar which will not stick yet Satan was so bold as to tempt Christ this is some comfort such as have been our Betters have wrestled with Temptations 2. Rock of support that may comfort a tempted Soul is that temptations where they are burdens evidence Grace Satan doth not tempt Gods Children because they have sin in them but because they have
O therefore flie from sin First Take heed of sins of Omission Matt. 23.23 It is as well dangerous not to do things Commanded as to do things forbidden Some think it no great matter to omit Reading Scripture The Bible lies by like Rusty Armour which they never use They think it no great matter to omit Family or Closet-prayer they can go several Months and God never hear of them These have nothing sanctified to them they feed upon a Curse For every Creature is Sanctified by Prayer 1 Tim. 4.5 The Bird may shame many it never takes a drop but the eye is lift up towards Heaven Oh take heed of living in the neglect of any known duty It was the Prayer of a Reverend Holy Man on his Death bed Lord forgive my sins of Omission Secondly Take heed of Secret sins Some are more modest than to sin openly in a Belcony but they will carry their sins under a Canopy they will sin in Secret Rachel did not let her Fathers Images be seen but She put them under her and sat upon them Gen. 31.34 Many will be Drunk and Unclean if they may do it that no body may see them They are like one that shuts up his Shop-windows but follows his Trade within doors But if sin be so great an evil let me warn you this day not to sin in Secret know that you can never sin so privately but that there are Two Witnesses always by God and Conscience Thirdly Take heed of your Complexion-sin That sin which your Nature and Constitution doth most incline you to As in the Hive there 's a Master-Bee so in the Heart there 's a Master-sin Psal. 18.23 I have kept my Self from mine Iniquity There is some sin that is the special Favourite the peccatum in deliciis the Darling-Sin that lies in the Bosom and this doth bewitch and draw away the heart O beware of this Quest. How may this Darling-sin be known Answ. 1. That Sin which a Man doth most cherish and to which all other sins are subservient This is the sin which is most tended and waited upon The Pharisees darling-sin was Vain-glory all they did was to feed this sin of Pride Matt. 6.2 That they may have Glory of Men When they gave Alms they sounded a Trumpet If a stranger had Asked the Question Why doth this Trumpet sound The Answer was The Pharisees are going to give Alms to the Poor Their Lamp of Charity was fill'd with the Oil of Vain-glory Matt. 23.5 All their Works for to be seen of Men. Pride was their Bosom-sin Oftentimes Covetousness is the darling-sin all other sins are committed to maintain this Why do Men Equivocate Oppress Defraud Take Bribes all is to uphold Covetousness 2. That sin which a Man doth not love to have reproved is the darling-sin Herod could not endure to have his Incest spoken against if Iohn Baptist meddles with that Sin it shall cost him his Head 3. That Sin which hath most power over one and doth most easily lead him Captive that is the Beloved of the Soul There are some sins a Man can better put off and give a repulse to but there is one sin which if it comes to be a Suitor he cannot deny but is overcome by it this is the bosom-sin The young Man in the Gospel had a Complexion-sin which he could not resist and that was the Love of the World His Silver was dearer to him than his Saviour It is a sad thing a Man should be so bewitch'd by a Lust that he will part with the Kingdom of Heaven to gratifie it 4. That sin which Men use Arguments to defend is the darling sin To plead for sin is to be the Devil's Attorney If the sin be Covetousness and we vindicate it if it be rash Anger and we justifie it Jonah 4.9 I do well to be angry This is the Complexion-sin 5. That sin which doth most Trouble one and fly in his Face in an hour of Sickness and Distress that is the beloved sin When Ioseph's Brethren were distressed their sin came to remembrance in selling their Brother Gen. 12.21 So when a Man is upon his Sick-bed and Conscience shall say Dost not thou remember how thou hast lived in such a sin though thou hast been often warned yet thou wouldst not leave it Conscience reads a Curtain Lecture Sure that was the Darling sin 6. That sin which a Man is most unwilling to part with that is the Darling sin Iacob could of all his Sons most hardly part with Benjamin Gen. 42.36 Ioseph is not and Simeon is not and ye will take Benjamin away So saith the Sinner this and that sin I have parted with But must Benjamin go Must I part with this delightful sin That goes to the Heart This is the Dalilah the beloved sin O if sin be such a deadly evil dare not to indulge any bosom sin This is of all other most dangerous like an Humour striking to the Heart which is mortal Leave open but one Gap the wild Beast may enter at it One darling sin liv'd in is setting open a Gap for Satan to enter 4. Take heed of the Sins which attend your particular Callings A Calling you must live in Adam in Paradise Tilled the Ground God never Sealed Warrants to Idleness but every Calling hath its snare As some sin in living out of a Calling so others sin in a Calling Remember how deadly an evil sin is avoid those sins which you may be exposed to in your Trade Take heed of all fraud and collusion in your dealings Matt. 7.12 Whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you do ye even so to them First Take heed of a deceitful tongue in Selling The Scripture makes it the Character of one that goes to Heaven Psal. 15.2 He speaketh the truth from his heart It is the Custom of many to say The Commodity stands them in more yet take less This is hardly credible Secondly Beware of a deceitful Balance Hos. 12.7 The Balances of deceit are in his hand Men by making their Weights lighter make their Account heavier Thirdly Beware of sophisticating mingling and embasing commodities Am. 8.6 They sell the refuse of the Wheat They would pick out the best Grains of the Wheat and sell the worst at the same price as they did the best to mix a courser commodity with a fine and yet sell it all for fine is no better than deceit Isa. 1.22 Fourthly Beware of stretching your Consciences too far or taking more a great deal for a Commodity than it is worth Levit. 25.14 If thou sell ought unto thy Neighbour ye shall not oppress one another There is a lawful gain allowed yet one may not so advantage himself as to damnifie another Let that be the Tradesman's Motto Act. 24.16 A Conscience void of offence towards God and towards Man He hath an hard bargain that doth Purchase the World with the loss of his Soul Fifthly Sin being so deadly an evil take
is it to do well a while and then by Apostasie to unravel all As if a Limner should with his Pencil draw a fair Picture and then come with his Spunge and wipe it out again 6. Consider the Examples of such as have continued their Progress unweariably in a Christian course The Apostle sets before our Eyes a Cloud of Witnesses Heb. 12.1 Being compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses let us run the Race that is set before us let us run it with celerity and constancy How many Noble Martyrs and Confessors of old have walked in the ways of God though they have been strew'd with Thorns they scorned Preferments laughed at imprisonments and their love to Christ burned hotter than the Fire Polycarp when he came before the Proconsul and he bad him deny Christ he replyed Octoginta fexannos illi inservii c. I have served Christ these 86 years and he hath not once hurt me and shall I deny him now Tertullian saith such was the constancy of the Primitive Saints that the Persecutors cryed out Quae miseria est haec What a Misery is this that we are more weary in tormenting than they are in enduring Torment Let us tread in their steps who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises 7. It will be our Comfort on our Death-bed to review a well-spent Life It was Augustus's wish that he might have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quiet easie Death If any thing make our Pillow easie at Death it will be this that we have been unweariable in God's Work This will be a Death-bed Cordial Did you ever know any repent at Death that they have been too Holy Many have repented that they have followed the World too much not that they have prayed too much that they have repented too much What hath made Death sweet but that they have finished their Course and kept the Faith 8. Think of the Great Reward we shall have if we do not give over or grow weary and that is Glory and Immortality 1. This Glory is ponderous 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 The Weight adds to the Worth the weightier a Crown of Gold is the more it is worth 2. It is satisfying Psal. 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness This Glory will abundantly recompense all our Labours and Sufferings The Joy of Harvest makes amends for all the Labour in sowing O what an Harvest shall the Saints reap It will be always reaping time in Heaven and this reaping will be in the due season So the Apostle saith in the Text we shall reap 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in due Season The Husband-man doth not desire to reap till the Season he will not reap his Corn while it is green but when it is ripe So we shall reap the Reward of Glory in due Season When our Work is done when our Sins are purged out when our Graces are come to their full growth then is the Season of reaping Therefore let us not be weary of well-doing but hold on in Prayer Reading and all the Exercises of Religion we shall reap in due season if we faint not To keep us from fainting know that the Reward promised is very near Rom. 13.11 Our Salvation is nearer than when we believed We are but within a few Days March of the Heavenly Canaan It is but a few more Prayers and Tears shed and we shall be perfected in Glory as that Martyr Dr. Taylor said I have but one Style more to go over and I shall be at my Father's House Stay but a while Christians and your Troubles will be over and your Coronation-Day shall come Christ who is the Oracle of Truth hath said Behold I come quickly Rev. 22.20 And yet Death 's coming is sooner than Christ's Personal coming and then begins the Saints Blessed Iubile Quest. What Means shall we use that we may not wax weary in a Christian course Answ. 1. Let us otium excutere shake off Spiritual Sloath. Sloath saith there is a Lyon in the way He who is sloathful will soon grow weary he is fitter to lie on his Couch than to run a Race It is a strange Sight to see a busie Devil and an idle Christian. Answ. 2. If we would not grow weary let us pray for persevering Grace It was David's Prayer Psal. 119.117 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe And it was Beza's Prayer Domine quod Coepisti perfice c. Lord perfect what thou hast begun in me that I may not suffer Shipwrack within sight of the Haven That we may hold on a Christian Course let us labour for Three persevering Graces 1. Faith Faith keeps from Fainting Faith gives a Substance to Things not seen and makes them to be as it were present Heb. 11.1 As a Perspective-Glass makes those things which are at a distance near to the Eye so to Faith Heaven and Glory seem near A Christian will not be weary of Service that hath the Crown in his Eye 2. The Second persevering Grace is Hope Credula vitam spes fovet Hope animates the Spirits it is to the Soul as the Cork to the Net which keeps it from sinking Hope breeds Patience and Patience breeds Perseverance Hope is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6.19 The Christian never sinks but when he casts away his Anchor 3. Persevering Grace is Love Love makes a Man that he is never weary Love may be compared to the Rod of Mirtle in the Traveller's Hand which refresheth him and keeps him from being weary in his Journey He who loves the World is never weary of following the World he who loves God will not be weary of serving him That is the Reason why the Saints and Angels in Heaven are never weary of Praising and Worshiping God because their Love to God is perfect and Love turns Service into Delight Get the Love of God in your Hearts and you will run in his Ways and not be weary Of knowing to do Good and not to do it James 4.17 To him that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is Sin THE Apostle in the former Verses had met with a Sin common in those days a sinful Boasting among Men. Ver. 13. Go to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will go into such a City and buy and sell and get gain whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow you may be in your Graves before to morrow for what is your Life it is even a Vapour A Vapour being an Exhalation it cannot continue long as it is raised by the Sun so it is dispersed by the Wind Such is your Life a Vapour a short Breath a flying Shadow it appears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a little time and then vanisheth Well might they say what need we be taught such a plain Lesson who knows not all this that Life is a Vapour and that we ought not to
be white as Snow Scarlet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Twice dipt which no art of man can get out yet God can wash out this scarlet Dye There is no sin excepted from pardon but that sin which despiseth pardon viz. the sin against the Holy Ghost Mat. 12.31 Therefore O sinner do not cast away thy Anchor of Hope but go to God for forgiveness The vast Ocean hath Bounds set to it but God's pardoning-Mercy is Boundless God can as well forgive Great Sins as less as the Sea can as well cover great Rocks as little Sands Nothing hinders pardon but the sinners not asking it That a Great Sinner should not despair of forgiveness consult that Scripture Isa. 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions If you look on the foregoing words you would wonder how this verse comes in ver 24. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thy Iniquities and then it follows I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions One would have thought it should have run thus Thou hast wearied me with thy Iniquities I even I am he that will punish thy Iniquities but God comes in a mild loveing strain Thou hast wearied me with thy Iniquities I am he that blots out thy Iniquities So that the greatness of our sins should not discourage us from going to God for forgiveness Tho' thou hast committed Acts of Impiety yet God can come with an Act of Indemnity and say I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions God counts it his Glory to display Free-grace in its Orient Colours Rom 5.20 Where sin abounded Grace did much more abound When Sin becomes exceeding sinful Free-grace becomes exceeding glorious God's pardoning-Love can conquer the sinner and triumph over the sin Consider thou almost-despairing Soul there is not so much sin in man as there is Mercy in God Man's sin in comparison of God's Mercy is but as a spark to the Ocean and who would doubt whether a spark could be quenched in an Ocean Object 3. But I have relapsed into the same sins and how can I have the face to come to God for the pardon of those sins which I have more than once fallen into Answ. I know the Novatians held that after a Relapse no forgiveness by the Church But doubtless that was an Errour Abraham did twice equivocate Lot committed Incest twice Peter sin'd thrice by carnal Fear but these repenting had their Absolution There is a two-fold Relapse 1. a wilful Relapse when after a man hath solemnly vowed himself to God he falls into a league with sin and returns back to it Ier. 2.25 I have loved Strangers and after them will I go 2. There is a Relapse through Infirmity when the Bent and Resolution of a mans Heart is against sin but through the Violence of Temptation and the withdrawing of God's Grace he is carried down the stream against his Will Now though wilful continued Relapses are desperate and do vastare Conscientiam as Tertull. waste the Conscience and run men upon the Precipice of damnation yet if they are through Infirmity and we mourn for them we may obtain forgiveness A godly man doth not march after sin as his General but is led captive by it and the Lord will pity a captive Prisoner Christ commands us to forgive a trespassing Brother seventy times seven Mat. 18.22 If he bids us do it much more will he forgive a relapsing Sinner in case he repent Ier. 3.12 Return thou back-sliding Israel for I am merciful saith the Lord. It is not falling once or twice into the Mire that drowns but lying there it is not once relapsing into sin but lying in sin impenitently that damns Object 4. But God requires so much Sorrow and Humiliation before Remission that I fear I shall never arrive at it Answ. God requires no more Humiliation than may fit a Soul for Mercy Many a Christian thinks because he hath not fill'd God's Bottle so full of Tears as others therefore he is not humbled enough to receive a Pardon But we must know God's Dealings are Various all have not the like Pangs in the New-Birth Some are won with Love the sence of God's Mercy abused causeth ingenuous Tears to flow others are more flagitious and hardned and these God deals more roughly with This is sure That Soul is humbled enough to receive a Pardon who is brought to a thorow Sence of sin and sees the need of a Saviour and loves him as the fairest of ten thousand therefore be not discouraged if thy Heart be bruised for sin and broken off from it thy sin shall be blotted out No sooner did Ephraim fall a weeping but God's Bowels fell a working Ier. 31.20 My Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have Mercy upon him Having answered these Objections let me beseech you above all things labour for the forgiveness of sin Think with your selves how great a Mercy it is It is one of the Richest Jewels in the Cabinet of the New-Covenant Psal. 32.1 Blessed is he whose Iniquity is forgiven in the Hebrew it is Ashre Blessednesses And think with your selves the unparallel'd Misery of such whose sins are not forgiven such as had not the Blood of the Paschal Lamb sprinkled on their Door-posts were destroy'd by the Angel Exod. 12. So they who have not Christ's Blood sprinkled on them to wash away the guilt of sin will fall into the gulf of Perdition And if you resolve to seek after forgiveness do not delay Many say they will go about getting their pardon but they procrastinate and put it off so long till it be too late when the shadows of the Evening are stretch'd forth and the night of Death aproacheth then they begin to look after their pardon This hath been the undoing of millions they purpose they will look after their Souls but they stay so long till the Lease of Mercy be run out Oh therefore hasten the getting of a pardon Think of the Vncertainty of Life What Security have you that you shall live another day Volat ambiguis mobilis alis hora our Life is a Taper soon blown out 't is made up of a few flying minutes O thou Dust and Ashes thou mayest fear every hour to be blown into thy Grave and what if Death come to arrest thee before thy pardon be sealed Plutarch reports of one Archias who being among his Cups one delivered to him a Letter and desired him to read it presently being about serious Business saith he Seria cras I will mind serious things to morrow and that night he was slain Thou that sayest To morrow I will repent I will get my pardon mayest suddenly be slain therefore to day while it is called to day look after the forgiveness of sin after a while all the Conducts of Mercy will be stop'd there will not be one drop of Christ's Blood to be had there is no sealing of pardons after death 2.
Branch of Exhortation Let us labour to have the Evidence of pardon to know that our sins are forgiven A man may have his sins forgiven and not know it he may have a pardon in the Court of Heaven when he hath it not in the Court of Conscience David's sin was forgiven assoon as he repented and God sent Nathan the Prophet to tell him so 2 Sam. 12.13 but David did not feel the comfort of it at present as appears by the penitential Psalm compos'd after Psal. 51.8 Make me to hear the Voice of Ioy and ver 12. Cast me not away from thy Presence It is one thing to be pardoned and another thing to feel it The Evidence of pardon may not appear for a time and this may be 1. From the Imbecillity and Weakness of Faith Forgiveness of sin is so strange and infinite a Blessing that a Christian can hardly perswade himself that God will extend such a favour to him As it is said of the Apostles when Christ appeared to them first They believed not for Ioy and wondred Luke 24.41 So the Soul is so stricken with Admiration that the wonder of pardon doth almost stagger his Faith 2. A man may be pardoned and not know it from the Strength of Temptation Satan accuseth the Godly of sin and tells them that God doth not love them What should such sinners think of pardon Believers are compared to bruised Reâ—ds Mat. 12.20 and Temptations to Winds Mat. 7.25 Now a Reed is easily shaken with the wind Temptations shake the godly and tho they are pardoned yet they know it not Iob in a Temptation thought God his Enemy Iob 16.9 yet then he was in a pardoned condition Quest. But why doth God sometimes conceal the Evidence of pardon Answ. Tho' God doth pardon yet he may withold the sence of it a while 1. Because hereby he would lay us lower in Contrition God would have us see what an evil and bitter thing it is to offend him we shall therefore lie the longer steeping our selves in the brinish Tears of Repentance before we have the sence of Pardon It being long before Davids broken Bones were set and his pardon sealed the more contrite his Heart was and this was a Sacrifice God delighted in 2. Tho God doth forgive sin yet he may deny the manifestation of it for a time to make us prize pardon and make it sweeter to us when it comes The difficulty of obtaining a Mercy inhanceth the Value when we have been a long time tugging at prayer for a Pardon of Sin and still God witholds but at last after many Sighs and Tears pardon comes now we esteem it the more and it is sweeter Quo longiùs defertur eò suavius laet atur the longer Mercy is in the Birth the more welcome will the Deliverance be Let me now reassume the Exhortation to labour for the Evidence and Sence of pardon He who is pardoned and knows it not is like one who hath an Estate befallen him but knows it not Our comfort consists in the knowledge of Forgiveness Psal. 51.8 Make me to hear the Voice of Ioy. This is a Proclaiming a Iubile in the Soul when we are able to read our pardon and to the witness of Conscience God adds the witness of his Spirit in the mouth of these two witnesses our Joy is confirmed O labour for this Evidence of Forgiveness Quest. How shall we know that our sins are forgiven Answ. We must not be our own judges in this case Prov. 28.26 He that trusteth in his own Heart is a fool The Heart is deceitful Ier. 17.9 and it is Folly to trust a Deceiver The Lord only by his Word must be Judge in this Case whether we are pardoned or no as it was under the Law no Leper might judge himself to be clean But the Priest was to pronounce him clean Levit. 13.37 So we are not to judge of our selves to be clean from the Guilt of Sin till we are such as the Word of God hath pronounced to be clean How then shall we know by the Word whether our Guilt is done away and our Sins pardoned Answ. 1. The pardoned sinner is a great weeper The sence of Gods Love melts his Heart that Free-grace should ever look upon me that such Crimson Sins should be wash'd away in Christ's Blood this makes the Heart melt and the Eyes drop with Tears Never did any man read his pardon with dry Eyes Luke 7.38 She stood at his feet weeping her Heart was a spiritual Limbick out of which those Tears were distill'd Mary's Tears were more precious to Christ than her Ointment Her Eyes which before did sparkle with Lust whose amorous Glances had set on fire her Lovers Now she makes them a Fountain and washeth Christ's feet with her Tears She was a true penitent and had her pardon ver 47. Wherefore I say her sins which were many are forgiven A pardon will make the hardest Heart relent and cause the stony Heart to bleed and is it thus with us have we been dissolv'd into Tears for sin God seals his pardons upon melting Hearts 2. We may know our Sins are forgiven by having the Grace of Faith infused Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that whosoever believes in him shall receive remission of sins In saving Faith there are two things Abrenunciation and Recumbency 1. Abrenunciation A man renounceth all Opinion of himself dig'd out of his own Burrough he is quite taken off himself Phil. 3.9 He sees all his Duties are but broken Reeds tho' he could weep a sea of Tears tho' he had all the Grace of Men and Angels it could not purchase his pardon 2. Recumbency Faith is an Assent with Affiance The Soul doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it gets hold of Christ as Adonijah did of the Horns of the Altar 1 Kin. 1.51 Faith casts it self upon the Stream of Christ's Blood and saith If I perish I perish if we have but the Minimum quod sic the least Dram of this pretious Faith we have something to shew for pardon To him give all the Prophets witness that whosoever believes in him shall receive Remission of sin This Faith is acceptable to God it pleaseth God more than offering up ten thousand Rivers of Oyl than working Miracles than Martyrdom or the highest Acts of Obedience 2. Faith is profitable to us it is our best Certificate to shew for pardon No sooner doth Faith reach forth its Hand to receive Christ but Christ sets his Hand to our Pardon 3. Sign The Pardoned Soul is a God-admirer Micah 7.18 Who is a God like thee that pardonest iniquity O that God should ever look upon me I was a sinner and nothing but a sinner yet I obtain'd mercy Who is a God like thee Mercy hath been despised yet that mercy should save me Christ hath been Crucified by me yet his Cross Crowns me God hath display'd the Ensigns of Free-Grace he hath set up his Mercy above