other Sins or to feed a Lust and therefore we had need to deny it as it is Lust. 2 dly You should deny them as worldly Lusts so you must abstain from them not serve them as they are stirred up by worldly Objects they keep us from better Employment and therefore Grace teacheth us to deny them as they tend only to such a vile purpose Many Arguments there are 1. Whatever is for this World must be left on this side the Grave Pomp Pleasure and Estate must be left behind us Job 1.21 Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb and naked must I return thither There is no carnal Pomp and Pleasure in the next World Here we bustle for Greatness but Death ends the Quarrel Like foolish Birds we seek to build strong Nests when to morrow we must be gone Open the Grave and look upon the Reliques of Man's Mortality thou canst not discern between the Rich and the Poor the King and the Peasant all are alike obnoxious to Stench and Rottenness Those Desires that carry you out to the World must be mortified A Mill-wheel runs round all the Day and at Night it is in the same place So whatever we gain and purchase in the World it must be left at Night when we go to Bed when Death finds us and in the same place at Death we are as naked as we came into the World 1 Tim. 6.7 For we brought nothing into the World and it is certain we can carry nothing out A Man's Wealth doth not follow him but his Sins do his Iniquity will find him out Consider at Birth a Man is contented with a Cradle and at Death with a Grave yet here we join House to House and Field to Field Isa. 5.8 as if the whole World could not contain us 2. As they are only for this World so our abode here is but short and uncertain and therefore if it be worldly Lust it should be less prized for it lasts but for a time Within a very little while those that are most potent powerful and shining in the Splendor of the World shall be turned to Dust and Ashes God hath made Life short for many wise and merciful Reasons that the time of our Labour might not last too long He hath made us to enjoy himself and because he loveth the Saints he would have them the sooner with himself and would not be long without their Company and that we might love eternal Life therefore this Life is short and that he might gratify the Saints for he that hath a Journey to go would pass it over as soon as he can God makes their Journey as short as is convenient for his Glory and to shame wicked Men because they delight in that which is but of a short continuance but their Torment is Eternal The Pleasure of Sin is but for a Season but the Torments of Sin are for ever and ever therefore this should put a check to your Desires it is only for a World that passeth away nay the Lusts of this World pass away 1 Iohn 2.17 The World passeth away and the Lusts thereof The time will come when we shall have no lusts to these things it begins at Sickness but at the Day of Judgment we shall have no relish of these things and when the whole World is burnt up it will be our torment that we have prostituted our Affections to such low and unbeseeming things we shall see the Vanity when it is too late Men will have little love to the World then 3. If they be but worldly Lusts they should not be cherished were they never so durable Why Because this is not our Happiness and our Rest. Carnal Men have more of the World Christ committed his Purse to the worst of his Disciples Of the other he saith They are not of the World even as I am not of the World John 17.16 In this World God is most liberal to the worst therefore here we should not set up our Rest. Look as it is said of Abraham Gen. 25.6 that he gave Gifts to Ishmael and to the Sons of Keturah but he gave the Inheritance to Isaac Wicked Men have their Portion but not the Inheritance God will not be in their Debt therefore they have Gifts Therefore saith a Christian Why should I cherish these worldly Lusts this is not my Portion but the Portion of others From Men of the World which have their Portion in this Life Psal. 17.14 The World is Satan's Circuit he compasseth the Earth It is the Saints Slaughter-house they shed the Blood of Saints and Prophets Rev. 16.6 It is the place where God is dishonoured They are favoured and loved most by the World whom Christ hath rejected and past by 4. Worldly Lusts do hinder us from our Work We were made for another World and this Life is lent us for a while to look after Heaven We cannot drive on those two Cares at once for the World and Heaven too as a Man cannot look with one Eye to Heaven and with another to the Earth therefore why should we indulge worldly Lusts Who would lose a Crown to be owner of a Dunghil And will you forfeit Heaven and the Joys of God's Presence for worldly Conveniences Lust hinders your care of Heaven It is true a temperate and religious use of the World furthereth it but worldly Lust doth take off your Heart from God and Heaven and unfits it for it so that your Heavenly Desires are hindered 5. In a sense worldly Lusts do hinder us of the Comfort of this World Want encreaseth with Enjoyment as the Fire encreaseth by laying on more Fuel The more we enjoy the more we desire so we do not enjoy what we do possess The more we have the more we want so that a covetous Man neither enjoys this World nor the World to come 6. If it be worldly Lust then take heed of it for thou art as thy Love is If thou lovest this World thou art a worldly Man if thou lovest God thou art a godly Man if thou lovest Heaven thou art a heavenly Man A Man is not as his Opinion is but as his Affections are A bad Man may be of a good Opinion but a bad Man can never have good Affections The Soul as Wax receives the Impression from the Object Thou art a Person of the World if thou lovest the World Take a Looking-glass and put it towards Heaven there you shall see the Figure of Heaven the Clouds and things above put it downward towards the Earth you shall see the Figure of the Earth Trees Meadows Fruits So doth the Soul receive a Figure from the things to which it is set if the Heart be set towards Heaven that puts thee into a heavenly Frame if thou appliest it to earthly Objects thou art a Man of the Earth 7. The more we mortify these worldly Lusts the more we prevent Affliction We might prevent the bitterness of the Cross if we would
without some Remark and Observation Isaac goeth to meet with God and he meeteth with God and Rebekah too Godliness hath the promises of this Life and that which is to come there is nothing lost by Duty and Acts of Piety and Worship Seneca said The Iews were an unhappy People because they lost the Seventh part of their Lives meaning the time spent in the Sabbath This is the Sense of Nature to think all lost that is bestowed on God Flesh and Blood snuffeth and cryeth What a weariness is it And what need all this waste Oh let me tell you by serving God you drive on two cares at once Worldly Interests many times are cast into the way of Religion and besides the main design these things are added to us Wonderful are the Providences of God in and about Duties of Worship some have gone aside to pray and escaped such as lay in wait to destroy them and Luther tells a story of one that balked a Duty and fell into a danger passed by a Sermon and was presently surprized by Thieves Others there are that thought of nothing but meeting God in his Worship and God hath made their Duties an occasion of advancing their outward Comforts Certainly it is good to obey all impulses of the Spirit there may be somewhat of Providence as well as Grace in it Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the even-tide and he lift up his eyes and saw and behold the camels were coming In the Words you have several Circumstances The Person Isaac his Work he went out to meditate the Place in the Field the Time at even-tide 1. For the Person Isaac I need not say much because I would not digress He was Abraham's Son and God said of Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Good Education leaveth a Savour and Tincture upon the Spirit at least an Awe and a Care of Duties and Exercises of Religion and therefore it is no wonder to hear of Abrahams Son that had been trained up in the way of the Lord to go out to meditate it is a Seal of the Blessing of Education Again Isaac was now in his Youth certainly he could not be very old Sarah was Ninety years old when the Promise was first made to her of a Son Gen. 17.17 Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old And shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear Now Sarah was but One Hundred Twenty Seven old years when she dyed Gen. 23.1 And this Match was immediately after her Death for just as he received Rebekah he left off his Mourning for Sarah Gen. 24.67 And Isaac brought her into his Mother Sarahs tent and took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her And Isaac was comforted after his mothers death Probably Isaac now was a little above Thirty Isaac a Young Man that was now entring into the World goeth out to meditate Usually we make Religious Exercises the Work of Gray Hairs and after we have spent the heat and flower of our Spirits in the vanities of the World we hope to make amends for all by a Severe and Devout Retirement Young and Green Heads look upon Meditation as a dull melancholly work fit only for the phlegme and decay of Old Age vigorous and eager Spirits are more for Action than Thoughts and their Work lyeth so much with others that they have no time to descend into themselves But the Elder World was more Innocent the Exercises of Isaacs Youth were pious he went out into the Fields to meditate 2. To open his Work to you to meditate or as it is in the Margin to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word used in the Original is indifferent to both Senses it properly signifies muttering or an imperfect and suppressed sound the Septuagint sometimes renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sing but here they render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to exercise himself and most properly a Sportive Exercise as if his going abroad had been only to sport and recreate himself after the toyl of the day But that is not so probable the Holy Ghost would not put such a Mark upon such a Circumstance Therefore I suppose the Septuagints word must be taken more largely to comprise also a Religious Exercise But how is it To Pray or Meditate I would not recede from our own Translation without weighty Cause most other Translations look that way Symachus renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discourse as with others that is with God and his own Soul and so it suiteth with the force of the Original Word which properly signifies to mutter or such a speaking as is between Thoughts and Words So that the meaning is he went aside privately to discourse of God and the Promises and of Heavenly Things 3. The Place in the field Partly for Privacy deep Thoughts require a Retirement Many of Davids Psalms were penned in the Wilderness He that would have the Company of God and his own Thoughts had need go aside from other Company and be alone that he may not be alone that the Mind being sequestred from all Distractions may solace it self the more freely in these Heavenly Thoughts Exod. 3.1 Moses led the flock to the back-side of the desert and came to the mountain of God even to Horeb. He goeth aside from the other Shepherds that he might converse with the Great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls and there he seeth the Vision of the burning Bush. When God would communicate his Loves to the Church he inviteth her into the Wilderness Hosea 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her The most familiar and intimate Converses between God and the Church are in private So the Spouse inviteth the Bridegroom Cant. 7.11 Come my beloved let us go forth into the field let us lodge in the villages In these Solitary and Heavenly Retirements to which no Eyes are conscious and privy we have most Experience of God and of our selves Duties done in Company are more easie by ends and Mans Eye and Observance may have an influence upon our Worship and therefore Meditation is difficult and tedious because it is a work of Retirement that hath approbation from none but our Father that seeth in Secret Partly because the Field is an help to Meditation fancy and invention being elevated and raised by the sweetness variety and pleasure of it there being on every side so many Objects and lively Memorials of God However in this sense the Circumstance is not binding some do better in a Closet than in a
take an Oath to be true to the Captain of our Salvation Rom. 6.13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God 2. In the Lords Supper we come to quicken our Zeal and renew our Holy Resolutions to adhere and cleave to Christ renouncing Sathan that we may stedfastly persevere in the Duties of our Heavenly Calling There our Baptismal Vow is ratified We are apt to forget it 3. The Armour is Faith Hope and Love 1 Thess. 5.8 Putting on the breast-plate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation Faith owns Christ to be what he is and so breedeth a constant adherance to him Love casteth out fear of persecution and maketh us delight in him and Hope waiteth for the Eternal Reward 4. The manner of using this Armour it must be with Sobriety and Watchfulness 1 Pet 5.8 Be sober be vigilant 1. Sobriety or Moderation as to the good things of the present World least we be inticed to a neglect of God and Heavenly things 2. Vigilancy noteth tenderness of 〈◊〉 Conscience Conscience standeth Porter at the Door examining what goeth in and what cometh out Men that have no great tenderness of Conscience fear not much the loss of their Souls and are most easily wrought on by Sathan A Sermon on Joshua vi 26 Cursed be the Man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this City Jericho He shall lay the Foundation thereof in his first-born and in his youngest Son he shall set up the Gates thereof THese words relate to the History of Iericho's destruction In which the place and the manner of its being destroyed are notable 1. The Place Iericho was 1. A strong and well-fenced City one of those which frighted the Spies who were sent to view the Land To appearance it seemed impregnable 2. 't was a Frontier a Key to let in all or stop all that entred into the Land of Canaan on that side 3. A wicked Place and People above others deliciousness of the Situation contributing to the Luxury of the Inhabitants 2. The manner of its destruction It was by the marching of Israel about the City seven days and the Priests going before them blowing with Rams horns a Type of God's blessing on the labours of his Ministers in stirring up his People against the Kingdom of sin Satan and Antichrist But Faith must use such means as God hath appointed though to appearance they be never so despicable Against Midian Gideon useth the Stratagem of lamps in pitchers which the Apostle calleth treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 So here by the blast of the Rams-horns the walls of this seemingly Impregnable City fell flat to the ground 2 Cor. 10.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God in the pulling down of strong-holds The Text giveth an account of what Ioshua did and said on this occasion What he did in the beginning of the vers He adjured the People at that time that is exacted this oath or solemn consent from them To submit themselves and their posterity to the imprecation or curse denounced by him in the name of the Lord. What he said in the curse it self Cursed be the Man before the Lord that raiseth up and buildeth this City Jericho So that in the words you have a terrible Denunciation 1. Generally propounded 2 particularly exemplified 1. Generally expressed Cursed be the Man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this City Jericho Where 1. The Crime That riseth up and buildeth this City Jericho That is That shall presume and take the boldness to build the walls of this City 2. The punishment Cursed be he before the Lord That is the Lord seeing ratifying and appointing this doom and sentence For it is not a Passionate imprecation but a prophetical prediction coming not from any private motion but the inspiration of God And therefore it is called the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua 1 King 16.34 But why is such a curse interminated against those that shall build this City I answer though we are not to render a reason of God's counsels yet this seemeth to be the cause It was the first City of all Canaan that was destroyed and that miraculously And God would have the ruines remain as a monument to posterity of his Power justice and goodness of his Power for whilst this spectacle the rubbish of the ruined walls remained it incouraged their Faith and upbraided their unthankfulness to God who had wrought so wonderfully for them Of his justice on the Canaanites And his grace and goodness towards his People 2. It is particularly explained He shall lay the foundation thereof in his first Son and in his youngest Son he shall set up the gates hereof That is he shall be punished for his presumption in this act by the death of his two Sons the first in the beginning of the work the second in the finishing thereof the setting up of the Gates being the last thing Others probably understand He shall be punished with the loss of all his Children from the Eldest to the youngest So that the curse is his posterity shall be rooted out Now for a long time none had the boldness to attempt this work upon which so fearful a curse was imposed till at length some hundreds of years afterwards in Ahab's time one Hiel the Bethelite audaciously sets upon it And accordingly this curse was verified in him to the utter overthrow of his family 1 King 16.34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho He laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first-born and set up the gates thereof in his youngest Son Segub according to the Word of the Lord which he spake by Joshua the Son of Nun. Strange that seeing his first Son drop away he desisted not from that design But such is the precipice of bad projects and ingagements once step in and seldom stop in the way of wickedness This History teacheth us two Lessons 1. That it is dangerous to slight God's threatnings The curse denounced many hundred years before took place The force and vertue of the prediction was not worn out and antiquated though the attempt was long after it was first pronounced 2. How dangerous it is to build again what God hath or would have to be ruined and destroyed This latter Lesson I shall insist upon and observe Doct. That to seek to erect what God hath and would have destroyed involveth us in a fearful curse In following which point I shall shew 1. What God hath and would destroy 2. The Reasons 3. The Use. 1. What it is that God hath and will destroy The question is large but I will restrain it to the matter I intend And because the accommodation of Scripture to particular cases needeth to proceed upon good evidence that right may be done
ye eat this bread and drink this cup. It is Sacriledge to defraud the People of the communion of the Cup and to separate what God hath joyned 2. The End declared Where what and how long 1. What is the end To annunciate or shew forth the Lord's death It may be read Indicatively or Imperatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They come to the same effect Annuntiare debetis Ye ought to shew forth So Vatablus 2. How long this Rite must be observed to this end Till He come that is to judgment Which implieth that this is a standing Ordinance or means to keep his Death in perpetual remembrance till we have no more need of Memorials because Christ is come in Person Doctr. The Lord's Supper is a solemn Commemoration of the Death and Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ. 1. By way of Illustration 2. By way of Confirmation I. By way of Illustration I shall explain both the Object and the Act. The Object is the Lord's death The Act is Annunciation or shewing forth First The Object Which I shall open in three Propositions 1. That the Sacraments do chiefly relate to Christ's death For Baptism Rom. 6.3 Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Iesus Christ were baptized into his death The Lord's Supper in the Text. Both Sacraments represent him dead they do not represent him Glorified but Crucified They were Instituted in favour of Men and for the benefit of Man more directly and immediately than for the honour of Christ exalted In these Duties he representeth himself rather as one that procured the Glory of others than as one that is possessed of Glory himself and would have us consider his Death rather than his present Exaltation His Death is wholly for us but his Glory is for himself and us too Only we must distinguish between what is Primarily represented in the Sacrament and what is Secondarily and Consequentially It is true the consideration of his Humiliation excludeth not that of his Exaltation but leadeth us to it But primarily and properly Christ's Death is here represented and consequentially his Resurrection and Intercession as these Acts of his Mediation receive value from his Death We remember his Death as the Meritorious Cause of our Justification and Sanctification his Resurrection as the Publick Evidence Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification Namely as his Resurrection sheweth his Satisfaction is perfect God requireth no more for the Atonement of the World His Intercession is nothing else but a representation of the Merit of his Sacrifice and receiveth its value from his Death Heb. 9.12 By his own blood he entered in once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us That is by his own Bloud he entered into Heaven having purchased Redemption for us from the Guilt and Power of Sin Well then it appeareth from the nature of the thing and the Rites here used that Christ's Body is represented to us as dead and broken and so proper Food for our Souls And his Blood as shed or poured out for the expiation of our Sins that we might obtain pardon and peace Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the forgiveness of Sins according to the riches of his grace Luke 22.20 This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you 2. That we do not Commemorate Christ's death as a Tragical Story but as a Mystery of Godliness Many when they come to these Duties look upon Christ as an innocent Person unworthily handled and so make a Tragedy of his passion for the entertainment of their fancies and the lighter part of their affections rather than for their Faith to work upon their desire joy and thankfullness or to stir up any deep Repentance in them This remembrance produceth either Compassion or Indignation against the Jews 1. Compassion Alas the History of Christ's Passion will work no more upon us than the sad preparation of Abraham when he went to Sacrifice his Son Isaac or the Crys of Ioseph in the Pit or the pittiful words of Iacob when they told him that some Beast had devoured him or than the Sacking of Ierusalem by the Babylonians or how they handled that miserable King Zedekiah when they put out his Eyes or the moans of Dido for Aeneas Austin instanced in that living in that Country Quid miserius homine flente Didonis mortem non misâ—riam suam All these things though they be not of such importance as the sufferings of the Son of God will draw tears from us and passionately affect us for the time Christ seemeth to disprove this fond Compassion as it is acted and exercised towards himself Luke 23.28 to 31. Iesus turning unto them said Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children For behold the days are coming in the which they shall say Blessed are the Barren and the Womb that never bare and the Paps which never gave suck Then shall they begin to say to the Mountains fall on us and to the Hills cover us For if they do these things in a green Tree what shall be done in the dry The Gospel doth not propound the death of Christ as a Spectacle of humane Calamity No it is a point of higher consideration and God looketh for more inward and Spiritual motions than this passionate condoling 2. So for indignation against the Iews It is no more pleasing to Christ than the other Many Christians think it a piece of high Devotion to execrate the Memory of Iudas and the other Iews who were accessory to Christ's Death but this or somewhat like it is disproved too Peter was in a rage against Christ's Adversaries and therefore out of bravery draweth his Sword against a whole Troop or Band of Men that came to attacque him in the Garden But Christ saith Iohn 18.11 Put up thy Sword into the Sheath the Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it No question but great Injustice was shewed to Christ the Iews fact was odious Iudas his treason Execrable but as our pity should be turned upon our selves so must our exasperation also The Gospel calleth for deeper consideration of this Mystery than what is Historical Namely such as is Evangelical and may suit with God's ends in it and our Faith in the Mediator and Saviour of the World Namely the horror of our Sins that they may become odious to us the Terror of God's impartial Justice that we may never think a light thought of it more the inestimableness of God's Love that we may have more admiring thoughts of the wonders of this Condescending Grace in giving his Son to die for us and of the unspeakable benefit and the joy of Salvation which is derived thence to us These are the true reflections on the Death of Christ and best serve for the improvement of it Namely to raise our hopes of Mercy