overturne the truth and substance of the Gospell and therefore he giveth this for the reason why hee would not yeeld no not for an houre That the truth of the Gospell might continue with you as if he had said ye cannot retaine long the truth of the Gospell if ye admit this Sixthly and lastly He that would bee constant in Gods service must put on patience and courage in regard of the opposition that he is sure to meete withall in that case In your patience possesse your soules saith our Saviour Luk. 21. 19. And Let us runne with patience the race that is set before us Heb. 12. 1. Yea we have need of patience saith the Apostle Heb. 10. 36. Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit ye like men bee strong saith the Apostle 1 Cor 16. 13. He that will follow Christ constantly and not forsake him must resolve before hand to take up his crosse and arme himselfe with patience Luk. 9. 23. If any come unto me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow me This made Paul so constant in Gods service after he had once begun to serve him sc. because hee was armed with a patient and couragious resolution to endure what ever could befall in that case My life is not deare to me that I may finish my course and fulfill the ministery that I have received c. Acts 20. 23. Yea I am ready not only to be bound but also to dye at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus Acts 21. 13. And thus have I finished the second duty that wee are to be exhorted unto inregard of our selves sc. Constancy in Gods service and have shewed both the Motives why and the meanes how to attaine ability to performe it CHAP. VII Wherein the last duty in regard of our selves is propounded together with the Motives to perswade us thereunto THirdly Seeing time spent in Gods service is absolutely the best spent time This serveth to exhort every one of us not only to begin to serve God 1. Speedily without delay 2. And constantly without ceasing but also plentifully and abundantly let us spend as much time as we can possibly this way we cannot spend our time better then in Gods Courts his House and Ordinances the duties of his publike worship and service Oh therefore let us deale plentifully and abundantly this way Let us give all diligence not some but all diligence is little enough this way 2 Pet. 1. 5. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might saith Salomon Eccles. 9. 10. Alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 58. The more paines we take in Gods service the more wages shall we be sure to receive And therefore when we come to the wholsome waters of Gods Sanctuary let us drinke freely and abundantly this is our Saviours owne exhortation when he commeth into his garden of the Church assemblies Cant. 5. 1. Eat O friends drinke yea drinke abundantly O beloved It is an excellent thing when a man can say truely that which Iehu only pretended in another case 2 King 10. 18. Ahab served Baala little but Iehu shall serve him much So such and such serve God a little I will serve him much Surely it must needs be well taken at Gods hands when we have a care to spend as much time in Gods service as we can possibly Now for the perfecting of this duty which is the maine point of all I will shew you 1. Some Motives to perswade us to it 2. Some few Directions how to doe it And first for the Motives The Motives that may perswade us to spend as much time as we can possibly in the duties of GODS publike Ordinances they are principally these foure 1. Because the time present I meane the time of this present life is the onely time that we have to this purpose either now or never must we serve God in these duties and Ordinances as for Purgatory it is but a popish dreame a very fancy the time of this life is the onely time for this purpose Hereupon is that speech of our Saviour Iohn 9. 4. I must worke the workes of God while it is day the night commeth when no man can work by night he meaneth death and the grave there is no worke to bee done then this appeareth by the next verse that this is our Saviours meaning i. e. While I live I must finish the worke that I have in hand death commeth when no man can worke no then we rest from our labours Revel 14. 1â— whilest we have time let us doe good saith the Apostle Gal. 6. 10. There is a set time appointed for well doing which is the time of this life which is by no meanes to bee let slip or omitted if death once come it presently putteth an end to our labour when night commeth men shut up shop Excellent therefore to this purpose Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might Ply thy worke hard Now marke the reason which he giveth to this purpose For there is no worke nor devise nor knowledge nor wisedome in the grave whither thou goest there is no opportunitie for doing any worke there no that is the evening a time of reckoning but not of working that is a time of receiving wages not of labour What saith the Lord of the Vineyard when the evening was come Matth. 20. 8. Call the labourers and give them their hire not set them a worke but pay them their wages If therefore wee looke for any wages at evening let us ply our worke in the day time This is the first Motive Secondly As the time of this life is the onely time for this purpose so it is very short and very uncertaine the time of him that liveth longest here is but short Iob 14. 1. Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time and is full of misery Remember Lord how short my time is Our worke is great and our time short and therefore wee had need to be diligent our journey is long and our time short and therefore we had need to runne speedily as well as constantly Time passeth away with a swift foote My dayes passe away as the most swift Ships saith Iob 9. 26. Man is like to vanity his dayes are as a shadow that passeth away Psalme 144. 4. Yea we bring our yeares to an end as a tale that is tould Psalm 90. 9. And our life is very like unto a vapour Iames 4. 14. Seeing then our time is so short and withall so uncertaine wee had need to runne with speed as well as patience the race that is set before us If the time were short yet if it were certaine there were lesse danger in slacknesse but it is not more short then uncertaine like the thiefe that commeth in the
for the wicked it is not so with them they may have a faire golden shew untill they come to the melting but no hypocrite can abide this fiery tryall herein the true Christian out-strippeth the temporarie as our Saviour sheweth evidently Luk. 8. with Mat. 13. 21. Yet hath he no roote in himselfe but endureth for a season Why so He answereth For when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by he is offended He is not able to abide the scorching heate of persecution in and for the good cause of God So that this fire of persecution is fit to try every mans worke whether it be gold and silver or hay and straw or stubble Pertinent is that of the Apostle to this purpose in 1 Cor. 3. 12 13. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver c. or wood hay or stubble every mans worke shall be made manifest How Because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every mans worke of what sort it is That is true grace indeed that abideth the fiery tryall But a question may here not unfitly be moved sc. Whether an hypocrite may not hold out even unto death and abide the tryall of the fire Yes He may stifly hold out and persist in some course that he hath begunne and rather give his body to be burned then forsake it This the Apostle seemeth to intimate 1 Cor. 13. 3. Though I give my body to be burned and have not charitie it profiteth me nothing But yet first it is not in or properly for the good Word of God that he thus suffereth but as a busie body out of some odde humour or proud factious disposition Now it is properly the cause and not the punishment that maketh a martyr and therefore sayth our Saviour Mat. 13. 21. When tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word he is offended A Christians suffering is and must be well grounded upon the Word else he suffereth not as a Christian but as a busie body 1 Pet. 4. 15 16. Secondly If his cause in which he snffereth be good yet he suffereth without charitie not out of love either to God or his truth but out of selfe-love and so is worth nothing So that he that will hold out in a good cause even unto death and that in obedience to God and out of love to his truth the graces of such a man are pure gold indeed CHAP. IV. Containing the use of Consolation THirdly This Doctrine serveth for comfort and consolation to such as are truely godly and religious whatsoever thy condition be for outward things yet it is splendid and glorious within thou art truely rich rich towards God an heart full of saving grace is more worth then a purse full of gold Put case that in respect of any temporall wealth thou canst truely say with the Apostle Acts 3. 6. Silver and gold have I none yet if thou hast plentie of true saving grace thou art a rich man in Gods account full of spirituall wealth thou art rich towards God Luk. 12. 22. which is the best riches in the world God esteemeth thee more highly for thy inward wealth sc. that thou art truely golden and religious then men can despise thee for thy outward povertie and know this also for thy comfort that though the foolish blind world doe despise thee for thy povertie yet God thinketh never a whit the worse of thee in that regard for he regardeth not the rich more then the poore Iob 34. 19. Yea he thinketh better of every godly poore man then he doth of any ungodly rich man whatsoever Pro. 28. 6. Better is the poore that walketh in his integritie then he that is perverse in his wayes though he be rich A godly poore man is able to say with the Apostle in some measure 2 Cor. 5. 1. Wee know that when the earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved we have a building of God not made with hands eternall in the heavens But the wicked though never so rich yet if he be impenitent shall be turned into hell and all that forget God Yea every godly poore man that is rich in grace and endued with the true feare of God findeth better acceptance with God then any ungodly rich man whatsoever Acts 10. 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him sayth the Apostle Oh how this should comfort us against the reproaches and aspersions of the world sc. that in the meane time God himselfe doth kindly accept of us and hath us in singular love for his Sonnes sake yea will manifest this love one day before men and Angels in bestowing no lesse then a Kingdome upon us Luk. 12. 32. Feare not little flocke for it is my Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome yea the great and glorious Kingdome of Heaven is provided as well for godly poore men as for the richest persons in the world Jam. 2. 5. Hearken my beloved brethren sayth the Apostle hath not God chosen the poore of the world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him Oh how this may comfort us in regard of outward poverty It will keepe no man out of heaven that hath an heart full of the golden graces of Gods Spirit no more then outward wealth of it selfe can keepe a man out of hell Luk. 16. The rich man there notwithstanding all his wealth was deeply plunged into hell and Lazarus even poore Lazarus was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Onely be sure that the gold which thou hast is true and right gold and not counterfeit And therefore againe and againe I exhort every one that desireth to have interest in the comfort now propounded that he be sure he be not deluded nor gulled in this case with feigned gold and counterfeit metall in stead of true saving grace indeed Now because it is on the one side so easie a thing to be deceived withall so exceeding hard and difficult for a man to be well assured that his graces are sincere besides what you have already heard in the former use I will give you two or three other signes by which you may understand that the golden graces of Gods Spirit in you are sound and not counterfeit First He that hath true grace right gold indeed will be carefull to use it to Gods glory and the good of others he is no niggard of it nor layeth it up in a Napkin but is very free and liberall in communicating what he hath for the benefit of others he is not content to be religious himselfe alone but doth earnestly desire carefully endeavour that others may have true grace and become religious as well as himselfe and his very speeches and whole cariage will manifest no lesse Psal. 37. 30 31. The mouth of
in a few things I will make thee ruler over many things c. Oh what an encouragement in this sc. that though when we have done all that we can we doe but our dutie neither can we doe that perfectly yet the Lord in mercie is readie to encourage and commend us if we doe our best endeavour Here is the commendation of a right tree of Righteousnesse that they are such as flourish and increase still more and more Psal. 92. 12 13. The righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree and grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of the house of our God They shall bring forth fruit in their age and they shall be fat and flourishing Here was the commendation of the Church of Thyatyra Revel 2. 19. I know thy workes and thy love and thy faith and patience and thy workes that they are more at last then at first Thou doest still grow in grace and art every day better and better The Lord taketh notice of our growth in grace and doth most highly commend and prize it Fourthly As the Lord commends it so he is much honoured by it It is the glory of the Master of the Vineyard that the Vine flourisheth and is fruitfull It is the glory of the husbandman that the earth bringeth forth fruit in abundance It is the glory of the chiefe Shepheard when the sheepe bring forth thousands and ten thousands Hereupon is that speech of our Saviour Ioh. 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified that yee bring forth much fruit The more fruitfull wee are in grace and pietie the more glory redoundeth to God Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Hence is that prayer of the Apostle Phil. 1. 9. 11. And this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and in all judgement Why so see that Ver. 11. And that yee may be filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ to the prayse and glory of God Oh this above all other considerations should perswade us to labour to grow rich in grace because it tendeth so expresly to Gods glory which is the chiefe end of God himselfe in all his actions and that which we should ayme at especially in all our proceedings 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoever yee doe doe all to the glory of God sayth the Apostle and therefore wee should in all equitie ply that worke most that tendeth most to his glory Fifthly The Lord will most surely reward it Let no man ever thinke that it is in vaine to serve God but if wee be faithfull in doing God service let us never doubt of his fidelitie and bountie in paying our wages Alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord for as much as yee know how that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord sayth the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. last He that is faithfull in Gods service unto death may be sure of the Crowne of life Revel 2. 10. God is absolutely the best Master and pietie the best Mistresse that a man can possibly serve Godlinesse is profitable unto all things sayth the Apostle having the promise of the life that now is and of that to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. Let us but see the reward of pietie in some few particulars First An earnest endeavour to grow in grace and thrive in godlinesse will assure a man of his election It is the advise of the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure no better meanes to doe it then by an earnest desire and carefull endeavour to grow in grace our growth in grace is not onely an argument of the truth of our grace but also a good pledge and token of our election faith and holinesse is a fruit of our eternall election Hence it is that true saving faith is called The faith of Gods elect Titus 1. 1. This should make us earnestly to cry out with the Disciples Luk. 17. 5. Lord increase our faith because it is such a pledge of our election for As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Acts 13. 48. Holines is the very end of our election Wee are chosen in Christ Iesus before the world that wee might be holy and without blame before him in love Ephes. 1. 4. Hence is that sweet and excellent parenthesis of the Apostle Col. 3. 12. Put upon you therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercie c. So that the more faith the more pietie the more bowels of mercie c. the more evident pledges and tokens of our election Oh how this should perswade us to grow in grace that wee may thereby make our calling and election sure unto our selves an admirable and most desireable benefit Secondly The richer we are in grace the better able shall we be to doe good to others and also to discharge the duties belonging to the places wherein God hath set us Wisedome is good with an inheritance sayth Salomon so no doubt it is without an inheritance but yet he that hath wisedome with an inheritance is the best able to expresse and make use of his wisedome so 1 Tim. 6. 17. Charge those that be rich in this world c. that they be rich in good workes as if they had the best opportunitie so much more they that are spiritually rich that are full of the golden graces of Gods Spirit they have an opportunitie to be rich in good workes and are or may be the better fitted and enabled to doe good to others This made our Saviour himselfe so rich in good workes so plentifull in workes of pietie and charitie He went about continually doing good teaching and preaching the Gospell of the kingdome and healing every sicknesse and every disease amongst the people Mat. 9. 35. And why so Surely because he was full of grace Ioh. 1. 14. This made Barnabas such an admirable instrument of Gods glorie in doing so much good at Antioch see how the Text reports it Acts 11. 23. Who when he was come and saw the grace of God he was glad and exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord Why so what made him so zealous and ready to do good That you may see Ver. 24. For he was a good man and full of the holy Ghost and of faith and much people joyned themselves unto the Lord. He that is truely and really good himselfe is the fittest and best able to doe good to others See here another benefit that may perswade us to grow in grace Thirdly An earnest desire and carefull endeavour to grow in grace will give us not onely entrance into the kingdome of grace but also assurance of interest in the kingdome of glorie See a direct place
towards God What greater folly then to be all for the present nothing for the future All for the Summer nothing for the Winter All for the body nothing for the soule And yet alas there are thousands that are thus besotted Martha-like and worse cumbred about many things when the one thing needfull the better part is wholly neglected Now for the remedie of this give me leave to commend unto your consideration that golden place of our Saviour Mat. 16. 26. What is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and loose his own soule Take heed brethren a man cannot looke upward and downward both at once or upward with one eye and downe with the other for we cannot set our affections upon things above if we set them too much upon things here below we cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6. 24. We cannot love God and the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him sayth the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 15. We cannot be both earthly and heavenly minded as we ought wee cannot be a friend of the world and Gods friend too but Whosoever maketh himselfe the friend of the world is the enemy of God It is an excellent place of the Apostle Jam. 4. 4. later end Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmitie against God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God They are too blame that spend more time in the worlds service then in the Lords Secondly This serveth to reprove such as spend more time in sinfull pleasures and recreation then in Gods service These are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God as the Apostle speakes 2 Tim. 3. 4. As if men were made onely for themselves and their owne pleasures and not for GOD. How farre are these from the disposition of faithfull Moses Who refused to be called the sonne of Pharoahs daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 24 25. Now for the meanes to prevent or reforme this grosse abuse in thus mis-spending of our time Let us consider these two particulars First That time spent in Gods service is absolutely the most full of pleasure yea there is no true solid pleasure in the world without it it is to a spirituall man the very joy and rejoycing of his heart Secondly The more pleasure we have in any thing in the neglect of Gods worship and service the more torment and sorrow will follow afterward The better the wine is the sharper and more sowre will it be when it is turned to vinegar It is most true of all such delights which Abner sayd to Joab They will be bitternesse in the later end See the fruit of the rich mans carnall pleasures Luk. 16. 25. In that speech of Father Abraham to the rich man in hell Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things or thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented O the everlasting bitter panges of hell which follow the pleasures of sinne for a season Who would dote upon such sweet meat that is attended with such bitter and sowre sauce So mark what is sayd of Babylon that had glutted her selfe with pleasures and made her selfe Drunke with the bloud of the Saints Revel 18. 7. How much she hath glorified her selfe and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her The more pleasures of sinne here on earth the more torment in hell If our carnal mirth-mungers would consider this it would be a meanes to perswade them to spend more time in Gods service and lesse in the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season Thirdly This serveth to reprove all such as stay long before they spend any time at all in Gods service How ordinary a thing is it for men to mispend their best strength and flower of their youth and reserve the decrepit old age for God Tell many of repentance of Gods service of the power of godlinesse oh say they it is too soone I am too young hereafter is better when I am old This is the usuall practise of the world If time spent in Gods service be the best spent woe be to those that stay long before they begin to serve God at all Like a man that goeth to London about some businesse of great importance and when he commeth there spendeth all his time in saluting here and complementing there and seeing this and that rare sight and then hath all his 〈◊〉 to dispatch when he should goe home Here is the very case of many that come into the Citie of this world they spend the greatest part of their time in other things and never so much as dreame or thinke of Religion which is the maine end for which they were sent into the world What a woefull account will these make at the last day Now for prevention or remedie hereof let us consider these foure particulars First The expresse command of God To Remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth before those dayes come wherein wee shall say I have no pleasure in them A woefull thing for a man even then to bethinke himselfe how to live when he is readie to die Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Secondly Consider the time which we have here to spend on earth is very uncertaine a man resolveth to serve God when he is old yea but what if he dye in the meane time while he is young and never live untill he be olde How many Lambe-skinnes come to the Market as well as the skinnes of elder sheepe How many dye young and drop away even in the middest as they thought of their best strength No man knoweth the day of his death and therefore Job to make sure worke would beginne and prepare for it every day Iob 14. 14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite untill my change come Death many times commeth suddenly when it is the least thought on of all When they shall say peace peace then shall sudden destruction fall upon them sayth the Apostle 1 Thes. 5. 3. They spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment goe downe to hell Iob 21. 13. Therefore they say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes c. A woefull estate Thirdly The longer it is before we returne to God the more difficult we shall finde it to turne at last Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit Continuance in sinne breedeth custome in sinne and how hard is it for men to overcome evill customes Ier. 13. 21. Can the Aethiopian change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill So that it is exceeding difficult if not
that he is of the true Religion among all the religions that are in the world Hence is that speech of our Saviour Ioh. 7. 16 17. My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent mee yea but how should a man know that that our Saviour sheweth Ver. 17. If any man will doe his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe A most sweet and admirable benefit a constant and conscionable care to yeeld obedience to what we know is the best meanes to perfect and increase our knowledge This made David wiser then his enemies yea then the Ancient yea then his teachers because he was a constant practitioner of what he knew Psal. 119. 98 99. c. He that would be assured of the truth of his Religion let him be constant in the duties of Gods worship and service for this alone will doe it Hereupon it was that many poore silly men and women in Queene Mary's dayes sealed the truth with their blood when many great Schollers fell away Sixthly and lastly Constancy in the duties of Gods worship and service will affoord a man comfort in time of trouble yea in the houre of death this will make a man able to lift up his head with joy in that case as if his redemption drew nigh Psal. â—7 37. Marke the upright man and behold the just that is he that is constantly just and upright for the end of that man shall be peace sayth the Psalmist See an experiment of this in diverse examples 1. The example of Gods Church in great affliction and persecution Psal. 44. see their woefull miserie Ver. 13 14. c. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours a by-word a shaking of the head amongst the people My confusion is continually before me Ver. 15. All this is come upon us Ver. 17. Well what was it now that did affoord them comfort in this their extremitie Surely their constancie in Religion Ver. 17 18. Yet have wee not forgotten thee nor have dealt falsely in thy Covenant our heart is not turned backe neither have our steppes declined from thy way Yea though thou hast â—ore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death Ver. 19. So what was it that affoorded Iob such comfort in his extremities but his sinceritie and constancie Two excellent places we have for this the one in Job 27. 5. God forbid that I should justifie you sayth he to his friends Why not Were they not honest and religious men Yes surely they were gracious men and full of wisedome but yet Iob would not justifie them in that particular wherein they condemned him for an hypocrite they charged him with inconstancie and hypocrisie and that he would never yeeld unto Till I dye I will not remove my integritie from me my righteousnesse I hold fast and will not let it goe my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live This was the onely thing that did affoord him comfort in his great extremities and calamities and unjust censures of his friends he knew that he had beene sincere and constant in Gods service The other place for this purpose is Iob 23. when God hid himselfe from him that he could not see him Ver. 8 9. whether he went forward or backward on the right hand or on the left yet he could not finde God What was his comfort Yet when he hath tryed me I shall come out like gold I shall be the better for all this at last Ver. 10. Well how came he to be assured of this That yee shall see Ver. 11 12. My foote hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone backe from the Commandement of his lippes I have esteemed the words of his lippes more then my necessary food Here was his comfort that he had beene constant in Gods service it was grounded upon the consideration of his perseverance The second particular example is that of David Psal. 18. when he was in many waters readie to be drowned environed with strong enemies Ver. 16 17. Now what was his comfort in these cases That yee shall see Ver. 21. For I have kept the wayes of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God Loe here what will affoord us comfort in our greatest miseries and extremities sc. Constancie in cleaving to God and a vigilant watchfull care not to depart from him All his judgements were before me and I did not put away his Statutes from me Ver. 22. I have beene constant in his service So that of Psal. 119. see what dangerous straites that good man was in Ver. 107. I am afflicted very much How much David My soule is continually in my hand I doe even daily cary my life in my hand there is but even a step betweene me and death Well how came that to passe The wicked have layd a snare for me sayth he Ver. 110. Well what was his comfort in all this his Staffe to uphold him in all these dangers Surely his constancie in Gods service I have sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous judgements V. 106. and Ver. 111 112. Thy Testimonies have I claimed as my heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart and I have inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alwayes even unto the end Loe this will affoord us comfort in the greatest troubles that can befall us Yea this will affoord comfort and confidence even in death Though he kill me yet will I trust in him sayth Iob upon this ground Iob 13. 15. See an example of this in that good King Hezekiah What was his comfort when the Prophet brought him the message of death from the Lord Isa. 38. 3 Surely his constancie and sinceritie in the duties of Gods worship and service Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which hath beene good in thy sight i.e. here is my chiefe comfort in this case So this made Paul thinke on death with comfort and rejoycing 2 Cor. 1. 12. So 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. The time of my departure is at hand and I am now readie to be offered sc. in sacrifice to God by death Now see the grounds of the Apostles comfort and confidence in that case I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith I have spent time in Gods service constantly henceforth there is layd up for me a crowne of Righteousnesse And thus you see at large the Vtilitie of the dutie which is the second Motive that may perswade us to be constant in the duties of Gods worship and service Thirdly The third and last Motive that may perswade us hereunto is drawne from the consideration of the necessitie of it It is not onely equall and profitable but exceeding necessary that we should be
constant in the duties of Gods worship and service This appeareth not onely in regard of the expresse command of God to that purpose but also because it is the speciall condition required on our part as ever we expect the reward promised as wee have heard before but we shall finde it very necessary in many other respects whereof I will onely mention but one or two which I conceive to be the chiefe First Because without constancie and perseverance wee loose all the labour and paines that we have alreadie taken in Gods service we have laboured in vaine and to no purpose if we doe not perseveâ—e if we faint we are sure we shall never reape as the Apostle seemeth to intimate Gal. 6. 9. All our righteousnesse shall not so much as be once mentioned unto us we shall be never a whit the better for it Ezech. 18. 24. The soule of the Lord shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. See an experiment of this in two famous examples to this purpose sc. Demas and Alexander See what a good opinion the Apostle had of this Demas he remembreth his love to the Church of Colosse Col. 4. 14. Demas-greeteth you yea he was one of Pauls fellow labourers Philemon ver 24. And yet see how the Apostle cryeth out of him afterward 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present world Demas hath lost all his labour and the credit of all his former proceedings So for Alexander see how zealous and forward he seemed to be in Act. 19. 33. he was very like to have suffered Martyrdome and yet see how the Apostle discovereth him afterward for his damnable Apostacie 2 Tim. 4. 14. Alexander the Copper-smith hath done me much evill the Lord reward him according to his worke for he hath greatly withstood our words So he lost the benefit of all the good he had done formerly But this is not all for Secondly The sinne of back-sliding and falling backe from Religion is a thing that is most odious and hatefull to God the soule of the Lord abhorreth it the soule of the Lord will have no pleasure in such that is he hateth and abhorreth them hereupon it is compared to the vomit of a Dogge and the Sowes wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2. 22. Yea if any man draw backe it is unto his perdition unlesse he repent Heb. 10. 39. And how hard a thing it is for such to be brought unto Repentance Heb. 6. 5. If they fall away it is impossible to renew them againe unto repentance How-ever the back-slider in heart shall be filled with his owne wayes Pro. 14. 14. And are quite lost in their owne sense and feeling which is even a little hell upon earth as appeareth by the example of Francis Spira and William Rogers of Cranebrooke in Kent the Stories of both which are lately published Yea see the woefull estate of Lot's wife Let the judgement of God upon her make us take heede of looking backe which is the effect of that speech of our Saviour Luk. 17. 32. Remember Lots wife who for looking backe was turned into a pillar of salt Gen. 19. 46. Whosoever doe thus unlesse they repent and doe their first workes are in no case fit for the kingdome of heaven for he that putteth his hand to the Plough and looketh backe is not fit for the kingdome of God sayth our Saviour Luk. 9. 62. Thirdly Wee had need be vigilant and constant in regard of the devils continuall diligence in watching all opportunities to doe us mischiefe we had need continually to stand upon our guard and ply our worke for if we give over we immediately become a prey to his malicious crueltie Whilst the little bird is in action and flying from bush to bush and from place to place she is in no danger of being shot to death but when she sitteth still she becommeth a prey to the cruell fowler it is the Holy Ghosts owne similitude Prov. 26. 2. As the bird by wandring and the Swallow by flying so the curse causelesse shall not come When did David become a prey to the Devill and lust but when he lay idely at home 2 Samuel 11. upon his bed The Devill seeketh continually to doe us hurt and by doing nothing we learne to doe evill Therefore this is the Apostles argument to perswade to constancy and vigilancy 1 Peter 5. 8. For your adversary the Devill as a roring Lion goeth about seeking continually whom he may devoure And thus yee see also the necessitie of constancy and perseverance in the duties of Gods worship and service It is equall profitable and necessary Now for the Meanes that wee must use that we may be constant I will give you only one generall which will divide it selfe into sundry particulars 1. In generall get a right disposition of heart to this purpose without this it is impossible for any to be constant in Gods service therefore saith David Psalme 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to performe thy Statutes alwayes It is only a good and an honest heart that is able to make a man hold out in Gods wayes as our Saviour sheweth Luke 8. 15. This made Iehu fall away at last notwithstanding all the faire shewes he made of zeale for God and his truth But Iehu tooke no heede to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart saith the Text 2 Kings 10. 31. This made him cleave to Ieroboam's calvish Idolatry So this made Simon Magus fall off notwithstanding all his fine shewes of Religion his keeping company with the Apostles his being baptized c. he shewed plainly what he was at last And how came that I perceive that thy heart is not right in the sight of God saith the Apostle to him Acts 8. 21. If we would persevere in Gods service we must labour to have our hearts set in a right frame Now more particularly if ye aske me what disposition or frame of heart is it that we must labour for if we would bee constant in Gods service 1. I answer that if we would be constant in Gods service we must labour for a beleeving heart an heart fraught with the precious grace of true saving faith This is that which will make a man constant and victorious over all impediments 1 Iohn 5 4 5. For whosoever beleeveth and is borne of God overcommeth the world and this is the victory that overcommeth the world even your faith True saving faith is of a lasting nature he that hath it can never perish but have everlasting life Iohn 3. 16. Yea this doth alwayes end in salvation 1 Peter 1. 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules saith the Apostle if any man draw backe and fall off from Gods service it is either for want of faith or at least for want of a true saving faith When the Apostle had shewed
the lesse in this case in regard of that which I have already said as also in respect of a Treatise written to this purpose called The Redemption of time Yet because I would not leave the point imperfect I will briefly insist upon some few particulars 1. Therefore all men must very carefully and watchfully subdue and suppresse all those great mispenders of time which like so many gracelesse spend-thrifts doe wast and consume many precious houres and much golden time that was farre better spent in Gods worship and service which are especially sixe 1. Sinning 2. Sleeping 3. Carking and caring 4. Sporting or recreations with immoderate feasting 5. Foolish thinking 6. And lastly idle speaking which is usually a fruit of the former because Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh whereof some of these must bee mortified and put to death and others againe restrained and regulated or bound as it were to the good behaviour 1. The first and the worst and chiefe mispender of precious time is Sinning when we spend time in doing that which is directly naught as lying swearing drunkennesse wantonnesse and such like works of the flesh and of the Devill this is the worst spent time of all as being directly contrary to that which is spent in Gods service as I have already shewed in the first use of the point Now this thiefe is utterly to be mortified and put to death imprisoning or binding to the good behaviour will not serve the turne for indeed this is a desperate ruffian or swaggerer that is not capable of any good behaviour and therefore must needs be put to death and wholly suppressed We must endeavour as much as in us lyeth that wee spend no time in sinning but carefully mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit this is the Apostles rule Colossians 3. 1 2 5. If ye then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above be heavenly minded set your affections upon things above Let your conversation be in heaven Phil. â— 30. But what course must wee take to this end That the Apostle sheweth verse 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth Where wee see this truth most clearely manifested that all that would spend much time in Gods service and holy performances must carefully mortifie their members here on earth and put sinfull lusts to death For this horrible thiefe and great mispender of precious time is like some mischievous person or desperate ruffian that flyeth in a mans face and will either kill or bee killed and therefore must needs be killed that hee doth not kill us for the wages of sinne is death Romans 6. 23. So that wee must either kill our corruptions or they will bring our sonles to death Rom. 8. 13. For if yee live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Where you see that our precious soules cannot live but by the death of our corruptions the life of the one is the death of the other as Ahab lost his owne life for preserving Benhadads Thy life shall goe for the life of him in 1 Kings 20. 42. so our soules must eternally perish if we suffer our corruptions to survive But how should we so mortifie our lusts that we may spend little or no time time in vicious courses and so consequently more time in Gods service An. 1. Let us diligently search that we may plainly discover and finde out that speciall sinne wherewith we have beene formerly most pestered It is impossible to execute a malefactor untill he be found out and apprehended diligent search is first made and Hue and cry sent after him to finde him out so wee must deale with those lusts wherein formerly wee have spent too much time Lamentations 3. 40. Let us search and try our wayes and turne to the Lord our God This was Davids practise Psalme 119. 59. I examined or considered or thought on mine owne wayes and turned my feete unto thy Testimonies yea because he knew his heart was deceitfull and fraudulent Ier. 17. 9. Hee doth beseech God to assist him in it and to doe it for him Psalme 26. 2. Examine me O Lord and prove me try my reines and my heart Like a man that heareth proclamation for the apprehension of such and such a Traytor hee not only searcheth his owne house himselfe but he setteth open the doore and intreateth the officer to enter and make what diligent search he can that if there be any traytor lurking there hee may bee found out and executed so David search me ô Lord examine my heart and house and see if there bee any sinfull lust there and let them bee all mortified To the same purpose is that we have Psal. 139. 23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Loe here was sincerity and this was the best way to finde out our most secret lusts and hidden corruptions O therefore let us not be strangers at home but examine our owne hearts as the Psalmiâ—â— speaketh Psalme 4. 4. A sweet place for this purpose is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whither yee bee in the faith or no prove your owne selves know you not your owne selves i. e. what an absurd thing is it for you to bee skilfull in others affaires and neglect your owne to know other men and not your owne selves what greater hypocrisie The Hypocrite is sharpe sighted abroad but blinde at home He can see a mote in the eye of another but doth not discerne the beame that is in his owne it is our Saviours character of an hypocrite Matthew 7. 5. But on the contrary the advise of the Apostle is excellent Galathians 6. 4. But let every owne prove his owne worke seeke to finde out his owne lusts then shall hee have rejoycing in himselfe and not in another Secondly When we have found out this waster and apprehended this Traytor then let us directly smite it with the two edged sword of the Spirit upon the head which is the Word of God a speciall part of a Christians armour and so much the more excellent in this case because it is a weapon both defensive and offensive Ephesians 6. 16. And take the Helmet of salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Woâ—d of God See what admirable worke our Saviour made with this spirituall weapon in the single combate that he had with Sathan hand to hand Matthew 4. Scriptum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 4. And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 6. And see the event of this combate v. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Devill left him c. This put him utterly to flight And no marvell for the Word of God is quicke and powerfull