Redemption the work of his arm Luke 1. 5. In the Creation God gave us ourselves in the Redemption he gave us himself So that the Sabbath putting us in mind of our Redemption ought to be observed with the highest devotion Herein we must offer holy violence to our selves When this blessed day approacheth we should labour that as the day is sanctified so our hearts may be sanctified We must on this day rest from all the works of our calling As Abraham when he went to Sacrifice left his Servant and Ass at the bottom of the hill Gen. 22. 5. So when we are to worship God this day we must leave all secular business behind And as Joseph when he would speak with his Brethren thrust out the Egyptians so when we would have converse with God this day we must thrust out all earthly employments Though works of necessity may be done and works of charity for God will have mercy and not sacrifice yet in other cases we must cease from all worldly negotiations It is observable concerning Mary Magdalen that she refused to anoint Christ's dead body on the Sabbath day Luke 23. 56. She had before prepared her ointment but came not to the Sepulchre till the Sabbath was past She rested that day from civil work though it were a commendable and glorious work the anointing of Christ's dead body When this blessed day approacheth we must lift up our hearts in thankfulness to God that he hath put another price into our hands for the gaining of heavenly wisdom These are our spiritual harvest-daies now the wind of God's Spirit blows upon the sails of our affections and we may be much furthered on in our heavenly voyage Christian lift up thy heart to God in thankfulness that he hath given thee another golden season and be sure thou improve it it may be thy last Seasons of grace are not like the Tyde if a man misleth one tyde he may have another This day approaching we must in the morning dress and fit our souls for the receiving of the Word The people of Israel must wash their garments before the Law was delivered to them Our hearts must be washed by prayer and repentance the Oracles of God being to be delivered to us And being met together we must set our selves as in the presence of God with seriousness and delight to hear God's sacred Word Take heed of distractions which fly-blow our duties We must labour to be bettered by every Sabbath where the Lord laies out cost he looks for fruit Fresh anointings of God are to be thirsted after and new cubits to be added to our spiritual stature We must not be like the Salamander which lives in the fire but is never the hotter Christians should on these daies aspire after communion with God and endeavour to have the illapses of his Spirit and clearer discoveries of his love in Christ. In short we should do on a Sabbath as Moses he ascended the Mount that he might have a sight of God We must dedicate the whole day to God Under the Law a single Sacrifice was appointed for other daies of the week but two Lambs were to be offered upon the Sabbath All this day must be spent with God he must have worship in the publick and when we come home he must have family-worship Many leave all their Religion at Church as I have seen some do their Bibles not hallowing God's name in their own houses Mal. 3. 8. Will a man rob God When men pretend to Worship God in the Temple but cut him short of family and closet-duties on a Sabbath this is to rob God and steal a part of his day from him Good reason we should consecrate the whole Sabbath to God and give him double devotion for God doubles his blessings upon us this day As the Manna did rain twice as much on the sixth day as any of the other daies so the Manna of spiritual blessings falls twice as much on the Sabbath day as any other We must rejoyce in this day as being a day wherein we enjoy much of God's presence John 8. 56. Abraham saw my day and rejoyced So when we see a Sabbath day coming we should rejoyce The Protestants in France called their Church Paradise because there they met with God The Jews called the Sabbath desiderium dierum the desire of daies Isa. 58. 13. Thou shalt call the Sabbath a delight This we should look upon as the best day as the Queen of daies crowned with a blessing Psal. 118. 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it He hath made all the daies but hath sanctified this We should look upon this day as a spiritual Mart for our souls wherein we have holy commerce and traffick with God This day of Rest is the beginning of an eternal rest This day God sets open the Pool of Bethesda in which those waters flow that refresh the broken in heart And shall not we call this day a delight The Jews on the Sabbath laid aside their Sackcloth and Mourning This is in a right manner to sanctifie a duty and it is a duty wherein Christians must excite and offer violence to themselves Above all others how well doth it become those into whose hands God hath-put the power of Magistracy to shew forth holy violence in causing the Lord's day to be strictly observed What a rare pattern hath Nehemiah set all good Magistrates Neh. 13. 15. In those daies saw I in Judah some treading wine-presses on the Sabbath and bringing in sheavs and all manner of burdens which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals Vers. 17. Then I contended with the Nobles of Judaâ—… and said unto them What evil thing is this that ye do and prophane the Sabbath day How dare ye infringe the command and make a false entry upon God's freehold My Lord your Proclamation for the pious observation of the Sabbath and your punitive acts upon some offenders have given a publick Testimoney of your zeal for this day The keeping up the honour of the Sabbath will much keep up your Magisterial honour The seventh Duty wherein we must offer violence to ourselves is holy conference and indeed we are backward enough to it therefore had need herein provoke our selves Mal. 3. 17. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another A gracious person hath not only Religion in his heart but in his tongue Psal. 37. 30. The Law of God is in his heart and his tongue talketh of Judgement he drops holy words as Pearls 'T is the fault of Christians that they do not in company provoke themselves to set good discourse on foot it is a sinfull modesty there is much visiting but they do not give one anothers souls a visit In worldly things their tongue is as the Pen of a ready
HEAVEN Taken by STORM OR The HOLY VIOLENCE a Christian is to put forth in the pursuit after Glory By THOMAS WATSON Minister of the Gospel Phil. 3. 4. I press toward the mark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost de Poen Hom. 59 LONDON Printed by R. W. for Tho. Parkhurâ—… at the Sign of the Golden-Bible on London-Bridge 1670. TO THE Right Honourable Sir WILLIAM TURNER Knight LORD MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LONDON Right Honourable IT is the happiness of this City to have a Magistrate that bears not the Sword in vain Your place is high God hath lent you his own Title your work is great it lies in the distribution of Justice which according to Aristotle comprehends all virtues in it And in this your high orb you have acted vigorously Your good Government hath helped to raise if not London's structures yet its fame My Lord to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a publick Good will both render your life honourable and your death comfortable God did reserve you for such a juncture of time as this When is there more need of zeal in superiours than when vice grows heady in inferiours The subject I here humbly dedicate to your Lordship is Violence for Heaven A Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or temperature of soul to be much aspired after for by this you may help to save not only your self but others Put on Integrity as a Robe and let zealous violence more adorn you than the richest Chain of Gold But I have cause to break forth into Panegyricks Indeed your own works praise you in the gates Your prudence and courage your impartiality in deciding Causes your punishing of Oaths and correcting the false ballance your compliance with his Majesties Royal Proclamation against Health-drinking have erected for you a living monument in the breasts of all sober and pious men Among other things your Self-denial hath been eminent in leting go some of your Perquisites for the good of others Posse nolle nobile est The former Governours that had been before me saith Nehemiah were chargeable unto the people and had taken of them Bread and Wine c. but so did not I. What pity is it that London should like Sparta keep such a Governour but one year My Lord I hate to give flattering titles but I have taken this boldness to say this little both for your Lordship's encouragement and the imitation of those that shall succeed in your Chair My Lord this small Tractate comes under your Honours Patronage and entreat your favourable perusal and acceptance of it it was intended you sooner but some emergent occasions intervening prevented If this little spark shall give light or heat to any heart I have my desire The great God who hath placed you at the helm of this City fill you with his heavenly benediction and so animate you with all might by his Spirit in the inner man that you may be an Eben-ezer a stone of help to us that you may do worthily in London and be famous in your Generation so prayeth he who is Sir Your Servant in the Gospel THO. WATSON July 9. 1669. AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE A. APostasie whence it ariseth page 109 Arguments to Violence in prayer 36 B. BAckwardness to Self-examination 56 Bloody violence 9 C. CArnal sriends obstructions 179 Caution about violence 168 Comfort to the violent Christian 191 Company of the Saints to be frequented 188 Covetousness condemned 103 D. DAnger in losing our former strictness 107 Decay of Holiness reproved 104 Degrees of Glory 150 Dividers of Religion 115 Difficulty of Self reflexion 57 Drawing near to God a duty 199 E. EArthly things unsatisfactory 143 Examples of zealous Saints 162 Excellencies of God to be studied 213 Exhortation to draw near to God 209 F. FOrmalists in Religion censured 96 G. GRace when declining 105 H. HEaring of the Word 29 How we may hear with devotion 31 Heart to be bound to God by Vows 186 Help to meditation 55 How we may do to draw near to God â—…14 Hinderances of holy Violence 169 Holy Conference 71 Hypocrisie reproved 207 I. IGnorant Violence 8 Incentives to holy violence 134 Interest in God to be cleared 215 K. KIngdom of Heaven how understood 5 Kingdom of Heaven excelient 144 L. Love draws the heart to God 216 M. MAgistrates to punish the nocent 6 Magistrates to defend the innocent 7 Manner of our drawing near to God 202 Meditation what 42 Moderation in matters of practical Piety dangerous 92 Mortification of sin 17 Motification how effected 19 Motives to draw near to God 209 Motives to meditation 53 O. OBjections against this holy Violence answered 121 P. PRrayer to be kept up in the Family 183 Promise made only to ardent Prayer 39 Provoking our selves to holy duties 20 R. REasons inforcing holy violence 84 Rules for the promoting holy violence 691 S. Saints Objection answered 193 Salvation-work not so facil as some imagine 88 Sanctifying the Lord's Day 63 Self examination what 56 Sinners far off from God 197 Slothful Christianâ—… rebuked 94 Spirit of God to be implored 189 Stirring up of the heart in prayer 34 Subject of Meditation 44 Subtilties of Satan in tempting 75 T. TRial of a violent Christian 118 Truth 's Excellency 11 12 V. VIgilance the way to violence 185 Violence for Heaven what it implies 14 Violence to be offered to Satan 74 Violence to be offered to the world 79 Violence of wicked men how shown 98 100 Violence for Heaven and diligence in a calling not inconsistent 154 Unbelief to be avoided 169 W. WOrd of God how to be read 23 24 World an enemy to Religion 172 HEAVEN taken by Storm MATTH 11. 12. The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force John Baptist hearing in prison the fame of Christ sends two of his Disciples to him with this Question Art thou he that should come or do we look for another verl 3. Not as Tertullian thinks that John Baptist knew not that Jesus Christ was the True Messiah for he was confirmed in this both by the Spirit of God and by a sign from Heaven John 1. 33. But John Baptist hereby endeavoured to correct the ignorance of his own Disciples who had a greater respect for him than for Christ. In the fourth Verse Christ answers their question Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see the blind receive their sight the lame walk the Lepers are cleansed c. Jesus Christ demonstrates himself to be the true Messiah by his Miracles which were real and ocular proofs of his Divinity John's Disciples being departed Christ falls into an high elogium and commendation of John Baptist Vers. 7. What went ye out into the Wilderness to see a reed shaken with the wind As if Christ had said John Baptist was no unconstant man fluctuating in his mind and being shakâ—…n as a Reed from one opinion to another he was no
How confident are some of salvation yet never examine their title to Heaven 3. Men are not forward to examine themselves because they rest in the good opinion of others how vain is this Alas one may be Gold and Pearl in the eye of others yet God may judge him Reprobate Silver others may think him a Saint and God may write him down in his black-book Judas was looked upon by the rest of the Apostles as a true Believer they would have been ready to have given their hands to his certificate yet he was a Traitor Standers by can but see the outward carriage they cannot tell what evil is in the heart Fair streams may run on the top of a River but vermin may lie at the bottom 4. Men are hardly brought to examine themselves because they do not believe Scripture The Scripture saith The heart is deceitful above all things Jer. 17. 9. Solomon said there were four things too wonderful for him that he could not know Prov. 30. 19. He might have added a fifth The Way of mans heart The heart is the greatest Impostor it will be ready to put one off with seeming Grace instead of saving The heart will perswade that a slight tear is Repentance a lazy desire is Faith Now because the generality of people do not believe that there is such fallacy in their hearts therefore they are so slow to examine them This natural backwardness in us to self-reflection should cause us to offer the more violence to our selves in making a thorow disquisition and search of our hearts Oh that I might prevail with Christians to take pains with themselves in this great work of Examination Their salvation depends on it It is the note of an Harlot she is seldom at home Prov. 7. 11 12. Her feet abide not in her house now is she without now in the streets It is a sign of an Harlot Professor to be altogether abroad spying the faults of others but is never at home with his own heart Oh let us try our Hearts as we do Gold by the Touchstone Let us examine our sins and finding out this leven burn it Let us examine our Grace whether it be of the right kind One went into the field to gather herbs and he gathered wild gourds and then Death was in the Pot. 2 Kings 4. 40. So many think they have Grace the right Herb but it proves a wild gourd and brings death and damnation That we may offer violence to our selves in this great business of Examination let these few things be seriously weighed 1. Without self-examination we can never know how it is with us If we should die presently we cannot tell to what Coast we should sail whether to Hell or Heaven It is reported of Socrates when he was going out of the World he had this speech I am now to dye and the gods know whether I shall be happy or iniserable That man who is ignorant of the state of his Soul must needs heve the trembling at the heart as Cain had a shaking in his flesh By a serious serutiny of our hearts we come to know to what Prince we belong whether to the Prince of peace or the Prince of the aiâ—… 2. If we will not try our selves God will try us He will examine us as the chief Captain did Paul by scourging Act. 22. 24. He will ask that question as Christ Whose image â—…d superscription is this And if we cannot shew him his own image he will reject us 3. There is secret corruption within which will never be found out but by searching There are in the heart as Austin saith hidden pollutions When Pharaoh's Steward accused Joseph's Brethren of having the Cup they durst have sworn they had not the Cup in their sack Little doth a man know what Atheism Pride Uncleanness is in his heart till he searcheth 4. The great advantage which will accrew to us the benefit is great which way soever things turn If upon examination we find that we have not grace in truth then the mistake is discovered and the danger prevented If we find that we have grace we may take the comfort of it How glad was he that had found the Pearl of great priâ—…e He that upon search finds that he hath but the minimum quod sic the least degree of grace is like one that hath found his Box of Evidences he is Heir to all the Promises and in a state of Salvation And that we â—…ay go on the more successively in this work let us desire God to help us to find out our hearts Job 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou me Lord take off the vail shew me my heart let me not perish through mistake or go to Hell with hope of Heaven The sixth duty wherein we must offer violence to our selves is The Religious sanctifying of the Lords day That there should be a day of holy rest dedicated to God appears from the institution Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day Our Christian Sabbath comes in the room of the Jewish Sabbath it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. from Christ the Author of it Our Sabbath is altered by Christ's own appointment He arose this day out of the grave and appeared on it often to his Disciples 1 Cor. 16. 1. To intimate to them saith Athanasius that he transferred the Sabbath to the Lords day And St. Austin saith That by Christ's rising on the first day of the week it was consecrated to be the Christian Sabbath in remembrance of his Resurrection This day was antâ—…tly called Dies Lucis the day of Light as Junius observes The other days of the week would be dark were it not for the shining of the Sun of Righteousness on this day This day hath been called by the Antients Regind diâ—…rum the Queen of days And St. Hieroni preferrs this day above all solemn Festivals The Primitive Churâ—…h had this day in high veneration it was a great badge of their Religion for when the question was asked Servasti Dominicum Keepest thou the Sabbath the answer was made Christianus sum I am a Christian and dare not omit the celebration of the Lords day What great cause have we thankfully to remember this day As the benefit of Israel's deliverance from the Babylonish captivity was so great that it drowned the remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt Jer. 16. 14. So the benefit of our deliverance from Satan's captivity and the rising of Christ from finishing the glorious work of our Redemption was so famous that in respect of this his other benefits receive as it were a diminution Great was the work of Creation but greater the work of Redemption It cost more to redeem us than make us In the one there was only the speaking a word Psal. 148. 5 in the other the shedding of blood Heb. 9. 22. The Creation was the work of God's fingers Psal. 8. 3. the
therefore there must be a provoking of our selves to them The motion of the Soul to sin is natural but its motion towards Heaven is violent The stone moves easily to the Centre it hath an innate propenseness downward but to draw up a Milstone into the Air is done by violence because it is against nature so to lift up the heart to Heaven in duty is done by violence and we must provoke ourselves to it 2. What it is to provoke our selves to duty 1. It is to awaken our selves and shake off spiritual sloth Holy David awakens his tongue and heart when he went about Gods service Psal. 57. 9. Awake up my glory I my self will awaken early He found a somnolency and dulness in his soul therefore did provoke himself to duty I my self will awake early Christians though they be raised from the death of sin yet often they fall asleep 2. Provoking our selves to duty implies an uniting and rallying together all the powers of our soul and seting them on work in the exercises of Religion A man saith to his thoughts Be you fixed on God in this duty and to his affections Do you serve the Lord without distraction Matters of Religion are done with intenseness of Spirit 3. The third thing is to shew the several duties of Christianity wherein we must provoke and offer violence to our selves I shall name seven 1. We must provoke our selves to reading of the Word What an infinite mercy is it that God hath honoured us with the Scriptures The barbarous Indians have not the Oracles of God made known to them they have the Golden Mines but not the Scriptures which are more to be desired than much fine Gold Psal. 19. 10. Our Saviour bids us search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. We must not read these holy lines carelesly as if they did not concern us or run them over hastily as Israel ate the Passeover in haste but peruse them with reverence and seriousness The noble Beroeans did search the Scriptures daily Acts 17. 11. The Scripture is the Pandect of divine Knowledge it is the rule and touchstone of truth out of this Well we draw the water of life To provoke to a diligent reading of the word labour to have a right notion of Scripture Read the Word as a book made by God himself It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given by divine inspiration 2 Tim. 3. 16. It is the Library of the Holy Ghost The Prophets and Apostles were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Godâ—… Amanuenses or Notaries to write the Law at his mouth The Word is of Divine Original and reveals the deep things of God to us That there is a Numen or Deity is ingraven in mans heart and is to be read in the Book of the Creatures Quaelibet herba Deum But who this God is and the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead is infinitely above the Light of Reason only God himself could make this known So for the Incarnation of Christ God and man hypostatically united in one person the mystery of imputed Righteousness the doctrine of faith what Angel in Heaven who but God himself could reveal these things to us How may this provoke to Diligence and Seriousness in reading the Word which is divinely inspired Other Books may be made by holy men but this Book is indited by the Holy Ghost Read the Word as a perfect Rule of Faith it contains all things essential to salvation I adore the fulness of Scripture saith Tertullian The Word teacheth us how to please God how to order our conversation in the world it instructs us in all things that belong either to Prudence or Piety How should we read the Word with care and reverence when it contains a perfect Model and Platform of Religion and is able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 17. When you read the Word look on it as a soul-enriching Treasury Search here as for a vein of Silver Prov. 2. 4. In this word are scattered many divine Aphorisms gather them up as so many Jewels This blessed Book helps to enrich you it fills your head with knowledge and your heart with grace it stores you with Promises a man may be rich in bonds In this field the Pearl of Price is hid What are all the worlds Riches to these Islands of Spices Coasts of Pearl Rocks of Diamonds These are but the Riches that Reprobates may have but the Word gives us those Riches which Angels have Read the Word as a Book of Evidences How carefully doth one read over his Evidences Would you know whether God be your God Search the Records of Scripture 1 Joâ—… 3. 24. Hereby we Know he abides in us by his Spirit he hath given us Would you know whether you are â—…eirs of the Promise you must find it in these sacred Writings 2 Thes. 2. 13. He hath chosen us to salvation through sanctification They who are vessels of grace shall be vessels of glory Look upon the Word as a spiritual Magazine out of which you fetch all your weapons to fight against sin and Satan 1. Here are weapons to fight against sin The Word of God is a consecrated sword that cuts asunder the lusts of the heart When pride begins to list up it self the Sword of the Spirit destroies this sin 1 Pet. 5. 5. God resists the proud When passion vents it self the Word of God like Hercules-club beats down this angry Fury Eccles. 5. 9. Anger rests in the bosom of fools When Lust boils the Word of God cools that intemperate heat Ephes. 5. 5. No unclean person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ. 2. Here are weapons to fight against Satan The Word fenceth off temptation When the Devil tempted Christ he three times wounded the old Serpent with the Sword of the Spirit 'T is written Mat. 4. 7. Satan never sooner soils a Christian than when he is unarmed and without Scripture-weapons Look upon the Word as a spiritual Glass to dress your selves by It is a Looking-glass for the blind Psa. 19. 8. In other glasses you may see your faces in this glass you may see your hearts Psal. 119. 104. Through thy Precepts I get understanding This Looking-glass of the Word clearly represents Christ â—…t sets him forth in his person nature offices as most precious and eligible Cant. 5. 16. He is altogether lovely he is a wonder of beauty a Paradise of delight Christ who was vailed over in types is clearly revealed in the Glass of the Scriptures Look upon the Word as a Book of spiritual Receipts Basil compares the Word to an Apothecaries shop which hath all kind of Medicines and Antidotes If you find your selves dead in duty here is a Recipe Psal. 119. 50. Thy Word hath quickned me If you find your hearts hard the Word doth liquefie and melt them therefore is compared to
betook himself â—…o prayer at length rising off his knees he came out of his Closet triumphantly saying to his friends â—…cimus Vicimus We have overcome â—…e have overcome At which time it was obsoâ—…ved there came out a Proâ—…lamal â—…ion from Charles the Fifth that none should be further molested for the Profession of the Gospel How may this encourage us and make us hoise up the sails of prayer when others of the Saints have had such good returns from the holy Land That we may put forth this holy violence in prayer it is requisite there be a renewed principle of grace If the person be graceless no wonder the prayer is heartless The body while it is dead hath no heat in it while a man is dead in sin he can have no heat in duty 2. That we may be the more violent in prayer it is good to pray with a sense of our wants A begger that is pinched with want will be earnest in craving an alms Christian review thy wants thou wantest an humble spiritual frame of heart thou wantest the light of Gods countenance the sense of want will quicken prayer That man can never pray fervently that doth not pray feelingly How earnest was Sampson for water when he was ready to die Judg. 15. 18. I die for thirst 3. If we would be violent in prayer let us beg a violent wind The Spirit of God is resembled to a mighty rushing wind Acts 2. 2. Then we are violent when this blessed Wind fills our sails Jude v. 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost If any fire be in our Sacrifice it comes down from Heaven The fourth Duty wherein we must offer violence to our selves is Meditation a duty wherein the very heart and life-blood of Religion lies St. Bernard calls Meditation animae viaticum a bait by the way And another saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meditation may be thus described It is an holy excercise of the mind whereby we bring the truths of God to remembrance and do seriously ponder upon them and apply them to our selves In meditation there are two things 1. A Christians retiring of himself a locking himself up from the world Meditation is a work which cannot be done in a croud 2. It is a serious thinking on God It is not a few transient thoughts that are quickly gone but a fixing and staying the mind upon heavenly objects This cannot be done without exciting all the powers of our souls and offering violence to our selves We are the more to provoke our selves to this duty because 1. Meditation is so cross to flesh and blood Naturally we shun holy meditation To meditate on worldly secular things if it were all day we can do it without any diversion But to have our thoughts fixed on God how hard do we find it how do our hearts quarrel with this duty what pleas and excuses have we to shift it off The natural averseness from this duty shews we are to offer violence to our selves in it 2. Satan doth what he can to hinder this duty He is an enemy to meditation The Devil cares not how much we hear nor how little we meditate Hearing begets knowledge but meditation begets devotion Meditation doth ballast the heart and make it serious and Satan labours to keep the heart from being serious What need therefore is there of offering violence to our selves in this duty But me-thinks I hear some say when they sit alone they know not what to meditate of I shall therefore surnish them with matter of meditation 1. Meditate seriously upon the corruption of your nature We have lost that pure quintessential frame of soul that once we had There is a Sea of sin in us Our nature is a source and seminary of all evil like Peter's sheet wherein were wild beasts and creeping things Acts 10. 12. This sin cleaves to us as a leprosie This original pollution makes us guilty before the Lord and though we should never commit actual sin this merits Hell The meditation of this would be a means to pull down our pride Nay even those that have grace have cause to walk humbly because they have more corruption in them than grace their dark side is broader than their light 2. Meditate seriously upon the death and passion of Christ His soul was over-cast with a cloud of sorrow when he was conflicting with his Fathers wrath and all this we should have suffered Isaâ—… 〈◊〉 5. He was wounded for our transgressions As David said Lo I have sinned but these sheep what have they done 2 Sam. 24. 17 So we have sinned but this Lamb of God what had he done 1. The serious meditation of this would produce Repentance How could we look upon him whom we have pierced and not mourn over him When we consider how dear our sins cost Christ how should we shed the blood of our sins which shed Christ's blood 2. The meditation of Christ's death would fire our hearts with love to Christ. What friend shall we love if not him who died for us His love to us made him cruel to himself As Rebecca said to Jacob Gen. 27. 13. Upon me upon me be the curse So said Christ Upon me be the curse that poor sinners may inherit the blessing 3. Meditate on your Evidences for Heaven What have you to shew for Heaven if you should die this night 1. Was your heart ever thorowly convinced of sin Did you ever see your self lost without Christ Conviction is the first step to conversion Joh. 8. 16. 2. Hath God ever made you willing to take Christ upon his own terms Zach. 6. 13. He shall be a Priest upon his Throne Are you as willing that Christ should be upon the Throne of your heart to rule as a Priest at the Altar to intercede Are you willing to renounce those sins to which the biass of your heart doth naturally incline Can you set those sins as Uriah in the forefront of the battel to be slain Are you wiling to take Christ for better for worse to take him with his Cross and to avouch Christ in the worst of times 3. Have you the indwelling-presence of the Spirit If you have what hath Gods Spirit done in you Hath it made you of another spirit meek mercifull humble Is it a transforming Spirit Hath it lest the impress of its own holiness upon you These are good evidences for Heaven By these as by a spiritual touch-stone you may know whether you have grace or no. Bewarâ—… of false Evidences None are further from having the true Pearl than they that content themselves with the counterfeit 4. Meditate upon the uncertainty of all sublunary comforts Creature-delights have their flux and reflux How oft doth the Sun of worldly pomp and grandure go down at noon Xerxes waâ—… forced to fly away in a small vessel who but a little before wanted Sea-room for his Navy We say every thing is
a Sea of wrath 3. They are violent for their oppressive lusts they wrong and defraud others and by violence take away their right Instead of cloathing the naked they make them who are cloathed naked These birds of prey live upon rapine They are cruel as if with Romulus they had been suckled with the milk of Wolves They smile at the curses of the poor and grow fat with their tears They have forgotten Christ's caveat Luk. 3. 14. Do violence to no man Ahab violently took away Naboth's Vineyard 2. King 21. 11. Hell is taken by this violence Prav 4. 17. Who drink the Wine of violence This wine will turn to poison at last Psal. 11. 5. Him that loveth violence God's soul hates 4. They are violent for their covetous lusts Covetousness is the soul's dropsy Amos 7. 2. Who pant after the dust of the earth They compass Sea and Land to make Mony their Proselyte Their god is made of gold and to it they bow down Those who bowed down on their knees to drink of the waters were accounted unfit Souldiers for Gideon Judg. 7. 6. So are those unfit for Christ that stoop immoderately to the love of earthly things They who are violent for the world what have they but the wind Eccles. 5. 16. What profit hath he who hath laboured for the wind The world câ—…nnot enrich the soul it cannot remove pain If pangs of conscience come the world can no more give comfort than a Crown of Gold can cure the head-ach 4. It reproves them who have in part left off that holy strictness and violence in Religion as once they had Their fâ—…rvour is cooled and abated What they do is so little that it cannot be called violence They serve God but are not â—…ervent in spirit They do not leave off duty but they grow dead in duty They have left their first love Rev. 2. 4. It is with them as fire when it is going out or as the Sun when it is going down Like aguish men before they were in a Paroxysm or hot fit of zeal but now the cold fit hath taken them they are formal and frozen in Religion Time was when they called the Sabbath a delight Isa. 58. 13. How were their hearts raised in duty how diligently did they seek him whom their soul loved but now the case is altered their Religion doth languish and even vanish Time was when they were in an Agony and did send forth strong cries in prayer Now the Chariot-wheels are pulled off and the spirit of prayer is much abated Their prayers do even freez between their lips a clear sign of the decay of grace These persons are grown both lethargical and consumptive 1. Lethargical Cant. 5. 2. I sleep but my heart wakes Though grace was alive in her her heart waked yet she was in a dull drowsie-temper I sleep When the heart burns in sin and cools in duty it is a sure sign of growing to a stupid lethargy 2. Consunptive There are two signs of persons in a spiritual consumption 1. When their desire after Christ and Heaven is not so strong as it was A consumptive man's stomach decaies Christians have not such violent affections to heavenly things they can desire Corn and Wine and the luscious delights of the earth but Christ is less precious they are not in pangs of desire after him a sad symptom their grace is in a consumption 2. When they are not so vigorous in motion A man that is lively and stiring at his work it is a sign he is in health but when he is listless and cares not to stir or put his hand to any thing a sign nature is a declining So when men have no heart to that which is good they care not to put themselves upon the exercises of Religion they have lost a spirit of activity for God they serve him in a faint sickly manner 't is a sign they are consumptive When the pulse can scarce be felt it beats so low men are near dying So when those who were once violent for Heaven but now we can scarce perceive any good in them the pulse beats low grace is ready to dye Rev. 3. 2. To you who have abated in your holy violence and are grown remiss in duty let me expostulate with you as the Lord did by the Prophet Jer. 2. 5. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me What evil have you found in God that you leave off your former strictness Hath not God fed you with Manna from above and given you his holy Spirit to be your guide and comforter Hath he not made you swim in a Sea of mercy What evil have you found in Prayer that you are less violent in it Have not you had sweet intercourse with God Have not you sometimes been melted and enlarged insomuch that you have thought your selves in the subbuâ—…bs of Heaven when you have been upon this Mount Hath not the Dove of Prayer brought an Olive-branch of peace in its mouth What evil have you found in the Word Time was when you did take this Book and eat it and it was hony in your mouth Hath the Word less vertue in it now Are the Promises like Aaron's dry Rod withered and sapless What iniquity have you found in the waies of God that you have abated your former violence in Religion O remember whence you are fallen and repent and do your first works Rev. 2. 5. Consider seriously 1. The less violence for Heaven the less peace Our consciences are never at peace in a drowsie state It is the lively acting of grace makes the heart calm and serene These two go together walking in the fear of God and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9. 31. Christian if once thou growest remiss in Religion conscience will chide If thou belongest to God he will never let thee be quiet but will send some affliction or other to awaken thee out of thy security and make thee recover that active lively frame of heart as once thou hadst 2. You that grow more dead in God's service and leave your first love give great advantage to Satan The less violent you are the more violent he is the less you pray the more he tempts and what a case are you now in How can grace that is weak and sickly withstand violent temptations Hence it is God suffers his own people sometimes to fall into sin as a just punishment of their lukewarmness and to make them more zealous and violent for the future 3. Your remisness in Religion though it may not damn you it will dammage you You will lose that degree of glory which else you might have had Though your remisness may not lose your Crown it will lessen it and make it weigh lighter 4. The more lazy a Christian's desires are the more lively his corruptions The weaker the body grows the stronger the disease grows Oh therefore pray for quiâ—…kning grace Psal.
Masters of musick It is called a Psalm of Asaph either because he composed it or because it was committed to him to sing This holy man here seems to have a dialogue with himself concerning providence He was ready to call God's providences to the bar of reason and enquire the equity of them How doth it seem just that they who are evil should enjoy so much good and they who are good should endure so much evil While Asaph was debating the case with himself at last his faith got above his sense he considered that the wicked were set in locis lubricis in slippery places And like such as go upon Ice their feet would soon slide or like such as walk on Mines of Powder they would soon be blownup Verse 18. This did both resolve his doubt and compose his spirit The proaemium or entrance into the Psalm is not to be forgotten Truly God is good to Israel so the Hebrew renders it certainly Without dispute this is a golden maxim must be held In the Septuagint it is vox admirantis it is set out by way of admiration O how good is God to Israel What Angel in Heaven can exptess The vulgar reads it veruntamen yet God is good as if the Psalmist had said though the Candle of prosperity shines on the wicked they have not only what their heart can wish but more than heart can wish Verse 7. And though the godly are sorely afflicted mingling their drink with weeping yet for all this God is good to Israel Here is the Fountain the Stream the Cistern the Fountain God the Stream Goodness the Cistern into which it runs Israel Indeed God is good to all Psal. 145. 9. The sweet dew falls upon the Thistle as well as the Rose But though God be good to all yet not alike good to all He is good to Israel in a special manner The wicked have sparing mercy but the godly have saving mercy And if God be good to his people then it is good for his people to draw near to him So it is in the Teâ—…t It is good for me to draw near to God 1. We may look upon the words in Hypothesi here is something implied viz. that by nature we are far off from God Drawing near implies a strangeness and distance In our lapsed estate we lost two things the image of God and communion with God Psal 58. 3. The wicked are estranged from the womb Every step a sinner takes is a going further from God The Prodigal's going into a far Country Luke 15. 14. was an emblem of the sinner's going afar off from God How far are they distant from God who have been travelling forty or fifty years from their Father's house and which is worse sinner's are not only far from God but they do not desire to be near him Jer. 4. 10. They have loved to wander Sin doth not care to be near holiness The wicked get as far as they can from God Like Cain who went out from the presence of the Lord Gen. 4. 16. That is the Church of God where were the visible signs of God's presence he estranged himself from God as much as he could he sell to building thereby thinking to drown the noise of his conscience as the Italians of old were wont to drown the noise of Thunder by ringing their Bells Sinner's think God's company may be best spared Isaiah 30. 11. Cause the Holy one of Israel to cease from before us Let us shut God out of our company let him be no more named among us A bad eye loves not to be near the Sun Let us be deeply humbled for our fall in Adam which hath set us at such a distance from the blessed God Heaven and Earth are not so far asunder as God and the sinner The further we are from God the nearer we are to Hell The further a man sails from the East the nearer he is to the West Let us think of returning to God by Repentance Say as the Church Hos. 2. 7. I will go and return to my first Husband for then was it better with me than now 2. Let us consider the text in Thesi It is good for me to draw near to God The text falls into these parts 1. The Person me 2. The Act draw near 3. The Object God 4. The excellency of the Act it is good The Proposition is this That it is a great duty incumbent upon Christians to draw near to God Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart For the illustration of the Proposition four things are to be enquired into 1. How we are capable of drawing near to God 2. Where we draw near to God 3. The manner of our drawing near to God 4. Why we must draw near to God 1. How we are capable of drawing near to God By nature we stand in opposition to God Col. 1. 21. alienated and enemies How then can we approach nigh to God Answ. It is through a Mediatour Out of Christ God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. But Jesus Christ is the â—…creen between us and divine Justice Christ as our High Priest assumes our flesh Christ's flesh is called a vail Heb. 10. 20. As Moses when his face shone so exceeding bright put a vail upon it and then Israel might approach near to him and look upon him So Christ having vailed himself with our humane nature we may now draw nigh to God and behold him And as Christ makes way for us into the Holy of Holies by his Incarnation so by his Crucifixion he died to make God and us friends The Divine Law being infringed God's Justice was provoked and satisfaction demanded before we could approach to God in an amicable way Now here Christ as our Priest sâ—…ed his blood for our sins and so made the attonement Col. 1. 20. Having made peace through the blood of his Cross As Joseph being so great at Court made way for all his Brethren to draw near into the King's presence Gen. 47. 2. So Jesus Christ is our Joseph that doth make way for us by his blood that we may now come near iâ—…to Gods presence Through Christ God is pleased with us he holds forth the golden Scepter that we may draw near and touch the top of the Scepter 2. Where we draw near to God Answ. In the use of his Ordinances In the Word we draw near to his Holy Oracle in the Sacrament we draw near to his Table In the one we hear his voice in the other we have his kiss Besides we do in a special manner draw near to God in Prayer Prayer is the soul 's private converse and intercourse with God Prayer whispers in God's ears Psal. 18. 6. My prayer came before him even into his ears In prayer we draw so near to God that we take hold of him Isa. 64. 6. God draws nigh to us by his Spirit and