he might dye and he said It is enough now O Lord take away my life for I am not better than my fathers 3. From the peevishness of fond and doting love 2 Sam. 18. 33. And the King was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept as he went thus he said O Absolom my son would God I had dyed for thee O Absolom my son my son like the Wives of the East-Indians that burn themselves to follow their dead husbands 4. From distrust and despair when the evil is too hard to be resisted or endured Job 7. 15. My soul chuseth strangling and death rather than my life In all these cases it is but a shameful retreat from the conflict and burden of the present life from carnal irksomness under the calamity or a distrust of Gods help There may be murder in a rash wish if it proceed from a vexed heart These are but froward thoughts not a sanctified resolution 2. Such desires of death and dissolution as are lawful and must be cherished come from a good ground from a heart crucified and deadned to the world and set on things above Col. 3. 1. If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God From a competent assurance of grace Rom. 8. 23. Even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body From some blessed experience of heavenly comforts having tasted the fruits clusters of Canaan they desire to be there So Simeon Luk. 2. 29. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation The eyes of his faith as well as the eyes of his body Now Lord I do but wait as a Merchant-man richly laden desireth to be at his Port. A great love to Christ excites desires to be with him Phil. 1. 23. I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Phil. 3. 19 20. For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. They long to see and be where he is heart and head should be together Weariness of sin and a great zeal for Gods glory are powerful incentives in the Saints Rom. 7. 23. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death They would be in heaven that they may sin no more 3. You must look to the end not have a blind notion of Heaven and look for a Turkish Paradise full of ease and plenty a carnal heaven as the Iews looked for a carnal Messiah but for a state of perfect union and communion with the blessed and holy God 4. The manner must be regarded it must be done with submission Phil. 1. 24. otherwise we encroach upon Gods right and would deprive him of a servant without his leave A Christian will dye and live as the Lord willeth if it be the Lords pleasure a believer is satisfied with long life Psal. 91. 16. With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my salvation he will wait till the change come when God shall give him a discharge by his own immediate hand or by enemies God knoweth how to chuse the fittest time otherwise we know not what we ask 2. Now let me speak of the scope of our lives David simply doth not desire life but in order to service The Point is That if we desire long life we should desire it to glorifie God by obedience to his word Let me give you some Instances then Reasons 1. Instances Psal. 118. 17. I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord. This was David's hope in the prolongation of life that he should have farther opportunity to honour God and this argument he urgeth to God when he prayeth for life Psal. 6. 5. For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the grave who shall give thee thanks It would be better for him to be with God but then the life is worth the having when the extolling of Christ is the main scope at which we aim So Paul Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death c. Paul was in some hesitation which he should chuse life or death and he determineth of both as God might be magnified by either of them and so was at a point of indifference if God should give him his option or wish he would give the case back again to God to determine as it might be most for his service and glory He was not swayed by any low and base motives of contentment in the world or any low and creature-enjoyments these are contemptible things to come into the ballance with everlasting glory it was only his service in the Gospel and the publick good of the Church that made the case doubtful Reas. 1. This is the perfection of our lives and that which maketh it to be life indeed Communion with God is the vitality of it without which we are rather dead than alive Life natural we have in common with the Beasts and Plants but in keeping the word we live the life of God Eph. 4. 18. Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God To natural men it is a gloomy thing but to believers this is the life of life and that which is the joy of their hearts To encrease in stature and to grow bulky that is the life of Plants The greatest and biggest of the kind are most perfect To live and enjoy pleasures without remorse that 's the perfection and life of Beasts that have no conscience that shall not be called to an account To gratifie present Interests and to be able to turn and wind worldly affairs that 's the life of carnal men that have no sense of eternity But the perfection of the life of man as a reasonable creature is to measure our actions by Gods word and to refer them to his glory 2. 'T is the end of our lives That God may be served All things are by him and through him and to him Rom. 11. 36. Angels Men Beasts Inanimate creatures He expects more from men than from beasts and from Saints than from men and therefore life by them is not to be desired and loved but for this end Rom. 14. 6 7 8. He that regardeth a day regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord he doth not regard it He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giveth God thanks and he that eateth not to the Lord eateth not and giveth God thanks for none of us liveth to himself and no man dyeth to himself for whether we live we live unto the
2. Providences these do more awaken us God's daily Benefits should bring him to our Remembrance Acts 14. 17. Nevertheless he left not himself without Witness in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitfull Seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Deut. 8. 18. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for he it is that giveth thee power to get Wealth especially the sanctified Remembrance of God's dealing with his People is the way to keep the heart in the Faith Love and Fear of God and the forgetting his Works is the cause of all Defection and falling off to carnal Courses and Confidences Psal. 78. 11. They forgat his Works and Wonders that he shewed them Psal. 106. 21. They forgat God their Saviour which had done great things in Egypt Judges 8. 34. And the Children of Israel remembred not the Lord their God who had delivered them out of the hands of their Enemies on every side It is a base Ingratitude not to remember prize and esteem God for all this 3. Ordinances Ministry was instituted to put you in Remembrance and give you still new and fresh Occasions to think of God 2 Pet. 1. 12. I will not be negligent to put you always in Remembrance our business is not always to inform you of what you know not but to inculcate and revive known Truths there being much Forgetfulness Stupidness and Senselesness upon our Spirits 2 Pet. 3. 1. That I may stir up your minds by way of Remembrance The Impressions of God on our Minds are soon defaced we need to quicken and awaken your Affections and Resolutions to choose and cleave to God 1 Tim. 4. 6. If thou put the Brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Iesus Christ. So Sacraments are instituted to bring God to Remembrance 1 Cor. 11. 24. This doe in Remembrance of me that we may remember his Love and our covenanted Duty The Sabbath was instituted for a Remembrance and Memorial of his creating redeeming Goodness 4. The great office and work of the Spirit is to bring to Remembrance Iohn 14. 26. He shall bring all things to your Remembrance We are apt to forget God and Instructions and Rebukes in their Season the Holy Ghost is our Monitor 3. God will not forget them that remember him he will remember them at every turn Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord harkned and heard it and a book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name if he do not openly reward you with temporal Deliverances yet he taketh notice of every thought and every word you speak for him and taketh pleasure in you It is upon Record if you have not the comfort of it now you shall have it in a little time because they thought of him they spake of him and owned him in an evil time and therefore God is represented as hearing and booking and the books shall one day be opened and then you shall have your publick reward 2. Doctr. God is best Remembred when his Name is studied 1. When is his Name studied In the general when we look upon him as he hath manifed himself in his Word and Works More particularly God is discovered sometimes by the Name of his Essence sometimes by his Attributes 1. By the Name of his Essence When Moses was very inquisitive to know his Name and God can best tell his own Name let us see what answer was made him Exod. 3. 12 13. When they shall say unto me What is his Name and God said I Am that I Am. God was sending Moses upon a strange Message he was giving him Commission to go and speak to a King to dismiss and let go six hundred thousand of his Subjects to lead them to a place which God should shew now Moses thought for such a Message he had need have good Authority therefore desireth a significant Name I Am that I Am the form of the words sheweth it was a wonderfull incomprehensible Name Ask not my Name for it is Wonderfull Judg. 13. 18. This is enough to satisfie sober Inquiry though not wanton Curiosity enough for Faith to work upon the great I Am hath sent me It sheweth his unsearchableness It is our manner of speech when we would cover any thing and not answer distinctly we say It is what it is I have said what I have said Finite understandings cannot comprehend him that is Infinite no more than you can empty the Sea with a Cockle-shell 2. He is the great and onely Being in comparison of which all else is nothing Isa. 40. 19. All Nations before him are nothing they are counted less than nothing and vanity You have not a true and full Notion of God if you conceive him onely as the most eminent of all Beings no Being must appear as Being in his sight and in comparison of him As long as you onely conceive God to be the best you still attribute something to the Creature for all Comparatives include the Positive The Creature is nothing in comparison with God all the Glory Perfection and Excellency of the whole World do not amount to the value of an unite in regard of God's Attributes join never so many of them together they cannot make up one number they are nothing in his regard and less than nothing All created Beings must utterly vanish out of sight when we think of God As the Sun doth not annihilate the Stars and make them nothing yet it annihilates their Appearance to our sight some are of the first magnitude some of the second some of the third but in the Day-time all are alike all are darkned by the Sun's glory so it is here there are degrees of Perfection and Excellency if we compare one Creature with another but let once the glorious brightness of God shine upon the Soul and in that light all their differences are unobserved Angels Men Worms they are all nothing less than nothing to be set up against God this magnificent Title I Am darkneth all as if nothing else were God did not tell Moses that he was the best the highest and the most glorious but I Am and there is none else besides me nothing that hath its Being of it self nothing that can be properly called their own thus the incomprehensible Self-existence of God puts Man into his Original nothing none but God can say I Am because all things else are but borrowed drops of this Self-sufficient Fountain other things are near to nothing God most properly is who never was nothing never shall be nothing who may always in all difference of Time say I Am and nothing else but God can say so The Heaven and Earth for six thousand years ago could not say We are Adam could once have said I am as to his existence in the compounded nature of Man but now he cannot say
benefit that we have by his Reign is this ver 10. compar'd with ver 1. he preserveth the souls of his Saints that is their lives he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked there is an over-ruling a secret and invisible Providence by which they are kept and hidden as in a Pavilion so they have often experience of wonderful preservation in the midst of all their Troubles 2 God shews his Power for over-ruling all these Accidents for the increase and benefit of his Church and People When the Believers were scatter'd and driven up and down when exposed to hazards and inconveniences it is said Acts 11. 21. The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. God can make their loss turn to their increase Christ often gets up upon the Devils shoulders and is beholden more to his Enemies than to his Friends in this sense because that which would seem to stop his course and to obscure his glory doth advance it so much the more Phil. 1. 12. The things which hapned unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel The Gospel was not extinguish'd by Paul's imprisonment but propagated I say Paul's sufferings were as necessary as Paul's preaching that the truth might gain and that it might be known and heard of God over-rules all these actions for his glory and for the benefit of his Church Use 1. First If we be not in this condition let us look for it and prepare for it Religion is a Stranger in the World and therefore it is often ill entreated we have a stable happiness elsewhere and here we must expect changes All the comforts and hopes of the Scriptures is suited to such a condition a great part of the Bible would be needless and would be but as bladders given to a man which stands upon dry land and never means to go into the waters the comforts and provisions God hath made for us in the Word would be useless if such things did not befal us why hath God laid in so many supports if we think never to be put to distress and troubles Oh then think of these things before-hand and make them familiar to you The evil which I fear is come upon me saith Iob. When the back is fitted the burden will not be so dreadful think of these things before-hand that you may provide and prepare for them Now that you may not be strange at such kind of Providences consider four things 1. The World will be the World still There 's a natural Enmity between the two seeds which will never be wholly laid aside between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. as natural an Enmity as between the Wolf and the Lamb the Raven and the Dove 1 John 3. 12. Cain was of that wicked one and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous Separation and Estrangement in course of life is a provoking thing Men that live in any sinful course are loth any should part company with them that there might be none to make them ashamed therefore when they draw from their sins and do not run with them into the same Excess of Riot they think strange your life is a reproof to them Iohn 7. 7. The world hateth me because I testified of it that the works thereof are evil And Heb. 11. 7. Noah condemned the world being moved with fear prepared an Ark. Strictness is an object reviving guilt Every wicked man loves another Velut factorem adjutorem excusatorem sui Criminis as one that favors his Actions and helps to excuse his Actions One wicked man doth not put another to the blush It is no shame to be black in the Countrey of the Negroes But when there 's a distinction some walk with God humbly and closely certainly your life is a reproach to others that do not so therefore they will hate you 2. This Enmity hath ever been working the Prophets and holy men of God have had experience of it Abel was slain by Cain Gen. 4. 18. Isaac scoff'd at by Ishmael Gen. 21. 11. which Example the Apostle alledgeth Gal. 4. 29. He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit So it was then so it is now and so it will ever be to the worlds end Ever it hath been the lot of God's children to suffer hard things from the men of this world though they are related to them in the nearest bonds of kindred and acquaintance Iacob because of the blessing and birthright was pursu'd to death by Esau and driven out of his fathers house Gen. 27. Moses driven out of Egypt by his unkind Brethren Acts 7. 25 26 27. David hunted up and down like a Partridge upon the Mountains Iezabel sought Elijah's life Micaiah thrown into Prison and hardly used Elisha pursu'd by Iehoram for his head Instances are endless of this kind ever there hath been an Enmity and ever will be 3. Persecutions are more greater and longer in the New Testament than in the Old why partly because the Old Testament Church were under Tutors and Governors Gal. 4. 1 2. Neither for light of knowledge nor ardor of zeal to be compar'd with the New Testament Church when the kingdom of heaven suffers violence Mat. 11. 11. Look as Christ spar'd his Disciples until they were fit for greater troubles till fit for the new Wine Mat. 9. 17. so God spar'd that Church the Church then had troubles but for the most part they were not for Religion but for defection from God for their sins and partly too because the Church of the Old Testament was not so dispersed but confined within the narrow bounds of one Province or Countrey not mix'd with the profane Idolatrous Nations nor expos'd to their hatred contradiction and rage But of Christians the Apostle tells us this Sect is everywhere spoken against and partly because Satan then had quiet Reign over the blind world for a long time but now when Christ comes to dispossess him to turn out the strong man the goods were in peace before and now he hath but a short time he hath great wrath Rev. 12. 11. When Christ came to seize upon the world it was quick and hot work his force and violence was greater Again Temporal Promises were more in the eye of the Covenant where all things were wrap'd up in Types and Figures when Prosperity signifi'd Happiness and Long Life signifi'd Eternity there were not such Exercises and Trials then But now All those that will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution 1 Tim. 3. 12. But since Christ hath set up his Church and brought light and immortality to the world now Troubles are greater 4th Consideration Persecutions from Pseudo-Christians will also be hot and violent Rev. 14. 13. Write from henceforth saith the Spirit Blessed are the dead
refuse to run hazard vvith Christ's Sheep shall be cast into Hell-fire for evermore If vve are so tender of suffering vvhat vvill it be to suffer Hell-fire 3. All that we can lose is abundantly made up in the other World Heb. 11. 35. it is said They would not accept deliverance having obtained a better Resurrection There is a Resurrection from death to life when we come out upon ill terms by accepting the Enemies deliverance Ay but there 's a better Resurrection when we come out upon God's terms a Resurrection to life and glory hereafter Violence doth but open the Prison door and let out the Soul that long hath desir'd to be with Christ and therefore we should endure as expecting this better Resurrection 4. Consider upon what slight terms men will put their Lives in their hands for other things and shall we not run hazards for Christ Many venture their Lives for an humor a little vaâ—…n glory to shew a greatness of spirit or they venture their Lives upon Revenges upon 〈◊〉 Punctilio of Honour some will venture their Lives in the Wars for one shilling a day and shall we not carry our Lives in our hands for Christ Scipio boasted of his Souldiers that they lov'd him so as to venture their Lives for him to leap into the Sea and cast themselves down a steep Rock There are none of these but if I spake the word shall go upon a Tower and throw himself down into the Sea if I bid him So Fulgentius his story of those that would obey their Chief whom they call'd Vetus the Old Man of the Mountains if he bid them fall down a steep Rock to shew their Obedience and shall not we venture our Lives for Christ Doct. 2. That when our Souls are continually in our hands no kind of danger should make us warp and turn aside from the direction of God's Word Why 1. A Christian should be above all Temporal Accidents Above carnal grief carnal joy worldly hope worldly fear he should be dead to the World or else he is not throughly acquainted with the virtue of Christ's Cross Gal. 6. 14. 2. God can so restrain the malice of wicked men that though we carry our Lives in our hands we shall be safe enough for all that Prov. 16. 7. When a mans ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him Mark the Lord he can secure you against men when a man pleaseth the Lord but when a man pleaseth men they cannot secure you against the Lord they cannot save you harmless from the wrath of God or answer for you to the Almighty nor give you safety from the terrors of conscience But on the other side many a man by pleasing God finds more safety and comfort in opposing their lusts and the humors of men than in complying with them God's Providence is wonderfully at work for his children when they are reduc'd to these Extremities either he can allay their fury turn in convictions upon their consciences of the righteousness of those whom they molest and trouble as when Saul hunted for David 1 Sam. 24. 17. Thou art more righteous than I. God puts conviction upon him nay sometimes such a fear and reverence that they dare not Mark 6. 20. Herod feared Iohn because he was a strict man Or some check or bridle some contrary interest that God can set up that their hands are wither'd when they are stretched out against them as was Ieroboam's hand and therefore a Christian though his life be in his hand he should not warp why for God can mightily provide for him as to his temporal safety 1 Pet. 3. 13. Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good It is an indefinite Proposition sometimes it will be true let a man follow that which is good who dares harm him there is an awe and he is kept safe though not always 3. We renounced all at our first coming to Christ. Estate Credit Liberty Life it was all laid at Christ's feet if our hearts were really upright with him A man must lay down Self whatever it be else he cannot be Christ's Disciple Mat. 16. 24 Luke 14. 26. This was done in Vow in a time of Peace therefore it must be actually done and made good in a time of Trouble your interests are God's and are only given back to God again your Estate Life and Liberty and Credit all given up why that you may have something of value to esteem as nothing for Christ. 4. Our Sufferings shall be abundantly recompenc'd and made up in the World to come Rom. 8. 18. I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed For a man to stand comparing his interest or sufferings here in this World with the glory reveal'd is as foolish a thing as if a man should set a thousand pound weight with a feather So 2 Cor. 4. 17. Our light affliction c. We are often saying If we lose this and that what will become of us what shall we have Mat. 19. 27 28 29. We have left All. A great All they had left for Christ it may be a Net a Fisher boat a Cottage yet he speaks magnificently of it and what shall we have have you shall have enough in the Regeneration you shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel 5. You should not warp though you carry your Lives in your hands because constancy is necessary how necessary for our credit and good name as we are men Do I use lightness saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 17. Men lose their authority and esteem they are not accounted grave serious and weighty when they shift and change and appear with a various face to the World and certainly it is for our comfort for our right to everlasting blessedness is most sensibly clear by constancy in God's cause Phil. 1. 28. I was nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God O! What would a man give for to clear this that he is an Heir of God this is an evident token And it is necessary for the credit of the truth which we profess when we shift turn and wind we bring a dishonor upon it but saith the Apostle Phil. 1. 14. They waxed confident by my bonds this puts heart and courage And it is for the honour of God 1 Pet. 4. 14. On your part he is glorified And John 21. 19. Signifying by what death he should glorifie God Since constancy is so necessary either we should not take up Principles or suffer for them if call'd thereunto Use. Caution to the People of God Take heed you do not forget the Word when you carry your Lives in your hand many of God's People may do so sometimes as when we deny the truth Mat. 26. 72. Peter denied
take vengeance to the uttermost 2. 'T is a grievous calamity First 'T is an hard thing to be left to the will and lusts of men David was in a streight he chose rather to fall into the Lords hands than into the hands of men 2 Sam. 24. 14. I am in a great streight let us now fall into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and not into the hand of man Men are revengeful proud insolent wicked men will soon exceed their Commission Zech. 1. 15. And I am very sore displeased with the Heathen that are at ease for I was but a little displeased and they helped forward the affliction Deut. 32. 27. Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely and lest they should say our hand is high and the Lord hath not done all this God speaketh after the manner of men Secondly It is a great mark of our Fathers displeasure when he withdraweth hideth counsel from us leaveth us without support and comfort Mat. 9. 15. And Iesus said unto them Can the Children of the Bride-Chamber mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them but the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast Thirdly 'T is earnestly to be deprecated not only as a grievous calamity but as hoping for relief I will not leave you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 14. 18. comfortless And Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you to the end of the World Use. Go then and represent your condition to God with humiliation owning his anger but with faith waiting for his help Tell him what a prey you have been to Satan desire him if he withdraw his Presence one way he will manifest it another in comforting counselling his own people tell him your weakness the enemies malice and implore his aid and assistance SERMON CXXXIII PSAL. CXIX VER 122. Be Surety for thy Servant for good let not the proud oppress me IN this Verse we may observe a Petition 1. Metaphorically expressed 2. Literally explained In the former branch we have First The Notion by which the help he expecteth from God is expressed 't is that of a Surety Be surety for thy servant Secondly The end and fruit of that help or the terms on which he expecteth it For good 2. In the Literal Explanation we have First The matter of the Petition Let them not oppress me Secondly An argument insinuated from the quality and disposition of his enemies The proud 1. From the Metaphorical Notion Be surety for thy Servant we may observe this Doctrine Doctr. In deep distress we have leave and encouragement to desire God to interpose for his peoples relief I. I shall open the Notion of a Surety II. Shew Why we have leave and encouragement to desire God to interpose 1. For the Notion of a Surety Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive me into thy protection for good Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suscipe servum tuum 'T is a Phrase taken from men when they are Sureties for a Debtor to take him out of the hands of a cruel Creditor who is ready to cast him into prison And thus the Prophet speaketh to God when he was in extream danger and could think of no help but God's First It implieth the danger imminent when a Sergeant hath attached a man and he is ready to go to prison and there is no means for him to escape unless some body be his Surety to answer all the challenges and demands of the Law In this sense Hezekiah used it Isai. 38. 14. I am oppressed â—…dertake for me He spake it when he was summoned to the Grave to pay the debt we all owe to Nature I am like a poor Debtor called to pay my debt speedily therefore Lord be my pledge deliver me out of this danger So doth David here when the proud were cruelly set upon his destruction we are driven to God alone and beat to the Throne of Grace by our miseries yea God lets the affairs of his people run on to loss and ruine till we be in the condition of a Debtor going to prison he reserveth himself for such occasions till brought nigh to utter ruine and all other inferiour reliefs fail And we must be content it should be so for there is no use of a Surety till we are attached Imminent danger giveth notice that the Lord is coming Secondly That this distress and misery cometh as a debt respecting Gods Laws and the higher Court where all things are decreed and sentenced before they are executed in the world so it is a Debt that must be paid and distress is Gods Arrest God is compared to a Creditor Luke 7. 41. therefore the miseries of Gods people are expressed by Chains Stocks Prisons Fetters words that relate to a judicial proceeding To Chains Lam. 3. 7. He hath made my Chain heavy To Stocks Iob 13. 27. Thou puttest my feet into the Stocks To a Prison Psal. 142. 7. Bring my Soul out of Prison To Fetters Iob 36. 8. And iâ—… they be bound in Fetters and holden in Cords of afflictions To a Debt that must be paid so is sin considered with respect to its punishment Matth. 6. 12. Luke 11. 4. Forgive us our sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us God puts the Bond in suit the instruments are but as Sergeants and Officers to demand of us satisfaction for breach of Covenant with God They think not so neither doth their evil heart mean so but so it is in Gods purpose When you are in trouble God hath committed you to prison and there is no coming out without submission and humiliation urging the satisfaction of Christ. You are sent thither by Gods authority and there is no getting out without his leave Thirdly That the party is insolvent and is undone unless some Course be taken to satisfie the Creditor he cannot help himself by his own wisdom and strength out of the danger The Debtor in the Gospel had not to pay Matth. 18. 25. why else should we look after a Surety Iob 17. 3. Put me in a surety with thee who is he that will strike hands with me Man is not able to stand alone under the weight of his afflictions 't is a burthen too heavy for us to bear We have no might 2 Chron. 20. 12. Gods people are often brought into such a Case when the principal is not solvendo the Surety answereth we are weak but he is strong we are not able to subsist They exceed us in carnal advantages if force be to be resisted by force they will easily overcome us unless another that is stronger than we undertake for us Fourthly That the Surety taketh upon him the Debt of the principal person and is to be responsible for it God hath taken our obligation upon himself to pay our Debts to oppose himself against all our wrongs He will take
our Cause as his own Psal. 9. 4. For thou hast maintained my right and my cause and in his own time and manner will shew it to the world and justifie us against our enemies Oh how should our hearts rejoyce in this that he will be the party responsible make our Cause his own and be liable to the Suit as a Debtor is to the Creditor He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye Zach. 2. 8. He that despiseth you despiseth me Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 4. And Isai. 63. 8. And he said Surely they are my people Children that will not lye so he was their Saviour Fifthly God is a sufficient Surety Here we may consider two things The satisfaction of Christ and The power of Gods Providence in respect of both which he is a Pledge and Surety every way sufficient for our comfort safety and deliverance 1. I would not leave out Christs satisfaction though it lye not so full in this Text for as God hath a hand in all our sufferings and all our affairs are determined in an higher Court this satisfaction is necessary to answer the Controversy and Quarrel of Gods Justice against us Thus Christ the Second Person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Surety Heb. 7. 22. Christ is the surety of a better testament There is a double sort of Surety by way of caution and satisfaction as Sureties in case of Debt and Sureties for good behaviour the one for what is past the other for what is to come The example of the one we have in Paul for Onesimus Phil. 18. If he hath wronged or owed thee ought put it upon my account I Paul have written it with mine own hand and I will repay it An example of the other we have in Iudah for Benjamin Gen. 43. 9. I will be Surety for him at mine hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee then let me bear the blame for ever In both these respects Christ is a Surety he is our Surety as a Surety undertaketh for another to pay his debt and he is our Surety as he hath undertaken that his redeemed ones shall keep Gods Laws be carried safe to Heaven Of his Suretiship by way of caution we speak now Though Theodoret understand that in the Text undertake for me that I shall keep thy Laws but 't is more proper to consider the Speech as it referreth to the payment of our debt by virtue of this Suretiship Solomon hath assured us Prov. 11. 15. that he that is Surety for another shall smart for it or be broken and bruised The same word is used concerning Christ Isai. 53. 10. he was our Surety and was bruised and broken suffered what we should have suffered we have a right to appear to Gods Justice but our Surety having made a full satisfaction for us God will not exact the Debt twice of the Surety and the Principal When the Ram was taken Isaac was let go Iob 33. 24. Deliver him from going down to the pit for I have found a ransom Well then as our punishment is a due Debt to Gods Justice the Lord Christ undertaketh or is become a Surety for us not only our Advocate to plead our Cause but our Surety to pay our Debt from a Judge become a party and bound to pay what we owe Isai. 53. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs 2. The power of Gods Providence If God undertake for us his Bail is sufficient none of our enemies can resist his Almighty power surely he is able to deal with our enemies Isai. 23. 4. Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battel they are matter to feed the fire not to quench it He rescueth us just as going to prison If he put himself a pledge between us and our enemies he will defeat all their oppositions and machinations against us and stand between us and danger as an able Bail or Surety doth between the Creditor and poor Debtor Well then Suretiship as it noteth our necessity so Gods engagement and his ability and faithfulness to do what he undertaketh We must set God against the enemies Isai. 51. 13. And forgettest the Lord thy Maker he hath stretched forth the Heavens and laid the foundation of the Earth and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressour as if he were ready to destroy and where is the fury of the oppressour Dan. 3. 17. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace We have the Almighty to be our Saviour and Protector why are you afraid of a man God against man is great odds if we had Faith to see it man is mortal God is immortal man is a poor weak Creature but God is Almighty what is he not able to do for us Surely he will not leave his friends in the lurch his power is such that he is able to keep us safe and sound II. The Reasons Why we have leave and encouragement to desire God to interpose 1. From Gods Covenant where in the general there is a mutual engaging to be each others In our several capacities we engage to stand by God and owne his Cause and God is engaged to stand by us We make over our selves Bodies Souls Interests all to God God quantus quantus est as great as he is is all ours therefore if he be ours we may pray him to appear for us and owne us in our distress and trouble Our friend is a friend in distress A gracious heart by virtue of this mutual and interchangeable Indenture appears for God and taketh his Cause though never so hated as its own The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me Psal. 6. 9. We are his Witnesses Isai. 43. 10. Surely it is too high a word for the Creature but God taketh our Cause as his is Surety for us by virtue of the general tenour of the Covenant he is our God jure venit in auxilium nostrum his Covenant engageth him to undertake for us More particularly God undertaketh to defend and maintain his people as to be a rewarder so to be a defender Gen. 15. 1. I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward And Psal. 84. 11. For the Lord is a Sun and a shield This defence is sometimes expressed with respect to the violence of assaults in the world by the Notion of a shield So with respect to the process of the Law by the Notion of a Surety Isai. 52. 3. we have the term of a Redeemer So that we have leave to pray him to fulfil his Covenant Engagement 2. Gods affection is such that he will refuse no office that may be for his peoples comfort We are often disswaded from Suretiship especially for strangers by the wise man by great vehemency and instance Prov. 6. 1 2. My son if thou be surety for thy friend if thou hast stricken thy hand
success You cannot judge of your prayers by the wit by the length by the kind of words but by the faith the sincerity the obedience the holy desires exprest in them Cry with your whole hearts and God will hear you 1. Look to the fervency of the prayer set your selves in good earnest to seek God and good will come of it Dan. 9. 3. I set my face to seek the Lord God by prayer and supplications I seriously minded the work 2 Sam. 7. 27. Thy servant hath found in his heart to make this prayer unto thee he found his heart disposed to call upon God there is many a prayer we force upon our selves we do not find it there What incouragements from the Word what motions from the Spirit Resolve to seek after it till you have found it Psal. 27. 2. When thou saidst seek ye my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek Wrestle with God Hosea 12. 3. He had Power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication unto him Such as wrestle with God and have their hearts broken and melted before the Lord will prevail 2. Look to the sincerity of your prayers see that you do not feign and pretend to pray for a thing you desire not is your Confidence wholly in the Lord When your heart is divided and you hanker after carnal Lusts you cannot pray aright 3. Look that you ask more for his Glory then for your own Ease Iam. 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not because you ask amiss to consume it on your lust The less By-ends in prayer the more hope of Success Thirdly The promise of Duty I will keep thy Statutes Doctrine Gods Children when they think of Mercy are at the same time thinking of Duty and Obedience 1. Because they are ingenuous and thankful Now Obedience is the best expression of gratitude and therefore when they ask mercy they mingle Resolutions of Duty with Expectations of Mercy Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service 2. They are supernaturally or spiritually sincere and so propose this as their scope in all Conditions to live unto God all their desires and resolutions are to this purpose They have a sense of their own Benefit but still in subordination their purpose is to serve him diligently Phil. 1. 21. To me to live is Christ. Rom. 14. 7 8. For none of us liveth to himself and no man dieth unto himself for whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live or die therefore we are the Lords 3. This is God's End in giving Mercy Temporal or Spiritual to bring them to Obedience Luke 1. 74 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life Save me quicken me and I will keep thy Statutes Gods end in giving and the end of gracious souls in seeking of Mercies and Blessings is much the same that God may have the Glory as well as they the Benefit and Comfort of what he bestows upon them Use. Mind your Service more ingage your selves to God a-new in every prayer upon every Mercy and Answer of Prayer Lord I desire this only in order to Obedience SERMON CLXIV PSALM CXIX VER 146. I cryed unto thee save me and I shall keep thy Testimonies THis Verse is the same with the former onely these differences may be Observed 1. There the Qualification of the Prayer is expressed I cryed with my whole heart Here the Person to whom he Prayed I cryed to thee O Lord. He had told us before how he Cried now to whom he Cried to thee have I sought and to thee onely 2. The Request was general that God would hear him Now particular that he would deliver him There it was hear me now save me 3. The Notion which implyeth the Word of God is diversified there Statutes here Testimonies 4. Our Translation expresseth another difference there it is I will keep thy statutes as making it his Vow and Purpose here I shall keep thy Testimonies as making it the effect and fruit of his Deliverance Or as it is in the Marginal reading that I may keep thy Testimonies as making it his scope and aim In the words observe I. An Intimation of Prayer I Cryed unto thee II The Matter of his Prayer Save me or deliver me out of trouble III. The End and Scope of his Prayer not for the satisfaction of his Natural desire but that he might have an Heart and Opportunity to serve God and obey his Word That I may or then I shall keep thy Testimonies Observations from the Text. Doctrine I. We should not lightly give over our Suits to God Here is a Repetition of the same Prayer I Cried yea again I Cried and a third time Verse 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed Si ter pulsanti nemo respondet abito we use to knock at a door thrice and then depart Our Lord Jesus Mar. 26. 44. prayed the third time the same words saying Father if it be possible let this cup depart from me So the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 2. 8. For this I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me So 1 Kings 17. 21. And he stretched himself upon the Child three times and cryed unto the Lord and said O Lord my God I pray thee let this Childs soul come into him again This it seemeth was the time in which they expected an Answer in weighty Cases and yet I will not confine it to that number for we are to reiterate our Petitions for one and the same thing so often as occasion requireth till it be granted Now the Reasons are 1. Because the force of Importunity is very great the two Parables evidence that Luk. 11. and Luk. 18. If to obtain the Spirit or right upon our Enemies or Oppressors in both these Parables there is a Condesension to the suppositions of our unbelief if we suppose God tenacious and hard-hearted or if we suppose him regardless and mindless of the affairs of the Church or to put it in milder Terms if we think nothing due to us Luk. 11. 8. if he will not rise and give him because he is his friend or if our condition be so hard that we think it is past all relief whatever be our secret and mis-giving thoughts we ought always to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not be overcome with Evil. Luk. 18 1. He spake a Perable unto them to this end that men ought alwayes to pray and not to faint for Importunity is of great prevalence with God and Men. II. A Deliverance is never so sweet noâ—… so thankfully improved if it come at the first Call 1. It is not so sweet nolo nimis facilem we disdain things that
are likely to be Cruel because Profane When the Fear of God is layed aside and all respect to his Word there is nothing to be expected but the worst of Evils They mind not thy Law therefore care not what Mischief they do me 2. To increase his Confidence of help For God will not favour a Corrupt Party Psal. 139. 19. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked O God Psal. 94. 10. The throne of wickedness hath no fellowship with thee Doctrine The iniquity of Persecutors is some matter of Confidence to the Oppressed As David from those that drew near to mischief him conceiveth some incouragement Because they were far from Gods Law There are several Considerations 1. Usually the Servants of God have been most hated and troubled by the worst of Men so it usually falls out that the worst and most virulent Enemies of Religion are those that are infamous for other Crimes They have the greatest pike against them because they cannot endure the Righteousness of Gods Image on them Psal. 38. 20. They are my Adversaries because I follow the thing that good is So Ioh. 7. 7. The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works thereof are evil 2. You may take notice of this wickedness and represent it so to God For he is the Judge of the World and it concerneth him to cut short their power to do mischief that have such a ready principle to act it and are likely to have no other restraints than God layeth upon them by his Providence and the Interest of their Affairs But of this before about aggravating the Danger 3. When we do so be sure the thing be true That they are not only injurious to us but open Enemies to God and Godliness before we speak thus of those that hate us or work any Trouble to us in the World As long as the Cause will admit of a favourable Construction we should take heed of such Suggestions I observe this the rather because man is so partial to himself that whosoever are Enemies to him he presently thinketh they are enemies to Godliness And therefore when we pass our Judgment on any Person and Cause it had need be conformed to Truth for otherwise it argueth great irreverence towards God to make him Conscious to our Revenges and private Passions Psal. 139. 21 22 23 24. We had need try our Cause when Gods quarrel and our interest are joyned that there be not some dregs of private Spleen and rash Censurings mixed therewith and that Passion doth not rule us but Duty in these Complaints and that it is not our own Interest but Gods Quarrel they being open Enemies to him And therefore we must be confident that such as we pray against are in a wicked condition and ingaged in an evil Course 4. When this is clear there is some Comfort and Confidence in the badness of our Enemies 1. Because God and we are ingaged in a common Cause for our Adversaries are against God as well as against us Now it is better to be afflicted by them than to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness or to cry up a confederacy with them that cry up a confederacy against God Psal. 139. 22. 2. 'T is a great satisfaction to us to be opposed by evil Men or common Enemies of the power of Godliness Certainly it would be more grievous to us to be oppressed by them that have a show of Godliness than the openly profane Psal. 55. 12 13. the worst that a professed enemy can do is more tolerable than the injury of a Friend It importeth a dishonour to be opposed by the good as having an ill Cause in hand or unworthy to be assisted but it helpeth to make the Cause more clear when we see what kind of Persons we have to do withal such as we cannot but count wicked because they have no regard to Gods Law Our Cause would not be so clear if it were with them that fear God 3. The more wicked they are the more ripe for Judgment especially if they be a corrupt party in the Visible Church For where we perceive wickedness to Reign there we may be sure Destruction will follow Use. Well then when ever this falleth out mind God of it and be not discouraged An ill Cause will not always prevail Only let us be prepared for Deliverance as they are ripe for Destruction Otherwise none so bad but good enough to make a Rod to scourge Gods Children And then have Patience such are our Enemies as are Gods also they are far from Obedience to Gods Law SERMON CLXIX PSALM CXIX VER 151. Thou art near O Lord and all thy Commandments are truth IN the former Verse the Enemies are represented as near and near to do Mischief but far from the Law of God Here in the Text there is somewhat put in opposition to both 1. For their nearness to do Mischief God is near to help 2. They are far off from the Law the Man of God asserteth that God's Commandments are Truth All their contempt of the Law did not abate and lessen his Esteem of it so that the summ of the Verse is That the Enemies cannot be so ready to hurt as God is to help and deliver they cannot go about to defeat Promises as God will go about to fulfil them Mark he compareth the readiness of wicked men to hurt with the readiness of God their Contempt of the Word with the Truth of the Word or God's Justification of it In short in the Verse we may observe two branches I. Something spoken of God And II. Something of his Law I. That which is spoken of God is That he is near a present help to those that persist in the Obedience of his Will for nearness doth not only import his favour or Inclination to help them but that he will not delay his help too long his help is at hand therefore called a present help in trouble Psal. 46. 1. and the Lord is at my right hand Psal. 16. 8. Ready as our Second in all Conflicts to stand by us support and comfort us in our Troubles yea to deliver us that is the Notion of nearness in the Text near as the Enemies are near onely he is near to defend as they are near to destroy when to appearance Danger is nearest at the same time help and salvation is nearest also and this doth allay all our Cares and Fears Phil. 4. 5 6. The Lord is at hand therefore be careful for nothing Still present by his Providence or hastening his second coming Rev. 22. 20. I come quickly I rather quote that place for the Septuagint have it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore he bids us be careful for nothing certainly the belief of God's nearness should incourage us 2. That which is said of his Word and Law is Thy Commandments are Truth one would think it had been more
16. With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my salvation not only heaven hereafter but long life here It is in it self a benefit a mercy to the godly and the wicked To the godly that they may not be gathered till ripe for God hath set a mark upon it Prov. 16. 31. The hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in a way of righteousness It is some kind of resemblance of God who is the Ancient of days It was a title of honour Paul the aged It giveth many advantages of glorifying God and doing good to others It is no small benefit to those that employ it well To those that are in a state of sin the continuance of life is a mercy as it affords them time to repent and reconcile themselves to God And the contrary is threatned as a curse Eccles. 8. 13. He shall not prolong his days because he feareth not God For wicked men to have the Sun go down at noon-day and to be cut off before their preparations or expectations and so thrown headlong into Hell by a speedy death is a great misery 2. It is such a mercy as we have by Gods gift He is interessed in it upon a double account 1. There is a constant Providential influence and supportation by which we are maintained in life and without which all creatures vanish into nothing As the beams of the Sun are no longer continued in the air than the Sun shineth or as the impress is retained no longer upon the waters than the Seal is kept on When God suspendeth his Providential influence and supportation all doth vanish and disappear Heb. 1. 3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power as a weighty thing is held up in the air by the hand that sustaineth it or the vessels of the house hang upon a nail in a sure place God that made all things by his Word upholdeth all things by the same Word A Word made the World and can undo the World So Acts 17. 28. In him we live and move and have our being We cannot draw breath without him for a moment as the pipe hath no breath but what the Musician puts into it We can neither see nor hear nor eat nor drink without this intimate support and influence from him The Scripture sets it out by a mans holding a thing in his hand Job 12. 10. In whose hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind Now if God do but loosen his hand his Almighty grasp all cometh to nothing Job 6. 9. Let him loose his hand and cut me off Life and the comforts of life depend upon God in every kind 2. There is a watchful eye and care of his Providence over his people whereby their life is preserved against all the dangers wherewith it is assaulted God taketh care of all his creatures Psal. 36. 6. He preserveth man and beast but man much more 1 Cor. 9. 9. Doth God take care of Oxen He dealeth bountifully with his Enemies but much more doth he preserve the feet of his Saints 1 Sam. 2. 9. The care of his Providence hath its degrees it is more intensively exercised about things of worth and value and most of all about the life of his Saints When Satan had a commission to exercise Iob first his person was exempted Job 1. 12. Upon himself put not forth thy hand Next his life Job 2. 6. Behold he is in thy hand but save his life A godly man hath an invisible guard and hedg round about him we are not sensible of it but Satan who is our Enemy he is sensible of it when he would make his assault he cannot find a gap and breach till God open it to him Both these notions are sufficient to possess us how much God is interessed in prolonging our lives 3. The next thing is That we have it by the meer bounty and free grace of God It is not from his strict remunerative Justice but his kind love and tender mercy The air we breathe in we have it not by merit but by grace Lam. 3. 22. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not The Reasons are two 1. We deserve nothing at his hand 2. We deserve the contrary 1. We cannot merit of God Job 22. 2. Can a man be profitable to God as he that is wise is profitable to himself Job 35. 7. If thou be righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he at thy hand Whatever God doth for creatures he doth it freely because he cannot be obliged or preingaged by us In innocency Adam could impetrare but not mereri obtain it by Covenant not challenge by desert Therefore God conferreth as freely as he createth 2. If God would deal with us upon terms of Merit we cannot give him a valuable compensation for temporal life Gen. 32. 10. I am less than the least of all thy mercies None of Gods Mercies can simply be said to be little whatever cometh from the great God should be great in our value and esteem as a small remembrance from a great King Yet in comparison between the blessings one may be said to be least the other greatest Temporal life with its appendages compared with spiritual and eternal is in the rank of his least mercies God giveth life to the Plants to the Trees to the Beasts of the field and yet when we and our deservings come into the ballance we are found wanting I am not worthy c. all our righteousness doth not deserve the air we breathe in It is so defective if a man were to pay for his life it could not merit the continuance of it 2. We have deserved the contrary we have put our selves out of Gods protection by sin death way-layed us when we were in our Mothers womb and as soon as we were born there was a sentence in force against us death came upon all for that all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. and still we continue the forfeiture and every day provoke God to cut us off so that it is a kind of pardoning-mercy that continueth us every moment Of this we are most sensible in case of danger and sickness when there is but a step between us and death for then the old bond beginneth to be put in suit and God cometh to execute the sentence of the law and deliverance in such a case is called forgiveness and remission and that even to the wicked and impenitent as Psal. 78. 38. And he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not it is called a remission improperly because it was a reprieve for the time from the temporal judgment it was not an executing the sentence or a destroying the sinner presently and that not from any thing in the sinner but from Gods pity over him as his creature But now a godly man hath a true pardon renewed at such time and he is
word as it is an excellent Doctrine suited to mans necessities as the stony ground received the word with joy Mat. 13. 20. certainly he hath yet a purer gladness than meerly that man that is vers'd in natural studies O but when a man can reflect upon the promises as having an interest in them that delight which flows from faith and is accompanied with such a certainty surely that 's a more pure delight than the other and doth more ravish the heart they have more intimate and spiritual joy than others have 5. It is a joy that ends well Carnal rejoycing makes way for sorrow the end of that mirth is heaviness Prov. 14. 13. It is a poor forced thing saith Cooper A man in a burning Fever is eased no longer by drinking strong drink than while he is drinking of it for then it seems to cool him but presently it encreaseth his heat so when men seek ease and comfort in troubles from outward external things though they seem to mitigate their heaviness for the present yet they encrease it the more afterward 6. It is not a joy that perverts the heart Carnal comforts the more we use them the more we are ensnared by them Eccles. 2. 2. I have said of laughter it is mad and of mirth what doth it For what serious and sober use doth carnal rejoycing serve There is no profit by it but much hurt and danger therefore Solomon preferreth sorrow before it Eccles. 7. 3. Sorrow is better than laughter for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better But now the more of this delight we have the more we delight our selves in the word of God the more we love God the better the heart is 7. It is a delight that overcomes the sense of our affliction and all the evils that do befall us and therefore it is said of the heirs of promise that they have strong consolation Heb. 6. 18. The strength is seen by the effects therefore it is strong because it supports and revives notwithstanding troubles It establisheth the heart notwithstanding all the floods and storms of temptations that light upon it 1 Thes. 1. 6. it is said of them that they received the word with much affliction and joy in the Holy Ghost Secondly How do we find it in the word His testimonies are my delight The word requires this joy in troubles and the word ministers it to the soul. It requires this joy Jam. 1. 2. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations We are not only with patience to submit to Gods will but also to rejoyce in it So Mat. 5. 12. When men persecute and revile you and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my name sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad Many times when other ways of persecution cease yet there is reviling Those that have no strength and power to do other injuries yet have such weapons of malice always in readiness Some being not good Christians themselves will defame those that are so that so when they cannot reach them in practice they may depress them by censure when they cannot go so high as they they may bring them as low as themselves by detraction Nowthough this be a great evil we should bear it not heavily but cheerfully rejoyce and be exceeding glad in hope of the promises Rom. 5. 3. We glory in tribulation A true believer that hath received the word of God as the rule of his life and guide of his hopes he can not only be patient but cheerful glory in his tribulation A carnal man is not so comfortable in his best estate as he is at his worst Again it gives us matter and ground of joy God speaks a great deal of comfort to an afflicted spirit It was one end why the Scriptures were penn'd Rom. 15. 4. that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope And Heb. 12. 5. Have you forgotten the consolation that speaks to you as children The great drift of the word is to provide matter of comfort and that in our worst estate But now what are the usual comforts that may occasion this delight and joy in the Holy Ghost in the midst of deep affliction 1. The Scripture gives us ground of comfort from the Author of our afflictions who is our Father and never manifests the comfort of adoption so much as then when we are under chastning Heb. 12. 5. The consolation that speaks to you as children And Joh. 18. 11. The cup which my father hath put into my hands shall I not drink it It is a bitter Cup but it is from a Father not from a Judg or an Enemy Nothing but good can come from him who is love and goodness it self nothing but what is useful from a Father whose affection is not to be measured by the bitterness of the dispensation but by his aims what he intends If God should let us alone to follow our own ways it were an argument we were none of his children 2. The necessity of afflictions 1 Pet. 1. 6. Ye are for a season in trouble if need be Before the Corn be ripened it needs all kind of weathers and therefore the Husband-man is as glad of showers as sun-shine because they both conduce to fruitfulness We need all kind of dispensations and cannot well be without the many troubles that do befall us 3. The nature and use of affliction it is a medicine not a poyson it works out the remainders of sin Isa. 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin Afflictions are useful and help to mortification It is a file to get off our rust a flayl wherewith we are thresht that our husk may flye off a fire to purge and eat out our dross He verily for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness Heb. 12. 10. If God take away any outward comforts from us and give us graces instead of them it 's a blessed exchange if he strip us of our garments and clothe us with his own Royal Robe as holiness is God himself is glorious in holiness now that we may be partakers of his holiness surely that 's for our profit 4. For the manner of God's afflicting it is in measure Isa. 27. 8. In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east-wind So Jer. 46. 28. Fear thou not O Iacob my servant saith the Lord c. So 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above measure His conduct is very gentle as Iacob drove on as the little ones were able to bear Gen. 33. so doth God with a great deal of moderation measure out sufferings in a due proportion not to our offences only but our strength as a father in correcting his children regards their weakness as well as their wantonness laying
once but not again Then are we enlarged in this sense when the shackles are knocked off from our consciences when we have that other spirit the spirit of adoption or that free spirit as it is called Psal. 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit This free spirit enlargeth us that we may serve God cheerfully and comfortably According to this double captivity the slavery of sin and bondage of conscience so must our freedom and enlargement be interpreted a freedom from the power of sin and a freedom from the guilt of sin The carnal estate is often compared to a prison as Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded or shut them all up together in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath concluded or shut up all under sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's the word A man in his sinful and unbelieving state is like a man shut up in a strong prison that is made sure and fast with iron bars and bolts so that there is no hope of breaking prison mercy alone must open the dore to him this being in prison notes the power of sin But take the other notion because of the guilt of sin Now this prison is all on fire in the apprehension of the sensible sinner and therefore the poor trembling captive when the prison is all on a light flame runs hither and thither seeking an out-gate and a way of escape and mourns and sighs through the grates of the flaming prison This is all our condition by nature Now when God loosens the bolts and shuts back the many locks that were upon us as the Angel made Peter's chains fall off Acts 12. 12. then are we said to be enlarged to run the way of his commandment or as 't is exprest Luke 1. 74. to be delivered out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life When we are delivered from the powers of corruption which are as bolts and locks upon us and the power of sin is broken and we let out of the stocks of conscience that we might serve God without slavish fear This is the first thing we should mainly look at the general enlargement must always go before the particular First see that you be converted to God It is that which hardneth many you shall find many are praying for strengthning grace when they should ask renewing grace and when they should bewail the misery of an unregenerate carnal state they confess only the infirmities of the Saints and so are like little children that will attempt to run before they can stand or go Therefore here God must enlarge you free you from the slavery of sin and bondage that you may serve God 2. There is a particular enlargement or the actual assistance of the Lord's grace carrying us on in the duties of our heavenly calling with more success This is that which David begs in this place If thou wilt enlarge my heart There are after grace is received many spiritual distempers which are apt to seize upon us Sometimes we are slow of heart sometimes in bonds and straits of conscience as to God's service A man of spiritual experience is sensible of these things of a damp which is many times upon his life and comfort and want of strength and largeness of heart for God's service Whosoever makes conscience of daily communion with God and that in every service would do his uttermost cannot but be sensible of straits and therefore it is grievous to him to be under bonds and restraints and that he cannot so freely let out his heart to God Others that do not make communion with God their interest that go on in a dead track and course of duty are never sensible of enlargement or straitning But briefly that we may know when the heart is enlarged understand the nature of it let us see when the heart in Scripture is said to be enlarged 1. You may look upon this enlargement as the effect of wisdom and knowledg and so Solomon is said to have a large heart 1 King 4. 29. And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much and largeness of heart even as the sand that is on the sea-shore The greater stock of sanctified wisdom and knowledg a man hath the more is the heart enlarged for he hath a treasure within him and he is ready to bring out of the good treasure of his heart good things He that hath more gold than brass farthings when he puts his hand into his pocket will more easily bring forth gold than farthings so when the heart hath a good stock of holy principles within they are ready at hand they break out more easily in our discourse in our praying we are ready in all temptations to check the sin All grace is encreased to us by knowledg 2 Pet. 1. 2. Grace be multiplied unto you through the knowledg of God and of Iesus Christ our Lord. Still this way doth God enlarge the heart of his people When the understanding is full of pregnant truths the greater aw there is and check upon the heart to sin and the greater impulsion to duty Look as the influences of heaven pass through the air but they produce their effects in the earth they do not make the air fruitful but the earth so do the influences of grace pass through the understanding but they produce their fruit in the will and shew forth their strength in the affections and therefore when we would have our affections for God the way is to enlarge the understanding 2. You may look upon it as the effect of faith which wideneth the capacities of our souls and doth cause us more to open towards God that we may take in his grace it doth enlarge our desires and expectations Psal. 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Surely a Temple for the great God such as our hearts should be should be fair and ample If we would have God dwell in our hearts and shed abroad his influences we should make room for God in our souls by a greater largeness of faith and expectation The rich man thought of enlarging his barns when his store was encreased upon him Luke 12. so should we stretch out the curtains of Christ's tent and habitation have larger expectations of God if we would receive more from him The vessels failed before the oil failed We are not straitned in God but in our selves by the scantiness of our own thoughts we do not make room for him nor greaten God Luke 1. 46. My soul doth magnifie the Lord. Faith doth greaten God Why can we make God greater than he is As to his declarative being we can have greater and larger apprehensions of his greatness goodness and truth 3. We may look upon it as an effect of comfort and joy through the assurance of God's
as the benefits that he bringeth with him He doth approve things upon good knowledg and cometh to a well setled resolution Another defect in wicked men is because the judgment is superficial and so come to nothing 'T is not full clear and ponderous 't is not a dictamen a resolute decree not ultimum dictamen the last decree all things considered and well weighed 2. God's Grace God doth never fully and spiritually convince the judgment but he doth also work upon the will to accept embrace and prosecute those good things of which it is convinced He teacheth and draweth they are distinct works but they go together therefore the one is inferred out of the other Drawn and taught of God both are necessary for as there is blindness and inadvertency in the mind so obstinacy in the will which is not to be cured by meer perswasion but by a gracious quality infused inclining the heart which by the way freeth this doctrine from exception as if all Gods works were meer moral suasion The will is renewed and changed but so as God doth it by working according to the order of Nature USE By all means look after this Divine illumination whereby your judgment may be convinced of the truth and worth of spiritual things 'T is not enough to have some general and floating notions about them or slightly to hear of them or talk of them but they must be spiritually discern'd and judg'd of for if our judgments were throughly convinced our pursuit of true happiness would be more earnest you would see sin to be the greatest mischief and grace the chiefest treasure and accordingly act God inlightning the soul doth 1. Take away carnal principles Many men can talk well but they are leavened with carnal principles as 1. That he may do as most do and yet be safe Mat. 7. 23. Many will say in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name c. and then will I profess unto them I never knew you depart from me ye that work iniquity Prov. 11. 31. Behold the righteous shall be recompenced upon the earth much more the wicked and the sinner Exod. 32. c. 2. That he may go on in ungodliness injustice intemperance because grace hath abounded in the Gospel Tit. 2. 11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world And Luke 1. 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life 3. That he may spend his youth in pleasure and safely put off repentance till age But Eccles. 12. 1. we are bid to Remember our creator in the days of youth while the evil days come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them And Luke 12. 20. when the rich man said to his soul Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry God said unto him Thou fool this night shall thy soul be required of thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided Heb. 3. 7. Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts c. Men think it is a folly to be singular and precise that 't was better when there was less preaching and less knowledg that small sins are not to be stood upon But God inlightning the soul maketh us to see the vanity and sinfulness of such thoughts 2. There is a bringing the understanding to attend and consider there is much lieth upon it Acts 16. 14. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia so that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul That is weighed them in her heart SERMON XXXVIII PSAL. CXIX 34. Yea I shall observe it with my whole heart I Come now to the last clause I shall observe it with my whole heart The Point is Doct. That it is not enough to keep Gods law but we must keep it with the whole heart Here I shall shew you 1. That God requireth the heart 2. The whole heart 1. God requireth the heart in his service the heart is the Christians sacrifice the fountain of good and evil and therefore should be mainly looked after without this 1. External profession is nothing most Christians have nothing for Christ but a good opinion or some outward profâ—…on Iudas was a disciple but Satan entred into his heart Luke 22. 3. Ananias joyned himself to the people of God but Satan filled his heart Acts 5. 3. Simon Magus was baptized but his heart was not right with God Acts 8. 22. Here is the great defect 2. External conformity is nothing worth It is not enough that the life seem good and many good actions be performed unless the heart be purified otherwise we do with the Pharisees wash the outside of the platter Mat. 23. 25 26. when the inside is full of extortion and excess 'T is the heart God looketh after 1 Sam. 16. 7. For the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Cast salt into the spring As Iehu said to Ionadab so doth God say to us 2 Kings 10. 15. Is thy heart right as my heart is with thy heart We should answer it is Men are not for obsequious compliances if not with the heart so neither is God Though thou pray with the Pharisee pay thy vows with the Harlot kiss Christ with Iudas offer sacrifice with Cain fast with Iezebel sell thine inheritance to give to the poor with Ananias and Saphira all is in vain without the heart for 't is the heart enliveneth all our duties 3. It is the heart wherein God dwelleth not in the tongue the brain unless by common gifts till he take possession of the heart all is as nothing Ephes. 3. 17. He dwelleth in our hearts by faith The bodies of believers are Temples of the Holy Ghost yet the heart will and affections of man are the chief place of his habitation wherein he resideth as in his strong Citadel and from whence he commandeth other faculties and members and without his presence there he cannot have any habitation in us the tongue cannot receive him by speaking nor the understanding by knowing nor the hands by external working Prov. 4. 23. Out of it are the issues of life 't is the forge of spirits He dwelleth not in temples made with hands Acts 7. 48. and Jer. 23. 24. Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord He will dwell in thine heart and remain there if thou wilt give thy heart to him 4. If Christ have it not Satan will have it The heart of man is
manner of Obedience If he will give us a heart and a little liberty to confess his Name and serve him we should not be backward or uncertain but walk closely with him 2. This would give him assistance and strength If God do daily give assistance we shall stand if not we fall and faulter this will be a means of his perseverance not only engage and oblige him but help him to hold out to the end Then mark the constancy of this Obedience continually and for ever and ever David would not keep it for a fit or for a few days or a year but always even to the end of his Life Here are three words to the same sence continually for ever and ever And the Septuagint expresseth it thus I shall keep thy Law always and for ever and for ever and ever four words there This heaping of words is not in vain 1. It shews the difficulty of perseverance unless Believers do strongly persist in the resistance of Temptation they will soon be turned out of the way therefore David binds his heart firmly we must do it now yea always unto the end 2. He expresseth his vehemency of Affection Those that are deeply affected with any thing are wont to express themselves as largely as they can As Paul that had a deep sence of Gods Power 1 Eph. 19. Exceeding Greatness of his Power according to the working of his mighty Power He heaps up several words because his sence of them was so great So David here doth heap up words continually and for ever and for ever and ever 3. Some think the words are so many that they may express not only this life but that which is to come I will keep them continually and for ever and ever that is all the days of my life and in the other world So Chrysostom I will keep them continually c. points out the other life where there will be pure and exact keeping of the Law of God Here we are every hour in danger but then we shall be put out of all danger and without fear of sinning we shall remain in a full and perfect righteousness we hope for that which we have not attained unto and this doth encourage us for the present so would he make David express himself 4. If we must distinguish these words I suppose they imply the continuity and perpetuity of Obedience the Continuity of Obedience that he would serve God continually without Intermission and the Perpetuity of Obedience that he would serve God for ever and ever without defection and revolt at all times and to the end Doct. Constancy and Perseverance in Obedience is the Commendation of it When David promiseth to obey he saith he would do it continually for ever and ever This is the Obedience God longs for 5 Deut. 29. O that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments always Here we find all things which are requisite to Gods service the Sincerity of it that they had a heart the gracious Principle which works in Obedience a heart to fear me the Universality of it to keep all my Commands and the Perpetuity of it to keep them always They are in a good mood now as if God had said O that they had a heart to do it always Christ redeemed us to this end 1 Luke 74 75. Delivered us out of the hands of our Enemies that we might serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him not for a while only but all the days of our Life I shall distinguish of a double Constancy and Perseverance and under each Branch give some Reasons with their Applications 1. A Perseverance without Intermission 2. Without Defection Both are necessary 1. Branch First a Perseverance without Intermission We should at all times and in all places serve God and not by Fits and Starts as it is said of the twelve Tribes 26 Acts 12. They served God instantly day and night alone and in company in all Conditions adverse and prosperous in all Actions common and sacred God must be served and obeyed Let me give some Considerations to enforce it to serve God continually 1. The Law of God doth universally bind and the Obligation thereof never ceaseth so as there can be no truce with Sin for a while nor any intermission of Grace for a moment Prov. 6. 21 22. O my Son keep thy Fathers Commandments and forsake not the Law of thy Mother Bind them continually upon thine heart and tye them about thy Neck The Commandments of God he calls them the Law of the Father and Mother for Solomon speaks as to young ones and Children as those that had been trained up by their Parents Now these must be looked upon as having a perpetual Obligation to direct us and keep us sleeping and waking we must have them always in our sight Every motion and every Operation of ours is under a Law our thoughts and words are under a Law and our actions are under a Law all that we speak and all that we do it is still under a Rule The Law of God is of perpetual use to shew us what we must do and what we must leave undone O how exact should we be if we did regard this and were mindful of the perpetual Obligation of the Law 2. Grace planted in the heart should be always working The Fire on the Altar was never to go out and so Grace should be always working and influence all our actions civil and sacred 1 Pet. 1. 15. Be ye holy as he that hath called you is holy in all manner of Conversation There is no part of a Christians Conversation which should not savor of Holiness not only his Religious but his common and civil Actions The Pots in Ierusalem and the Horse-Bells were to bear Gods Impress as well as the Vessels and Utensils of the Temple 14 Zech. As the Sun is placed in the middle of the Heavens to diffuse his Influence and scatter his Beams up and down the world and nothing is hid from his Light so is Grace planted in the Heart to diffuse its influence into every part of his Conversation and therefore Grace where it is true it is always at work There are some parts of the Body that are never out of Action as the Heart and Lungs wherever a man goes and whatever he goes about yet they always do their Office So some Graces are of continual Exercise as the Fear of God Prov. 23. 7. Be thou in the fear of God all the day long A Christian doth not only pray in the fear of God but Eat Drink and Trade in the Fear of God So the Love of God in referring all things to his Glory whether they be Acts of Worship or Acts of Charity or of our Callings or Recreations Grace hath an influence upon these and is still to be at work upon these 1 Cor. 10. 31. And so Faith is always at work in
they were created Corruption is an imperious Master it will not suffer us to hear good things to be there where good things are spoken to accompany them that are good it hath them in so strait a custody they hate the means of their recovery They have many Masters Quot habet Dominos qui unum habere non vult Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures And Iames 4. 1. Whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members One Lust draweth one way another another way Covetousness Voluptuousness Ambition Uncleanness as when two Seas meet We have little reason to envy them for their free Life pity them rather How do their bruitish Affections hurry them What pains Aches in the Body wounds in the Conscience how many secret gripes and scourges No such Subjection no Slave so subject to the Will of his Lord as a Man to his Lusts and sinful Desires will speak think nothing but what Sin commands It is a besotting Slavery wicked Men remain in this Bondage with a kind of pleasure Gally-slaves would sain be free wish for Liberty Israel was in bondage in Egypt but they groaned under it The cry of the children of Israel is come up to me Here Men loath to come out of their Slavery and are enemies to those that would help them out Their Work is hard and oppressive loss of Name Health Estate They tire their Spirits rack their Brains and after all their drudging are cast into Hell Use 2. Do we walk at liberty 1. There was a time when we served Sin but being converted we change Masters Rom. 6. 18. Being made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness If there be such a change it will discover it self 1. You will do as little Service for Sin as formerly for Righteousness Rom. 6. 20. When ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness Righteousness had no share in your time thoughts cares you made no conscience of doing good took no care of it so now you do as little for Sin 2. Positively do as much for Grace as formerly for Sin ver 19. As you yielded your members servants unto uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity so now yield your members servants unto righteousness unto holiness as watchful as earnest as industrious to perfect Holiness as formerly to commit Sin It is but equal He that hath been Servant unto an hard and cruel Master is thereby fitted to be diligent and faithful in the service of a loving gentle and bountiful Master You can judge what a Tyrant Sin was shall not Grace have as much power over you now and will you not do as much for God as for your Lusts 2. What do you complain of as the Task and Yoke the strictness of the Law or the reliques of Corruption Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can it be compared with 1 Iohn 5. 3. This is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous What is a Bondage Sin or Duty Is the Commandment grievous or in-dwelling Sin The Apostle was complaining but of what the Purity of the Law No but the power of in-dwelling Corruption the Body of Death Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Which do your hearts rise against 3. What Freedom Luke 1. 74 75. That you being delivered out of the hands of your enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of your lives If you are enslaved to any one Lust you cannot walk at large Are your Gives and Fetters knocked off Have you that free Spirit Psal. 51. 11 12. Cast me not away from thy presence take not thy holy spirit from me restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me by thy free spirit SERMON LII PSAL. CXIX 46. I will speak of thy Testimonies also before Kings and will not be ashamed THE Man of God had prayed ver 43. That God would not take the word of truth utterly out of his mouth that is deny him the Liberty or the Grace the Opportunity or the Heart to make an open Profession of his Faith and Respect to God and his Ways This Suit he backeth with sundry Arguments 1. From his Hope ver 23. For I have hoped in thy judgments He had placed all his confidence in them and therefore would openly profess what Rule he lived by and what Expectations he had from God 2. His Resolution to persist in this course whatever befel him ver 44. So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever it would engage him to constancy to the end of his Life 3. From the alacrity and readiness of his Obedience as well as the constancy ver 45. And I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts Then we have true liberty 4. That no worldly Splendor or Terror should take him off from making this Confession if God would give him liberty and opportunity Two things hinder a free Confession of God's Truth Carnal Fear and Carnal Shame Both are obviated by the Resolution of the Man of God he would neither be afraid nor ashamed to recommend the ways of God to the greatest Princes of the World 1. The Terror of Kings or Men in Power may be supposed to be an hinderance to the free Confession of God's Truth therefore he saith I will speak of thy testimonies also before Kings 2. Carnal Shame may breed a lothness to own God's despised ways therefore he addeth I will not be ashamed David would neither be afraid nor ashamed if called thereto to make this open Confession to own God and his Truth 1. His Resolution against Fear deserveth a little opening I will speak of thy testimonies also before Kings The words may be looked upon as a Direction for them who are called to speak before Kings 〈◊〉 Men may be supposed to be called 1. Either by the Duty of their Office to speak to them in a way of Instruction Or 2. As convented before them in a Judiciary way to give an account of their Faith 1. In the first sense those who are called to instruct Kings ought with the greatest confidence to recommend the ways of God to them as that which will enhaunse their Crowns and Dignity and make it more glorious and comfortable to them and their Subjects than any thing else And so David's Resolution sheweth what Faithfulness becometh them who live in the Courts of Princes It concerneth Princes to be instructed Psal. 2. 10. Be wise now therefore ye Kings be instructed ye Iudges of the earth Few speak plainly and sincerely to them as Nathan to David 2 Sam. 12. 7. Thou art the man and God to David 2 Sam. 24. 13. Shall seven years
and overflow of his Love 2. His Care for our Security For by his Promise he giveth his People an hold-fast upon him as he maketh himself a Debtor to them by his own Promise who was otherwise free before such Ingagement to poor Creatures Psal. 89. 34. My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips The Word is gone out of his Lips not to be recalled nor reversed The Promises are as so many Bonds wherein he stands bound to us and these Bonds may be put in suit and his People have liberty and confidence to ask what he hath promised to them Austin saith of his Mother Chirographa tua injiciebat tibi Domine Lord she shewed thy own Bond and Hand-writing It is a mighty Argument in Prayer when we can plead that we ask no more than God hath promised 2. That there is usually some time of delay between making the Promise and fulfilling the Promise For therefore God promiseth because he meaneth to do us good but not presently And this delay is not for want of kindness or out of any backwardness to our good for so it is said he will not tarry Hab. 2. 3. Though it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry nor out of ignorance as not knowing the fittest time to help his People for his waiting is guided by Judgment Isa. 30. 18. He waiteth that he may be gracious for he is a God of judgment he will take hold of the fittest season or occasion Not from forgetfulness of his Promise for he is ever mindful of his holy covenant Psal. 111. 5. Not from any mutability of Nature or change of Counsel for he is Iehovah that changeth not Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Iacob are not consumed He hath a due foresight of all possible difficulties and needeth not to alter his Counsels Not from impotency and weakness as if he could not execute what he had promised as the Sons of Zeruiah were too hard for David 2 Sam. 3. 39. all things are at the beck and signification of his Will But 1. Partly with respect to his own Glory he will do things in their proper season Eccles. 3. 11. Every thing is beautiful in its time This is the wise Providence of God in the Government of the World that every thing is brought forth in its proper season and in the time when it is most fit God humbleth and God exalteth his People in the due time 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time So it is said of their Enemies Deut. 32. 35. Their foot shall slide in due time Summer and Winter must succeed in their seasons 2. With respect to us God will try our Faith whether we can stay on his Word and hug it and embrace it till the Blessing come As it is said of the Patriarchs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 13. They embraced the promises Psal. 56. 4. In God I will praise his word I have put my trust in the Lord I will not fear what flesh can do unto me During this time we may be exercised with divers Troubles and difficulties so that to appearance God seemeth to forget his Promises and this he doth 1. Partly to try our Faith to the utmost to see if we can trust and depend upon God for things which we see not nor are likely to see Faith in the general is a Dependence upon God for some thing that lieth out of sight Now when the Object is not onely out of sight but all that is seen and felt seemeth to contradict our Hopes and God seemeth to put us off and we meet with many a rebuke of our Confidence in stead of an Answer as the Woman of Canaan that came to Christ at first meeteth not with a Word then his speech more discourageth than his silence Mat. 15. 26. It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to the dogs she turneth this Rebuke into an Encouragement ver 27. Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table Ver. 28. Then Iesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Many times we come and pray for Blessings promised and the Oracle is dumb and silent though God love the Supplicant yet he will not seem to take notice of his Desires but will humble him to the dust Now to pick an Answer out of God's Silence and a gracious Answer out of his Rebukes sheweth great Faith Iob saith chap. 13. 15. Though he slay me yet I will trust in him Faith supports us under the greatest Pressures when God seemeth to deal like an Enemy yet even then trusts in God as a Friend and that his Dispensations will never give his Word the lie 2. To try our Patience as well as our Faith God's dearest Children are not admitted to the enjoyment of the Mercies promised presently Heb. 6. 12. Be not sloathful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises And Heb. 10. 36. Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may receive the promise We must first do and sometimes suffer the Will of God The Promises are to come and at a great distance and if we hope for that we see not and enjoy not then do we with patience wait for it Rom. 8. 25. But especially is Patience tried when we meet with Oppositions Difficulties Dangers many things done many things suffered before we can attain what we hope for Now quietly to wait God's leisure is a great trial of our Patience Our times are always present with us when God's time is not come An hungry Stomach would have Meat e're it be sodden or roasted and a sickish Appetite must have green Fruit But to wait like the Husbandman in all Seasons and Weathers till the Corn ripen and to persevere in hoping and praying that is that which God requires 3. Our Love though we be not feasted with felt Comforts nor bribed with present Satisfaction and Benefits in hand God will try the deportment of his Children whether they will adhere to him when he seemeth to cast them off It is not said In the way of thy mercies but In the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee Isa. 26. 8. Love for himself without any present Benefit from him yea when kept under sore Judgments and deep Distresses 4. To inlarge our Desires that we may have the greater sense of our Necessities and value for the Blessings promised A Sack that is stretched out holdeth the more Delay increaseth Importunity Ask and ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Mat. 7. 7.
that hath my Commandments and keepeth them to him will I manifest my self so in the 23. Verse If a man love me and keep my commandments my Father will love him and we will come to him and take up our abode with him These are taken into sweet fellowship and Communion with God and the blessed Trinity will take up their abode in his heart But pray mark Christ that is so tender and willing to communicate the influences of his Grace yet standeth upon his Sovereignty â—…nd therefore still insisteth upon keeping his Precepts if they would partake of his Comforts Fifthly Protection in their Work They are under the special care and conduct of his Providence while they keep his Precepts He keepeth them as in a Pavilion Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of men Psal. 31. 20. And who are they that are kept Those that fear him and trust in him Verse 19. Pray mark when they had no visible defence when they seemed to be left open as a prey to the oppressions and injuries of their potent adversaries yet there is a secret guard about them and they are kept the World knoweth not how God's Favour and Providence is their sure guard and defence whatever contentious and proud men design and threaten against them yet they never have their full will upon them Many a Child of God have ridden out the storm and may come and say This I had because I kept thy Precepts This 't is to keep close to God and hold fast our integrity Elsewhere the Lord expresseth himself to be a wall of fire round about his people Zech. 2. 5. which should affright at a distance and consume near at hand In those Countrys when they lay in the Fields they made Fires about them to keep off the wild Beasts so God when he seeth it fit to excuse his People from Trouble he can in the most unsafe Times and when they are weakest protect them by his secret Hand bridling their Enemies and making their Attempts ineffectual Satan is sensible of this privy guard Iob 1. 10. Hast thou not made a Hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side The World seeth not this invisible guard but the Devil seeth it There is no gap open for mischief to enter and break in upon them This can God doe when he pleaseth and a Man that holdeth fast his Integrity and goeth on in his Duty referring himself to God's keeping shall have experience of it and when the danger is over say This I had because I kept thy Precepts Sixthly In publick and common Judgments God maketh a difference and some of his choise ones are marked out for Preservation and are as Brands plucked out of the burning whilst others are consumed therein This is done oftentimes I cannot say always the Iews have a Proverb that two dry sticks may set a green one on fire a good Man may perish in the common Judgment that is the meaning of the Proverb And sometimes their Condition may be worst as Ieremiah the whole City was besieged and he in the Dungeon Chaff and Corn is threshed in the same flour but the Corn is grinded and baked But this is the best way we can take to be hid in the common Calamity though there be not an absolute Certainty for the Comfort is but propounded with a possibility Zeph. 3. 2. Seek Righteousness seek Meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger Though God hath a peculiar eye to the Godly yet their Temporal safety is not put out of all doubt it may be or it may not be but their Eternal Comforts are sure and safe yet strict and humble walking is the onely way and in some cases God sheweth that there shall be a distinction between his People and others and when others are overwhelmed they shall be preserved As Eccles. 8. 12. Surely I know it shall be well with them that fear the Lord which fear before him But it shall be ill with the Wicked And Isa. 3. 10. Say unto the Righteous it shall be well with him for they shall eate of the fruit of their doeings but say unto the Wicked it shall be ill with them for the work of his hands shall be given to him And Ier. 15. 11. Verily it shall be well with this Remnant I will cause the Enemy to treat them well in the day of Evil and Affliction All these Places speak of delivering them from trouble or moderating the trouble to them If there be an uncertainty in the thing yet a probability but whenever it is done it is a singular favour and we must own it as the fruit of Obedience This I had because I kept thy Precepts We must expect the temporal Reward of Godliness with much submission and venture upon his Providence Seventhly So much of sanctified Prosperity as shall be good for them Matth. 3. 33. First seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and these things shall be added God will cast them into the bargain and though he may keep them low and bare yet no good thing will he withhold Psal. 84. 2. so that a Child of God surveying all his Comforts may say this and that and the other Mercy I had from the Lords Grace these Comforts and these Deliverances came in because I kept thy Precepts 3. The next thing is to shew you what connexion there is between these two Obedience and this Good or the reason of the Lords dealing thus God doth it partly out of his general Justice as he is Governour of the World his holy Nature doth delight in Holiness and therefore 't is requisite ut bonis bene sit malis male that it should be well with them that doe well and evil with them that doe evil and such dealing a Man should have from God as he dealeth out to God Psal. 18. 25 26. With the mercifull thou wilt shew thy self mercifull and with the upright thou wilt shew thy self upright and with the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure and with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward In the general that it should be well with the Righteous and ill with the Wicked there is an argument in the governing Justice of God but then to come to particulars that it should be so ill with the Wicked here is exacta ratio justi but that it should be so well with men imperfectly Righteous this is moderate Justice mixed with undeserved Mercy 2. There is his gracious Promise and Covenant Heaven and Earth are laid at the seet of Godliness 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come Something during our Service in this World The Second Point is That 't is of no small benefit to see and observe what good we have by obedience to God 1. It will increase our esteem of his Grace That the little
of heart to God The carnal mind is enmity to the Law of God Rom. 8. 7. We manifest our enmity to the Law of God by delays as well as by a downright opposition Neh. 〈◊〉 6. it is said the Work went on speedily why For the People had a mind to the Work Where there is an earnest bent of heart there we cannot linger and dally any longer But men have no love nor affection to God therefore do they delay and keep off from him 4. The love of the World rooted in us the love of present Delights and present Contentments This is so deeply rooted in our Nature that here we stick and are loth to come off kindly to the Work of God In Matth. 22. when they were invited to the marriage Feast of the Kings Son that is to the priviledges of the Gospel what did they plead The â—…arme Oxâ—…n Merchandise and one had married a Wife they were loth to be divorced from their dearest Lusts and to renounce the satisfaction which they had in carnal things that so they may walk with God in a way of strict Obedience II. Let me represent the hainousness of it because we are apt to stroke it with a gentle censure and to speak of this with soft words let us see what this dâ—…lay and putting off God is when he comes with a great deal of importunity and affectionate earnestness inviting us to partake of his Grace 1. 'T is flat disobedience to God You think 't is but putting it off for a while No it is flat disobedience Why God is as peremptory for the time and season as he is for the Duty it self God doth not onely say turn to me but to day even while it is call'd to day harden not your Hearts Heb. 3. 7 8. The Lord deals with us as the Roman Ambassadour dealt with Antiochus when he was shifting and putting off the matter that he might not give a direct answer to the Romans the Ambassadour draws a circle round about him saith he intra hunc let 〈◊〉 have an answer before thou passest from hâ—…nce so God will not onely have an answer but a present answer If he saith to day it is flat disobedience for you to say to morrow He saith now is the time of Salvation we are charged in his name and by his authority to do it now in this instant 2. 'T is Ingratitude and Unthankfulness for Gods Eternal Love Psal. 103. 17. From everlasting to everlasting thy loving kindness is great to them that fear thee From all Eternity God was mindful of us and before the World was With reverence we may speak it ever since he was God he was our God from Eternity to Eternity his loving kindness is great and shall we adjourn and put him off to an odd corner of our lives when he thought he could never soon enough think of us Shall the whole duration of God be taken up by his Love to us and shall we be content to grieve the Spirit of God and trample his Laws under our Feet for all this can you have hearts to abuse such a God and to deal so unkindly with him 3. It is base disingenuity we do not deal with God as we would have God to deal with us If we have any business or errand at the Throne of Grace we would be heard presently and are ready to complain if we have not a quick dispatch Psal. 102. 3. Lord hear me speedily here 's our Language when praying for any relief we stand in need of To day is a season for Mercy but to morrow we make always to be the season for Duty We would have God to tarry our sinful leisure till the heat of our Lusts be spent and fervors of Youth be abated yet we will not tarry his holy leisure We are bound but the Lord is hee whether he will answer us or no yet we murmur if God come not in at our beck we are always in haste if in any danger and want any relief we cry how long And shall God stand waiting till we turn from our evil ways If any cry how long God may as he doth Ier. 13. 27. when shall it once be 4. It is â—…ase self-love when we can be content to dishonour God longer provided that at length we may be saved Shall I say that this is to preferr our Salvation before God No but it is to preferr our sins before God And it shews that we are not willing to part with sin upon reasons of Duty or any real inclination of heart towards God but onely upon reasons of Interest that we may be saved yea never to part with it at all if you might have your wills Not but that a man may and ought to eye rewards and punishments It is part of the exercise of our saith to eye the reward and also to eye the punishment but this manifests an inordinate respect to the reward when we would enjoy our personal happiness and so that he obtained at length we care not how God be disobeyed and dishonoured You do but in effect say to God thus Let me despise thy Commands and abuse thy Mercies a little longer then I will look after my Salvation when my Lusts are satisfied This is base self-love Christ did not redeem us onely that we might die well but that we might live well Not onely that we might be safe at last but glorify God here upon earth Not onely that we might enter into Heaven but do him service and that all our dayes Luke 1. 74. Being delivered out of the hands of our Enemies we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life 5. It is great Injustice and Injury to God who hath been too long kept out of his right already Oh look back how ungratefully have you spent all your â—…ormer time too much time hath been spent already and you would delay longer 1 Pet. 4. 3. The time past may more then suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles c. It 's enough and should be more then enough and now you should not stay a moment As those that have delayed their journey when they begin and set out mend their pace that they may redeem their time and accomplish their journey so should we for the time past is more than enough to be spent in worldly vanity and carnal excess Rom. 13. 12 13 14. It 's high time to awake out of Sin God hath been encroached upon for a long time and that should and will be a grief of heart to you that you have not all this while acknowledged or paid your debt to your Lord. The thought of this should prevail with us the more because the payment of a debt to a man should not be delayed to put off a poor man till to morrow when thou hast it by thee Prov. 3. 28. And the wages of a Servant should not abide with us Lev. 19. 13. We
bountifull and a gracious Master ready to do good to his Servants rewarding them with Grace here and crowning that Grace with Glory hereafter Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him 2. The manner how this is assured and brought about according to thy Word that Word which is the encouragement of our Prayer is the Rule of Gods Proceedings Some things are given by a common Providence other things are given us as Servants of God or according to the Promises that are made us in the Word 1. Doctr. That God doth good to his Servants 2. Doctr. That the good which God hath done for us should be thankfully acknowledged 3. That in our thankfull Acknowledgments we should take notice of Gods Truth as well as his Benignity and Goodness 1. Doctr. That God doth good to his Servants David giveth us here his own Experience and every one that is a Faithfull Servant of God may come in with the like acknowledgements for what proof God giveth of his Goodness to any one of his Servants it is a Pledge of that Love Respect and Care that he beareth towards all the rest Iacob acknowledgeth the same Gen. 33. 11. The Lord hath dealt graciously with me That was his account of Providence 1. From the inclination of his own nature Psalm 119. 68. Thou art good and thou dost good The Psalmist concludeth this Act from his nature The Sun doth not more naturally shine nor fire more naturally burn nor water more naturally flow than acts of Grace and Goodness do naturally flow from God If there be any thing besides Benefits in the world the fault is not in God but in us who by sin provoke him to doe otherwise 2. The obligation of his Promise so this Good cometh in as a Reward according to the law of his Grace he hath engaged himself by his Promise to give us all good things Psal. 84. 11. The Lord God is a sun and a shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psalm 34. 9 10. Oh fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him The young lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Therefore it is said Micah 2. 7. Do not my words doe good to him that walketh uprightly The words saying good is a doing good when it is said it may be accounted done because of the certain performance of what is said 3. The preparation of his People his Servants are capable God is good and doth good modo non ponatur obex except we tie his hands and hinder our own mercies There are certain laws of commerce between God and his Creatures so between God and Man he meeteth us with his Blessings in the way of our Duty Amos 6. 12. Shall horses run upon the rock will one plough there with oxen Some ground is uncapable of being ploughed some are morally uncapable of having good done to or for them but when the Creature is in a capacity God communicateth his goodness to them dealeth with men as they deal with him Psalm 18. 25 26. With the mercifull thou wilt shew thy self mercifull with an upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright with the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward so Psalm 125. 4. Doe good to those that be good and to them that are upright in their hearts God is and will be gracious and bountifull to all those that continue faithfull to him and will never leave any degree of goodness unrewarded the covenant shall not fail on his part Use 1. Let us be perswaded of this Truth it is one of the first things in Religion Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Next unto his Being his Bounty or else our Religion will be cold or none at all Many conceive amiss of God and draw an ill picture of him in their minds as if he were hard to be pleased always frowning did we look upon him as one that is Good and willing to doe good we would have less backwardness to Duty and weariness in his Service Satan drew off the hearts of our first parents from God by vain surmises as if he were severe and envious Gen. 3. 5. God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil This first battery was against the perswasion of Gods goodness and kindness to Man which he endeavoureth to discredit yea Gods People may have the sense of his Goodness strangely weakened David is fain with violence to hold the conclusion which Satan would fain wrest out of his hands Psalm 73. 1. Truly God is good to Israel even to such as are of a pure heart therefore we had need to fortifie our hearts and forearm our selves with strong consolations and arguments 1. He doth good to his enemies and therefore certainly he will much more to his Servants He is good to all Psal. 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works The Heathens had experience of it Acts 14. 17. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness And will he be unkind to his Servants to whom he is engaged by Promise it cannot be 2. Consider Christs Reasoning Mat. 7. 11. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him God will not deal worse with his Children than Men do with theirs we are natural and sinfull Parents if we have any Faith or Reason or Sense we cannot gainsay this Conclusion a Father will not be unnatural to his child the most godless men will love their children and seek their welfare and doe good unto them surely our Heavenly Father will supply all our necessities satisfie all our desires He is more fatherly than all the fathers in the world can be all the Goodness in men is but as a drop to the Ocean 3. Consider he never giveth his People any discouragement or just cause to complain of him Micah 6. 3. Oh my People what have I done unto thee or wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me Jer. 2. 5. Thus saith the Lord what iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanities and become vain Why 1. His Commands are not grievous Mat. 11. 30. My yoke is easie and my burthen is light 1 John 5. 3. His Commandments are not grievous he prescribeth and commandeth nothing but for our
6. Though the Lord be high yet he hath a respect to the lowly and the proud he knoweth afar off Partly as he is the Portion of the afflicted and oppressed Psal. 140. 12. I know the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor When Satan stirreth up his Instruments to hate those whom the Lord loveth the Lord will stir up his power to protect and defend them So Psal. 10. 14. Thou hast seen it for thou beholdest mischief and spite to requite it with thy hand the poor committeth himself to thee thou art the helper of the fatherless When they have layed forth their desires poured forth their heart before the Lord they quiet themselves 'T is God's office practice nature to relieve poor helpless Creatures that commit themselves to his custody 3. Innocency giveth confidence in Prayer when we are molested and troubled without a cause The testimony of Conscience giveth boldness towards God and men 2 Cor. 1. 12. and Heb. 13. 18. Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly If God's Children would carry it more holily and meekly they might cut off occasion from them that desire occasion and in their addresses to God experience more humble confidence But is not this a revengeful Prayer Answ. No First Because directly they pray for their own deliverance that they may more freely serve God by consequence Indeed by God's shewing mercy to his People the pride of wicked ones is suppressed Psal. 119. 134. Secondly As it concerneth his Enemies he expresseth it in mild terms That they may be ashamed that is disappointed their counsels hopes machinations and endeavors And therefore it is not against the Persons of his Enemies but their Plots and Enterprises and shame and disappointment may do them good They think to bring in the total suppression of God's People that would harden them in their sins Therefore God's People desire he would not let their innocency be trampled upon but they disappointed that the Proud may be ashamed in the failing of their attempts Thirdly The Prayers of the Faithful for the overthrow of the Wicked are a kind of Prophecies so that in praying David doth in effect foretell that such as dealt perversly should be ashamed as a good cause will not always be oppressed Isa. 66. 5. But he shall appear to your joy but they shall be ashamed They met with despiteful usage at the hand of their Brethren for their loyalty and fidelity to God Fourthly Saints have a liberty to imprecate vengeance but such as must be used sparingly and with great caution Psal. 71. 13. Let them be confounded and consumed who are adversaries to my soul. Malicious Enemies may be expresly prayed against SERMON LXXXVII PSAL. CXIX VER 78 79. But I will meditate in thy precepts Let those that fear thee turn unto me and those that have known thy testimonies WE now come to David's Resolution But I will meditate in thy precepts The word Precepts is not taken strictly but largely for the whole Word of God DOCT. It is a blessed thing when the Molestations we meet with in the World do excite us to a more diligent study of the Word of God and a greater mindfulness of spiritual and heavenly things I. I shall shew what advantages we have by God's Word and Precepts for the staying and bettering of our hearts II. How this cometh by deep and serious meditation III. How Afflictions and Troubles in the Flesh do quicken us to it 1 In the Word of God there are notable Comforts and Supports as also clear directions how to carry our selves in every condition I shall shew what good thoughts do become as a ground of comfort and support and direction 1. That God hath a fatherly care over us Be once persuaded of that and Trouble will not be so grievous and hard to be born This our Saviour opposeth to worldly cares and fears Matth. 6. 32. Your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of these things And Luke 12. 32. Fear not little flock it is your Father's good pleasure to give you a kingdom There are two Notions and they are both Christian which are the great support of the heart under any Trouble Adoption and particular Providence The Heirs of Promise are cared for in their Non-age And by the way once be persuaded of this and it will allay our distrustful cares Carking and shifting is a reproach to your heavenly Father as if your Child should beg or filch God knoweth our wants is able to relieve them willing to supply us this God is my Father 2. That the humble Soul which casts it self into the arms of God's Providence shall either have a full and final deliverance or present support Isa. 40. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength To wait on the Lord is with patience and tranquility of spirit to expect the performance of the Promises Now these shall have what they wait for or a supply of strength yet enabling them to bear up or hold out when they seem to be clean spent Psal. 123. 2. Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their master and the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God until he have mercy upon us 'T was in a time when they were filled with the contempt of the Proud let us be patiently submissive to God's dispensations there is hope of help 3. That God doth wonderfully disappoint the designs of wicked men Psal. 37. 12 13. The wicked plotteth against the just and guasheth upon him with his teeth The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming Haman's Plot was destroyed so was the Conspiracy of them that would have killed Paul There is no wisdom nor counsel nor understanding against the Lord Prov. 21. 30. What is God now a doing in Heaven but defending his own Kingdom Psal. 2. Wherefore doth Christ sit at his right hand but to promote the affairs of his Church and to blast the devices of the wicked Mat. 18. The gates of hell shall never prevail against it 4. That the Proud are near a fall Prov. 16. 5. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord Though hand join in hand they shall not go unpunished Sometimes they seem to be supported by such combined Interests so woven in the Laws and Constitutions of a Nation but who can keep up him whom God will pull down Pride is a sure note and forerunner of destruction Prov. 16. 18. Prov. 15. 25. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud but he will establish the border of the widow Weak and oppressed Innocence standeth upon surer terms than the Proud though they excel in Wealth and Opulency 5. That God will never leave us wholly destitute and to difficulties insupportable Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee
useful and refreshing when used in the day but if kept all night it perished and was useless It was useful in the Wilderness but ceaseth when they came to Canaan Uses are many First comfort to the Godly for their own particular He is an eternal God that ordereth and guideth all things that he may bring them to their eternal felicity and will in time admit them into it Psal. 48. 14. For this God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our guide even unto death After death he will be their God still death doth not put an end to this relation for God is Abraham's God when he is dead Matth. 2â—… 32. God is the same still both in himself and to those that believe in him he will constantly guide them all the days of their life and after death receive us to the everlasting enjoyment of himself and revive our dust Oh what a blessedness is this to have an interest in such an eternal God! 2. As to the Community and Society to which they do belong God's Eternity is the Churches stability and so 't is urged in Scripture Mal. 3. 6. For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Iacob are not consumed Psal. 102. 27 28. Thou art the same and thy years shall have no end The children of thy servants shall continue So when the flourishing of the wicked is spoken of when they spring as grass Psal. 92. 8. But thou O Lord art most high for evermore If they be high God is higher and they are but upstarts to him their power is of a late rise and short continuance So Psal. 93. 2. Thy throne is established of old thou art from everlasting God's Throne is as eternal as his Being So Lam. 3. 17. Thou O Lord remainest for ever and thy throne from generation to generation Is the life of thy Enemies long God endureth for ever Is their power great 't is but dependent God had power before them and will have power when they shall be no more Second Use Is Terror to the wicked Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God They may out-live other Enemies but they cannot out-live God who abideth for ever to avenge his quarrel against them and judge you if his Controversie against them be not just since they are such impious Fools and Brutes as that they prefer the creature before the Creator and chuse temporal things rather than everlasting and prefer Earth before Heaven and the satisfaction of their bodily lusts before the saving of their souls Can you blame God of any injustice in dooming them to everlasting misery What part of the punishment would you have relaxed the Loss or the Pain the Loss is double of God's favor or their natural comforts Would you have God admit those to the sight and everlasting fruition of himself who never cared for him Or return again to their natural comforts that they may eternally run Riot with them or abuse them to an occasion of the flesh Or is it the pain Would you have God take off that when the sin and impenitent obstinacy doth still continue since they preferred a temporal good before that which is eternal and would sell their birthright for one morsel of meat Heb. 12. 16. How just is it for God to make them everlastingly to lie under the fruits and effects of their own evil choice Third Use. Is to press us to seek after the everlasting fruition of this blessed and ever glorious God because many live as if they had never heard of things eternal most live as if they did not believe any such thing the best do not improve those things as they ought therefore I shall a little insist upon a quickening exhortation to stir you up to seek an eternal happiness in God 1. As we are reasonable Creatures we were made for Eternity for God hath given us an immortal spirit and there is no proportion between an immortal soul and temporal things it cannot be content with any thing that shall have an end for then we may survive our happiness if we had souls that would perish it would be more excusable to look after things that perish What will you do when your Souls shall be turned out of doors when ye fail Luke 16. 9. To what Region will the poor shiftless harborless Soul betake it self when you dye All your thoughts that concern the present world perish and if you did perish too it were no such great matter But you shall live and what will you have to comfort your selves if you have not an interest in the Eternal God in whose hands will you be if you have slighted him while you were upon earth and the eternal happiness he offereth to us and could not find enough in God and his Eternal Salvation to take off your hearts from the pleasures and vanities of the world Can you expect that he will favour you and be kind to you 2. Eternity is made known to us Christians and clearly set before us in the doctrine of the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. he hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel Nature hath but guesses at it the Law but shadows but here 't is clearly certainly and fully revealed You know that you have an Eternal God to please and an infinite and eternal reward to expect The whole drift of our Religion is to call us off from Time to Eternity from this world to a better Christ came not to settle us here in a state of prosperity nor to make this world our Rest and Portion but to draw us up to God and Heaven 3. The same Religion sheweth that we are already involved in an Eternal misery and stand under a sentence binding us over to the Curse and Everlasting wrath of God Ioh. 3. 18. He that beleiveth not is condemned already and this is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness more than light because their deeds are evil God hath offered Life and Immortality to them who have so miserably lost it and involved their souls in Eternal death Therefore if we know what it is to be liable to the wrath of an eternal God and to be interessed in the hopes of eternal glory we should awaken and be more serious in a business of such concernment 4. You will shortly be summoned to give an account Luke 16. 2. You have received so much from me such Riches Honours Parts Sufficiencies such Invitations to draw you home to me what will you answer Nay there is not only a little time between you and Judgment but a little time between you and Execution nothing but the slender thread of a frail life which is soon fretted asunder and will you can you sleep in sin so near Eternity and laugh and dance over the brink of Hell you cannot soon enough flee from wrath to come 5. Consider what poor deluded
if we have any faith in him faith will work by love Gal. 5. 6. The soul may reason and discourse thus with itself Do I believe Christ Jesus did thus willingly give himself for my soul how can I be backward in God's service and hang off from him O let me live to Christ who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. 20. What shall I be more backward to do for God than Christ was to die for me To go to the Throne of Grace than Christ Jesus was to go the Cross Can I hang off from such pleasing Noble Service when Jesus Christ my Lord refus'd not the hard work of my Redemption If his Will was in it certainly so should be yours Doct. 3. The third Point That these free-will-offerings are accepted with God They shall come with Rams speaking of the conversion of the Gentiles in terms proper to the old legal dispensation and they shall come with acceptance Isa. 6. 7. And Mal. 3. 4. Then shall the offering of Iudah and Ierusalem be pleasant unto the Lord. Upon what grounds and what way our acceptance with God is brought about our works in themselves cannot please God they are accepted not as merits but as testimonies of thankfulness 1. Our persons are by Christ reconciled to God and in worship he delights This is the proper importance of laying the Peace-offering upon the top of the Burnt offering Lev. 3. 10. 2. Our infirmities are cover'd with his Righteousness for Christ is the Propitiation the Mercy-seat that interposeth between the Law and God's gracious Audience We come to the Throne of Grace when we come to God in and by him Heb. 4. 16. 3. By his intercession our duties are commended to God As Aaron was to stand before the Lord with his Plate upon his forehead wherein was writ Holiness to the Lord why That he might bear the iniquity of the people that they might be accepted of the Lord. All our acceptance comes from Christ's intercession and alas our Prayers and Praises are unsavoury Eruptations Belches of the Flesh as they come from us a great deal of infirmity we mingle with them we mingle Brimstone with our Incense and Sweet Spices therefore provoke the Lord to abhor and despise us but there 's an Angel stands by the Altar that perfumes all our Prayers and Praises How should this encourage us against the slightings of the world and discouragements of our own hearts and look after the testimony of our acceptance with God Doct. 4. The fourth Point That this gracious acceptance must be sought and valu'd as a great blessing Psal 19. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord. And it must be valu'd as a great blessing if we consider either who the Lord is or what we are or what it is we go to him for If we consider who the Lord is God all sufficient that standeth in no need of what we can do that cannot be profited by us he is of so great a Majesty that his honour is rather lessned than greatned by any thing we can do the great-Author of all blessings all our offerings come from himself first of thine own have we given thee And if we consider what we are poor impotent sinful Creatures will God take an offering at our hands And if we consider what we do nothing but imperfection there is more of us in it of our fleshly part in any thing we do yet that these things should be accepted with God SERMON CXIX PSAL. CXIX VER 109. My soul is continually in my hand yet do I not forget thy law IN this Verse and the next David asserts his Integrity against two sorts of Temptations and ways of Assault the Violence and Craft of his Enemies Their Violence in this Verse My soul is in my hand And their Craft in the next Verse They laid snares for me And yet still his heart is upright with God In this Verse observe 1 David's condition My soul is continually in my hand 2 His constancy and perseverance notwithstanding that condition Yet do I not forget thy law First Let me speak of the condition he was now in in that Expression My soul is continually in my hand The soul in the hand is a Phrase often us'd in Scripture it is said of Iephthah Judg. 12. 13. I put my life in my hands and passed over against the children of Ammon So Job 13. 14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in my hand And when David went to encounter Goliah 1 Sam. 17. 5. it is said He put his life in his hand and slew the Philistines In exposing our selves to any hazard and dangers in any great attempt it is call'd the putting our life in our hand And the Witch of Endor when she ventur'd against a Law to please Saul and so had exposed her life this form of speech is used concerning her 1 Sam. 28. 21. I have put my life in my hand Briefly then By Soul is meant Life and this is said to be in his hand I go in danger of my life day by day as if he should say I have my Soul ready divorc'd when God calls for it it not only notes liableness to danger but resolution and courage to encounter it In a sense we always carry our Souls in our hands our life hangs by a single thread which is soon fretted asunder and therefore we should every day be praying that it may not be taken from us as the Souls of wicked men are Iob 27. 8. Luke 12. 20. but yielded up and resign'd to God But more especially is the Expression verifi'd when we walk in the midst of dangers and in a thousand deaths my soul is in my hand that is I am expos'd to dangers that threaten my life every day Secondly Here 's his Affection to God's Word notwithstanding this condition Yet do I not forget thy law There is a twofold remembrance of things Notional and Affective and so there 's a twofold forgetfulness 1 Notional We forget the Word when the notion of things written therein are either wholly or in part vanish'd out of our minds 2 Affectively We are said to forget the Word of God when though we still retain the Notion yet we are not answerably affected do not act according thereunto and this is that which is understood here I do not forget thy Law Law is taken generally for any part of the Word of God and implies the Word of Promise as well as the Word of Command As for instance 1. If we interpret it of the Promise the sense will be this I do not forget thy Law that is I take no discouragements from my dangers to let fall my trust as if there were no Providence no God to take care of those that walk closely with him Heb. 12. 5. when they fainted they are said to have forgotten the consolation which spake unto
them as unto children 2. If we interpret this word Law of the Commandments and directions of the Word and so I do not forget it that is either by way of omission I do not slacken my diligence in thy service for all this or by way of commission I do not act contrary to conscience and the effect of the whole Verse is this Though I walk in the midst of dangers and a thousand deaths continually yet at such a time when a man would think he should not stand upon nice Points yet even then he should keep up a dear and tender respect to God's Law And he doth the rather express himself thus I do not forget it because great temptations blind and divert the mind from the thought of our duty Our minds are so surpriz'd with the dangers before us that God's Law is quite forgotten as a thing out of mind and we act as if we had no such comfort and direction given us The Points are two 1. That such things may befal God's children that they may carry their Lives in their hands from day to day 2. When we carry our Lives in our hands no kind of danger should make us warp and turn aside from the direction of God's Word Doct. 1. That such things may befal God's Children that they may carry their Lives in their hands from day to day That this is often the lot of God's People we may prove 1 Cor. 15. 31. I protest by our rejoicing which I have in Christ Iesus our Lord I die daily How can that be I die daily since we die but once The meaning is I go still in danger of my life Such times may come when we run hazards for Christ every day so that in the morning we do not know what may fall out before night 2 Cor. 11. 23. In deaths often that is in danger of death So 1 Pet. 4. 19. Let those that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator Let them commit their Souls that is their Lives the Soul is sometimes put for Life for Life spiritual or Life eternal but there it is put for Life natural so let them commit their Souls to God that is in times of danger and hazard let them go on in well-doing chearfully and though there be no visible means of safety and defence let them commit their Lives to God in well-doing when they carry their Lives in their own hands let them be careful to put them into the hands of God let God do what he pleaseth for he is a faithful Creator that is as once he created them out of nothing so he is able to preserve them when there is nothing visible nothing to trust to often this may be the case of God's People that they carry their Lives in their hands from day to day That you may take the force of the expression consider when the People of God are in the midst of their Enemies then they carry their Lives in their hands Mat. 10. 16. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves When they are among men no better affected to them than Wolves to Sheep and when men have them in their power and there is no outward restraint of Laws and Government for whatever Enmity they have or act against them Laws and Government are a great restraint As Gen. 27. 41. The days of mourning for my father are at hand then will I slay my brother Iacob Till Isaac was dead there was a check upon him but sometimes it is in the power of their hands to do them mischief Micah 2. 1. They practise iniquity because it is in the power of their hand When men are ill affected no restraint upon them no impediment in their way yea when they begin to persecute and rage against the servants of God and we know not when our turn comes then we are said to have our Lives in our hand As Rom. 8. 36. For thy sake are we killed all the day long That is some of that body killed now one pick'd up then another in these cases they are said to carry their Lives in their hands when they are in the power of men that have no principle of tenderness to us no restraint upon them these begin to vex molest and trouble the Church For the Reasons why God permits it so that his People should carry their Lives in their hands 1. God doth it to check security to which we are very subject We are apt to forget changes if we have but a little breathing from trouble we promise our selves perpetual exemption therefrom As Psal. 30. 6. My mountain stands strong I shall never be moved When we have got a carnal Pillow under our heads to rest upon it is hard to keep from sleep and dreaming of temporal felicity to be perpetuated to us then we forget by whom we live and by whose goodness we subsist yea this may be when trials are very near the Disciples slept when their Master was ready to be surpriz'd and they scatter'd Matth. 26. 40. When we are in the greatest dangers and matters which most concern us are at hand now to prevent this security God draws away this Pillow from under our heads and suffers us to be way-laid with dangers and troubles everywhere that we might carry our Lives in our hands for this makes us sensible of our present condition in the world and that we subsist upon God's Goodness and Providence every moment 2. To wean us from creature confidences and carnal dependences 2 Cor. 1. 9. We received the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead Paul that went up and down everywhere to hunt the Devil out of his Territories and to alarm the carnal sleepy world this Paul was very prone to trust in himself a man that was whip'd imprison'd stoned oppos'd everywhere by unreasonable men what had he to trust to but God's Providence And yet he needs to be brought to this to take his life in his hands that he might learn to trust in God that raiseth from the dead The best are prone to trust in themselves and to lean to a temporal visible interest we would faâ—…n have it by any means therefore sometimes we take a sinful course to get it Well now God to cure his people of this distemper breaks every prop and stay which they are apt to lean upon breaks down the hedge the fence is remov'd and lays them open to dangers continually so that from day to day they are forc'd to seek their preservation from him 3. To check their worldliness We are very apt to dote upon present things and to dream of honours and great places in the world and seek great things for our selves when we should be preparing for bitter sufferings As the two sons of Zebedee employ'd their mother to speak to Christ
God and go contrary to his direction Isai. 26. 9. When thy Iudgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness We need not doubt any more whether God will punish the disobedient when we see his threatnings made good only we should reflect upon our hearts And will not God visit my transgression if I should go on breaking his Laws And what should hinder making such application Are not all sinners alike to God Christ tells us Ye shall all likewise perish except ye repent Luke 13. 5. they contented themselves to censure those on whom the Tower of Siloam fell The desert of sin is the same and Gods Justice as exact as ever therefore if others are punished why not we We are strangely stupid if we do not walk more exactly with God This use David maketh of it Whether it were a Judgment past or a Judgment expected in Faith this deterred him from doing as they did Thou hast trodden down them that erre from thy Statutes In the words observe I. An account of Gods Judgments upon wicked men Thou hast trodden down them that erre from thy Statutes II. The reason given of that dispensation For their deceit is falshood I. In the first place observe 1. The Notion by which the Judgment is express'd Thou hast trodden down 2. The persons described upon whom this Judgment hath lighted or shall light Them that erre from thy Statutes 3. The Note of universality All of what estate or condition soever they be From the first of these observe Doctr. Those that proudly erre from Gods Statutes God can hath and will soon pull them down with ignominy and contempt This Point will be made good if we consider 1. The persons described 2. The Notion by which Judgment is exprest 3. Something concerning the certainty of this Judgment 1. The persons described Them that erre from thy Statutes Some erre out of weakness and some out of pride and obstinacy First To erre out of weakness to wander in by-paths of our own is not safe Psal. 125. 2. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Men that do not sin out of malice but are discouraged by the rod of the wicked resting upon the lot of the righteous verse 3. therefore think to shift for themselves by their own compliances counsels and crooked courses God will deal with them as with his open enemies Secondly Proudly to exalt our selves against God and trample his interest under foot will bring sure Judgment Psal. 119. 21. Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed which do erre from thy Commandments Of such the Text speaks those that oppose themselves against God and bear themselves high in sinful Courses upon the account of their prosperity 2. The Notion by which the Judgment is express'd Thou hast trodden down The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad nihil deduxisti thou hast brought to nothing Aquila .......... confixisti thou hast stricken through Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reprobasti thou hast disproved the Vulgar sprevisti thou hast contemned Apollinarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parvi pependisti thou hast little esteemed all to the same purpose The Phrase of treading under foot used by us implies First A full punishment Secondly A disgraceful one First A full punishment God will pull them down from their altitudes even to the dust though never so high and proudly exalting themselves against God A full Conquest of Enemies is thus often exprest in Scripture Isai. 10. 6. the Assyrian is said to take the prey and to tread them down like mire in the streets So Mic. 7. 10. the same expression when an adversary is laid even with the Ground that he may be crush'd and trampl'd upon as Iehu trod Iezebel under foot 2 Kings 9. 32. and Isai. 26. 6. The feet of the poor shall tread it down even the steps of the needy So the utter and final overthrow of Satan is exprest Rom. 16. 20. He shall tread Satan under his feet Secondly It implies a disgraceful punishment Psal. 110. 1. Until I make thine enemies thy footstool an expression used to shew the ignominy and contempt God will put upon them Christ keeps his sheep in his hands Iohn 10. 28. his Lambs in his bosome Isai. 40. 11. and his enemies under his feet Iosh. 10. 24. When he vanquished the Canaanitish Kings Come near saith he to his Captains put your feet upon the necks of these Kings Thus Sapores the King of Persia trampled upon Valentinian the Emperour and Tamberlain made Bajazet his Footstool The meaning is God will not only bring them under but reduce them to an abject and contemptible Condition So Chrysostome on the Text expoundeth this Phrase That God will make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignominious and contemptible They shall not go off honourably but with scorn and confusion of face miserably broken 3. The certainty of this Judgment that he can hath and will do so First He can do so though they befortified with never so many advantages for what is too hard for God who made all things It is easier we know to destroy than to build up things Things long a building may be destroyed in a moment and therefore God that made them can destroy them Isai. 27. 4. Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together Briers and thorns are matter to feed the fire not to quench it We want Faith in the power of God and therefore we are dismay'd when we see wicked men great and high Secondly He hath done so notwithstanding their greatness and proud attempts That 's the Psalmist's expression here God hath already trodden down many such persons and hath decreed to tread down all Of that sort the Prophet speaks as a thing already done either in way of Faith or in part of sense as begun to be executed Amos 2. 9. I destroyed the Amorite before them whose height was like the height of the Cedars and he was strong as the Oaks yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath Potent and mighty enemies if they stand in the way of his peoples mercies God can pluck them up root and branch When Pharaoh advanced himself against the people of God God trod him down and flung him into the bottom of the Sea So the Psalmist tells us Psal. 135. 10. He smote great Nations and slew mighty Kings for their sakes all the Kingdoms of Canaan and gave their land for an heritage unto Israel his people God will shew what respect he hath to his people therefore when he ariseth to avenge their quarrel nothing shall be able to stand before him Thirdly He will do so tread them down all 1. Because of his invariable Justice God is but one Gal. 3. 20. that is one always consonant unto himself what he hath done he will do
to us They are purged out as dross that they may not infect us by their example or molest us by their persecutions or oppressions Now the more we are befriended in this kind the more we are bound to serve God cheerfully Luke 1. 74 75. That being delivered from the hands of our enemies we may serve God in righteousness and holiness â—…ll the days of our lives The world is one of those enemies or the wicked of the earth therefore we should serve him faithfully 5. By this means we see the world is governed by God and we may the more safely commit our selves to his protection upon the encouragement of his promises If the affairs of the world were governed by blind Chance and men might do what they listed without check and controul we might think that we had cleansed our hearts in vain and that a man doth make himself a prey by the simplicity of his innocence But when God punisheth the wicked in our sight certainly this should teach us to be more holy in all our ways Psal. 58. 11. A man shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth They that knew not what to think of Providence shall see there is a God in the Heavens that doth wisely administer all things below and so we are encouraged to love him and serve him more heartily Say as the Psalmist It is good for me to draw nigh to God Psal. 73. 28. Use. Well then let our love to God and liking and approbation of his Law be accompanied with the hatred of sin The more we observe his Judgments in putting away the wicked like dross that we may be more holy and seek after communion with God as our only blessedness to this end 1. Let us bless God for giving a sure Rule to walk by and such promises of protection in the midst of the darkness and uncertainty of the present world When others perish you are safe Isai. 8. 20. To the law and to the testimony c. Thou shalt walk in this way safely and shalt not stumble yea please God and you need not fear 2. Let us walk exactly by this Rule since our temporal and eternal safety and happiness is concerned thereby For the world to come 't is clear as well as in this life Prov. 3. 1 2. My son forget not my Law but let thine heart keep my Commandments for length of days and long life and peace shall they add unto thee And Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule peace and mercy be upon them 3. The more God doth owne his Law by his Judgments the more let our love be encreased This is to wash our feet in the blood of the wicked Psal. 58. 10. The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked SERMON CXXXI PSAL. CXIX VER 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgments IN this Psalm you find the man of God under divers passions sometimes of joy sometimes of sorrow sometimes of hope and courage and sometimes of fear As there is a time for all things in this world there are several conditions and duties that we run through and we have affections planted in us that suit with every condition Religion doth not nullifie but sanctifie our affections Some have vainly thought affections to be an after-growth of noisome weeds in our Nature corrupted whereas they are wholesome Herbs implanted in us by God at our first Creation of great use to Grace when rightly stirred and ordered Anima nunquam melius agit c. The passion expressed in the Text is fear for two or three Verses his meditations had been taken up in the observation of Gods Judgments upon evil doers ver 118. Thou hast trodden down all them that erre from thy Statutes for their deceit is falshood They were once high but God hath brought them down with ignominy and contempt they had born themselves out in their sinful courses on the account of their prosperity but at length they are utterly ruined and broken And why For their deceit is falshood that is they were unmasked and all their pretences of piety and justice found to be fraud and imposture In Verse 119. he still insisteth upon the same Argument Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross therefore I love thy testimonies They seemed to cleave to the Church and people of God as dross to gold or silver That God who is the purger and refiner of his Church failed not to put a difference and to consume the dross and refine his silver The use that David made of these Judgments was two-fold First To love Gods ways so much the more and to cleave to them with greater firmness Therefore I love thy testimonies Secondly To fear before the Lord and tremble at the Lords Judgments as in the Text. There are two affections wherein we should always seek to profit the love of God and the fear of God Of this last in the Text My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgments In which words we have I. The degree of his fear My flesh trembleth II. The object of his fear For fear of thee III. The ground and reason of his fear I am afraid of thy Iudgments 1. The degree of his fear My flesh trembleth The word samar Saint Hierome rendereth Horrivilavit caro mea my flesh is in horrour and affrightment Symmachus before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my flesh maketh my hair stand an end as the prickles of a Hedghog which is an emblem of horrour The Poet Persius expresseth such an affrightment thus Excussit membris tremor albus aristas my fear made my hair stand up like a field of Corn from the contraction of the skin So it happeneth in eases of fear You have the like expression Iob 4. 14 15. Fear came upon me and trembling which made all my bones to shake the hair of my flesh stood up And elsewhere the same word is so used the Septuagint read it imperatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pierce through my flesh with fear as with nails surely it noteth some deep sense and high degree of fear as the Prophet Habakkuk expresseth upon like occasion Hab. 3. 15. When I heard this my belly trembled my lips quivered rottenness entred into my bones and I trembled in my flesh his bowels did beat and shake for fear and his lips quivered for fear that he could not speak The Judgments of God ought to beget a deep sense and trembling not a slight affection in us The Prophet saith Amos 3. 8. The Lion roareth who will not fear We have need to stir up our hearts again and again When the Lord roareth and cometh forth to Judgment we have need be ashamed of our stupidity when we are not affected II. The object of his fear For
afflictions Again when Judgments are on our selves when God cometh nearer to us and beginneth to touch us with his hand we should relent presently To be sinning and suffering is the condition of the damned in Hell The Holy Ghost sets a brand upon Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. 22. That in the time of his distress he did yet trespass more and more against the Lord this is that King Ahaz If we keep our pride luxury vanity wantonness still our avarice coldness in Religion Sabbath-prophanation if we be not brought by all our afflictions to fear God the more such a brand will he put upon us yea our Judgments will be encreased and the Furnace heated seven times hotter as when the Child is stubborn and obstinate the Father redoubleth his strokes Therefore we are to beg his Spirit with his Rod that we may be the better by all his corrections Numb 12. 14. If her Father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven days So if our heavenly Father be displeased and casts contempt upon us c. Use 2. It reproveth those that triumph over the faln and declaim and inveigh against their sins but do not consider their own We should rather tremble and learn to fear from every Judgment executed though upon the worst of men and say Well God is a righteous God and whosoever provoketh him to wrath shall not escape unpunished But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this insulting over and upbraiding others with their evil and afflicted condition is a-sin which God cannot endure and will certainly punish Prov. 17. 5. And he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished If God hath stricken them and the hand of Justice found them out we should be tender to them Prov. 24. 17 18. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth lest the Lord see it and it displease him and he turn away his wrath from him Some read it Et convertat iram suam in te he turn his wrath upon thee Thine enemy is not he that thou hatest for a Christian should hate no body but he that hateth thee if we rejoyce in their evil certainly 't is a sign we hate them however we please our selves with the thoughts of forgiving them as not when he falleth so not when he stumbleth not at lesser evils that befal them Many will say They do not wish their destruction but a little evil they could be glad of which sheweth how rare true piety is God will give him like advantage against thee As the leprosie of Naaman doth cleave to Gehazi David when he heard of the death of Saul rent his Cloaths and wept and fasted 2 Sam. 1. 11 12. Therefore to feed our eyes with the misery and torment of others is no holy affection Iob disclaimed it Iob 31. 29. If I rejoyced at the destruction of him that hated me or lifted up my self when evil found him neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. Revenge is sweet to carnal Nature but such a disposition as that cannot or should not find room in a gracious heart to evidence his integrity Iob produceth this vindication Though they that hate us be our worst enemies and should have spirits steeped in bitterness and Wormwood against us yet ought we not to rejoyce at the misery of an enemy Yea to mourn at their fall becometh us more if we would act as Christians and to fear because of it is an act of piety Therefore this old leven of malice and revenge must be purged out this being inwardly delighted when we hear of the fall of those that hate us When thine enemy falleth consider Either I my self am like him or worse or better than he If better who made thee to differ If worse thou hast cause to wonder thou art spared and to fear before the Lord. Let us therefore observe the Judgments of God executed according to his word Lactantius telleth us Quod non metuitur contemnitur quod contemnitur utique non colitur If the wrath of God be not feared it is contemned and if God be contemned he cannot be worshipped SERMON CXXXII PSAL. CXIX VER 121. I have done Iudgment and Iustice leave me not to mine Oppressours HEre is I. David's Plea II. His Prayer I. His Plea I have done Iudgment and Iustice Defensio est non arrogantia saith Ambrose he doth not speak this boasting or trusting in his own righteousness but by way of Apology and just defence 't is no pleading of merit as if God were his Debtor but an asserting of his innocency against slanderers There is Iustitia personae the righteousness of the person and Iustitia causae the righteousness of the cause wherein any one is engaged We may propound the Justice of our cause to God as the Judge of the Earth and appeal to him how innocently we suffer when we are not able to plead the righteousness of our persons as to a strict and legal qualification Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Well then David pleadeth the equity and justice of his Cause and his right behaviour therein They cannot condemn him of any unrighteousness and injustice and yet endeavour to oppress him therefore he pleads Lord thou knowest where the right lyeth so far as concerneth their slanders I appeal to thee for my integrity and sincerity thou knowest that I have given up my self to do just and right things though they are thus forward to mischief I have â—…one them no wrong Hear me O God of my righteousness Psal. 4. 1. They that look to be protected by God must look that they have a good Cause and handle that Cause well otherwise we make him the Patron of sin when we suffer as evil Doers 't is the Devil's Cross not Christ's that we take up But let us see how David expresseth his innocency I have done Iudgment and Iustice these two words are often joined together in Scripture When God is spoken of 't is said of him Psal. 33. 5. He loveth righteousness and judgment and in the 2 Sam. 8. 15. 't is said that David executed judgment and justice over all Israel Muis distinguisheth them thus Iudicium adversus sceleratos Iustitia erga bonos Judgment in punishing the wicked Justice in rewarding the good Besides that David speaketh not here as a King but as a poor oppressed man The words will hardly admit of that Notion Some think they are only put to encrease the sense I have done Judgment justly exactly I suppose the one referreth to the Law or Rule it self according to which every one is to do right that is judgment a clear knowledg of what ought to be done the other referreth to the action that followeth thereupon So that Judgment is a doing of what we know an acting according to received light Ezek. 18. 5. Do that which
from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seek Iudgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the Widow This is particularly insisted upon as the proper fruit of their Change So Dan. 4. 27. Break off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Repentance is a breaking off the former course of sin the King an open Oppressour Daniel preacheth righteousness and mercy to him They that continue their former unjust Courses never yet truly repented Zech. 8. 16 17. These are the things that ye shall do Speak ye every man truth to his neighbour execute the judgment of truth and peace in your Gates and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord. He would have their repentance thus expressed Fifthly Because it is so lovely and venerable in the eyes of the world A Christian if he had no other engagement upon him yet for the honour of God and the credit of Religion he should do those things that are lovely and comely in themselves and so esteemed by the world for he is to glorifie God 1 Pet. 2. 12. and adorn Religion Tit. 2. 10. to represent his profession with advantage to the Consciences of men God is dishonoured by nothing so much as injustice which is so odious and hateful to men and wicked men are hardned the hopeful discouraged Atheism prevaileth Neh. 5. 9. Also I said it is not good that ye do ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies On the contrary when we give every one their due we bring honour to God and credit to Religion you can the better hold up the profession of it against contradiction hold up head before God and man Now Justice is so lovely partly as 't is a stricture of the Image of God as before in which respect 't is said Prov. 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Men are convinced that he is a more perfect man fitter to be trusted as being one that will deal faithfully And partly because the welfare of humane Society is promoted by such things Tit. 3. 8. These things are good and profitable for men Sixthly And indeed that is my last reason it conduceth so much to the good of humane Society A Christian is a Member of a double Community of the Church and of the world the one in order to eternal life the other in order to the present life as a man and as a Christian. Without justice what would the world be but a Den of thieves Remove Iustitiam c. saith St. Augustin The world cannot subsist without Justice The Kings Throne is established by righteousness Prov. 16. 10. The Nation gets honour and reputation by it abroad Prov. 13. 34. Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any people Never did the people of the Jews nor any other Nation whose History is come to our ears flourish so much as when they were careful and exact in maintaining righteousness And as to persons all Commerce between man and man is kept up by Justice And if this be a truth that God and not the Devil doth govern the World and distribute rewards and the blessings of this life surely then Justice which is a compliance with Gods will is the way to be exalted and to live well in the World and not lying cozening and dissembling 2. 'T is very comfortable to us to be just The comfort of righteousness is often spoken of in Scripture Prov. 29. 6. In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare but the righteous doth sing and rejoice Whatever befalleth him good or evil much or little in life or death Good or evil if good he hath comfort in his portion because what he hath hâ—… hath by the fair leave and allowance of Gods Providence Prov. 13. 25. The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul he hath enough because he hath what God seeth fit for him he hath enough to supply his wants enough to satisfie his desires sometimes 't is much sometimes 't is little 'T is much sometimes for they are under the blessing of the promise Deut. 16. 20. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou mayst live and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Justice shalt thou follow if you will take care for that God will take care to bless you If it be little that little is better than more gotten by fraud and injustice Prov. 16. 8. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right Prov. 15. 16 17. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith Though it be but a Dinner of Herbs Psal. 37. 16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the treasures of many wicked The comfort if they will stand to the Scriptures lyeth not in abundance but in Gods blessing There is more satisfaction in their small provisions than in the greatest plenty Suppose their condition be evil whatsoever evil a just man suffers he shall get some good by it living or dying and so still hath ground of comfort if scorned or neglected he hath the comfort of his innocent dealing to bear him out As Samuel when he and his house was laid aside 1 Sam. 12. 2 3. he appeals to them Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defranded whom have I oppressed or from whose hands have I received a bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it If you are opposed and maligned you may plead against your enemies as Moses did Numb 16. 15. Respect not their offerings I have not taken an Ass from them neither have I hurt one of them You may plead thus when you are sure you have not wronged them If you are oppressed as David in the Text you may appeal to the God of your righteousness In life in death they have the comfort of their righteousness In life Deut. 16. 20. as before In death Prov. 14. 32. The righteous man hath hope in his death Isai. 38. 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight When he is going the way of all the Earth this will be a comfort to him that he hath done no wrong but served God faithfully and lived with men without guile and deceit Oh for comforts for a dying hour Now this Comfort ariseth partly from a good Conscience and partly from the many promises of God that are made to righteousness First From peace of Conscience We are told Prov. 15. 15. That a good Conscience is a continual feast Ahasuerus made a magnificent Feast that lasted an hundred and eighty days
higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than they Who can break the power of the greatest The poor and indigent have none to owne them to resent the things done unto them but God who is the supream Lord will not fail to owne them 2. Consider The injustice of such dealing as being contrary to that rule of Reason Quod tibi non vis fieri alteri ne feceris Every man should do as he would have others do to him Put your self in their case Take this rule quite away and there is nothing so false bad cruel that you would not be drawn to think or say or do against your Brother Uncharitableness and want of sympathy with us in our troubles much more insulting over us in our miseries we look on it with detestation and shall we oppress and afflict others when we have power so to do Those that profess themselves Christians should be far from this sin Means 1. The fear of God should bear rule in our hearts Iob 31. 23. For destruction from God was a terrour to me and by reason of his highness I could not endure Levit. 25. 17. Ye shall not therefore oppress one another but thou shalt fear thy God for I am the Lord your God We should be afraid to do them injury as if a strong party able to repay injuries were ready to be avenged upon us for it 2. Take heed of envy covetousness pride revenge these are ill Councellors Ahab envies Naboth's Vineyard and covets it and that put him upon oppressing him So Hos. 12. 7. He is a merchant the ballances of deceit are in his hand he loveth to oppress So take heed of pride Psal. 10. 2. The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor So when persons are of a revengeful temper it will put them upon oppression and persecution for every fancied or supposed affront offered to them the enemy and avenger go together Psal. 8. 2. 3. Think of Changes that pride may not be without a Curb nor affliction without a Comfort 'T is the proud oppress who are drunk with their wealth and outward prosperity The Lords people are not troubled by humble Souls that are sensible of their mutableness and frailty but by those who little think of these things and how hard it fareth with them that fear God II. Here are the persons to inflict it The proud Doctr. The proud are they that especially persecute the Godly Who are the proud 1. Generally those that obstinately stand it out against God and the methods of his Grace Neh. 9. 16. But they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their necks and hearkened not unto thy Commandments and Verse 29. Yet they dealt proudly and hearkened not to thy Commandments Jer. 13. 17. My soul shall weep in secret for your pride 2. More especially those that are too well conceited of themselves seem by their affecting to meddle with things too high for them Psal. 131. 1. Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great matters nor in things too high for me murmure under crosses quarrel with Providences finding fault with all Gods sayings and doings trust in themselves that they are righteous Luke 18. 14. scoff at others for their godliness Psal. 119. 51. The proud had me greatly in derision Psal. 10. 2. The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor ready to brawl on all occasions Prov. 23. 10. Only by pride cometh contention would have all to stoop to them are stiff in their opinions boasters lessening the gifts of others impatient of admonition 3. The particular pride here mentioned when men are high minded and trust in uncertain riches drunk with their prosperity So oppressing in their Honour and Greatness as if they would trample all others under foot and crush them at pleasure These are merciless and pitiless disdain the poor whatsoever presence of God they have with them we are filled with the scorning of them that are at ease SERMON CXXXV PSAL. CXIX VER 123. Mine eyes fail for thy salvation and for the word of thy righteousness IN the former Verse David spake as one under oppression here he setteth forth his longing and waiting for deliverance In the Words we have I. The act of Faith together with the object of it His eyes were to the salvation of God II. The defect and weakness of his Faith and Gods delay implied in the occasion of it Mine eyes fail III. The ground and support of his soul in this exercise The word of thy righteousness By salvation is meant temporal deliverance His eyes were to this salvation that is he did with faith and patience wait for it But in waiting his eyes failed that noteth some deficiency and weakness but his support during all this was the word of Gods righteousness that word wherein God promised salvation and deliverance to them that are oppressed And he calleth it the word of his righteousness because he is one that kept it justly and faithfully as if he had said Surely God is righteous and is no more liberal in promises than faithful in performing therefore though mine eyes even fail yet I will keep looking and longing still for his salvation I begin with the ground of his faith and the support of his soul which is the word of promise Doctr. That Gods word wherein he hath promised deliverance to his suffering servants is a word of righteousness There are three things in the promise Veritas Fidelitas Iustitia Fidelity Faithfulness and Righteousness 1. Veritâ—… Sincerity or Truth in making the promise according to which God doth really intend and mean to bestow what he promiseth For God is not as man that he should lye neither the son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good To lye is to speak a falshood with an intention to deceive this cannot be imagined of God What need hath he to court a Worm or to mock and â—…ater us into a vain hope what interest can accrue to him thereby Yea the purity of his Nature will not permit it Tit. 1. 2. According to the hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began He will as soon cease to be God â—…s cease to be true for his truth is his Nature he is truth it self Man that is mutable and hath an interest to promote by dissembling may put on a false appearance and speak what he never meaneth but God cannot do so for he is truth it self essentially so in the abstract can admit of no mixture though Creatures may Light it self admitteth not of any darkness but as it is in Subjects so it doth But God is truth and in him is no falshood at all Now of all lies a promissory lie is the worst it is greater than an aâ—…ertory lie An assertory lie is when we speak of a thing past or
Well then seeing all these Distempers are incident to an afflicted estate we should the more carefully watch against them 3. Because our enemies make a great advantage of our failings and harden themselves in their prejudices if we carry not a holy good Cause in a holy religious way and will take the least occasion given from a questionable practice to slander the truth Neh. 5. 9. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies If you should trip in any thing you shall soon hear of it to the reproach of Religion A holy and wise carriage in afflictions is very honourable to the Gospel otherwise your testimony is rejected and blasted Use. Well then desire the Lord to guide thee in all thy troubles yea if God doth guide you let this satisfie you before the deliverance cometh about It is a mercy if you have direction though you have not deliverance for a godly man should not so much regard the ease of the flesh as the performance of his Duty to God If you carry your Cross regularly with faith and patience God may have more honour and you more profit by your affliction than your deliverance Yea to be instructed in the Word and be taught your Duty is in it self a greater mercy than a deliverance Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the Man whom thou chastenest and teachest him out of thy Law 'T is a blessed thing yea 't is a deliverance it self for it delivereth you from the spiritual evil of the Rod which is the Curse Suffering doth not come as a Curse when instruction goeth along with it Yea 't is the means of our great deliverance from the present evil world 1 Cor. 11. 32. as it is a pledge of our future deliverance in due time for God is not unmindful of us and will not leave us without the conduct of his Spirit Secondly To handle the Words with respect to the nearer Context in Verse 123. Mine eyes fail for thy salvation This teaching is begged after he had complained of the delay of the promises and so implicitely he complaineth not of the falsity of the Word or the non-performance of the promise but of the weakness of his own Faith Doctr. When the Lord suspends the promised deliverance the Godly suspect not the truth of his Word but the darkness of their own unbelieving hearts They think this failing is because they are no more enlightened they are dull in conceiving and misty and cloudy in their apprehensions and therefore would have a clearer understanding of the promise and a more quick-sighted Faith Or have failed in the performance of the Condition required therefore desire that God would teach them and shew them their errours and cause them to profit in sanctification Thus should we do in like Cases when there is a seeming Contradiction between the Word and the Works of God betwixt his promises and his Providence about us His voice is sweet like Iacob's but his hands rough like Esau's Do not suspect the promise but your understanding go into the Sanctuary Psal. 73. 16 17. God will help you to reconcile things otherwise the difficulty will be too hard for you The Saints that have suspected or distrusted God have found themselves in an errour Isai. 49. 14 15. and Psal. 77. 8 9 10. First You must not interpret Gods promise by his Providence but his Providence by his promise and the promise is the light side and Providence the dark side of the Cloud Isai. 45. 15. Thou hiddest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Psal. 77. 19. Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known We cannot trace him a man cannot find out the reason of every thing that God doth Secondly Thou must distinguish between a part of Gods work and the end of it We cannot understand Gods Providence till he hath done his Work In the last Act of the Comedy all the errours are reconciled Tarry till then Zech. 14. 7. At evening it shall be light We view Providence by pieces and we know not what God is a doing rending and tearing all in pieces But view Gods work in its whole Frame and Contexture and it will appear beautiful Thirdly We must distinguish between what is best for us and what we judge is best for us Deut. 8. 15 16. Who led thee thorough the great and terrible Wilderness wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions and Drought where there was no water who brought thee forth water out of the Rock Who fed thee in the Wilderness with Manna which thy Fathers knew not that he might humble thee and prove thee to do thee good at the latter end Other Diet is more wholesome for our Souls than our sick appetite craveth It 's best with us many times when we are weakest 2 Cor. 12. 10. When I am weak then am I strong worst when strongest 2 Chron. 26. 16. When he was strong his heart was lifted up to his own destruction Many times the buffetings of Satan are better for us than a condition free from temptations so is poverty and emptiness better than fulness Fourthly We must distinguish between what things are in themselves and what in their reduction use and tendency All things are for a Believer in their use though they may be against him in their Nature 1 Cor. 3. 18 19 20. and Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God All their Crosses yea sometimes their sins and snares God will over-rule them for good and the work of Grace sometimes goeth back that it may go forward Many such Cases there are which look like a contradiction which we shall not know what to make of them unless we bring it to Christ an Interpreter one of a thousand But take heed in these confusions and toffings of thy Soul how thou reflectest on God a little experience will confute thy prejudices Thirdly With respect to the nearest Context the former Clause of this Verse After an appeal to the Covenant of Grace or a petition for mercy he asketh direction to keep the Law Doct. They that would have mercy by the Covenant must be earnest to be taught Gods Statutes Mercy and teaching are Davids's two great requests throughout this and other Psalms Reasons 1. The Moral Obligation of the Law still lyeth on Gods Servants that are taken into the Covenant of Grace There is an eternal Obligation upon the Creature to love and serve the Creator which cannot be dissolved We are not redeemed from the service of the Law by Christ but the curse of the Law Luke 1. 74 75. Being delivered from the hands of our enemies that we might serve God in holiness and righteousness before him all our days The end of our redemption was not to destroy our service according to the Law but to fit and enable us to perform it according to the image of
hardened by their own prejudices But to have a spiritual understanding of them so as to profit and encrease in sanctification that is from the Lord. These things may be drawn into a Systeme wherein there will be nothing that exceedeth the understanding of a man But to understand it so as to be affected with and changed by it that is from the spirit 1 Iohn 5. 20. And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true And Ephes. 5. 8. Ye were darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. He is the Purchaser and Authour of that light Use 3. Is reproof to those that presume on their own wit to understand Divine Mysteries Many think they have eyes in their head and can see into a matter as far as other men and conceive and judge of a thing as soon and as well as others can do and so will not acknowledge their dullness and blindness in heavenly things take it ill to be told of it Iohn 9 40. Are we blind also In a rage scoff at those that talk of the enlightening of the spirit and being taught of God Alas you must be blind and be fools before you be wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. in your own conviction and feeling SERMON CXXXVIII PSAL. CXIX VER 126. It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law IN the Words we have First A prayerful suggestion It is time for thee Lord to work Secondly The reason of it For they have made void thy Law In the First Branch take notice of 1. The person to whom the address is made For thee Lord. 2. The suggestion it self What and when what they would have the Lord to do To work and when Even now 'T is time to work To open these I begin with 1. The person to whom the address is made The Lord. Some read the Words It is time to work for thee O Lord because they have made void thy Law 'T is time indeed to work for God when so many work against him in an evil Generation lest the Law should perish and fall to the ground some should keep up the authority of it and they that fear God are to encourage one another Mal. 3. 16. The Chaldee Paraphrase reads it 'T is time to do the will of the Lord. But the Hebrew Original carries it as we do 'T is time for Jehovah to do The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulgar Latin Tempus faciendi Domine 2. Here is the suggestion it self and that First what they would have God to do 't is expressed by a general word Work as also Ier. 14. 7. Do for thy names sake what should he do Tempus mittendi Filium Dei saith Augustine to set about the work of redemption to send the Son of God But that is a work rather to exercise and shew forth his Justice Power and Truth both in punishing his enemies and delivering his people to work his own proper work of Justice as becometh the Judg of all the World to do namely to punish the wicked and help his servants out of their hands Secondly When it is time Then it seemeth to be a time when mans wickedness is grown to the height Gen. 15. 16. In the fourth Generation they shall come again for the sins of the Amorites are not yet full Good men are put to the uttermost of their patience and Gods Glory abused beyond measure Isai. 52. 5. Lord 't is time to work they are as bad as bad may be thy people have quite spent all their faith and patience when thine Ordinances and Word are despised and affronted and thy people trodden under foot 't is time for thee to work Secondly Let us explain the reason For they have made void thy Law The Law is made void two ways formaliter interpretative First Formally when any deny the authority of God as Pharaoh Exod. 5. 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice Or those Rebels Psal. 12. 4. Our lips are our own who is Lord over us Or we make void the Law when we deny it to be given of God as Martian and his Followers That the Law was given by an evil God Many now question the Scriptures themselves or deny the obligation of the Moral Law to Believers as the Antinomians and Libertines as the Apostle telleth us Rom. 3. 31. that we do not make void the Law by Faith yea we establish the Law 'T was the greatest ratification to it that could be Or finally Those that take upon them to enact things contrary to the Law of God or besides the Law as necessary to salvation and enforce their own traditions beyond and before the Law of God These make void the Law as Christ telleth the Pharisees that they made the Commandments of God of no effect by their Traditions Matth. 15. 6. Especially when they obtrude these things upon the Consciences of others under the highest penalties Secondly Interpretatively when men by consequence take away the honour and authority that is due to the Law by their wickedness and rebellion against God though in words they acknowledge the authority of God and the obligation of his Law yet they have no respect to it in their carriage and practice doing whatever pleaseth themselves stand in no awe of God and his Word reject it as a thing of nought Obedience to the Law is a ratifying and confirming the Law by our consent Deut. 27. 26. Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them Our words do not confirm the Law so much as our works So on the contrary they repeal or make void the Law that observe it not in their practice Finis operis is made finis operantis as if they intended to abolish whilst they make no reckoning of the Law Where observe that this is a Notion to make sin odious to us 't is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of the Law 1 Iohn 3. 4. but a despising the Law 2 Sam. 12. 9. a judging or censuring the Law Iam. 4. 11. yea a repealing and disannulling the Law which is the Notion of the Text. Doctr. That when a flood of wickedness is broken out we may put God in mind of doing his work of punishing the wicked and delivering his people I shall give you the summ of this Doctrine in these four Considerations I. That God doth for a while hold his hand and bear with the wickedness of his enemies II. Though he doth for a while bear with them yet he hath his times to punish and proceed to execution III. This time is usually when the impiety and insolency of wicked men is come to an height IV. When 't is come to an height we may and must mind God of doing his work or arising to judgment The first Consideration is implied in the Doctrine and the Text the other three
are express I. It is implied That God doth for a while hold his hand and not seem to mind his work though the least sin deserveth the greatest plagues even when it is first committed yet such is Gods patience and long-suffering that he will not at first punish even the sins of his enemies but will let them ripen and come to an height before he smite This he doth 1. To shew his bounty and goodness to all his Creatures He will not easily destroy the workmanship of his hands even the provoking wicked but giveth them time to repent and change their Course Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornications and she repented not The worst have leave to repent means to repent time to repent and if they have not the Grace to repent they may blame themselves Rom. 9. 22. He endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Reprobate taste of Gods common goodness as they are Members of the World are forborn for a long time till they be fear and rotten through fit for the burning Nay let me observe this God that is very quick with his people is very patient towards them that perish God is quick with his own people he will visit their iniquities with scourges and will not suffer sin to lye upon them and therefore they are chastened every morning Yet this God is very patient to them that know no better profess no better have had no experience of his ways and though they finally perish 't is long first till their sins do even extort vengeance out of his hands 2. To chastise exercise and prove his own people he beareth with the wickedness of their enemies First To chastise them for their sins that they may be brought low and their souls be humbled to the dust Certainly this God expects before he will appear for us 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God And because his people are backward to this work he permitteth such instruments as will not spare but lay on to the purpose Isai. 10. 5 6. O Assyrian the rod of mine anger and the staff in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an hypocritical Nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil and to take the prey and to tread them down like the mire of the streets When God is angry with his people he can easily find a rod for them yea not only a rod but a staff which is a more heavy instrument of correction He can find instruments sufficiently exasperated and full of malice severe Executioners and he lets them alone till they have done his work though they manage his Controversie with cruel minds and evil and destructive intentions Sometimes God punisheth his people with Divisions among themselves and though they are very troublesom one to another yet a sheep cannot worry a sheep as a wolf will they do it to the purpose in a most cruel and despightful manner Now though he will reckon with wicked men for their violence for transgressing their bounds and going beyond his revealed will and approbation Zech. 1. 15. yet not till his work be done upon Mount Zion and Ierusalem Isai. 10. 12. When the Lord hath done his work upon Mount Zion and Ierusalem I will punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria He will not cast the Rod into the fire till we have felt the smart of it and be throughly humbled under his mighty hand Secondly To exercise his people that they may not contract Rust and languish and grow idle in Heavens way Alas when we live at ease and have no body to trouble us God is little owned loved and acknowledged the Throne of Grace lyeth neglected and unfrequented and therefore he permitteth enemies to keep us in breath Psal. 59. 11. Slay them not lest my people forget Things in conceit do not leave such an impression upon us as things in feeling Scipio would have Carthage stand to whet and exercise the Roman Valour We need vigilant enemies as a Guard upon us that we may be kept awful serious mindful of God constantly in the exercise of faith and dependance Wicked men have their ministry and service to be as Goads in our Sides and Scourges on our Backs to whip us to our duty and make us mend our pace heavenward Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest him out of thy Law chastened by the molestations of the wicked for all along he complaineth of the delay of vengeance on the Persecutors and in the next Verse he saith Until the pit be digged for the wicked As condemned men are suffered to live till their Gallows and Grave be made ready if they trouble us in the mean while 't is to reduce us to a sense and practice of our duty and that we may not securely go on in a course of vanity and sin Till that be done the Pit is not ready for the wicked and ungodly Oppressours they dig their own Pit by their sin and oppression Thirdly To prove his people as well as to exercise them To prove their faith and their patience their faith to see whether they can live by faith and not by sense and present appearance whether we are perswaded that there is a just and righteous God that is the supream Governour of the World notwithstanding all the oppositions and confusions they groan under Hab. 2. 3 4. Because it will surely come and will not tarry Behold his soul that is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith that is the Lords purpose in delaying to perform the vision is to try and discover who are the losty and unsound and whocan subsist and hold out by faith on Gods Being and Providence and Promises and World to come and so wait upon God in hard times without fainting If God should smite as soon as his enemies provoke him faith would be of no use and the whole world would be governed by sense To believe the justice and mercy of God though for the time we do not see any manifestation of it that 's the tryal of faith We know there is one that sits above and seeth all Though the World be in an uproar and they that work wickedness are set up and God's servants persecuted yet we know that God will reckon with them in due time And secondly To prove their patience in bearing the present difficulties and tarrying the Lords leisure Rev. 13. 10. Here is the patience and faith of the Saints that is a sensible proof of it when a powerful enemy carrieth all before him there would be little use of such a Grace but for such times This is submission to God when we are resolved to tarry for his season though we know it not and will wait as long as God will have us wait
power of it There is a mighty power that goeth along with the Word of God and astonisheth the hearts of those that consider it and feel it 1 Thess. 1. 1. 5. Our Gospel came to you not in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost By this power it doth not only fill the head with Notions but pierceth the heart alarms the Conscience awakens the Affections Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is quick and powerful sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart This power was seen in the wonderful success of that Doctrine and Religion which the Scriptures do establish It hath diffused and spread it self like Leven in the Mass and Lump throughout all parts of the known world within the space of thirty or forty years or thereabouts Hesterni sumus saith Tertullian tamen omnia vestra implevimus Urbes Insulas Castella Municipia Conciliabula Castra Tribus Decurias Palatium Senatum Forum sola vobis relinquimus Templa We are but of yesterday and yet how are we encreased Christians are found in all places Cities Villages Isles Castles free Towns Councils Armies Senate Markets every where but in the Idol-Temples Such a wonderful encrease and success was there in a short time The Apostle Col. 1. 6. The word of the truth of the Gospel is come unto you as it doth to all the world and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you The Doctrine it self is contrary to Nature it doth not court the senses nor woo the flesh it offereth no splendor of life nor pleasures nor profits but biddeth deny all these things and expect persecution Mark 16. 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me It only telleth us of spiritual comforts and the recompences of another world Mahomet allured his Followers with fair promises of security and carnal pleasure their wind and tide went one way Man is credulous of what he desireth but Christ telleth us of denying our selves taking up the Cross cutting off right hand and plucking out right eye rowing against the stream of flesh and blood bearing out Sail against all the Blasts and furious Winds without here is nothing lovely to a carnal eye This was the Doctrine It taught the proud world humility the uncharitable world love of their enemies the unchast world that a glance is Adultery Matth. 5. 25. Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart the revengeful world to turn the other cheek to the Smiter the covetous man to be liberal not to cark and take thought for worldly things but to lay up treasures in Heaven the dissolute world to walk circumspectly in all godliness and honesty The persons and instruments that were to manage the Doctrine were in the worlds eye contemptible a few Fishermen destitute of all worldly props and aids of no power wealth secular wisdom authority and other such advantages as are apt to beget a repute in the world yet they preached and converted many Nations though they had no publick interest were not backed with the power of Princes as Superstitions are wont to prevail by their countenance and example Every one seeketh the Rulers face but the Gospel had gotten firm footing in the world long e'r there was a Prince to countenance it there were many to persecute it none to profess it As the instruments were poor so the persons that received their message Iames 2. 5. Hearken my beloved brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him 1 Cor. 1. 26. Ye see your Calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called When destitute of worldly succours and supports it held up head Ne videretur authoritate traxisse aliquos veritatis ratione non pompae gratia praevaleret saith Ambrose It was much it should hold up head yea the powers of the world against it bonds and sufferings and deaths did abide for them every where that professed this way Horrible tortures Never did War Pestilence and Famine sweep away so many as the first persecutions poor Christians were murthered and butchered every where yet still they multiplied as the Israelites did in Egypt under oppression or as a Tree lopped sends forth more sprouts As without worldly interests they had not such gifts of Art Eloquence and Policy as the world with whom they had to deal all was carried on in a plain way without pomp of words Paul was learned but he laid aside his ornaments lest the Cross of Christ should be of none effect 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. And my speech and my preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God They were to deal with men of excellent parts and learning some of which received the Gospel This plain Doctrine was set afoot in that part of the world where Arts and civil Discipline most flourished at that time and were in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus as Aaron's Rod devoured the Magicians Serpents so was the Gospel too hard for the wisdom of the world it prevailed not by force of Armes and the power of the long Sword as all Dotages do and Superstitions are planted but overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Rev. 12. 11. Christs Sword is in his mouth Psal. 8. 2. Out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger This way seemed to the world a novel way they were levened with prejudices and bred up by long custome which is a second Nature in the worship of Idols 1 Pet. 1. 18. For asmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers Men keep to the Religion of their Ancestors with much reverence Christ did not seize upon the world as a Wast is seized upon for the next Owner The Ark was to be set up in the Temple that was already occupied and possessed by Dagon Before Christ could be seated in the Government of the Nations first Satan was to be dispossessed and Superstitions received by a long tradition and prescription of time were to be removed the Wolf hunted out Thus the power great But this is past and gone There is a wonderful power that goes along with the Word First A power to humble and terrifie those that scoffed at the Miracles Acts 2. 37 When they heard
to an earnest attendance upon God and all probabilities spent we have no help but what Heaven and a promise can afford and upon these terms continue our importunity Luke 18. 7 18. 'T is a long time e're men will lay it to heart to see his hand and seek to him for relief 3. When you have prayed then wait 'T is a good sign when we are enlarged in prayer and encouraged to wait Enlarged to pray for when God hath a mind to work he sets the spirit of prayer awork God will not pour out his spirit in vain the spirit knoweth the deep things of God Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in a time of trouble and I will deliver thee So when we are encouraged to wait how can our prayers be heard when we regard them not our selves and expect an issue How should God hear when we pray out of course and do not think our prayers worth the regarding Psal. 85. 8. I will hearken what God the Lord will speak c. Psal. 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord he enclined unto me and heard my Cry Hab. 2. 1. I will watch to see what he will say Look for an Answer God doth not usually disappoint a waiting people II. When God delivereth us from the oppression of man we should be quickened and encouraged in his service Reasons 1. Because every mercy inferreth an answerable Duty 2 Chron. 32. 25. But Hezekiah rendred not according to the benefit done unto him There must be rendring according to receiving 2. This is the fittest return partly because 't is real not verbal The Lord cares not for words he knows the secret spring of the heart Isai. 38. 9. and see Psal. 50. 23. 'T is good to be speaking good of Gods name This is one way of glorifying but ordering the Conversation aright is that which is most pleasing to him And partly too because our Cloggs of fear and sorrow and other impediments are taken away Psal. 119. 32. I will run the ways of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart This was Gods end to deliver us out of the hands of our enemies that we may serve him without fear Luke 1. 74 75. Those Wretches that said Ier. 7. 10. We are delivered to do all these abominations to return to the practices of their vile courses afresh did pervert Gods end in their deliverance What use shall we make of such a Point in our deep sorrows Answ. First We are not altogether without this benefit 2 Chron. 7. 12. The Lord said I have heard thy prayer Many times God maketh his love conspicuous to his people in a low condition they are oppressed sore but not grinded to powder 't is a blessing we are not quite destroyed Exod. 1. 12. The Israelites the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied and the Egyptians were grieved for the Children of Israel that they were not extinguished God dealeth with us as then he did with them 2 Sam. 12. 7. 〈◊〉 I will grant them some deliverance Secondly We are now under the sad effects of our former unthankfulness and by â—…membring our duty we may see our sin Hos. 4. 3 4. Ingratitude and walking unanswerably to received mercy is the great and crying sin of Gods people therefore we should humble our selves that we did so little good in former times of liberty that God had so little glory and service from us Now God by his present Providence sheweth us the difference Deut. 28. 47 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies c. 2 Chron. 12. 8. Nevertheless they shall be his servants that they may know my service and the service of the Kingdoms of the Countries First we must be humbled for the abuse of former mercies before we seek new Thirdly That we may know what to have in our eye when we are asking for mercies The end is first in intention though last in execution Do not pray to serve thy lusts more freely nor think how to execute revenge be quits with those that hate us nor how we shall be provided for but what glory and service we may bring to God Psal. 75. 2. When I shall receive the Congregation I will judge uprightly These mercies must not be abused to licentiousness or to nourish our selves in sin or stupid security but in duty and service Fourthly It teacheth us how to make our promises and oblige our selves to God When you come to promise duty and obedience to God be sure to be sincere and holy make due provision that it may be so by mortifying the roots of such Distempers as will betray us When a people in a low condition have a real inclination to praise and glorifie God by their mercies as soon as they shall receive them 't is an Argument God will hear and grant III. But when we are praying for deliverance we should interpose promises of obedience as David doth here Deliver me from the oppression of man so will I keep thy precepts 1. To shew there is the ratio dati accepti to shew the law of giving and receiving is natural to us 't is an ingraffed principle in mens minds When we think of Gods giving we should think of returning something An intercourse between God and us is maintained by mercies and duties not that God needeth or that we can oblige him but this qualifieth us Intercourse is lost when we would receive all and return nothing 2. A solemn promise is necessary to excite and quicken our dulness or a Bond upon us or a Bridle to our inconstancy We cannot unbind our selves again from our strict obligation to obedience Use. Well then let us make good the vows of our distress they must be payed or else God is mocked Eccl. 5. 4. When thou vowest a vow unto God deferr not to pay it for he hath no pleasure in fools Pay that which thou hast vowed Job 22. 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy vows SERMON CL. PSAL. CXIX VER 135. Make thy face to shine upon thy Servant and teach me thy Statutes THis Verse is wholly precatory Most of the Verses of this Psalm have a Prayer with an Argument but here both the Branches are petitory Observe in the words 1. The blessings prayed for 2. The order of these Petitions 3. The connexion that is between them 1. The blessings he prayeth for are two First For Gods favour and secondly For his direction in Gods ways spiritual consolation and encrease of sanctification David could not live out of Gods favour nor without his direction therefore he prays heartily for both 2. The order of these Petitions First Make thy face to shine and then Teach me thy Statutes Gods favour is the fountain of all goodness to his Children and Servants and until we have that we can have
Psal. 94. 15. Iudgment shall return unto righteousness and all the upright in heart shall follow it Sometimes they are asunder Earthly Judges may refuse the justice of righteousness a Judg may suspend the act of his own judgment but they shall not long be severed God will bring forth his righteous Judgment Zach. 8. 17. These things I hate saith the Lord. And then in regard of his Providence God will not be unmindful of his promise Psal. 9. 7 8 9. He hath prepared his Throne for judgment and he shall judge the world in righteousness he shall minister judgment to his people in uprightness Courts of Justice among men are not always open they have Term-time but God is always ready to hear Paintiffs They make Complaints amongst men and they are delayed so much and so long that they are discouraged But we have a friend that is always ready to hear Psal. 48. 10. Thy right hand is full of righteousness for defending his people and punishing his enemies Use 3. To press us to acknowledge this Justice of God that he governeth all things righteously especially when you are under his mighty hand The Lord takes it ill when you question any of his Providences Ezek. 18. 25. Are not my ways equal He will be clear when he judgeth Psal. 51. 4. God will be justified in all that he hath done or shall do for the punishment of sin and therefore when the hand of God is upon you take heed you do not reproach God When his hand is smart and heavy upon you remember affliction opens the eyes of the worst men Nebuchadnezzar that knew no God but himself no happiness but in pleasing his own humour yet when he was whipped and scourged hear him speak Dan. 4. 37. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven all whose works are truth and his ways judgment and those that walk in pride he is able to abase Pharaoh Exod. 2 27. The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked These Acknowledgments and Confessions come from wicked men as Water out of a Still forced by the fire But if affliction opens the eyes of wicked men surely when we are under Gods afflicting hand we should give him the glory of his Justice and acknowledge that he is clear in all that he brings upon us He takes it ill when we murmure and tax his Judgment Mic. 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and execute judgment for me And Lam. 1. 18. The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandment And when we submissively stoop and accept of the punishment of our sin after he hath been provoked then God will plead for us Lev. 26. 41. When we stoop humbly under Gods correcting hand and bear it patiently and say God is just in all this then it will succeed well Observe the Justice of God especially his remarkable Judgments upon others The Church is brought in acknowledging of it Rev. 15. 3. Iust and true are thy ways thou King of Saints And Rev. 19. 3. True and righteous are his Iudgments Not that we should sit Crowners upon other mens souls and judge their spiritual condition and misinterpret Providence I look upon it as a great sin of a faction and perverse humors But clearly when mens sins are so great that the Judgments of God have overtaken them we ought to say Iust and true art thou O Lord and just in all thy Iudgments I might shew here is much to keep the Children of God in awe the Lord is a righteous God though they have found mercy and taken sanctuary at his Grace the Lord is impartial in his Justice God that did not spare the Angels when they sinned nor his Son when he was a Sinner by imputation will not spare you though you are the dearly Beloved of his soul Prov. 11. 31. The sinful courses of Gods Children occasion bitterness enough they never venture upon sin but with great loss If Paul give way to a little pride God will humble him If any give way to sin their Pilgrimage will be made uncomfortable Gods hand may be smart and dismal Eli for negligence and indulgence there 's the Ark of God taken his two Sons slain in battel his Daughter in Law dies he himself breaks his Neck O the wonderful Tragedies that sin works in the houses of the Children of God! And David when he intermedled with forbidden fruit was driven from his Palace his Concubines defiled his own Son slain a great many calamities did light upon him Therefore the Children of God have cause to fear for the Lord is a just God and they will find it so here upon earth he hath reserved liberty to visit their iniquity with Rods and their transgression with Scourges I might press you to imitate Gods righteousness 1 Iohn 2. 29. If ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doth righteousness is born of God You have a righteous God and here 's the thing you should copy out SERMON CLV PSAL. CXIX VER 138. Thy Testimonies which thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful IN the former Verse the Prophet had spoken of the righteousness of God now God is essentially righteous and therefore all that proceedeth from him is righteous A Carpenter that hath a Rule without him and a Line to measure his work by may sometimes hit and sometimes miss but if you could suppose a Carpenter the motion of whose hand were his Rule he could never chop amiss So must we conceive of God his Act is his Rule Holiness is his Essence not a superadded quality his righteousness is himself therefore from this righteous God there proceedeth nothing but righteousness and from this faithful God nothing but faith He discovereth his Nature both in the Acts of his Providence and the Institutions of his Word We cannot reason so concerning men that because they are righteous nothing cometh from them but what is righteous because righteousness is not their nature but an adventitious quality therefore good men may make ill Laws for though they be meant for good they may be deceived And sometimes wicked men may make good Laws to ingratiate themselves and for the interest of their affairs but God being essentially necessarily good holy and righteous his Laws are also good holy and true Thy Testimonies which thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful In the Words observe I. That there is a Revelation of Gods Will in his Word Thy Testimonies II. The Authority wherewith his Revelation is backed Which thou hast commanded III. The intrinsick worth and excellency of these Testimonies it is double They are 1. Righteous 2. Very faithful In the Hebrew righteousness and faithfulness that is very right and very faithful the one word is referred to the Agenda in Religion the other to the Credenda they are worthy to be obeyed
passage out of the one into the other shall be yours also It is also the beginning and foundation of all Obedience and if this were once seriously and heartily done other things would succeed the more easily He that is indeed Gods will use himself for Gods glory and service and God shall have a share in all that he hath and doth Rom. 14. 7 8. None of us liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself for whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords They came off so freely 2 Cor. 8. 5. And this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the Will of God This enliveneth our whole work it is no hard matter to perswade them that have given up themselves to God to part with any thing for Gods Use. III. Because of the danger both in regard of Sin and Judgment if we do it not aright 1. In regard of Sin rash and sudden engagements are seldom sound Mar. 13. 20 21. The stony ground received the Word with joy and forthwith the good seed sprang up but the blade soon withered usually suddain undertakings are accompanied with faint and feeble prosecutions and though men are warm and passionate for the present within a while it cometh to nothing All their promises are broken as Tow is burnt in the fire 2. In regard of Judgment every Consecration implyeth an Execration if you break with God after you have ingaged your selves to him your Condition is worse it aggravateth every deliberate sin and hastens Judgment for God will avenge the quarrel of his Covenant Lev. 26. 25. better never begin or the word pass out of your Mouths or thought enter into your Heart unless you be sincere mean as you say It is dangerous to alienate things once Consecrated this is the worst kind of Sacriledge that shall not go unpunished Use. You see then what seriousness we should use in devoting our selves to God or promising Obedience to him 1. Remember the weakness of a Creature that you may resolve in God's strength 2. Consider incident Temptations whether any thing be like to shake you in your Covenanted Course that you may arm your selves against it 3. Consider your more particular affections where the business is like to stick most there are tender parts 4. Consider the weight and importance of Subjection he will not be contented with a little Religiousness by the by but you must love him with all your heart and all your soul and serve him with all your might 5. Consider the strength of your Resolution that you be irrevocably everlastingly put under the Soveraignty and Command of God Thus do and you will find success and comfort in your Deed. Now to the words themselves there is first an Intimation of a Prayer where 1. The Vehemency I cryed 2. The Object or Person to whom to thee I cryed David keepeth up his Fervour What Crying in Prayer is I have shewed in the former Verse I shall observe now Doctrine III. That great Trouble and sense of Danger puts an edge upon Prayer and kindleth our Affection in it When Israel was under sore bondage God saith Exod. 3. 6. I have seen the affliction of my people in Aegypt and have heard their cry Afflictions make us cry in prayer not only speak An ordinary Affection is vox orationis it speaketh to God in prayer but a vehement Affection is clamor orationis the cry of Prayer Ordinary prayers speak to God but earnest prayers cry to God and though remiss and cold wishes vanish in the Air yet strong cries pierce the Heavens They have a shrill accent and cannot be kept out from God Iudg. 4. 3. The Children of Israel cryed unto the Lord for he had nine hundred chariots of Iron So Iudg. 6. 5 6 7. They cryed to the Lord because of the Midianites who came up as Grasshoppers David Psal. 18. 6. In my distress I called to the Lord and cryed to my God he heard my voice out of his Temple and my cry came before him even into his ears He prayed not seldom but often and frequently not slackly but with fervency and earnestness 1. Affliction will teach men to pray that never prayed before The rude Mariners in a storm called every man upon his God Qui nescit orare discat navigare Ionah 1. 5. Those that neglect God at other times as if they had no need of him or pray faintly are then glad to seek to him for succor and safety Psal. 73. 34. When he slew them then they sought him and enquired early after God The natural principle of fear of death and love of self preservation puts them upon it So Ier. 2. 27. In their affliction they will say arise and save us Iudges 10. 10. And the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord saying we have sinned against thee And Verse 14. Go and cry unto the Gods that ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your Tribulation 2. Good ones that prayed before will pray better and oftener and with greater seriousness Therefore God puts his own in streights to quicken their Affections Isa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them So Hos. 5. 15. I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early When we are pressed hard on all sides then the Throne of Grace is more frequented we are driven to it Ioab would not come at Absaloms call till he set his Barly field on fire 1. Use. Be content to be cast into such an estate that you may learn to pray for alas we are but Cursory at other times but then our Necessities whip us to the Throne of Grace that was set up for a time of need Then is a time to put Promises in suit to make use of our interest in God We mis-expound the voice of Gods Providence we expound trouble to be his casting off putting us from him they are his voice calling his hand pulling us to him it is a time of drawing nigh we are allowed Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in a day of trouble The day of Trouble is the fruit of Sin a part of the old Curse when we think him feel him an enemy he is drawing us nearer to him Blessed season to bring God and you together When our Troubles Chase us to the Throne of Grace God is not wholly gone he hath left somewhat behind him to draw us to himself 2. Use. It reproveth them that neglect God in their Troubles Dan. 9. 13. All this is come upon us yet we have not made our Prayer unto thee You defer the dispensation Now you should make up your former negligene unprofitableness under the Rod is an ill presage when God
the Lord God even thou onely When they have a good Cause and a good Conscience this they may do and this they ought to do and they will have Comfort in it The last thing which I shall observe is Doctrine V. That Prayer for Deliverance should be accompanied with serious purposes of Obedience Then saith David I will keep thy Testimonies 1. Because this is the best expression of Gratitude and Thankfulness I take it for granted that every Mercy from God deserveth a thankful return on the Creatures part as we expect a return of our Prayers so God expecteth a return of his Mercies and therefore we should be as careful to give him what he requireth as we are careful to seek of him that which we need for even in our Commerce with God there is ratio dati accepti I presume again that there is no such expression of Thankfulness as Obedience Verbal thanks are but a cold return Thanks-doing â—…s â—…he best Thaâ—…ksgiving Psalm 50. 2â—… He that offereâ—… praise gloriâ—…eth we and 〈◊〉 him that oâ—…ereth his conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God Yea once more that we should think of this afore-hand while we are asking the Mercy in our distress we should engage our selves to glorifie God both in word and deed Again the time that we have our Mercies for in Affliction we consider and are more serious and afterwards we should keep the Conscience of our Obligation 2. It it a sign the Rod hath done its work and then it will be gone when it hath convinced you of former failings and put you upon serious purposes Iob 34. 31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have borne chastisement I will offend no more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more Otherwise what we ask of temporal Mercy is either denied us or we get it in Wrath. 3. You have a true notion of Deliverance you look upon it as an ingaging Mercy therefore if God alter your Condition you are bound to serve him The end of oâ—… great Deliverance is Service Luk. 1. 74 75. That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life All deliverances out of Streights are Branches and Appendices of the great Redemption of our Souls unto eternal Life and have the same End and Use. Psalm 105. 45. That they might observe his Statutes and keep his Laws That is the end of all deliverance out of trouble to engage the hearts of his People to Obedience heart to serve him opportunity to serve him 4. A Gracious heart desireth nothing to himself alone and cannot be content to have the use of any benefit to himself onely but eyes God in all his enjoyments and all his requests therefore his great aim is that he may be in the better Condition to keep Gods Commandments for they live unto God Romans 14. 7 8. For none of us liveth unto himself and no man dieth unto himself For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord. Whether we live therefore or dye we are the Lords In every state they would be unto God what they are when they seek to be delivered it is that they may be in the better condition and capacity to serve God and have more opportunities to glorifie his Name Use. To perswade us to seek deliverance with these aims 1. This is the Temper of the People of God that which urgeth to Prayer is his Glory that which is their scope is his service It is seen partly by the secret workings and purposes of their Souls what they do with their Mercies when they have them what they please themselves with in the supposition of obtaining them What is it with the satisfying of their Revenge providing for their Families living in Pomp and Ease or that they may serve God Psalm 75. 2. When I shall receive the Congregation I will judge uprightly if ever God give an opportunity again And partly by the preparations they are afraid of a treacherous Heart therefore fitting themselves to enjoy the Mercy before they have it as the Apostle learned to abound Phil. 4. 11 12. Partly by the Arguments they urge in Prayer Psalm 88. 10 11 12. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead shall the dead arise and praise thee shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave or thy Faithfulness in destruction Shall thy wonders be known in the dark and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness So Psalm 106. 47. Save us O Lord our God and gather us from among the heathen to give thanks unto thy holy Name and to Triumph in thy Praise A true Believer would have Comfort not for his own Satisfaction but to glorifie God 2. Then we are sure to speed when our End is right Iam. 4. 3. Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts We may speak it with confidence our prayers miscarry for want of a right End 3. The Equity of this God hears us that we should hear him SERMON CLXV PSALM CXIX VER 147. I prevented the dawning of the Morning and cryed I hoped in thy Word DAvid still goeth on to give us an account of his Fervour in Prayer I cried That which we have new in this Verse is First His Vigilancy and Diligence I prevented the dawning of the morning and cryed Secondly The Reason and Incouragement of this Instant and Assiduous Praying I hoped in thy Word First His Vigilancy and Diligence I prevented c. He rose betimes to meditate and pray the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heschius defineth that time to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a time of no business when others were sleeping David was praying the word prevented is emphatical David lived as it were in a strife with Time being careful it should not over-run him he pressed to get before it by doing some good in it and to get before hand with the day Doctrine Those that make a business of Prayer will use great Vigilancy and diligence therein I say That make a business of Prayer others that use it as a Complement and customary Formality will not be thus affected or do it as a thing by the bye or a work that might well be spared do not look upon it as a necessary duty but if a mans heart be in it he will be early at work and follow it close morning and night his business is to maintain Communion with God his desires will not let him sleep and he gets up early to be calling upon God Psal. 88. 13. But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my Prayer prevent thee Thus will good men even break their sleep to give themselves to Prayer and calling upon the Name of God
only allowed to plead for themselves but they have an Advocate to plead for them The very Judge is their Advocate Oh let us hold God to this latter Covenant and Judgment of Grace Mercy and Goodness Lord upon these terms we dare come unto thee Secondly Consider the Blessing offered in this Covenant Heb. 4. 16. Mercy and grace to help It offereth Mercy for Pardon of Sins a Blessing which the Law knew not and Grace to help that 's for our purpose 'T is a Covenant which alloweth you expences to run the way of Gods Commandements gives you straw to make your Brick filleth your hand to pay the Master's Rent 'T is not an hard Master to reap where it soweth not but will cause you to walk and run whither it sends you Thirdly Consider There is nothing in God contrary to us or standeth in our way for it is all removed by this Judgment or Covenant If any thing 't is the Justice of God but that doth not stand in our way being satisfied by Christ. 1. If you take Justice as it implyeth his Remunerative and Vindictive Justice we have the Merit of Christ to plead There is a Ransom paid by him to whom the sinner is fled for refuge So that God may do us good without any blemish or imputation of defect to his Righteousness and Justice against Sin Rom. 3. 24 25. 1 Ioh. 1. 9. 2. As Righteousness implyeth the rectitude of his Nature In thy faithfulness answer me and in thy righteousness Psal. 143. 1. These things that terrifie others comfort the Godly The Righteousness and Truth of God are their Support His veracity is a part of his Righteousness as it becometh every Just man to make good his Promises SERMON CLXVIII PSALM CXIX VER 150. They draw nigh that follow after mischief they are far from thy Law HEre in this Verse he giveth an account what was the cause of his frequent and earnest crying unto God of his Hope Meditation begging for Quickening because he was ready to be destroyed by those who every day went off further and further from Gods Law they were ready to accomplish their wicked and malicious purpose upon him and prepared for it and even now at his heels to do him harm and mischief they draw nigh c. In the Words we have First An Intimation of approaching danger they draw nigh that follow after mischief Secondly A Description of those from whom the danger was feared they are far from thy law First They draw nigh c. The enemy is at hand even at the doors the Prophet speaketh as if he did hear the sound of his feet yet they are as far from thy Law as near to destroy me Doctrine Extream danger may sometimes draw nigh unto and even tread upon the heels of Gods People Reasons I. From the implacable Malice of their Enemies 1. They seek the Destruction of the People of God nothing less will content them this is implyed in the word mischief in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 83. 4. Come let us cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may no more be in remembrance That 's their aim that not one of that denomination be left Psal. 137. 7. Rase rase it even to the foundation thereof Nothing will satisfie them but utter Ruin and Extirpation they that expect milder Terms from the seed of the Serpent flatter themselves with a vain hope 2. They follow this end with all industry and diligence this is implyed in the phrase that follow after mischief They watch all occasions pursue every advantage to bring their purpose to pass Some in Scripture are said to follow after Righteousnes Isa. 51. 1. it noteth their constant Trade and Study It may be rendred Pursuers of Righteousness as in the text Pursuers of Mischief They that follow after Righteousness are such as continue constant in the serious and sedulous practice of Holiness and they that follow after Mischief are such as are unwearied in the Prosecution of their Malicious Designs It implyeth a Metaphor taken from the vehemency of Huntsmen in the pursuit of their Foe or Prey So Prov. 21. 21. He that followeth after Righteousness and Mercy findeth life And Heb. 12. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follow peace and holiness As Asâ—…el pursued Abner 2 Sam. 2. 19. and turned not to the right hand or to the lefâ—… from following after Abner The Sept. render here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they earnestly seek to undo me II. From the Providence of God who permitteth malicious Enemies to draw nigh to his people and to have many advantages against his people for Holy and Righteous Ends. 1. That this it the usual Course of Gods Providence to suffer his people to be reduced to great dangers and extremities that there is not an hairs breadth between them and ruin Paul was in the very mouth of the Lion 2 Tim. 4. 17. before God delivered him by the Lion he meaneth Nero a bitter enemy to the Christians and the Lamb was brought bound to him the Prey was in the Lions mouth before God delivered him 2 Cor. 1. 10. compared with 1 Cor. 15. 32. and both with Acts 14. 19. I gave my self for dead 't was a thousand to one he had not been sacrificed to the fury of the multitude So was David often near taking dangers which he did or could hardly escape Psal. 54. the Title When the Ziphims discovered him to Saul So Psal. 57. the Title When he fled from Saul in the Cave the Army of Saul at the mouth of the Cave and Saul cometh into it and yet God blinded him so that he escaped So the Church Psal. 124. 1 2 3. If it had not been the Lord that was on our side now may Israel say if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick when their wrath was kindled against us They were in the midst of their fears 2. Why is this his usual Course 1. To exercise their Trust and Dependance Graces are seldom exercised to the life till we are near the point of Death now rather than God will suffer his people to live by sense without manifesting Grace and bringing honour to their Profession and the Truth of his Promises he will cast them into great dangers The skill of a Pilot is seen in a storm so is Faith put to 't in great conflicts as 't is in Cares so in Fears many are reduced to great streights in the Family no Meal in the Barrel no Oyl in the Cruise Ioh. 6. 4 5 6. When Iesus then lift up his eyes and saw a great multitude come unto him he saith unto Philip Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat And this he said to prove him for he himself knew what he would do A poor Believer is put to 't Children increase Trading seemeth dead what shall we do When danger is danger
we should let them slip for if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and every disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation The word spoken by Angels was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was only worth questioned no but the truth also because so little believed therefore so little thought of less desired least of all pursued and sought after 2 Pet. 1. 16. We have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Iesus but were eye-witnesses of his Majesty Use. Oh study to be informed more and more of this great Truth le ts think of and often consider the unerring Certainty of the Scripture 'T is a Truth not to be supposed and taken for granted but known that you may build sure Man is apt to suspect Evangelical Truths as being cross to his Lusts and Interests You will find it of use not only in great Temptations when we are apt to question all Psal. 73. 13. but in ordinary practice in every Prayer Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith 'T is not an Assurance of our particular estate or our Title to Eternal Life but a full Assurance of the Word and Promise of God that is necessarily required in every one that will draw nigh to God Let us ask in faith nothing doubting Iam. 1. 7 8. 2. Do not content your selves with a light Credulity but grow up to a full perswasion 2 Tim. 3. 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them And Col. 2. 2. That their hearts being comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding Not a fluctuating doubting Knowledge but a full perswasion of the Truth of the Gospel Luk. 1. 4. That thou mayest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed Col. 1. 23. If thou continue in the faith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel a rooted perswasion that 't is the undoubted Truth of God the firmness of Faith should answer the firmness of Gods Word There are several degrees of Assent Conjecture Opinion weak Faith and receiving the Word in much Assurance 1 Thes. 1. 6. There is Belief Confidence Assurance and full Assurance Belief is grounded on Gods Word in general and all the Truths and Propositions therein contained Confidence on the Promise the one goeth before the other Fidelity is before Dependance and Belief for the Promise is first a Truth and so to be considered before it can be conceived under the formal notion of a Promise full Assurance is grounded on the Fidelity and Immutability of God no man believeth so far but he may believe more Doct. III. That Experiences of former times should give us encouragement to trust God for what is future Thy Testimonies I have known of old saith David So the Children of God make use of them See Davids Instance 1 Sam. 17. 36. Thy servant slew both the Lion and the Bear and this uncircumcised Philistian shall be as one of them Moreover David said the Lord hath delivered me from the paw of the Lion and the paw of the Bear and he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine Thus he argueth from former experience to future deliverance I trust in the same God who is able to give the same strength and why should I not look for the same success So Iacob Gen. 32. 10 11. I am not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies and of the Truth thou hast shewed to thy servant for with my staffe I passed over this Iordan and now I am become two bands deliver me I pray thee from the hands of my brother Esau. So Psal. 23. 5 6. Thou hast prepared a table for me in the presence of mine enemies Surely goodness and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life He hath been good to me and if it be for his glory he will be still good to me he hath been my God and will be my God and shall be my God for ever 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who hath delivered from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust he will yet deliver us In all respects of time we stand in need of deliverance when one is past another cometh there have been dangers there are dangers and there will be dangers but God hath doth and will deliver It is a Trade God hath used an Art he is versed in and never at a loss about Our God is a God of Salvation and is excellent in working of it Reasons of the Point I. Gods Constancy and Unchangeableness God is the same alwayes like himself for Mercy Power and Truth he is never at a loss what he hath done he can do and will do I am is Gods Name not I have been or shall be his Providence is new and fresh every Morning Lament 3. 23. God is but one God Gal. 3. 20. Alwayes like himself as he hath delivered so he doth and will Isa. 59. 1. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that he cannot save neither his ear heavy that he cannot hear No decay in him when we give to another we give from our selves we waste by giving the Creatures are at a stint and soon spend their allowance but God cannot be Exhausted there is no decrease of Love and Power no wrinkle upon the brow of Eternity II. Experience begets Confidence Rom. 5. 3. And patience experience and experience begets hope The heart is much confirmed when it hath Faith and Experience of his side If we were as we should be the Promise should be beyond all Experiences for it is the Word of him that cannot lye Experience addeth nothing to the certainty of the Promise nor any Authority to it only in regard of our weakness 't is an help and sensible Confirmation against our distrustful Cares and Fears Sense and Experience is not the ground of Faith we must believe God upon his bare word yet 't is an encouragement Ioh. 20. 29. Because thou hast seen me thou hast believed Then more encouraged when felt Christ. We have a double proof and experience 1. What God is able to do for us 2. What God will do again when his own Glory and our need requireth it 1. We know what God can do former Deliverances are as so many Monuments and significations of his Power Isa. 51. 9. Awake awake O arm of the Lord art not thou he that cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon awake and put on strength as in the ancient dayes Rahab is Egypt Psal. 87. 4. the Dragon Pharaoh Ezek. 29. 3. the Dragon or Crocodile of Egypt Can he do this and not do that Upon every experience we that learn by sense should be more strongly perswaded of Gods Power 'T
imports his knowledge accompanied with a tender Love This is often spoken of in Scripture Exod. 2. 28. God looked on the Children of Israel and had respect to them So Exod. 3. 7. And the Lord said I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their task-Masters and have known their sorrows Acts. 7. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people or seeing I have seen the very sight of God is a comfort and support to a sinking Soul it is some comfort to us to have our crosses known to such as we are assured do love us if they condole with us though they be not able to help us so that the Lord looketh upon us with a merciful pitiful Eye 2. As God will cast the Eye of his Pity on us so he will put forth the Arm of his Power as he hath a merciful Eye so he hath a powerful Hand ready to help though sometimes we see nothing of this 2 Chron. 16. 9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth to shâ—…w himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him there is his Care and effective Providence 2. Be sure you keep up your Qualification I do not forget thy Law Many times when men in their Prosperity do not regard God and his Commandments he regardeth them in their Streights for though we forget the Duty of Children he doth not forget the Mercies of a Father but surely he will not forget them that do not forget his Law Therefore it is not credible that God should forget us and our Condition that we should be more mindful of his Law than he of our Affliction he that puts us in mind of his Law will also put himself in mind of the troubles we endure for the keeping of it for certainly God is more mindful of his part of the Covenant then we can be of ours See Christs Argument Ioh. 17. 10. And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them Doctrine IV. We may ask Deliverance from Temporal Troubles not only Support but Deliverance So doth David 1. God hath promised Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of Trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me 2. Much of God is discovered in it His Wisdom 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of Temptation We are at a loss many times but God is never at a loss His Power Dan. 3. 17. If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King when the wrath of the King was great and the fiery furnace burning before them His Goodness God is sufficiently inclined to it by his own Grace and delights to do it Psal. 149. 4. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with Salvation he loveth the Person of Believers and loveth their Prosperity and Happiness and delighteth to see them do well in the World he hath pleasure in the Prosperity of his Servants Psal. 35. 27. which is a good incouragement to pray for it 2 Sam. 14. 1. Ioab perceived that the Kings heart was towards Absalom Yea not only his Love but the constancy and unweariedness of his Love 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who delivereth us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us there are all respects of time Solomon saith Prov. 25. 17. Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbours house lest he be weary of thee and so hate thee Men waste by giving but I AM is Gods Name we still need and he is still a giving 2 Tim. 3. 11. Thou hast fully known my persecutions afflictions which came unto me at Antioch c. But out of them all the Lord delivered me So many Troubles so many gracious Experiences of God Psal. 34. 19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of them all Iob 5. 19. He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven shall no evil touch thee Seven is the number of perfection God can and doth deliver us as often as we need deliverance When Clouds return after the Rain or one evil treadeth on the heels of another he hath a succession of Mercies for our succession of Sorrows We are dismayed when we see one trouble is over and another cometh we have the same God still the same certainty of his Mercy in delivering Many times God so delivereth that the Troublers of his people shall come in their room Prov. 11. 8. The righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked cometh in his stead As the Leprosie of Naaman went to Gehazi His Faithfulness which he hath laid at pledge with us that he will make a way to Escape 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation also make a way for you to escape that you may â—…e able to bear it His Dominion and Soveraignty Psal. 44. 4. Thou art my King O God command deliverances for Iacob he hath all things at his Command all second causes the hearts of his Enemies 3. We have greater opportunities to serve God Psal. 119. 134. Deliver me from the oppression of man so will I keep thy precepts Luk. 1. 74 75. That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our Enemies should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life Use. They are too nice that think we may not ask of God temporal Mercies it is lawful to ask them if we ask them lawfully with a submission to God and for his Glory that we may serve him more chearfully so you may ask a deliverance out of your Troubles Doctrine V. Those that would have God to deliver them out of their Afflictions should be sure they do not forsake their Duty All the Evil that David suffered could not weaken his love to the Law of God nor draw him from the Obedience of it and what was the issue He pleadeth this in Prayer to God Reasons 1. Because if we do so the nature of our sufferings is altered both as to God and Man as to Man we do not suffer as evil doers 1 Pet. 4. 15. But let none of you suffer as a Murderer or as a Thief or as an evil doer or as a busie body in other mens matters which will much darken our Comfort and Glory in suffering though for the main you have an interest in God if by your miscarriage you have deserved the stroke of humane Justice as to God your sufferings are not Castigatory but Probatory Rev. 2. 10. The Devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tryed not punished but tryed 2. Because
to plead and standeth to judge his people He will bring matters under a Review and will powerfully shew himself against their Oppressors To this pleading Iob alludeth when he saith Iob 23. 6. Will he plead against me with his great power if he should use his Almighty and Invincible power against me he would easily ruine me So Ezek. 38. 22. I will plead against him with Pestilence and with Blood against Gog and Magog that is the Sythians Turks and Tartars So that you see that God's pleading is not by speaking or by Word of Mouth but by the Veugeance of his Providence against those that wrong his people So against Babylon Ier. 51. 36. Thus saith the Lord Behold I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee But that this is a mixt act of Patron and Judge see Micah 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and execute Iudgment for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his Righteousness When Gods People provoke him to anger by their sins he casteth them into Troubles and then their Adversaries are Chief and their Cause is much darkned and obscured all this while God is pleading against them but it is not the Enemies Quarrel but his own Vindication of abused Mercy and Goodness but when once the controversie is taken up between God and them by their Submission and clearing his Justice and imploring his Mercy then God will plead their Cause and take their part against the instruments of his Vengeance and clear their righteous cause who only sought their own ends in afflicting them when God hath exercised their Humility and Patience he will thus do and how I pray you will he plead for them the Text saith there by executing Judgment for them that is by putting his sentence in Execution and then will restore to them their wonted priviledges and own them in the publick view of all and make manifest they are his he will bring them forth to the Light and they shall see his Righteousness 3. The Effect of God's pleading which is the clearing of God's people and the convincing of their Adversaries which God doth partly by the Eminency and Notableness of the Providences whereby he delivereth his people and the markes of his Favour put upon them Nehem. 6. 16. And it came to pass that when all our Enemies heard thereof and all the Heathen that were about us saw these things they were much cast down in their own eyes for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God Their own Judgments were convinced of their folly in opposing the Iews the extraordinary success shewed the hand of God was in it by such incredible and remarkable occurrences doth God bring about their deliverance So Micah 7. 10. When God shall plead her cause then she that is mine enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which said unto me where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be trodden dâ—…wil as the mire of the streets Those who mocked her Faith should be confounded at the sight of her Deliverance Thus God delights to make the happiness of his people Conspicuous So Rev. 3. 9. Behold I will make them which are of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Iews and are not but do lie behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee He will make their Enemies to know that he hath loved them and ask them forgiveness for the wrongs and outrages done to them Partly by the Convictions of his Spirit undeceiving the World and reproving them for the hatred and malice against his People Ioh. 16. 8. The Comforter when he is come shall reprove the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Iudgment The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Comfort but Convince or Reprove put them to silence so as they shall not in Reason gainsay The Object the World the Unconverted if not the Reprobate The things whereof Convinced of Sin and Righteousness and Judgment of the Truth of Christs Person and Doctrine This was spoken for the Comfort of the Disciples who were to go abroad and beat the Devil out of his Territories by the Doctrine of the Cross that were weak men destitute of all Worldly sufficiencies and Props and Aids Their Master suffered as a seducer their Doctrine cross to mens carnal Interests for them in this manner to venture upon the raging World was a heavy discouraging thing Now the Spirit should come and convince the opposing World so far that some terrified before brought to Evangelical Repentance Acts 2. 37. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart soon desire to share in their great Priviledge Acts 8. 18 19. And when Simon saw that through laying on the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was given he offered them money saying Give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost but he was yet in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Some almost perswaded Acts 26. 28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian. Some forced to magnifie them who did not joyn with them Acts 5. 13. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them but the people magnified them Some would have worshipped them being yet Pagans Acts 14. 11 13. And when the people saw what Paul had done they lift up their voices saying in the speech of Lycaonia the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men Then the Priests of Iupiter which was before their City brought Oxen and Garlands to the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people Others bridled that were afraid to meddle with them Acts 5. 34 35. Then stood there up one in the Council a Pharisee named Gamaliel a Doctor of Law had in reputation among all the people and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space and said unto them Ye men of Israel take heed to your selves what ye intend to do as touching these men That Christ that Messias that Righteous Person one able to Vanquish the Devil thus without any visible force and with mere Spiritual Weapons by this conviction of the Spirit did the Lord subdue the World to the owning and receiving Christs Kingdom at least not go on in an high hand to oppose it God cleared Christ as righteous and Lord. II. The Necessity of this pleading 1. Because the People of God are often in such a Condition that none will plead their Cause unless the Lord plead it and therefore we are driven to him as our Judge and Patron God's design is not to gain the World by Pomp and Force but by spiritual Evidence and Power and therefore as to Externals it is often worse with his People than with others for the World is upon their Tryal and
to God to prolong their Lives a while Rom. 15. 31 32. Now I heseech you Brethren for the Lord Iesus Christs sake and for the Love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your Prayers to God for me that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea and that my service which I have done for Jerusalem may be accepted of the Saints that I may come unto you with joy by the VVill of God and may with you be refreshed 4. To breed up their Children in the Nurture of the Lord and that they may be usefull in their Familyes as Iacob desired to see Ioseph 5. We may beg it that we may not fall into the Hands of Men lose our Life by Murtherers Psal. 31. 15. My Times are in thy Hand deliver me from the hand of mine Enemyes and from them that persecute me The Dispensation of all Mercies Comforts Troubles Life Death are in Gods Hand not in Mans Power therefore we pray that it may rest there that we may not be given up to the Will of those that hate us All These Desires have a respect to the Glory of God and if conceived with submission and trust that God will do what is for the best they are all lawful Use of all 1. Exhortation it presseth you 1. To Consecrate your selves to God Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore Brethren by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a Living Sacrifice Holy acceptable unto God which is your Reasonable Service Under the Law the Bodyes of Beasts were to be slain yours is a Living Sacrifice both were set apart for God the one to dye the other to live to God 2. Having given up your selves to God use your selves for God there will be an enquiry what share God hath in your Time Acts. 27. 23. The God whose I am and whom I serve 3. Praise the Lord with Heart Mouth and Life a Christians Conversation is nothing but an Hymn to God 1 Pet. 2. 9. But ye are a Chosen Generation a Royal Priest-hood a Holy Nation a Peculiar People that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his Marvellous Light The Virtues of God his Attributes 4. When â—…er you pray for continuance of Life in any danger or distress either for your self or others propound this as the end not so much for our own Satisfaction as the honour of God A Christian is not content to have the use of the benefit to himself alone 1. For Self Every man desireth Life the whole World would all and every of them put this request to God Let my Soul live but very few consider why they should live Some desire Life only to please the flesh and that they may enjoy the Delights of the present World A Brutish wish A Heathen could say He doth not deserve the name of a Man qui unam diem velit esse in voluptate c. Certainly not of a Christian that would desire Life merely to enjoy the Delights of the flesh These would not leave their Hogs Trough to go home to their Father Some there are who desire Life to see their Children well bestowed or to free their Estate from incumbrance and are loth to part from their Natural Relations Wife Children Friends This is a natural Respect and should be subordinate to an higher End Though this Desire keeping its place may be Lawful yet out of its place sinful We use to profess Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee In short two Motives I will urge why the Glory of God should have the chief Respect in our Affections 1. The benefit it giveth Hope of prolonging Life if this desire be true and real And it giveth certain Assurance of not perishing for ever The one it doth for God doth all things with respect to his Glory Psal. 119. 94. The other also for he will glorifie those that glorifie him 2. This is the Temper of a sincere Christian surely to a Believer 'T is a piece of Self-denial to be kept out of Heaven longer Therefore it must be sweetned with some valuable Compensation something there must be to calm the Mind and contentedly to spare the enjoyment of it for a while Now next to the good pleasure of God which is the Reason of Reasons there is some Benefit we pitch upon there is nothing worthy to be compared but our service If God may have Glory if our Lives may do good a Gracious heart must be satisfied with Gracious Reasons 2. For others If we make it our Request we must have the same Aims in this Case that the Faith and Grace of others may benefit them Mar. 2. 5. When Iesus saw their faith he said unto the sick of the palsie thy sins be forgiven thee Now in such Requests bare natural Reasons should not move us but that God may not loose an Instrument of his Glory and that his Power and Providence may be more seen in the World in the Recovery 'T is good to beg of God for God Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us but unto thy Name give glory It should be accounted as a Mercy unto us Phil. 2. 27. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him and not on him onely but on me also least I should have sorrow upon sorrow 5. This End is known by the Use in Having and submission in asking 1. The use in Having how we use a Mercy when we have it if we do indeed live to the Glory of God and the rather for these Experiences 2. Submission in Asking whether we sight or are Crowned Work or receive our Reward For God is the best Judge of what is most for his own Glory Use. II. Is Direction but of this See Verse the 17. I come now to the second Point Doctrine II. That Gods Iudgments are a great help and relief to his People who desire to praise him even when they are in danger of their lives Here I shall shew I. What are Gods Judgments II. How they are an Help I. What is the meaning of Misphalim Judgements here 1. God Governeth the World that is called Judgement Psal. 9. 7. 8. He hath prepared his Throne for Iudgment he shall judge the world in righteousness he shall minister Iudgement in uprightness So Ioh. 5. 22. When the Government is put into the hands of Christ 't is said For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Iudgment unto the Son 2. God governeth the World according to this Word there is his Judgment concerning Things and Persons stating what is good and evil The Reward of the one and Punishment of the other Psal. 19. 9. The Iudgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether The Precept is the Rule of our Duty the sanction of Gods Process Therefore in Scripture the Punishments of the wicked are