unto you Ask it shal be given you Seek and you shall find Knock and it shall be opened unto you 10. For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened A Summary of all the Principal Doctrines both Literal and Mystical Collected and Illustrated in this Commentary upon the Parable of a Friend going to his Friend at Mid-night With the severall Uses and Applications thereof made Vers 5. And he said unto them Which of you shal have a Friend and shall go unto him at Mid-night and say unto him Friend lend me three loaves Doct. 1 PRescribers should exemplifie their Prescripts by their own Practise Pag. 9. Vse 1 Thence Ministers are directed how to preach profitably Pag. 10 Vse 2 And all Superiours advised to go before Inferiours in Christian Duties Pag. 11 Vse 3 And all Exhorted to be Practical as well as Verbal Pag. 12 Doct. 2 Christ makes choice of tractable Spirits to teach and instruct in the ways of Piety Pag. 13 Use Thence such as have tractable Spirits may be encouraged to attend unto the Word Pag. 14 Doct. 3 Our principal Care should be of our own Cure Pag. 15. Reas 1 For that God's honour is thereby most advanced Pag. 16. Reas 2 The good estate of the Church and State furthered Ibid. Reas 3 Our own comfort and profit is thereby enlarged Pag. 17 18. Reas 4 And that love which we owe to those under our Charge manifested Pag. 19. Use 1 Therefore the want of this Care in Governours is to be lamented Pag. 19. Use 2 And all Governours of Families perswaded to set up Religion in their Houses Pag. 22 Use 3 And Inferiours exhorted to submit to a Religious Government Pag. 30. Doct. 4 It is a profitable way of Teaching to administer Instruction by way of Interrogation Pag. 31 Use Therefore the want of this kind of Teaching is to be much lamented Ibid. Doct. 5 Matters weighty should be pressed upon the Conscience after the best manner Pag. 32 Use And thence Ministers perswaded so to Preach as that their Hearers may be best edified and affected Pag. 33 Doct. 6 A fast Friend is hard to find Pag. 33 Reas 1 For that true Friendship is onely amongst the good Pag. 34 Reas 2 Few are of the same disposition and likeness Ibid. Reas 3 And the present times are more corrupt then ever Pag. 35. Use 1 Therefore many are much mistaken in point of Friendship Pag. 35 Use 2 And those that have Friends admonished to prize them Pag. 41 Use 3 And it makes much to our shame that there is so little true Friendship amongst us Pag. 42 Use 4 Nor should we much wonder at it that we find few Friends faithful Pag. 43 Doct. 7 None but may find the want of a friend Pag. 44 Reas 1 For that man is like a Bee and cannot live alone Ibid. Vse 1 Thence the pride of some men's spirits is reproved Pag. 45 Vse 2 And all adwised to make fure of a Friend Ibid. Doct. 8 It is a sad case to be in want Pag. 53 Vse 1 Therefore such should be pitied and relieved Pag. 54 Vse 2 And all advised not heedlesly to bring themselves into it Ibid. Vse 3 And above all other wants the Soul's want is most to be lamented Pag. 55. Doct. 9 God is the good man's Friend Pag. 56. Reas 1 For he hath entered into a league of Friend-ship with them Pag. 57. Reas 2 The same Communion that is betwixt Friends is betwixt God and them Ibid. Reas 3 He is alwayes ready to hear them and pleasure them Pag. 58. Vse 1 Thence we may be informed of the Honour that God hath put upon the godly Pag. 59. Vse 2 And directed whither to go to find a Friend Ibid. Vse 3 And such as have God for their Friend may be comforted Pag. 63. Vse 4 And all admonished to take heed of wronging the Friends of God Pag. 70. Doct. 10 A Man that hath a Friend may notwithstanding be in want Pag. 71. Reas 1 For that there is a great narrownesse of Affection in the Best Ibid. Reas 2 And a great narrownesse of Power in Friends to help Ibid. Reas 3 And a great narrownesse of Discretion in helping Ibid. Vse 1 Therefore none should think all such friendlesse as be in want Ibid. Vse 2 Nor should any put too much confidence in earthly Friends Pag. 72. Doct. 11 Gods own Friends may be in a necessitous Condition Ibid. Reas 1 For that all earthly things are mutable and inconstant Pag. 73. Reas 2 It may so fall out through Sathan's malice Ibid. Reas 3 But principally through Gods providentiall Administration Ibid. Reas 4 God hath an Eye herein to his own Glory Pag. 75. Vse 1 Therefore let such as are full be admonished not to be secure Pag. 78. Vse 2 And the Hearts of such be supported as are in a needy condition Pag. 82. Doct. 12 Want of Bread is a great want Pag. 88. Reas 1 For that of all Blessings given for sustentation of this life none is more necessary Pag. 89. Reas 2 Nor doth the Want of any other temporall Blessing bring into the like distresse Pag. 90. Use 1 Therefore from hence the necessity of Tillage may be inferred Ibid. Use 2 And those who have a hand in bringing a want of Bread on themselves or Narion reproved Pag. 91. Use 3 And we be stirred up to blesse God for our present plenty Pag. 96. Use 4 And convinced of the necessity of Bread for the Soul Pag. 100. Doct. 13 A faithfull Friend is a sure Harbour Pag. 101. Reas 1 For a Friend that is neer is better then a Brother farr off Pag. 102. Reas 2 A Friend loveth at all times and is born for adversity Pag. 102. Vse 1 Wherefore desire God to raise us up some Friend in the day of Adversity Pag. 103. Vse 2 And learn what use to make of Friends in our Calamity Ibid. Vse 3 And such as pretend Friendship would be exhorted to be faithfull Pag. 105. Doct. 14 God is the Friend to whom the godly address themselves in trouble Pag. 107. Reas 1 For his Name is a strong Tower and sure defence Pag. 108. Vse 1 Therefore such are to be reproved as withdraw their Hearts from God Pag. 110. Vse 2 And we directed to fly to God alone in all our wants Pag. 112. Vse 3 And the godly comforted who have such a God to fly unto Pag. 115. Doct. 15 Diligence must be used in Distresse for Redresse Pag. 116. Reas 1 For God and the means enjoyned to be used may not be severed Ibid. Reas 2 The Promise is made onely to such as use their endeavours Ibid. Vse 1 Wherefore those who think carelesse Christians to be the choisest Christians are much mistaken Pag. 116. Vse 2 And we better advised them to fit still in the time of trouble Pag. 117. Doct. 16 Prayer is the best Remedy in the day of
King shall be his Friend saith Solomon Prov. 22 11. Prov. 22.11 Math. 5.48 Luke 6.36 1 Per. 1.16 Love purenesse or heart and purenesse of life Be holy as God is holy mercifull as God is mercifull c. Strive to be like him for likenesse breeds further love and likeing labour to be made partaker of the Divine nature conforme to his image so thou shalt have the King of Heaven for thy Friend 2 Pet. 1.4 he will enteâ— into a league of friendship with thee and become a fast Friend unto thee for ever Use 3 Again if God be the good man Friend it may afford singular comfort to the godly in that they have such a Friend â—o go unto Usually none have more enemies on earth then they none fewer friends and yet none better befriended having the great God of Heaven theirs who will not be wanting in any point of friendship to them for he that inspires friendship into others will undoubtedly keep the laws of friendship himself so esteem our friends his and our enemies his He will instruct us and counsell us protect us and provide for us And as Jehosaphat said to Ahab when they had entred into a League of friendship eath with other I am as thou art 2 Chron. 18.3 my people are as thy people my horses as thy horses so saith God to his friends my Angels are your Angels my Hosts your Hosts my servan s yours my Creatures yours He makes a Covenant even with the Beasts of the field in the behalf of the god y Hos 2.18 Job 5.21 22 23. Iob. 5.21 22 23. Indeed Sathan and his Agents hate the Godly the more for this because they are the friends of God but God will so dispose of their malice that they shall in hating of us become friendly to us against their wiâ—ls Prov. 16.7 Prov. 16.7 he will give a double triumph over their hatred and over their power No reason then to be caâ—â—down with the want of Friends 1 Sam. 1. Amâ—not I better to thee then ten Sonnes said Elkanah to Hannah why weepest thou So may God say to us why grievest thou is not my Friendship better to thee then the Friendship of a thousand worlds Obj. This is comfortable indeed to those that have assurance that God is their Friend but how may I rest assured of that Resp First Examine the frame of thy Affections whether they are wâ—olly for God and suite with his Do you love what he loveth do you hate what he hateth As you find God to stand affected so do you exercise every Affection If he be dishonoured reviled reproached do you lay it to heart as if the wrong were your own Psal 69.7.9 It was thus with David Psal 69.7.9 If so with thee then rest assured God is thy Friend and thou his Secondly True Friendship excludeth all Neutralls and Corrivalls it being only between two Unus mihi propopulo crit et populus pro uno Senec. according to Aristotle The Love of Charity is due to all but that superlative Affection that is placed on a Friend cannot well be dispersed amongst multitudâ—s So there is a certaine Love that we must give to the Creature but there is a Love due to God that no Creature must have besides himself neither Father Mother Wife Child nor ought else must step betwixt God and our hearts Math. 16.24 Math. 16.24 25. Luke 14.26 Psal 44.17 Pro. 17.17 Ruth 1.16 Revel 2.10 Delicata estamiritia quae amico um sequitur felicitatem Hieron Gen. 22.12 If it be thus then thou mayest conclude thou art the Friend of God and he thy Friend Thirdly A true Friend is tryed in Adversity Prov. 17.17 It is prosperity saith one that gets Friends but it is Adversity that tryes Friends as Naomi did Ruth If thou beest the Friend of God thou wilt cleave close unto him in the hour of Temptation Thus Christ proved his Friendship unto us and so we must to him God will fift and search the stability of our Love as he did Abrahams and if we shrink at every storme we are not Gods Friends but Hypocrits and Apostates True Friends rejoyce in their sufferings for the name of Christ as did Peter and Iohn Act. 5.40.41 Nay saith St. Paul we rejoyce not only Acts 5.40 41. but even glory in our Afflictions Rom. 5.3.5 and that because of the Love of God in Christ Rom. 5.35.39 Rom. 8.35.39 which is shed into our hearts by the Spirit that is given us 1 Cor. 2.12 1 Iohn 3.24 Fourthly a true Friend is a Friend to his Friend's Friend he will love his Friend's Friend's and his Friend's Children for his Friend's sake so Davids Friendship to Ionathan reached 2 Sam. 9.1 and extended to the Friends and Children of Ionathan So it is here if we be the Friends of God we will be the Friends of those that love God we will count his Friends ours and his enemies ours as Iehosophat said to Ahab 1 King 22.4 Psal 26.2 139.21 And thus David discovered himself to be the Friend of God Psal 16.2.139.21.22 Fifthly and lastly a true Friend disclaimes all self ends and interests in what he doth all that he aimes at is the good and wellfare of his Friend which he desires to promote Senec. Epist 9. ad Lucil. Seneca reproves such as would chuse a Friend that he might relieve them in their wants and visite them in sicknesse this saith he is but mercenary I will chuse a Friend that I may have one to shew Love unto to visit if he be sick to help if he be in want c. So for men to choose God to be a Friend unto them that they may be helped out of troubles and have their estates blessed that they may get such and such things by him This is warrantable and yet to make this the highest end of Gods Friendship is Mercenary But to choose God for my Friend that I may worship him serve him love honour and obey him for ever this is right See then that thou seekest God more then thy self 1 Cor. 10.24 let his honour and glory be preferred in all thy undertakings Jonathan was a fast Friend to David and he valued nothing of a Kingdome for Davids sake he loved him not that he expected good from him but that he might have one to whom he might shew Love Finde these things in thy self and then rest assured that God is thy Friend and thou the Friend of God Obj. But may not this Friendship betwixt God and us be broken off and lost We have told you before that Gods Friendship is not fickle Resp Aug. l. de Amicitia Prov. 17.17 A true Friend saith Solomon loveth at all times Prov. 17.17 By which saying Solomon declareth plainly saith Austin that true Friendship is eternall but if it cease at any time it was never true Gods Friendship is eternall and everlasting whom he loveth once
serve the Lord with fear that our sins may not draw this heavy judgement on us which is so little feared by us Use Yet we have one Use more to make of this for if the want of bread for the sustinance of our Bodies be so great a want then let us Reason from the lesse to the greater what a judgement must it be to want bread for the sustinance of our soules This is that Bread spoken of Isay 55.2 Math. 15.16 Isay 55.2 Math. 15.26 Luke 14.15 John 6.32 35. Amos 8.11 Luke 14.15 Iohn 6.32 -35. And there is a Famine of this Bread as well as of the other threatened Amos 8.11 as a far greater judgement by how much the Soul is more excellent then the Body This takes away the Beauty of the soul and brings heavinesse upon it Psal 106.15 Lament 4.7 8.9 It causeth a man to feed on rottennesse and filth as Drusus did on the very stuffings of his bed Psal 106.15 Lament 4 7 8 9. when by Tiberius he was kept us in a Room and denyed meat In the Roman Church for want of this Bread they fed on Lying Legends stuffed with Fables and on lying fictions It brings Death upon the sould inevitably Prov. 23.18 Hos 4.6 Amos 8.14 Prov. 29.18 Hos 4.6 So Amos 8.14 both fair Virgines and young men shall fall and never rise up again And yet how insensible are men of the want of this Bread how little do we lay to heart the condition of those who are under it When Ieremiah bewayled the state of the Jews in their Captivity he begins his Lamentation with this that the wayes of Sion lamenâ—ed no man came unto her solemn feasts Lament 1.4 all her gates were desolate and her Priests did sigh Infinite were the miseries that were upon that City in thoâ—e 18. months whilst that siege lasted as afterwards he mentions but not before he had groaned out most pitifull complaints for the spirituall Famine that they were under in that the worship of God was ceased amongst the people And is there not cause to lament the neglect of Gods woship and service that is among us in these daies for albeit we are not through Gods goodnesse come to that to travell from Coast to Coast to meet with a Prophet yet the case of many of us is like that of Tantalus who had Apples at his lips and water at his Chin yet pined for want we Famish in the midst of Plenty But thus much of the want now followes the course he takes to supply it Text. And shall go unto his Friend at Mid-night c. And here take notice first of his Addresse vers 5.6 Secondly of his Repulse vers 7. In the former observe first to whom he addresses himself unto his Friend Secondly how and in what manner he doth it He goeth to him and saith c. First of the Persons to whom the addresse himself in this his want His Friend not to a Kinsman nor a Brother nor a stranger He knocks not at his next neighbour's door But to his Friend he goes there he had most hope to speed Indeed A true Friend is a safe Neighbour A good Resuge he is in the time of trouble Litter Doct. When Saul sought the life of David and hunted him as a Partridge upon the mountaines he presently flies to Jonathan and acquaints him with his sad condition as we read 1 Sam 20.1 and adviseth with him concerning his sayety 1 Sam. 20.1 Nature taught that wretched man Haman when he was full of heaâ—inesse for the honour that was done to Mordecai to ease his heart and asswage his grief this way he gets him home and acquaints his Friends with what had happened Ester 6.19 Ester 6.13 And this is the course that Solomon advâ—seth us to take in the time of trouble Thy own Friend and thy Fathers Friend forsake not neither go into thy Brothers house in the day of thy Calamity Prov. 27.10 Prov. 27.10 As if he should have said when thou art in any trouble or affliction go not to any of thy Kindred to crave succour and help from them but go to thy faithfull and tryed Friend he gives his reason for it Reas For better is a Friend that is near then a Brother that is a farr off that is though thy Brother or Kinsman be near thee in blood yet he may be far from thee in respect of any true affection or comfort that he affords thee Nature may be without good will Amicitiarerum omnium est vinculum Amh. de fid rer invisib Prov. 18.22 and often is but Friendship cannot The love of Friendship tyes faster then the love of Nature and stickes closer according to that of Solomon Prov. 18.24 There is a Friend that sticketh faster then a Brother Frater est fere alter A Brother is almost another but Amans est alter idem cum amato Another the same with the beloved party Friends are not onely like the Cherubins whose faces were one towards another Confes l. 4. c. 6. but like Ezekiel's wheeles One within another St Austine speaking of one that used to say that his Friend was Dimidium anâ—mae concludes that he sayd well in so saying for I well perceive saith he that my soul and my Friend 's are but as one soul in two bodies by the vertue and efficacy of our stedfast love wherefore my Friend being dead it was horrour for me to live and a longer life was loathsome to me but therefore onely I stop the current of my death least in my body two souls should lose their breath Prov. 17.17 Other Reasons Solomon renders us of this point Prov. 17.17 A Friend loveth at all times and a Brother is born for Adversity He loveth at all times his love is an warm in winter as in summer Dividi locis charitas non potest nam si corpore longè distinguimur mente tamen tudivisibiles sumus Greg. l. 8. Eip. i st 42. and his heart is as open at Mid-night as at Noonday no distance of place no change of States can cause any alteration in a Friend's affections Ruth was no lesse loving and respective to Nahemi at her return to Judah empty then when she came to Moab full In every place in every estate she was all one after that they two had grown to be one And a Brother is born for adversity that is such a Friend as loveth at all times and is to be accounted as a Brother and nearer then a Brother he is born and brought forth as it were into the world to be made use of in dayes of trouble and times of tryall Not but that he is likewise born for Prosperity for we are as well to communicate with him our joyes as sorrows as we read Luke 15.9 But Adversity is the more principall end especially in our sinfull and sorrowfull estate for which God hath linked men together in the bond
suffers much by her Watchmen page 282 The Churches peace disquieted by many page 277 The Church troubled by her own Children page 280 The Church scandalized by her distractions page 288 God is highly offended with the Churches disturbers page 289 Many blessings attend on the Churches peace page 287 The Church militant like a ship on the Sea page 341 God will arise for his Churches succour page 340 Company if good comfortable in our journey page 200 Complements not altogether to be condemned page 137 Conditions required in both Covenants yet with a difference page 437 God performes the Condition for us that he requires of us ibid. The benefit of a good Conscience and horrour of an iâ—l conscience page 272 Covetous persons no sure Friends page 46 No Creature can comfort us whilst the Creator hides his face page 270 D. DAngers are to be prevented page 247 Under the greatest Darknesse seek for light page 135 Dead should not be diâ—quieted page 276 The Devill may enter into a Dead Corps and move it page 275 A double dealer not to be trusted page 47 Decree when past all hope is past page 259 Delayes whet desires page 227 God may Delay us and yet heare us page 224 Why God Delayes before he answers page 225 Meanes to sustaine our hearts under Delayes page 229 What to do when God Delayes us page 231 Denyals how to be made page 216 Depopulatours like Caterpillars page 93 Desires should be kept within bounds page 176 Rules given to that purpose ibid. Desires in some cases should reach beyond our abilityes page 181 God is better to us then our Desires page 349 He doth not alwayes answer our Desires in the same degree nor kind page 345 Gods gratious denyalls are better then his angry yieldings page 355 Discipline no family may be without page 25 Discouragements should not keep us from seeking to God page 302 Doggs their fidelity to their Masters page 193 Doore Heaven hath two leaff'd page 425 426. It stands not alwayes open page 427 No enterance into Heaven but by the Door ibid. When the Door may be said to be shut page 259 The Door is open whil'st meanes are continued page 260 When the Doore is shut Prayer is not speeding page 259 All Doors fly open to Prayer page 433 Drunkennesse brings to beggary page 94 The Drunkard not to be trusted page 47 It is a signe of Drunkennesse to forget what we heard at a Sermon page 13 E. Earlinesse twofold page 422 Earnest we must be for small things as well as great yet not with the like degree page 362 Eloquence of superiours is in Action page 12 Enemy reconciled hard to trust page 48 Endeavours must second our Prayers page 415 Enough is a language few can speak page 178 Epicurism one of England's sins page 164 Evill of two sorts page 181 How of two Evils we may chuse the lesse page 184 Example of Christ is our Samplar page 10. 15. The force of the Rule lyes in the Example page 11. Excuses sinfull manifold page 236 Experience what page 453 What is required to make Christian Experience page 460 It is good reasoning from Experience page 453 In what sense it is said to be the Mistris of fools page 455 None so wise but may learn by it page 455 Experience teacheth what reading cannot page 456 Experience may be bought too dear page 455 The benefit that comes by Experience is great page 456 How to make a right use of Experience page 458 Our Experiments to be pleaded to God page 459 It is not alwayes safe to ground our confidence upon former Experiments page 460 Others should be acquainted with our Experiences page 463 Eye of God is healing page 185 God sees through his Eye-lids page 342 F. FAith of a Christian not grounded on sense yet confirmed by it page 454 Family the Foundation of all societyes page 16 Familyes to be instructed by Governours page 15 It is a great honour to a family to be Godly page 18 The sad complaint that untaught familyes will one day make against Governours page 19 Neglect of instructing Families whence it ariseth page 20 Familyes should have Church-Government page 24 All that offer themselves may not be admitted into our Familyes page 23 In good Familyes may be some bad page 28 Familiarity with God in a humble way God admitts of page 399 Famine the sad face of it discovered page 96 The effects of it shewed page 97 Sin causeth God to send it page 100 Fare homely contented former times page 164 Feast not to be judged of by full cupps page 168 Some Feasts made not for laughter but for slaughter page 168 Rules for Feasting given page 170 Fervency wherein it consists page 358 Flattery all smooth language is not page 137 Food of the soul is to be sought after and motives thereunto page 175 Counterfeit Friends of divers sorts page 37 Friends true very few page 35 The world is a Time-serving Friend page 59 The flesh a Table-Friend page 60 The Devill a Treacherous Friend ibid. No Creature stands in such need of a Friend as man page 44 The sad condition of a Friendlesse man page 103 What Friends to make choyce of page 46 The bad wayes that some take to procure Friends page 51 The best way to obtaine them page 52 To find Friends when there is no need and to want them when there is need are both alike easie page 105 A true Friend was borne for his Friend page 107 Earthly Friends are subservient to God page 108 Earthly Friends faile us page 109 Praying Friends are best Friends page 205 Earthly Friends not to be confided in page 72 Difference amongst Friends may arise page 69 Such differences are hardly composed page 42 Adversity tryes Friends page 64 No change of state can cause any alteration in a Friends affections page 102 A Friend may be in want page 71 A Friend may deny his Friends request yet remain a Friend page 214 A Faithfull Friend a great treasure page 41 A Friend will judge his Friends case to be his own page 187 Friends love not to be suspected page 66 Two sorts of Friends to make use of in the time of Affliction page 103 Three sorts of living Friends page 104 Dead Friends to whom we may resort in our distresse page 105 Some would make the Devill their Friends page 111 Friend Paramount God only is page 108 He is generally a Friend to all page 56 But to the Godly in a more speciall manner ibid. A high honour to have God for our Friend page 59 How to be assured that God is our Friend page 64. 112 Gods Friends cleave close to him in tryalls page 64 Gods Friends love his Friends page 65 A great encourgement to come to God in that he is our Friend page 113 God only can be Friend us at all times in all places and in all our wants page 108. 109 He communicates his purposes to his Friends
he alwayes loves Iohn 13.1 But yet as we heard before in speaking of humane Friendship unkind usage may sharpen the countenance of a Friend against us Numb 11.1 Deut. 1.37 1 King 11.9 8.46 2 King 17 18. Psal 2.11 7.6.11 76.6 as Iron sharpens Iron God is of a wonderfull patient and forbearing nature slow to Anger and of great kindnesse yet by unkind usage he may be provoked to anger and hide his face and favour from us as Gods Children have found by sad experience Wherefore let care be had first to avoid all things that may Alienate his affections from us Secondly to do all that is required for the continuance of his Friendship with us Things to be avoided by us whereby his Affection may be alienated are these First a jealousie and suspition of him and his wayes as if he would not stick fast unto us Fidelem si putaveris facies Senec. ep 3. quem etiam si metuimus jus officii laedimus Cicero Orat. pro Roscio 1 Sam. 20.9 John 21.17 1 Cor. 13.7 Psal 78.18 19 20 21. Exod. 4.13 14. or could not help us Friends love not to be suspected Jonathan was much troubled when David seemed to be somewhat jealous of him 1 Sam. 20.9 And Peter was much grieved when Christ asked him the third time if he loved him Iohn 21.17 Love beleeveth all things hopeth all things saith the Apostle so that suspition ariseth from want of Love God cannot indure that we should be jealous of his promises suspect his wayes of power and providence Psal 78.18 19 20 21. Can God furnish a Table c. They said not Positively God cannot do it they only questioned it yet that provoked the most high God against them So Exod. 4.13 14. Moses before had made many excuses for not going on God errand about Israels deliverance out of Aegypt and being pressed still to that service he seemes to give an utter denyall and that with some kinde of passion Send by whom thou should'st send At this the anger of the Lord was kindled for God's espyed a jealousie in him as if God would not preserve him from them that sought his life that was the reason of his backwardnesse whatever other pretence was made of his unfitnesse for the service as appeares by that God spake afterwards unto him vers 19. All the men are dead which sought thy life Numb 20.11 So Numb 20.11 Moses seemed to suspect Gods power in bringing water out of the Rock as appeares by his words and actions in smiting the Rock thrice which God was much offended with as appeares by that sharp reproofe verse 12. God likes not that any Friend of his should be jealous of him and suspect his fidelity as hatred so love and confidence are indivisibly united Secondly murmuring at his Reproofes and Corrections makes a breach betwixt God and his Friends This appeares by that we read Num. 14.1 2 3. c. This provoked God against them Numb 14.1 2 3 11 12. verse 11.12 insomuch as he would have destroyed them had not Moses interceded for them and stood in the gap to turn away his wrath However this sent them backwards the way they came verse 25. Beware of these heart-boylings and murmurings against Gods proceedings God is list of hearing and heares the very repinings of the soul Thirdly Ingratitude in abusing former courtesies in not walking answerable to favours received For this God was offended with Solomon 1 King 11.9 God had appeared unto him twice 1 King 11.9 and yet he transgressed this makes a breach betwixt God and us Ingratitude is hatefull to him Deut. 32.6 Isay 1.2 Jer. 22 -14 Jer. 3.20 Deut. 32.6 So Ier. 22 -14 Isay 1.2 Fourthly Treacherous and perfidious dealing with God Of this God complaines Jer. 3.20 A treacherous Friend he will scarce trust Iohn 2.24 Fifthly Associating our selves in a league of Amity with Gods enemies For this God was highly offended with his Friend Iehosophat 2 Chron. 19.2 Indeed every sin is an enemie to God 1 Chron. 19.2 and so to be avoided especially known sinnes and presumptuous sinnes for these grieve and vex his Spirit Isay 63.10 Isay 63.16 Oh take heed of them As these sinnes of Commission must be avoided so no good duty may be omitted whereby his Affection may in the least kind be alienated from us First Observe him carefully and study in all things to please him It was the saying of Antigona Sophocles in Antig. that she ought to please those with whom she hoped to remaine for ever meaning the Citizens of Heaven how much more should we be carefull to please the God of Heaven and harken to his Counsells follow his advice observe his precepts and commands Gods Friends will do thus Iohn 14.15 21. 15.14 John 14.15 21. and 15.14 A Friend is grieved when he sees his Counsell is slighted or when he is thwarted or Crossed by his Friend Secondly Beware of intermitting and letting fall your ordinary and wonted resorts unto him Intermission of entercourse breedes strangenesse amongst friends and indeed they are never well but when they are in Company one with another A Friend will blame his Friend for visiting him no oftner Thus resort frequently to his house come often to his Table for as this begets friendship betwixt God and us so it preserves it being once had Thirdly Stand out for him speak in his cause No friend can delight to have his eare the grove of his Friends good name to hear his friend wronged and be silent Ecclus. 2.225 Nature did work on the dumb Son of Croesus when he saw his Father ready to be slain so that the strings of his tongue did break and he cryed out oh kill not Croesus And shall not grace work as powerfully in us when we see God dishonoured Mal. 3.15 16 17. See Math. 3.15 16 17. Fourthly Love such as are God's Friends Friends account that that which is done for a friend is done for themselves So what is done for the godly God takes as done to him God will be offended if they be not regarded Math. 25.34 35 44 45. Math. 25.45 Fifthly Rejoyce in God's friendship above all things in the world if you would have it continued A Heathen being asked where his Treasure was Psal 4.6.7 answered where Cyrus my friend is make Gods love and friendship your chief Treasure Thou Lord hast promised all good things to them that love thee saith Austin give me thy self and it sufficeth Sixthly and Lastly keep your hearts and affections loyall to him thine own friend and thy father's friend forsake thou not saith Solomon Prov. 27.10 Prov. 27.10 God is both let nothing draw our affections from him neither world flesh nor Devil nor any way diminish it Observing these rules you may rest assured that as God is your friend so he will continue to be your friend if we forsake not him he will not
of Friendship And this the wisest sort of Heathens saw by the light of Nature and held that man's Perfection depended upon a Friend Use Wherefore if God send afflictions to prove thee desire that he would be pleased of his goodnesse to raise up a Friend to help and succour thee Offic. l. 3. Nullius boni sine socio jucunda possessio est Senec. epist Dr. Hall Charac of a true friend Psal 88.18 It is one of the chiefest comforts of this life which sweetens worldly miseries to have a Friends to make our cases known unto as Ambrose shews It is a Clame and clear sea to a storm-beaten Mariner He is the comfort of miseries the guide of difficulties the medicine of life the treasure of the earth and no other then a good Angle cloathed with flesh and blood David bitterly laments the want of Friends in time of trouble that was a greater affliction to him that his Friends were removed from him than all the outward afflictions that he suffered A friendlesse man is a man unfenc't unsheltered like a house unroof'd no way able in respect of humane help to bear off the gusts of the world that blow upon him It makâ—s a man a most impotent Creature albeit he be neither blind nor lame as wanting the most necessary limbs of life without which other limbs are no better Solem è mundo tollunt qui tollunt amicitiam Amb. take away friendship from amongst men and take away the Sun out of the Firmament But of this before Use 2 You see from hence what use to make of Friends They are like those fair Havens which St. Paul makes mention of A s 27.8 Acts 27.8 A comfortable harbour against wind and weather To Christian Friends let us then resort both for counsell and comfort in any stresse of weather and unbosome our selves so far as is fitting unto such Robins Essays Nec prosperitas amicum indicat nec adversitas inimicum celat Greg. mor. l. 7. of whose wisdome and fidelity we are confident Now there are two sorts of Friends to make use of some Living and some Dead Living Friends are three sorts Some Friends there are saith one which are rather to be used then to be trusted Being more able tâ—en entire and true hearted Time of adversity Amicos secundae res optimè parant aâ—versae certissimè probant Seneca and trouble discovers tâ—ese as you have heard for albeit wealth makes Friends yet adversity proves them When thou art in any affliction or misery that is the time to â—iscover whether the â—oâ—e of thy Friend besound and substantiall or only frothy This is one Commodity that distresse brings with it for so uncertain is Friendship in Prosperity as that it is questionable whether the Person of a man or his Prosperous estate be the Beloved It is miâ—ery indeed that the knowledge of such a happinessed as a Friend cannot be had nor fully known without our own hard hap of beiâ—g in some sad condition but being so take thou the opportunity and now try such Friends in lesser matters that you may know how to trust them afterwards in greater troâ—bles And some Friends there are who are â—ather to be trusted then used save in case of-extream necessitâ— then also sparingly These are those whose truly loving Affections exceed their abiâ—ities and aâ—e apt to be call down with excessive sorrows for that Affliction which hath or may befall us There are few such Friends in the world yet some there are These should not be over-burthened by us 2 Cor. 8 2 13. Some Friends there are who are both to be used and trusted of whose ability and sufficiency we have sufficient proof No earthly thing is more deligthfull then the sweet society of these Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetnesse of a mans Friend by hearty counsell Prov. 27.9 The â—ociety and company of such a Friend is weet and gracious Prov. 27.9 as ointment and perfume is comfortable to the â—pirits of man Solatium buius vilae est ut habeas cui pectus tuum apcriâ—s cui arcana communices cui secreta tua pâ—ctoris committas Amb. de offic lib. 3. Lord Bacon his Essays p. 151. o Friendship Chap. 27. That findes enterance through the poâ—es of the bodies and having made way for it self to go in it lets out the thick vapours which clog the body an râ—joyceth the heart so the adviâ—e and counsell of a faithâ—ull Friend being admitted it excludes those passions which disturb the soul and bringeth ease unto it The fulnâ—sse and swellings of the heart cauâ—ed by passions all sorts no lesse dangerous to the soul then stoppings and suffocations are to the body are eased and diâ—charged thereby you may saith a great States-man in his time take Sarza to open the Liver sleele â—o open the speen flowers of Sulphur for the Lungs Castoreum for the brain but no receipt openeth the heart but a true Friend So saith Cassiodorus A man without a Friend Cassiod de Amicit hath not to whom he may evaporate the troubles that grow upon him but Optima medicina est homo homini The best Physick for man is man such a man as is an able and faithfull Friend to whom we may impart our joyes fears griefs hopes Amicitia prosperas res dulciores facit adversas communione temperat leviores reddit Isid l. 3. de summo bone counsells or whatsoever lyeth upon the heart to oppresse it By commucating the one viz. our joyes and comforts we double them by joying the more And by imparting out griefs and sorrows we cut them as it were in half and so mourn the lesse Besides these Living Friends there are Dead Friends to whom we may addresse our selves in the time of our distresse and these are the Good Books and writings of Godly and Orthodox Divines A living Friend hath this privileâ—ge above the dead he can better meet with our grievances and more aptly sure his advice to the Occasion what he saith is apprehended with more ease and lesse plodding and bent of mind But dead Friends have bin esteemed the best Counsellours Alphonsus in regard of Impartiality and sincerity Sir Thomas Moore gave this advice to K. Henry the 8. that he would consult with the Ancient Fathers concerning his Divorce from the Lady Katherine rather then with the Living who were apter to deceive him with their flatteries then to trouble him with the truth Indeed the counsell that these give is dry and well advised but yet above all books the Bible is to be preferred None to that Use 3 Let me not forget to leave one word of Use with you that professe Friendship before I dismisse the point See that you be faithfull in Friendship and stick close to your Friends in the day of their adversity when they stand in most need of you A Friend in need is a Friend indeed To find
Friends Joseph Antip. l. 11. c. 8. when there is no need of them and to want them when there is need are both alike easie and common Such Friends were the Samaritans to the Jewes who claimed kindred of them in their Prosperity but in their Adversity they would not own them Is this thy kindness to thy Friend said Absolom to Hushai when as he supposed he had deserted his Friend David 2 Sam. 16.17 notwithstanding that he pretended great love unto him but the question may be more truly put to many in these dayes who do not only forsake their Friends in the day of their distresse Tuta frequens que via est c. Prov. 27.6 Dr. Jermin in loc Tremel Melius est cum severitate diligere quà m cum levitate decipeâ—e Aug. conf 9. but treacherouslie undermine them and betray them under a shew of Friendship Faithful are the wounds of a Friend saith Solomon but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful or as some render the Proverb the wounds of a Friend are to be nourished that is his Reproofs Corrections and Chastisements are to be received and esteemed as the fruits and effects of Love But the kisses of an enemy are to be prayed against the flattering speeches and fawning curtesies of pretended Friends we must desire God to keep us from the danger of for that they proceed from a deceitfull mind As Abner and Amasa found by wofull experience 2 Sam. 20.9 13 18. Psal 28.3 Peior est falsus amor quà m verum odium and our blessed Saviour who was betrayed with a kisse Such Friends David puts in his Letanie And Antigonus of purpose kept a Priest to pray and to offer up sacrifice to his gods that he might be kept from the Danger of them As for his open foes he said he would be carefull to defend himself Ah vile shame that amongst Christians lesse faithfullnesse in Friendship should be found then was amongst the Heathens we all professe our selves to be of the family of Christ would it were with us as in that that there were but one of 12 were unfaithfull to God and their Friend but we find it otherwise not one amongst twelve that are found faithfull The false dealing of Counterfeit Friends have more afflicted good men then all the wrongs that they have received by open enemies Psal 41.9 It was the Complaint of Luther Psal 41.9 A falsis amicis plus est mihi periculi quà m ab ipso toto Papatu This hath given just cause for some to say of their Friends as Nazianzen sometimes did to Basil that he had got nothing by their Friendship Basil Epist 31. but onely learned this Lesson not to trust a Friend The Naturalists tell us of a Gem or pretious stone which they call Ceraunias that glisters most when the skye is Cloudy and overcast with darknesse and to be found soonest as we say of Eeles in a day of thunder True Friends are like this Gem Not like those Brooks that Iob speaks of whereunto he compares his Friends which fail when there is most need of them If thou seest thy Friend in trouble and that he flies to thee for harbour Iob 6.15 19. prove not like the Bramble unto the sheep a means of his further sorrow and entanglement but afford him the best advice and help thou canst Remembring what Solomon saith that thou wert born to help him in that hour And to deny help unto thy distressed Friend and Brother when power is in thy hand is in a manner to deny thy birth And it is pitty that ever he was born who denyes to do that which he was born for And thus much we have gathered from the letter of the Parable now to the spirituall meaning And thence we are taught that God is that Friend to whom the Godly addresse themselves in all their wants and troubles Myst Doct. His bosome is their Refuge in the day of their Calamity This is confirmed by that of David Psal 32.5 6. Every one that is Godly shall pray unto thee Psal 32.5 6. As if he should say he that is Godly and holy will come to thee and pour forth his grievances into thy bosome yea every such one will do it of what degrees or rank soever So elsewhere unto thee shall all flesh come Psal 65.2 that is All sorts of men that are converted and brought into a League of Friendship with thee Psal 65.2 for flesh is there so to be taken as elsewhere Psal 145.21 Acts 2.17 they shall fly to thee and resort to thee as to their only Refuge in all their troubles Thus did Jacob a Patriarch in the day of his distresse Gen. 32.9 Hos 12.4 Moses and Aaron amongst the Priests Gen. 32.9 Hos 12.4 Numb 16.18 19 20 6. 1 Sam. 8.21 Psal 99.6 2 Chron. 20.12 2 King 19.14 15. 1 Sam. 1.15 Psal 34 6. Prov. 18.10 In all their tribulations they may be found at the door of the Tabernacle Numb 16.18 19 20 6. And Samuel amongst the Prophets 1 Sam. 8.21 These called upon the name of the Lord in the day of their Calamity Psal 99.6 The like did Jehosaphat and Hezekiah amongst the Kings of Judah As we read 2 Chron. 20.12 2. King 19.14 15. Time would faile me if I should instance in all of all sorts and rankes Women have made this Friend their Refuge as well as men 1 Sam. 1.15 Poor as well as Rich Psal 34.6 In short the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower saith Solomon Prov. 18.10 that is Look what a strong Tower is in time of Danger such is God His power Providence Mercy Goodnesse for by these is God knowen as men are known by their names to these that have recourse unto him Reas This the Godly well know and therefore in all their troubles and calamities they fly to him Psal 123.1 2. Psal 141.2 Lam. 3.41 Psal 25.1 their eyes are lifted up their hands are stretched out their hearts are carryed and that with speed as being well acquainted with the way and there they know they are safe For it is a Tower as high as Heaven it self as strong as strength it self and such a defence that all the Assaults that can be made against it are but like the blowing of leaves or paper bullers against a wall of brasse Object But if God be this Friend that must be sought unto what need we other and whereto tends that before delivered of seeking Earthly Friends in the day of our distresse Resp This Doctrine we have now delivered doth not trip up the heeles of the former point for albeit other Friends are to be made use of and resorted unto yet God is our Friend Paramount our choisestand best Friend for First all our earthly Friends are but Subservient under God and for God It is he that raiseth them up unto us Prov. 16.7 he it was that gave Joseph favour in the
a voyce A man may see a sound a sad aspect a pale look a hollow cheek a bloodlesse lip a trembling hand speaks loud and presseth this Argument of such mens necessity who yet are more perplexed to aske then to want Lay thine eare unto the ground and harken after them that lye in the dust enquire after the necessities of the poore distressed and let that Argument of Necessity prevaile with thee which doth with God and all good men More particularly This Necessity of his did arise from a double cause The one respects his guest that was come unto him the other himselfe In respect of his guest First he was no stranger but a Friend of his so that what was done on his behalfe he judged as done for himself Secondly he in his journey had come out of his way to visit him And by the Law of equity kindnesse must be required with kindnesse Then in respect of himself and present condition which was such that he had not wherewith to enterteyne his Friend which did cause him to seek out at that time of Night Of both somthing briefly It was on his Friends behalfe that he was at this time a Suitor yet so as that he sued as for himself Lend me for a Friend of mine Thence observe Doct. A true Friend makes his Friend's case to be his own what is done unto a Friend or for a Friend is esteemed by a Friend as done to and for himself So David made Abiathars case his own 1 Sam. 22.23 1 Sam. 20.34.41 Psal 35.14 Mark 9.22 1 Sam. 22. ult And Jonathan Davids 1 Sam. 20.34.41 This David intimates Psal 35.14 I behaved my self as though he had been my Friend why how was that in mourning for their sadd estate as though it had been my own So Mark 9.22 The Fatâ—er cryes come and help us and have compassion on us when it was his Child only that was possessed This is required and enjoyned of all Religious Friends Rom. 12.25 Heb. 13.3 Rom. 12.15 so Heb. 13.3 And this was the Apostles own practise he joyed in the prosperity of the Church of Thessalonica as in his own 1 Thes 3.7 8 9. 1 Thes 3.7 8 9. 2 John 1.4 2 Cor. 2 3. So St. John to heare of the Children of the Elect Lady that they walked in the Truth 2 Epist. 1.4 so 2 Cor. 2.3 St. Paul is confident that his joy would be the joy of them all And so for Sorrowing at the Adversity of Friends see Neh. 1 2 3 4. Dan. 9.4 These were safe enough themselves Neh. 1 2 3 4. Dan. 9.4 Esth 7.4 2 Cor. 11.28 29. yet their Friends case was their's So Esther 7.4 and 2 Cor. 11.28.29 Use You that professe Friendship to others may make tryall thereof by the point in hand whether your Friendship be sound and good either to God or Man To God who would not be esteemed for the Friend of God but who are affected with Gods cause as if it were their own Should we be wronged in our Body Name or Goods in our Wife Children Servants how would we take it alasse our zeale would be stirred up we would not endure it But doth not God suffer in these daily and yet we are silent and can well disgest this do we then herein make our Friends case to be our own so on the other side how chearfull are we and joyfully affected when all things goe well with us and ours Is it so with us in Gods cause when it goes well with the Church Alass it is otherwise we make not this Friends case to be our own And in our Friendship towards others which we pretend to beare there we are much wanting Every member of the body hath a sense of the injuries the other members suffer yet we heare and see the injuries of our Bretheren without remorse Amos 6.6 Somtimes it may be Amos 6.6 we can rejoyce with them that do rejoyce but how seldome do we mourne with them that mourne and weep we are so taken up with our own ease and pleasures that we have no leasure to think of the distresse and misery that they are in whom yet we pretend to beare much love unto Christ told his Disciples that their Friend Lazarus was dead this so affected them that they made a motion one to another to goe and dye with him Iohn 11.16 Tell many of us John 11.16 your Friend such a one is weak sick in great want we are little moved therewith c. Use But let the godly be herein comforted true Friends will lay to heart their case and make it as their own they will mourne with them pray for them as for themselves and though all our Friends on Earth should fayle as Isay 63.9 yet we have a fast Friend in Heaven who doth sympathize with us in all our Afflictions and is hungry thirsty in us and esteemes our case to be his as we have it Math. 25.40 Math. 25.40 and hath been before shewed Secondly in that this Friendly guest came to give his Friend a visit and that not as the Samaritan did the wounded man in transitu Luke 10.33 Luke 10.33 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de via out of the way saith the O iginall we may stop here a little and for all our haste take up this useful Observation Doct. It is a Friendly part to visit albeit we goe somewhat out of our way to do it David remembring the kindnesse that Nahash had shewed him sent and visited Hanun his Son as a testimony of true Love albeit it was ill requited 2 Sam. 10.2 2 Sam. 10.2 Joash pretending great Love and bearing good will to Elisha gave him a visit 2 King 14.14 2 King 14.14 And St. Steeven mentions it as a Friendly office in Moses Acts 7.23 Luke 1.39 to goe and visit his Brethren Acts 7.23 Mary goes into the Hill-Country to visit Elizabeth Luke 1.39 and Elizabeth being delivered was visited by her Neighbours verse 58. verse 58. Barnabas and Paul resolved thus to manifest affection to their Brethren Acts 15.36 Rom. 15.24 Heb. 13.23 1 Thes 3.6 Gal. 1.18 Acts 15.36 This St. Paul promised the Romans to do Rom. 15.24 The Thessalonians desired it 1 Thes 3.6 He went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and aboade with him fifteen dayes Gal. 1.18 And how many bouts did he fetch in his travailes to come to those whom he affected Reas Things of like Nature desire Union and Communion two flames of fire make one and two Rivers if they meet fall into one stream Now Friends being of like affection temperature and condition cannot be kept one from another besides Love is of an uniting nature and covets the presence of the beloved party Use This duty then would not be neglected nor mis-interpreted strangenesse alienates affection exceedingly when Friendly society doth enkindle it A great cause of this neglect is mis-construction as if Friends came to
The Fast Friend OR A Friend at Mid-Night Set forth in an EXPOSITION ON THAT PARABLE Luke 11 5.-11 Which of you shall have a Friend and shall go unto him at Mid-Night c. By Nehemiah Rogers Minister of the Gospel Humble thy self and make sure thy Friend Prov. 6.3 Thine own Friend and thy Fathers Friend forsake not Prov. 27.10 LONDON Printed for Geo. Sawbridge at the Bible on Ludgate-Hill MDCLVIII Reader There is lately Reprinted an Exposition on that Parable Luke 7. ver 40-51 c. There was a certain Creditor which had two Debtors c. By Nehemiah Rogers Preacher of the Gospel Also on that Parable Luke 10. V. 30-38 A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell amongst Theeves c. By the same Author To be sold by Geo Sawbridge at the Bible on Ludgate Hill TO My ever Honour'd and most deserving Friend and Patron Edward Herrys of Much Badow in Essex Esquire Increase of all Outward and Inward Blessings Worthy Sir FEw Writers but are ambitious of some high and honourable Patronage for their Labours their Inscriptions run thus To the Right Honourable and My ever Honoured Lord And who so reades their Epistles Dedicatory wouâ—d think that St. Paul was out when he said Not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 And that the most part of the great Ones of the Worâ—â— were such Religious and worthy Patriots as that nothing more could be desired when as an unbias'd man that well knows their persons cannot read as one truly saith their gross flatteries without blushing Robins Essay Obs 42. This one style of Honoured and deserving Friend countervails all the other in my Judgment I am sure that a Friend which sticketh closer then a Brother Prov. 1â— 24 sounds better in my Ears and hath yielded a sweeter refreshing to my bowels Prov. 27.9 then Honoured Lord. And with that style at this time and that without flattery I make bold to salute you Your friendly favours I may not bury in a kind of tacite acknowledgment but I must needs acquaint the World with a part of them Under God you were the principal meanes of obtaining my liberty for the exercising of my Ministerial Function and that in such a time when it was thought scarce feiseable you labour'd it you engaged your friends in it and were at cost about it and at length effected it to my great comfort and content who having served my Lord and Master six full Prentiships in the works of the Gospel could not but be much troubled now in my old Age to be turned out of my service and have my Indentures torn before Death brought me my Freedom which I daily expect wanting but few of those years Psal 90.10 which David allows in common account to the age of Man This being done yet you had not done but were pleased having the power in your hand to remove me from that place where I was from which I must confess I was drawn with much unwillingness and present me to a Living then vacant and in your power to dispose of where with the general desire and good liking of the people as yet I am And shall desire seeing God by his good Providence hath so disposed and if He so see good to keep my Stall and thereon to labour with the Bee which Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 11. cap. 6. as the Natural Historian tells us after Beans do blossome works hard and loseth not a day nor plays one whit if the Weather hinder not I have not been altogether idle in my younger time no nor in a tempestuous season to the glory of God who hath enabled me I speak it albeit I see great cause now that my Almond-tree doth bloom and the Weather serves Eccles 12.5 to double my diligence that my last works may be more then the first Rev. 2.19 As a Monument of my thankfulness to you whose obligations are thus strong upon me for these great favours I presume to Dedicate this poor part of my Labours and do further promise to be your Solicitour unto And TO The Religious and Well affected Gentlewoman Mrs. Bridget Herrys his worthy Confort and my Honored Patroness Increase of all Outward and Inward Blessings Good Mrs. Herrys IF it be a fault to joyn you both in this one Dedication excuse it seeing God hath joyned you together by his own Ordinance and knit your hearts together with the Bands of Love And both as one have manifested your good Affections unto me in conferring that Rectory upon me where I now at present am and whereof you both are the true and undoubted Patrons The same cause than I have of respective thankfulness to the one as well as to the other and no other way have I really to express this thankefulness be side my Prayers than by sending forth these Papers under your Names the poor Present of an ever remaining Debtor wishing they were as worthy of respect from you as in many respects they do belong unto you I send them not cloathed as the Mother of Cyrus willed that the words of those who spake unto her Son should be in Silk but in a homely Countrey dress such as they were clad withall in the first delivery I may truly say with Moses I am not eloquent Exod. 1.10 neither at any time have been And yet I should be loath to deliver my Masters Message with irreverent and uncircumcised lips but in such a Language as may beseem his service regarding more that my words be full of sense then of sound 1 Cor. 2.4 and such was the Apostles speech might my preaching be like his then I should think I were rightly eloquent The Eye indeed is a stricter and more curious Examiner then the Ear and a severer Judge Life puts a working lustre upon the meanest Language being spoken and that generally the Hearer is much affected with but that lustre is lost in writing which our words had in the delivery And being but as dead in the letter the Reader expects that the phrase and style should be pleasing and adorned as a dead Corpse used to be with Flowers of Eloquence and Oratory which yet unlesse the matter be sound and sacred cannot keep mens Writings from rottenness and putrefaction However this my labour in respect of the style and phrase may be judged by a curious Eye to be simple plain and popular and in that respect contemptible yet I assure you that the Subject-matter of the Book is Divine and sacred and in that respect not despicable but such as may exercise the Devotion of the best Lady in the Land Good Mrs. Herrys that God Iob 7 1â— who doth visit man every morning and try him every night hath visited you with infirmity of Body whereby you are often disabled from attendance on his Publique Ordinances to your great grief I doubt not Be pleased under this your restraint to have some serious
be offered at the Gates of Heaven Pag. 429 Vse 1 It were happy for us if we were more violent this way Pag. 430 Vse 2 And should be provoked to use our hands as well as Tongues in Prayer Pag. 431 Doct. 15 Such is the power of Prayer that the Gates of Heaven cannot stand shut against it Pag. 432 Vse 1 This if nothing else should bring us in love with the duty Pag. 433 Doct. 16 Evangelical Promises are propounded with Iffs and Ands. Pag. 437 Use 1 Therefore they sin presumptuously who put asunder what God hath joyned Pag. 439 Use 2 And desperate is their Dejection who think it is in vain to serve the Lord. Ibid. Use 3 And we directed to take the Promises by the right handle Pag. 440 Vers 10. For every one that asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Doct. 1 Repetition of Divine Truths is useful and warrantable Pag. 442 Reas 1 For thereby the Point taught is the better urged Pag. 442 Reas 2 And the Teacher sooner believed Pag. 443 Reas 3 And the Hearer much be tered Pag. 444 Vse 1 Therefore it is a fault both in Minister and People to be therein over nice Pag. 444 Doct. 2 God is of a liberal disposition Pag. 445 Reas 1 For He is Good and that cannot but communicate it self Pag. 447 Reas 2 And He is All-sufficient and stands in need of nothing Pag. 447 Reas 3 He is large in Love and Affection Pag. 447 Reas 4 And great in Majesty Pag. 448 Vse 1 Therefore our horrible Ingratitude towards so bountiful a God is to be bewailed Pag. 448 Use 2 And we from thence be stirred up to sundry Duties Pag. 450 Doct. 3 Arguments drawn from Experience are very weighty Pag. 453 Reas 1 For God is still the same without change or alteration Pag. 454 Reas 2 Experience is got by sense and that easily errs not Pag. 455 Use 1 Therefore such as sleight Experience are to be reproved Pag. 455 Use 2 And all exhorted to this point of Prudence To learn from Experience Pag. 456 Doct. 4 General Acts of Orace are to be made our own by particular Application Pag. 460 Reas 1 For God proceeds still by the same Rule Pag. 461 Reas 2 And all God's Children are in the same Covenant Pag. Ibid. Reas 3 Nor is God any Respecter of Persons Pag. Ibid Use 1 Therefore the Papist who rejects particular Faith because a particular word is wanting is to learn better Pag. 461 Use 2 Those likewise who scruple the applying of General Acts of Grace to themselves upon the same Popish ground Pag. 462 Use 3 And the Godly exhorted to apply to themselves those gracious Promises that are made to others Ibid. Use 4 And further stirred up to acquaint others with God's gracious dealing with themselves Pag. 463 COurteous Reader thou canst not expect that Bookes should be without faults whilst Men have them As we say of Men so may we say of Bookes with their Errata's Every one mend one and so all will be soone amended I should trouble both thee and my self in setting down every mistake that hath passed the Presse Those which are most materiall and wrong the sense are these that follow which I would desire thee to amend with thy Pen. Page Line Error Correction 68 10. Grove Grave 77 4 like men like meanes 101 25 Neighbour Harbour 109 16 Prion Prison 125 25 Thirsty Thrifty 178 21 Gods Benjamins the Colon being misplaced God's Benjamins 234 17 Inhabitation Inhibition Ibid. 20 Inhabited Inhibited Ibid. 25 Inhabited Inhibited 313 24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 334 26 out of he out of 461 5. Particulars Particularly Ibid  Particularly Particulars Other mistakes thou maist find many both literall and punctuall but if thou beest Judicious thou art likewise Ingenuous And Ingenuity like Charity will cover a multitude of faults And so once more Farewell A Friend at Mid-night The Text Luke 11.5 11. And he said unto them Which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at midnight and say unto him Friend Lend me three Loaves for a Friend of mine in his journey is come unto me and I have nothing to set before him c. THe occasion of propounding this parable The Occasion is intimated in the beginning of this Chapter so it was that as Christ was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his Disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples They who followed Christ could not but take notice how abundant he was in that duty and thereupon conceived that Prayer was a businesse of great importance otherwise Christ would not have been so often at it whereupon no sooner had he made an end for they would not interrupt him whilst he was at his devotions but one of them in the name of the rest as being all privie to their own infirmities not knowing what to ask nor how to ask as they should desires Christ to teach them how to pray that is to give them a form of prayer to the end that they might not fail either in the matter or manner of prayer which request they urge from Johns example who as it seems had given his disciples a plat-form of prayer John 1.37 and this they spake from their own experience for some of them had been before times Disciples unto Iohn This request of theirs Christ is pleased presently to grant Verse 2 3 4. and prescribes a form verse 2 3 4. This he willeth them to use and that not onely as a perfect and genuine Rule of prayer whereby they were to frame all prayers that they made to God which is the opinion of the Anabaptists and other Sectaries grounded on Math. 6.9 but as a prayer even word for word use it when you pray say say what even these words which now I put into your Mouthes Our Father which art in Heaven c. Aâ—beit we may not think that it was the intent of Christ to binde us strictly to that form of words so that we must alwayes use them and no other but to the matter and affections of this prayer we are principally tied and if we compare these two Evangelists together it will appear that both this very form may be used and that other formes also may be framed answerable to this The Scope The Plat-form being given our Saviour proceeds to presse the Use Assuring them of good successe if they do not faint nor flagg in the performance of that dutie and to that purpose propounds two Parables the one now read wherein God is presented to us as a friend who is ready at all times to supply the wants of his friends for friendship sake the other of a Father who will not be wanting to his Child in supplying of his need as occasion serves verse 11.12 13. In both he argues from the lesse unto
the greater If a friend will do thus and thus for his friend and an Earthly Father so and so for his Child then doubt not but God who is both you friend and father and you dearer to him then any friend can be unto his friend or Son to an Earthly Parent will give you audience come when you will and supply your wants be they what they will be for God loves not his friends and his Children lesse then men do theirs but far more abundantly In this Parable of a friend coming to his friend at Mid-night Analysis we have considerable the praeface to it and then the body of it The Praeface in these words and he said unto them Wherein is notifyed first the Person speaking he said He who had before both by doctrine and example taught them to pray Secondly The Persons spoken unto unto them that is those who had before desired him to teach them how to pray and to whom he had prescribed a platform even to them who were his own Disciples The Body of the Parable follows and containeth in it a Propounding â—nd an Applying part The part Pâ—opounding is contained in those words Which of you shall have a Friend c. to verse 9. And therein we have a case Put and Resolved The case is put verse 5.6 7. And there we may take notice both of the manner of proposing it and the matter proposed The manner of proposing it is by way of Interrogation intimating the seriousnesse of the matter and by way of Supposition importing the Rarity of the thing The matter proposed is the case it self which of you shall have a Friend and shall go unto him at Mid-night c. And there we are informed whose case it was and what it was Whose it was it was a friend's case in Generall but the Disciples case in Speciall which of you q. d. it concerns you all What it was we find it to be a case of necessity or want a pittyfull case indeed as will appear if we take notice first of the Indigent or person in want he was such a one as had a friend he was not friendlesse and yet in want secondly his Exigent and that shews us First the thing wanted Bread which is one of the greatest wants that can befall a man Secondly the Course he was enforced to take for the supplying of that his want He goes unto his friend at Mid-night c. Where take notice first of the Addresse he made verse 5 6. Secondly of the Repulse that he received verse 7. In his Addresse observe first to whom he makes it he addresseth himself unto his friend and to no other Secondly in what manner he doth it intimated both in that he did and by that he said First in that he did he goeth to him at Mid-night where his Action he goes he sitts not still under a sense of that his want he sends not a servant to seek out for supply but gets out adoores himself and goes unto his friend And the Amplification from the Circumstance of Time it was at Mid-night when one would think fitter for him to be in bed then out of doores Secondly By that he said Friend lend me three loaves for a friend of mine c. And there we have his suit first Propounded and then Prosecuted It is Proposed and made known in those words Friend lend me three loaves and there the manner and the matter is considerable For the Manner he proposeth it Rhetorically by way of insinuation prefacing it with a loving Compellation friend as if he should have said I hold you for my friend and that Emboldens me at this time to trouble you The Matter lend me three Loaves And there we have the thing desired which was to Lend Lend me he desireth not any thing of gift he would onely borrow and so repay again and then the facility of it covertly used as a motive he desired not to borrow of him gold or silver but three loaves of bread Bread for Quality and three Loaves for Quantity Lend me three Loaves This Request is Prosecuted and Pressed verse 6. For a friend of mine in his journey is come unto me c. And here the Impulsive cause is unfolded of his coming to borrow at such a time of night Necessity compelled him to do it and that partly in respect of his guest and partly of himself In respect of his guest A friend of mine in his journey is come unto me Where observe first the Relation that his guest had unto him he was a friend of his secondly the Manâ—festation of that friendship by the fruit thereof in coming out of his way to visit him In respect of Himself I have nothing to set before him as if he should have said I ought to shew my self friendly to my friend and give him courteous entertainment who comes thus in a friendly way to visit me but alas such is my condition that I have not so much as bread to set before him had I of mine own I would not at this time be troublesome unto thee but want is the cause at present of my putting you to this trouble The Repulse that he received in his suit followeth verse 7. And he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not c. Where observe first by whom his suite is answered He from within shall answer that is the friend he had addressed himself unto Secondly the Answer it self that was given containing in it an Inhibition and Resolution The Inhibition trouble me not now where the thing Inhibited trouble me not i. e. do not vex me nor molest me at this time of night Secondly the Reasons-rendered first the door was shut and so not safe to open it secondly his Children all abed and quiet and not fit that they should be disturbed so unseasonably Secondly His Resolution upon the former grounds and reasons I cannot rise and give thee which was as much as to say I will not thus he concludes â—oundâ—y and resolutely and so we have the case put and stated It is Resolved verse 8. I say unto you Though he will not rise and give him c. where first the Person Resolving I say and Resolved you my Disciples Secondly the Resolution it self though he will not rise and give him c. There we have first a Concession Grant it be so for â—o it may be as before was said he will not presently arise and give Secondly an Assertion yet because of his importunity he will arise and give where first the thing Asserted and Affirmed Secondly the Grounds and Reasons rendered The thing Asserted is he will arise and give him as many as he needeth Where first his Vigilancie he shakes of sloath at last being well awaked and riseth up Secondly his bounty in giving more then was desired He gives not lends not three loaves only but supplyeth his necessity giving him as many as he stands in need of The Grounds
and Reasons are laid down first Negatively secondly Affirmatively Negatively not because he is his frâ—end Albeit that were enough to move him to condisend to his Request Affirmatively because of his importunity that was the prevailing Argument and prevailed more then friendship did The Apodosis or Applying part of the Parable followes And I say unto you Ask and it shall be given you Seek and ye shall finde c. verse 9 -14 therein first a Mandate Secondly the Motive to enforce it In the Mandate or Command we have first a Warrant I say unto you secondly the Duty it self or the work imposed laid down in three severall termes Ask Seek Knock here are three Acts but the Duty is one and the same All is but Prayer The Motive or Argument wherewith it is pressed is taken from a Gratious promise of Audience verse 9 10. And that is Asserted and then Amplified The Assertion is three fold according to the three fold urging of the Duty and enfolded with the Precept Ask and it shall be given unto you Seek and you shall finde Knock and it shall be opened unto you It is Amplified and enlarged verse 10. For every one that asketh receiveth And wherein we may take notice first of the Extent of the Grant it reacheth to every one that asketh and secondly of the Truth of the thing for it is a known case and confirmed by Experience none can deny it And thus you see this Parable is like a goodly spreading tree from the Body whereof proceedeth sundry Armes from them sundry Branches each Branch hath its lesser twiggs and not a Twigg without some fruit growing on it notwithstanding we may not overreach our selves in the gathering as for the out-boughs a little shake shall serve I may touch upon them but not stand on them The Musitian in playing some Lessons upon his Instrument tunes every string albeit some of them be scarse once struck or toucht in playing of the Lesson so in the opening of this Parable divers things for Method's sake are brought into our Division which needs not any large Prosecution we look not on every particular colour in a well drawn Picture but on the whole peice it is enough in opening of a Parable to cast our eye principally upon the generall intention and scope albeit we vievv not exactly every particular Circumstance As vve say of curious Watches so may vve say of curious Observations from Parables Not one of many that goeth true Parables are by reverend Antiquity resembled to that Role Ezek. 2.10 Hier. in cap. 2. Ezek. which Ezekiel saw in a vision spread before him which was written intus à tergo within and without without in the History and within in the Mystery without in verborum foliis within in radice rationis as Ierom elegantly expresseth it the former is like the Golden pot the latter as the Manna that was hid therein Now as those who deal in curious stuffs that are wrought on both sides view the flowers as well in the inside as on the outside of it so in our opening and applying of this Parable we are to take speciall notice of the inside which is the Mysticall Reference and not to fasten our eyes altogether upon the outside the Historicall Relation And so Sense Mysticall By the friend in want that seeks unto his friend understand we every Christian man and woman with whom God hath entred into to Covenant and League of friendship Iohn 15.14 15. By the friend that is sought unto understand we God himself who loves all and would the Salvation of all saith Theophylact. And thus much our Saviour gives us to understand in the Appliing part of this Parable By the Travelling friend that came to visit his friend Amicus enim meus advenit hoc est Angelus qui animam assumit c. Theoph. in Loc. Theophylact understands the Angells of Heaven who rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner Luke 15.10 * Ego quidem amicumvenientem ad me non alium intelligo quam meipsum nemo quippe charitor mihi nemo germanior est Ad me ergo de viaÌ„ venit amicus cum transitoria deserens ad cor redeo c. Bern. Sermo in Rogat de trib pan But Bernards opinion is more approved who by this friend understands man himself or the heart of every man which when it returnes from the Love of sin it comes out of the way wherein it naturally is to visit him And thus it is said of the Prodigall that he came unto himself when he began to think of leaving his feeding Hoggs and Swine and of returning to his Fathers house Luke 15.17 and this is required of transgressors ut ad cor redeant Isai 46.8 that they return to their hearts again for indeed sinners are men without mindes their hearts are lost and when they repent and turn then their hearts come to them again as Nebuchadnezars did to him And so Augustine to the same purpoâ—e Serm. 5. de verb. Dom. Tom. 4. and Serm. 27. Tom. 10. et Quest Evang. Lib. 2. cap. 21. * Theoph. in Loc. Aug. Quest Evang. l. 2. c. 21. Serm. 29. de verb. Dom. Vid. Chemn Harm cap. 107. p. 1993. Qui sunt isti tres panes nisi Mysterii coelestis alimentum Amros in Loc. By the Three loaves which his friend would borrow some Mystically understand Faith in the holy and blessed Trinity as in the Fathers power to strengthen our infirmities In the Son's wisdom to enlighten our understandings And in the operation of the blessed Spirit to enflame our wills Others understand thereby Faith Hope and Charity those three Cardinall virtues or Graces as they call them Bernard understands thereby Truth Charity and Fortitude The first is necessary that understanding what Truth is we may do it The second necessary that we may love God The third necessary for subduing of the flesh But we may herein be over-curious our Saviour seems to allude to the ordinarie custome of friends in entertaining of their Guests who would have sufficient yet not superfluous And hereby would give us to understand that our desires must be limited within the bounds of Piety Equity and Conveniencie both for soul and body other Mystery I conceive none to be therein save the nourishment of our souls with spirituall and diâ—ine graces †Mediam noctem quidem inquit esse extremum vitae c. Theophyl in Loc. Nox 〈◊〉 denotare potest tempus necessitatis Chem. Harm c. 107. p. 1â—91 By Mid-night the time mentioned of the friends coming to borrow some understand the end of a mans life when a man hastens to God and hopes to receive good from him Others the time of necessity temptation and tryall and that is a time wherein we usually seek to God and fly to him for help Isa 26. with my soul have I desired thee in the night that is saith Chemnitius in the time of my necessity and tribulation
Nox enim omnis tentatio media autem nox omnis tentationis fervor Theophil Hoc est ostium quod aperiri sibi etiam Paulus exposcit Ambros in Loc. Aug. quest Evang. Lib. 2.21 Colos 4.3 Amos 8.11 Math. 25.16 Luke 13.25 That time of night is mentioned because then all are at rest and none will rise out of their bed without much calling And it may intimate the strength of temptation and trouble under which we are By the Door shut Ambrose understands that Door which St. Paul prayed might be opened that he might speak the Mystery of Christ for which he was in bonds Colos 4.3 So Austine understands it to be meant of the Famine of the word spoken of Amos 8. It was shut to the Jews when the Apostles turned to the Gentiles And afterwards when bloody persecution did arise for preaching of the Gospel I conceive we may understand it in a larger sense for when any oportunity is lost of doing good the Door is said to be shut by a Metaphor By the Children in bed some would that the blessed estate of the Church Triumphant in Heaven should be understood there indeed all is quiet and at rest with Christ their Head Others understand thereby the members of the Church Militant here on Earth Pueri autem qui in lecto quiescunt sunt hi qui conveâ—si sunt facti sunt pueri digni habiti sunt qui quiescerent cum Domino Theoph. Aug. Tom. 4. Quaest Evang. Lib. 2. c. 22. who are converted and become as little Children these are said to be in bed with God in regard of his care and protection over them nor is he willing that any of them should be disquieted of their rest and tranquillity of mind Others conceive that all Creatures in generall are meant thereby for God is the Father of all and they are a bed with him being no way able to help and succour us in our misery if God doth not arise to help us And this seemes most Genuine By the Bread Fish Egg mentioned in the Applying part of the Parable some are of opinion the same is meant that was before by the three loaves Austine understands by Bread Charity by the Fish Faith by the Egge Hope It appears that the Gifts of the Spirit are meant thereby by what our Saviour speaks verse 13. To all these particulars we shall speak more fully in due place We begin with the preface or introduction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he said unto them The Person teaching is Christ the Persons taught are his Disciples his Domesticall servants The twelve who were constantly with him and attending on him being of his family to whom he had prescribed the former plat-form of Prayer and being now in a private place and free from Companie he said to Them The Analytical Table OR A View of the Method observed and followed in this ensuing Exposition of that Parable Which of you shall have a Friend c. Luke 11 5.-11 In which Parable we have considerable The Preface to it And he said unto them where The Person speaking He said The Perâ—ons spoken to unto them The Body of it wherin The Protasis or part propounding vers 5 -9 Wherein A case put vers 5 6 7. And there The manner of proposing it which is By way of Interrogation Which of you By way of Supposition Shall have a Friend The matter proposed shewing Whose case it was A Friend's in general The Disciples in special What it was a case of Necessity where The Indigent or person in want who was a Friend His exigent where to take notice of the Thing wanted The course he takes to supply it and there Bread His Address And shall go unto him at Mid-night c. Where we see To whom he goes unto him that is his friend In what manner he makes it seen By what he did he goes unto his friend at Mid-night where His Action he sends not but He goes The Amplification from the Circumstance of Time at Mid-night By the Request he made which is Proposed and there The manner of proposing it which was By way of Insinuation With a respective compellation Friend The matter of it where The thing desired Lend me The motive it being an easie request Bread for quality Three loave for quantity Pressed from the compulsive caâ—se and that In respect of his Guest where The relation he had unto him he was his Friend A Friend of mine His friendly visitation of hâ—m for Being in his jâ—â—â—nâ—y he is come to me In respect of himself who at that time was unprovided to entertain him I have nothing to set before him His Repulse vers 7. And he from within c. Where Who answers him He from within What answer is given Trouble me not c. where An Inhibition and in it The thing inhibited Trouble me not now The Reasons rendered The Door is now shut My Children are with me in bed The Resolution I cannot rise And give thee Resolved ver 8. where The Persons Resolving I say Resolved unto you The Determination and in it A Concession though he will not rise and give An Affirmative Attestation where The thing attested He will rise c. Either His vigilancy for he riseth His Bounty seen in that He gives not lends Not three loaves onely but As many as he needeth The Reasons rendered Negative Not because he is his Friend Affirmative because of his Importunity The Apodosis oâ— the part applying vers 9 10. containing in it A Mandare vers 9. where The Warrant I say The work imposed expressed by three Acts. Ask Seek Knock The motive from a gracious Promise of Audience which is Enfolded with the Duty It shall be given you You shall finde It shall be opened unto you And amplified ver 10. For every oâ—â—e that asketh receiveth c. and there The Extent of the Grant which reacheth to every one Every one that asketh c. The truth of the Thing It being a try'd Case For every one He said In his own Person mouth to mouth face to face and not by his Servants and Messengers as he spake in former times nor as he speakes in these â—atter times to us but Heb. 1.1.2 as the best and highest Fourms are taught by the Master himself so were these by Christ this duty of Prayer Had we no other Reason to embrace the Doctrine delivered in the Parable propounde and cause us to be in love with the Duty of Prayer therein pressed this were enough It is the voyce of our wel-beloved that requires it Christ himself whose lips are like Lillyes dropping sweet-smelling mâ—rrhe Cant. 5.5 Cant. 5.5 he who came from heaven out of the bosome of the Father he puts the meat into our mouths teacheth us how to pray and encourageth us in the Duty He said Vers 1 He that was himself abundant in the duty although he had not that need to pray as we have having no sin
may instruct us that are his Ministers to look as well to the Manner as to the Matter of our Preaching Doct. Serious Doctrine or matters weighty must be pressed upon the conscience of our Hearers the best way we may It is not enough to deliver what is sound and good but we must so deliver it that an edge be set upon it and those that hear us be stirred up to a communing with their own souls about that which is taught The words of the wise saith Solomon are like Goads and Nails fastened by the Master of Assemblies which are given from one Shepheard Eccles 12.11 Salvian de prov l. 1. c. 1. He saith not saith Salvian that they are sweet powders but medicines not Crisping pinnes to curie the haire or locks but Goades and Nayls to enter through the thick skin and peirce the heart such were the words of our Saviour Math. 7. ult and 21.44 and such must ours be who are his Servants 1 Cor. 2.4 1 Cor. 14.24.25 Luke 3.10 so forcible are right words Job 6.25 Use St. Bernard loved and always wished to heare that Minister Amâ—vocem illius pastoris quinon sibi plausum sel mihi planctum c. Bern. in Cant. at whose Sermons the people hemmed not but sighed clapped not their hands as at a Play but knocked their breasts as at a Funerall who drew teares from the eyes of their people rather then commendations from their tongues Chrysostome complaines of the plaudite's and the acclamations used by his hearers Non Theatrum Ecclesiâ— the Church is not a Theater What meane you by these Plaudite's what get I by them I had rather have one soul then all these hands and eyes The care of this reverend Father was to deliver weightie matter in termes rather significant than elegant and and laboured more for force of Argument then Ornament of speech and yet the Preacher sought out for acceptable words Eccles 12.10 Such words as might procure not onely an understanding but willing and obedient attention He delights to be heard and to be heard with delight Austin doth not onely professe of himself that he studied at home to make his language sweet and harmonious and acceptable to Gods people but he beleeves also that St. Paul himself and all the Apostles had a delight and a holy melting of the bowels when the Congregation liked their Preaching Oh that God would give you such Ministers Oh that God would be pleased to send us such Hearers It was said of Luther by some that heard him that he did preach as if he had been within a man Lutherus me alloquitur quasi me intra erat 2 Cor. 3.6 Hebr 4.12 It is the life and excellencie of Preaching to be an able Minister of the spirit and where were the spirit in it if it should not discerne the spirits and divide betwixt the Marrow and the bone Thy own heart and conscience is the subject wherein the virtue and efficacie of Preaching is to be found if that be moved to beleeve and repent such a one is a powerfull Preacher at least to thee and so esteem him As the Case is put by way of Interrogation Which of you c so by way of supposition shall have a Friend he speaks not positively Quis vestrum quaâ—â— dicae pauci sunt SalmeÌ„râ— Doct. you my Disciples that have Friends but put the case you shall have one intimating by this manner of speech that A fast and faithfull friend is hard to find He is so great a rarity that it may well be questioned who hath him Job speaks to the point Job 5.15 He compares his Friends to the Brooks Job 5.15 by which the Merchants do travell unto Teman frozen in Winter and dryed up in Summer In the time of raine they overflow surely saith Job you are very like unto it verse 21. In my prosperitie you were my onely Friends when I had no need of you when I had showres of blessing from above you overflowed with kindnesse but in my misery and drought when I had most need of refreshing Job 16.20 you add affliction to affliction so Iob. 16.20 my friends scorne me many pretended love and friendship but now in my calamitie they will not own me they scorne me when they should comfort me The like complaint makes David Psal 38.11.41.9 Psal 38.11 My Lovers and my Friends stand aloof from my soare And elsewhere that his familiar Friend in whom he trusted which did eate of his bread had lift up his heel against him Psal 41.9 The Church of God laments this Lament 1.2 Lament 1.2 All her Friends dealt treacherously with her And Christ himself the head of the Church who here puts the case to his Disciples found it experimentally true I was wounded in the house of my Friends Zach 13.6 Zach. 13.6 The Prophet speaking there Prophetically of the Passion of Christ There are three Reasons that may be rendered for this why faithfull Friends are scarcely found Reas First 1. Prov. 20.6 Vera amicitia tantum inter honos oritur inter optimos consummatur Cassiandâ—in Ps Divinity affords us this for one there are few good amongst many Every man will proclaime his own goodnesse saith Solomon but who shall find a faithfull man that is amongst those many wâ—o shall find one faithfull and cordiall Neither can true friendship be but amongst those that are good Grace and Virtue is the cement which conglutinates hearts and makes true Friends as hereafter shall be shewed Now the number of godly and virtuous men being small the number of faithfull Friends cannot be great Reas Morall Philosophy renders another in telling us it is likenesse of minds 2. Phil. 2.20 and manners that makes the true Love-knot of Friendship when we find another of the same disposition with our selves Firmissimainter pares amicitia Q. Curt. l. 2. Inter dispares mores firma non potest esse amicitia Aug de amicitia c. 14. we find alter ego another self the same soul as it were in a divided body And Nature that makes us love our selves makes us with the same reason love those that are like us Now then if to goodnesse and virtue there must be added a likenesse of manners temper and disposition it is no mervail if there be so little friendship in the world seeing it is with tempers and humors as it is with faces not two amongst many that agree in all points Reas 3 Experience furnisheth us with a third Friendship was ever rare to find but more rare then ever by how much the world is more corrupt then ever Machiavells Tenents are more set by shall I say then the Rules of Aristotle Plato or any Philosopher nay then the Tenants of Christ himself His Schollars have so well profited in his School that many of them are able to teach their Master Professe saith he Love and Friendship to thy Neighbour who if he
be up to the knees in water then lend him thy hand to pull him out Is he up to the Wast do thy best then to help him but if he be up to the chin then thy hand upon his head and duck him under suffer him not to rise any more Such is the friendship of this age wherein the habits of mens minds are as much changed as the habit of their bodies That friendship and honestie which in times past had the hand on the Heart now hath it on the Toe Faithfull and Cordiall dealing is now grown cleane out of fashion and nothing left but Cringes and Complements Thus you have the Grounds and Reasons of the point Let us apply it Vse If true Friends are scarce then the world is much mistaken in point of Friendship Such a one we say hath many Friends And who boasts not of the friendship of such or such a man and that they are their fast Friends when if the point be well exaamined they shall have cause to say with Socrates Oh! 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Friends there is no true Friend amongst you The misery of Travellers is the misery of Christs Disciples to find many Hosts but few fast Friends amongst them Keckerman relates a storie of an old man Ethic. p. 369. E. who upon his death bed asked his Sonne What Friends he had he answered him Very many well said the Father I have lived so long in the world and yet have found but half a Friend But this do try thy Friends before thou need'st them Goe kill a Calfe put it into a sack and pretend that it is a Child which thou hast untimely slaine desire their advice and counsell and that they would conceal the fact he did so and upon tryall found that all his Friends deserted him not one that stuck close unto him Then by his Fathers advice he went unto his half-half-Friend who presently assented to the burying of it in the meane time his other Friends had accused him for that supposed fact and had brought him to Execution had not the matter been discovered Guecarra observes as much By my own Experience saith he if thou wilt beleeve me I know not any thing wherein thou maist be sooner deceived then in this point of Friendship Forty yeares and more with some judgment I remember the world in which time I have found such alteration in mens minds and manners that if they should decline as fast from evil to worse after fortie yeares more it will be a hard matter to find a faithfull Friend or an honest man For the better clearing and fuller evincing of the point delivered unto you it will not be amisse to take notice what friendship is with the severall sorts and kinds of it which when we rightly understand it will appeare that we are much mistaken in the point of Friendship and that amongst those many we take for Friends there is scarce a true Friend to be found amongst them all Freindship what it is Friendship is by some described to be the sweetnesse intimatenesse and strength of Love Or as others more largeâ—y A speciall obligation of Amitie or good will uniting the hearts of men together in a greater neernesse and dearnesse then ordinarily is either required or to be found amongst them By which it appeares Hart 's Caha 21. first that Acquaintance is not Friendship That is but the first draught of it that is saith one as the Herd Friendship is the Paire that is taken or chosen out of it That in ordinary use is but a sharing of talke news meat complement A thinâ— easily created once being in companie doth it But Friendship hath Power and Admittance into the inward parts of the soul I may have Great Acquaintance and yet but Few Friends for all that Secondly Galat. 1.18 19. there is a difference betwixt Good-will and Friendship Good wil we should beare to those we never saw that know us not As St. Paul did to Peter Jeams and John before he ever saw their faces But we have Friendship onely with such men as we have both seen and known and been conversant withall and taken great liking of Thirdly betwixt Love and Friendship there is a difference A man may love those who love not him but friendship is mutuall Seneca compares it to a game at Tennis wherein the ball is tossed and not suffered to fall if it do he forfeits who misseth the stroake Or like two Lutes meeting in pitch and neernesse the striking of the one makes the other sound So is it with true Friends And so it was between Jonathan and David and between Basill and Nazianzen of whom it was said that anima una erat inclusa in duobus corporibus they seemed to have one soul in two bodyes Yea many bodies and many souls are by Friendship made but one for if a hundred men love together as they ought there is but one heart amongst them Act. 4 32. These things duly considered Acts 4.32 will evidently cleare it that many are mistaken in point of Friendship Secondly let us distinguish as Scripture doth of Friendship A Friend is taken sometimes largely for a common or seeming Friend as Prov. 14.20 The Rich hath many Friends This is Imperfect Friendship Pro. 14.20 Sometimes it is taken strictly for a faithfull Friend indeed so Prov. 18.24 There is a Friend that stieketh closer then a Brother These Friends that are fast and faithfull Prov. 18.24 are joyned together in the Truth of Affection and Religion Tit. 3.15 Greet them that love us in the Faith And it ariseth from effectuall good-will of one to another Tit. 3.15 and is grounded on morall goodnesse this is perfect Friendship and cannot be but amongst the good The other sort of Friends false and fained are such as are not united to us by Religion and true Affection but for by and sinister ends Vulgus amicitias utilitate prebat Et cum fortunâ statque caditque fides Pro. 19.6 7. grounding their Friendship on Profit Pleasure and the like as Prov. 19.6 These are Friends by Accident and their Friendship lives and dyes as Profits and Delights live and dye in us Prov. 19.7 Of these sort of Friends there are enow but of fast Friends few The Sonne of Sirach mentions divers sorts of these counterfeit and feined Friends in his Book of Ecclesiasticus cap. 6.8 9 10. which we may do well to take notice of First A Time-serving Friend there is who is a Friend for his own occasion and will not abide in the day of trouble Ecclus. 6.8 These are aptly resembled to the Dolphin which in faire weather is never from the sides of a ship but when a storme ariseth you have no more her companie Or like the Swallow which in Summer is chattering about your Windows and in your Chimneys but in Winter takes her flight and leaves nothing behind but durt and dung as a pledge of
her Affection They are like Mice in a Barne or Wasps about a Galley pot they swarme about us whilst something may be had So long as we are in a flourishing estate they will as birds in Summer build in our boughes but the leaves being fallen they delight not in our shadow Such were Adoniahs Friends no sooner had he usurped the Crown and proclaimed himself King but many joyned with him As Joab the Generall of Davids Army 1 King 1.7 and most of the chief Captaines and Commanders besides Abiathar the high Priest And yet saith the Text vers 8. the mighty men that belonged to David were not with him He had not the strength of the Armie on his side albeit he had most of the mighty Commanders of Soldiers for that they were not true unto him For all the shew that they made they did not respect Adoniah so much as their own ends therefore no sooner was Solomon proclaimed but they left Adoniah to himself to make good his own Title Such Friends David found in his prosperity Shemei was no Railer nor yet Achitophell a Traitor 2 Sam. 15.31 2 Sam. 16.5.13 Ester 7 8 9. but when the times turned they could turne with them and prove both Hamans Friends who had before smiled in his face and kissed his feet now finding the King incensed against him are ready to cover his head and help him to the halter 2 Tim. 4.16 And such Friends St. Paul found many who pretended love yet in his trouble forsook him and would not stand by him If they follow him it shall be with Peter a farre off And such a Time-serving Friend was Pompey to Cicero as we read in a storie who slipt out at a back dore when Cicero flew to him for safe-guard of his life and so left him to the mercy of his enemies Such Friends as these you may have many who sing to the tune of Fortune as they say they keep time but ever sing the Base saith one So that the case albeit these abound may be still put unto you Which of you shall have a Friend Secondly Ecclus. 6. Vers 9. Pro. 26.23 Psal 118.12 there is a Treacherous and a Perfidious Friend that turneth to enmitie and taketh part against thee and in contention he will declare thy shame Solomon resembles these to Potsheds overlaid with silver drosse Prov. 26.23 David to Bees they come about me like Bees saith he Psal 118.12 The Bee hath both hony and a sting so these have hony in their mouths but gall in their hearts One compares these to silken halters Mel in ore Fel in corde to halters for that they will strangle and choake a man to silken ones for that their words are smooth and soft as David found Psal 55.21 Others resemble them to Hangmen Diog. Laertius who with the one hand embrace a man when with the other they pluck out his bowels Or to Butchers who claw the Oxe on the â—ibs that they may have the fairer blow at his head Of such Friends as these Jeremiah gives warning Jer. 9.4.8 Judg. 9.6.23 1 Sam. 18.17 22.9 cap. 9.4.8 Such Friends were the Sichemites to Abimelech Judg. 9.6.23 Saul and Doeg to David 1 Sam. 18 17. and 22.9 And such Friends to Christ were those spyes sent forth by the Scribes and Pharises who feined themselves to be good men that they might the sooner entrap him in his talk Luke 20.20 Cassius and Brutus of whom the History makes mention were such treacherous Friends to Caesar Ptolomie King of Aegypt to Pompey Luk. 20.20 whose head he sent to Caesar for a present Antipater to Alexander Zophyrus to the Babylonians who betrayed them to Darius And such a one was Banester who betrayed the Duke of Buckingham his Master in the dayes of Richard the third which treachery was revenged by God both on him and his as our Chronicles mention These Friends are like Familiar Divells which forsake their Witches when they have brought them into fetters or at best but like Moses-rod they will seemingly be for a while a staffe to stay us but anon of a rodd they are turned into a Serpent mortally to sting us Many such Friends the world is full of but not a true Friend is to be found amongst them all Thirdly Vers 10.11.18 there is another kind of Friend that the Sonne of Syrach makes mention of A Back and Belly Friend who is a Companion at our Tables and will be as we our selves in prosperity The heart of these Friends are in our Pâ—â—ts or Pockets Aes in praesenti perfectum format amorem find them somewhat to give and they will find in their hearts to Love These are like the Reflexion of a Looking-glasse they will imitate any gesture that you use right Dotterell-catchers if you smile they will smile if you frown they will do so if you make a stand they will if you spread out a wing so will they if you hold the neck aside they will do the like As did Alexander's flatterers if thou stoopest with thy shoulders so will they do as did Plato's Schollars in imitation of their Master As thou art they will be as thou doest they will do Such Friends were those spoken of Hos 7.3 -6. Hos 7.3.6 John 6.26 who make Princes glad with their lies and flatteries And those the like who followed our Saviour for the Loaves and Fishes more for the meat then for the miracle Hic dat epulis accumbere Divum They seemed to say with Aeolus in Virgil this man keeps a good house come we will after him whilst the pot boiles their affections will Many such there are in the world who like Flyes come to the Honey pot like Ants come to the Wheat yet saith Seneca the Flyes are no Friends to the Honey nor the Ants to the Wheat Many of these Friends you may have and yet the question may be asked Which of you shall have a Friend As for true Friendship we may say of it as sometimes the Duke of Buckingham said to Bishop Morton in Richard the third's dayes It is gone on Pilgrimage and no man knowes when it will returne Wherefore Dan. Hist 231. be not deceived in point of Freindship think not to find all them Friends that would be counted so Julian the Apostate is not presently a Friend to Basil though in writing unto him he styled himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art my Friend and beloved Brother Scarce a lettter comes unto thee but either the superscription or subscription mentions a Loving Friend But as it was said of Adrian by the multitude of Physitians the Emperour is dead so it may be as truly said by the multitude of Friends such as pretend themselves to be so many a man is undone for want of a true Friend In short Esteem not every hanger-by that pretends Friendship to you in prosperitie a fast Friend take away the Idoll-gold and then
they will kick the Asse which before they worshipped for the Gold's sake Esteem not them for Friends that flatter you their Ave threaten a vae like those in Aristophanes that cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good good when indeed it is bad too bad Nor those Friends that would seduce you I know not said a scottish Martyr why they called themselves my Friends which so greatly laboured to convert me or pervert me rather neither will I more esteem them then the Midianites Acts and mon. fol. 1153. which in time past called the Children of Israel to do sacrifice to their Idolls Use 2 If a true Friend be so rare to find then it may admonish you that have a Friend indeed to prize him and take heed of losing of him In finding such a one Ecclus. 6.14 saith the Son of Syrach we have found a Treasure the weight of gold and silver is not to be compared to the goodness of his Faith nor ought he to be changed for any thing in this world This caused Alexander Am. Marcel l. 25. Prov. 27.10 when one desired to see his Treasure to command his Servants to shew him not his Talents of silver but his friends not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A true Friend saith Solomon is nearer than a Brother or any carnall Kindred therefore in Scripture Deut. 13.6 after Brother Son Daughter and Wife of the bosom a Friend is placed who is said to be as our own soul neerer and dearer then all these unto us And of such account have fast Friends bin in former times that ancient Menander esteemed him a happy man who had found but a shadow of him And well he might for vix invenienda possessio the substance is not so soon had And a Souldier of Cyrus having won a Race being asked by the King what he would take for his Horse answered Not a Kingdom and yet said he I would be content to part with him for a true Friend knew I where to find him He is an Angel saith one cloathed with flesh and blood No sweeter contentment upon Earth than a true Friend as hereafter we shall shew more fully And the more pretious the Treasure is Amicus verus diu quaeritur vix invenitur difficile servatur Hier. Epist ad Ru. l. 2. Epist 11. Cassiod de Amicitia Prov. 27.17 Dr. Jerm in Loc. Qui loeditur laedenti esse amicus non desinit c. Cassiod the greater should be our care to preserve it A true Friend is long sought for seldom found and hardly kept saith Hierom such a narrowness there is of true Love in the very best It is true that Cassiodorus saith of a true Friend he is hardly provoked or made angry and yet unkind usage may move him who is hardly moved Hereto tends that of Solomon Prov. 27.17 As Iron sharpens Iron so a man sharpneth the countenance of his Friend rub Iron hard often upon Iron and it giveth an edge unto it so if a Friend be often rubbed and galled by unkind usage it will likewise sharpen his countenance to discontent and anger And it is well observed that Solomon in that Proverb saith not so A mans Friend sharpneth the countenance of his Friend but so A man sharpeneth the countenance of his Friend for he that is wronged ceaseth not presently to be a Friend to him that doth the wrong but he that doth the wrong to his Friend is gone from a Friend and is styled A man It is the wisdom and patience of a Friend not to regard every small discourtesie not to be moved till after a long forbearing And it is the part of a friend not willingly to offer any discourtesie to his Friend much lesse to persist in the provoking of him Some injuries are such as cannot stand with a friendly heart but do plainly argue an evil and envious Affection such were those that David found from the hands of his pretended Friends Some again are such as may scape him that truly loveth through negligence rashness or other infirmities These friendship should disgest and will He that ceaseth to bear with me ceaseth to love me saith Austine Qui desinit sustinere desinit amare Aug. and who so in this kind will bear more from others then from their Friends are unworthy of Friends Better to bear some kind of wrongs and injuries which yet a true Friend will be loath to offer then by taking every offence to imbitter our own hearts and theirs to the ruine of Friendship wherefore bear with some infirmities in thy Friend forbear injuries and beware of every thing that may cause fraction or division between thy Friend and thee remembring what Solomon saith Prov. 18.19 Prov. 18.19 Divisions amongst Friends are oftentimes composed with more difficulties then contentions amongst others Seldom do such piece together again as break having bâ—n before intimate the more strongly united any thing is being whole when it is broken it is farthest from being made whole again you see this between a stick of wax and a stick of wood the wax may be more easily conjoyned then the wood A twine thred if it be broken is more easily knit together then a Cable And the hard Adamant if broken with a Hammer flies into small dust so that it is scarce discernable so are the divisions of Friends more hardly composed then the divisions of strangers Therefore avoid all what may be every thing that may cause fraction in friendship Use 3 Thirdly This that hath bin delivered may make us blush for shame that there should be so few true Friends and so little Faith found amongst us insomuch that the very Heathens seem therein to have excelled us we read of a Damon and Pythias a Pylades and Orestes a Titus and Gisippus of an Euryalus and Nisus Scipio and Laelius Polystratus and Hippoclides All famous for their Friendship each to other in their Generations Examples not to be paralled amongst us who profess better things Faithful friendship being in these dayes degenerated into Policy and Flattery and no other amongst many then vox artis a word of Art and so in no Praedicament The Ancients painted Friendship and resembled it to a fair young man bare-headed in a poor Garment At the bottom was written Death and Life above Summer and Winter his Bosom was open so that his heart might be seen whereon was written Longè Prope at hand and a far off But the friendship that is now hath a smiling face a Courtly Congye a popular voice words fair and glorious a Salutation more then superstitious I am glad to see you I would I could serve you I wish no longer to live then to love you are the Mottoes But put this Friend to the tryal then I am at your service in any other matter but in this I am necessitated to deny you A handful of old Friendship is worth an armful of this new but of this
more hereafter Use 4 Lastly If we find amongst many Friends few true and faithful to us upon tryal wonder not at the matter nor repine at it say not never was man so dealt with by his Friends as I am but make a better use thereof examine thy own heart upon what grounds your friendship grew how came you to be acquainted was not your friendship procured by gifts or flattery the way that many take as I shall shew in the next point and can you think that such friendship will be lasting Rest assured if the unity of Parasitical friends is so fickle that the inconstancy of time and state will stern its Nature Or hast thou not bin injurious to thy friends undervalued him or proved false unto him in action or intention apprehended a discourtesie by a wrong suspect that was never intended by a willing act or lent an eare to ill tongues and entertained false tales slanderous reports against thy friend Prov. 16.18 Prov. 16.18 If so no marvail if thy Friend fail thee who hast failed in point of friendship Or on the other side hast thou not idolized thy Friend and slayed thy heart upon him have not thy Applications bin more frequent to him then thy Addresses to thy Maker Hast thou not more loved his smiles then feared Heavens frowns and his anger grieved thee more then thy sins Woodden Pillars will bow Greenham on Friendship or break upon which you say too much weight God is pleased in such a case to suffer Friends to fail us that we may learn to trust in him alone who will never fail us Mich. 7.5 1 Tim. 5.5 Something or other upon a strict examination thou wilt find to be amisse which thou hast good cause to think that God corrects in thee by thy Friends unkindness or unfaithfulness Labour for the future Ecclus. 6.16 17 to approve thy self in Gods presence so shalt thou ever have or not need the friendship of man And this is the way to profit by this Affliction Now we come from the manner of proposing to the matter proposed Text. Which of you shall have a Friend c. And here consider First whose case it was and who was concerned in it Secondly What it was The case is yours which of you q. d. it concerns you my Disciples and every good man as weâ—l as you It seems then by this There is none but may find the want of a true Friend The men of Tyre and Sidon found the need of one when Herod was offended with them and therefore made Blastus their Friend Acts 12.20 Gen. 38.12 2 Sam. 13.3 15.37 1 Kâ—ng 4 5. Bacons Essay Act. 12.20 Judah was not without his Friend Hirah Gen. 38.12 Ammon had his Friend Jonadab 2. Sam. 13.3 David his Friend Hushai 2 Sam. 15.37 Solomon his friend Zadock 1 King 4.5 Kings one would think stand in lesse need of friends then any and yet they have valued friendship at so high a rate that they have many times purchased it at the hazard of their own safety and greatness Reas Man is like unto a Bee he cannot possibly live alone his birth and bringing up confirm it No Creature hath such need of friendly help Socialis est homo c. Lactant l. 5. c. 18. Other Creatures do no sooner come into the world but they are able by their own proper strength to raise themselves upon their feet and help themselves but it is otherwise with man from the work of the Midwife in bringing us out of the womb of our Mother even to the last work of him or her that puts us into the womb of the Earth we must depend upon others our being in this world is nothing else but a meer dependency 1 Cor. 12.12 all stand in need of one anothers perfections as the Apostle shewes excellently by a similitude from the body of a man 1 Cor. 12. from the 12th to the end Use 1 And yet such is the pride of some mens spirits that out of a conceit and opinion which they have of their own sufficiency they despise the friendship of all Tush saith the rich I would have you know that I can live without you I am not beholding unto you nor ever will And many a poor mans stomach is so big that if he have but a groat in his purse before-hand he will crow too upon his Dunghill I live of my self as well as the best of them I am beholding to never a Churl of them all for a meales meat c. The very Heathens could say that a Friend is more necessary then fire or water If a fine were set upon the heads of such proud spirits and they forbid the use of fire and water by the want of them they would soon find the worth of them But what art thou who thus boastest of thy self Let thy Mountain be never so strong for present yet what assurance hast thou that thou shalt never be removed That Shunamite 2 King 4.13 cap. 8.5 Judg. 11.6 that once refused to be spoken for unto the King by a Prophet little thought that afterward she should stand in need to crave that courtesie of his man Gehezi And as little thought those Elders of Gilead that had thrust out Jeptha for a Bastard that they should be compelled to seek unto him and crave his return God oftentimes brings it so about that those we scorn to be beholding unto in our prosperity we are forced in our want to seek unto for help The goodliest house may sometimes stand in need of a little shoare It is not our wealth and fulness which allowes us the liberty of needing no man Those that stand fastest on Earth have but slippery footing No man can say that he shall not need a Frienâ— There be infinite accidents belonging to mortality which either presently or hereafter may make us glad to find a Friend Use 2 Let our state then for present be what it will be yet it shall be our wisdom to make sure a Friend Prov. 6.3 Prov. 6.3 or as the words in the Original will bear to strengthen our selves with Friends Our Saviour commends this point of wisdom to us in that Parable Luk. 16.9 Luk. 16.9 from the example of the unjust Steward who did the like Now one great point of wisdom is in making of our selves Friends to make a good choyce Give me leave therefore to shew you First what Friends you are to make choyce of Secondly the meanes which you are to use that you may obtain them Antisthenes used to wonder at those who were curious in buying but an Earthen dish and yet were careless in the choyce of Friends wherefore In chusing of a Friend let me shew you first whom you are to avoid and take heed of Secondly whom you are to pitch your affections upon and enter into a league of friendship with There are sundry sorts of men that it is not wisdom to enter
and truth will abide for ever For as Religion ties a man to God so inseparably that all the Gates of Hell cannot sever him so it unites one Christian soul to another so firmly that no outward occurrences no tortures no torments no temptations can dissolve it as appeares in the Primitive and latter times when Christians could not be brought one to betray another by any meanes that could be used But till Religion tye and Faith binde all friendship whatsoever is but as Claudius spake of Seneca's style in writing as Sand without Lime or a Beesom unbound No firmness can there be in that love which is not founded on God and godliness The Heathen have much gloried in those golden payres of stedfast friends Cicero lib. de amicitia who have bin ready to lay down their lives one for another mentioned before Howbeit in all ages and times of the World they were able to reckon up but very few such and those for the most part forged and counterfeit rather to teach what should be done then what was truly done And yet if such friendship had bin ever practised and such friends ever extant it had bin begun and ended in the flesh and therefore no other then corrupt and carnal for where God doth not couple together and tye the knot and where the glory of his name is not the mark we aim at there the life of true friendship is wanting The former examples of supposed friends being fastned together without the glew of Religion and the true fear of God albeit it made a goodly shew of rare love in the eyes of natural men yet it is not to be marched with that friendship which is inter bonos between those that are truly godly and religions who have the bond of the spirit and a good conscience to joyn them together You are my old acquaintance saith Austin to a friend of his but never my true friend antequam Chrsti sanguine glutinati before we were caemented by the blood of Christ And Constantine the great was of this Resolution in the choyce of friends and servants that none could be true to him that was not true to his God It is grace that conglutinates hearts and ties them fast together neither nature education benefits nor any of these not all these together that can tie so strong a Love-knot as Faith doth and will do See then that you get into the Communion of Saints seek for a Friend in that Society where men are joyned together in the unity of the Spirit and ratified by the bond of Faith Common friendship we may and ought to have with others as to cat and drink buy and sell visit and have civil commerce with them but for this inward and strict friendship whereby out hearts are united in neerness and dearness think not to find it any where but in that Communion When other friends forsake us they that are truly Religious will stick fastest to us Say not then in chusing of thy Friend as Joram said to Jehu 2 King 9.22 Is it peace Jehu so Is it wealth is it pleasure is it honour if thus then be thou my Friend But is it Religion is it grace is it vertue if so then as Jehu said to Jehonadab the Son of Recab Give me thy hand 2 King 10.15 It is Religion only and godliness that unites souls Quest. Is every one of that Communion fit to make a bosom Friend of may not one be preferred before another in point of friendship Even in Christianity Resp there is a difference of love All the Saints are to be loved as true Christian friends of us yet our hearts may bâ— enlarged to one more then to another and the superlative of our Affection may be place on some whom we make our bosom friend that is not on the rest without any disparagement at all to our discretion or charity Our blessed Saviour whose Affections were most pure had one Diâ—ciple whom he loved above the rest that leaned on his bosom Joh. 21.20 He loved all except Judas John 21.20 and that with an everlasting and endless love yet John was the beloved one this special Affection of Christ towards him was holy yet humane and proves the lawfulness of preferring one before another in point of friendship Secondly Friendship is aptly resembled unto marriage in many respects amongst others this is not the least As there must be some equality betwixt those who are to be married so there must be some equality betwixt those who are intimate bosom Friends Every good man is not a fit march for every good woman It is not enough to be vertuous and religious but to be sutable There must be some parity and equality and fitnesse in Paires as is in a paire of Gloves or a paire of Shooes so in a paire of Friends Cavendum est in ipsa electione vel dilectione nenimis cito dâ—ligamus Aug. de amicir c 15. Tu omnia cum omico delibera sed de ipso prius Senec. de benif lib. 6. c. 34. Him whom we take so near unto us for a serious friend freely to communicate our selves unto we may not leightly make choice of but either after long experience of his fidelity and wisdome or upon some singular motive we are wiâ—ely to judge and freely to credit And thus much of the choice of Friends for want of which wisdome there is so much complayning as was said before Now a word or two of the way how to get and procure Friends It is an ill way that some men take to procure Friendship and that is with the price of some sin So Abraham by fordid flatery stoal away the hearts of his Fathers subjects 2 Sam. 15.5 And Hezekiah endeavoured to obtain Senacheribs favour by sacriledge 2 King 18.16 But the friendship thus purchased was not long enjoyned 2 King 18.16 for Senacherib still persisted in his enmity against the Jewes as appears in the words following Yea sometimes it falls out that Friends so procured with hate us more then they loved us before As Ammon did Thamar after he had defiled her 2 Sam. 13.15 And Henry the fifth coming to the Crown repenting of his riotous course in his youth banished from the Court all those that had seduced him And there is a way which most of the world take to procure Friendship by large gifts and presents of which Solomon speaks Prov. 19.4 But friendship thus obtained as one saith is but like a fire of straw or stubble Pro. 19.4 which burns brightly whilst it ha's matter to feed upon but that being neglected it is soon extinguished and comes to nothing Gifts may be used to continue friendship But not to begin it If thou giâ—est any thing let iâ— be because he is thy Friend not because thou wouldest have him to be so And yet there is a good way of procuring friends by gifts and benefits which the world takes no notice of
commended to us by our Saviour Luke 16.9 Luke 16.9 Make you friends of unrighteous mammon i.e. of the wealth of the world which most men trust in that they those Friends may receive you into everlasting habitions Those Friends especially there intended are the Fodly poor and needy Alas you will say what can such friends do why more for thee being godly then the greatest Prince in Christendom by their prayers and testimonie of thy Charity This is a Parodox to â—ich men as it seemeth to be unto the Pharisees who hearing our Saviour give such Counsell mocked him for his paines which caused him to propound that other Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus vers 14. clearly shewing that such a friend as Lazarus might have been made Luke 16.14 by a few crumbs of bread had been worth much For albeit the poor are able to do little for us yet in making them our friends we make many friends at once God will be our Friend who hath undertaken to recompence us Prov. 19.17 Prov. 19.17 and if he be our Friend we can want none he will raise up for us Friends enow Prov. 16.7 Christ will be thy Friend in that thou hast relieved him in his poor and distressed members and will acknowledge that what thou didst to them was done to himself Math. 25.35 Math. 25.35 and such a Friend at Court is better then a pennie in a mans purse It is He that must judge us The Angels will be our Friends as they were to Lazarus and that both in life and death and after death Heb. 1.14 Luke 16.22 Mark 13.27 Lastly thou wilt make thy self a friend unto thy self by laying up a good foundation in works of mercy against the time to come 1 Tim. 6.18 19. So that as David said of Goliah's sword none to that give it me 1 Sam. 21.9 so we may say of this way none like that and that way I will take Object But all this concerns the Rich the Poor it may be may ask as the people did John the Baptist And what shall we do then Luke 3.10 I can answer as the Baptist did He that hath two coats let him impart to him that hath none Resp Math. 10.41 and he that hath meat let him do likewise Heaven may be had for a Cup of cold water if rightly given saith Austin for a morsell of bread Crys Serm. 41. saith Chrysologus If thou hast not a Coat to give Bread to spare yet be doing something for the needy and distressâ—d Christian according to thy ability Every man saith a grave Divine hath not conserves nor preserves to carry to the sick Harris on the Beatitudes but the Poorest hath a warden at least or an Apple to take with them God will accept according to that we have and not according to that we have not 2 Cor. 8.12 as he did of the widdows two mites Animi qualitas potius soectatur quam Eleemosynae quantitas Mark 12.43 44. Mark 12.43 44. it was all she had and that she cast into the treasury and in so doing she was richly liberall and for so doing she was highly honoured by our Saviour and her name Registered in the Gospell to her eternall praise It is fabled oâ— Midas that whatsoever he touched was turned into Gold but whatsoever the hand of Christian Charity toucheth be it but a crust of bread a cup of Adams Ale as one speaketh cold water it turns the same not into Gold but into Heaven it self where the Almighty shall be thy gold and thou shalt have silver of strength Job 22.24 25. Job 22.24 25. Other means of procuring Friends might be shewed but more of that hereafter And so much of the Persons litterally considered whom the case concerns Now a word or two of the Case it self before we come to speak of the mysticall Application It is evident enough by the whole Historicall Narration that it is a Case of Necessity and want that this Friend was in he wanted wherewith to entertain his Friend he had not to set before him and indeed It is a sad case to be in want Doct. Want is of two sorts Corporall and Spirituall the former is of the Outward comforts of this life as of health strength riches of the Earth And of this kind of want there be two degrees First Common want when a man hath to maintain life but in great scarcity and penury so Desunt multa omnibus omnia mulus Seneca Epest 108. Luke 21.2 Secondly Extream want when a man without relief from others cannot possibly sustain his life nor subsist such was the want of that poor Beggar who lay at the Rich mans gate Luke 16.20 It is a sad case to be in such want Agur prayes against it Prov. 30.8 And it is threatned as a judgment to the Rebellious Prov. 30.8 Deut. 28.48 and a disobedient Deut. 28.48 But this seems not to be the case of him this Parable speaks of he was in want but his want was but a Common or an occasionall want he had not at this time bread to set before his Friend who came to visit him yet it was sad with him that he had it not Spirâ—tuall want is of spirituall riches as of the grace of God favour of Christ and this is of two sorts In Truth as Revel 3.17 Jer. 5.4 Or in Esteem onely so the godly judge themselves to be Isay 66. â— When it is in truth it is a sad case indeed for this kind of want is greater then the other and pincheth most at the last But if it be want of the latter kind it is not sad otherwiâ—e then to the sense for a man is blessed under it Matth. 5.3 Matth. 5.3 Use 1 Let us not passe this general without some particular use for if it be so sad a case to be in want then those whose case it is should be pittied and relieved of us especially if they be in extreme want and indigence Water you know pen't up in a Channel at length runs over Fite shut up in a Cloud breaks out to Thunder So is it with man that is pent up in a room lesse then himself whose meanes cannot supply his wants When the Infant cryes it hath no food The Mother cryes she hath no milk Children cry they have no bread The Parent sighes he hath not wherewith to buy it Oh this want pincheth to the quick and being pinched how can they do lesse then complain as a Beast under a â—oar load Gen. 21.16 1 King 19.4 Then there is lamenting and mourning on all hands As Hagar did when the water was all spent and the bottle empty Or as Elijah sitting under the Juniper-tree hungry and weary Lord take away my life I have lived long enough And if God stay not strengthen not how soon doth such extreme want draw on to shifâ—ing courses and drive to indirect actions Job Man that is in such
want and misery should be pittied of his Neighbours but that men have for saken the fear of the Almighty little doth the full belly know what the empty meanes Use 2 And let every one be wary lest they rashly or heedlesly bring themselves into such want and so make this mans case their own 2 Sam. 14.19 Is not the hand of Joâ—b in all this said David to the wise woman of Tekoa So ask thy Conscience if thou beest in want Is not the hand of Idleness in it Prov. 10.4 20.4 Prov. 23.21 Luk 15.14 Prov. 11.24 Luk. 19 20.26 Prov. 10 4. 13.11 21.6 22.16 as Prov. 10 4. 20.4 or the hand of wastfulness and prodigality as Prov. 23.21 wasters will be wanters as we find Luk. 15. Or the hand of covetousness and niggardliness as Prov. 11.24 He that hid his Taient had it taken from him Luk. 19.20.26 Or the hand of iujustice and wrongful dealing Prov. 10.4 13.11 21.6 22.16 They that think to prevent want by sinful courses will in the long run meet that evil in the teeth which they hoped to escape these are the paths which lead to poveâ—ty and want which who so walks in shall meet with that armed man Prov. 6.11 But if we carefully avoid these wayes then if God do send it on any of us he will sanctifie it unto us Prov. 6.11 as he doth other crosses and afflictions to the godly And indeed it may befall the best for the tryal of their graces as we shall discover to you from the particulars when we come unto them Use 3 Yet we may carry this higher to that one thing necessary that our Saviour speaks of Luke 10.42 Luk. 10.42 Martha was cumbred about many things Mary chose the better part both were Sisters and lodged in one house and were busie about Christs entertainment But Mary was preferred for her care after her souls salvation Thus the Body and Soul are Sisters both must be busie and both are beloved of Christ The body is troubled about many things curious feeding wanton cloathing c. but if the soul want that one thing needful the care of its salvation which it ought to have it is a sad case indeed better you want all then that yet we prefer all before that let this want of care be lamented of us Thus having dispatched sundry inferiour Observations not to be neglected we come now to look into the mystical and more noble sense which is by our Saviour principally intended His scope is as you have heard to presse upon us this so much neglected duty of prayer upon the ground of assurance to be heard in all our necessities and wants inasmuch as God is our Friend And he seems to reason thus It is an happy thing when a man hath a faithful Friend to whom he may resort in time of need and break his minde when his heart is troubled But you have God for your Friend into whose bosom you may disburden your minds in Prayer and from whom you may expect help in your greatest wants Sense spiritual and therefore you are happy so then Doct. God is the good man's Friend There is a special obligation of Amity between God and the godly this Christ concludes upon as undeniable I have acquainted you before what friendship is and shewed you the kindes of it common and imperfect or perfect and more peculiar Such is the friendship that God beareth to mankind Act. 17.27 Prov. 8.31 Rom. 5.8 He is a Friend to all in a general and universal way of Friendship As he is near unto us and hath his delight with the Sons of men and sent his Son to die for us In all which respects we may say of God as the Jewes said of Christ when he wept at the raising up of Lazarus Behold how he loved him So behold what a Friend God is become unto us thus to love us in giving his own Son to bleed Joh. 11.36 to die for us even then when we were enemies to him Rom. 5.8 Luk. 2.14 And of this Friendship the Angels sang at the birth of Christ Good will towards men Luk. 2.14 Thus those in the visible Church are all Friends Mat. 22.12 Yet he is a Friend to the Godly in a more special peculiar manner his Friendship with them is Perfect Friendship Amity in the highest degree that can be wrought 1 Sam. 18.1.3 established and ratified by solemn Covenant and promise As was the Friendship betwixt Jonathan and David Thus Abraham was Gods Friend 2 Chron 20.7 Isa 41.8 Jam. 2.23 so he is styled more then once 2 Chron. 20.7 Isa 41.8 James 2.23 And the Church in the Canticles the Friend of Christ Cant. 5.1 Conjugall Friendship is the sweetest Joh. 15.14 15 and most intimate Friendship of any other Christ telleth his Disciples that they were his Friends and that he had called them so John 15.14 15. implying that it was his usual manner of compellation Luk. 12.4 Joh. 11.11 as appeares Luk. 12.4 I say unto you my Friends fear not So John 11.11 Our Fricaâ—â— Lazarus is dead And that it is thus may appear Reas First Gen. 15.18 17.1.2 Exod. 19.5 Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 37.26 By his entring into a solemn League and Covenant with us as he did with Abraham Gen. 15.18 17.1.2 and so afterwards with the seed of Abraham Exod. 19.5 the sum and substance of which Covenant is to become our God and take us for his peculiar people Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 37.26 So the Apostle rehearsing the Covenant mentioneth the very words wherein it was first made and often since renewed Heb. 8.10 yea it is a Matrimonial Covenant Hos 2. So that he is ours and we are his Cant. 2.16 we have given up our selves to him and are no more our own so hath he given himself to us and is become ours Secondly By the Comumnion he hath with the Godly it may appear he is their Friend look what Communion there is betwixt Friends the same Communion is betwixt God and the faithful First Friends communicate their Counsels and secret purposes one unto another as appeares by that speech of David concerning him whom he took for his familiar Friend Psal 55.14 Psal 55.14 Friendship doth not so much open the purse as it doth open the heart as we may hereafter hear in which regard it is truly said that Amicus est animi custos a friend is the keeper of the soul of his Friend Thus God makes known his secrets unto the godly Psal 25.14 Prov. 3.32 Psal 25.1 Prov. 3 3â— So he did to Abraham Lot Moses David Samuel Elijah Elisha Daniel Isaiah and other his Prophets and Friends according to that we read Amos 3.6 7. Amos 3.6 7. They are of his Cabinet Counsel Thus did Christ unbosom himself freely to his Luk. 8.10 Luk. 8.10 acquainting his Disciples with those secrets of the
forsake us 2 Chro. 15.2 he never breakes with us first Object But put case we have been carelesse hitherto so as that the breach is already made through our default is there any renewing of friendship what must be done in that case Differences amongst friends may arise Resp Gen. 13.8 Act. 11.2 15 39. Gal. 2.11 Math. 16.22 as did betwixt Abraham and Lot Paul and Barnabas Peter and Paul Christ and Peter God and the Godly As betwixt him and Moses David Solomon as before was said And it is very true that such differences as arise betwixt friends are many times composed with more difficulty then the contentions that arise amongst others as have bin shewed which should make us the more carefull that we break not but however it falls out with Men yet it is otherwise with God he is hardly provoked being provoked he is soon reconciled if we defire it and seek to him for it Now the means to recover friendship again in that case are these First give God a meeting when friends fall out and keep aloofe and come not near one another they are not like to agree in haste This is required Amos 4.12 Amos 4.12 We must do herein as Iacob did when he went out to meet his Brother Esau divide our band into two troops and send them before us with their presents Gen. 32.10 33 3. Body and Soul must go out to meet the Lord and neither empty hand each power of the soul and part and member of the Body must bring a present with it And when we come near we must bow our selves to the ground seaven times that is very often And then saith the Text Esau ran to his Brother and imbraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him so will God much more if we thus go forth and meet him in his wayes and ordinances Secondly Let us confesse our faults and acknowledge our errours to God promising to amend This our Saviour enjoynes betwixt man and man Luke 17.3 4. And such must be our Carriage towards God Thus did that Prodigall as we read Luke 15.18 20. and what followed thereupon Luke 17.3 4. Luke 15.18 2. The father saw him and had compassion on him and fell on his neck and kissed him Oh how quickly will God be good Friends with an humbled soul when he sees thee to droop and mourn under a sense of thy faylings he is ready to prevent thee with his mercies Thirdly come to God in the mediation of his son Jesus Christ take him up in thy armes as Themistocles did Alexander whereby he pacified King Philip the father who was offended with him The story tells us if we may believe it that Pilate being called to Rome to give an account unto the Emperour for some misgovernment and mas-administration he put on the seamlesse Coat of Christ and all the time that he had that Coat upon his back Caesars fury was abated But the Sacred story tells us this and we believe it that if we Cloath our selves with the Roabes of Christ's righteousnesse and put them on by a lively faith we shall have no cause to fear the want of Gods love and favour we having such an advocate with the Father as Jesus Christ the righteous who is the Propitiation for our sins 1 John 2.1 2. 1 John 2.1 2. Take this course and doubt not but all breaches which have bin made betwixt God and you will be soon made up to your endlesse comfort One use yet remains Use 4 It is an Admonition to every of you that you take heed lest your wrong or offer injury to any of the godly How shy are we of wronging any who hath some great man to take his part Oh say some I will not meddle with such or such a man for he is strongly backed he hath such a Lord or such a Commander for his Friend who will not suffer him to suffer should I stir against him I am sure I should suffer for it so a great man said once to another of the Councel in King Henry the Eighth his days concerning Cramner Let him alone for the King will not suffer his finger to ake And is it safe think you to provoke God against us by wronging any of his Friends Whether were you not afraid saith God to speak against my servant Moses Numb 12.8 Num. 12.8 Why who was Moses that he might not be spoke against surely one of Gods familiar Friend with whom God spake mouth to mouth face to face as a man speaketh to his Friend And do you think that God will see his Friend wronged and not right him See what Miriam got by it Numb 12.11 Num. 12.11 Miriam became leprous but how escaped he was spared saith Chrysostome or rather he met God speedily by Repentance and so disarmed his indignation Doth thy conscience tell thee that such a one is a man that truly loveth and feareth God oh beware how thou wrongest him or speakest evil of him for God takes the wrong as done unto himself and first or last thou mayest assure thy self that thou wilt hear of it be thou never so great for He hath reproved even Kings for their sake saying Touch not mine anointed and doe my Prephets no harm Psal 105.15 Thus you have seen in a spirituall sense who this friend is Psal 105.15 proceed we now to take particular notice of the Indigent and the Exigent he was put unto The Indigent or Person that is in want a friend The Exigent or the straight that he was in appears by his going to his friend at Might-night c. We begin with the Indigent or person spoken of Literal Observation And so we may observe Doct. A man that hath a Friend may yet be in want This is true in the History 1 Sam. 20. 21. c. Reas 1 There is a great Narrownesse of affection even in the very best Pride and self-love there is enough yea too much of it which puffeth up and vaunteth it self above that which is meet it raiseth up jealousies and suspitions and causeth us to apprehend a discourtesie by a wrong suspect that was never intended by a willing act This hindereth friendship in its proper work of succouring and relieving a Friend in his want as you have heard before Again it may arise through Narrownesse of Power Friends may have large hearts but short hands As some can help but will not so some would help but cannot their hearts are enlarged but either distance of place or some other impediment may prevent it at least poverty my curb their bounty And further there may be Narrownesse of Discretion in the Indigent in not making known his want unto his Friend through a too great bashfulnesse and hence it is many times that Friends are in want when they needed not if they would make it known But this is not the Principall point that I intend A word of Use shall
sight of the keeper of the prison as we read Prov. 16.7 Gen. 39.21 Exod. 3.21 Psal 106.46 Psal 88.18 Gen. 39.21 And the Children of Israel favour in the sight of the Aegyptians Exod. 3.21 And the Jewes that were in Babel and other places he gave them favour in the sight of all that led them away Captives Psal 106.46 And it is he that taketh away Friends and removes them far from us Psal 88.18 so that in them out of him there is no safe repose for help Secondly Earthly Friends can but befriend us in some particular troubles and wants some in one kinde some in another none in all which is the Reason that we stand in need of a multitude of Friends nor can all our Earthly Friends afford sufficient help in all our necessities There is some choise mercy that God reserveth for himself immediately as peace of conscience joy in the holy Ghost and the graces of his spirit which however they are bestowed on us in the means yet without the concurrence of divine grace Gen. 30.1 2. they can do nothing Give me Children saith Rachel to Iacob or I dye Am I in God's stead saith Iacob that I should give thee Children So shouldst thou come to thy best Friend on Earth and say Give me Faith Give me Repentance Give Peace of Conscience must not he answer thee as Iacob did his beloved Rachel 2 King 6.26 27. or as the King did to the woman in the siege of Samaria If God do not help how can I Were it in our power to help you to grace there is not one of you that should this day return home without it It is God only that is able to do all for you Ephes 3.20 Thirdly Earthly Friends cannot befriend us in all Places should they be both able and willing to help us yet they cannot be in all places at once here and there too I may be shut up in close prison banished out of the kingdome cast into a Den of Lyons or be where I cannot send unto my Friend But God is such a Friend as is every where where we are on this side the sea 's or beyond them Jer. 23.32 24. Am I a God at hand and not a far off saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth Jer. 23.23 24. When Abraham was called out of his own Country Psal 139.7 8. God went with him when Ioseph was in prion God was with him c. He is a Friend in Court City Country David found him in all places in his meditations Psal 139.7.8 And in all places he is ready to supply our wants No Friend like him Fourthly the friendship of our earthly Friends proves many times vain for every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Psal 39.5 Psal 39.5 And their purposes and promises prove no better they fail us in undertaking for us sometimes above abilities or else through heedlesnesse and forgetfulnesse or other weaknesses frustrating their good intentions If not so yet their breath goeth forth they return to the earth and in that very day their thoughts Psal 146.3 4. which they had of helping and doing us good perish with them Therefore put not your trust in Princes saith David nor in any Son of man Psal 146.3 4. And why not there is no help in them and why no help in them their breath goeth forth they Return to the Earth and their very thoughts do perish Object But it seems by this that no mortall man is to be trusted be he never so able or faithfull Resp Here we must distinguish between that trust we put in men and that we put in God Trust in men is that Credit which one puts in another in our mutuall and wordly dealings spoken of Prov. 31.11 This is Civil Trust in God is the Affiance and confidence of our hearts in him Prov. 31.11 relying upon his providence and promise both for the removing of evil Psal 37.3 1 Tim. 6.17 and bestowing of good spoken of Psal 37.3 1 Tim. 6.17 This is Religious There is a Civil trust due to men who are raised up as means under him to succour us and do us good and that is lawful But it must be subservient to that Religious trust which we are to put in God nor can that be put in any Creature without Idolatry and therefore forbidden to be put in man or in any earthly Creature Now let us come to the Application of the point Use What shall we say to those who in the day of their distresse withdraw their hearts and hopes from the Almighty and put their confidence in the Creature some in one some in another but few there are that make the bosome of God their chiefest refuge and fly to him as to their best Friend in the time of trouble To which of the Saints wilt thou turn said Eliphaz to Iob Iob. 5.1 Iob 5.1 Had he put that Question to a Papist he would readily have answered to St. Sithe for my pursse to St. Loy to save mine horse for my teeth to St. Apoline to St. Iob for the Pox to St. Luke to save mine Ox Fox Martyr to St. Anthonie to save my Swine c. They have Saints enough to turn unto As men do please for every disease they have a Saint particularly Such is the grosse Idolatry of the Church of Rome who set up some such to be prayed unto and put confidence in as never had any true being but were meer Phantasies and Imaginations of mens brain And others such as we may conceive without breach of Charity are damned wretches in Hell And for the best of them who were indeed true Saints on earth and now glorious in Heaven it cannot be done to them without infinite wrong offered both to the Father Son and Holy Ghost Call upon me Psal 50.15 John 16.23 Rom. 8.15 saith God in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 not on that Saint nor this Angel Ask my Father in my name saith Christ and he will give you John 16.23 He is the onely Mediator both of Redemption and Intercession between God and us 1 Tim. 2.5 An the Holy Ghost teacheth us to cry Abba Father Bishop King Rom. 8. Should we take saith one the Pen of a ready writer and begin at Genefis and proceed to the end of the Revelation and note all the Prayers and supplications which are many yet not one that is made to any other then the true God Nor shall we find any Commandement Promise or warrantable example for that practice Indeed we read of a damned wretch in Hell who did addresse himself to Abraham Luke 16.24 Father Abraham said he have mercy on me Luke 16. vers 24. but that example will not affoard them one drop of water to coole the tip of their tongues Jer. 17.5 Others fly to mortall men and rest on earthly meanes in the day of their Calamity They make flesh
their arm and withdraw their hearts from God some relye on great mens favours and put their trust under the shaddow of their wings Isay 7.12 So did Ahaz that wicked King of Iudah who notwithstanding he had protection offered him from the Lord together with a signe such as himself should chuse for the confirmation of his faith in that hehalf yet he would needs put himself upon the King of Ashur whom he hired with his army to be his defence and safeguard Isay 7.18 the hypocriticall Isralitees did fly for succour to Aeygpt and trusted to their horses and chariots because they were many forwhich cause a wo is denounced against them Isay 31.1 And Iudas being in horrour of Conscience Isay 31.1 Math. 27.3 4. runs to the chief Priests who afforded him but small comfort 2 Sam. 16.21 Psal 49.8 Iob 31.24 Others trust to their own wit as did Achitophel 2 Sam. 16.21 or to their wealth or riches Psal 49.8 They say to the wedge of gold thou art my confidence Iob. 31. when alasse neither silver nor gold shall be able to deliver in the day of wrath All these will prove but as butrushes to a drowning man or like the Aegyptian Reed which will not only fail them but pierce them with the splinters and wound them deeply in the end Of all these and others like to these we may take up the Prophet's patheticall exclamation Be astonished oh ye Heavens at this Jer. 2.12 13. and be ye horribly affraid for my people have committed two evils they have for saken me the fountain of living waters and he wed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that will hold no water Ier. 2.12 13. But the sharpest Rebuke belongs to those that fly to Hell for succour and make the Devill that Friend of theirs to whom they have resort in calamitous times Exod. 7.11 1 Sam. 28.7 2 King 1.3 Num. 22.5 Pharoahs he sends to Jannes and Iambres his Magicians Saul to the witch of Endor Ahaziah to Baalzebub the God of Ekron Balaac to Balaam the witch of Pechor A sin ordinary and common to be found even amongst those that professe the Gospel The Jewes could Reason thus John 10.20 He hath a Devil why hear ye him a damnable aspersion cast upon Christ but these fly to the Devil and will hearken to none sooner then to such as have Devils A sinne that we read not in Scripture that ever any godly man fell into but such onely as were given up and forsaken of God Saul did it not before God was gone from him 1 Sam. 28.15 It is expresly forbidden by the Word Levit. 20.6 Levit. 20.6 and severely threatned Death is pronounced by the Law not onely on the witch but seekers to them Deut. 18.10 Deut. 18.10 Let me tell such that it is much better to dye of Gods wounds then be cured with the Devils Salves And let all such as betake themselves to sinfull shifts for procuring themselves safety from troubles or deliverance out of troubles and make the Devil not God their Refuge consider seriously of that they read Isay 28.15 17. Isay 28.15 17. and lay it to their hearts It may be a meanes to awaken them and bring them to Repentance Use 2 And let us be perswaded and directed from the Doctrine delivered to have recourse to God in all our needs and troubles Say with the Psalmist Psal 73.26 Psal 37.26 whom have I in Heaven but thee O Lord and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee None but thee none but thee to whom I fly This that you may comfortably do see first that you make sure your interest in God that he is your Friend and then improve that interest you have in him to your comfort First make sure your interest the meanes we have before prescribed till then you cannot come with boldnesse unto him for help An ill conscience shuns Gods presence and will rather seek to any in time of misery then to God whilst we apprehend a man to be an enemy unto us though we stand in need of him and know that he hath Power to pleasure us yet we shun him 1 King 21.20 1 King 22.8 Gen. 26.27 Judg. 11.7 as Ahab did Elijah and Michajah and will seek to any other rather then to him Did you not hate me and why are you come unto me now that you are in distresse said Isaac to Abimeletch and Ieptha to his Bretheren Such an answer will our misgiving hearts tell us that we should have from God not being our Friend Should we come unto him or say that we apprehend him not as an Enemie but as a stranger to us one with whom we have no acquaintance much lesse Friendship yet this alone will keep us from having any familiar resort unto him in our necessities Should we be told of such a man that is well monyed and hath it lying by him and be advised to go to him for a supply of our want you know what the Plea will be Alass he is a stranger to me one whose face I never saw I dare not make so bold with him pray do you speak a good word for me it may be for your sake he will do much So is it with those that are enemies or strangers to God they dare not come to God themselves Exod. 8.8 1 Sam. 12.19 Acts 8.22.24 but as Pharaoh did they send to Moses to one of Gods Friends and desire him to intreat for them the like did Saul and Israel to Samuel and Simon Magus to Simon Peter But when once we come to make good our interest in God we shall have great encouragement to come unto him and that in a familiar way as one Friend comes unto another So we read Isay 63.16 Isay 63.16 The Church there pleads her interest in God and thereupon expostulates with God and asketh him a reason of his Judgments and after a sort blames him why hast thou done thus to thy people and giveth reasons why he should not be so angry with his people verse 17 18. many such Friendly and familiar passages we have in Scripture that have passed betwixt God and the Godly As Job 13.24 Job 13.24 25. Psal 13.1 44.23 89.46 47. 74.11 25. wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thy enemie So Psal 13.1 89.46 47. Psal 44.23 As if God were a sleep when he should deliver his people 74.11 As though God were slack in releiving his necessities Offer this now to one of your Princes Mal. 1.8 saith the Prophet to the people in another case and see if he will take it So come to any Prince on Earth or great Potentate in such a familiar manner say to him thus I would your Highnesse would awake once and attend my businesse and pluck your hand out of your bosome and execute justice would he take it well although it were from his best
Friend or Favourite yet the Godly do thus and God takes it well at their hands for Friendship 's sake which is the only ground of this familiarity Ephes 3.12 Heb. 10.22 Ephes 3.12 Heb. 10.22 Therefore make that good And then having made good your Interest Improve it And that first by resorting and flying to him in all your troubles Jer. 16.19 The unreasonable Creatures by a naturall instinct Jer. 16.19 betake themselves unto places of defence when dangers threaten them Psal 104.18 Psal 104.18 Birds fly to their Rowes in a storme and Bees to their Hives Pigeons to their Dove-coates So must the Godly to the Lord Isay 26.20 Psal 57.1 Psal 62.8 Psal 20.7 Isay 26.20 Psal 57.1 Secondly by trusting in this Friend Psal 62.8 It is a sweet straine which the Godly have in their song Psal 20.7 Hic curruum et illi equorum Some in Charriots and some in Horses but we will remember the name of the Lord We will remember him so as to put our trust in him and settle our hope on him alone As for the transitory things of this world they are all vaine Psal 33.16 as we read Psal 33.16 Obj. But is a Horse vaine an hoast of men vaine is there no safety in these things Resp Good meanes of safety from trouble and deliverance out of trouble may not be neglected but when the meanes are most promising Pro. 21.31 we may not put our confidence in them God must be eyed in the meanes and on him the soul must look over and beyond the meanes for a blessing else all comes to nothing It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in man It is better to trust in the Lord Psal 148.8 9. then to put confidence in Princes saith the Psalmist both are good but the first best Not as if it were unlawfull to put any confidence in a Religious way in any thing as hath been said but in God alone But it is better to put our whole confidence in God then so much as a Civill trust in any of the Sons of men Men of quality are offended if they be not trusted upon their words and promises how much more should we trust the Lord upon promises made of Protection and Preservation The greatest dishonor to God is not to rely upon his word 2 King 17.19 it provokes God highly as we find 2 King 17.19 20. the Prince that beleeved not was trodden to death Jer. 17.5.7 psal 146.5 Such as do not are accursed by him Jer. 17.5 but such as do are blessed and happy Ier. 17.7 Psal 146.5 Thirdly we shall Improve our Interest by disburdening our mindes unto him and powring forth our hearts before him giving a full vent to our soules in his bosome Psal 62.8 Psal 62.8 The heart of a Friend may not be like the nose of a Still out of which water comes by drops But as the mouth of a paile which hath a large vent Psal 81.10 Nor like a spunge Psal 81.10 out of which water is squeezed but it must come from a free spirit Nor must it be like the powring out of oyle or honey or any such thick and oylie liquor which leaves some remainder of its substance behind on the side of the vessell but like water which runnes all from the sides Our whole heart must be opened to the Lord but of this more hereafter Lament 2.19 This shall serve for the second Use Use In the last place let all Gods Friends take notice of their priviledge and rejoyce in this that they have such a Friend to go unto in all their wants A Friend Psal 14.6 that is a Refuge for us to fly unto for succour and security as were the Citties of Refuge to the manslayer when the pursuer of blood by unjust occasions follows us A Friend that is a shelter for us when any storme Psal 61.3 or tempest of outward Oppression or inward Temptation overtakes us in our journey Isay 4.6 Psal 3.3 Isay 4.6 A Friend that is a Sheild and Buckler to us to keep off the push of pike force of sword dint of dart that are flying at us by bloody Persecutors either with tongue Psal 18.2 Psal 31.2.11.8 or hand A Friend that is a Castle Fortresse strong habitation and house of defence for us so that we need not be affraid of ten thousand enemies that shall beset us round Psal 3.6 Psal 32.7 119.114 Isay 32.2 A Friend that is a hiding place unto us on whom we may on all occasions repose our selves and rest secure whether sleeping or wakeing and to whom we may fly when we are hunted and pursued by our enemies There in him we may comfortably live and peaceably dye as the Bee in the Hive or Beast in the Den. In a word having Interest in God thou canst not be so beaten out of earthly comforts but that thou hast A Friend to heare thee when thou cryest A Friend to answer thee when thou callest A Friend to succour thee when thou wantest A Friend to pitty thee when thou mournest A Friend to defend thee when thou sufferest wherefore having God to our Friend conclude Happy are we in being in such a Case blessed are we in having this God for our Friend And so we passe from the Person Psal 144.15 to whom he makes his Addresse to his Carriage and Behaviour which is seen by that he did and by that he said By that he did he goes unto his Friend at Midnight Where we have first his Action shall go unto his Friend Secondly the Amplification from the circumstance of time at Midnight Shall go He sends not to his Friend by a Servant he sitts not still under a sense of want but he gets out of dores and useth the meanes to make supply of his present necessity You may conclude from the History that In distresse Doct. Litt. dilligence must be used and paines taken for Redresse when we are in misery honest paines and industry may not be neglected to find out a remedy It is not for us to say Jer. 10.19 I 'le beare it but paines must be taken and used that we may remedy it This must be done in all wants both Temporall and Spirituall In outward wants that concerne this Life meanes must be used for supply Ephes 4.28 1 Thes 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 4.11 12. They wrought with their own hands Ephes 4.28 1 Thes 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 4.11 12 Acts 20.24 Pro. 2.5 to sweat out a poore living so Acts 20.35 more shame for them to suffer it yet they did it And in our Spirituall wants the like dilligence is to be used for a supply of them Cant. 1.8 3.2 3. Isay 2 3. 55.1 26.8 9. Dan. 12.4 Reas Why else hath God afforded meanes of Redresse but that they should be sought and used God and meanes may not be severed meanes being the
former Doctrine delivered Resp Meanes must be used to serve Gods Providence as was shewed but yet Prayer is to be preferred as that whereby all other meanes are sanctified and blessed to us as God willing in the Applicatory part of this Parable shall be further shewed Use Let such as neglect Prayer know that they neglect the chiefe means of their own good Elihu tells us of many that were oppressed and cryed out by reason of the Arme of the Almighty Job 35.9 10. but none said Where is God my maker Such is the case of many of us in our distresses If we can make any shift although it be but with the Prodigall in tending swine and feeding with them at the trough we never seek by Prayer to God our Father The wickednesse and cursed Atheism of our hearts is discovered by nothing more then by the neglect of this Duty And this is the Reason why men in their need and necessities lust but have not desire to have and yet do not obtaine even because they ask not as St. Ieames tells us Iames 4.2 He that shall neglect or despise this meanes which God in his divine wisdome hath established and commanded to be used for obtayning help in all our necessities shall find all other meanes and courses that he shall use to be unprofitable and unavaileable yea accursed to him Use 2 This makes for the comfort and encouragement of such as have the Spirit of Prayer There is no distresse that they can be in but they may find a Remedy It was said of the Pope that he could never want mony so long as he was able to hold a pen in his hand It may be truly said of a godly Christian that so long as he holds the Spirit of prayer in his heart and is able to put up a prayer to Heaven he cannot want what is good for him It is a grosse deceit for any good man to think that their case is hard because they are without mony without stock without meanes His case is hard that hath a hard heart and either cannot pray or will not pray but it cannot be hard with him that can pray and doth pray which will remedy all We shall speak hereafter more fully to the point in its proper place We so passe from this mans Action to the Amplification of it from the time At Midnight An unseasonable time one would think to seek out for bread When Night comes the beasts of prey creep forth of their Dens but man betakes himself unto his rest as David shews Psal 104.20.23 Had this man pleaded for himselfe to that Friend that came so late to visite him as his Friend did of whom he came to borrow trouble me not now it is very late and I cannot make that provision for you that I would if it were day he might have been excused But without excuse up he gets out of dores he goes at that dead time of night for to accommodate his Friend and manifest his Affection that he bore him From hence observe we Doct. True Love is not Lazie It is content to abridge it seâ—fe of its own ease and liberty and take paines for the good and comfort of the beloved party Love seeketh not her own saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.5 1 Cor. 13.5 the meaning is not that Love is regardlesse of it selfe but that it is so imployed about the good and wellfare of the beloved party as that a man may easily discerne in it a neglect of its own pleasure and profit for another's benefit It is so taken up with the party that it doth affect as that it is oftentimes negligent of it self and will not take all the Liberty that it might lawfully Thus it was with Abraham in his carriage towards Lot Gen. 13.8 9. Gen. 13.8 9. he stood not strictly upon his right as being the elder and his Uncle Gen. 11.27 and so might lawfully have pleaded his priviledge in choosing but he for the Love that he did bear to Lot and out of a desire that concord should be continued between them makes himselfe not only his equall Luther in Gen. 14. but his inferiour in giving him the choyce of his habitation choose you saith Abraham where you will dwell c. I will take that which you leave Iacobs example likewise might be produced who served a hard Prentiship for the Love he bore to Rachel and yet they seemed to him but as a Few dayes Gen. 29.20 Hos 12.12 It is given in charge by the Apostle Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Phil. 2.4 Phil. 2.4 And he propounds the example of Christ therein for us to imitate Let the same mind be in you which was also in Christ who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant c Phil. 2.5 6 7. he empâ—ied himself suspended Phil. 2.5 6 7. and laid aside his glory and majestly and made himself equall to his inferiours for their everlasting good The like we read Rom. 15.2 3. Rom. 15.2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification albeit he crosse himsel f in so doing which exhortation is also backt with Christs example for even Christ pleased not himself c verse 3. that is he sought not his own profit ease nor content of nature in that he did but our benefit and profit And elsewhere Let no man seek his own but every man anothers wealth saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.24 1 Cor. 10.24.33 the meaning is that no man shou d stand upon terms of right and liberty or regard his own pleasure or profit in regard of the wellfare of others And herein he propounds his own practise for our example verse 33. even as I please all men in all things that is so far as in godlinesse he might not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they might be saved as in sundry particulars he had instanced before 1 Cor. 8.13 9.19 -24. and all was for the Gospel sake and for Loves sake as he speaketh to Philemon Nay he hath a higher expression of his Love then that Philem. 8 9. he was content that his salvation might be a while deferred for the Love that he bore to the Philippians c. 1.23.24 25. Yea and a higher then that too Phil. 1.23 24. Rom. 9.3 he could wish himself accursed from Christ for the Love that he bore to the Jewes his bretheren and Kinsmen according to the Flesh Rom. 9.3 Obj. But the rule is Math 23.39 Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self and not better then thy self or above thy self Then a man loveth another as himself Râ—sp when he is ready to do that for another which out of a right and sound judgement he would have another do for
seek themselves and not the good one of another Self is the Bias in all our actions as Lucullus somtimes told his guests who being bountifully entertained by him wondering and admiring at the magnificent cost that he was at for their sakes as they said he replyed Somthing my Guests is for your sakes but the greatest part is for Lucullus his own sake But this is far from Loving truly Plut. Apoth true Love is a free Affection not a trade nor traffique for Lucre's sake It will not stand forecasting with it self as did those in Job what shall I get Job 21.16 or gain by this It counts it gaine sufficient if it can do the beloved party any service As for such selfe-Lovers if they take paines to read 2 Tim. 3.2 they shall find themselves to begin that Black Bedrole 2 Tim. 3.2 Use 2 And from this that hath been delivered let us be stirred up to manifest the Truth and soundnesse of our Love both to God and Man Probatio amoris exhibitio operis saith Gregory It is deeds and not words that must manifest our Love True Love is the Daughter of Faith and as Iudah said in another case of Iacob and Benjamin Gen. 44.30 Gal. 5 6.13 his Life is bound up in the Childs Life So may we say in this case The Mother is lively and working and communicates with her Daughter of her livelinesse working by her Faith is like that thirsty houswife we read of Pro. 31.19 Her own hands are to the spindle Pro. 31.19 they hold the distaffe she twists and spins a web to cloath the naked Soul And all the while she is at work she eyes her Daughter sets her to labour and suffers her not to eate the bread of idlenesse but causeth her to embroider with her needle her Tent which is holinesse and sends her forth with the garment which she hath wrought imploying her about works of mercy Whilst Faith keeps within to defend the Conscience Love walks abroad to succour the needy whist Faith like the Mason holds the Ladder with the one hand Love with the other serves Hence it is that Love and Labour are joyned together 1 Thes 1.3 Heb. 6.10 1 Thes 1.3 Heb. 6.10 she is no Lazie Daughter of so painfull and laborious a Mother Some have resembled Love to the Plant of Paradife having the knowledge of God for the Root Faith in Christ for the stock The Love of God and our Neighbour for the maine boughes and branches Good meanings desires and purposes for the budds and blossomes The leaves are good speeches and the Fruits are good works Oh! that the house of God did flourish with such Trees Such shall grow green for ever and their fruit shall never wither Be thou a Branch of this Tree Do all the good thou canst for thy Christian Friend Ride for him run for him visit him in health and sicknesse if he be hungry feed him if naked cloath him let thy Love be a substantive felt heard and understood and be content to abate of thine own ease and rest to do thy Brother any office or service of Love much more to serve and seek the Publique good of Church and State But I shall no further at this time carry this Doctrine arising from the letter of the History we come to the Mystery At Midnight Night Gen. 8.22 1. Cor. 11.23 Exod. 11.4 Judg. 16.3 Psal 91.5 Isay 21.12 properly signifyeth that space of time wherein darknesse covereth the face of the Earth the Sun being absent and Midnight is the death time of the Night when all are at rest and quiet Judg. 16.3 Metaphorically and Figuratively it notes calamity in Scripture as Psal 91.5 Isay 21.12 And so Midnight signifies extreamity of calamity and misery In both senses it may be here taken and applyed For God is a Friend at Midnight both in respect of Time and respect of Trouble And our Saviour would give us as much to understand that we may not be discouraged from coming to God by Prayer at any season For it may be some poor soul may say I would gladly come unto God as to my Friend and seek unto him for a supply of all my wants but I feare that it is unseasonable the day is spent the night is come my Afflictions are great and the shaddowes of the Evening are stretched out upon me Jer. 6.4 c. No saith Christ let not this discourage you for Friends stand not upon that A Friend will go if occasion be unto his Friend at Midnight albeit it be in it self an unseasonable time and hopes notwithstanding to speed in his suite How much more then will God grant the suites which his Friends make unto him to whom no time is unseasonable come when they will they shall be wellcome If we take the words in the former sense for the Time and Season our Observation may be this Doct. God is a Friend to whom we may resort at the deadest time of all the Night Prayer is as nigh to God in the night time as in the day This Solomon intimates 1 King 8.59 1 King 8.59 be it at what houre of the night it will faithfull Prayer shall come and stand nigh before him Iacob wrestled with God by prayers and supplications all night long and prevailed Hos 12.4 David will riâ—e up at Midnight to pray and give thanks Hos 12.4 Psal 119.62 Psal 119.62 Paul and Silas prayed and sang prayses unto God at Midnight and the Prisoners heard them Acts 16.25 Act. 16.25 I have remembrance of thee in my Prayers Night and Day said Paul to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.3 Luke 6.12 2 Epist 1.3 And Christ himself as we have it Luke 6.12 continued all Night in Prayer Reas And no marvell for is not the Night his as well as the Day Psal 74.16 hath not he prepared the Light and the Sun Night and Day are all one to him No time can be prescribed against the King Nullum tempus occurrit Regi as we were wont to say and shall any time be preâ—cribed against God If our Prayers find but the way to him as they will in the darkest Night his promises infallibly will find a way to us Besides Gods Spirit is as ready to assist us at Midnight as at mid-day And our Mediator and Intercessor is both Night and Day at Gods right hand Rom. 8.34 pleading our cause for us Use 1 To omitt this Duty then of Prayer under pretence of want of Time or latenesse of the Night can be no excuse Davids reines did instruct him in the Night season Psal 16.7 that is Psal 16.7 his inward Affections and desires did call upon him then to think upon God and call upon his name had we such desires and Affections as David had and as we ought to have sanctifyed and reformed we would find a time and redeem it from our eyes and eye-lids to performe this Duty
But he that searcheth the reines Revel 3.23 Jer. 12.2 Psal 36.4 Pro. 4.16 knowes full well that He is far from their reines who can break their sleep to devise mischiefe on their beds and sleep not unlesse they cause some to fall So vehement are their desires unto evill that the day is not long enough to practise it the night must likewise be taken up in following it And yet they can find no time to seek unto God by Prayer for pardon whole nights they can spare to sport to gaine to revell and yet not one houre nor halfe a quarter of an houre of the Night to beg pardon for their Daye 's transgressions That Italian was conceited we may imagine who writ a supplication to Candlelight desiring it to disclose unto him the secrets of its Kingdome Surely the Sun that eye of Heaven doth not see so much wickednesse and villany as is committed by Candlelight It would be a long Assize only to take her Confession and Inditement It can tell of dores open at the dead time of night to let in the Adulterer and let out the Drunkard It can discover a world of Unthrifts revelling and ryoting Carding and Dicing swilling and swearing till mony and wit were both together spent How happy were it for such if the least inch of Candle were able to witnesse for them of one poore piece of an houre spent in praying reading and such pious devotions which if it could do it would do more I beleeve then the Sun in the Firmament can for that never saw it But let such remember that Gods eye is on them at Midnight he looks on when it may be we had rather He looked off If we see him thus as standing by us looking on us it would be a happy interview How doth he that is come abroad at Midnight to do a mischiefe sneak away when he spyes the watch and what a damp would it necessarily cast upon a Sinner to behold God that shall be his Judge beholding him at that time of night committing sin Oh take heed lest he spye thee up and working wickednesse at that time of night when thou shouldest be in bed or being stolen to bed find thee fast without asking him blessing or committing thy self to his gratious protection and keeping Both these are alike dangerous Use 2 But this is comfortable to the godly that God is a Friend at Midnight that they have such and so great a God to whom they may at all times resort even at the deadest time of all the Night The Persian Kings held it a piece of their silly glory to deny an easie accesse of their greatest subjects It was death for any to sollicite them uncalled Esther her self was affraid to do it Esther 4.11 but the Gates of Heaven alwayes stand open to Faithfull Prayer And Gods scepter is continually held forth to all and we may safely approach to the Throne it self where the King sits and at what time we will by day or night have audience in the Court of Heaven We cannot rise up so early but God is awake before us and ready to attend us nor lye down so late but he is up later then we He is up early to refresh his Servants Psal 90.14 Hos 6.3 and to destroy his enemies Psal 90.14 Hos 6.3 Exod. 14.24 Pro. 8.17 Psal 119.147 148. Psal 8. Psal 19. Exod. 14.24 and he would have us early up to observe his going forth in the passages of his providence towards us Pro. 8.17 David prevented the Night-Watches and the dawning of the Day as he saith Psal 119.147 148. late at night and early in the mouring he gave himself to Prayer and Meditation he had his Night Meditations Psal 8. and his Day Meditations Psal 19. and was at the one by Sun-rising observing his comming out like a Bridegroome and at the other late in the evening when the Moon was up and the Starrs gloriously appearing And elsewhere he tells us that he would be so early at his Prayers as that he would prevent the Lord Psal 88.13 Psal 88.13 In the morning saith he shall my prayer prevent thee A very high expression as if David could be at his prayers before God were awake or went abroad but that is not his meaning it seemes to be this rather that he would be with God before any Crosse or Affliction befell him or any blessing met him Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning as he saith Psal 30.5 he doth not say Weeping must endure for a Night Psal 30.5 there was no necessity for that but it may endure for a Night but if weeping do endure all the Night till the day break yet then it comes certainly and infallibly but Davids Prayers his Midnight Prayers shall be with God and prevent that joy before that blessing befalls him And in this sense David may be understood when he speaks of his early preventing of God by his Prayers See then that we make a right use of this our Priviledge and come to the Throne of grace early and late Hath any evill any Affliction betided thee over Night thou wentest to bed with thine eyes full of teares thou slumberest but canst not sleep thou sleepest yet canst take no rest at Midnight thou awakest thy Spirit is perplexed within thee why now embrace God in thine armes by religious thoughts and holy Meditations put up thy Prayer to the God of thy Life Psal 42.8 so in the Night his Songs shall be with thee He may wipe away all teares from thine eyes at Midnight and put Songs of prayse and thanksgiving into thy mouth at Midnight if thou pray unto him and call upon him at Midnight Therefore try him that way But if that do not happen yet the Lord will command saith David his Loving kindnesse in the day-time that shall not faile to follow in the morning when the day breakes and so thy Night Prayers shall prevent the morning Watches Quest 1 There is a Question or two would be resolved concerning the point delivered before I dismisse it First it may be questioned whether it be not more seasonable to come to God by Prayer in the Day-time than in the Night it being a time of sleep and drowsinesse As God hath sanctified all Places for Prayer Resp John 4.21 1 Tim. 2.8 Ephes 6.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 4.21 1 Tim. 2.8 so hath he all Times yet the duty being Affirmative we are not tyed to All but to the season only Pray always saith the Apostle Ephes 6.18 that is in every season as it is word for word in the Originall When you have an occasion or opportunity to pray then lay hold on it be it in the day or in the night morning or evening for every part of time is included none excluded so it be seasonable Now Prayer may be considered as it is more solemne or more sudden Solemne Prayer is that which
request Text. Lend me three Loves Here we have first the Thing desired Lend me secondly the motive to enforce it which is taken from the Facility thereof It was but three Loaves that he desired to borrow he would not be overburthensome unto his Friend he desires that which was in the power of his Friend to grant and that without any prejudice unto him We begin with the thing desired 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 da mihi mutuò Lend me It will not be amisse to acquaint you with the nature of the thing and shew you what Lending is and what kind of Lending it was which this man desired that we may make the better way to the Doctrine For albeit Borrowing and Lending was as we think never more used then in these dayes yet upon a strict enquiry we shall find that it was never more rare for amongst many Lenders there is scarce a Lender to be found that doth perform aright this Christian duty to his Friend Know then that Lending is a Contract which transfers the right dominion of a thing to another for no Consideration of price or Recompence What Lending is but only upon Covenant that the same kind of thing be rendered and repayed againe saith Hemingius Or more briefly thus Heming Comment in Jac. de mutuatione Lending is a kind of contrast whereby things are alienated for a time without price A Contract is the consent betwixt parties concerning the alienation or permutation of things upon condition which condition is either presently performed or else for the future assured by obligations either Verball by word of mouth or Writing So Philem. 18.19 St. Paul ingaged himself by word Philem. 18.19 and writing to Philemon for Onesimus his debt or Reall as by Pawnes and Morgages which under the Law was allowed Exod. 22.6 Deut. 24. Pro. 20.16 Exod. 22.26 Deut 24. Pro. 20.16 Or by Sureties and Hostages so Gen. 42.36 Gen. 42.36 37. and 43.8 9 10. 44.32 37. Reuben offered his two Sons in Hostage and delivers them unto his Father as pledges for the forth-comming of Benjamin the like did Iudah Gen. 43.8 9.10 and 44.32 This Contract we now speak of concerns Alienation of Goods and Such Contracts are either for the perpetuall alienation of them or but for a time only The perpetuall alienation is both of the Use and Property of what is alienated and that for ever And it is either Free and Liberall or for Recompence If it be free and liberall It is Donation or giving if it be for Recompence then it is Commutation as ware for ware which is called Bartery or mony for mony which is called Exchange or ware for mony which is called selling or mony for ware which is buying The Alienation which is but for a Time is either of the Use only or of the Property also That which is of the Vse only for a Time if it be liberall and free is called Commodation or lending to Use the property being still retayned But if it be for Recompence then it is called Location or letting to Hire That which is not only of Vse but of Property also if it be liberall and Free is called Mutuation or lending to spend if it be Illiberall and for gaine it is called Vsury Now the difference is to be taken notice of betwixt these two kindes of Lendings Mutuatio Accommodatio Mutuating and Accommodating When any doth mutuum dare mutuate he looks but for his own againe in eadem specie in the same kind As when one lends Bread Corne Mony to a Friend he lends it not with condition to have the very selfe same Loaves againe or graines of Corne or pieces of Silver againe that were lent but with condition that it should be repayed in the like kind Bread for Bread Corne for Corne of the same kind and goodnesse Mony for Mony so much for so much For here the Property and Dominion of the thing lent is transferred from the Lender to the Borrower otherwise a man could not use them in regard that the Use and the Property cannot besevered And therefore this kind of Lending is called mutuum Heming in Jac. 5. in which too words meum and tuum are contracted into one As if the Lender should say this that is mine I now make it thine for a time thine to do with what thou wilt thine in Use and Property both to lend and spend to give c so thine that during the time of the loane of it I will not call thee to an account for it because it is thine And this kind of lending is only of such things as are spent in the Vse and passe from man to man by number weight or measure Now when a man Accommodates he looks to receive that which he lends in Individuo for as much as the Vse is only transferred but not the Property unto the Borrower so that he cannot every way use it as his own he cannot sell it exchange it or bestow it on whom he please Should a man lend his Friend his Horse he may not by vertue of that Lending sell him to another nor exchange him with another for as much as the Lender did not make his Friend the owner of the beast by transferring the Property or dominion unto him he only yeilds the Use of it for a time and when the time is expired he expects the same Beast againe and no other in the roome of him Now the Lending which our Text speaks of is of the former kind called Mutuation being of such things whose use consists in the consummation of their substance and whereof both Use and Property are passed over for a Time only and not Perpetually which Time being expired the borrower is to restore the Principall not the selfe same particular or individuall loafe or loaves of bread but so much in the same kind or the same in valew Duo sunt contractus qui de natura sui gratuiti sunt Muum et Commodatum Grat. decret part 2. Caus 14. Quest 3. Whether we Accommodate in passing over the Use only but not the Property or Mutuate in passing over both Use and Property Lending must be free and without price for it is gratwitus contractus and if any thing be taken for lending the nature of lending is corrupted saith Chemuitius By this description of Lending it appeares how it differs from all other Contracts as first from Lettings for in that we passe over the Use of a thing for a certaine price retayning still the Property but in this we many times passe over both Use and Property but whether one or both it is alwayes without price It differs from selling For that is a contract by which a thing is transferred from one to another for a certaine price and that for ever both agree in the transferring and alienating the Property with the Use but herein they differ the one is Liberall the other not the one
the Lords sake his needy Neighbour looking for nothing again is said to lend in Christian Charity And he who lends looking for his own again lends in civill Love and humanity So he who lends looking for more then his own againe Luke 6.35 lends in Covetousnesse It is an Act of Cruelty and inhumanity A good man saith David is mercifull and lendeth Psal 37.26 implying that he who lendeth not freely Psal 37.26 wanteth those bowells of mercy which good men have Insomuch that Luther sticketh not to terme an Usurer a blood-sucker of the people Luth. in Decal and Cato being asked What is was to be an Usurer demanded againe What it was to be a Murtherer implying as was the one Cicero de Offic. in fin so the other Nor is Charity only perverted and depraved by such a kind of Lending but everted and extinguished thereby In our fore-Fathers dayes when Usury was held a deadly sin Mosse on Vsury A poore couple or young trader might easily have borrowed of a rich Friend or Neighbour 40. or 50. s. yea 5. l. or more according to his need to be paid againe at convenient leasure but in these dayes wherein Charity is rather dead then waxen cold a price being set upon lending free lending is scarce known insomuch that it is a hard matter for a poore Neighbour to borrow 10. shillings for a few dayes without some recompence Obj. But it should seeme by this that it is unlawfull for a man to lend his Horse for hire or Cowes for profit c. In things lent out wherein the Vse is only passed over for a time but the Property retained Râ—â—â— there recompence may be received for as much as such things are wearable and returne not in the same perfection every way as they were lent in consideration whereof as likewise in regard of the hazard that the owner standeth unto the lender may take reward But where both the Vse and Property of what is lent is passed over to the Borrower as must be in those particulars mentioned Deut. 23.19 Levit. 25.37 Deut. 23.19 Levit. 25.37 for otherwise they could not be used as before hath been shewed And where the Lender stands not to the hazard but the Borrower there it is judged unlawfull Sure it is that recompence received both in the one kind and the other doth passe it into another kind of contract namely into Hire Quest But may a man in no case receive some Recompence for Corne or Money that he lends unto his Friend or Neighbour Resp In some case he may as first where losse is sustained by the lender through the borrowers default Say a man should lend his Neighbour Corne or Money freely for a certaine time and that time expired the Corne or Money lent is detained against the Lenders minde now the Markets rise or fall and for want of Money the Lender is hindered from laying in his provision at the best hand In such a case it is lawfull to receive recompence for the dammage suffered But this is not to receive recompence for what is lent but for the dammage susteyned through the deteyning of what was lent longer then the time that was contracted for And as it is lawfull to take for what was lent in a Recompencing way so secondly it is lawfull in a Retributory way to take some profit The Borrower finds himself much benefired by the Lenders courtesie and of his own accord in testimony of his Thankfullnesse freely gives to the Lender who when he lent neither intended nor expected it much lesse covenanted or contracted with him for it such profit and encrease may lawfully be taken as well as given as an acknowledgement for the courtesie received And such receiving of gaine or profit for what was lent is by all Divines both Papists and Protestants allowed Use 2 Be we exhorted to shew our selves Friendly and Neighbourly one to another in lending freely as occasion shall be offered Say not in thine heart if the case be thus that if I lend I must freely lend my Money Corne bread c and have no recompence I will not lend at all but consider seriously First it is Gods command that we should lend our Neighbour In his Law he hath enjoyned it Deut. 15.7.8 Deut. 15.7 8. God having before provided that in the seventh yeare no debt should be demanded he foreseeing that when the seventh yeare should draw neere the covetous would refuse to lend to them that were in need straitly chargeth his people not to forbeare to lend in that yeare more then in any other Beware saith he that there be not a wicked thought in thine heart c. verse 9 10. verse 9 10. where he useth two effectuall Reasons to perswade to the effectuall performance of the duty first if they should forbeare to lend it should be a Sin unto them verse 9. For no man is an absolute Lord of that he hath but Gods Steward Luke 16.1 19.13 who hath committed that we have into our hands to be imployed to his glory and our own Neighbours good and to such uses as he hath appointed Secondly if they did thus chearfully and freely lend as he required then because of this thing God would blesse them in all their works verse 10. This is a duty likewise charged upon us by our blessed Saviour in his Gospel Math. 5.42 Luke 6.35 Math. 5.42 Luke 6.35 It was a Pharisaicall conceit that their kindred Friends and such as had well deserved should only be lent unto but our Saviour shewes that that friendly office is owing to every one that needs be he Friend or Foe if he be willing and desirous his necessity being such as compells him to borrow and thy estate such as inables thee to lend ne averseris turn thou not away plead not excuse make no delay be so farr from denying this friendly favour as that thou suffer not thy countenance or gesture to be strange towards him Thus we have both Law and Gospell for the duty in observing whereof both our Obedience and Faith will be discovered we cannot say we love God and trust in God if we yield not obedience to him herein Secondly take notice that to deny to lend is to offend against humane society which cannot subsist without it Usurers and the Patrons of it say so of Usury It is so necessary that Common-wealths cannot stand without the practise of it Without lending indeed they cannot but without Vsury they both might and ought Wherefore hath God made men sociable Creatures but to be helpfull one unto another upon such occasions Thirdly know that it is a greater sin not to lend unto thy Friend and Neighbour then to be an Usurer unto him As it is a greater offence to deny food to him that is almost famished then to sell it unto him at an unreasonable rate Therefore many States tollerate Usury for the good both of the Borrower
company Obj. But the way to keep a Friend is not to lend for if a man demand his own he shall be hardly thought of and it may be lose both Friend and Mony Resp Such indeed there are and too many of such in the world whose greatest care is of whom to borrow but take no care at all to repay againe but they are branded in the Scriptures for wicked persons that do so Psal 37.21 Psal 37.21 nor may others fare the worse for their fault The Godly make Conscience of paying what they owe as did the Son of the Prophets mentioned 2 King 6.5 and that poore Widdow 2 King 6.5 2 King 4.1 2. which before we made mention of of whom we read 2 King 4.1 2. c. Nor may a necessary duty be omitted for some mens faylings It should only teach us to be the more carefull in the discharge of it Wherefore silence Reason and exalt Faith Remember it is a work of mercy to lend unto the needy Math. 5.7 and such as shew mercy shall find mercy at the hands of God when they stand in most need of it And in the performance of this Duty see that it be in Christian Compassion and Charity lend not grudgingly and repiningly with an evill eye pinching hand or heart And so likewise have respect to Justice and Equity in your lending so as that it be not to the prejudice but profit of your Neighbour and in so doing the greatest comfort and profit will redound to thy selfe in the end Use And if it be so that he is a Friend that doth lend then let such as borrow take it for a kindnesse that they are lent unto Trouble not thy Friend with a businesse of this nature unlesse there be great need For the Borrower Pâ—o. 22.7 is a servant to the Len der saith Solomon and why should any man needlesly lose his liberty and make himself a slave As the Apostle saith in another case so in this if thou canst be free use it rather 1 Cor. 7.21 If thou canst use any other lawfull shift borrow not He that goes a borrowing we say goes a sorrowing and this many have found true by wofull experience who have met with bitter reproaches mocks taunts checks reproofs even in the house of their reputed Friends they have been thus smitten when they have come upon this errand wherefore be wary borrow not over-greedily Plato's law was that no man should fetch water from his Neighbours Well untill he had first digged in his own ground to the Potters earth But if thy necessity be urgent the occasion necessary the request reasonable and that thou canst not otherwise make some honest supply of thy present want then see that thou discharge the duty of a good Borrower First borrow with a resolution to restore what is lent thee and that at the time appointed There are in these dayes more then a few who by faire words and colourable pretences and under the Cloake of Religion creepe into their Neighbours bosomes borrow mony take up wares of credit as far as they can be trusted never purposing to pay but resolving before hand that so soon as they have gotten their Neighbours goods into their own possession voluntarily to break and turn Banckrupts and then an agreement must be sought with Creditors and composition made for a third fifth or tenth part of what was borrowed by which wicked course many a conscionable and well-minded Lender hath been brought to much want when these unjust and base-minded Borrowers have lived like Gentlemen upon their stollen goods and the sweat of other mens labours This is a pernitious-kind of theft and in former ages scarce heard off they steale more in a day or two and with more security then a High-way Robber doth all his life-time But though the Law of man arraignes these not yet the Judgment seate of of God 1 Thes 4.6 will not acquit them Secondly repay truly and at the time appointed abuse not thy Friend in denying the debt and putting him to prove it which is the practise of too many nor keep it from him with a strong hand longer then the time contracted for which is the practise of more This is the cause of so many troublesome and chargeable suits at Law to the undoing in a manner of many an honest Neighbour who if he will have his own must come that way by it or else lose it which if the debt be not very great some peaceable minded man had rather do then sue and so he is defrauded of his due And this is one cause why Friends are so backward in lending and that such as have been pittifull and compassionate this way formerly have their hearts closed and shut up against this duty Hast thou borrowed of thy Neighbour ought then know thou art a debtor and debts must be paid The Law of God 2 King 4.7 Joseph Antiq. lib. 3. cap. 2. Oecolamp in Proph. Abdiam Hier. Lyra in loc and Conscience requires it go pay to them thou art indebted unto said Elisha to the Prophets Widdow whose Husband some think was good Obadiah Ahabs Steward who hid and mainteyned a hundred Prophets in the time of Jezebells persecution and by that meanes came greatly indebted for the payment of which debts God wrought a miracle by Elisha 2 King 4.7 her first care must be to pay what she owed and then she and her Children were to live upon what remained whilst she had nothing it was no sin to owe but when she had wherewith she could not have been guiltlesse if she had not paid before she stored up for her selfe and hers Nor might she put it off from day to day but do it presently the debt was due and no delay might be made of payment To detaine what is due is all one Aquin. 2.2 ae q. 66. Art 3. as if you robbed your Neighbour saith the Schoolman Thirdly if what was borrowed of they Neighbour be lent only to use and is to be returned in the same individuall thing abuse it not Use it to that end for which it was lent and no further then the Lender doth like of and then restore at the time appointed what was borrowed safe and entire or otherwise make it good And herein many Borrowers come short who care not to what Use they put their Neighbours goods not using them as they would their own but to save their own abuse theirs forgetting our Saviours Rule Luke 6.13 As you would that men should do to you so do you to them They would not like it should they be so dealt withall Lastly Restore what thou hast borrowed with thanks as thou didst professe it to be a kindnesse when it was lent so make a returne with the like acknowledgment There are those who borrow with Thanks but restore with Enmity Let the Lender send for his own againe or require it of them they repay with crosse and cursed
how should his Justice be satisfied Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Judge of all the world do right If so woe be to thee that livest and dyest impenitently So in craving Temporall things at the hands of God how immodest and unreasonable are many in their Suits James 4.2 3. You lust and have not saith St. James ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtaine c Hos 7.14 you aske and receive not because you ask amisse that you may spend upon your lusts so Hos 7.14 Now is it not unreasonable that you should begg blessings of God that you may abuse them to his dishonour Clemens Alexandrinus observeth of the Pythagoreans Strom. lib. 4. that they cryed loud in their Prayers not because they thought that their Gods did not hear them but because they would have the world to hear that they prayed for nothing but things justifiable The Requests that many put up to Heaven are such that they would or at least have cause to blush if they should be overheard by any man to move for things so vile and shamefull of the God of Heaven If thou would'st speed with God desire nothing at his hands but what may stand with his Glory so thou may'st be sure to be heard as Austin told that Widdow who desired him to direct her how to pray so as she might be sure to speed But of this we shall heare in the Applicatory part of this Parable more fully More particularly Consider we first the Quality of the thing desired and that was Bread secondly the quantity three Loaves Lend me three Loaves Bread as you heard before is a comprehensive word all other necessaries are comprized under it Math. 6.11 Math. 6.11 But in this place it is not to be taken in so large a sense but more properly and strictly for that foode which is made of Corne either Wheate as 1 King 5.11 or Barley 1 King 5.11 Judg. 7.13 2 King 4.22 Horat. l. 1. Epist 10. whereof bread was most usually made as Iudg. 7.13 2 King 4.42 so bread is used for homely provision and opposed to things delicious and pleasing This was that he desired of his Friend to entertaine his other Friend withall Intimating thus much unto us that Bread is good fare at a Friends board Lit. Doct. In former times it was esteemed so Friends entertained Friends with Barley-bread and homely fare The best cheare that Elisha had for a hundred Guests Sons of the Prophets was twenty Loaves of Barley and full eares of Corne 2 King 4.42 43 44. in the husk A present that was brought to him before by a man from Baal-shalisha 2 King 4.42 verse 38. Indeed he had commanded that the great pot should be set on before that present came but it was but homely Pottage that was made Pottage made of Coleworts without either Meate or Oat-meale or skilfull Cooke for they put in Wild-goards instead of better herbs so that the Pottage could not be eaten before he had thickned it and sweetened it with Meale as appeares in the story Such homely provision it was that David carryed his Bretheren being sent unto them from his Father an Epha of parched Corne 1 Sam. 17.17 and ten Loaves 1 Sam. 17.17 And little better was the fare that his Friends brought to entertaine him and his Servants with after that he was annoynted King over Israel they brought Wheate and Barley and Flower parched Corne Beanes and Lentiles and parched Pulse with some other provision for David and the people to eate 2 Sam. 17.28 29. 2 Sam. 17.28 29. Fare homely enough for so great a Personage Boaz a mighty man of Wealth and as good as great and yet the Harvest provision which he made for his Reapers Ruth 2.14 was parched Corne Ruth 2.14 Nor was the food that Abraham entertayned Angells with though unawares very costly or dainty Bread and Butter Milke and veale he sets before them And Sarah bakes Cakes upon the hearth Gen. 18.5 7.8 to welcome them withall Gen. 18.5 6.8 And our blessed Saviour feasted five thousand of his Auditors with Barley-Bread Mark 6.41 and small Fishes Mark 6.41 you see by this how moderate they were in former times in their enterteynments with what homely fare they used to enterteyne their Friends Use Should we compare our times with former it will soon appeare how far we exceed in voluptuousnesse and Epicurism Hugo Cardinalis tells us that the Devill had two daughters Covetousnesse and Luxury the former he marryed to the Iewes the other to the Gentiles but it is thought that we upon whom the ends of the world are come have taken them both from their Husbands and use them as our own Nor is any Nation under Heaven more guilty herein then ours Pride is not more proper to Spaine Lust to Italy nor drunkennesse to Germany then Epicurisme is to England A sin so common and ordinary so naturall and genuine unto our Country as that it hath purchased to us amongst other Nations the name of sweet tooth'd Englishmen Gluttony amongst the Romans was then at the hight when junkets of the Land could be fed upon at the Sea and the Sea send her varieties to the Land for a Requitall Lamprid. in vita Heliog so Heliogabalus being in the mid-land Country and far from Sea would alwayes eate fish and being neere the Sea Coast would never eate fish but flesh when they invented new dishes and mixed variety of meates to please the pallate Sucton So Vitellius caused to be mingled together the Livers of divers fishes the braines of divers Pheasants and Peacocks thousand of Creatures must be killed only for their tongues and giblets and but one dish of meate made of them all and served in one platter which for its unmeasurable greatnesse he called Minerva her sheild And yet I have not read that ever they were at such cost in laying of Napkins or dressing a dish of Eggs as hath been credibly reported some of our English Gallants have been at Certaine it is that Earth and Aire Land and Sea must concentour at some mens tables in enterteyning their guests all Markets must be laid out for dainties and our tables spread as it were with St. Peters sheete which he saw in a vision representing the species of all sorts of Creatures cleane and uncleane Acts 10. And our stomacks made like Noahs Arke were it not that those Creatures eaten are not preserved but perish with a deluge of drink which followes after As for our medlies or mixtures of meate they are such that if some of our thirsty Ancestors were alive to see them they would wonder what monsters were crept into our platters and desire some Interpreter to tell them the name and use of them I would I knew what Arguments to bring praevalent enough to reforme this fault amongst us I might bring you many presidents of Temperance in Diet both Christian and Pagan
of the Quantity how much he would borrow of him Three Loaves Quest But why three Resp One Loafe was for himselfe another for his Friend Mald. in loc and another in common if in case there should be any want for such was the custome say some besides the bread that every one had unto himselfe peculiarly there was some over and above at Table A custome not unlike to that which is amongst us at some mens Tables And this gives occasion to note thus much unto you Doct. In the Enterteynment of Friends it is lawfull to exceed the bounds of ordinary provision We may have at table somewhat more then is usuall and be more liberall at such times then others God allowed his Servants to meet together thrice every yeare and then to feast together for the space of seven dayes and to lay out their monyes for Oxen Sheep Wine Strong drink Deut. 14.26 16.15 or for whatsoever else their hearts desired Deut. 14.26 and 16.15 The bounty of God reacheth not only to our Life but to our Contentment nor doth he affoard us only the bread of sufficiency but of Pleasure that we may more then live even live happy We reade of a marriage that was at Cana in Galilee and it seemes probable that it was of some of Christs kindred Joh. 2 1.-11 for that blessed Mary the Lords Mother was there not as a guest but as a Helper and orderer of businesse directing the waiters what to do Nor were they very rich that were marryed yet they had more then ordinary provision for they made a feast And at this feast there was a defect of Wine not of water there was water enough to quench thirst yet there was not Wine enough to cheare the spirits The Virgin is troubled for this lack of superfluity Christ miraculously makes a supply of that want by turning six potts full of water conteyning two or three firkins a piece into Wine Had he turned but one of those firkins of water into Wine it had been a sufficient proofe of his power and perhaps enough for the present necessity for that all had well drank before yet he makes wine enough to serve above a hundred had they been but new set down It was a Feast and that quantity which at another time had been superfluous was now but necessary Thus Mathew the Publican Luke 5.29 Luke 19.7 Luke 10.38 when he enterteyned Christ he made more then ordinary provision for his entertainment the like did Zacheus and Martha who was not therefore blamed for making provision more then ordinary but for that she exceeded the bounds of moderation and cumbred her self about much serving Use 1 So then notwithstanding what hath been before delivered that homely fare at a Friends table is good cheare yet a pinching niggard inesse becomes it not It is storied of Pertinax one of the Romane Emperours that he was so miserable in his entertainments that he would have his guests served with a plant of Lettice di ided into two parts and to appoint nine pound weight of flesh unto three messes and if any thing were left cold at any time he would cause it to be set up to the next day This might well beseem a poore man but such niggardlinesse at the table of a Person of such honour was too farr beneath him As Excesse is to be avoided so too much pinching and sparingnesse In Love will be no lack Use 2 Let our care be to use our Liberty wisely and not abuse it first see that in your feastings and friendly entertainments you be wisely frugall in your preparations as well as chearfull in your enterteinments Too much is a vanity Enough is a Feast Break not out into superfluity and excesse your own calling and abilities are as well to be respected as the call of Nature It is taxed in Nabal that being a Country Farmer he would make a Feast like a King And Tully taxeth some that would be feeding on Salmon 1 Sam. 25. when they could scarce purchase a herring It is a shame that any one should cause his Friend to turn Canibal and invite him to devour his substance Si in uno convivio tantum capis quantum centum diebus sufficere potest jam non panem quotidianum sed mullorum dierum panem manducas Aug. Serm. in monte Pro. 23.1 2. Jerm in loc eate him out of house and home and pursse up at once many dayes earnings in his Belly A great fault in the poorer sort who will upon some occasions so abound with unnecessary provision that Wife and Children shall suffer for it a twelve-month after and in one day wast the bread of many dayes Secondly Watch over your Affections set them not on meats and drinks Every one of Eves Sonnes hath her sweet tooth in their heads but give not thy self to please thy appetite Pro. 23.1 2. put thy knife unto thy throat that is to the throat of thy greedinesse put the knife of mortification when the knife of our care is thus used then we may safely use the knife for the food that is before us Better is the sight of the eyes then the wandring of the desire Eccles 6.9 Eccles 6.9 in dainty delicates and variety of meate the sight of the eyes is better then the wandring of the Appetite and it is better to please our selyes with looking on then to please our Appetites with feeding on them Thirdly Watch over thy practise corrupt not thy self in the use of Gods plenty abuse not his blessings to surfetting and drunkennesse Those Love-Feasts mentioned in the Scripture Mensa saith Varro quasi mesa a mediatrix betwixt men were first intended for the preservation and encrease of Love but the first institution did languish into corruption and they became luxurious for some were drunken and unchatitable and some were hungry 1 Cor. 11.21 Remember Plety be thankfull to God for that plenty he allowes 1 Cor. 11.21 and season your meates with savoury discourse And Remember Charity think of those who are poore and needy Neh. 8.10 Luke 14.13 Neh. 8.10 Luke 14.13 And so we have done with the Collections which the letter affords us now come we to the spirituall sense and Application Lend me three Loaves Three is a mysticall number as well as Seaven In tribus autem panibus etiam illud significatur unius esse substantiae Trinitatem Aug. Quaest Evang. l. 2. cap. 21. Luther in Gen. 18. Quod si alia Trinitatis probatio non essâ—t quam hae tres species ego sane eamnon crederem c. and of speciall use in Scripture in St. Austins judgement the mystery of all mysteryes even the mystery of the blessed Trinity is hereby taught But as Luther in discussing the question whether the Trinity of Persons might not be proved from Gen. 18. where three men are said to appeare to Abraham concludeth that if there were no other proofe of
betray us not to comfort us So Hanun's Servants mis-construed Davids kindnesse 2 Sam. 10. 2 Sam. 10. But in the neglect of this duty we rob our selves of much good for great benefit ariseth from Christian visitations hereby First Love is preserved united and mainteyned Secondly hereby the gifts that God hath betrusted us withall are communicated to the good of others Ferus on Mathew tells us that it was an ancient practise of Monks to meet together once in a week and acquaint each other with their temptations and with the meanes of resistance with the issue thereof Thirdly the gifts of each other are hereby sharpened as iron by iron and encreased as flower to flower which makes the sweeter posie Fourthly hereby we become more encouraged and emboldened in our Christian course as St. Paul was by some of the Bretheren that he mett with Acts 28.14 15. Acts 28.14 15. Let us then visit one another not so much with bagg and bottle to chatt and prattle but that one may be better'd by another with Christian Counsell It was the speech of Seneca that he seldome or never came into company but he departed worse then he came but whose fault was that either he chose not good company or made no good use of it It is a scandall that is cast upon Religion and the Professors of it that they are unneighbourly and unsociable God himself loves society he loves holy meetings he loves the Communion of Saints the houshold of Faith and his delight is to be with the Sons of men and well approves that the Sons of men should be one with another yet so that he may not be excluded but be esteemed one of our visitors in our meetings and looks that as he visits us we should visit him in his house and Ordinances where we may visit one another one day in leaven if we visit no where else and at no time else Psal 122.1 Psal 122.1 Againe take notice how that this Friend who came out of his way to visit his Friend caused this Friend thus visited by him to goe out of his dores at this time of Night to visit another Friend on his behalf that he might be the better enabled to manifest his friendly affection in the enterteynment of that Friend who came thus to visit him from which intercourse we may observe that Doct. Love amongst Friends is Reciprocall Courtesies passe interchangeably betwixt Friend and Friend If you observe it you shall find that for the most part wheresoever the obligation of Love and Friendship is mentioned in Scripture the condition is expressed that it be mutuall Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly Love saith the Apostle Rom. 12.10 so Gal. 5.13 In Love serve one another So in Hospitallity enterteyne one another Rom. 12.10 Gal. 5.13 1 Pet. 4.9 Gal. 6.2 Colos 3.13 Rom. 16.16 1 Thes 5.11 Jam. 5.16 2 Cor. 6.13 1 Pet. 4.9 In Compassion beare one anothers burthen Gal. 6.2 in Patience forbeare one another Colos 3.13 In Curtesy salute one another Rom. 16.16 In Christian Communication edifie one another 1 Thes 5.11 In Devotion pray one for another Jam. 5.16 Still St. Paul call for an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a recompensing of the same Christian duty a reciprocallnesse it it as 2 Cor. 6 13. his heart was enlarged and their bowells should not be straitened And where true Friendship hath been it hath been alwayes thus as betwixt David and Jonathan 1 Sam. 18.4 2 Sam. 9.1 Jonathan shewes kindnesse to David and if David cannot shew the like to Jonathan he will do it to Mephibosheth for Jonathans sake So when Solomon and Hiram entered into a league of Friendship Hiram will accommodate Solomon with Cedars and Firr-Trees for the building of the house of the Lord and Solomon will re-accommodate Hiram with Wheate and Oyle for food 1 King 5.8.11 for his houshold 1 King 5.8.11 The Church of the Thessalonians was highly commended for this Reciprocation in Charity 1 Thes 3.6 2 Thes 1.3 so 1 Thes 3.6 you desire greatly to see us saith the Apostle as we also to see you Amongst the Heathens the like hath been found as betwixt Pylades and Orestes Damon and Pythias Scipio and Laelius and divers others before mentioned Quest But what meane we by this reciprocality must there be alwayes an equality in the returne like for like so much for so much c Resp That is not the meaning for many times one Friend may receive from another more curtesies and greater benefits then he is able in like kind or measure to repay either by reaâ—on of the great odds of the estare and condition of Friends Danaeus de amicit or else for the difference of their wealth and ability one may be very rich and the other poore one fortunate the other miserable one exiled and banished the other living at home in his native Country In these and such like cases no man can requite so amply and beneficially as he received yet he is to requite in as good a manner and measure as he is able as David did in requiting Jonathan So that still it is a truth notwithstanding this inequality Curtesies and favours amongst Friends are alwayes mutuall and enterchangeable albeit not alwayes alike and equall Reas The Love of Friendship cannot but be mutuall because as we have shewed the foundation of it is a similitude of manners and dispositions This similitude being a Relation cannot but be in both Two Spirits warmed with the same heate will easily solder together So two Lutes they say meeting in a pitch the one sounds when the other is struck Use 1 Many actions of unkindnesse are in these dayes wherein we live commenced against pretended Friends for their breach of Friendship this way Neighbour doth not only complaine of Neighbour but neerer Relations as Husbands of Wives and Wives of Husbands Parents of Children and Children of Parents Pastors of people and the People of their Pastors all say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 12.15 the more I love 2 Cor. 12.15 the lesse I am beloved much kindnesse I have shewed but none returned Gods Children have been much troubled at this Psal 35.12 13. Jer. 18.20 21. Omnia te advorsum speetantia nulla retrosum 2 Tim. 3.1 2. Use 2. as Psal 35.12 13. Jer. 18.20 21. Indeed it is Lyon-like not Love-like so to do but it wiâ—l be so so long as there is so much self-Love which like Charons Boate carryes all over the dismall Lake as they say but brings none back and so little Love of Friendship to be found in the world Use 2 I would it were otherwise but it cannot be expected that it should whilst iniquity doth abound amongst us Math. 24.12 and true Love waxeth cold Seneca aptly resembleth the mutuall and reciptocall duties of Friendship in giving and receiving benefits one from another to a game at Tennis where the Ball is tossed backward
If it be so that he cannot yet he will ever have a ready minde to make some Returne although his hand be shortened Use 3 It may direct us in a course how to get Love I will tell thee saith Seneca Senec. Epist 9. Ut ameris am a. how thou may'st make another Love thee without a Love-Potion Spell or Witchcraft If thou desirest to be beloved Love thou first sincerely and entirely This is a compendious way to be beloved Austin excellently to this purpose Nulla est major provocatio ad amandum c Aug. lib. de cat rud There is no greater provocation to Love then to prevent in loving Love is the Loadstone of Love he must have a very hard heart which though he will not of his own accord yield Love will refuse to requite it Thus the bands of Syria were overcome with kindnesse 2 King 6.23 2 King 6.23 Use 4. And to carry this yet a little higher it may be of use unto us to stirr us up to Love God againe who hath Loved us first and given his Son for us 1 John 4.16 he loved us not-existing 1 John 4.16 Tantus tautum gratis tantillos et tales Bern de dil Dei Luke 7.37 nay resisting and shall we make no returne None breathed more Love then St. John nor was any more beloved then he Mary could not but love much having much forgiven her Luke 7.37 Certainly the loving kindnesse of God hath such an operative vertue in it that it cannot but deeply affect those who seriously fix their minds upon it as fire heateth those who stand neerer it You may read 1 Sam. 24.17 1 Sam. 24.17 how Davids kindnesse in sparing Saul wrought upon him and how it thawed his frozen heart and made him relent and kindle a fire of affections of Love in him Come againe my Son David thou art more Righteous then I c So the Consideration of Gods kindnesse in sparing of us from Hell and not only so but in giving his Son to dye for us cannot but affect us and cause us to returne back Love for Love if our hearts be not extreamly hardened 2 Cor. 5.14 2 Cor. 5.14 Pro. 8.17 John 14.21 Bern. Epist 107. Nor can any of us have any comfortable assurance that God Loves us if we Love not him againe Pro. 8.17 John 14.21 Let me conclude this Use with that of Bernard Let no man whose heart can truly testifie for him that he loveth Christ make any doubt but that Christ loveth him for how can he choose but Love thee when thou Lovest him who loved thee when thou lovest him not You have heard how this man was necessitated to seek out on his Friends behalfe in the next place take notice of his own want which did occasion this trouble at this time of Night Text. I have nothing to set before him that is no fitting provision for the enterteynment of such a Friend as he is Observe hence that Doct. It is sense of want that makes us to seek out It was want that caused Abraham to goe down into Aegypt Gen. 12.10 Gen. 12.10 Gen. 26.1 Gen. 42.2 Gen. 43.2 Isaac into Gerar Gen. 26.1 Iacob to send his Sons into Aegypt Gen. 42.2 And a second time to part with his beloved Benjamin Gen. 43.2 Elimelech was enforced through want to goe down into the Country of Moab with his Wife and two Sons Ruth 1.1 2. and continue there Ruth 1.1 2. It was want of water that enforced Ahab to seeke to Elijah the Prophet 1 King 18.16 1 King 18.16 2 King 3. And Iehoram to seek to Elisha 2 King 3. And want of food that caused those Lepers that sate at the gate of Samaria 2 King 7.3 to flye to the Camps of their enemies 2 King 7.3 And the want that the Prodigall fell into by reason of his Prodigality was that which caused him to returne to his Fathers house Luke 15.14 Math. 9.12 Luke 15.14 Hereto tends that of our Saviour The whole have no need of the Physitian but the sick Math. 9.12 Reas For first Nature is proud and loath to be beholding to any till needs must every man naturally loves in the first place to be beholding to himself in any extremity and if his own wit or his own purse or his own projects or endeavours will help him he will seek no further he had rather pay then pray Then againe Life is deare and Nature is forcible to seek out for the preservation of it selfe when it is necessitated and put to it it will seek out before it suffer too much and break through stone Walls rather then famish Use 1 From hence we may conclude that there is some good comes unto us by want some profit we may have by it It teacheth us the worth of things most truly and maketh us valew the mercy as we should at least farr better then otherwise we would It is the sharp Winter that makes the Spring to be sweet and pleasant and the Night's darknesse that makes the light of the Sun to be desirable So sicknesse makes health more gratefull Paine Pleasure more delightfull Want Plenty more Comfortable And it makes exceedingly for the preservation of Love and Unity amongst Neighbours and towards the maintenance of civill society and commerce amongst Christians And this is one Reason why it hath pleased the manifold wisdome of God to enrich severall Countryes with severall Commodities Non omniâ—â— omnia tellus divers gifts to severall Persons not all to any one that our wants may be supplyed by their fullnesse and one be beholding to another for a supply of his necessity which otherwise would not be Laish was a secure and carelesse people and the Reason is rendered to be this they had no want Judg. 18.10 Judg. 18.10 A fullnesse causeth us to contemne and scorne those whom in our wants we are glad to make use of So we read Judg. 11.6 Judg. 11.6 The Elders of Israel did of Jeptha And Sampson of the jaw-bone of that Asse wherewith he had killed many Philistims which he threw away but after being athirst he runs to that contemned jaw-bone for water Judg. 15.17 18 19. Judg. 15.17 18 19. that indeed was Gods work he clave the hollow of the jaw-bone and caused water to flow from thence And so is this to bring good out of want to us and therefore despise it not Want is a good Neighbour a good Townsman it will send it will visit it will use good words give faire language c It is a good Market-man it will tend to the Market raine or Sunshine it knowes the worth of blessings of Health Peace Plenty and it is willing to come to the price though it pawne the coate it will buy And it is a good Church-man too it carryes a man to the Word to the Sacrament to Prayer c And therefore although want goes in meane cloathes with a patcht-coate
the saddest Crosses And as our joyes here so our joyes in Heaven are encreased by them So we read 2 Cor. 4.17 2 Cor. 4.17 The more painfull that our Labour hath been the greater and richer shall be our reward and Recompence As they are Profitable so they are Necessary And this is the Reason of that strange and passionate speech that the Lord useth of his people Jer. 9.7 Behold I will melt them and try them Jer. 9.7 for what should I else do for the Daughter of my people as if he should say I can devise no way to do them good but by casting them into the Furnace of affliction As Christ saith of offences it is necessary that offences come Math. 18.7 so may it be said of afflictions it is necessary that afflictions do come Acts. 14.22 And that Acts. 14.22 First Rom. 8.29 In respect of Gods predestination Rom. 8.29 secondly Conformation to Christ our Head who was consecrated through afflictions Heb. 2.10 Rom. 18.16 17. Heb. 12.6 7 8. Heb. 2.10 Rom. 8.16 17. And Thirdly They assure us of our Adoption Heb. 12.6 7 8. In these respects we shall find that Gods Children have first borne afflictions patiently Secondly they have been chearfull under them Thirdly they have been thankfull for them Fourthly they have been so farr from desiring to be freed from them that they have rather wished for them and desired them These are strange Paradoxes to flesh and blood yet undoubted truths First Psal 39.9 Psal 62.1 They have been patient under them so Psal 39.9 62.1 not only I was dumb for a sullen silence argues a worse nature then a crying passion but my soul keepeth silence he was free from murmuring and impatience Levit. 26.41 This was required Levit. 26.41 Secondly Rom. 5.3 they have been chearfull under them Rom. 5.3 So it is required we should be Jam. 1.2.9 Jam. 1 2.9 Thirdly they have been thankfull to God for their afflictions and sufferings Job 1.21 Psal 41.11 1 Thes 5.18 Job 1.21 Psal 41.11 This is likewise enjoyned by the Apostle 1 Thes 5.18 In all things give thanks Fourthly they have wished and after a sort prayed for affliction Jer. 10.24 Jer. 10.24 So it is said of King Alured that he prayed God alwayes to send him some sicknesse whereby his body might be tamed and he the better disposed and affectioned to God-ward yet I conceive it had been better to have prayed that affliction when it did come might be sanctified For I find no direct warrant for any one absolutely to pray for affliction Jeremiah saith I have not desired the wofull day thou knowest Jer. 17.16 And for that prayer of Jeremiah before mentioned Jer. 17.16 Jer. 10.24 he prayeth not simply for affliction but by way of Confession as if he should say Lord if thou wilt needs correct me and thy people as thou hast threatened then do it not in thy wrath and fury but in mercy and goodnesse For however afflictions are good to the good yet it is but so accidentally for in themselves they are evill and Punishments for sin Nor doth any man know his own strength how he shall be able to beare them Afflictions then being thus Profitable and Necessary Let us not be too much affraid of them nor complaine of them too much as many do though they come yawning upon us like Sampsons Lyon as if they would devoure us but let us husband them well as we ought let them drive us to God as the storme doth the Birds to their rowes and Beasts to their denns and Ships into their Havens they are part of our portion in this Life and may not be wasted Prodigally And though you look on them as on so many wayward guests yet at their going away they pay freely To conclude then in a word Let our Afflictions cause us to seek out a Promise a Promise cause us to seek out Faith Faith put us to seek out Prayer and Prayer will not faile to find out God Text. verse 7 And he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not the dore is now shut and my Children are with me in bed I cannot rise and give thee Hitherto you have heard of this mans Addresse unto his Friend in his time of want And of the Request he made which was both reasonable and honest in it selfe albeit at an unseasonable time of night Now followes the Successe he had which was not at present answerable to his hopes for instead of a Graunt we find that he meets with a Repulse And He from within shall answer and say Trouble me not c. Where First take notice of the Person Answering He from within Secondly of the Answer it selfe conteyning first an inhibition Trouble me not now c Secondly a Resolution I cannot Rise and give thee i. e. I will not now do it We begin with the Person Answering And he from within shall answer and say c. This Friend was within then and not so asleepe but that he heard his suite yet he condescends not presently unto him from the History we may observe that Doct. A Friend within may a while keep his Friend without he may refuse to condescend to his Friends Request and yet remaine a Friend still Thus David 2 Sam. 13.25 albeit he was much pressed by Absolom his Son to goe with him to his feast yet he would not condescend thereto albeit he affected his Son too much indeed and he gives a Reason for his refusall lest he should be chargeable unto him 2 Sam. 13.25 So Solomon albeit he was a very dutifull Son unto his Mother and honoured her and bore all filiall affection towards her and promised to deny her nothing yet when she demanded an unreasonable request which he saw tended to the undoing both of her self and him he did not only deny her suite but sweares God do so to me and more also if Adoniah have not mooved this against his own Life 1 King 2.23 24. 1 King 2.23 24. Christ himself denyes the motion made unto him by his two Kinsmen Math. 20.20 Luke 9.54 55. Math. 20.20 So Luk. 9.54 55. The motion of those two fiery Disciples was not only denyed but they were sharply reproved for their rash and fiery zeale in making of it Use This discovers and reproves a double error in poynt of Friendship one is of the Friend without the other of the Friend within The Friend without conceives that the Friend within doth transgresse the Lawes of Friendship if he denyes him any Request be it never so unreasonable or unseasonable and is too too apt to question the affection of that Friend that saith I cannot give nor lend For such is the disposition of some that they never look on what they have received from the hands of Friends but continually fix their minds on what they would receive and hope for let their obligations be never
Prayer and in that Rule he hath taught us to say Our Father had he been willing that his Rule should have been declined to the Saints he would have taught us to say Frater noster qui es in coelis and not only Pater noster to pray to our Bretheren which are there and not to our Father only that is in Heaven Besides many of the Saints that they direct us to we know not where to find Whither shall we goe to their St. George when we are to fight for Victory Where shall we find their Petronilla when the Ague is upon our backs or their Saint Apollonica when we have the Tooth-ach What know we whether these be in Heaven or no Many of their Saints are so far from heating in Heaven that they are not there For may not the Pope err in matter of fact and so Canonize a Traytor for a Saint And many of their Saints are so farr from being there in Heaven that they were never here on Earth So farr from being Saints as that they were never men but are either fabulous illusions or at least but symbolicall and Allegoricall allusions Our adversaryes can say no other They do not hold that all their Legends were really Historically true but confesse that many of them are but symbolicall inventions to figure out not what was truly done before but what we should endeavour to do now Sure we are that our God is a God of Lâ—fe and Being And we know where he is and no man knowes where he is not he can heare at all times and is ready to heare and help and therefore being a Friend and a Friend within to him should we resort And as these are to be reproved who trust in Friends whose breath is not in their Nostrills nor ever was so others amongst our selves who put their trust in other Friends whose breath is in their Nostrills as the Prophet speaks Isay 2. ult for wherein are they to be esteemed But of these more hath been said before Use 2 Needs must this be a great ground of encouragement unto us to flye to God by humble Prayer in all our troubles seeing we come in comming unto him to a Friend within one that is within call and both ready and able to help us And this hath been a great encouragement to the Godly from time to time to come unto him by Prayer Mich. 7.7 Psal 65.2 86.7 6.9 Psal 41.1 Mich. 7.7 Psal 65.2 86.7 Psal 6.9 And a great encouragement it is to them to hold out and persevere in Prayer Psal 40.1 Baals Priests could not alwayes find Ball at home our God is never abroad he is in Heaven there we shall find him Whilst we know a Friend is within that we are desirous to speak withall we continue knocking That we may do thus First See in God a fullnesse of those things that thou beggest of him by Prayer Consider of him as of one who is able to give being to his promises see an Alsufficiency in him one in whom there is a fullness of all those things thou cravest at his hands He that cometh to God may not waver in respect of Gods sufficiency Jam. 1.5 We seek things more earnestly James 1.5 and confidently when we know they are there where we look for them This is the foundation the Basis upon which our Saviour erects that Prayer which he hath recommended to us Our Father which art in Heaven see him to be a God in Heaven and thou wilt pursue chearfully all other Petitions As for daily Bread forgivenesse of Sinnes deliverance from Temptations For Kingdome Power Glory is his Thus the Apostle Paul still sets God before him as having that in him for which he prayeth Speaking of Peace he prayes The God of Peace sanctifie you throughoâ—t 1 Thes 5.23 so Acts 4.24 The Church praying for courage and bolâ—nesse 1 Thes 5.23 Acts 4.24 set God before them as the God of Power who hath made both Heaven and Earth and Sea c. Thus if thou desirest pardon of Sin Psal 86.5.15 Psal 130.7 2 Cor. 1.3 consider of God as a God with whom there is plenty of Redemption and Forgivenesse Desirest thou ease in any misery or griefe Consider of God as a Father of Mercy and Consolation c This will strengthen Faith and enflame Affection It diâ—covers to me the Key within the dore assures me that he is within whom I should speak withall one able to helpe But of this before _____ Secondly If thou would'st see God within see a Promise from God of those things thou beggest ground thy Prayers upon that Promise set that before thine eyes and ground thy confidence upon it Gen. 32.9.12 2 Sam. 7.25 1 King 8.25 Psal 119.147 143.1 Gen. 32.9.12 2 Sam. 7.25 1 King 8.25 Psal 119.147 143.1 These promises are as Gods Staffe and Sâ—gnet When we see a Friends Staffe or Cloake lye upon the Table through a Window it tells us he is not farr off and encourageth us to knock and waite Therefore Acquaint thy self with the promises that God hath made unto thee both for things of this Life and of a better Consiâ—er how farr they reach upon what conditions they are made and understand them right So shalt thou see God to be a God within ready and willing to heare Thirdy and lastly If thou would'st see God within look upon him through the dore John 10.7 Rom. 11.36 1 Tim. 2.5 I am the dore saith Christ in him and through him look up to God He is the Mediator or the meane betwixt God and us through him we must looke unto God and through that meane he lookes upon us In his name we must aske if we obteyne John 16.23 14.14 Aug. med c. 5. John 16.23 14.14 For what saith St. Austine can be more pleasing to a Father then to use the mediation of his Son The whole frame of our Prayers should be like the beating out of a piece of Gold but the last clause is like the Impression of the stampe Now no silver is currant that hath not Caesars impression nor any Prayer acceptable that hath not the stampe of Christ the Image of the Father The ascending of the Throne of Solomon was by six stayres or steps and at the end of every step or stayre 1 King 10.72 was engraven a Lyon We ascend to the Throne of God by those six Petitions of that Prayer which the Son of God hath composed as a platform for us to the end of each of which Petitions must be annexed a Lyon even the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah Revel 5.5 who by his mediation must procure us both audience and favour The Sun enlightens the Cloud when the Cloud is directly opposite to the Sun as we see in the Rainbow albeit the Cloud is obscure and darke yet in it is seen divers faire colours but this is never but when the face
of the Cloud â—ooks in the face of the Sun So is it in Prayer if at any time man looketh full in the face of God in and through his beloveâ— Son he shall find him to be within and God will shine on us with the Divine colours of his grace Luke 9.29 Psal 36.9 Exod. 34.29 Thence it is that we conclude all we pray tot Exod. 34.29 Psal 36.9 Luke 9.29 per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum the force of the whole is usually at the shutting of it up all is concluded in the name and mediation of Christ Dan. 9.17 Dan. 9.17 Observing these three generall Rules thou may'st comfortably rest assured that God is within ready and able to help thee in thy greatest troubâ—es Use 3 The Comfort of a Christian arising from hence is very great in that when he is beaten out of all other comforts yet he hath such a Friend within to come unto Take outward comforts from a worldling he is like an unarmed man in a field or a naked man in a storme but a Child of God is still happy he hath a Friend within one that will comfort him direct him protect him Isay 43.1 2. and is ready at hand Isay 43.1 2. when all worldly Friends forsake him Psal 27.10 I will conclude this point with that sweet meditation of Austin Psal 27.10 upon this passage of the Parable Nullus de janitoribus respondit c. None of all the Porters none of all the Servants Aug. de Temp Serm. 171. Tom. 10. none of all the Children made answer they were all asleepe only the Master was awake and heard when he was called Chrysolog and as another upon the Text he was neerest the gate when the Friend knocked at this dead time of the Nigâ—t He was first awake if he slept at all and first answered O quà m dare vult c How willing is he to grant who is so willing to be diâ—quieted how glad to hear thy knock who hath placed his bed so neare the gate O quam non ad januam tantum sed ipsa janua Dominus fuit And how truly may we say he was not only neare the gate but the Lord himself was the very gate who when his Children are asleep and the eares of Saints and Angells shut primus solus first and at the first call nay only made Answer to it Nor is there any saith Austin that can give an answer but thy selfe And to thee Lord I come of thee I crave at thee I knock for thou art the Gate Rise Lord and shew me Mercy thou need'st no Minister thou canst do all things If thy Children should be asleep yet thou that keepest Israel dost never slumber nor sleep Psal 121.3 4. Still thou art within and awake why should I feare Quest But may not God be within and yet we kept without as this Friend was by his Friend For a while we may Resp Doct. we lay it down for a Truth Although God be a Friend within and alwayes ready to heare the Prayers of his Children and Friends yet he doth not alwayes grant them their desires at the first he may put off his Friends with delayes for a time keep them without and give no satisfactory answer to their desires and that for some weighty Reasons which in his wisdome he sees fitting I will first prove it then give Reasons for it Sometimes he may be silent and answer nothing when they call Job 30.20 And this the faithfull have bitterly bewailed Job 30.20 I cry unto thee said Job and thou dost not heare me I stand up and thou regardest me not Psal 22.1 2. Lament 3.8.44 Cant. 5 6. So David Psal 22.1 2. and the faithfull Lament 3.8.44 God did not only keep his Friends out but their prayers out for a time in their apprehensions This the Church laments Cant. 5 6. And sometimes he puts them off with excuses as he did the woman of Canaan Math. 15.22 c. Math. 15 22.-27 Yea he hath sometimes deferred and put them off so long as that they have been weary with waiting Psal 69.3.119.81 82.123 Psal 69.3 Psal 119.81 82.123 and have done expecting like some Merchants who hearing no newes of their ships for a long time give all over for lost Isay 49.14 So Isay 49.14 Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me And this seemes to be the meaning of that place Luke 18.7 Luke 18.7 8. 8. When the Son of man commeth shall he find Faith on the Earth His stay will be so long before he comes to avenge the cause of his Elect that when he doth come he will scarce find Faith in holding out expecting the performance of those things which we have prayed for Reas If you desire to know the Reasons of this delaying and putting off before he answers they may be these First God hath an eye herein to his own glory which is exceedingly advanced hereby When Lazarus was sick his Sister Martha and Mary sent word to Christ thereof John 11.3 John 11.3 Behold he whom thou lovest is sick that they thought was enough upon the newes thereof they doubted not but he would come quickly and visit him but he abides two dayes still in the same place verse 6. he delayes on purpose to come and comfort them And why so The Text shewes that it was for this end verse 6. that God might have the more glory by it verse 4.15.40 So at that Marriage Feast in Galilee verse 4.15.40 whereto Christ and his Disciples were invited when the provision of Wine failed Mary his Mother acquainted him therewith hoping that Christ would make a supply thereof he tells her that his houre was not yet come John 2.4 he delayed till generall notice was taken of the want John 2.4 that so the glory of the miracle might be the greater The Lord hath made every thing beautifull in his time saith Solomon Eccles 3.11 Eccles 3.11 He knoweth the best and fittest time to bestow his mercy on us so as that he may have most glory by the graunt and we most comfort and that is usually the time of trouble Psal 9.9 86.7 Gen. 22.14 Isay 33 9.10 Psal 119.126 Psal 9.9 86.7 yea of great trouble and sorrow In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen Gen. 22. See Isay 33.9.10 Now in this desperate case I will arise so Psal 119.126 Secondly God respects the good of his Children in this delaying For in so doing he prepares them for an Answer and prepares the Answer to be the better for them First he fits them and prepares them the better for an Answer and that many wayes As first by humbling of them under a fight and sense of their wants and faylings which usually are best discoâ—ered by long delayes as a horse that hath any infirmity will soon shew it in a long journey
and a legg that hath any imperfection in it in a long walke Then Murmuring Pride Impatience will appeare that is in us and thereby we come to be made vile and base in our own eyes We use not to put in the spice till the liquor be sodd to the heigth nor doth God bestow his mercyes till we are brought to the lowest depth It was the speech sometimes of a great States man concerning the Son of a great Lord committed for some misdemeanour at the Councell table Let us forget him a while and he will remember hâ—mself the sooner So upon the like Reason God seemeth to forget us that we may remember our selves and be humbled for our faylings I shall give you three examples of this One is Numb 12. Miriam was struck with Leprosie for murmuring against Moses Numb 12.14 he prayes for her God heares his prayer and will heale her but not so soone as Moses would She must be better humbled then as yet she was If her Father had but spit in her face saith God should she not be ashamed seaven dayes verse 14. Let her be shut out of the Camp seaven dayes and after that received in againe Another Instance we have Judg. 20.18 Judg. 20.18 The Israelites had a good quarrell they consult with God what to do they were encouraged by God to goe up against Benjamin yet the first time they are overthrown and worsted verse 21. verse 21 The second time they weep and mourne and give them battail but are againe beaten verse 23 verse 23. It may seem strange that in such a case they should be overcome But the Reason is eviâ—ent they were not yet enough humbled for after that they had humbled their soules and sought the Lord by Prayer and Fasting God gave them the victory verse 26 verse 26. c. The third Instance we have in the Apostle Paul God intended to take from him the Messenger of Satan that buffeted him but not so soone as he would have had it removed Thrice he besought God earnestly 2 Cor. 12.8 that it might depart from him 2 Cor. 12.8 but God having respect to his greater Humiliation deferrs and puts him off telling him that his Grace was sufficient for him i. e. I will uphold thee but it is too soone for thee Paul to berid of that thorn Secondly God doth thus delay us to quicken our Appetites enâ—â—â—â—e our desires and make us the more earnest and fervent in Prayer dealing herein as the Fisher doth in drawing back his baite to make the fish more eager of it Or as the Father doth with his Child holding an Apple in his hand and suffering the Child to tug at it and then it may be he opens one finger and then another and so by degrees parts with it to his Child This was Christs dealing with the woman of Cannan he put her off and delayed her of purpose to make her the more earnest and importunate in her â—uit Math. 15.25.28 Math. 15.25.28 Delayes do but whet the desires of earnest suitors Thirdly God doth this for the tryall and discovery of those graces that are in us and to inure us to Patience and Obedience and submission of our wills to his A Father will sometimes crosse his Child to discover his disposition and with holds for a time that which he purposeth to give to see how he will take it he inures him to obedience and subjection by crossing him of his will a while I will Love the Lord Psal 116.1 saith David because he hath heard my Prayer This is right but not enough God will prove us whether we will Love him and feare him and trust in him even then when he seemes to reject our Prayers and shut them out of his presence He will prove our Faith whether we will beleeve his Promise and waite for the Performance thereof though he delay long He will try our Obedience whether we will continue to seek him and call upon him as he hath commanded and for that he hath commanded us so to do alâ—ough we find our selves disappointed for the present And so our Patience and other graces by the exercise of which in tryalls he brings us to more perfection in them for use makes perfectnesse Hereto tends that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.8 2 Cor. 1.8 We had the sentence of Death in our selves that we might not trust in our selves but in God which quickeneth the dead And thus by these delayes we come to be the better fitted for mercy Fourthly hereby the mercy is better prepared for us for it becomes the greater and the sweeter by delaying and putting off our suite we are brought to value the thing sued for the more when things easily had are lightly esteemed lightly come lightly goe Cito data vilescunt Acts 22.28 as we use to say in the Proverb The Cheife Captaine Act. 22.28 that obteyned his freedome with a great sum bought it at a deare rate valued it highly So it is in this Case If blessings were as soone had as asked they would be the lesse set by And this is one cause why God hideth his face so long from many of his deare Children that they might prize the sense of his Love and favour the better when they have it Cant. 3. Cant. 3 1-4 1-4 And by this meanes the mercy when it is obteyned is the sweeter and more welcome when it comes Isaac is Isaac a Son of Laughter when he comes after many yeares expecting When Jacob heares of Joseph whom he had long wanted and cleane given over for gone he was so full of joy that he desired not to live a day longer Gen. 45.28 46.30 So Psal 128. 1 -5 Pro. 13.12.19 Gen. 45.28 46.30 Thus it is true that Solomon speaks Pro. 13.12.19 A desire accomplished delighteth the soul and when it commeth it is as a tree of Life to heal the maladies of the heart And thus I have rendered you some reasons of the point Now to the Uses Use 1 May we not reason from hence as St. Peter doth 1 Pet. 4.18 If the Godly who are Gods Friends 1 Pet. 4.18 are many times delayed and put off in their lawfull suits and sometimes seemingly not heard shall the Enemies of God hope to have Audience or think to speed in their suits when they beg mercy doth God keep his own Children in suspence and will he give bread to bastards and open the dore to them when they call What Hope hath the Hypocrite saith Job Will God heare their cry when trouble cometh on him Job 21.9 Job 21.9 Let David Answer the Question from his own experience They cryed but there was none to save them even unto the Lord but he answered them not Psal 18.41 God will be a God of his word Psal 18.41 Isay 1.15 Pro. 1.29.30 Hos 5 6. John 9.31 Psal 78.34.35 Neh. 9.27 he hath protested against their Prayers Isay 1.15 Pro.
he groaned in the spirit and was troubled in himself Sometimes troubles arise from the corrupt flesh as 1 Cor. 7.28 Turbatio Carnis 1 Cor. 7.28 such shall have trouble in the flesh cares and vexations arising from corrupt flesh in them Such was the Trouble of this Friend for the flesh loves ease and is loath to be disquieted Observe Doct Unwilling mindes esteeme it a Trouble to be moved to Christian Dutyes When the will is not enclined to a work it is a trouble to be moved to it then it shall be put off with Trouble me not Thus Ahab having no delight with Elijahs Prophesyes counted him no better then the Troubler of Israel 1 King 18.18 So the Apostles were esteemed turbulent Acts 16.20 1 King 18.18 Acts 16.20 they Trouble say they the whole Citty and Acts 24.5 Tertullus chargeth Paul to be a pestilent fellow A Pestilence in the Originall Acts. 24.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a mover of sedition In that Parable propounded by our Saviour of the unrighteous Judge Luke 18.1 we have this Truth confirmed Luke 18.1 A poore Widdow comes to him desiring Justice he was one that neither feared God nor yet Reverenced man yet he resolveth to do justice but not for justice-sake only because she troubled him as appeares by his own confession verse 5. verse 5. he had no mind to do it and therefore she was a trouble to him in desiring it Reas Every good service is hard or easie according as mens minds are enclined He that hath his mind prest and ready to the practise of any duty either of piety justice or mercy will observe all the inducements that may lead unto it and he that is adverse and backward thereunto looks upon the discouragements from it and the impediments that may hinder him therein as you see this Friend doth Hereto tends that excellent proverb of Solomon Pro. 15.19 Pro. 15.19 The way of the sloathfull is a hedge of Thornes They forecast in their mindes the hinderances that are in it the troubles that they shall meet withall which appeare to them as a path overgrowne with thornes and bryars every work is a thorne in his foot and a bramble that will scratch his hand and this keeps him back but the way of the righteous is made plaine or is as a paved causway that is the use and exercises of good dutyes are easie and commodious they passe over the impediments through the willingnesse of their minds and goe on with much contentment as passengers that walk in a plaine way Numb 13.30 See an instance Numb 13.30 The spyes thought it as impossible to overcome the Cananites as for Grashoppers to overcome Gyants but Caleb and Joshua were of another minde cap. 14.9 24. Numb 14.9.24 Use You may be informed from hence of a great mistake that is in the world concerning persons turbulent or troublesome All that are so esteemed are not so neither in Church nor State Towne Citty house nor family Can a Friend be justly counted troublesome in making such a request as this unto a Friend albeit it were at Mid-night and upon such an occasion as this was He that came to his Friend at Mid-night did not conceive he should be troublesome in coming out of his way to visit his Friend at that time of Night Nor did he that went to borrow of his Friend conceive his Friendship to be so cold that for Friendships sake he would not rise out of his bed to accommodate him in this his necessity True Friendship will do more then so without objecting trouble yet this Friend being loath to arise cryes out Trouble me not Thus the sick Patient complaines of his bed when it is his back and the Child cryes out of his shoe when it is the Humble upon the Heele that troubles him Let the question be now asked Who troubles the Common-wealth or State and some will tell you It is not Ahab who encroacheth upon his Neighbours Vineyard and riseth up and takes possession with blood 1 King 21.1 2 3. but poore Naboth who blaspheames God and the King and what was his blasphemy he will not part with his Inheritance on any termes he it is that is esteemed troublesome Not our Nimrods those mighty Hunters of the Earth Gen. 10.9 who ride a racking pace over the heads of their poore Tennants destroying the nests of the breeding birds by their depopulations killing the dam with her young seething a kid in the Mother's milk but the poore blood-suckt wretches Neh. 5.5 who exhibite their bills of complaint against such oppressions would these be conrent to be quietly wracked there would be no trouble Not our Ephramitish Merchants Hos 12.7 fraudulent and deceitfull Trades-men who sophisticate their wares as they have done their Consciences having a false measure in one hand and a false ballance in the other but the wronged buyer or busy Informer that complaines of these things he troubles all Not the notorious Adulterer Jer. 5.8 that neighs after his Neighbours Wife nor the debauched Drunkard that makes a God of his liquor and a beast of himself nor the disordered Victualler who hath a close roome for his old Friend Drunkennesse and robs guests of their mony as the pot doth them of their wit these are not troublesome But the Puritanicall Minister that calls for the suppression of such disorder the busie Officer that informes and the rigid Justice that punisheth such offences these are troublesome might such abuses be connived at all would be quiet Aske againe who in the Church are they that trouble it And you shall be told Josua 7.25 that it is not Achan that hath sacrilegiously taken the accursed thing Not those Harpyes who have robbed the Churches nest and stollen away her birds sticking down a feather of Augmentation and Charitable benevolence in the Roome for which they look to be thanked but he that will be telling Achan of that his sacriledge and be crying out of that horrid Iniquity he it is that is troublesome Not Baals Priests 1 King 18.22 1 King 22.6 nor Ahabs Prophets that preach lyes and say Go up and prosper but faithfull Michajah zealous Elijah that tell the truth Not Annas nor Caiphas nor Herod nor Pilate nor any of the Scribes but Christ himself and his Disciples these trouble all Not the seducing Heretique Gal. 1.7 5.12 2 Tim. 3.6 1 Tim. 4.2 nor seditious Scismatique who contemning publique Assemblyes creep into corners leading captive simple women speaking lyes in Hypocrisie and by faire and plausible perswasions lead into error but those Huntsmen that labour to unearth these Foxes and discover their Burrowes and follow the Chase ul-cry as Luther did the Pope for which he was said to be Tuba rebellionis these are they that trouble the peace of the Church Are there troubles in the House or Family put it to the question who troubles it And it
you the woman Math. 26.10 Math. 26.10 And for Drunkards Swearers Sabbath-breakers and other prophane Livers who are the grand Troublers of our Church and State we may in some Case wish with the Apostle Gal. 5.12 Gal. 5.12 I would they were cut off that trouble you But no more of this Mystically you have heard before how God may delay his now from this frowning Answer given by this Friend within to his Friend without we may further learne that God doth not only delay to Answer the prayers of his Children for a time Myst Doct. but he may sometimes seemingly frowne upon them and be angry with them when they pray unto him and count them troublesome he may enterteyne their prayers with a seeming dislike and distaste as if he had no pleasure in them and seemingly shake them off in anger This the Church complaines of Read at large Lament 3. verse 1-19 So Psal 80.4 c. So Job Lament 3 1-19 Psal 80.4 Job 13 24. 19.11 Psal 88.3.14 John 4.43 chap. 13.24 19.11 the like doth David Psal 88.3.14 Such was his dealing with the Ruler who became a suitour to him for his Son that was sick Christ enterteynes him with a check and reproose for his infidelity and the infidelity of his nation John 4.43 And such was his carriage towards the woman of Canaan who came to him in the behalfe of her little daughter Math. 15.24 25. Math. 15.24 25 26. Look how cunningly Joseph acted the part of an Enemy with his brethren when they came into Aegypt to buy Corne so dealeth God many times with his It is said that Joseph knew them well enough when he saw them but he seemed strange unto them and spake roughly challenging them for spyes and such as came to see the nakednesse of the Land Gen. 42.7 8 9. Gen. 42.7 8 9. So God knoweth his well enough yet seemeth strange and chargeth them many times with grievous crimes when they come unto him whereof they are innocent yet not seriously but tentatively for tryall sake and writeth bitter things against them whereto they make a modest and humble answer as Josephs Bretheren did to him Nay my Lord we are all one mans Sons we are true men thy Servants are no spyes but to buy food thy Servants are come verse 10 11. verse 10.11 Lord we are not such as dissemble and play the Hypocrites with thee we come unto thee in the name of thy Son we are thy Children and come to thy Ordinances for bread c. Joseph layes it hard unto them still and puts them to the tryall of their truth verse 12.14 verse 12.14 And by that wile he gets out of them that which he much longed to heare namely of his Fathers and Brother Benjamins health and wellfare and makes way to have his Brother Benjamin brought into his presence whom he longed to see God presseth hard upon the conscience that he may get out of us what he longeth to heare and loveth to see in us an honest heart Joseph puts his Bretheren altogether in ward three dayes and then delivers all but Simeon whom he keeps in durance that he might bring Benjamin his Brother to him verse 17.21 verse 17.21 Thus dealeth God with us he bringeth us into great straits and as his countenance is severe so his hand is oftentimes heavy on those whom he best loves thereby to bring us to Repentance for our sins Hos 5.15 he shuts us up for a time Hos 5.15 6.2 that we may have opportunity to reflect home and repent and then after two dayes he will revive us and then the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight by chastening of our Bodyes he saves our souls and brings our Benjamin to him our hearts in his worship and service Josephs Bretheren call to mind their cruelty and unkindnesse towards Joseph and upbraid one another for it not thinking that Joseph understood them Gen. 47.21.25 but he understood them well enough and turnes about and weeps yet conceales all and bindes Simeon verse 21-25 Conscience though it may be a while still and seemingly asleep yet affliction will awake it and bring us to an acknowledgment of those sins long before committed and forgotten and then it falls to accusing which God is not ignorant of he heares us and is affected with us but conceales his affection till due time verse 24 Simeon is taken and bound before their eyes verse 24. He shall be left in pawne in fetters the rest shall return with Corne Simeon was bold and fierce as appeares by his cruelty to the Sichemites and seemes to be the chiefe cause of Josephs trouble he is therefore singled out So in that wherein we have offended God will correct and chastife us and as we mete to others it shall be measured to us Mark 4.24 Josephs Bretheren come down a second time to Aegypt to buy Corn Gen. 43.15 they bring Benjamin their Brother with much ado for their Father would not part with him till necessity compell'd they are kindly enterteyned by Joseph who no sooner sees Benjamin but he requires the Ruler of his house to kill and slay for these men saith he shall dine with me Gen. 43.16 verse 16. He feasts them whom former he threatened When we come to God againe if God sees Benjamin with us an honest heart brought into his presence he will make a feast for us beyond expectation This extraordinary favour made Josephs Brethren to feare the more and to cleare themselves to Josephs Steward verse 18 19 verse 18 19 20. 20. A guilty Conscience made them fearfull and suspicious thus we are apt to misconstrue Gods actions his works of grace through our sin and ignorance occasioneth us to feare where no feare is as Judg. 13.22 Math. 14.25 26 27. verse 25 Now Josephs Brethren make ready the present which they had brought for Joseph and present it verse 25. So do the Godly though it be but a little of every good thing a little Faith a little Repentance this God accepts and takes well at our hands though there be but a little of it be it of the best verse 30 Joseph makes haste verse 30. yet he hides his affection till he had brought them to a more sound and serious sight of their sins And therefore after all this their kind enterteynment and mirth when they thought all danger over he beats upon their guilty Consciences by another tryall no whit inferior to the former Hue and Cry is sent after for a stollen cup They are accused of flat fellony they plead their Innocency search is made and the Cup is found in Benjamins sack Gen. 44.6.12 All this was to sift his Bretheren Gen. 44.4 5. and to try their affection to Benjamin verse 12 whether they would stand by him in this his trouble or desert him Thus dealeth God when he seemeth to be
very Loving to us and makes us best welcome he hides his face againe chargeth us with bitter things whereof we think our selves Innocent and stand upon our Justification as Job did till search be made and then we find that in our sacks which we knew not of and would not believe to be there which when we find we stand amazed at And all this God doth to try the sincerity of our hearts and the Truth of our Love to Benjamin and to double our joyes in the end after we have been brought to a thorough Humiliation for our sins verse 14 Back againe they come with rent cloathes they humble themselves before Joseph casting themselves on the ground confessing their sin not this whereof they were accused for therein they were innocent but their cruelty towards Joseph verse 15 16 17 God hath found out the iniquity of thy Servants saith Judah of this all were guilty and confesse their deservings verse 15 -18 thus the Godly make good use of their present sufferings and look back to what they have deserved And then Judah he comes neer to Joseph verse 18. usque adâ—fin cap. craves favour to speak a word in his eare relates all the matter to Joseph as if he had been ignorant of the matter when he knew all as well as himself verse 18. to the end He acquaints him likewise with the danger of his old Father and sadnesse of his complaint at parting offering to be a bondman in his Brothers roome that he might preserve his Fathers Life And thus are we brought by our afflictons to powre forth our hearts before the Lord like him and acquaint him with all that hath happened as though God were ignorant of the businesse when he knowes all better then we our selves can know it After Judah had done thus then Joseph makes known himself Gen. 45.1 c. Gen. 45.1 c. Compassion and joy can be concealed no longer every man must be put out save his Bretheren he discovers his affection tells them he was Joseph their Brother bids them not be affraid but puts them withall in mind of their injury whom you sold into Aegypt yet comforts them with the consideration of what God had done sends for his old Father willeth them to bring all they had away and some live with him in Egypt which they did to all their comforts And the like is Gods dealing with us after he hath tryed us to the purpose brought us to a true sight and sorrow for sin he can refraine no longer Isay 42.14 He saith Isay 42.14 I am your Father whom you have injured and wronged in breaking my Lawes but I have pardoned and forgiven you and prepared an inheritance for you in the Heavens Therefore regard not the stuffe care not for the Lumber and trumpery come up quickly and tarry not the good of all the Land of the Living is yours And thus you see how Josephs dealing with his Bretheren when they came to buy Corne of him is a lively resemblance of Gods dealing with his oftentimes when they come unto him in their Afflictions Use It this be Gods way sometimes to appeare as an Enemy when he intends Friendship let us learne to hope even in a state hopelesse and love him chiding and trust in him killing as Job did Those that are well acquainted with Gods proceedings Job 13.15 know that cherishing ever followes after stripes as Cordialls do vehement Evacuations His Anger ever ends in Love and by it he prepares us for Love His Countenance resembles the picture of Diana at Delphos whose face though it seemed to frowne upon commers in yet it smiled upon them at their going out Examine me O Lord and prove me saith David Psal Psal 26.2 26.2 try my reines and my heart for thy Loving-kindnesse is ever before mine eyes he was to be tryed as Gold is tryed but he builds upon Gods Love If Gods Anger and not his Love had been before his eyes it had been but a fearfull Apparition and a dangerous issue to have gone upon but he saw Love in all and so long he could submit unto any furnace of his heaâ—ing If through those black and thick Coulds that compasse thee and seeme to interpose betwixt thy Prayers and the Throne of Grace thou could'st discerne the bright Sun-beames of Gods favour if thou could'st look beyond the Cloud of afflictions and see the Sun-shine on the other side if when God seemes to frown upon thee and be angry with thee thou could'st by the hand of Faith pluck off that maske and Vizard thou would'st then see a Loving heart through contrary appearances and pick love out of angry speeches Math 15 16 17. Hos 5.15 6.1 as the woman of Canaan did out of Whelp and Dog He hides himself when he meanes to be found he kills himself when he makes alive throwes down when he meanes to build up and intends to ease us of our burthens when he seemes to lay heavier upon us Say then with David when thou lyest under such temptation Psal 42. Why art thou cast down ô my Soul why art-thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God The Reasons rendered of this trouble pretended by the Friend within to the Friend without are now to be examined And they are two first the dore was now shut and it would be troublesome if not dangerous to arise at that time of night to open it Secondly his Children were with him in bed and at rest and it was not fit that he should disquiet them We begin with the first Text. The Dore is now shut There is no fault to be found with that The barr'd Dore keeps out the Thiefe Job 24.16 who in the Night-time breaks into houses which they have marked for themselves in the day And it may teach us a point of Wisdom To shut the Dore against dangers as did Elisha 2 King 6.32 Nature teacheth the brute beast to prevent danger 2 King 6.32 much more should Reason perswaâ—e men unto it and Religion alloweth it and commendeth the prudent man that fore-seeth the evill and avoideth it Pro. 22.3 Use Too too blame then are such as carry not a watchfull eye upon dangers to prevent them before they do come Prov. 22.3 Argus his eyes are to be preferred before Briareus his hands A provident eye for the preventing of future mischiefe is more excellent and usefull then a potent arme for the suppressing of that evill which is befallen us But this man who knockt at Dore at this time of Night came not to steale but to borrow he was no Enemy but a Friend and one that came in a friendly way unto him desiring this friendly courtesie from him and it was his fault to deny him so small a request under pretence of trouble When the Heart is open the Dore cannot be shut As before
clearing of the point First how God can be said to be abed Secondly whence it is that no Child can help when God is abed Of the first I hope there is none present that have so grosse and earthly conceit of God as to imagine that he was in Bed indeed for he is Vivens vidensque that ever-living and all-seeing God whose eyes are never closed according to that of David Behold he that keepeth Israel Psal 131.4 1 King 18.27 doth neither slumber nor sleep Psal 131.4 He is nor like Baal of whom Elias sometimes spake tauntingly to his Preists Cry aloud peradventure he sleepeth Eâ—as in Apoph Cic. and you must awake him rather what the Romane Orator spake pleasantly of Caninius his Consulship Vigilantissimum habuimus Consulem c never was there a more Vigilant Consul then Caninius who during all the time of his Consulship never took a nap for indeed his Consulship lasted but for a day it did set with the Sun that we may truly say of the Almighty And yet although he alwayes doth like himself yet he speaks like a man for the infirmity of our flesh and resembleth himself to one that is a bed and asleep when he puts himself into a sleepy posture as it were towards his people and is to them as a man asleep is to his Friend and that first in retiring and withdrawing himself from them for a time as a man that goes to sleep withdrawes himself from company and doth not appeare openly in the behalf of his Servants of this David complaines Psal 9.19 59.4 Psal 9.19 59.4 Secondly when he appeares to be as one that hath forgotten them A state of sleep is a state of forget fullnesse this David laments Psal 44.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face Psal 44.24 and forgettest our Afflictions and Oppressions Awake ô Lord arise for our help verse 23.26 Thirdly verse 23.26 when he appeares to be unwilling to be disquieted and seemes to thrust us from him as this Friend which my Text speaks of did his Friend This David likewise bewailes Psal 44.23 Cast us not off for ever Psal 44.23 or thrust us not away as some read Indeed it is his mercy and Patience that casts him thus on his Bed Ainsworth Jun. and brings him as it were into a sleep and that for no other end but to awake us out of sleep as the Disciples did Math. 8.24 25. Math. 8.24 25. Next when God is thus abed no Child he hath can arise for our help All Creatures in Heaven and in Earth are but as the Reflex of the glasse which presently vanisheth upon the turning away of the face The whole Creation is but a broken Cisterne of it self and can hold nothing Jer. 2.13 As the Creatures speak of Wisdome The depth saith It is not in me The Sea saith It is not in me Job 28.14 So may they say of comfort and help Job 28.14 2 King 6.26 Psal 119.91 Thus said that King 2 King 6.26 27. And so will all Creatures say in Heaven and in Earth All are Gods Servants and at his command they stirr not till he gives the word As all Creatures have their being from God so they have their dependance on him Lopez de Gomara The Kings of Mexico when they are consecrated use to take this Oath I sweare that the Sun during my Life shall hold on his course and keep his wonted glory and brightnesse and the Clouds shall send down raine the Rivers shall run and the Earth bring forth fruite But the Lord hath a Negative voyce in all the Actions of the world and what things are necessary to the Creature and have a must be to the Creator they are free and have a may not be nay a must not be except he gives the word Use 1 It is a great folly then any to expect comfort from any Creature whilst the Creator hath hid away his face none of the houshold will be up when the Master is a Bed When God would not Answer Saul he runs to the Witch of Endor and sottishly wills her to rayse up Samuel who was at rest 1 Sam. 28.16 she raysed up the Devill in the likenesse of Samuel who cunningly resembles him both in habit and gesture and useth the very language of Samuel but what said he to him Wherefore hast thou disquieted me and wherefore dost thou ask of me seeing the Lord hath forsaken thee and is thine enemy Whilst God doth hide himself from us expect no Samuel to comfort us The Devill as soon in his likenesse If Gods eyes be shut no Childs eyes will be open to us If he do not first arise none of the Family neither in Heaven nor in Earth dare get up to open the Dore for us or give a comfortable answer to us Meanes indeed must be used but not trusted to God can work without meanes no meanes can availe without God 2 Chron. 16.12 Job 13.4 Aâ—l outward helps are vaine till he puts to His helping hand What good could Asa's Physitians do him when God was not up to blesse the meanes Adrians Physitians cast him away so farr were they from saving him Zerxes trusted to the multitude of men but they encumbered him Darius in his wealth but that sold him Rehoboam to his young Councellors but they lost him Caesar to his old Senators but they conspire against him Domitian in his guard but they betrayed him All outward aides are but Aegyptian reedes which being leaned upon do not only break under us and so deceive our trust but pierce into our hands and sides and so make a greater wound Use 2 We have tryed what wit can do what wealth can do what Pollicy can do what earthly power can do to succour us and yet we are not succoured helped delivered All the comfort which we hoped to have from the Creature yet sleeps Now try we another way Awaken God the Master of the house get him to arise and the Children will soon get up The Church cryes unto him three times with one breath Awake awake awake Isay 51.9 David often cryes out Awake Isay 51.9 Psal 9.19 35.23 44.23 Math. 8.25 Lord awake rise up Lord why sleepest thou Psal 9.19 35.23 44.23 and God rook it well at his hands Nor did our blessed Saviour take it ill from his Disciples that they awake him in a Tempest Math. 8.25 albeit it seemes by the Text that they did it very turbulently and irreverently their fear being great but their Faith small Nor will God take it ill at our hands if we call upon him to raise for our succour nay therefore he doth seem sometimes to sleep that he may be awaked by our outcryes Till this be done expect not any Saint nor Angell to come in for our succour If we take the wordes in another sense and understand by Children Gods Church and people his Saints and holy ones
And many times he applyeth remedies answerable to the distinct distresses that his Children are in So Exod. 13.21 that which was a Cloud in the day to shelter his people from the heat of the Sun was a pillar of fire to give them light in the night that they might go both by day and by night When they had no bread he gave them bread and rained them Manna from Heaven Exod. 16.4 Exod. 17.6 Psal 116.8 Exod. 16.4 When they had no drink he opened a rock and gave them water to drink Exod. 17.6 So Psal 116.8 He delivered his soul from death eyes from teares feet from falling Sometimes he denyes to give unto his Friends that Particular which they desire and supplies their wants some other way as may make more for his glory and their good not giving what they would but what they should have Non tribuit quod volumus ut tribuat quod malinus Aug. Gen. 17.18 19. Deut. 3.26 32 49. 1 Sam. 12.22 As when the sick Patient cries out for drink the Physitian pitties him and gives him something more proper but satisfies not his desire in that very kind so dealeth God many times with his Thus dealt he with Abraham Gen. 17.18 19. So with Moses Deut. 3.26 and 32 49. So with David 1 Sam. 12.22 22. And with Paul 2 Cor. 12.8 Heb. 5.7 Esay 60.17 2 Cor. 12.8 And with Christ himself Heb. 5.7 For Brasse I will bring Gold and for Iron Silver saith God Esay 60.17 So God for brasse iror wood stones which we crave doth often give us that which is better and more usefull for us as Faith Patience Supportation c. See Gods dealing with us likewise in respect of Quantity and measure When he giveth in kind what we desire and ask of him yet he giveth not alwayes such a degree as we would have but as he sees to be fitting for us Gen. 17.18 20. Sometime more as we shall shew you in the next point and sometimes lesse So Gen. 17.18 20. yet he went not so far in that kind as Abraham desired David desired to build a House for God 2 Sam. 7 2. Verse 23. the Temple God denies that but yields so far as that he should prepare materialls and draw the pattern 1 Cor. 12.13 c. Covet earnestly the best gifts saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. ult There is a holy covetousnesse then in the best of Gods Children and this carries them to a desire after more and more still Oh! that I had as much knowledge faith hope patience as such or such a one c. But God doth not ever satisfie our desires in this kind but giveth in things of this nature what he knows most fitting Revel 3.8 Revel 3.8 A little pinn is as needfull and usefull in the building of the Temple as a greater piece the like may be said of outward gifts As Health Strength Wealth Liberty God observes a measure in all these and hath respect to the necessities of his Children and shews mercy according to the measure of our misery Reas God answers his Rom. 8.27 according to the meaning of his own spirit and not according to the words wherein those desires are exprâ—ssed Rom. 8.27 the meaning of the spirit is the prayer and not simply the things desired which are such oftentimes as that we know not what they are Luke 9.54 Now the main ends and true meaning of our hearts if faithfull in all our Requests to God are his Glory and our own and the Churches good and no further Now God hears us in the maine in denying us the By he sees that the way we prescribe or that thing which we desire of him or that measure conduceth not to those ends we aim at so well as some other which he in wisdom knoweth fittest and layeth out for us Use 1 And hence we may be admonished not to put up our prayers to Heaven in an absolute and peremptory way for all things As for Temporall blessings freedome from all crosses freedom from temptations nor for lesse principal graces nor yet for the highest measure of sanctifying grace but with Submission and Reservation as Math. 26.39 Math. 36.29 The promise of being heard in our Prayers runs with this Condition if we ask any thing according to his will 1 Iohn 5.14 1 John 5.14 And it is one of the evils noted in the old Israelites that they limitted the holy one of Israel Psal 74.41 they tyed him to their own wayes Psal 78. â—1 and meanes and prescribed him how when and in what kind and measure he should supply their wants This may not be The Physitian knowes better then the Patient what is good for him God is our Physitian we are his Patients Learn submission Vse 2 And let it be a stay to our hearts if in case our Prayers be not heard in that very particular which we desire God layes out our Prayers for our best advantage and husbands our Stock in such away as may bring in the greatest return and gain Many Temporall blessings which thou hast desired have bin denyed thee this for the present hath grieved thee that thou hast not what thou wouldst but upon serious thoughts and in cold blood thou mayst find that hadst thou had thy will thou hadst bin undone A Factor beyond the Seas sends not always that which the Merchant writes for but other Commodities which he knoweth will be most vendible and advantagious so dealeth God with us If then thou hast in thy prayers referred thy will to Gods rest assured that it shall be the best for thee which way soever it falls out if thou beest denyed in thy suite for this or that particular thou mayst be assured it is better for thee to want it then to enjoy it Quod non dat Deus non est necessarium and that it is not necessary that thou shouldst have it or if thou desire such or such a degree or measure of Knowledge Peace Joy Health Strength and he gives not with both hands that abundance of these things be content that he gives with one hand with that manner and measure that he gives Next take notice of the bountifull disposition of God in giving from the bounty of this Friend to his Friend he doth not onely supply his want in lending as he desired three Loaves but giveth him as many as he needeth Thence note Doct. God is many times larger in his gifts then we are in our desires he gives not onely abouve our deserts but above our desires and out-bids our hopes This Abraham found he begged a Child God promised a multiplied seed and yet more that the Messias should come out of that seed that should Redeem the World Gen. 22.17 18. Gen. 22.17 18. Iacob found this He in his journey to Padan-Aram desired of God but provision necessary and protection in his way with a safe return Gen. 28.20
this Case First lament and bewayle thy indisposednesse to the duty as Psal 119.25 v. 159. Secondly yield not to it but stirr up the gift of prayer that is in thee Isay 64.7 2 Tim. 1.6 Thirdly take unto you words Hos 14.2 Use the help of some good Forme Some think this to be a stinting of the Spirit and a pinnioning of the wings of the Dove But how is the Spirit limited in a set-Forme more then in singing one of Davids Psalmes or joyning with others in prayer which is required 1 Cor. 14.16 A good Horse-man may sometimes use the help of a block to save his stirrop 1 Cor. 14.16 Had not set Formes bin lawful God would not have prescribed them Numb 6.24 25 26.10.35 Luke 11.1 Math. 26.44 as he did under the Law nor Christ his Servants used them as they did under the Gospel Children learn to go first by a form before they go alone If some men had longer learned to pray by a set forme they would it is like have prayed better without them then they do Obj. 3 Yet there is one thing more that much troubleth the Godly in their prayers they cannot confine their thoughts and keep them to the point in hand they are wandering and roving so that they feare their prayers will not be regarded Attention is two-fold Resp Ames Cas Cons lib. 4 c. 14. Baldwin de Cas Consc lib. 2. c. 7. Cas 14. Actuall which is a constant and distinct attending to what we say or Virtuall when we proceed in the same disposition and desire of attending which we had in the beginning of our Prayers The former is most laudable but if the latter be not wanting our Prayers shall not be rejected Secondly wandering thoughts and distractions are of two sorts some arise through our own negligence and are voluntarily admitted these turne our prayers into Sin Others there are that arise not so much from our own neglect as from weaknesse and temptation of Sathan they break in upon us uninvited and are undergon with griefe these exclude not comfort Our devotions shall not be loft because of such deviations God is much delighted in our labour of Love Heb. 6.10 Heb. 6.10 that is in those dutyes which out of Love to him we performe with labour and striving Those prayers are not alwayes best pleasing to God wherein we please our selves best or which we performe wiâ—h most facility and attention The worst prayers that we make to our own sense speed often best and then we pray most happily when we arise most humbled Those prayers that we performe with mighty conflicts and oppositions are the most acceptable prayer God who puts all our Teares into his bottle all our sighs into his bosome all our words into his Register will also spread that sincerity that zeale with which thou entered'st into thy prayers over thy whole prayers and where thy zeale is too short Christ will spread his prayers over thine and say Give him Father that which he hath faithfully desired in my name and where he hath fayled through wanderings and negligences there Father forgive him though he hears not what he said Only be carefull to prevent these wanderings what may be First by fixing thy heart on God to whom thou speakest bring thy soul if it be possible to Davids temper Psal 57.7 Psal 57.7 my heart is fixed O Lord my heart is fixed I will sing and give prayse Give God the heart six it on him and the Will will command the thoughts Friends think of their Friends and cannot but think of them Secondly Keep your thoughts within compasse at other times suffer them not to roave about without check if they have got a custome of ranging they will not readily be called home when you would have them The wise mans heart is at his right hand saith Solomon Eccles 10.2 he hath it not to seek when he should use it about holy dudyes as the Fool hath Do in this Case as you use to do with your horse when you are to go a journey have him under bridle and suffer him not to run up and down the pastures wildly Dr. Preston The best way saith one to be rid of bad thoughts in thy prayers is not to entertain them out of thy prayers if at other times thou entertaynest them willingly they will be entertavned in thy prayers against thy will Thirdly bring a fervent and zealous Spirit with thee to Prayer 〈◊〉 the pot that is full of liquor in the heat of Summer is troubled and polluted with many flyes but if that liquor wâ—re hot and boyling those flyes would not be so busy about it Whilst our prayers are cold we are troubled with idle cogitations but if our mindes were inflamed with zeale it would abandon all those vanityes Fourthly be not long in Prayer Bald. Cas Cons lib. 1. c. 7. Cas 14. Aug. Epist 121. Cassian Instit lib. 2. c. 10. If you find your thoughts roaving the shorter we are the lesse apt to wander Religious Persons thinke it best saith Cassian that their prayers be short but frequent the one that praying to God we might continually be joyned unto him the other that by shortnesse we may avoid the Devills darts which he throweth especially at us when we are praying So Austin writeth of the Primitive Christians in Aegypt that they had their short but frequent prayers which he calls Ejaculations dart-like least their intention should relent with long continuance A short Prayer and much Spirit is better then a long Prayer and little Spirit Fifthly bewayle the loosnesse of thy nature to the God of Heaven and before thou endest desire God to pardon thy wanderings for Christ his sake and so though thou goest limping away from God as Jacob did yet be not discouraged thou shalt carry away the blessing Notwithstanding these scruples be not disheartened the bringing forth of a right prayer is like the bringing forth of a Child saith one in which there is much paine and anguish but after the birth joy And thus much of the difficulty of the duty in generall now to Particulars Aske and you shall have seek and you shall find c. Text. The Duty as you have heard is expressed by three Acts Aske Seeke Knock each Act hath a sutable promise annexed Aske and you shall have c each of which promises we will carry along with the duty to which it is made as they lye in the Text. Aske and you shall have The Duty is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aske yee and this a work of the mouth Albeit words are not absolutely necessary in prayer as we have shewed in the former Doctrine yet if we can speak we are to take unto us words and use our tongues in the best manner that we can God expects that we should expresse our desires by word of mouth unto him Let that be the note Doct. Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth wide
are surely blessed but they a e not blessed alone those that believed and see are blâ—ssed as well â—s they though noâ— so much as they All Faith is blessed but that most which hath east means helps But the Faith of the best is but weak and like Moses's hands it soon becomes weak and God is well pleased in such a case that Sight and Sense like Hur and Aaron should support it Exod. 17.12 It is one thing to live by Faith and another thing to live by sight but we are all generally inclined to walk by Sense rather then by Faith And the more we see and feel and taste of the goodnesse of God the more confident we are to rely on God for that which is yet we neither see nor feel God considering our mould condescends to our infirmity and therefore calls on us to taste and see that we may learn to trust Psal 34.8 1 Pet. 2.3 Psal 34.8 1 Pet. 2.3 Vse 1 Whence is it then that we sleight Experience and esteem it although a Mistriss yet of none but fools A Mistriss of Fools it is indeed even of such fools as will learn no wisdom but what is beaten into them with rods through a torn skin a man may buy Experience too dear as we say of gold so Adam bought his experimental knowledge of good and evil by eating the forbidden fruit and Solomon by his dear-bought experience found all worldly delights under the Sun to be vanity and vexation woful is that Experience which is gotten by sin and misery And the Mistriss of fools it may be said to be for that it teacheth men wisdom and makes fools wise if they be not besotted blockish Schollars are they whom Experience doth not teach It is of force to set Reason it self to School and to convince the best Wisdom of the Schools of Folly But the wisest that are may learn of Experience and be taught many things by it It is God onely that is not taught by Experience to whose knowledge all things are present at all times and before all times But there is no Creature so perfect in Wisdom and Knowledge but may learn some things for the present and for time to come by Experience of what is past The day following saith Seneca is a Schollar to that which went before and the time past reades useful Lectures to the present time He that would see what shall be let him consider what hath been There are many particulars the knowledge whereof makes for our good which no Wit Art nor Study nor Counsel of others could teach us had we not learned them from Experience The Physitian finds out many secrets by Experience which he could never attain unto by reading and study And this was as is thought by Josephus one end why God gave to those that lived in the first Age of the World so long life that by Experience and Observation they might learn the skill and art of sundry courses especially of the Stars the knowledge whereof otherwise would hardly if at all without miracle have been attained unto And in divers doubtful Cases Experience will afford us better help for direction then any other ordinary Rule As a man in the dark can better find the way or door to which he hath been used then another that never went it can do by the best Instructions that can be given him So that man who is reading in a book to which he was used when the twilight surprizeth him can longer and better read in that book then he who never read in it before Thus through Experience we shall better walk in the dark of Tribulation then others that want it and go about our Duties of Obedience with more facility and more readily then others that are not acquainted with it Therefore let Experience have her due praise she is a good Mistriss and is able to make fools wise and those who are wise wiser then they are If commendable by Experience they shall become admirable Vse 2 Wherefore let me exhort you to this point of Prudence to learn by Experience how to relieve your spirits when they begin to droop and faint then gather upon God from former experiments of his goodness to you or others which that you may the better do take these things into consideration The work of experience even of civil things is of great use and of no less in divine and spiritual matters it makes us bold with God as men are with an experienced friend such a one is my old friend my tryed friend he never denyed me I 'le to him I dare say he will not fail me So saith an experienced Christian God did hear me at such a time and such a time I 'le to him again It was the saying of a godly man upon the accomplishment of a great request that he made to God I have tryed God often now I will trust him he never denyed me We ought indeed to trust God upon his bare word although we had never tryed him but when he stoops so low as to help our Faith upon former experiments this should strengthen our confidence and put us on to go to God the more chearfully as to a tryed Friend Psal 63.7 Psal 63.7 Secondly It is of great use to quell those distrustful fears which much distract us A fresh water Souldier is afraid of every shot and thinks it will cost him his life when an experienced soldier is fearless and more valorous so it is with an unexperienced Christian he fears many times where no fear is he dares not look sickness in the face poverty in the face persecution in the face but the experienced man is as bold as a Lion Psal 53.5 Prov. 28. Rom. 8.38 39. he fears none of all these things Rom. 8.38 39. Experience makes a man a daring man where read you of two such Champions as David and Paul and where of two that made more use of their experiments then they Thirdly It quiets the heart in God's absence and in time of desertion it waiteth with patience for his approach again should one born in a Dungeon that never in his life-time saw the Sun be brought forth and shewed it would he not when he saw it set think it to be quite lost But Experience teacheth us that the next morning it will appear again and causeth us patiently to wait for the rising of it So is it with the experienced Christian he knows that Goo's concealing of himself is but a wise Discipline for a time and that he will not always hide himself Psal 42. 43.5 77.7 8 9. Psal 42. 43 5. 77.7 8 9. So said that Martyr to his Friend Austin He is come Austin he is come albeit for a time he had no sense of comfort When I want feeling and sense of Goo's favour yet by former workings in my soul which I have had experience of I may be sure that I am God's Child