Faith Spirits Hopes are all obligations to Fidelity Sermon III. Sect. 1. SAcrifices Propitiatory and Eucharistical 2. Praises the matter of a Covenant a Staple commodity for commerce with Heaven 3. Praises the fruits of Repentance 4. An Argument in prayer God forceth his glory out of wicked men but is glorified actively by the godly 5. A principle of obedience difference between the obedience of fear and of love 6. An Instrument of glory to God Praises of the heart and of the lips Communion of Sinners Communion of Saints 7. Converts report Gods mercies to others No true praises without Piety Sins against mercy soonest ripe 8. The more greedy the less thankeful Gods greatness matter of praise Things strongest when neerest their original Other creatures guided by an external Reasonable by an internal knowledg 9. Gods goodness matter of praise Knowledg of God notional and experimental Praise the language of Heaven Sacrifices were Gods own Love of Communion above self-love 10. We are wide to receive narrow to acknowledg The benefit of praises is our own 11. Wherein the duties of praising God stand 12. Repentance careful of obedience 13. This care wrought by godly sorrow Present sense Holy jealousie Love to Christ. Sons by adoption and regeneration 14. Repentance sets it self most against a mans special sin 15. By this sin God most dishonored By this repentance sincerity most evidenced Sermon IV. Sect. 1. REpentance removes carnal confidence Naturally we affect an absoluteness within our selves 2. This failing we trust in other creatures 3. When all fail we go to God in ways of our own inventing Repentance the cure of all this 4. Confederacies with Gods enemies dangerous Take heed of competition between our own interest and Gods 5. The creature not to be trusted in it wants strength and wisdom 6. Idols not to be trusted in they are lyes Grounds of confidence all wanting in Idols 7. God onely to be trusted absolutely in the way of his commands and providence 8. The way to mercy is to be fatherless weakness in our selves makes us seek help above our selves 9. Sin healed by pardon purging deliverance comfort Why back-sliding pardoned by name 10. Our conversion grounded on free-grace No guilt too great for love to pardon Gods anger will consist with his love 11. Conversion and healing go together Sin a sickness and a wound 12. The proper passions of sickness agree to sin viz. pain weakness consumption deformity 13. Sin a wound the impotent wilful and desperate case of this patient 14. The mercy of the Physitian 15. Guilt cannot look on Majesty Apprehensions of mercy the grounds of prayer 16. Sense of misery works estimation of mercy 17. Back-sliding formally opposite to faith and repentance Apostacy two-fold What it is to speak against the Son of man and against the Spirit How a sin is said not to be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Free love respects not persons nor free pardon sins 18. From beginning to end of salvation all is free grace 19. In judgments Gods anger more to be noted then our sufferings Sermon V. Sect. 1. BLessings as large to the penitent as curses to the impenitent and answer all our wants 2. God answereth prayers beyond the petitions of the people 3. We pray according to the knowledg and love we have of our selves God answers according to his knowledg and love 4. God answers prayer not only with respect to our wants but his own honor Gods ultimate end in working our strongest argument in praying 5. Encouragement to prayer Gods shekel double to ours 6. Prayer may be ambitious and beg great things 7. Free love puts forth it self in various blessings 8. Grâ—ce as dew of a celestial original fruit of a serene heaven 9. Abundant insensible insinuating and searching vegetating and quickning Refreshing and comforting 10. Peace no blessing except it come as dew from Heaven 11. All wants must be supplied from Heaven Christ all beauties to his Church The root and stability of the Church foundation doctrinall personall Righteousnesse of Redemption stronger then of Creation 12. Growth of the Church under the Law Nationall under the Gospell Universall Christ the Olive-tree originall of grace to his Church 13. Our refuge and shelter Our power above afflictions 14. All Christs graces fruits of Lebanon the best of all others Creature-helps liers either by falsenesse or impotency 15. Promises should beget duties God promiseth Beauty to his Church wee should labour to adorn it 16. He promiseth stability we should be rooted in truth and grace all our gifts should serve the Temple 17. He promiseth growth we should grow our selves and endeavour the growth of others Christ both the end and the beinging of the Churches growth 18. Compacture and unity in the Church necessary to the growth of it Divisions hinder it 19. In the body compacted there are severall distinct members each to act in his owne place and joynts fastning members to the head and to one another A different measure of vertue for severall offices A mutuall supply and helpfulnesse on unto another An eternall faculty in each part to form and concoct the matter subministred unto it 20. He promiseth the fruitfulnesse of the Olive which wee should shew forth in workes of grace and peace 21. He promiseth the smell of Lebanon the oyntment of the Gospell the graces of which we should expresse 22. He promiseth protection and conversion we should make him our shelâ—er and from his protection learn our duty of conversion 23. He promiseth reviving out of afflictions profiting by them We should not be discouraged by temptations but amended they have many times mercy in them 24. The vertues of Heathen grapes of Sodom the graces of Christ â—rapes of Lebanon What ever we present unto God must grow in Immanuels land Sermon VI Sect. 1. GOds promise enabling is our confidence to engage Idols sorrows Gods observing us a note of care counsell honour hearing prayers 2. Summe division 3. Mans seal to Gods promise only a confession Gods seal to mans covenant a confirmation 4. Mans covenant of obedience hath its firmnesse in Gods promise of grace Indissolvable dependance of all second causes on the first 5. In sins of men God hath an influence into them as actions a providence over them as sinnes In gracious actions Gods influence necessary both to the substance and goodnesse of them 6. Of the concord between Gods grace and mans will Freewill naturall theologicall Innate praviâ—y and corrupt force which resisteth grace the remainders whereof in the regenerate 7. The will of Gods precept and of his purpose 8. They who are called externally only resist and perish they who eternally are made willing and obedient 9. By an act of spirituall teaching 10. By an act of effectuall enclining and determining the will preventing assisting subsequent grace 11. We may not trust in our owne strength but be ever jealous of our originall impotency unto good our naturall antipathy against
will nor doe any thing further then we receive from him both to will and to doe Pharoah made promise after promise and brake them as fast Exod. 8.8.28.9.28 Israel makes ptomises one while and quickly starts aside like a deceitfull bow as Ice which melts in the day and hardens againe in the night Psal. 78.34 38. Ier. 34.15.16 to day they will and to morrow they will not againe they repent to day and to morrow they repent of their repenting like the sluggard in his bed that puts out his arme to rise and then puls it in again So unstable and impotent is man in all his resolutions till God say Amen to what he purposeth and establisheth the heart by his own grace Heb. 13.9 When the waters stood as a wall on the right hand and on the left of Israel as they passed through the red Sea this was a work of Gods own power for water is unstable and cannot keep together by its own strength nor be contained within any bounds of its own So great a work is it to see the mutable wills and resolutions of men kept close to any pious and holy purposes The point wee learn from henâ— is this That our conversion and amendment of life is not sufficiently provided for by any band obligation or Covenant of our own whereby we solemnly promise and undertake it except God bee pleased by his free grace to establish and enable the heart unto the performance of it or thus A penitent mans conversion and Covenant of new obedience hath its firmnesse in the promise and free grace of God Israel here in the confidence of Gods mercy prayes for pardon and blessings and in the confidence of his grace maketh promise of Reformation and amendment of life but all this is but like a written instrument or indenture which is invalid and of no effect till the parties concerned have mutually sealed and set to their hands Till God be pleased to promise us that wee shall doe that which wee have promised unto him and doe as it were make our own Covenants for us all will prove too weak and vanishing to continue The grace of God unto the purposes of men is like graine to colours died or like oyle to colours in a Table or Picture which makes them hold fresh and not fade away There is a necessary and indissolvable dependence of all second causes upon the first without whose influence and concurrence they neither live nor move nor have or continue in their Being Acts 17.28 Heb. 1.3 He who is first of causes and last of ends doth use and direct the necessary voluntary contingent motions and activities of all second causes unto whatsoever ends hee himselfe is pleased to preordaine And this the naturall and necessary concatenation of things doth require that that which is the absolutest supremest first and most independent will wisdome and power of all others should govern order and direct all other wills powers and wisedomes that are subordinate to and inferiour under it unto whatsoever uses and purposes he who hath the absolute Dominion and Soveraignty over all is pleased to appoint It cannot be other then a marvellous diminution unto the greatnesse of God and a too low esteeme of the absolutenesse of that Majesty which belongs unto him to make any Counsels Decrees Purposes of his to receive their ultimate forme and stampe from the previous and intercurrent causalities or conditions of the creature This I have alwayes looked on as the principall cause of those dangerous errors concerning grace free-will and the decrees of God wherewith the Churches of Christ have been so miserably in the former ages and in this of ours exercised by the subtlety of Satan and by the pride of corrupt minded men namely the too low and narrow thoughts and conceptions which men have framed to themselves of God the not acquiescing in his Soveraign Dominion and absolute Power of disposing all things which hee made unto whatsoever uses himselfe pleaseth into which I am sure the holy Scripture doth resolve all Matth. 11. 25.26 Rom. 9.18.21.11.33 36. Eph. 1.5.9.11 Psal. 135.6 Even in the sinfull actions of men Gods influence and providence hath a particular hand As actions his influence as sinfull his providence His influence to the naturall motion and substance of the action though not to the wickednesse of it for this standeth not in Being or perfection else the fountaine of Being and perfection must needs be the first cause of it but in defect and privation of perfection As when a hand draweth a line by a crooked rule the line is from the hand but the crookednesse of it is from the rule or as when a man goeth lamely the motion as motion is from the naturall faculty but the lamenesse of the motion is from the defect and vitiousnesse of the faculty A swearer could not speak an oath nor a murtherer reach out his hand to strike a blow but by the force of those naturall faculties which in and from God have all their Being and working But that these naturall motions are by profanesse or malice directed unto ends morally wicked this proceedeth from the vitiosity and defect which is in the second cause making use of Gods gifts unto his owne dishonour 2. The Providence of God hath a notable hand in the guiding ordering and disposing of these actions as sinfull unto the ends of his own glory in the declaration of his Power Wisedome and Iustice unto which the sinnes of wicked men are perforce carried on contrary to those ends which they themselves in sinning did propose unto themselves As an Artificer useth the force of naturall causes unto artificiall effects as an Huntsman useth the naturall enmity of the Dogge against the Fox or Wolfe unto the preservation of the Lambs which otherwise would bee destroyed though the dogge himselfe by nature is as great an enemy to the Lamb as the Fox As the Pharisees were as great enemies to Religion as the Sadduces yet Paul wisely made use of their emnity amongst themselves for his own preservation and deliverance from them both Nothing more usuall then for God to mannage and direct the sinnes of men to the bringing about of his own purposes and Counsels Gen. 50.20 1 Sam. 2.25 1 King 2.26.27 2 Sam. 12.11 compared with 2 Sam. 16.22 Esay 10.5.6 7. Act. 4.28 Psal. 76.10 But now unto gracious actions which belong not at all unto nature as nature but onely as inspired and actuated with spirituall and heavenly principles a more singular and notable influence of God is required not onely to the substance of the action but more especially to the rectitude and goodnesse of it for wee have no sufficiency of our selves not so much as unto the first offers and beginnings of good in our thoughts 2 Cor. 3.5 when we are bid to work out our own salvation with feare and trembling it must be in dependence on the power and in confidence of
themselves for a Curse With which prayer I humbly conclude Commending your persons and your weighty affairs to his grace and rest Your most humble Servant in Christ ED REYNOLDS From my Study in Braunston August the 8. 1642. To the Reader CHristian Reader Understanding that my Sermon which was preached three years since before the Honorable House of Commons on the day of their solemn Humiliation was to be reprinted I thought fit to peruse transcribe and enlarge six other Sermons in which I had at mine own charge in the Country on the ensuing Fast days briefly explained and applyed that whole Chapter a portion only whereof was in the first handled and to send them forth together with it unto the publique Which I was the rather induced to do for these two Reasons 1. Because it hath pleased God in his righteous and holy providence to make me by a long infirmity unserviceable to his Church in the principal work of the Ministry the preaching of the Gospel which is no small grief unto me So that there remained no other means whereby my life might in regard of my function be useful to the Church and comfortable to my self then by inverting the words of the Psalmist and as he made His Tongue as the Pen of a ready Writer so to make my Pen the Tongue of an unready Speaker 2. I considered the seasonableness and sutableness of these Meditations unto the condition of the sad and disconsolate times wherein we live very like those which our Prophet threatned the ten Tribes withal throughout this whole Prophecy unto which this last Chapter is a kind of Vse and a most solemn Exhortation pressing upon all wise and prudent men such duties of Humiliation and Repentance as might turn threats into promises and recover again the mercies which by their sins they had forfeited and forsaken Which being restored unto them according to their Petition they are here likewise further instructed in what manner to return unto God the praises due to his great Name And these two duties of Humiliation and Thanksgiving are the most solemn duties which in these times of Judgments and Mercies so variously interwoven together the Lord doth so frequently call us unto Places of Scripture I have for brevity sake for the most part only quoted and referred thee unto without transcribing all the words and have usually put many paralel places together because by that means they do not only strengthen the doctrine whereunto they belong but mutually give light unto one another The Lord make us all in this our day so wise and prudent as to understand the righteous ways of our God towards us That we may not stumble at them but walk in them and be taught by them to wait upon him in the way of his judgments and to fix the desires of our soul upon his Name as our great Refuge and upon his Righteousness as our great Business till he shall be pleased by the dew of his Grace to Revive us as the Corn to make us grow as the Vine and to let the scent of all his Ordinances be over all our Land as the smell and as the wine of Lebanon It will be an abundant return unto my poor and weak endeavors if I may have that room in thy prayers which the Apostle Paul desired to have in the prayers of the Ephesians That utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to preach the mystery of the Gospel The Lord sanctifie all the ways of his Providence towards us that when we are chastened we may be taught and may be greater gainers by the voyce of his Rod then we are sufferers by the stripes The Contents Sermon I. Sect. 1. EPhraims blessings and judgments answerable to his name 2. When judgment purposed against obstinate sinners mercy proclaimed to penitent 3. How good and bad are alike involved in outward judgments Iudgments make no difference but of penitent and impenitent Penitent sinners in all kinds of trouble have a refuge to some promise or other 4. Conversion must be not meerly Philosophical or Political but Spiritual and that full and constant 5. Motives unto conversion mercy and judgment especially interwoven 6. Great preparation due in our addresses unto God The rule matter principle and power of Prayer How sin is taken away 7. When God threatneth judgments we must pray against sins 8. Iudgments may be removed in anger Repentance makes afflictions precious as sin doth corrupt blessings 9. No affliction comes in anger but with respect to sin 10. One sin generally unrepented of may undo a Kingdom we must pray against all and dye unto all 11. Sense of sin The wrath of God beyond the fears of man 12. Confession of sin full and free Our weakness can commit sin none but Gods power can remove it 13. What God worketh in us he also requireth of us Sin most dangerous in great men to themselves and the publick 14. How iniquity is to be taken out of the Land 15. God the author of good the orderer of evil 16. From conversion to salvation free-grace worketh 17. No work truly good but as derived from God 18. Patience in suffering evil in doing duty Humility the companion of Grace pride of emptiness Continual dependance on God Fidelity in services The misery of divisions 19. In temporal judgments pray for spiritual mercies No helps can avail us against Gods anger but his grace 20. Carnal prayers provoke God when men make Religion serve turns Piety the foundation of Prosperity 21. Iudgments are then truly sanctified when they make us more in love with grace Prayer the more heavenly the more prevalent Sermon II. Sect. 1. SPiritual ends of Legal Ceremonies and Sacrifices We return nothing to God but words for mercies 2. A renouncing carnal confidence in the Assyrian Horses Idols How the Church an Orphan 3. Penitents not only pray but covenant Circumcision a Covenant Circumcised in uncircumcision Gentiles converted are called Iews Iews unconverted Gentiles Baptism how the answer of a good conscience The Covenant perpetual 4. God bindeth himself to us by promise by oath We are his by his Soveraign Interest and our own voluntary consent 5. Fickleness of the heart in duty and sluggishness to it 6. Duties in combination strongest 7. Enemies combine Military oaths How Truth a Girdle doctrinally morally 8. Wicked men like Witches in covenant with the Devil doing service for wages 9. Prayer vain without obedience Gods Covenant to us ours to him 10. The material cause of a Covenant our persons our services in matters of necessity Expediency praise 11. The formal and efficient cause Knowledg willingness power of promise and performance 12. Danger of covenanting in the dark only and 13. On the Rack 14. When we promise duty we must pray for grace The final cause 15. The falseness and perfidiousness of the heartâ— how it is unstable as waters 16. Gods faithfulness and mercies Our Baptism
they will have to his eare The Covenant of grace turns precepts into promises and the spirit of grace turns preceps and promises into prayers It is not Gods wil that we should live without afflictions but our sanctification is Gods will 1 Thes. 4.3 The more prayers proceed from love the more acceptable to the God of love now prayer against judgments proceeds from fear but prayer for grace and favour proceeds from love Lastly hereby we shall more benefit our selves Gods grace is much better then our owne ease It gives us meekness to submit It gives us strength to bear It gives us wisedom to benefit by our afflictions Gods favour is much better then our own ease and is a recompence for sufferings beyond all their evils A man would be contented to be loaded with gold so he might have it for the bearing though it be heavy yet it is precious and Gods favour turns affliction into gold If he gives quietness nothing can give trouble Iob 34.29 and if he keep back his grace and favour nothing can give peace neither wealth nor honours nor pleasures nor Crowns nor all the world with the fulness or rather the emptiness thereof nor can doe us any good at all Any thing which wil consist with the reign of lust with the guilt of sin with the curse of the Law with the wrath of God with horrors of conscience and with the damnation of Hel is too base to the called the good of man To doe judgment to â—â—ve mercy and walk humbly with God this is bonum hominis the good of man Mich. 6.8 to fear God to keep his Commandements this is totum hominis the whole end and happiness of man Eccles. 12.13 O then get Remission and Removal of sin get this bonum hominis the oyl of grace in your Lamps the peace of God in your hearts the streams of the Rivers of God in your consciences and then though the earth be moved and the mountains shake and the waters roar what ever distractions what ever desolations happen Impavidum ferient ruinae thou shalt find a Chamber in Gods providence a refuge in his promises a Pavilion in the secret of his presence to protect and to comfort thee above them all THE SECOND SERMON Upon HOSEAH Ch. 14. Ver. 2. Hos. 14.2.3 So will we render the Calves of our lips 3 Asshur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither wil we say to the work of our hands ye are our gods c. IN the whole Context we have before observed two general parts Israels prayer and Israels promise The Prayer we have handled and do now proceed unto the promise wherein are two things to be considered 1. The Covenant self 2. The ground upon which they make it Gods mercy to the fatherless First then of the Covenant wherein they promise two things 1. Thanksgiving for Gods hearing and Answering of their prayers 2. A special care for Amendment of their lives We wil render the a Calves of our lips The Apostle out of the Septuagint reades it The a fruit of our lips Hebr. 13.15 It is the use of the Scripture to describe spiritual duties by expressions drawn from Ceremonies and usages under the Law as Repentance is called washing Isa. 1.16 and prayer incense Psal. 141.2 Rev. 5.8 and the rigteousness of Saints fine linen being an allusion to the garments of the Priests Rev. 19.8 and Christ an Altar whereby both our persons and services are sanctified and accepted Heb. 13.10 Rom. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.5 Isa. 56.7 Thus here the spiritual sacrifices of praise are called Calves to shew the end of all sacrifices which were ordained for the stirring up of spiritual affections and praises unto God and also to intimate the vanity of Ceremonial without Real services The beast on the Altar was but a Carnal but the faith of the heart and the confession of the mouth was a Reasonable sacrifice No point more insisted on in the Prophets then this Isa. 1.15 Mich. 6.6 7 8. Amos 4.4 5.5.2.1 Psalm 50.13.15.69.30 31. c. They had idolatrously dishonoured God with their Calves of Dan and Bethel and they had carnally and superstitiously placed all worship and holiness in the Calves of the Altar but now they resolve to worship God neither politickly after humane inventions nor perfunctorily with meer outward ceremonies but spiritually and from inward affections For the lips are moved by the heart Now Thanksgiving is further called the Calves or sacrifices of the lips to intimate that after all Gods rich mercies upon us in pardoning our sins and in multiplying his grace and spiritual comforts upon us we like Beggars have nothing to return but the bare acknowledgments and praises of our lips words for wonders And those words too his own gifts we cannot render them to him before we have received them from him Psal. 116.12 13. Matth. 12.34 1 Chron. 29.16 Asshur shall not save us Unto the general confession of sin intimated in those words Take away All Iniquity here is added a particular detestation of their special sins with a Covenant to forsake them lest waxing wanton with pardon and grace they should relapse into them again The sum is to confess the vanity of carnal confidence betaking it self to the aid of men to the strength of horses to the superstition of Idols for safety and deliverance All which they are now at last by their experience and by their Repentance taught to abandon as things which indeed cannot and therefore they are resolved shall not save them By the Assyrian is here intimated All Humane succour procured by sinful correspondence by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole But he is particularly mentioned 1. Because he was the chiefe Monarch of the world to shew that the greatest worldly succours are vain when they are relied up on without or against God 2. Because the Scripture takes notice often of it as their particular sin the sending unto relying upon and paying tribute unto him for aid and assistance Hos. 5.13.7 11 12. 2 Reg. 15.19 20. 3. Because instead of helping he did greatly afflict them Their flying to him was like a birds flying into a snare or a fishes avoiding the pole wherewith the water is troubled by swimming into the net 2 Reg. 15.29 Hos. 13.4 By Horses we are to understand the military preparations and provisions which they made for themselves both at home and from Aegypt 2 Chro. 1.16 Isa. 31.1 By the work of their Hands are meant their Idols which were beholding to their hands for any shape or beauty that was in them The same hands which formed them were afterwards lifted up in worship unto them Isa. 44.10.17.46.6 7 8. Ier. 10.3.15.6.20 Act. 19.26 Time was when we said these are our Gods which brought us up out of Egypt Exod. 32.4 1 Kings 12.28 but now we will not say so any more for how can a man be the maker of his Maker For
know cannot void the Covenant which hee is bound to make and having made to keep but his Covenant doth exceedingly aggravate his ignorance 2 Some make many faire promises of obedience but it is on the Rack and in the furnace or as Schollers under the Rod. O if I might but recover this sicknesse or be eased of this affliction I would then be a new man and redeeme my mis-spent time And yet many of these like Pharaoh when they have any respite find out wayes to shift and elude their owne promises and like melted metall taken out of the furnace returne againe unto their former hardnesse So a good Divine observes of the people of this Land in the time of the great sweate in King Edwards dayes I wish we could find even so much in these dayes of calamitie which wee are fallen into as long as the heat of the plague lasted there was crying out peccavâ— Mercie good Lord mercy mercy Then Lords and Ladies and people of the best sort cried out to the Ministers for Gods sake tell us what shal we do to avoid the wrath of God Take these bags pay so much to such an one whom I deceived so much restore unto another whom in bargaining I over-reached give so much to the poore so much to pious uses c. But after the sicknesse was over they were just the same men as they were before Thus in time of trouble men are apt to make many prayers and Covenants to cry unto God Arise and save us Ier. 2.27 Deliver us this time Judg. 10.15 they iâ—quire early after God and flatter him with their lips and own him as their God and Rock of salvation and presently start aside like a deceitfull bowâ— As Austin notes that in times of calamitie the very Heathen would flock unto the Christian Churches to bee safe amongst them And when the Lord sent Lyons amongst the Samaritanes then they sent to inquire after the manner of his worship 2 King 17.25 26. Thus many mens Covenants are founded onely in Terrours of conscience They throw out their sins as a Merchant at Sea his rich commodities in a Tempest but in a calme wish for them againe Neither doe they throw away the property over them but onely the dangerous pâ—ssession of them This is not a full chearfull and voluntary action but onely a languid and inconstant velleitie Contrary to that largenesse of heart and sixed disposition which Christs own people bring unto his service as David and the Nobles of Israel offered willingly and with joy unto the Lord. 1 Chron. 29.17 3 Since a Covenant presupposeth a power in him that maketh it both over his own will and over the matter thing or Action which he promiseth so far as to be enabled to make the promise And since we of our selves have neither will nor deed no sufficiencie either to think or to perform Rom. 7.18 2 Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.12 Wee hence learne in all the Covenants which we make not to do it in any confidence of our own strength or upon any selfe dependance on our own hearts which are false and deceitfull and may after a confident undertaking use us as Peters used him But still to have our eyes on the aid and help of Gods grace to use our Covenants as means the better to stir up Gods graces in us and our prayers unto him for further supplies of it As David I will keep thy statutes but then doe not thou forsake me Psal. 119.8 Our promises of duty must ever be supported by Gods promises of grace when we have undertaken to serve him we must remember to pray as Hezekiah did Lord I am weak do thou undertake for me Isa. 38.14 Our good works cannot come out of us till God do first of all work them in us Isa. 26.12 He must performe his promises of grace to us before we can ours of service unto him Nothing of ours can go to heaven except we first received it from heaven We are able to do nothing but in and by Christ which strengtheneth us Joh. 15.5 Phil. 4.13 So that every religious Covenant which we make hath indeed a double obligation in it An obligation to the duty promised that we may stir up our selves to performe it and an obligation unto prayer and recourse to God that he would furnish us with grace to performe it As hee that hath bound himselfe to pay a debt and hath no money of his own to do it is constrained to betake himselfe unto supplications that he may procure the money of some other friend Lastly the finall cause of a Covenant is to induce an Obligation where was none before or else to double and strengthen it where one was before to be Vinculum conservandae fidei a bond to preserve truth and fidelity Being subject unto many temptations and having backsliding and revolting hearts apt if they be not kept up to service to draw back from it therefore we use our selves as men do cowardly Souldiers set them there where they must fight and shall not be able to run away or fall off from service III. This should serve to Humble us upon a twofold consideration 1 For the falsenesse and unstedfastnesse of our Hearts which want such Covenants to binde them and as it were fasten them to the Altar with cords as men put locks and fetters upon wilde horses whom otherwise no inclosure would shut in Our Hearts as Iacob said of Reuben Gen. 49.4 are unstable as waters Moist bodies as water is non continentur suis terminis doe not set bounds to themselves as solid and compacted bodies do but shed all abroad if left to themselves the way to keepe them united and together is to put them into a close vessell so the heart of man can set it self no bounds but fals all asunder and out of frame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostles expression is 1 Pet. 4.4 instar Aquae diffluentis Hebr. 2.1 if it be not fastned and bound together by such strong Resolutions Sometimes men either by the power of the word or by the sharpnesse of some affliction are quickned and enflamed unto pious purposes like green wood which blazeth while the bellowes are blowing and now they think they have their hearts sure and shall continue them in a good frame to morrow shall bee as this day But presently like an Instrument in change of weather they are out of tune again and like the Camelion presently change colour and as Chrysostome saith the Preacher of all workmen seldom findes his work as he left it Nothing but the grace of God doth ballance and establish the heart and holy Covenants are an ordinance or means which he hath pleased to sanctifie unto this purpose that by them as Instruments Grace as the principall cause might keep the Heart stedfast in duty If then Isaiah bewail the uncleannesse of his lips and Iob suspect the uncleannesse and wandering of his
after Ier. 30.17 Paul thought low thoughts of the world and the world thought as basely of him The world saith he is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6.14 Before conversion the world is an Egypt unto us a place of Bondage After Conversion It is a Wildernesse unto us a place of Emptinesse and Temptations Secondly the Backwardnesse of man towards grace we goe not to God till we are brought to extremities and all other Helpes faile us The poore Prodigall never thought of looking after a Father till he found himselfe in a fatherlesse condition and utterly destitute of all reliefe Luke 15.17 18. Thirdly the right disposition and preparation unto mercie which is to be an Orphan destitute of all selfe-confidence and broken off from all other comforts When the poore and needy seeketh water and there is none I the Lord will helpe him Isai. 41.17 God will repent for his people when he seeth that their power is gone Deut. 32.36 when there is dignus vindice nodus an extremity fitt for divine power to interpose Christ is set forth as a Physician which supposeth sicknesse as a fountaine which supposeth uncleanesse as meate which supposeth emptinesse as cloathing which supposeth nakednesse He never finds us till we are lost sheep when we have lost all then we are fit to follow him and not before Fourthly The Roots of true Repentance Nos pupilli Tu misericors The sence of want and emptinesse in our selves the apprehension of favour and mercy in God Conviction of sinne in us and of righteousnesse in him Iohn 16.9 10. Of crookednesse in us and of glory in him Isay. 40.4 5. Hereby roome is made for the entertainment of mercy where sinne abouds grace will more abound and the more the soule findes it selfe exceeding miserable the more will the mercy of God appeare exceeding mercifull Rom. 5.20 and hereby God sheweth his wisedome in the seasonable dispencing of mercy then when we are in greatest extremity As fire is hottest in the coldest weather God delights to be seene in the mount at the grave to have his way in the sea and his paths in the deepe waters Mercies are never so sweet as when they are seasonable and never so seasonable as in the very turning and criticall point when miserie weighs down and nothing but mercie turns the scale This teacheth us how to fit our selves for the mercy of God namely to finde our selves destitute of all inward or outward comfort and to seek for â—tonely there Beggers doe not put on Scarlet but ragges to prevaile with men for reliefe As Benhadad servants put on Ropes when they would beg mercy of the King of Israel In a shipwrack a man will not load him with money chaines treasure rich apparell but commit himselfe to the Sea naked and esteeme it mercy enough to have Tabulam post naufragium one poore plank to carry him to the shore It is not exaltation enough unto Ioseph except hee be taken out of a prison unto honour Secondly we should not be broken with diffidence or distrust in times of trouble but remember it is the condition of the Church to be an Orphâ—n It is the way whereby Moses became to be the son of Pharaohs daughter when his owne Parents durst not owne him the mercy of a Prince found him out to advance him and when he was nearest unto perishing he was nearest unto honour In the civill Law we finde provision made for such as were cast out and exposed to the wide world some Hospitals to entertaine them some liberties to comfort and compensate their trouble And a like care we finde in Christ The Jewes had no sooner cast the man that was borne blinde out whose Parents durst not be seen in his cause for feare of the like usage but the mercy of Christ presently found him and bestowed comfort upon him Iohn 9.35 This is the true David unto whom all helplesse persons that are in distresse in debt in bitternesse of soul may resort and finde entertainment 1 Sam. 22.2 Lastly we should learne to behave our selves as Pupils under such a Guardian to be sensible of our infancy minority disability to order or direct our owne waies and so deny our selves and not leane on our owne wisedom to be sensible how this condition exposeth us to the injuries of strangers for because we are called out of the world therefore the world hateth us and so to be vigilant over our waies and not trust our selves alone in the hands of temptation nor wander from our Guardian but alwaies to yeeld unto his wisdome and guidance Lastly to comfort our selves in this that while we are in our minority we are under the mercy of a father A mercy of Conservation by his providence giving us all good things richly to enjoy even all things necessary unto life and godlinesse A mercy of protection defending us by his power from all evill A mercy of Education and instruction teaching us by his Word and Spirit A mercy of Communion many waies familiarly conversing with us and manifesting himselfe unto us A mercy of guidance and government by the laws of his family A mercy of discipline sitting us by fatherly chastisements for those further honours and imployments he will advance us unto and when our minority is over we once are come to a perfect man we shall then be actually admitted unto that inheritance immortall invisible and that fadeth not away which the same mercy at first purchased and now prepareth and reserveth for us Now it followeth Verse 4. I will heale their back-sliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him In the former words we have considered both Israels Petition in time of trouble and the Promise and Covenant which thereupon they binde themselves in In these and the consequent words unto the end of the 8. verse we have the gracious answer of God to both promising â—oth in his free love to grant their petition and by his frâ—e grace to enable them unto the performance of the Covenant which they had made The Petition consisted of two parts 1. That God would take away all iniquity 2 That he would doe them good or receive them graciously To both these God giveth them a full and a gracious answer 1. That he will take away all iniquitie by Healing their back-sliding 2 That he would doe them good and heape all manner of blâ—ssings upon them which are expressed by the various metaphors of fruitfulnesse opposite to the contrary exprâ—ssions of judgement in former parts of the prophecie I will heale their back sliding This is one of the names by which God is pleased to make himsele knowne unto his people I am the Lord that healeth thee Exod. 15.26 and returne O Back-sliding children and I will heale your back-slidings Jer. 3.22 Now God Healeth sin four manner of waies First By a gratious Pardon burying covering not imputing them unto us So it
Deut. 29.4 It is he that giveth an heart to know him Ier. 24.7 It is he that manifesteth himselfe unto those that love him Ioh. 14.21 It is he that revealeth unto us by his Spirit the things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 It is he that giveth us an understanding 1 Ioh. 5.20 and that opens the understanding to understand the Scriptures Luk. 24.45 Act. 16.14 It is he that teacheth us to call Christ our Lord Matth. 16.17 1 Cor. 12.3 for the voyce of carnall and corrupt Reason is we will not have this man to raign over us Luk. 19.14 Every man naturally frameth and shapeth his notions of doctrinall matters unto the manner of his conscience and conversation embracing that which is consonant and rejecting that which is dissonant thereunto Mic. 2.11 Esay 30.10 11. To the uncleane every thing is uncleane because the very minde and conscience of such men is defiled Tit. 1.15 This then is the first work in effectuall calling the opening of the eye of the minde rightly to conceive of the things of God of the guilt of sin of the heavinesse of wrath of the perill of perishing of the weight and moment of damnation and salvation of the things that concerne its everlasting peace of the righteousnesse of Christ of the beauties of holinesse of the exceeding abundant weight of glory of the comforts of the holy Spirit and the unspeakable and glorious joy shed forth into the heart by believing These truths the heart is so convinced of as seriously to ponder them and to fix its deepest and saddest considerations upon them 2. An act of spirituall inclining and effectuall determining the will of man to embrace the ultimate dictate of a minde thus enlightned and to make a most free spontaneous and joyfull choyce of supernaturall good things thus rightly apprehended upon a cleare and deliberate consideration of their excellency above all other things Phil. 3.8 This Act of choosing the Lord for our portion and chiefest good and of cleaving unto him we finde often mentioned in the Scripture Deut. 30.19 Iosh. 24.22 Psal. 84.10 Heb. 11.25 Act. 11.23 Psal. 119.30 31 173. for when the soule of a man is so throughly by Gods teaching convinced of the danger and misery of sinne wherein so long as a man continueth he lives onely to dishonour God and to undoe himselfe of the benefit of righteousnesse in Christ whereby he is reconciled unto God and adopted unto a glorious inheritance and of the beauty of Holinesse whereby he is conformed unto Christ his Head and fitted for the Inheritance These previous Acts of heavenly teaching are alwayes seconded with effectuall operations upon the will suteable unto themselves for the liberty of the will doth not stand in a peremptory indifferency unto any object whatsoever else there should be no liberty in heaven this is a defect and imperfection not any matter of power or fredome misera vis est valere ad nocendum But the liberty of will standeth in this that being a reasonable appetite it is apt to be led one way or another to choose one thing or another according to the dictates of reason and servato ordine sinis with subjection to that which it made appeare to bee the supreame end and happinesse of the soule for every faculty is naturally subservient to the ultimate good of that nature whereof it is a faculty and should monstrously exorbitate from its use and end if it should put forth it selfe to the destruction or refuse to close with that which is the happinesse of the soule unto wich it pertaines As soone as ever therefore the Spirit of grace doth by such a spirituall and practicall demonstration as hath been described set forth God in Christ as the supreame and most unquestionable end and happinesse of the soule there are consequently suteable impressions upon the will determining it unto operations conforme unto such a beautifull and glorious object and enlarging it to runne unto this Center to renounce all other things and to cleave onely unto this And these Acts upon the will are 1. By preventing Grace it is bended and excited unto heavenly appetitions and unto the choyce of such spirituall good things the soveraigne excellencies whereof have been so sweetly represented Good is the object of the will we cannot will evill under the notion of evill and amongst good things that which is by the practicall judgement resolved to bee best and that by the teaching of God himselfe who neither is deceived nor can deceive is the object of the wills election and thus God by his exciting grace worketh in us ipsum velle that every Act whereby we choose Christ and subscribe our name in the role of his souldiers and servants answering the Call of God by a most chearfull consent thereunto 2. By assisting and cooperating Grace it is further enabled to put forth this good will into deed and so to work towards its salvation Esay 26.12 1 Cor. 15.10 Lastly by subsequent Grace it is carried on towards perfection to finish what was begun and so to proceed from the beginning of faith in vocation to the end of faith in salvation the Spirit of Christ working in us as he himselfe did work for us unto a consummatum est saving to the uttermost those that come unto God by him Phil. 1.6 1 Pet. 9.10 Heb. 13.21 Eph. 4.13 Heb. 7.25 And by this meanes the native obstinacy of the will both in and after conversion is subdued so that it neither doth nor can overcome the grace of God working effectually with his word First because of the purpose of God to shew mercy where he will shew mercy which can in no wise be resisted Secondly because of the power of God in the effectuall applying of that mercy unto the soules of men with admirable sweetnesse with undeniable evidence with ineffable perswasion with omnipotent and invincible energie which no hardnesse of heart is able to refuse because the proper operation of it is to take away that hardnesse which would refuse it and that by an act of equall power with that whereby Christ was raised from the dead which all the world was not able to hinder or prevent Eph. 1.19 Col. 2.12 1 Pet. 1.5 Thus wee see though wee desire and endeavour and purpose and covenant conversion and amendment of life yet the whole progresse of conversion our promises our covenants our abilities our sufficiencies to make good any thing doe all receive their stability from the grace of God From whence wee learne First Not to put confidence in our own studies vowes purposes promises of new obedience Every man is a lyar no sooner left unto himselfe but hee becomes a miserable spectacle of weaknesse and mutability Even Adam in innocency when hee was to be supported and persevere by his owne strength though hee had no sinne or inward corruption to betray him how suddenly was he thrown down from his excellency by Satan with a
ISRAELS PRAYER In time of TROUBLE WITH Gods gracious Answer thereunto OR An Explication of the 14th Chapter of the Prophet HOSEA In seven Sermons preached upon so many days of solemn Humiliation By EDWARD REYNOLDS Minister of the Word of God at Braunston in Northamptonshire and a Member of the Assembly of Divines Published by Authority LONDON Printed by Thomas Newcomb for Robert Bostock dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the Sign of the Kings-head 1645. THE FIRST SERMON UPON HOSEA CHAP. 14. VERS 1 2. Preached in Margarets Church at Westminster before the honorable House of Commons now assembled in Parliament At the late Publique and Solemn FAST Iuly 27. Anno Domini 1642. By EDWARD REYNOLDS Minister of the Word of God at Braunston in Northamptonshire and a Member of the Assembly of Divines Published by Order of the said House The second Edition Enlarged LONDON Printed by Thomas Newcomb for Robert Bostock dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the Sign of the Kings-head 1649. TO THE HONOURABLE House of COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT IN obedience to your Commands I here humble present to your view what you were pleased with patience and readiness of affection lately to attend unto I considered that though the Choiceness of the Auditory might require the exactest preparation yet both the condition of the Times and the nature of the Duty did call upon us to lay aside our Ornaments And therefore I speake with such plainness as might commend the matter delivered rather to the Conscience of a Penitent then to the fancy of a delicate hearer The King of Nineveh was a King as well in his Sackcloth as in his Robes And the truth of God is indeed fuller of Majesty when it is naked then when adorned with the dresse of any humane contribution which many times takes from it but never addes any value unto it I looked upon you in your double Relation both Common as Christians and Speciall as men intrusted with the managing of those arduous and most pressing difficulties under which this distempered Kingdom is now groaning And for the quickning of those endevours which belong to you in both those Relations I presented you both with the bottome of a Nations unhappiness which is sin and with the top of their felicity which is Gods free grace and favour That by your serious cares to purge out the one and to procure the other you might by Gods blessing on your Consultations dispell that black tempest which hangs over this Kingdom and reduce the face of things unto calmness and serenity again When the Children strugled together in the womb of Rebekah she was thereupon inquisitive If it be Why am I thus and she addressed her self to God for a resolution Surely this Nation is become like the womb of Rebekah the children thereof strugling in their mothers belly together and when God hath mercifully freed us from forain Enemies Brethren are become enemies to brethren and by their enmities likely to tear and torment the bowels of their mother and to ruine themselves And what have we now to do but to inquire the Cause of these sad cōmotions Why are we thus And surely the Cause is chiefly where the Disease is within our selves We have been like the womb of Rebekah a barren Nation not bringing forth fruits of so many mercies as God hath filled us withall So that now it is no wonder if God cause us to be in pain within our own Bowels and to feel the throwes and struglings of a Travelling woman ready to bring forth her own Confusion a Benoni or an Ichabod a son of Sorrow and of Shame to this hitherto so peaceable and flourishing a Kingdom All that we can comfort our selves with in these pangs and qualms of distemper is that there are some Iacobs amongst us who insteed of supplanting their brethren will wrestle and have power with God The people have often Petitioned sometimes his sacred Majesty sometimes this Honourable House which are his great Councel many overtures endeavor of Accommodation have been tendred yet we cry out in our pangs have as it were brought forth wind neither have we wrought any deliverance in the earth I have here therefore presented a new Petition dictated drawn up to our hands by Gods own Spirit unto which both King and Parliament Peers and Prophets and People must al subscribe and offer it with prostrate penitent hearts unto him who stands in the congregation of the mighty judgeth amongst the gods that he would take away all our iniquity and receive us into favour again and accept of a Covenant of new obedience And this Petition God is pleased to anticipate with an answer of grace in the consequent parts of the chapter whence the Text is taken and that particularly to every branch of the Petition He will take away iniquity His Anger shall not punish His Love shal heal our backslidings the greatness of our sins shall not hinder the freeness of his Grace He will do us good and give us life by the dew of his grace reviving us and Glory clothing us like the Lilly of the field with the beauty of holiness and stability fixing us by his grace as the Cedars of Lebanon are fastned upon their Roots and growth or enlargement as the branches spread forth themselves and continual vigor plenty as the Olive tree which is always green and fruitful and glorious comforts by the sweet savor of the knowledg of God which like the spice trees of Lebanon shall diffuse a spiritual perfume upon the names and into the consciences of penitent converts He will prevent us with the blessings of Safety as well as of Sanctity and Comfort we shall under his shadow finde shelter and protection from all our fears Though like Corn we be harrowed under the Clods though like a lopped vine we seem naked and reduced to lowness though like crushed grapes we lie under heavy pressures yet he will receive and enlarge and comfort us again and when we are in our own eyes as fatherless children He will set his eyes upon us as a Tutor and Guardian He will hear and observe and answer and pity us enabling us to make good our Covenant by his grace and causing the fruits of his loving kindness to be found upon us Thus God is pleased to borrow the various perfection of other things to adumbrate the united and calumniated mercies which he promiseth unto a converting and petitioning people You have the Petition sent you from God and his Answer preventing you in all the members of it with the blessings of goodness I have nothing else to do but to beg of you and of all this great people whom you represent the Subscription of your hearts and lives unto this Petition and to beg of God that he would graciously incline the hearts of this whole Kingdom rather to wrastle with him for a blessing then to struggle and conflict amongst
in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy This is the ground of their petition for pardon and grace and of their promise of praises and Amendment Gods mercy in hearing the prayers and in enabling the performances of his people It is a Metaphor drawne form orphanes in their minoritie who are 1 Destitute of wisdome and abilities to helpe themselves 2 Exposed to violence and injuries 3 Committed for that reason to the care of Tutors and Guardians to governe and protect them The Church here acknowledgeth her self an out-cast destitude of all wisdome and strength within of all succour and support from without and therefore betaketh her selfe solely unto Gods tuition whose mercy can and useth to helpe when all other helpe fails This is the last Link of that golden Chain of Repentance made up of these gradations 1 An humble Addresse unto God 2 A penitent confession of sin 3 An earnest petition against it 4 An imploring of grace and favour 5 Thanksgiving for so great benefits 6 A Covenant of new obedience and lastly a confidence and quiet repose in God Let us now consider what usefull observations the words thus opened will afford unto us And one main point may be collected from the generall scope of the place We see after they have petitioned for pardon and grace they then restipulate and undertake to performe duties of thankfullnesse and obedience True penitents in their conversion from sin and humiliation for it do not onely pray unto God for mercy but doe further Covenant to expresse the fruits of those mercies in a thankfull and obedient conversation When first we are admitted into the familie and houshold of God we enter into a Covenant Therefore Circumcision whereby the children of the Jews were first sealed and separated for God is caled His Covenant Gen. 17.13 because therein God did covenant to own them and they did in the figure covenant to mortifie lust and to serve him without which they were in his fight but uncircumcised still I will punish saith the Lord all those that are circumcised in uncircumcision so the originall runs Ier. 9.25 and the Nations there mentioned with Iudah who are said to be uncircumcised did yet use circumcision as the Learned have observed but being out of covenant with God it is accounted to them as uncircumcision and so was that of the Jews too when they did break Covenant with God Rom. 2.28.29 Act. 7.51 And as the Gentiles being converted are called Iews and said to be born in Sion Gal. 6.16 1 Cor. 12.2 Psal. 87.4 5· So the Iewes living impenitently are called Gentiles Cananites Amorites Hittites Ethiopians Sodomites Ezek. 16.3 Hos. 12.7 Amos 9.7 Isa. 1.10 In like manner Baptisme among Christians is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Learned interpret the Answer or Covenant of keeping a good conscience towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 the word signifieth a Question or Interrogation which some would have to be the consciences making interpellation for it self to God others to be as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the examining of a mans selfe like that before the Lords Supper 1 Corinth 11.28 I rather take it as an Allusion to the manner of Iohns Baptisme wherein the people first confessed and consequently renounced sinne and being taken into Christs service or into that Kingdome of God which was at hand did enquire after the work which they were to doe And we finde the same word in Luke cap. 3.10 which the Apostle Peter useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The people asked him saying what shall we do whereby is intimated An engaging of themselves by a solemne promise and undertaking to the practise of that Repentance unto which Iohn baptized them Whence arose that grave forme of the Ancient Churches wherein Questions were proposed to the person baptized touching his faith and Repentance Renouncing the world the flesh and the devill with a solemne Answer and stipulation obliging thereunto Which custome seems to have been derived from the practice used in the Apostles time wherein profession of faith unfained and sincere Repentance was made before Baptisme Act. 2.38.8.37.163.3.19.4 This is the first dedicating of ouâ— selves and entring into a covenant with God which we may call in the Prophets expression the subscribing or giving a mans name to God Isa. 44.5 Now the Covenant between us and God being perpetuall a Covenant of salt Ier. 32.40 2 Chron. 13.5 As we are to begin it in our Baptisme so we are to continue it to our lives end and upon all fit occasions to repeat and renew it for our further quickning and remembrancing unto duties So did David Psal. 119.106 so Iacob Gen. 28.20 21 22. so Asa and the people in his time 2 Chron. 15.12.15 so Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.10.30.5.23 so Iosiah 2 Chron. 34.31 32. so Ezra and Nehemiah Ezra 10.3 Nehem. 9.38 The Reasons enforcing this duty may be drawn from severall considerations 1. From God in Christ where two strong obligations occurre namely the consideration of his dealing with us and of our Relation unto him For the former He is pleased not onely to enter into Covenant with us but to binde himselfe to the performance of what he promiseth Though what ever he bestow upon us in all matter of meere and most free grace wherein he is no debtor to us at all yet he is pleased to binde himselfe unto Acts of Grace Men love to have all their works of favour free and to reserve to themselves a power of alteration or revocation as themselves shall please But God is pleased that his gifts should take upon them in some sense the condition of Debts and although he can owe nothing to the creature Rom. 11.35 Iob 22.3.35.7.8 yet he is contented to be a debtor to his own promise and having at first in mercie made it his truth is after engaged to the performance of it Mic. 7.20 Again His word is established in heaven with him there is no variablenes nor shadow of change his promises are not yea and nay but in Christ Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 if he speak a thing it shall not faâ—le Iosh. 21.45 He spake and the world was made His word alone is a foundation and bottome to the Being of all his Creatures And yet notwithstanding the immutable certaintie of his promises when they are first uttered for our sakes he is pleased to binde himselfe by further ties Free mercie secured by a Covenant and a firme covenant secured by an Oath Deat 7.12 Luke 1.72 73. Heb. 6.17 18. that we who like Gedeon are apt to call for signe upon signe and to stagger and be disheartened if we have not double securitie from God we whose doubting cals for promise upon promise as our Ignorance doth for precept upon precept may by two immutable things wherein it is impossible for God to lie have strong consolation Now if God whose gifts are free binde himselfe to bestow them by
in this place under severall considerations for we may consider it I. Ut materiam pacti as the matter of a Covenant or compact which we promise to render unto God in acknowledgment of his great mercy in answering the prayers which we put up unto him for pardon and grace It is observable that most of those Psalmes wherein David imploreth helpe from God are closed with thanksgiving unto him as Psal. 7.17.13 6.56 12 13 57 7 10 c. David thus by an holy craft insinuating into Gods favour and driving a trade between earth heaven receiving and returning importing one commodity transporting another letting God know that his mercies shall not be lost that as he bestows the comforts of them upon him so he would returne the praises of them unto heaven again Those CounCountries that have rich staple commodities to exchange and return unto others have usually th freest and fullest trafick and resort of trade made unto them Now there is no such rich return from earth to heaven as praises This is indeed the onely tribute we can pay unto God to value and to celebrate his goodnesse towards us As in the fluxe and refluxe of the sea the water that in the one comes from the sea unto the shore doth in the other but run back into it self again so praises are as it were the returne of mercies into themselves or into that bosom and fountain of Gods love from whence they flowed And therefore the richer any heart is in praises the more speedy copious are the returnes of mercy unto it God hath so ordered the creatures amongst themselves that there is a kinde of naturall confederacy and mutuall negotiation amongst them each one receiving and returning deriving unto others drawing from others what serves most for the conservation of them all and every thing by various interchanges and vicissitudes flowing backe into the originall from whence it came thereby teaching the souls of men to maintain the like spirituall commerce confederacie with heaven to have all the passages between them and it open and unobstructed that the mercies which they receive from thence may not be kept under and imprisoned in unthankfulnesse but may have a free way in daily praises to return to their fountain again Thus Noah after his deliverance from the flood built an Altar on which to sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving that aâ— his family by the Ark was preserved from perishing so the memory of so great a mercy might in like manner by the Altar be preserved too Gen. 8.20 So Abraham after a weary journey being comforted with Gods gracious appearing and manifestation of himself unto him built an Altar and called on the Name of the Lord Gen. 12.7 and after another journey out of Egypt was not forgetfull to returne unto that place againe Gen. 13.4 Gods presence drawing forth his praises as the returne of the Sun in a spring and summer causeth the earth to thrust forth her fruits and flowers that they may as it were meet do homage to the fountain of their beauty If Hezekiah may be delivered from death Isa. 38.20 If David from guilt Psal. 51.14 they promise to sing aloud of so great mercy and to take others into the consort I will teach transgressours thy way and we will sing upon the stringed instruments Guilt stops the mouth and makes it speechlesse Matth. 22.12 that it cannot answer for one of a thousand sins nor acknowledge one of a thousand mercies When Iacob begged Gods blessing on him in his journy he vowed a vow of obedience and thankfulnesse to the Lord seconding Gods promises of mercy with his promises of praise and answering all the parts thereof If God will be with me and keep me I will be his and he shall be mine If he single out me and my seed to set us up as marks for his Angels to descend unto with protection and mercy and will indeed give this Land to us and returne me unto my fathers house then this stone which I have set up for a pillar monument shall be Gods house for me and my seed to praise him in and accordingly we finde he built an Altar there and changed the name of that place calling it the House of God and God the God of Bethel And lastly if God indeed will not leave nor forsake me but will give so rich a land as this unto me I will surely return a homage back and of his own I will give the tenth unto him againe So punctuall is this holy man to restipulate for each distinct promise a distinct praise and to take the quality of his vows from the quality of Gods mercies Gen. 28. v. 20.22 compared with v. 13.15 Gen. 35.6.7.14 15. Lastly Ionah out of the belly of Hell cries unto God and voweth a vow unto him that he would sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving and tell all ages that salvation is of the Lord Ionah 2.9 Thus we may consider praises as the matter of the Churches Covenant II. Ut fructum poenitentiae as a fruit of true repentance and deliverance from sin When sin is taken away when grace is obtained then indeed is a man in a right disposition to give praises unto God When we are brought out of a wildernesse into Canaan Deut 8.10 out of Babylon unto Sion Jer. 30.18.19 then saith the Prophet Out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry c. When Israel had passed thorow the red Sea and saw the Egyptians dead on the shore the great type of our deliverance from sin death and Satan then they sing that triumphant Song Moses and the men singing the Song and Miriam and the women answering them and repeating over again the burden of the Song Sing to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the Horse and his rider hath he thrown into the Sea Exod. 15.1.20.21 When a poore soule hath been with Ionah in the midst of the seas compassed with the floods closed in with the depths brought downe to the bottom of the mountaines wrapt about head and heart and all over with the weeds and locked up with the bars of sin and death when it hath felt the weight of a guilty conscience and been terrified with the fearful expectation of an approaching curse lying as it were at the pits brinke within the smoak of hell within the smell of that brimstone and scorchings of that unquenchable fire which is kindled for the divel and his angels and is then by a more bottomles unsearchable mercy brought unto dry land snatched as a brand out of the fire translated unto a glorious condition from a Law to a Gospel from a cuâ—se to a Crown from damnation to an inheritance from a slave to a Sonne then then onely never till then is that soul in a fit disposition to sing praises unto God when God hath forgiven all a mans iniquities and
Ionah in the Whales belly and as Daniel in Babylon pray towards his holy Temple still The woman of Canaan would not bee thrust of with a seeming rejection nor utterly despond under a grievous Tentation but by a singular acumen and spirituall sagacitie discerned matter of argument in that which looked like a deniall Math. 15.27 Sope and Fullers Earth at the first putting on seeme to staine and to foule cloaths when the use and end is to purifie them And Gods frowns and delayes may seeme to be the denials of prayer when haply his end is to make the granting of them the more comfortable Therefore in all troubles we must not gâ—ve over looking towards God but say with Iob though he slay me I will trust in him And after all afflictions we must learn to expresse the fruit of them to come out of them Refined as silver out of the fire to have thereby our faith strengthned our hope confirmed our love inflamed our fruit and obedience encreased our sinne tâ—ken away and our iniquities purged Esay 27.9 To bee Chastened and taught Psal. 84.12 to bee chastned and converted Ier. 38.18 If we have runne away from our duties and been cast into a Whales belly for it when we are delivered let us be sure to look better to our resolutions afterwards after all that is come upon us for our sinnes take heed of breaking his Commandements againe Ezra 9.13 14. As Iobs riches after his so wee should endeavour that our graces after our afflictions may be doubled upon us and that the sent of our holy example may like spices bruised or the grapes of Lebanon crushed in the Wine-presse give a more fragrant smell in the nostrils of God and man as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed Lastly he promiseth that all these should be fruits of Lebanon of the best and perfectest kinde There are many evidences of the goodnesse of God even in the lives of Pagan men we reade of Abimelechs forbearance to sinne against God Gen. 20.4 6. and of his and Ephrons singular kindnesse to Abraham Gen. 20.14 15. Gen. 23.10 11 15. No argument more common then this of the vertues the temperance prudence justice mercy patience fidelity friendships affability magnanimity of many heathen men insommch that some have presumed so farre as to make them ex congâ—uo meritorious or dispositive to salvation But all these are but wild grapes bitter clusters the fruits of an empty Vine not worth the gathering in order to salvation But the graces which God bestoweth upon his Church are of a more spirituall and perfect nature proceeding from faith in Christ from love of God from a conscience cleansed from dead works from an intention to glorifie God and adorne the Gospel from a new naâ—ure and from the spirit of Christ conforming his servants unto himself They are not grapes of Sodom but grapes of Lebanon And as hee thus blesseth us in the like manner should we serve him not offer unto him the reâ—use the halt and blind and maimed for Sacrifice not give unto him of that which cost us nothing but goe to Lebanon for all our Sacrifices covet earnestly the best gifts presse forward and labour to perfect holinesse in the feare of God Give unto him our Lillies the beauties of our minority and our Cedars the strength of our youth and our olives and grapes and corn and wine whatever gifts hee hath bestowed on us use them unto his service and honour againe nor content our selves with the forme of godlinesse with the morality of vertues with the outside of duties with the seeds and beginnings of holinesse he hath none who thinks hee hath enough but strive who shall out-runne one another unto Christ as Peter and Iohn did towards his Sepulcher It was an high pitch which Moses aimed at when he said I beseech thee shew me thy glory Exod. 33.18 Nothing would satisfie him but fulnesse and satiety it selfe Be sure that all your graces come from Sion and from Lebanon that they grow in Immanuels Land till Christ own them God will not accept them Morall vertues and outward duties grapes of Sodom may commend us unto men nothing but inward spirituall and rooted graces the grapes of Lebanon will commend us unto God To do only the outward works of duty without the inward principle is at best but to make our selves like those mixt Beasts Elephants and Camels in the Civill Law operam praestant natura fera est which though they doe the work of tame beasts yet have the nature of wilde ones Morall vertue without spirituall piety doth not commend any man unto God for we are not accepted unto him but in Christ and we are not in Christ but by the holy Spirit THE SIXTH SERMON HOSEA Chap. 14. ver 8. Ephraim shall say what have I to doe any mor with Idols I have heard him and observed him I am like a green firre-tree from me is thy fruit found THe Conversion of Israel unto God in their trouble was accompanied with a Petition and a Covenant A Petition imploring mercy and grace from God and a Covenant promising thanksgivings and obedience unto him And God is pleased in his Answer to have a distinct respect unto both these for whereas they petition first for pardon that God would take away all iniquity he promiseth to heale their backslidings and to love them freely and whereas they pray for blessings receive us into favour doe us good God likewise maketh promises of that in great variety expressed by the severall metaphors of fertility answering to the name and blessings promised formerly unto Ephraim And all this we have handled out of the four preceding verses Now in this 8th verse God is pleased not only graciously to accept but further to put to his seale and to confirme the Covenant which they make promising that by the assistance of his spirit they should bee enabled to doe what they had undertaken This is the greatest ground of confidence that wee can have to binde our selves in holy Covenants unto God even the promise of his strength and assistance enabling us to keep Covenant with him Therefore when David had said I have sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous Iudgements it followes a little after Accept I beseech thee the free-will offerings of my mouth O Lord and teach me thy judgements Psal. 119.106 108. David was confident that God would not onely accept his Covenant but teach him how to keep it and that made him the more confident to binde himselfe by it In the Originall the words are onely thus Ephraim What have I to doe any more with Idols which therefore some would have to be the words of God spoken unto Ephraim But there is nothing more usuall in Scripture then an ellipsis of the verb and we finde this very verb omitted and yet necessary to be supplyed Esay 5.9 and in this place
they be not quenched 2 Tim. 1.6 So to rejoyce in the Lord as withall to work out our salvation with fear and trâ—mbling Psal 2.11 Phil. 2.12 13. never to let the grace of God puffe us up or make us forgetfull of our own weaknesse but as the Apostle sâ—ith of himself in regard of Gods grace When I am weak then am I strong 2 Cor. 12.10 so to say of our selves in regard of our own naturall corruption when I am strong then I am weak Secondly This must not so humble us as to deject and dismay us or make us give over the hope of holding out to the end when our nature is so weak our enemies so strong our temptations so many but we must withall be quickned by these considerations with prayer to implore and with faith to rely on and draw strength from the word and grace of God to have alwayes the window of the soule open towards the Sunne of righteousnesse whereby the supplies of his grace to prevent exciâ—e assist follow establish us and carry on every good thing which he hath begun for us may be continually admitted This is one of the most necessary duties for a Christian to hold constant and fixed purposes in godlinesse the Scripture frequently calls upon us for them that with purpose of heart wee would cleave unto God Act. 11.23 That we would continue in the grace of God Act. 13.43 that we would bee rooted and grounded in love Ephes. 3.17 that we would hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering Hebr. 10.23 thâ—t we would be stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 that we would look to our selves that wee may not lose the things which wee have wrought 2 Ioh. ver 8. that we would hold fast and keep the works of Christ unto the end Revel 2.25 26. and it is that which godly men are most earnestly solicitous about and do strive unto with greatest importunity I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgresse Psal. 17.3 Vnite my heart to feare thy name Psal. 86.11 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Psal. â—7 7 Therefore in this case it is necessarie for us to draw nigh unto God who onely can ratifie all our pious resolutions who giveth power to the faint and to them that have no power encreaseth strength Isa. 40.29 who onely câ—n settle and stablish the â—earts of men 1 Pet. 5.10 The conscience of our duty the sense of our frailtie the power malice and cunning of our Enemies the obligation of our Covenant should direct the souâ—e perpetually unto God for the supply of his grace that that may in all our weaknesses be sufficient for us and hold us up that we may be safe as the Psalmist speaks Psal. 119.117 and may never through infirmitie or unstablenesse of spirit violate our own resolutions Thirdly This is matter of great comfort unto the godly that in the midst of so many temptations snares impediments amongst which we walk not onely the sâ—fetie of our souls and securitie of our eternall salvation but even our present condition in this life our conversion our obedience all our pious purposes of heart all the progresse we make in an holy conversation do not depend upon the weaknesse and uncertainty of an humane will but upon the infallible truth the constant pâ—omise the immutable purpose the invincible power the free love the absâ—lute grate the omnipotent wisdome and working of God who doth whatsoever he pleaseth both in heaven and earth and worketh all things by the counsell of his own will I the Lord change not therefore you sonnes of Jacob are not consumed Mal. 3.6 We poore and weak men change with every winde strong to day and weak to morrow fixed and resolute to day shâ—ken and staggering to morrow running forward to day and revolting as fast to morrow no hold to be taken of our promises no trust to bee given to our Covenants Like Peter on the water we walk one step and we sink another All our comfort is this our strength and standing is not founded in our selves but in the rock whereon we are built and in the power of God by which we are kept through faith unto salvation out of whose hands none are able to pluck us our verie actions are wrought in us and carried on unto their end by the power of Christ who hath mercy wisedome and strength enough to rescue us as from the power of hell and death so from the danger of our own fickle and froward hearts To see a man when hee is halfe a mile from his enemie draw a sword to encounter him or take up a stone to hit him would be but a ridiculous spectacle for what could he do with such weapons by his own strength at such a distance But if he mount a canon and point that levell against the enemie this we do not wonder at though the distance be so great because though the action be originally his yet the effect of it proceedeth from the force of the materials and instruments which he useth to wit the powder the bullet the fire the canon It seemed absurd in the eye of the enemy for little David with a Shepheards bagge and a sling to go against Goliah an armed Gyant and it produced in his proud heart much disdaine and insultation 1 Sam. 17.41 42 43. But when we heare David mention the name of God in the strength and confidence whereof he came against so proud an enemy this makes us conclude weake David strong enough to encounter with great Goliah It is not our own strength but the love of God which is the foundation of our triumph over all enemies Rom. 8.38 39. But some will then say then we may be secure If Gods grace and power be our alone strength then let us commit our selves and our salvation unto him and in the meane time give over all thoughts and care of it our selves and live as wee list no act of ours can frustrate the counsell or the love of God To this we answer with the Apostle God forbid Though the enemies of Free Grace do thus argue yet they who indeed have the grace of God in their hearts have better learned Christ For it is against the formall nature of the grace and Spirit of Christ to suffer those in whom it dwelleth to give over themselves unto securitie and neglect of God for grace is a vitall and active principle and doth so work in us as that it doth withall dispose and direct us unto working to The propertie of grace is to fight against and to kill sinne as being most extremely contrary unto it and therefore it is a most irrationall wâ—y of arguing to argue from the being of grace to the life of sinne How shall wee that are dead to sinne live any longer therein Rom. 6.2 If we be dead to sinne this is argument