his mouth and walk in the way that is pointed out by his Word and Spirit you shall have enough to direct you in all your ways 2. It doth warn us of all our dangers It doth not only in the general call upon us to watch Mat. 13. 37. and walk circumspectly Eph. 5. 15. but it discovers all those deceits particularly whereby we may be surprized diverted and turned out of the way There are snares in Prosperity snares in Adversity Temptations you meet with in praying trading eating drinking in your publick undertakings and in your private converse it shews your danger in all your ways before you feel the smart of them therefore give up your selves to God's direction reading hearing meditating believing and practising read hear it often then the deceits of Satan will be laid open and the snares of your own hearts Christians an exact Rule is of little use if you do not consult it Gal. 6. 16. Peace and mercy be upon all them that walk according to this Rule That order their conversations exactly the word signifies that try their work as a Carpenter doth by his square they examine their actions by the Word of God what they are now a doing therefore consult with it often then meditate of it ponder it seriously 2 Tim. 2. 7. Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things If we would have understanding by the Word there must be consideration Man hath a discursive faculty to debate things with himself Why this is my duty what would become of me if I slep out of God's way here 's danger and a snare What if I should run into it now it is laid before me And then believe it surely Heb. 4. 2. The Word profited not not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Believe God upon his Word without making tryal You hear much of living by sense and by saith living by faith is when we bear up upon the bare Word of God and encourage our selves in the Lord but living by sense is a trying whether it be so or no as they that will not believe Hell shall feel Hell and they that will not believe the Word of God shall smart for it Heb 11. 7. Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark. It may be there were no preparations to the accomplishment of the Curse and Judgment the Word threatned it 's a thing not seen yet he prepared an Ark. When a man is walking in an unjust course all things prosper for awhile the misery the Word threatens is unseen Ay but if you would grow wiser by the Word than men can by Experience you must look to the end of things Psal. 73. 17. I went into the sanctuary of God then understood I their end And then practise it diligently A young Practiser hath more understanding than an ancient Notionallist Psal. 111. 10. A good understanding have all they that do his commandments It is not they that are able to speak of things and savor what the Word requires but they that do what they hear and discourse of Gregory saith We know no more than we practise and we practise as we know these two always go together The Word doth us no good unless there be a ready obedience therefore this is wisdom when we give up our selves to God's direction whatever it cost us in the world Doct. 2. That young ones may have many times more of this wisdom than those that are ancient Divers instances there are Ioseph was very young sold into Egypt about 17 years of age and when he was in Egypt Psal. 105. 22. He taught his Senators wisdom speaking of the Senators of Egypt With how much modesty did he carry himself when his Mistriss laid that snare Isaac was young and permitted himself to be offered to God as a Sacrifice Samuel was wise betimes 1 Sam. 2. 26. It is said The child Samuel grew on and was in favor both with the Lord and also with men From his Infancy he was dedicated to God and God gives him wisdom to walk so that he was in favor with God and men yea God reveals himself to Samuel when he did not to Eli. David when he was but 15 years of age fought with the Lion and Bear and somewhile after that with Goliah when he was a ruddy youth Iosiah when he was but eight years old administred the Kingdom before he was twelve sets upon serious Reformation Ieremiah was sanctified from the womb Ier. 1. 5. And Iohn the Baptist leapt in his Mother's womb Luke 1. 35. In the 32d of Iâ—…b the Ancients Iob's Friends are spoken of pleading their Cause wise young Elihu brings wiser words and better arguments than those that came to comfort Iob. Solomon asked wisdom of God when he was young Daniel and his Companions those four children as they are called Dan. 1. 17 18. it is said The Lord filled them with wisdom above all the ancient Chaldeans And Timothy the Apostle speaks of his youth and bids him flee youthful lusts he was young yet very knowing and set over the Church of God Our Lord Iesus at 12 years old puzled the Doctors In Ecclesiastical Stories we read of one at 15 years of age dyed with great constancy for Religion in the midst of sundry tortures Ignatius pleads the cause of the Bishop when he was but a very youth but a man powerful in doctrine and of great wisdom and therefore he saith He would have them not look to his appearing youth but to the age of his mind to his wisdom before God And he saith There are many that have nothing to shew for their age but wrinckles and gray hairs So there are many young ones in whom there is an excellent spirit and in all Ages there are instances given of youth of whom it may be said That they are wise beyond their years For the Reasons why many times young ones may have more wisdom than those that are aged God doth so 1. That he might shew the freedom and sovereignty of his grace He is not bound to years nor to the ordinary course of nature but can work according to his own pleasure and give a greater measure of knowledge and understanding to those that are young and otherwise green than he will to those that are of great age and more experience in the world You have this reason rendred Iob 32. 7 8 9. I said days should speak and multitude of years should teach wisdom There 's the ordinary course But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Great men are not always wise neither do the aged understand judgment Though all men have reason and a spirit yet the Spirit of God is a wind that blows where he lists Those that exceed others in time may come behind them in grace He gives a greater measure many times of grace and knowledge to shew his
advantage and ply the oar then And the Apostle was not disheartned with the several conditions he was to run through in his passage to heaven Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me When we have such an able Second God is at our right hand Psal. 16. 8. we need not be so dismayed with temptations and difficulties we meet with in the progress of our duty though we have many letts and hindrances yet God will cause us to walk in his ways 3. This keeps us humble and lowly in our own conceit and that is very necessary for us For pride is that sin which cleaves to us all our life and is called pride of life and lasts as long as life lasts How doth this keep us humble and lowly Partly thus because we have all by gift What hast thou that thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4. 7. All the strength that we have is but borrowed and who will be proud that is more in debt than others We would laugh at a Groom that is proud of his Master's Horse All grace comes from God Shall vve usurp the honour due to God And partly because vve have but from hand to mouth Though vve have all from God yet vve should soon grovv proud if God did not diet us and give out renevved evidences of his love and care over us by degrees some novv some then by fresh influences and acts of grace Look as David prays Psal. 59. 11. of his outvvard enemies Destroy them not O Lord lest my people forget scatter them by thy power and bring them down O! if all enemies vvere destroyed at once the people vvould forget thee the deliverance vvould be past antiquated and out of date and vvould not be so freshly thought of nor produce such vvarm affections in the hearts of his people So it is true in the spiritual World God doth not destroy all at once but brings dovvn our spiritual enemies that vve may acknovvledge vvhence vve have it And partly because this is a means to make us sensible of the mutability of our nature for when all depends upon God his coming and going it will make us see what poor creatures we are of our selves when he comes we are able to do something when he goes what poor creatures are we 2 Chron. 32. 31. God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his heart When vve are renevved yet vve are not fully recovered there 's a great deal of tang and taste of the old leaven and if God leave us vve shall soon sin vvhereas if vve vvere carried on vvith an even constant tenor of grace that is in our ovvn keeping vve should be proud 4. It endears the heart to God and God to the heart by acts of friendship and familiarity as it extracts from us acts of prayer and dependance and as we receive new supplies and daily influences of grace from him God is more endeared to the soul by his multiplied free gifts Look as at every lifting up of the foot there are new influences of life go to that stirring and motion so all in the spiritual life are his acts of grace If so much rain fell in one day as would suffice for seven years there would be no notice taken of Gods acts of Providence God would not have such witness to keep up his memory to the sons of men so here if we had all graces in our souls and needed not new excitement but he dispensed all at once God and we should grow strangers When the Prodigal had his portion in his own hands he leaves his father and therefore there must be continual acts of kindness to maintain a holy friendship between God and us USE 1. Look after renewing grace see whether there be a principle of life in you or no whether you be his workmanship in Christ Jesus Better never be his creature if not a new creature a dog is in a better condition You can do nothing in the spiritual life until there be a principle In vain to expect new operation before a new creation be past upon you The stream cannot be maintained without the spring 2. Let us pray for strength upon all occasions and beg the renewings of Gods efficacious grace that we may avoid sin and be ready to every good work Alas there are many discouragements from without and sundry baits which tickle the flesh and would seduce us from our duty unless the Lord stand by us and protect and strengthen us within Deadness will soon creep upon us and our heart run out of order look after new influences of grace this will make you ready to every good work not only the remote preparation but the furniture of the faculties and abilities Lo I come to do thy will and this will make you fruitful otherwise you will be as dry trees in Gods garden And this will make you lively and constant not off and on but fixed with God 3. If all depends upon God then let us not by any negligence of ours or by presumptuous sins provoke God to withdraw his assisting grace from us This is the Apostles meaning when he saith Phil. 2. 12 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling c. O take heed go about the business of Religion with holy caution and jealousie over your selves and fear the Lords displeasure for all depends upon him Dependance among men begets observance where men have their meat drink clothing they will be careful to please there So work out your Salvation c. for it is God that worketh in you c. you have all from God the business of the spiritual life will be interrupted and be at a stand if God with-hold his grace Every sin weakens that you have already and provokes God to with-hold his hand that he will not give more That which is the greatest ground of comfort and confidence is always the greatest ground of fear and trembling It 's a ground of great comfort and confidence in the spiritual life that he will help us in every action of ours and it is a ground also of the greatest fear and trembling that we should be careful not to offend him upon whom all depends The second point Doct. 2. That they which delight in Gods Commandments will beg his gracious assistance and are most likely to speed in their requests I make it to be both the reason of asking and the reason of granting First The reason of asking 1. What is this delight in God what is necessary to it 2. What are the fruits and effects of it First What is necessary to it 1. A new nature for what we do naturally we do with complacency and delight That which is forced and done against the grain and bent of our hearts can never be delightful and therefore there needs a principle of grace within Psal. 112. 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his
converting power of the Word they are a secondary confirmation of the truth of the Word to us I tell you why I put in that Word a secondary confirmation they are not a primary for we must believe the Word before we can feel its efficacy and find it to be effectual to us and therefore the primary grounds of Faith are the impressions of God upon the Word the secondary are the impressions of God upon the heart now I have felt the vertue and power of the truth upon my soul and all the world shall not draw me from it I must have a primary confirmation of the truth of the Word before I can believe and before it can work in me The â—…stle saith 1 Thess. 2. 13. Ye received the Word not as the word of man but as the Word of God which effectually worketh in you that believe First I receive it as the Word of God by some Marks and Notes and Characters some impress of God upon his Word somewhat God hath left of himself in the Word and that awes my heart to reverence it there I receive it upon my heart but when it works in me mightily I have a secondary confirmation When I have eyes to see the impress of God upon the Word then I feel the power of it and when I have felt the power of it it 's confirmed in my soul 1 Cor. 1. 6. When we feel the blessed effects the quicknings and comforts of the Word it 's a mighty help to Faith So 1 Iohn 5. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself What is that witness in himself why the witness of the Spirit applying the blood of Christ to the Conscience sanctifying and quickning the heart then he hath the witness in himself and is more confirmed that Jesus is the Christ and the Word of God is true and cannot easily be divorced from it he hath felt the effects of it in his own heart Col. 1. 5 6. For the hope that is laid up for you in heaven whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel and knew the grace of God in truth We guess at things before and have but a wavering Faith such as may let in some work upon the Soul then we know it in truth then it is more fully made good to us by the convincing comforting and sanctifying Spirit that evidenceth it to our Souls and this can be no other but the truth of God this makes our Faith more strong and rooted and we may be confirmed in the hope and belief of the Gospel and may not easily be removed therefrom 2. Take Faith in the other Notion for a dependance upon God for something that we stand in need of every manifestation of his grace it should be kept as an experience by us for afterwards when that frame may be away when God may hide his face and all dead in the soul. As David in his infirmity remembred the years of the right hand of the most High and former experiences of God Psal. 77. 10. As he in an outward case for outward deliverances remembred the former help and succors he had from God so we may remember former grace and former quickning There are many ups and downs in the spiritual life for even the new Creature is changeable both in point of duty and in point of comfort Now it 's a mighty confirmation when we remember what God hath done First In point of duty Sometimes you shall find you are dull and heartless under the Ordinances of God in reading and hearing you find little life lazy and almost indifferent whether you call upon God in secret or hear the Word or join in the communion of Saints no relish in any duty do it almost for custom-sake or at best but to please your Consciences you must do it and you drive on heavily not for any great need you feel of them or good you find by them or hope you expect from them Now it is of great use to remember how I have waited upon God formerly and he hath quickned refreshed and comforted me and therefore it is good to try again to keep up our dependance upon his Ordinances when this dulness seizeth upon the soul and this listlesness when Conscience is sleepy and the heart hangs off from God remember I have been quickned 2. If it be in point of comfort fears and sorrows why is there no Balm in Gilead no Physician there Hath not God relieved in like straits before and given in fresh consolations when you have bemoaned your selves and opened your case before him There are none acquainted with the spiritual life but have many experiences both of deadness and comfort Now one is a great help against the other that our hands may not wax faint and feeble God that hath comforted may comfort again and why should I neglect his appointed means No I will continue there and lie at the Pool where the waters have been stirred 2. They are of Use again to stir up our affections to God and his Word 1. To increase our love to God O! we should keep the impression of his kind manifestation still upon the heart that the mercy may be continually acknowledged surely 't is a favor that God will manifest himself to us and own us in our attendance upon his Word and other duties The Lord Jesus promiseth it as a great blessing Iohn 14. 21. He that loveth me and keepeth my commandment shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Now then when any such sensible favor is vouchsafed to us we should not forget it but lay it up as a continual ground of thankfulness and love to God Cant. 1. 4. We will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy love more than Wine When God hath treated us most magnificently in his Ordinances either at his Table or Word and God hath refreshed and revived our Souls O! we will remember this and lay it up for the honor of God and knit our hearts in a greater love to God 2. It is of great Use to increase our love to the Word for the excellency and worth of the Word is found experimentally by Believers so that their love and estimation of it is more fixed and setled upon their hearts so that they purpose to make use of it always for their Comfort and direction it is a great encouragement when formerly they have found comfort and life thereby The Apostle to settle the Galatians that began to waver that were apt to be overcome by their Judaizing Brethren to settle them in love to the Gospel he puts them to the question Gal. 3. 2. This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith The Spirit of Regeneration with all his comforts and graces are not conveyed to you by the doctrine of the
Herod enquired after the place where Jesus was born not to adore him but to kill him Mat. 2. 8. Our great Rule is Iohn 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth When you come to study the Scriptures to be the better for them and not to cavil then you are in the way to find profit from them 4. Some come to the Word leavened with some carnal affections and so their hearts are blinded by their lusts and passion 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not There is evidence enough in the truth but their hearts are wedded to their sins and so cannot see it they are ambitious and seek after honour and worldly greatness and the whole bent and scope of the Scripture being against their design they can never have a perfect understanding of it their hearts are full of Avarice Earthly-mindedness and some other beloved sin that they cherish which doth defile all that they touch even the very Word of God Hagg. 2. 13. A man that was unclean by a dead body whatsoever he touched was also unclean even holy things And Tit. 1. 15. To the impure all things are impure And so by the just judgment of God are blinded and hardned in their own prejudices for the light they have hindreth them from discerning the truth 5. Some content themselves with some superficial apprehensions and do not dig deep in the Mines of knowledge and therefore no wonder they mistake in many things Prov. 2. 4 5. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God No excellent things are to be had without pain and industry and search certainly the knowledge of God's Word must cost us great pains 6. Where men are right in the main and give diligence to know God's mind there will be mistakes in lesser things All have not parts alike and gifts and graces alike and therefore there is some variety of opinions and interpretations of Scripture among the godly wise Every man is not so happy to be so well studied nor hath not that ability to understand nor so furnished with acquired helps of Arts and Tongues nor such a degree of the Spirit There is a difference in age growth and experience among good men some are Babes and some grown in years in Christianity Phil. 3. 15. Grace is bewrayed in knowledge as well as in holiness Object 2. If there be such a Light in the Scriptures what need is there of the Spirit Answ. I answer The Scriptures are the means of Light the Spirit is the Author of Light both together enlighten the eyes Psal. 19. 8. These two must be taken in conjunction not in exclusion To pretend to the Spirit and neglect the Scriptures makes way for Error and fond conceits Isa. 8. 20. To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Light is not contrary to Light so to study the Scriptures and neglect the Spirit who searcheth out the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. leaveth us in darkness about God's mind The object to be known is fixt in the Scriptures but the faculty that knoweth must be enlightned by the Spirit There is a literal understanding of the Scriptures and a spiritual understanding 1 Cor. 2. 14. Now as to the spiritual understanding of them there needs the Spirit for the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit so that here is a fair correspondence between the Word and the Spirit Object 3. If the Scriptures be so plain what need the Ministry I answer Answ. 1. It is God's institution and we must submit to it though we could see no reason for it That it is God's institution it is plain for he hath set some in the Church not only Apostles and Prophets but Pastors and Teachers to apply Scriptures to us And 1 Cor. 1. 21. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe If there were no reason but this because it is God's institution we should submit to it 2. The use of the Ministry is to explain and vindicate truth Men darken counsel with words and render plain things obscure by their litigations and unprofitable debates Now they are set for the defence of the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1. 7. And the Ministry must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1. 9. Able to convince the gainsayers good at holding and drawing it is the humane help for weak understandings The Eunuch was reading and could not tell what to make of it then God sent him an Interpreter Acts 8. Now God's help should not be despised when he will employ men to salve doubts to guide us in our way to Heaven we should thankfully accept of it rather than quarrel at the institution 3. They are of use to apply Generals to particular Cases and to teach us how to deduce genuine Inferences from those truths laid down in the Scriptures Mal. 2. 7. In this sense it is said The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts God hath appointed this office to some to solve the doubts that do arise about particular Exigences and Cases and to make out the mind of God to his People otherwise they need go no farther than the Tables and Books of Moses to seek the Law but God hath appointed some in the Church that are skill'd in consequences and deductions to raise matter therefrom so that it is a Minister's work to open and explain Scripture 4. There is a use of the Ministry to keep Doctrines still afoot in the Church and to keep us in remembrance Ministers are the Lord's remembrancers it is a great part of their office to mind People of their duty The Word is a Light but it must be set in the Candlestick of the Church they are to hold out the Light for our direction and guidance 5. There is a peculiar blessing and efficacy to a Christian from their calling Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you to the end of the world Object 4. It is said 2 Pet. 3. 16. That there are some things hard to be understood therefore how should it be a clear Rule to us Thereupon many take occasion to tax the Scriptures of obscurity and cry out that nothing is certain in Religion and so hinder and discourage men from the study of the Word Answ. 1. I answer The Apostle saith there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to be understood but doth not say there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that cannot be understood not there are things impossible to be understood but there 's some difficulty in
purpose the Lord is easie to be intreated 3. By the Motives that do induce God to shew Mercy the bare sight of our misery and therefore the Saints do so often represent their Condition Psal. 69. 20. I am poor and sorrowful let thy salvation O Lord set me on high You see he bringeth no other Argument but his Grief and Misery Justice seeketh a fit Object Mercy a fit Occasion Deut. 32. 36. For the Lord shall Iudge his people and repent himself for his seruants when he seeth that their power is gone and there is none shut up or left II. The next Adjunct is Great the mercies of God are seldom spoken of in Scripture but there is some additional word to shew their Plenty and Excellency As Psal. 130. 7. For with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption 1 Pet. 1. 3. Which according to his abundant mercy And Eph. 2. 4. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he hath loved us So Eph. 2. 7. The exceeding riches of his Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul thinketh he can never word it enough when he speaketh of mercy he saith it over over-abounded all to shew the multitude and greatness of Gods mercies So Psal. 51. 1. we read of the multitude of his tender mercy it must needs be so if we Consider 1. How many there are to whom God hath done good even as many as there have been are and shall be Creatures in the World None that ever had a being but tasted of Gods goodness Nay for his special mercies the many Persons that are pardoned all the Elect from the beginning of time till the Day of Judgment What hath God been doing these Thousands of years that the World hath continued but multiplying Pardons and passing Acts of Grace in favour of his People Time would be no more but only that there are some more whom God meaneth to Pardon 2 Pet. 3. 9. Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance When we come to Heaven how many Monuments of Grace shall we see there A man would think that the unthankful World had given discouragement and God should wait no longer but yet there are some vacant places to be filled In my Fathers house are many Mansions Ioh. 14. 2. We waste by giving give from our selves what we give to another but this fountain is never dry Rom. 5. 10. The free gift is of many offences 2. How many Benefits he bestoweth on every one many repeated Acts of Grace of the same kind divers kinds of Benefits Bodily mercies Soul mercies Psal. 40. 5. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to usward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them they are more then can be numbered Private mercies and Publick mercies mercies in hand and mercies in hope Psal. 31. 19. O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men We have not one sin but many sins not one misery but many miseries therefore we have many mercies the Creatures are always in some necessity and so are alwayes an Object of mercy how many supports this life continually needeth all which the Providence of God supplieth to us 3. The greatness of these effects the sending of his Son 1 Ioh. 4. 9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be a propitiation for our sins The gift of the Spirit himself to be Everlastingly with us Ioh. 14. 16. and by present Troubles to prepare us for future Glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. And Rom. 8. 18. Surely nothing but mercy and great mercy could do all this for us Use. I. To Exhort us to consider of this and to meditate much upon this Attribute To this End I shall lay down a few Considerations 1. All that come to God should consider of his mercy 't is the great motive to Repentance and beginning our acquaintance with God Ioel 2. 13. And rent your hearts and not your garments and turn to the Lord your God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil Our distrustful and unbelieving thoughts draw an ill Picture of God in our Minds we think him an hard and Austere one that is more ready to Condemn us than to receive us to mercy Thus we look upon him in the Glass of our guilty Fears Oh no! he is merciful if we will but stoop to him Besides 't is a great check to our pursuit of Carnal Vanities Ionah 2. 8. They that seek after lying vanities forsake their own mercies Thus to the secure and careless when they consider all this Grace and tender Mercy 't is the great means to overcome them with kindness A serious consideration of what God hath done and is ready to do for us Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God Saul wept when David had spared him 1 Sam. 24. 16. if we had not let all Ingenuity I am not worthy of all the mercy and truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant Gen. 32. 10. Then when we come to a reckoning and audit with God how great is the sum of them there are more effects of his mercies and of more diverse kinds Psal. 139. 17. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God! how great are the summe of them 2. 'T is not enough to know that God is merciful but we must also consider how great and tender his mercy is for Gods Children are wont to have great and large thoughts of it we must think of it as becometh the infiniteness of his Nature whose mercy it is Isa. 55. 8 9. For my thoughts are not as your thoughts nor my ways as your ways saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your wayes and my thoughts than your thoughts Hosea 11. 9. For I am God and not man We must not streighten God to our scantling our drop is soon spent Peter a good man what forgive seven times a day How tender it is 'T is so natural to God Acts of punitive Justice are exercised with some Reluctancy but he rejoyceth over them to do them good he is strongly inclined to let out his goodness to unworthy and miserable sinners who deserve the contrary from him The Sea doth not more naturally flow nor the Sun more naturally shine nor Fire more naturally burn than God doth naturally shew mercy These thoughts will answer all the Doubts and Fears of a Penitent thou canst never have too large Thoughts of
purpose Acts 11. 23. if thy purposes were more full and strong and throughly bent against sin they would sooner succeed Is it the fixed decree and determination of thy Will When you are firmly resolved your Affections will be sincere and stedfast you will pursue this work close not be off and on hot and cold unstable in all your wayes your full purpose or the habitual bent of your hearts are known by your drift and scope Or it may be this purpose may be extorted not the effect of thy Judgment and Will but only thy Conscience awakened by some present fear Many are by some pangs and qualmes of Conscience frighted into some Religiousness but this humour lasts not long Psal. 78. 35 36 37. And they remembered that God was their rock and the most high their redeemer Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed to him with their tongues for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant In their dangers they remembered God but their hearts were not right with him Ahab in his fears had some relentings So had Pharaoh The Israelites turned to the Lord in their distress but they turned as fast from him afterwards Resolves not of love but fear So are these resolutions wrested from you by some present Terrours which when they cease no wonder that they are where they were before Violent things never hold long they will hold as long as the principle of their violence lasteth Or it may be you rest in the strength of your own Resolutions now God will be owned as the Author of all Grace who reneweth and quickeneth every Affection in us still we must have a sense of our own insufficiency and resolve more in the strength and power of God and relie upon the Grace of Jesus Christ by his Spirit mortifying the deeds of the Body as knowing that without him you can do nothing neither continue nor perform our Resolutions Men fall again as often as they think to stand by their own power there is much Guile and Falshood in our own hearts we cannot trust them the Saints still resolve God assisting Psal. 119. 8. I will keep thy precepts O forsake me not utterly Verse 32. I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart They beg God to keep up their Inclination and Bent against Sin Verse 36. Incline my heart to thy Testimonies and not to Covetousnâ—…ss 2. As to Sriving let us examine that a little if it be so serious so diligent so circumspect as it should be Certainly that is no effectual striving when you are disheartned with every difficulty for Difficulties do but influence a resolved Spirit as stirring doth the fire No question but it will be hard to enter in at the streight Gate or walk in the narrow way God hath made the way to Heaven so narrow and streight that we may the more strive to enter in thereat Luk. 13. 24. Now shall we sit down and complain when we succeed not upon every faint attempt Who then can be saved This is to cry out with the Sluggard There is a Lion in the way Should a Mariner as soon as the Waves arise and strong gusts of Wind blow give over all guiding of the Ship No he is resolved upon his Voyage To give out upon every difficulty is against all the experience and wont of Mankind Again this striving and opposing is but slight not accompanied with that Watchfulness and Resolution which is necessary Many pretend to watch against sin yet abstain not from all occasions of sin if we play about the Cockatrice hole no wonder we are bitten Never think to turn from thy sin if thou dost not turn from the occasion of them Prov. 4. 15. Go not in the way of evil men avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away This is a practice becoming the hatred of sin Evil Company is a Snare if thou hast not strength to avoid the occasion which is less how canst thou avoid the sin which is greater He that resolveth not to be burnt in the Fire must not come near the Flames Iob made a Covenant with his Eyes Iob 31. 1. Our Saviour taught us to pray lead us not into temptation he doth not say into sin Temptation openeth the gate to it Certainly it argueth an hanckering of mind when we dally with Temptations as the Raven when he is driven from the Carrion loveth to abide within the sent of it so they have an inclination to sin when they forbear the the practice of it 3. For Praying we oftener pray from our Memories than from our Consciences and from our Consciences Enlightened than Hearts Renewed by Grace Prayer as it is the fruit of Memory and Invention is but a few slight and formal Words said of Course a Body without a Soul As dictated by Conscience it may be retracted by the Will at noli modo Austin when he prayed against his Youthful Lusts timeâ—… ne me excluderet Deus was afraid left he should be heard too soon at best but half desires faint wishes like Balaams wish to die the death of the Righteous The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing God never made Promise that lazy wishes should be satisfied if you pray against sin with your whole heart he will hear you The great fault is the want of this thorough hatred of Sin Use. Take heed of two things 1. A secret Love to your Sins 2. A remiss Hatred against them 1. A secret Love to Sin Iob speaketh of some that hid sin as a sweet Morsel under their Tongues Iob 20. 12. loth to let a Lust go And David of regarding iniquity in our heart Psal. 66. 18. First there is a secret liking of sin which in time will prove baneful to the Soul some Lust is spared and continueth unmortified It doth not remain so much as it is reserved and there keepeth Possession for Satan This will in time eat out all our other Vertues and bring a stain upon those good properties wherewith God hath indowed us Sin was never heartily cast out therefore they are in time insnared again and drawn away by some sensitive Lure 2. A remiss Hatred of sin no there must be a Total and full Aversion Hatred and Indignation is the souls expulsive Faculty it cannot be kept in good plight without it 'T is the lively and active principle which sets the soul awork in avoiding what is hurtful to the spiritual Life it concerneth us to keep it up in strength and vigour The Reason why even Believers do so often sin through weakness is because the Will doth not so strongly dissent as it should though we do not deliberately give our assent it should more potently awaken our displeasure but certainly the reason of wilful sin is want of a strong hatred Though Convinced of Evil yet we go on like a fool to the Correction of the Stocks Prov.