them of when he subjected them to vanity Such a view of spiritual truths in sensible pictures would clear our knowledge purifie our fancies animate our affections encourage our graces disgrace our vices and both argue and shame us into duty and thus take away all the causes of our wild wandring thoughts at once And a frequent exercise of this method would beget and support a habit of thinking well and weaken if not expel a habit of thinking ill 2. The second sort of directions are for the preventing bad thoughts And to this purpose 1. Exercise frequent humiliations Pride exposeth us to impatient and disquieting thoughts Prov. 30.32 whereas humility clears up a calm and serenity in the Soul 'T is Agur's advice to be humbled particularly for evil thoughts Frequent humiliations will deaden the fire within and make the sparks the fewer The deeper the Plough sinks the more the weeds are killed and the ground fitted for good grain Men do not easily fall into those sins for which they have been deeply humbled Vain conceits love to reside most in jolly hearts but by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better Eccles 7.3 4. There is more of wisdom or wise consideration in a composed and graciously mournful spirit whereas carnal mirth and sports cause the heart to evaporate into lightness and folly The more we are humbled for them the more our hatred of them will be fomented and consequently the more prepared shall we be to give them a repulse upon any bold intrusion 2. Avoid entangling your selves with the world This clay will clog our minds and a dirty happiness will engender but dirty thoughts Lutea faelicitas Aug. de Civ Dei l. 10. Who were so foolish to have inward thoughts that their houses should continue for ever but those that trusted in their riches †Psal 49.6 11. 1 Tim. 6.9 If the world possess our Souls it will breed carking thoughts much business meets with crosses and then it breeds murmuring thoughts and sometimes it is crown'd with success and then it starts proud and self-applauding thoughts Those that will be rich fall into many foolish and hurtful lusts such lusts that make men fools and one part of folly is to have wild and sensless fancies Mists and fogs are in the lower Region near the Earth but reach not that next the Heavens Were we free from earthly affections these gross vapours could not so easily disturb our minds but if the World once settle in our hearts we shall never want the fumes of it to fill our heads And as covetous desires will stuff us with foolish imaginations so they will smother any good thought cast into us as the thorns of worldly cares choak'd the good seed and made it unfruitful Matth. 13.22 As we are to rejoyce in the World as though we rejoyced not so by the same reason we should think of the World as though we thought not Rom. 12.2 A conformity with the World in affection is inconsistent with a change of the frame of the mind 3. Avoid Idleness Serious Callings do naturally compose mens spirits but too much Recreation makes them blaze out in vanity Idle souls as well as idle persons will be ranging As Idleness in a State is both the Mother and Nurse of Faction and in the natural body gives birth and encrease to many diseases by enfeebling the natural heat so it both kindles and foments many light and unprofitable imaginations in the soul which would be sufficiently diverted if the active mind were kept intent upon some stated work So truly may that which was said of the servant Mat. 25 26. Tâ—ou wicked and slothful servant Mat. 13.25 be applied to our nobler part that it will be wicked if once it degenerates into slothfulness in its proper charge As empty minds are the fittest subjects for extravagant fooleries so vacant times are the fittest seasons While we sleep the importunate enemy within as well as the envious adversary without us will have a successful opportunity to sow the tares whereas a constant imployment frustrates the attempt and discourageth the Devil because he sees we are not at leisure Therefore when any sinful motion steps in double thy vigour about thy present business and the foolish impertinent will sneak out of thy heart at this discountenance So true is that in this case which Pharaoh falsly imagined in another that the more we labour the less we shall regard vain words †Exod. 5.9 As Satan is prevented by diligence in our Callings so sometimes the Spirit visits us and fills us with holy affections at such seasons as Christ appeared to Peter and other Disciples when they were a fishing †Joh. 21.3 4. and usually manifested his grace to men when they were engaged in their useful businesses or religious services But these motions as we may observe by the way which come from the Spirit are not to put us out of our way but to assist us in our walking in it and further us both in our attendance on and success in our duties To this end look upon the work of your Callings as the work of God which ought to be done in obedience to Him as He hath set you to be useful in the community Thus a holy exercise of our Callings would sanctifie our minds and by prepossessing them with solid business we should leave little room for any Spider to weave its Cobwebs 4. Awe your hearts with the thoughts of God's Omniscience especially the discovery of it at the last Judgment We are very much Atheists in the concern of this Attribute for though it be notionally believed yet for the most part it is practically deny'd God understands all our thoughts afar off †Psa 139.2 as He knew every creature which lay hid in the Chaos and undigested lump of matter God is in us all * Eph. 4.6 as much in us all as He is above us all yea in every creek and chink and point of our hearts Not an Atom in the spirits of all men in the world but is obvious to that All-seeing Eye which knows every one of those things that come into our minds †Ezek. 11.5 God knows both the order and confusion of them and can better tell their natures one by one than Adam named the creatures Fancy then that you hear the sound of the last Trumpet that you see God's Tribunal set and His Omniscience calling out singly all the secrets of your heart Would not the consideration of this allay the heat of all other imaginations If a foolish thought break in consider What if God who knows this should presently call me to Judgment for this sinful glance Say with the Church Shall not God search this out Is it fit either for God's glory or our interest Psal 44.21 that when he comes to make inquisition in us He should find such a nasty dunghil and swarms of Aegyptian
A SUPPLEMENT To the several DISCOURSES Upon Various Divine Subjects By the Late Learned Divine STEPHEN CHARNOCK B. D. LONDON Printed for Thomas Cockerill at the Three Leggs in the Poultry 1683. A DISCOURSE OF THE Sinfulness and Cure OF THOUGHTS Gen. 6.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually I Know not a more lively description in the whole Book of God of the Natural corruption derived from our first Parents than these words Wherein you have the Ground of that grief which lay so close to God's heart v. 6. the Resolve thereupon to destroy man and whatsoever was serviceable to that ungrateful creature That must be highly offensive which moved God to repent of a fabrick so pleasing to him at the creation every stone in the building being at the first laying pronounced good by Him and upon a review at the finishing the whole He left it the same character with an Emphasis †Gen. 1.31 very good There was not a pin in the whole frame but was * Eccles 3.11 very beautiful and being wrought by infinite * Psa 104.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Praepar Evang. wisdom it was a very comely piece of Art What then should provoke him to repent of so excellent a work The wickedness of man which was great in the earth How came it to pass that man's wickedness should swell so high Whence did it spring From the imagination Though these might be sinful imaginations might not the superiour faculty preserve it self untainted Alas That was defiled The imagination of the thoughts was evil But though running thoughts might wheel about in his mind yet they might leave no stamp or impression upon the will and affections Yes they did The imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil Surely all could not be under such a blemish Were there not now and then some pure flashes of the mind No not one Every imagination But granting that they were evil might there not be some fleeting good mixed with them as a poisonous toad hath something useful No Only evil Well but there might be some intervals of thinking and though there was no good thought yet evil ones were not always rouling there Yes they were Continually not a moment of time that man was free from them One would scarce imagine such an inward nest of wickedness but God hath affirmed it and if any man should deny it his own heart would give him the lye Let us now consider the words by themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imagination properly signifies figmentum of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to afflict press or form a thing by way of compression And thus 't is a metaphor taken from a potters framing a vessel and extends to whatsoever is fram'd inwardly in the heart or outwardly in the work 'T is usually taken by the Jews for that fountain of sin within us †Alii rectiâ—s dicunt non esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nisi in malum Merc. in loc Mercer tells us it is always used in an evil sense But there are two places if no more wherein it is taken in a good sense Isa 26.3 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maimon More Nevoch Par. 3. c. 22. Amam Censur in locum Whose mind is stayed and 1 Chron. 29.18 where David prays that a disposition to offer willingly to the Lord might be preserved in the Imagination of the thoughts of the heart of the people Indeed for the most part 't is taken for the evil imaginations of the heart as Deut. 31.21 Psal 103.14 c. The Jews make a double figment a good and bad and fancy two Angels assign'd to man one bad another good which Maimonides interprets to be nothing else but natural corruption and reason This word imagination being joyn'd with thoughts implies not only the compleat thoughts but the first motion or formation of them to be evil The word Heart is taken variously in Scripture It signifies properly that inward member which is the seat of the vital spirits But sometimes it signifies 1. The understanding and mind Psal 12.2 With a double heart do they speak i. e. With a double mind Prov. 8.5 2. For the Will 2 Kings 10.30 All that is in my heart i. e. in my Will and purpose 3. For the affections as Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart i. e. with all thy affections 4. For conscience 2 Sam. 24.5 David's heart smote him i. e. his Conscience check'd him But Heart here is used for the whole soul because according to Pareus his note the soul is chiefly seated in the heart especially the Will and the affections her attendants because when any affection stirs the chief motion of it is felt in the heart So that by the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are here meant all the inward operations of the soul which play their part principally in the heart whether they be the acts of the understanding the resolutions of the Will or the blustrings of the affections Only evil The Vulgar mentions not the exclusive particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so enervates the sense of the place But our Neighbour Translations either express it as we do Only or to that sense that they were Certainly or no other than evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Continually The Hebrew All the day or every day Some Translations express it verbatim as the Hebrew Not a moment of a man's life wherein our hereditary corruption doth not belch out its froth even from his youth as God expounds it Gen. 8.21 to the end of his life Whether we shall refer the general wickedness of the heart in the Text to that age as some of the Jesuits do because after the Deluge God doth not seem so severely to censure it Or rather take the exposition the learned Rivet gives of it referring the first part of the Verse and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth to those times Gen. 8.21 Rivet in Gen. exâ—â—cit 51. and the second part to the universal corruption of man's nature and the root of all sin in the world The Jesuits argument will not be very valid for the extenuation of original corruption from Gen. 8.21 For if man's imaginations be evil from his youth what is it but in another phrase to say they were so continually But suppose it be understood of the iniquity of that age may it not be applied to all ages of the world David complains of the wickedness of his own time Psal 14.3 Psal 5.9 Yet St. Paul applies it to all mankind Rom. 3.12 Indeed it seems to be a description of man's natural pravity by Gods words after the deluge Gen. 8.21 which are the same in sense to shew that man's nature after that destroying judgment was no better than before Every word is emphatical
standing Thesis follow it and let your thoughts run whither it will lead you A Theme of the Spirit 's setting is better than one of our own chusing 4. Record the choicer of them We may have occasion to look back upon them another time either as grounds of comfort in some hour of temptation or directions in some sudden emergency but constantly as persuasive engagements to our necessary duty Thus they may lye by us for further use as money in our purse Since Mary kept and ponder'd the short sayings of our Saviour in her heart †Luk. 2.14 51. committing and fitting them as it were in her common-place book why should not we also preserve the whispers of that Spirit who receives from the same mouth and hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ—â—ych what he both speaks and shews to us It is pity the dust and filings of choicer metals which may one time be melted down into a mass should be lost in a heap of drossy thoughts If we do not remember them but like children are taken with their novelty more than their substance and like John Baptist's hearers rejoyce in their light only for a season †Joh. 5.35 it will discourage the Spirit from sending any more and then our hearts will be empty and we know who stands ready to clap in his hellish swarms and legions But howsoever we do God will record our good thoughts as our excusers if we improve them as our accusers if we reject them and as He took notice how often He had appear'd to Solomon †1 Kin. 11.9 so He will take notice how often His Spirit hath appeared to us and write down every motion whereby we have been solicited that they may be witnesses of his endeavours for our good and our own wilfulness 5. Back them with Ejaculations Let our hearts be ready to attend every injection from Heaven with a motion to it since 't is ingratitude to receive a present without returning an acknowledgment to the Benefactor As God turns His thoughts of us into promises so let us turn our thoughts of Him into prayers and since his regards of us are darted in beams upon us let them be reflected back upon Him in thankfulness for the gift and earnestness both for the continuance and encrease of such impressions as David prayed that God would not take his holy Spirit from him †Psa 51.11 which had inspired him with his penitential resolutions To what purpose doth the Holy Ghost descend upon us but to declare to us the things which are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 And is it fit for us to hear such a declaration without a quick suitable reflection Since the Comforter is to bring to our remembrance †Joh. 14.26 what Christ both spake and did it must be for the same end for which they were both spoken and acted by him which was to bring us to a near converse with God Therefore when the Spirit renews in our minds a Gospel-truth let us turn it into a present plea and be God's remembrancers of His own promises as the Spirit is our remembrancer of Divine Truths We need not doubt some rich fruit of the application at such a season since without question the impressions the Spirit stamps upon us are as much according to God's will †Rom. 8.27 as the intercessions he makes for us Therefore when any holy thought doth advance it self in our Souls the most grateful reception we can bestow upon it will be to suffer our hearts to be immediately fired by it and imitate with a glowing devotion the Royal Prophet in that form he hath drawn up to our hands O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy servant and prepare my heart unto thee †1 Chron. 29.18 This will be an encouragement to God to send more such guests into our hearts And by an affectionate entertainment of them we shall gain both a habit of thinking well and a stock too A DISCOURSE OF THE CHURCHES STABILITY Psalm 87.5 And of Sion it shall be said This and that man was born in her and the Highest himself shall establish her THE Author of this Psalm and the time when it was penn'd are uncertain Some think it was compos'd after the return of the Jews from Babylon upon the Erection of the second Temple and designed to be sung in their constant Publick Assemblies Others think it was compos'd by David when he brought the Ark to Sion as the Repository for it till the Building of the Temple wherein it might honourably rest It seems whoever was the Author to be Ecstatical The Penman breaks out into a holy rapture and admiration of the firmness and stability of the Church 'T is also Prophetical of the Christian Church of the glory of it the largeness of its bounds and perpetual duration The Jews ridiculously interpret it of literal Jerusalem in regard of the excellency of its Climate the goodness of the air being seated in the middle or navel of the earth and the seat and spring of all the wise men accounting all fools that were to be found in other parts 't is true others were not wise with a wisdom to Salvation they were not instructed in the high Mysteries of Religion by God as those People were But was there not Learning among the Greeks Wisdom among the Chaldeans and a ripeness in Mechanick Arts among the Tyrians which lived in the same Climate with the Jews It can by no means be understood of the material Jerusalem and Sion that was ruin'd by the Babylonians and tho re-edified yet afterwards subverted by the Romans and the remainders of it at this day become a Stable for Mahomet and the bringing in those Nations mention'd v. 4. overthrows any such interpretation which never were inrol'd in the registers of Sion nor became Votaries to the true Religion while the walls of that place were standing in their glory Sion was the place whence the Law was to come Mich. 4.2 a Law of another nature than that which was uttered with Thunders from Mount Sinai Sion was the place where the Throne of Christ was to be settled where he was to be crowned King Psal 2.6 and where he was to manage the Scepter and rule in the midst of his enemies Psal 110.2 and therefore 't is here celebrated as the figure of the Christian Church of that City which Abraham expected whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11.10 And the Christian Church is particularly called by this name of Mount Sion Heb. 12.21 And Believers are called the Sons of Sion Joel 2.23 The Psalmist speaks 1. Of the great love the Lord bears to Sion v. 2. 2. Of the glory of the Promises made to her v. 3. 3. Of the confluence of new Inhabitants to her v. 4. 4. Of the Duration and Establishment of
such an end As Balaam and Balak offered their Sacrifice chearfully hoping to ingratiate themselves with God and to have liberty to curse his people 3. A delight in the precepts and promises of God which are the ground and rules of Prayer First David delights in Gods testimonies and then calls upon him with his whole heart A gracious heart must first delight in precepts and promises before it can turn them into prayers For prayer is nothing else but a presenting God with his own promise desiring to work that in us and for us which he hath promised to us None was more chearful in prayer than David because none was more rejoycing in the statutes of God Gods statutes were his Songs Psa 119.54 And the divine Word was sweeter to him than the hony and hony-comb If our hearts leap not at divine promises we are like to have but drowsy Souls in desiring them If our eye be not upon the dainties God sets before us our desires cannot be strong for him If we have no delight in the great charters of heaven the rich legacies of God how can we sue for them If we delight not in the covenant of grace we shall not delight in prayers for grace It was the hopes of reward made Moses so valiant in suffering and the joy set before Christ in a promise made him so chearful in enduring the shame Heb. 12.1.2 4. A delight in prayer itself A Christians heart is in secret ravisht into heaven There is a delight in coming near God and warming the soul by the fire of his love The Angels are chearful in the act of praise their work is their glory A holy Soul doth so delight in this duty that if there were no command to engage him no promise to encourage him he would be stepping into Gods Courts He thinks it not a good day that passeth without some intercourse with God David would have taken up his lodgings in the Courts of God and regards it as the only blessedness Psalm 65.4 And so great a delight he had in being in Gods presence that he envies the birds the happiness of building their nests near his Tabernacle A delight there is in the holiness of Prayer a natural man under some troubles may delight in Gods comforting and easing presence but not in his sanctifying presence He may delight to pray to God as a storehouse to supply his wants but not as a refiners fire to purge away his dross Prayer as Praise is a melody to God in the heart Eph. 5.19 And the Soul loves to be fingering the instrument and touching the strings 5. A delight in the things askt This heavenly chearfulness is most in heavenly things What delight others have in asking worldly goods that a gracious heart hath in begging the light of Gods countenance That soul cannot be dull in prayer that seriously considers he prays for no less than heaven and happiness no less than the glory of the great God A gracious man is never weary of spiritual things as men are never weary of the Sun but though it is enjoyed every day yet long for the rising of it again From this delight in the matter of prayer it is that the Saints have redoubled and repeated their Petitions and often double the Amen at the end of Prayer to manifest the great affections to those things they have askt The Soul loves to think of those things the heart is set upon and frequent thoughts express a delight 6. A delight in those graces and affections which are Exercised in Prayer A gracious heart is most delighted with that prayer wherein grace hath been more stirring and gracious affections have been boyling over The Soul desires not only to speak to God but to make melody to God the heart is the instrument but graces are the strings and prayer the touching them and therefore he is more displeased with the flagging of his graces than with missing an answer There may be a delight in gifts in a mans own gifts in the gifts of another in the pomp and varnish of devotion But a delight in exercising spiritual graces is an ingredient in this true delight The Pharisees are markt by Christ to make long prayers vaunting in an outward bravery of words as if they were playing the Courtiers with God and complementing him But the Publican had a short prayer but more grace Lord be merciful to me a sinner There is relyance and humility A gracious heart labours to bring flaming affections and if he cannot bring flaming grace he will bring smoaking grace he desires the preparation of his heart as well as the answer of his prayer Psalm 10.17 2. Whence this delight springs 1. From the Spirit of God Not a spark of fire upon our own hearth that is able to kindle this Spiritual delight 'T is the holy Ghost that breaths such an heavenly heat into our affections The Spirit is the fire that kindles the Soul the spring that moves the watch the wind that drives the ship The swiftest ship with spread sails will be but sluggish in its motion unless the wind fills its sails without this Spirit we are but in a weak and sickly condition our breath but short a heavy and troublesome Asthma is upon us Psal 138.3 When I cryed unto thee thou didst strengthen me with strength in my Soul As prayer is the work of the Spirit in the heart so doth delight in prayer owe itself to the same author God will make them joyful in his house of prayer Isa 56.7 2. From grace The Spirit kindles but gives us the Oyl of grace to make the lamp burn clear There must not only be wind to drive but sails to catch it a prayer without grace is a a prayer without wings There must be grace to begin it A dead man cannot rejoice in his Land Money or Food he cannot act and therefore cannot be chearful in action Chearfulness supposeth life dead men cannot perform a duty Psal 115.17 the dead praise not the Lord nor dead souls a chearful duty There must not only be grace infused but grace actuated No man in a sleep or swoon can rejoice There must not only be a living principle but a lively operation If the sap lurk only in the root the branches can bring forth no fruit our best prayers without the sap of grace diffusing itself will be but as withered branches Grace actuated puts heat into performances without which they are but benum'd and frozen * Reynolds Rusty grace as a rusty Key will not unlock will not enlarge the heart There must be grace to maintain it There is not only need of fire to kindle the lamp but of Oyl to preserve the flame natural men may have their affections kindled in a way of common working but they will presently faint and dye as the flame of cotton will dimm and vanish if there be no Oyl to nourish it There is a temporary joy in hearing the word
sensual hinder knowledge stiffle conviction Page 464. 599. Philosophy never wrought such changes as the Gospel Page 235. Power remaining in natural men what a Page 175. ad 180. to be used by them Page 203 4. Vid. Impotence Power of God seen in Regeneration Page 215. manifested in Christ Page 344. 512. known by the Creatures Page 479. disparaged by unbelief Page 620. engaged to preserve Saints from Apostacy Page 1326. 1352. given Christ for Believers Page 1332. Vid. Fulness of Christ seen in the ruine of the Churches Enemies Page 47 †in pardon Page 105 †Praise a duty in heaven Page 40. discouraged by the Patrons of free-will Page 160 199. for grace received the way to have more Page 1322. Prayer a means of the new-birth Page 62. 136. 204. a renewed man can't neglect Page 121. discouraged by the Patrons of free-will Page 160. 199 natural men can perform Page 184 5. what pleas to be used in it Page 229. 270. 304 5. 385. always should attend the Word Page 239. omissions of it unworthy Page 354. 1149. adoption a ground of confidence in it Page 384. must not be chilld by assurance of having what we want Page 384. the glory of God must be chiefly minded in it Page 384. a means of Divine knowledge Page 466 7 8. neglecters or formal performers of it are unbelievers Page 726. thoughts of Christ's exaltation would encourage in it Page 1107. of Christ in the Garden and on the Cross Page 879. 1131 2. Christ's Intercession a comfort in it Page 1152. a means of perseverance Page 1373. a means to suppress bad thoughts Page 17 †for the Church hath excellent grounds Page 37 †excited by delays of deliverance Page 48 †should be frequent in a time of trouble Page 55 †delight in it Vid. Delight Preaching Eloquent not most successful Page 200. Christ's why not more successful Page 210. 232. 718. how it ought to be Page 238. 834 5. Predictions of Christ's Death a Page 944. ad 947. Preparation want of it makes a Man an unworthy receiver Page 818. Preparations to Grace a Page 148. ad 156. from the Spirit Page 569. Pride natural to fallen man Page 198. the Devils sin Vid. Devil a hindrance of conversion and knowledge Page 216. 466. oft in professors Page 666. the spring of the Churches calamity ibid. thoughts of God's soveraignty will check it Page 667. of reason the cause of unbelief Page 733. 4 5. appears in humbled ones Page 735 6. of the Churches Enemies the time of their ruine Page 45 †Priesthood of Christ required his Death Page 861 2 3. 942. and Exaltation Page 1084 5 6. intercession a part of it Page 1117. perpetual Page 1134. secures the Church and every Believer Page 34 †1354. Principles actions are according to them Page 21 2. a change of them in Regeneration Page 78 9. a vital one infused in it Page 84 5. Priviledges only don 't intitle to Gods favour or Heaven Page 30. 48. relyance on them a cause of unbelief Page 736 7. Profane ones far enough from Regeneration Page 105. are unbelievers Page 723. Profession not sufficient to salvation Page 47. is not Faith Page 798. Professors little evidence of Regeneration among them Page 105 6. oft overborn with Pride and Passion Page 798. many of them unbelievers Page 7â—2 disobedient are inexcusable Page 1218. Promises God vindicated in making them notwithstanding man's impotence Page 190. ad 194. made by God to Christ a Page 277. ad 281. 1077 8. to be pleaded by Christ Page 277. unbelief would frustrate them Page 615. pride hinders humbled ones from taking hold of them Page 735 6. can 't be delivered without Faith in Christ Page 118â— frustrated if the Saints Apostacy be possible Page 1351. of God to his Church to be studyed Page 54 †meditation on them causes delight in Prayer Page 63 †Prophesie its great end Page 261. fulfilling them prove Christ sent from God Page 656 7. Vid. Predictions Prophetical Office of Christ to be submitted to gain divine knowledge Page 519. Christ fitted for Page 671. required his Death and Exaltation Page 943. 1082 3. 4. secures Believers and the Church Page 1354. 23 †Prosperity no argument of God's love or pardon Page 1283. 114 †of the Churches Enemies before their ruine Page 45 †Punishments why Eternal Page 313. afflictions of Believers whether they are so Page 1196. 78 9. †God and Christ intended not in this Life to remove them Page 79 80 †the curse of them taken away from a Believer Page 80 †103 †their nature alter'd as to them Page 80 †prejudice not their Salvation Page 81. why continued Page 81 2 3 †103 †forbearance of it no argument of pardon Page 114 †Purgatory groundless Page 1202 3. Purity of heart a means of divine knowledge Page 471 2. Q. QVickning the regenerate need Page 174. to be sought of God Page 224. R. REacting sin how hainous Page 5 †8 †Reason would perswade to seek Regeneration Page 134. insufficient without Revelation Page 513 4. to submit to it Page 515. can 't convince of Unbelief Page 602 3 pride of it an enemy to Faith and cause of unbelief Page 715 734. Reconciliation twofold Page 241 2. of men to God how to be understood Page 243 4. the foundation of Regeneration Page 245. the Father the authour of it Page 245. 258. ad 262. what it implies Page 246 7. actual not before Faith nor from Eternity Page 249 250. by Christ necessary Page 250 1. none but the Father could be the author of it a Page 251 ad 258. the agency of the Father in Christ in it a Page 262 ad 338. by Christ only Page 355. with God comfortable a Page 363 ad 372. motives to accept it a Page 372 ad 376 the duties consequent on it Page 377. ad 380. daily to be sought of God in Christ Page 379. more difficult than Creation Page 646. to be valued Page 952. Redemption Vid. Reconciliation Reformation outward alone not sufficient Page 46 662. whence it springs Page 46 1317. Vid. Morality Reformations the word the only rule of them Page 747 1294. Regeneration its necessity explained a Page 9. ad 19. proved a Page 19 ad 44. a 45 ad 49. 134. ignorance of it to be lamented Page 44 5. misery of those that want it Page 49 50 51. comfort to those that have it Page 51 2. a 112 ad 118. 1356 7. 225. evidences of it to be cleared up why and how Page 52 3 4. to be sought of God Page 54 5. 228 132 3 4. 218. to be sought presently and why a Page 57. ad 62. how obtained Page 62 3 4. 229 135 6. 203 4. 238 9 40. difficult to describe it Page 69. 217. its difference from conversion justification adoption and sanctification Page 70. 1 2. described Page 70. what it is not Page 68. a 72. ad 75. a 106. ad 110. 't is a change and
unwillingness that God should hear us It speaks a kind of a fear that God should grant our Petitions He that puts up a Petition to a Prince coldly and dully gives him good reason to think that he doth not care for an answer That Husbandman hath no great mind to a Harvest that is lazy in tilling his ground and sowing his seed How can we think God should delight to read over our Petitions when we take so little delight in presenting them God gives not mercy to an unwilling person The first thing God doth is to make his People willing Dull spirits seek God as if they did not care for finding him Such tempers either account not God real or their Petitions unnecessary 4. Without delight we are not fit to receive a mercy Delight in a mercy wanted makes room for desire and large desires make room for mercy If no delight in begging there will be no delight in enjoying If there be no chearfulness to quicken our prayers when we need a blessing there will be little joy to quicken our praise when we receive a blessing A weak sickly stomack is not fit to be seated at a plentiful table Where there is a dull asking supply there is none or a very dull sense of wants Now God will not send his mercies but to a Soul that will welcome them The deeper the sense of our wants the higher the estimation of our Supplies A chearful Soul is fit to receive the least and fit to receive the greatest mercy He will more prize a little mercy than a dull petitioner shall prize a greater because he hath a sense of his wants Had not Zacheus had a great joy at the news of Christs coming by his door he had not so readily entertained and welcomed him Use 1. Of Information 1. There is a great pleasure in the ways of God if rightly understood Prayer which is a duty wherein we express our wants is delightful There is more sweetness in a Christians asking than in a wicked mans enjoying blessings 2. What delight will there be in heaven If there be such sweetness in desire what will there be in full fruition There is joy in seeking what is there then in finding Duty hath its sweets its thousands but glory its ten thousands If the pleasure of the seed-time be so great what will the pleasure of the harvest be 3. The miserable condition of those that can delight in any thing but prayer 'T is an aggravation of our enmity to God when we can sin chearfully and pray dully When duty is more lothsome than iniquity Use 2. Of Examination We pray but how are our hearts If it be for what concerns our momentary being is not our running like the running of Ahimaaz But when for Spiritual things do not our hearts sink within us like Nabals Let us therefore follow our hearts close suffer them not to give us the slip in our examination of them resolve not to take the first answer but search to the bottom 1. Whether we delight at all in prayer 1. How do we prize the opportunities of duty There is an opportunity of an earthly and an opportunity of a heavenly gain consider which our hearts more readily close with Can we with much pleasure follow a vain world and heartlesly welcom an opportunity of duty delight more with Judas in baggs than in Christs company This is sad But are praying opportunities our festival times Do we go to the house of God with the voice of joy praise 2. Whether we study excuses to wave a present duty when conscience and opportunity urge and invite us to it Are our Souls more skillful in delaies than in performances Are there no excuses when sin calls us and studyed put-offs when God invites us Like the sluggard folding our arms yet a little while longer Or do our hearts rise and beat quick against frivolous excuses that step in to hinder us from prayer 3. How are our hearts affected in prayer Are we more ready to pray our selves asleep than into a vigorous frame Do we enter into it with some life and find our hearts quickly tire and jade us Are we more awake when we are up than we were all the time upon our knees are our hearts in prayer like withered sapless things and very quick afterwards if any worldly business invite us Are we like logs and blocks in prayer and like a Roe upon the mountains in earthly concerns Surely what our pulse beats quickest to is the object most delighted in 4. What time is it we choose for Prayer Is it not our drowziest lazyest time when our nods are as many or more than our petitions as though the dullest time and the deadest frame were most sutable to a living God Do we come with our hearts full of the world to pray for heaven Or do we pick out the most lively seasons Luther chose those hours for prayer and meditation wherein he found himself most lively for study 5. Do we not often wish a duty over As those in the Prophet that were glad when the Sabbath was over that they might run to their buying and selling Or are we of Peter's temper and express Peter's Language 'T is good to be here with Christ on the Mount 6. Do we prepare our selves by delightful and enlivening considerations Do we think of the Precept of God which should spur us and of the Promise of God which should allure us Do we rub our Souls to heat them Do we blow them to kindle them into a flame Do we send up Ejaculations for a quickening spirit If thoughts of God be a burden requests to him will not be a pleasure If we have a coldness in our thoughts of God and Duty we can have no warmth in our desire no delight in our Petitions 7. Do we content our selves with dull motions or do we give check to them Can we though our hearts be never so lazy stroke our selves at the end and call our selves good and faithful Servants Do we take our Souls to task afterwards and examine why they are so lazy why so heavy Do we enquire into the causes of our deadness A gracious Soul is more troubled at its dulness in prayer than a natural conscience is at the omission of prayer He will complain of his sluggishness and mend his pace 2. If we find we have a delight let us examine whether it be a delight of the right kind 1. Do we delight in it because of the gifts we have our selves or the gifts of others we joyn with A man may rejoyce in hearing the Word not because of the holiness and spirituality of the matter but because of the goodness of the dress and the elegancy of the expression Ezek. 33.32 The Prophet was unto them as a lovely Song as one that had a pleasant voice He may upon the same ground delight in prayer But this is a temper not kindled by the true fire of the
Sanctuary Or do we delight in it not when our Tongues are most quick but our hearts most warm not because we have the best words but the most spiritualiz'd affections We may have Angels gifts in prayer without an Angels spirit 2. Is there a delight in all parts of a duty Not only in asking temporal blessings or some spiritual as pardoning mercy but in begging for refining grace Are we earnest only when we have bosom quarrels and conscience-convulsions but flag when we come to pray for sanctifying mercy The rise of this is a displicency with the trouble and danger not with the sin and cause 3. Doth our delight in prayer and spiritual things out do our delight in outward things The Psalmists joy in God was more than his delight in the Harvest or Vintage Psal 7.4 Are we like Ravens that delight to hover in the Air sometimes but our greatest delight is to feed upon Carrion Though we have and may have a sensible delight in worldly things yet is it as solid and rational as that we have in duty 4. Is our delight in Prayer an humble delight Is it a rejoycing with humbling Psal 2.11 Serve the Lord with gladness and rejoyce before him with trembling If our service be right it will be chearful and if truly chearful it will be humble 5. Is our delight in Prayer accompanied with a delight in waiting Do we like Merchants not only delight in the first lanching of a Ship or the setting it out of the Haven with a full fraught but also in expectations of a rich return of spiritual mercies Do we delight to pray though God for the present doth not delight to give and wait like David with an owning God's Wisdom in delaying Psal 130.6 Or do we shoot them only as Arrows at random and never look after them where they light or where to find them 6. Is our delight in praising God when mercy comes answerable to the delight in praying when a wanted mercy was begged The ten Lepers desired mercy with an equal chearfulness in hopes of having their Leprosie cured but his delight that returned only was genuine As he prayed with a loud voice so he praised with a loud voice Luke 17.13 15. And Christ tells him his faith had made him whole As he had an answer in a way of grace so he had before a gracious delight in his asking the others had a natural delight and so a return in a way of common providence 3 Use Of Exhortation Let us delight in Prayer God loves a chearful giver in Alms and a chearful petitioner in Prayer God would have his children free with him He takes special notice of a spiritual frame Jer. 30.21 Who hath engaged his heart The more delight we have in God the more delight he will have in us He takes no pleasure in a lumpish Service 'T is an uncomely sight to see a joyful Sinner and a dumpish Petitioner Why should we not exercise as much joy in holy duties as formerly we did in sinful practices How delightfully will men sit at their games and spend their days in gluttony and luxury And shall not a Christian find much more delight in applying himself to God We should delight that we can and have hearts to ask such gifts that thousands in the world never dream of begging To be dull is a discontentedness with our own Petitions Delight in prayer is the way to gain assurance To seek God and treat him as our chiefest good endears the Soul to him Delighting in Accesses to him will enflame our love And there is no greater sign of an interest in him than a prevalent estimation of him God casts off none that affectionately clasp about his Throne To this purpose 1. Pray for quickening grace How often do we find David upon his knees for it God only gives this grace and God only stirs this grace 2. Meditate on the Promises you intend to plead Unbelief is the great root of all dumpishness It was by the belief of the Word we had life at first and by an exercise of that belief we gain liveliness What maintains our love will maintain our delight the amiableness of God and the excellency of the Promises are the incentives and fuel both of the one and of the other Think that they are eternal things you are to pray for and that you have as much invitation to beg them and as good a promise to attain them as David Paul or any other ever had How would this awaken our drowzy Souls and elevate our heavy hearts and open the lazy eye-lids to look up And whatever meditation we find begin to kindle our Souls let us follow it on that the spark may not go out 3. Chuse the time when your hearts are most revived Observe when God sends an invitation and hoist up the sails when the wind begins to blow There is no Christian but hath one time or another a greater activeness of spirit Chuse none of those seasons which may quench the heat and dull the spriteliness of your affections Resolve before hand this To delight your selves in the Lord and thereby you shall gain the desire of your hearts A DISCOURSE OF Mourning for other Mens Sins Ezekiel 9.4 And the Lord said unto him Go thorow the midst of the City thorow the midst of Jerusalem and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the Abominations that be done in the midst thereof WHen God in the former Chapter had charged the Jews with their Idolatry and the multiplicity of abominations committed in his Temple And v. 18. had past a resolve that he would not spare them but deal in fury with them though they should solicit him with the strongest and most importunate supplications In this Chapter he calls and commissions the Executioners of his just Decree Ver. 1. He cryed also in mine ears with a loud voice saying Cause them that have charge over the City to draw near even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand And declares whom and in what manner he would punish and whom he would pardon The Executioners of God's vengeance are the Chaldeans described by the situation of them from Judea and the direct Road from that Country to Jerusalem v. 2. Six men came from the way of the higher gate which lies towards the North. Babylon lay North-East from Jerusalem and this gate was the way of entrance for Travellers from those parts it led also into the Court of the Priests which shews from whence the Judgment should come and upon whom it should light Six men A certain number Whether the Holy Ghost alludes to a particular number of Nations which the Chaldean Army might be composed of under their Prince who reign'd over several Countries or respects the other chief Captains or Marshals of his Army which are nam'd Jer. 39.3 or speaks with reference to the other places wherein the City was assaulted by