a most excellent duty and practised by many whose example we may follow As 1. It hath been the practice even of the very Heathens even from a principle of common reason who made use of white and black stones for these two ends One was They gave them to persons at their arraignment before the Judges If any were condemned to death they gave him a black stone but if absolved and set free a white stone To which custome the holy Ghost seems to allude in that Epistle to the Angel of the Church of Pergamus in these words To him that overcometh wil I give a white stone c. A second use of those was That by them they might keep an account of all the good dayes or evill they had met withall in their lives Hence Persius advised his friend Macrinus to remember a good day so Hunc Macrine diem numer a meliore lapillo Count this day Macrine with a better stone 2. Persons of good quality have a long time practised this duty How many noble Theophilus's and Elect Ladies have such Diaries by them But if any men of worth be imployed in the service of the State either by Sea or Land it is their common practise They that go to Sea will tell you of their Journall book that on such a day they went aboard the Bonaventure and on such a day they weighed anchor and fell downe to Gravesend on such a day they met with the whole Fleet on another day they had stormy weather or fought with the enemy c. How exactly doth S. Luke set down S. Paul's shipping towards Rome how a perfect a Journall of that dangerous voyage even day by day If they be employed by Land and do either besiege a Town or are besieged not a a sally undertaken not a mine sprung not a breach made not a man of note slain not a tyre of Ordnance discharged but is is every day recorded as you may see in that famous siege of Ostende But in the 3. place God himself seems to keep a Journall by him of all the care he hath of us the cost he bestows upon us and the good things he gives to us He hath a book of remembrance of every passage of providence that concerns us And indeed the Scripture for a great part is little else but a history of his goodnesse to his people And that you may see that God is very punctuall in keeping accompt of his mercies bestowed on us you shall find that in the Gospel of St. John when Christ turned the water into wine it is said This is the beginning of miracles that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth his glory And when he healed the noble mans Son This is again the second miracle that Jesus did when he came out of Judea into Galilee Thus God doth keep an account of his mercies bestowed on us This is the first Magistrate and this is the second Minister and this is the third affliction and that is the fourth deliverance you have had And if we remember them not to Gods glory he will remember them to our shame as he did to Eli I did plainly appear unto the house of thy Father when they were in Aegypt in Pharaohs house and I did choose him out of all the Tribes of Israel to be my Priest to offer upon mine Altar and to burn incense c. The like he said to Saul by Samuel When theu wast little in thine owne fight wast thou not made head of the Tribes of Israel and the Lord anointed thee King over Israel And how doth God reckon up the many 〈◊〉 fâ—vors vouchsafed to David especially in that great advancement of him to the throne and delivering him from the hand of Saul All these things are repeated to Eli Saul David for the greater aggravation of their sins nay Gods very judgements executed are particularly recorded by him as you may see in divers places especially that of Amos ch 4. â— 6. to the end of that ch his several judgements and their incorrigiblenesse Doth God keep a book of Remembrance and shall we â—e without our Journall God forbid Secondly it is very just and equall that we should thus remember God who remembers us daily and that not only for the supplying our wants or delivering us in our extremity but also in the accepting of our persons and our sincere performances 1. For the first God remembred Noah when he was in the Ark and sent him forth God remembred Abraham in that great overthrow of the Cities in the Plain and sent Lot to him to warn him to comfort him God remembred Rachel and gave her a Joseph God remembred Hannah and made her fruitfull God remembers our wants and supplyes them our friends and requites them our enemies and plagues them nay our very cattle and preserves them God did not only remember Noah in the Ark but he remembred every living thing and all the cattle God chides Jonah for being angry for the losse of his gourd upon this account Thou hadst pity on the gourd c. and should not I spare Nineveâ— that great City wherein there are so many children and also much cattle Doth God remember and take care for oxen and will he not much more remember his people No saith the Lord I cannot Can a woman forget her sucking childe that she should not have compassion on the Son of her wombe Yea they may forget Yet will not I forget thee saith the Lord of his people A Mother may break the bonds of Nature but I cannot break the bonds of my Covenant Why so Because I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands I may as soon forget my self as forget thee thy walls are ever before me Now that which is continually before us we well remember Will not God forget us And shall not we use all means that we may remember him Rather then fail chalk up his loving kindnesses 2. We never shewed any love to God in our lives but he remembers it I remember saith God to Israel the kindnesse of thy youth the love of thine espousals Sarah spake but one good word in that foolish fit of her unbelief when she laught and slighted the promise of a Son she call'd her Husband Lord After I am waxen old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also This one good word is not forgotten but set down in a book by the hand of Peter Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. Not a prayer made nor a tear shed but he hath a book for the one and a bottle for the other rather then they should be lost Put thou my tears into thy bottle O Lord saith the Psalmist are they not in thy book If Gods people meet together and pray and speak often one to another he hearkens and hears that is he doth most diligently attend to all
Aegypt so we at the administration of the other might remember Christ by whom we are saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us This Supper is not onely a representing a sealing and a conveying signe but a commemorative signe Do this in remembrance of me saith Christ There is no Gospell-ordinance whether prayer reading or hearing of the Word but there is such mention made of Christ as we ought to remember him But this ordinance of the Supper hath this signall note of excellency stamped upon it above all a speciall charge from Christ to remember him when that is administred Do this in remembrance of me for as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew that is ye make a commenoration of the Lords death till he come Sometimes that we may come to the subject matter intended God appointed Records and Registers of his mercies Histories and Journalls of the noble acts and loving kindnesses of the Lord to his people to be kept and conveyed to posterity that the generations to come might know them even the children that should be born who should arise and declare them to their children Thus the Lord commanded that the History of Amalek should be written in a Book their malice and Gods mercy their war and overthrow and it must be rehearsed to posterity that it might never be forgotten What this Book was we shall not much enquire Some say it was the Book of Jasher mentioned Josh chap. 10. which was a Chronicle of the acts of the people of the Lord which is lost Some say it was the Book of the Judges Some say it was a Book of the Battails of the Lord mentioned Numb 21. 14. Others and that most probably that it was no other but this Book of Exodus Junius and Calvin But why this History must be written in a Book is more worthy of our inquiry and more sutable to our purpose And the reasons may be these two 1. That a thankfull remembrance of so great a deliverance from so malicious an enemy might be continued in the generations following 2. That the people of God knowing what sentence was denounced against Amalek which should be executed in due time as it was in the Reign of Saul might be the better encouraged to fight against them and through faith expect the victory over them And thus in this Chapter God would have the Journals of the people of Israel from Aegypt to the Land of Canaan recorded that the great things God had done for them by the way might not be forgotten for so it is said in the Text. Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandement of the Lord. In this Chapter two parts are observable 1. An Israelitish Journall is recorded from vers 1 to v. 50. 2. A direction is given them concerning their proceedings in and with the Land of Canaan Which is threefold 1. That they should cast out the inhabitants v. 52 53. 2. That they should destroy their idols v. 52. 3. That they should divide the Land amongst them by lot v. 54. The two former whereof are seconded with a most sharp threatning that if they did not punctually observe Gods command therein 1. For the present that people should prove a continuall snare unto them 2. For the future what God had intended to these their enemies should fall upon their own heads all this to the end of the ch In the Israelitish Journall two things are to be considered 1. The duty is in generall propounded v. 1 2. 2. You have an Historicall enumeration of their severall Journeys in v. 2. In which three things are to be noted 1. The matter that stands upon record and that is their journeys according to their goings out 2. The Scribe that recorded them and that was Moses Moses wrote c. 3. The authority by which he did it and that was the commandement of the Lord he had very good warrant for what he did The first of these namely the matter that stands upon record their journeys is that which I shall principally take notice of In which Journall this is observable That there is not onely a particular relation of the place from which and the place to which they journeyed as from Rameses to Succoth c. but also a singular mention is made of all the great passages of Gods good hand of providence over them together with their murmurings and rebellions by which they provoked him All which are in this ch implyed and some particulars are expressed as you may finde v. 9 14 38 40. This ch being but a short Epitome or abridgement of the whole History So that in the Israelitish Journall you shall finde how here God gave them bread from heaven there water out of the rock in one place he delivered them from the violence of the mighty waters in another from the fury of their potent enemies Now he saved them from the cruelty of the Aegyptians at another time from the malice of the Amalekites and soon after from the sting of the fiery Serpents To day he gives them Manna and Quails good food for their hungry bodies to morrow he delivers them his Law with many divine ordinances and statutes for the good of their souls In all their goings out he afforded them plentifull pledges of his care of them bounty to them and patience towards them Who notwithstanding the many grievous sins by which they provoked him being full of compassion forgave their iniquities and destroyed them not yea many a time he turned away his anger and did not stir up all his wrath for he remembred that they were but flesh c. By this time we are come to the Observation that is intended and may hence be collected and that is this To keep a Journall or Diary by us especially of all Gods gracious dealings with us is a work for a Christian of singular use I say of Gods gracious dealings with us in a more especiall manner because it is good also to observe and keep a good account of the severall occurrences of the Times we meet with as they have reference to the Countrey and Nation we live in It is good to keep an History a Register a Diary an Annales not onely of the places in which we have lived but of the mercies that have been bestowed on us continued to us all our dayes This was the practice of David the Servant of the Lord who made a Psalm and Song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul Moses writes his Book called Deuteronomy which is nothing else but a repetition of the Journeys of the people of Israel and the great things God had done for them in their goings out to that day There was scarce any thing in Israel but was typicall their Meats their Drinks their Mannâ— their water out of
condition is sometimes the safest Iob on the dunghill speeds better then Adam in Paradise David with his sling and his stone hath better successe against Goliah then he could have expected in Saul's brave armour which he had not proved And I am sure a poor man on foot may get to heaven as soon as the rich on horseback God grant I may go to heaven on foot saith good Mr. Welsh when he saw the Bishop of London ride in all state to the Court I have seen a great Lord in his Coach drawn with six horses stayed at the turning of a street either by a Carman or a Colliar when many a poor man on foot hath slips by and got safe home We are apt to think those men that have most wealth are of best worth and we usually call them the best men of the Parish and our betters Like ignorant people that judge those Luminaries of heaven as the Sun and Moon to be the greatest because the lowest when stellae prime magnitudinis seem lesse but are not because higher The things of this world are such as commonly the best want them and the worst have them and they are often reserved for their owners to their hurt Dantur bonis ne videantur mala dantur malis ne videantur summa bona They are sometimes given to good men lest they should seem evil sometimes to wicked men left they should seem the chiefest good things Some have lost their fingers for their gold rings some their lives for their purses others their souls for their mammon Many Papists in the Parisian Massacre were butchered with the Protestants for their wealth which made them Naboth's vineyard was his greatest â—aulâ— not blasphemy against God and the King It was his land that cost him his life Sir Iohn Cornwall Lord Fanhope at his death dâ—rst say that not himselfe but his brave house at Ampthel was guilty of treason Soâ—in told Croesus when he shewed him his great â—reasure of gold If your enemies Iron be better then yours he will carry away all your gold and so it fell out afterward Silver and gold I have none saith Peter to the â—ame man All these things will I give thee faith the Devil to Christ If these things were so very good as the world judgeth them to be Peter should not have wanted them nor would the Devil ever have offered them In sublimitate metus in mediocritate quiet A mean condition hath safety when high places are full of fears The poor of the Land of Judea are spared by Nebuchad-â—ezzar and left behinde to till the land when Zedekiah the King had his eyes put out his Princes slain with the sword and the wealthy carried into captivity Medioâ—ria firma a middle estate betwixt poverty and riches food convenient for us which the Wiâ—e man prayed for is the more secure when excesse hath danger Which made Scipio Africanus say when he was required to joyn with the Priest who prayed for more encrease to the Romane State No our State is rich enough I will rather pray the gods to keep and continue what we have How many when they have found theâ— blood too rank have been at the charâ— with a Chirurgeon to let some out However God deal with you whether he give you more or lesse it will be your wisdome to hold these three conclusionâ— Fast 1. Conclude that if God did see you 〈◊〉 to use more he could and would afford more Are you straightned in outwarâ— comforts It is not because there is anâ— want in God the want is rather in youâ— selves So much God told David by Nâ—than the Prophet I anointed thee to be Kiâ—â— over Israel and delivered thee from the hand 〈◊〉 Saul and I gave thee thy Masters house and 〈◊〉 Masters wives into thy bosome and gave thee 〈◊〉 house of Israel and Judah and if that had beeâ— too little I would moreover have given thee 〈◊〉 and such things He saith to every childe of his as Ephron the Hittite said to Abrahaâ— when he came to buy the field and the caâ—â— in Machpelah to bury his dead in The lanâ— is worth 400 shekels but what is that betwiâ— thee and me What are riches and honour and peace and liberty They are indeed oâ— great value but they are little betwixt yoâ— and me who am a great God and have given you my Son and can there be any limits in that love any bounds or bottomâ— in that bounty I am a great God and can do more for you then you can ask or think and that exceeding abundantly When one and he a poor man asked Alexander a penny he told him it was too little for him to give whereupon he asked a talent he then told him it was too much for him to beg But of God we may say he loves to give above our petitions yea our thoughts and that very bountifully Jacob confessed so much to â—oseph I had not thought to have seen thy face and loe God hath shewed me also thy â—eed 2. Conclude that it is a rich mercy when your mindes are conformable to your means and should your means come up to your mindes it might be a misery In every estate to be content requires not an ordinary measure of grace St. Paul attained to it but he had learned so to do It is an hard lesson we had need to take out that lesson betimes Yea it is hard to learn to be contented to be full and to abound for commonly they that have most are the most discontented persons and the more they have the more they would have He that loveth silver saith Solomon shall not be satisfied with silver and he that loveth abundance with encrease Whence one told Alexander that had he the Eastern Empire in one hand and the Western in another he would not be contented Whereas on the other side Diogenes the Cynicke housed in his tub and making even with his victuals and the day together being invited to a great feast could say I had rather lick salt at Athens then feast with Craterus It is â—â—ported of one of the old Philosophen that when he saw a Prince going by with the greatest pomp and state that might be he said to some about him See how many things I have no need of He that hath food and rayment and is therewith content may say with Cato as Aulus Gelliâ— reports of him Si quid est quo utar â—toâ— si non scio quis sum mihi vitio vertunt quiâ— multis egeo ego illis quia nequeunt egere I have neither house nor plate nor garments of price in my hands what I have I can use if not I can want it Some blame me because I want many things and I blame them because they cannot want And it is not strange that herein a Heathen should go beyond a Christian 3. Conclude that God hath many wayes to throw
friends venture upon Christ for health but when Christ saw their faith by which they brake through all difficulties for they would uncover the roof of the house where he was rather then not come to him he gave him health and the pardon of his sins too which was more then they came for The Prodigal son ventures far upon his Fathers love yet craves no more but the place of an hired servant but he is entertained as a Son he is clad with the best robe and fed with the fatted Calfe he hath a Ring for his hand and Shooes for his feet very rich supplies not only for necessity but sober delight which was more then he desired Jacobs sons venture into Egypt for Corn in a time of Famine and they return with Corn and Money in their sacks yea with very good news at last Joseph is alive and Governour of all Egypt Even thus it is with a believer that can in a straight venture upon God in Christ according to a promise his returns are often above his ventures Faith is the greatest gathergood in the world for it is not only according to our faith but often abo ve our faith When the prayers offai th are answered mercies are multiplyed When Solomon through faith beg'd of God for a wise and understanding heart by which he might be able to judge his people God gave him wisdome and moreover riches and honour more then any King had before him or should have after him so that his returne was far above his venture Are these things so what an happy condition are they in then that believe in the name of the Lord Jesus and who would not upon these terms make it good to their own souls that they have obtained this precious grace of Faith And that they have this grace I know no better evidence then this That they have high thoughts of it and set a great price upon it Now undoubtedly such as have a true esteem of faith will improve all times and talents will imploy all means for the service of their faith that they may abound therein And what better means can be used for the advancement of faith in the growth and strength of it then a rich treasure of experience every experiment of Gods favour to us being a good prop for our faith for the future Thou breakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces saith the Psalmist and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wildernesse that is Thou O Lord didst overthrow Pharaoh and his Host in the Red-sea which experiment of thy power and goodnesse was as meat to the people in the Wildernesse which might uphold their hearts in the midst of those many evils that were either feared by them or inflited on them in that vast and howling desert God hath and doth and will is the language and should be the constant tone of faith amongst all the Saints of God So did Jacob plead with God when he was ready to meet with his brother Esau With my staffe I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau So did David argue before Saul I slew the Lion and the Bear and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them So did aged Paul reason I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion and the Lord shall deliver me from every evill work and will preserve me unto his heavenly Kingdome to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Now doubtless such as will be well stored with such a treasure of experiments had need keep a constant Diary by them of all Gods gracious dealings with them To commend which duty to such as desire to grow in this grace of Faith and abound therein with thanksgiving is Right Honorable the main scope of this present Subject which I have taken the boldness to dedicate to your Honors and do humbly pray that it may passe abroad under your Name and Patronage If any aske why I trouble the Presse that in these dayes is so opprest with a glut of Books I answer that it was not out of any vain humor of mine to appear in Publick who am so far privy to mine own wants and weaknesses that I may truly say not onely as St. Paul I am lesse then the least of all Saints but as Ignatius once said of himself Non sum dignus dici minimus I am not worthy to be called the least So that I could never judge my self able to write any thing that might endure the test of your judicious eyes or the censure of this criticall age But indeed that which principally hinted to this service was partly a desire I had to promote a common good being very confident that such Christians who walk much with God and observe him in the wayes of his Providence may be provoked to this duty and reap much good thereby For without doubt this work here commended is very usefull though the duty be seldome practised because the subject is rarely handled It is as untroden a path as ever I have gone who have had scarce a little day hole of light to direct me much lesse a Cloud of witnesses or a Pillar of fire or a Star to guide me Partly and indeed that which chiefly incouraged me hereunto was the memory of those great favours which I have received from both your Honors the one my most Noble Patron Qui curat oves oviumque Magistros A true friend to the Church of God and the Ministers of it The other my most bountifull Benefactor Nor would I give your Honors thanks in aurem vel in angulo but so publickly that I may have as many eye-witnesses of my hearty acknowledgement of your goodness as there may be courteous Readers of this Book And do presnme that if your Honors will be pleased to throw away an hour or two in the perusall of these lines you may be hence encouraged more and more to observe God in the wayes of his providence and keep some memorials by you of his goodnesse to you and yours which may much encrease your faith in him enlarge your love to him and fortifie your hearts against the evils of these times Confidius a Senator of Rome one day boldly told Caesar That the Senators durst not come to Councell for fear of his Souldiers He replyed Why then doest thou goe to the Senate He answered Because my age takes away my fear Antient Christians should be very bold and couragious in evill days because they are or should be stored with much experience which will much encrease their faith and abate their fears God in rich mercy to you and many others hath added to your lives many daies and your hoary heads are a crown of glory to you being found in the way of righteousness and therefore you are by this time I hope above the fears and flatteries
mighty Gâ—ant But if Goliah will go out against Dâ—vid with a sword and a spear trusting onelâ— to his own strength he shall fall Moses hâ— a great charge to go to Pharaoh and to brinâ— the people of Israel out of the Land of Aegâ— and how oft doth he through unbelief cavâ— at that call as unfit for that service sevâ— or eight times he replyes upon God as unwilling because unfit to go But througâ— Gods most gracious assistance he finished thâ— work to the glory of God the comfort 〈◊〉 his people and the shame of that proâ— enemy aad this is recorded I have fougâ— the fight saith St. Paul I have finished 〈◊〉 course I have kept the faith and this is wriâ—ten down in a book Secondly assistance in withstanding viâ—lent temptations in undergoing heavy buâ— thens and conflicting with sundry evilâ— should not be forgotten There is a timâ— when Kings go not forth to War but no â—ime wherein Christians have not some comâ—ate with temptations but God either preâ—ants them or assists us in them and makes â—s victors over them and gainers by them It is written of St. Augustine that after his conversion to the Faith he was much vexed with inward conflicts and after long strugâ—ing with them in the use of means and not prevailing as he desired he heard a voyce saying to him In te stas non stas whereby apprehending that the way to fall was to stand in his owne strength by faith in prayer he did fly unto God in Christ and his tree grace and so obtained victory At my first answer saith St. Paul no man stood by me all forsook me I pray God it be not laid to their charge But God stood by me and strengthned me and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion And indeed at such a time a gracious heart can better bear Gods stroke then endure his absence St. Paul makes speciall mention of this Faith is the gift of God and amongst many singular benefits that we have by that grace this is not the least It hath a singular dexterity in helping the heart at a sudden pinch in mustering up spirituall and those present forces against an unexpected temptation A lively faith is the best leaver at a dead lift See it in the case of Joseph fiercely and unexpectedly assaulted by his beastly Mistris Many arguments are brought in of a sudden by which he is fenced so impregnably against her sollicitations that he comes off more then a conqueror 1. It is a sin saith he against the great â—rust my Master hath in me He hath committed all into my hand c. 2. It is a sin against my place and dignity There is none greater in the house then I. 3. It is a sin against my Masters interest You are his wife 4. It is a wickednesse a great wickednesse against God The like you shall read of David who when he was reviled by Shimei with those words Come out thou bloody man thou man of Belial c. which so far provoked Abisha and edged his spirit against him that he could hardly hold his hands yet bare all patiently being armed against such an assault Three arguments are suddenly mustred up by Faith by which he comes off with victory 1. My Son rebels and he is more violent against me My Servant takes away my good name my Son would not only take the crown from my head but my head from my shoulders 2. The Lord hath bidden him curse me and therefore let him alone 3. The Lord will look on me and not onely do me good by this but for this affliction It is good to set down every affliction we have met with in our time and to observe Gods carriage towards us in them with the benefit we receive from them 3. Remember and for that end put into your Journal all deliverances from dangers vouchsafed to you or yours And indeed what is our whole life but a continued deliverance We are daily delivered either from the violence of the creature or the rage of men or the treachery of our own hearts either our houses are freed from firing or goods from plundering or our bodies from danger or our names from reproaches or our souls from snares This being the difference betwixt a gracious and a gracelesse heart a godly man is delivered a wicked man is but reserved God knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished Jacob is delivered from the treachery of his Uncle Laban at one time and from the fury of his Brother at another both are remembred David is delivered from the paw of the Bear and the mouth of a Lion both of them are mentioned before Saul Jeremiah cannot forget the dungeon out of which he was saved nor Daniel the Lions den out of which he escaped nor Jonah the Whales belly out of which he was delivered Read their Prophesies and you shal finde the stories Mr. Beza in his last Will bequeaths thanks unto God that being infected with the plague at Lusanna and aspersed by his enemies with grievous calumnies God delivered him from both 2. That being tossed up and down in the first Civill wars of France for many moneths God had preserved him from six hundred dangers Our deliverances are more then we can number greater then we can value Who so is wise and will observe them even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Every night God setteth his watch about us and every day he commands his Angels to pitch their tents for our safeguard And alas what is all our care and prudence without his watchful eye of providence over us Except the Lord keep the City the watchman waketh but in vain When Noah and all his train went into the Ark it is said the Lord shut him in It is good to open the dore in the morning and to shut the dore in the evening by prayer pray when we open them that God would dwel with us and when we lock up our dores that God would shut us in otherwise we cannot be safe Take but a little notice of the preservation of our children nay but of one childe and you will say that all our care is nothing without his watchfull eye I will give you a memorable instance of a Childes deliverance who whilest divers in the family with many other friends were met together to fast and pray went out to a pond very much frozen for it was in an hard cold Winter either to slide or to whip his top I remember not which where two holes were made in the ice for the safety of the fish and the taking up of water into one of these he fell up to the arm-holes the childe was soon mist and search being made he was found there Had the hole been wider or he not spread out his arms or he not
totalis of all our comforts The Grecians set the summa totalis of their bills of accompt in the top of the page as we do in the bottome Christ and riches Christ and honors Christ and liberty is the totall sum of all we enjoy Let us make Jesus Christ our Generalissimo Commander in chief Primate Supreme All in all set him above all 1. Above all comforts and outward contents Like those brave Germane Ladies in a fiege who when the Emperor at the surrender of the Town gave them liberty to carry with them what they could but excepted the men who were to stand to his mercy left all their gold and silver with their rich jewels and took up their Husbands and carryed them out with them Let us leave all so we may enjoy Christ Let Ziba have all saith Mephibosheth to David so that the King return Let the men of the world have all the wealth though we be impoverished let them have all the honour and friends though we be disgraced and forsaken so Jesus Christ may rule in us and rejoyce over us and be all in all to us 2. Set Jesus Christ above all the men and means of any good Men are apt to make idols of such as have been instruments of their outward peace and happinesse Christ will admit of no corrivals he will be all or none When Tiberius the Emperour of Rome sent to the Senate and required that the Image of Christ might be set up in the Capitoll they returned this answer from their Priests that if he were set up all the other Images of their gods must down if Jesus Christ be set up all our Idols must fall our Dagons will fall before the Ark. 3. Set Jesus Christ above all your duties parts gifts and abilities Your selfishnesse proves often your greatest prejudice Like the viper in Paul's bundle of sticks which he brought in to make a fire and warm his fingers with would sting you to death did not God in mercy prevent the mischief If you compose your selves with such sparks you shall lie down in sorrow if God be not more gracious to you In all your duties therefore it is best to do as Joaâ— did when he had won Rabbuh he sent to David to take the Crown and good reason for all the men and means the money and ammunition were David's So here all your sufficiency is from Christ you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you Let him therefore go away with the Crown Be not like proud Haman whom nothing could content but the royall apparell the royall horse and crown Christ will part with any thing to you but his crown but his glory take heed of usurping that What part or member of the body soever is used in getting the victory by the consent of all the head is crowned However you speed let Christ have the crown When Caesar and Bibulus were Consuls Caesar did all Bibulus did nothing being over-awed by Caesar whereupon the Wits of Rome would in jest subscribe their Letters Julio Caesare consulibus Do you so if through the grace of Christ you can bear afflictions patiently perform duties fruitfully pray with heart confesse with sorrow beg with life hear with fruit say we can do all things by Jesus Christ assisting us â— Observe how all good things are 〈◊〉 upon you continued to you by the Promise certainly All providences to a grâ—cious heart are but as so many fulfillings of promises Carnall men have nothing but by common providence but whatever this man hath he enjoys by speciall promise so that his peace is the peace of promise his liberty the liberty of promise his deliverance the deliverance of promise Labour therefore to see every comfort you have 〈◊〉 in your Journal conveyed to you in and by a promise Thus did Joshua who when the people were setled in the Land of 〈◊〉 told them that they knew in their 〈◊〉 and souls that not one thing had failed of all the good things which the Lord their God had spake concerning them all was come to passe It is good to observe how Gods judgements are executed upon transgressors according to his Word and to say as Jehu did when the fiercenesse of Gods wrath was poured out upon Ahab and Jiâ—â—hel This is the burthen that the Lord laid upon him and this is the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah the Tishbitâ— When we see Adâ—ltâ—rers brought to shame and a morsel of â—â—â—ad say This is according to the Word of thâ— Lord who hath said Whoremongers 〈◊〉 adulterers God will judge When ye see swearers and blasphemers and perjured persons punished with a stroke from heaven say This day is this Scripture fulfilled in our eyes God will not hold them guiltlesse that take his name â—vain But it is far more comfortable to see all good things bestowed according to a promise and to be able to say as David Thou hast dealt well with thy servant O Lord according to thy Word So did Solomon when he sate upon the throne of his Father David Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath fulfilled with his hand that which he spake with his mouth And again in the same prayer The Lord hath performed his word that he hath spoken for I am risen up in the room of my Father David and am set on the throne of Israel as the Lord hath promised We talk much of Providences and indeed we are apt to make Providences to serve our turns as Jonah though a Prophet and a good man when he was sent to Nineveh and not willing to go upon that Embassage but to Joppa and finding a ship going to Tarshish Oh surely thought he here 's a providence God would have me now go rather to Tarshish so providence leads me and indeed this is a great part of the Religion of our time here was a providence and there was a providence yea a continned series of providentiall actings but no man asks Where is the Precept requiring or the Promise encouraging He that walks by common providence without a speciall Precept to guide him or singular Promise to comfort him walks by a dark 〈◊〉 and will finde that his successes will prove but pitfalls in the conclusion and will â—â—ll short of an happy issue according to that saying Careat successibus opto Quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putat But let every wise man observe how his successefull proceedings are fruits of a Promise So did the Virgin Mary God hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy as he spoke to our Forefathers Abraham and his seed for ever So did Zachariah God hath raised up for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 born of salvation in the house of his servant David as he spake by the mouth of his holy 〈◊〉 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate
yet making many rich as having nothing yet possessing all things as sorrowing yet alwayes rejoycing I can take more content in my tears then they in their dayes of jollity Have they health peace liberty money I am more in comforts more singular in promises more abundant God deals with his and the world as Joseph dealt with his Brethren their sacks were all fill'd and their money put into their sacks But Benjamin shall have the silver cup which proved a pledge of love at the last All are bountifully feasted but Benjamin's messe is best God is good to all but his owne shal have something over and above riches and the God of riches honour liberty health and a good right to them with a gracious use of them which the world never had And not onely so but in that salvation wrought for mankinde by the death of Jesus Christ Gods owne people have something more then others according to that of the Apostle He is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe He saves all that is from that inevitable ruine the sin of Adam had involved them in and making them salvable upon conditions of another covenant so that now salvation is not impossible as it was before Christ but may be offered to any man even the Jailor a boysterous bloody fellow upon condition of believing according to the tenor of that commission He that believeth shall be saved So that a speciall salvation is afforded to believers Christ was a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2. 6. but the Saviour onely of his body Eph. 5. 23. He redeemed all from present ruine but called and justified and glorified onely whom he knew before and had predestinated to be conformed to his Image He saves none thus but those for whom he prayed and he prayed not for the world 2. Such even in those outward enjoyments have something more singular then the world that little that a righteous man hath is better then the great revenues of the wicked their wealth is better their liberty better their honor better their peace better then other mens For they have these things mercy with them and a blessing upon them They have these things as by the same covenant so with the same love that they enjoy Jesus Christ and a little blessed is better then a world enjoyed It is said of Isaac that he sowed his ground and received an hundred sold and the Lord blessed him He waxed great and grew on till he became very great but the Lord was with him and blessed him Others have a bit and a whip a crust and knock rich and reprobate honorable and damned Abundance and go ye cursed at the last A little in mercy is abundance and abundance with blessing is Gods plenty And indeed he that can blesse a little can blast a great deal If Cain till the ground and sow his seed the earth is cursed to him it shall not bâ—ing sorth or yeeld to him her strength Hence the word in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both bounty and blessing and indeed that is truely bounty that is thus blessed Rom. 15. 29. 1 Cor. 10. 16. 2 Cor. 9. 5. 3. God ever gives to his owne satisfying mercies contenting goodnesse No man but a childe of God could ever truely say as Jacob did I have enough Joseph is alive My redeemer liveth There is much difference between the men of Gods hand that are the men of this world and the men of his heart and there is as great a difference betwixt the â—â—lâ—ing of the belly and the satisfying of the â—oul Thou fillest their bellies saith David speaking of the men that are his hand with 〈◊〉 â—id treasure but as for me I will behold thy 〈◊〉 in righteousnesse I shall be satisfied when I â—wake with thy likenesse These outward things to the world is but a belly-â—ull and how soon is the belly emptyed but they â—hat hunger and thirst after righteousnesse shall be satisfied God gives the world the worlds goods but not the Saints goodnesse He gives the world as sometimes he did to Israel their request but sends leannesse into the soul a fat purse and a fat heart a whole estate and a whole heart a fat body and a â—ean soul but he deals better with his own he fulfils the desires of them that fear him If he afflict them he sanctifies their afflictions or they are not satisfied If he give to them he gives them all things that concern life and godlinesse or they are not satisfied If he forgive them he forgives all their iniquities and remembers their sin no more or they are not satisfied Hence it is observable that the Saints of God in the Old Testament are ever mentioned in the Gospel with honor but their faults and failings never remembred Ye have heard of the patience of Job saith James so have we read something of his impatience but that is quite forgotten Ye have read of the Faith of Abraham of the Grief of Lot for the David the Wisdome of Solomon c. 〈◊〉 their sins are not remembred in the Gospel On the contrary those wicked ones whosâ— names are recorded in the Old Testament are never mentioned in the New Testament but with some blot as Cain who was of that wicked one Ismael the persecuter Esaâ— the profane Balaam the covetous Corah the Gainsayer c. But what saith the Lord of these In those dayes and at that time the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be found for I will pardon them whom I reserve 5. Take great heed that the want of some one thing do not rob you of the comfort of all the mercies that you enjoy besides For such is the perversnesse and waywardnesse of mans nature that though some have had more have more and look to enjoy more then they can either want or wish for yet they are more troubled with the sense of one want then they are comforted in or thankful for all they have This was not onely the fault of Aâ—ab whom not the royalties of the Kingdome nor the Cities he had built nor the Ivory house that he had made would content and comfort unlesse he might have Naboth's vineyard also which was denyed him Nor was this the fault of Haman alone who though he did what he listed and had what he pleased under the favour of his royall Master yet lost the comfort of all because 〈◊〉 would not bow What avails all saith he so long as I see Mordecai sitting in the Kings gate but it was the fault of good â—achel that was able to wrestle with God who though she had what a loving Husband could afford her yet would die of the â—ullens because she had no Son Yea even Abraham as some think failed in this who brake out
burn me I will thank her So a gracious heart will say If the Lord give me health or sicknesse I will thank him if I have much or little I will thank him if I live or dye I will thank him Ecclesiastical Histories report this of one Servulus who for a long time was grievously afflicted with the Palfie his life was a lingring death whose daily and ordinary speech was God be thanked 3. Blesse God every day wherein he hath kept you from scandall It is our misery that our hearts are so vile but it is Gods mercy that they break not out continually to his dishonor and the offence of brethren that he sets bounds to those waves of our unruly lusts and saith Hitherto and no further Esteem any condition better then a sinfull and choose rather to suffer the worst then sin in the least Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God and who meet with more sorrows then they then enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season And where might he satisfie his lust more to the full then in the Court of a King Socraâ—â— had so vile an esteem of sin that he thought it would be one of the greatest torments in hell to be given up to those sins that men most delighted in Major sâ—â—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natus saith SeÌ„neca quam ut sun 〈◊〉 corporâ—â— mei I am greater and born to greater things then to be a slave or drudge to my body Say to the Tempter as Joseph to his Mistris There is none greater in the house then I and shall I then commit this great wickednesse Or as Nehemiah Shall such a man as I flee Shall such a man as I be drunk or deal unjustly or break my oath These sons of Zerviah are sometimes too hard for us These unruly corruptions sometimes prevail over us Our darling fin like 〈◊〉 daughter comes out with timbrels and dances with many pretty smiles and subtle reasons and sometimes overcomes in and brings us low and troubles us We all run in a race how few get to the goal without a fall by the way There are two things that I desire daily to make the matter not only of my praise but admiration And the first is that God hath preserved from the beginning to this day a little flock of sheep amongst a world of Wolves and Lions and Bears that are set on mischief And the second is that God maintains a little grace in life in the midst of so much corruption that the heart is poysoned with a little faith and a little humility in the midst of so much unbelief and pride The reason why the Church is not wasted is because the Lord is their God why this grace is not overwhelmed and that our corruption breaks not out every moment into most notorious scandallâ— is because the corruption is ours but the grace is the Lords Hath God kept you therefore any day that your heels have not been tript up Forget not to blesse him for such a mercy A notable example of such a thankful spirit we have in David who by the humble and prudent counsel of Abigail being stayed from imbruing his hands in the blood of Nabal and his family blessed God and her that he was prevented Blessed be the Lord God of Israel saith he to her which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou that hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging my self with mine own hand c. In every affliction forget not to blesse God for this It is mine affliction not my fin What ever the crosse be it might have been worse for it might have been my fin Blesse God that either prevented the temptation as he did for David or assisted in the temptation as he did Joseph who left his garment but kept his chastity and chose rather to suffer then to sin 4. Blesse God not onely for what you have and for what you want but for what you hope to have All is not come that is â—â—â—miâ—ed by the Father all is not come that is merited by the Son nor is all come that 〈◊〉 assured to yon by the Holy Ghost the best iâ—â—et to come Here joy enters into us there we shall enter into joy Here are promises there performances Here is faith there is fruition Here we enjoy God mediately there immediately In heaven there is a Kingdome without cares a throne without a thorn greatnesse of state without corruption of manners a treasure without moâ—â—s honour without envy joy without â—â—ars love without jealousie and dayes without end A devout Pilgrim travelling to Jerusalem and by the way visiting many brave Cities with their rare monuments and meeting with many friendly entertainments would often say I must not stay here this is not Jerusalem So do you in the midst of all the delicates that the world can afford you not onely with variety but plenty say still of every one of them This is not Jerusalem This is not heaven these are but tents and tabernacles all no better then moveables our mansions are in heaven where we shall abide for ever But would you be thankfull 〈◊〉 heaven and do you long to be there â—e truly thankfull then for Jesus Christ It is Christ that makes heaven to be heaven He that cannot be thankfull for Jesus Christ cannot be thankfull for heaven nay would not go to heaven at the last A wicked man at the day of Judgement might he have his choyce would not go to heaven Dives in hell torments when he discoursed with Abraham afar off did not desire to go to Abraham but prayed that Lazarus might come to him he cared more for â—ase then heaven nor did he desire that his five Brethren should go to heaven but that one might be sent to them to testifie to them that they might not come into the place of torment For certainly they that could not endure the presence of Christ with his servants in his ordinances will have no desire to be with him in all his glory In the last place because you may your selves come very far short of what you should do in this great duty of thankfulness declare to others as occasion is offered what the Lord hath done for you that they may blesse God with you It is an argument of an ingenuous spirit to acknowledge the courtefies of a friend non amotis arbitris sed clarè ut audiat hospes not in private but in the presence of others Much more is it an argument of a gracious heart to speak of the loving kindnesse of the Lord before many witnesses that they may be provoked also to blesse God David was of this mind I have not hid thy righteousnesse O Lord within my heart I have declared thy faithfulnesse and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving kindnesse and thy truth from the great