and as Macrobius out of Plato observeth Sâ—mn Scip. l. 1. cap. 6. though the four Elements be divers and have opposite qualities and so are at odds one with another yet God in his wisdom hath so order'd it that every one of the four Elements have two qualities and so although with one they fight against each other yet by the other they are linked together to a likeness and consistency as water being cold and moist and the Earth cold and dry though in moisture and driness they are opposite yet both agree in coldness and so in the rest of the Elements ut per tam jugabilem competentiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foederari possint so and much rather in the Body of Christ though there be much variety in the members and that if not better looked to may be occasion of too much opposition yet in that they are by one spirit united unto one head and by reason of many other ties and ligaments they have much more to unite and keep them together than there can be to disunite and pluck and keep them asunder It should make us do our utmost to endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace But because it 's the God of Peace and Love who only can make us to endeavour and then make our endeavours successful to so glorious an end and because he may be sooner intreated than froward man be perswaded I end this particular with Noahs wish and prayer Gen. 9. 27. The Lord perswade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem that our many Sects and Schisms being abandoned and all our rents and breaches made up once at last our Jerusalem may be builded as a City that is compacted together even a Psal 122. 3. Isa 33. 20. quiet habitation a Tabernacle that neither shall be taken down nor any of the Cords thereof broken SERMON X. ON PHILIPPIANS 3. 5 6. THIS is the first Particular which from these words As Touching the Law or the Sect I was of a Pharisee That it is not the being of any Sect or Party that commends us to God or is to be rested in no not though never so learned for such was that of the Pharisees who had their name of Pharisees from their greater skill in explaining the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Josephus expresseth it and therefore were accounted De bello Judaico l. 1. c. 4. amongst their chief Doctors and opposed to the rude ignorant multitude as John 7. 49. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him But this people who knoweth not the Law are cursed The Jewish Jesuits I called them as for their pretence of greater sanctity so for their either real or pretended knowledge and learning above others And Paul had been one of these and if you consider what is said of him in Scripture or what even Porphyrie thought of him or what he speaks of himself Gal. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he profited in the Jews Religion that is as some expound it in the study and knowledge of the Law and Jewish In Judaicae Religionis notitiâ sive legis studio Grotius Religion above many his equals in his own Nation that he was * Acts 22. 3. 5. 34. brought up at the feet of Gamaliel the great Doctor of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 institutus accuratè as the Tigurine rendreth it most exactly instructed in the Law of his Fathers yea and in other humane literature above all the rest of the Apostles as his disputes and writings testifie I say If you consider all this you will conclude that as he was a Pharisee so one of the highest form amongst them for parts and sufficiencies And therefore when he was but a young man made use of by them as a fit Act. 9. 1 2 3 14. 22. 5. 26. 10 12. and choice instrument for their purpose And yet though he was a Pharisee and such a Pharisee both for his Order and his personal accomplishments so knowing and eminently learned yet this he valueth not himself by nor rests in but counts it also loss and dung that he might gain Christ Whence This Note ariseth That it is not our greatest parts or learning Note 2. either natural or acquired abilities that can so commend us to God that we may rest in them but they also are loss and dung in comparison of Christ and are so to be accounted by us that we may gain Christ And of this now I cannot say as I did of the former that it is of little or no worth No. Next under Christ and his Grace above all things in the World of greatest Excellency Solomon who had most of it can best tell us the true worth of it and he saith that Fools indeed despise wisdom and hate knowledge but Pro. 1. 7 22. he calls them fools for it But for his own judgment it 's positive that Wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excells darkness both Eccles 2. 13. in its own nature and for the admirable usefulness of it which the ignorant fool whilest in the dark perceiveth not but when he once cometh into the light is made sensible of as theâ— frantick or deadly sick man as long as such feels not his malady till he begin to recover out of sickness and madness and then he begins to discern the difference Scientia Deorum vita They accounted it the life of their Gods and it 's indeed a bright beam of heaven This transcendent worth of knowledge and learning learned men usually know too well whilst they little know themselves and therefore as the Apostles word is swell in pride and are puff'd 1 Cor. 8. 1. up with the conceit of it that like Saul they are higher by the head than all their Neighbours and so do tanquam ex alto despicere 1 Sam. 10. 23. all others as their underlings nay lift up themselves against Christ himself his Truth ways and Ordinances as poor low things too inferior for their Altitudes to stoop to A Psalm of David a dull piece to an Ode of Pindar A Believer an half-witted crackt brain Simplician To such Preachers as to the Athenians are but vain bablers Act. 17. 18. it's the foolishness of preaching and therefore they think they more wisely spend their 1 Cor. 1. 21. time in reading of a Book than in hearing of a Sermon Yea Christ himself though the Wisdom of God to the learned Greeks is no better than foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23. as to the Jews he was a stumbling block And therefore they thought their saying Have any of the wise Rulers or the learned Pharisees believed in him laid a sufficient block in the way for any that had wiâ— in their heads ever to have a purpose in their hearts to come to him And such thoughts it 's likely enough our learned Paul had of Christ whilst he continued a Pharisee
Believer's estimate there is but one main chief good and that 's to draw near to God and all other things are only good reductive as either they may be reduced to this or we led 1 Sam. 25. 8. Esther 8. 17. to God by them Some call it a good Time and the Scripture calls it a good Day that 's a day and time of feasting and rejoycing but if they be Festivals rather than Holy Days times in which we run a whoring from God rather than draw near to him account that day to thee the worst in the year in which thou runnest furthest from God and let that ever be accounted good Company and good Employment c. in and after which thy heart was most drawn out after God but if more deaded and straitned God and thy Soul more estranged by it either certainly it was bad in it self or at least unhappily it proved not good to thee If Jacob take a Wife of the Daughters of Heth what good will my life do me said Rebekah Gen. 27. 46. And what good will the goodliest Beauties and most delightful Objects in the World do thee if as the Daughters of Heth did Esau's so they draw off thine heart from God whom to draw near and keep close to is so good as nothing is good without it nothing so bad as that which comes most cross to it And this for direction of our Judgment in a right estimate of true goodness 2. Of our practice in our earnestest pursuit after our own happiness Let this Text It 's good for me to draw near and keep close to God be ever our Vade mecum to quicken us still and ever to draw nearer and cleave faster Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you saith the Apostle Jam. 4. 8. The Promise is very heartning that in these our approaches God as the Father to the Prodigal will meet us the half way but therefore it layeth a greater engagement upon us to mind the Duty Let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of Faith having our Hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience Heb. 10. 22. Happy that we may that such as whose unworthiness is such as their place is with the Publican to stand afar off and whose Guilt Luk. 18. 13. is such as with Cain may make them run from God may have liberty and boldness of access to draw near to God that the Exod. 3. 2. Bush should burn and not be consumed was not so great a Miracle as that such dry Stubble as we are should draw nigh to that God which is a consuming Fire and not perish in everlasting Burnings That Blood of Sprinkling which hath quenched the Fire of God's Wrath being sprinkled on us hath so cooled the inflammations of our wounded and afrighted Consciences that we with humble boldness may draw near We had need therefore look to it that we do And here now the faithful Soul breaths out the Psalmist's Prayer Lord cause me to know the way for I lift up my Soul unto Psal 143. 8. Psal 27. 8. thee Thou sayest unto me Seek ye my Face and my heart ecchoes back again Thy Face O Lord will I seek When thou callest to us Return ye back-sliding Children from our Souls we return this Answer Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Jer. 3. 22. Lord our God Thou hast fastned Cords of Love upon our Hearts thou hast savingly touched them that they strongly move towards thee they cleave to thee or they follow hard after thee as it is Psal 63. 8. But the distance between thee and us is great the obstacles many and the way hard we are to be found yet so to walk in it as by it to attain to these blessed Approaches and therefore here the main Query is in what way and by what means we may so draw near to thee as to cleave close and abide with thee for ever SERMON XXXI PSAL. 73. 28. III. Sermon Preacht at St. Maries Decemb 2. 1649. It is good for me to draw near to God THe best Prospect to take View of the Creature 's Beauty is at a greater Distance and in a transient Glance whilst nearer standing and longer looking discovers Blemishes and Deformities in choicest Beauties But Moses bids Israel stand still if they would see God's Salvation Here Juvat usque morari when gotten upon the Mount to a Glymps of this Transfiguration Peter thinks it's good to be here He was â—â—t well awake when he spake of making a Tabernacle he should have said a Mansion Which I hope will excuse my longer dwelling upon this Text which speaks of our drawing near to God with whom it 's best to abide for ever In two former Sermons I have â—â—deavoured to shew how Good how every way Good it is to draw near to God and that it might come the nearer to us I have endeavoured also to set it home in the Application Now as to that Question which in the Close of the last Discourse was but barely propounded viz. In and by what Way and Means we may draw near to God I say as to that Question when Thomas was stumbling on it our Saviour returns this full Answer John 14 5 6. I am the Way the Truth and the Life no Man cometh unto the Father but by me We come to God by Christ Heb. 7. 25. But of this before And therefore it now only remaineth to shew by what Means and after what Manner we may by Christ thus draw near to God And here let me Premise in general That 1. First it must be in due time according to that Isa 55. 6. Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near That Glorious God who in the perfection of his Essence and Majesty is at an infinit Distance from us and yet further removed by our sins is pleased so far to humble himself and stoop to us as graciously to look towards us and sometimes especially to draw very near to us as the Sun from on High in the Firmament by darting down his warm Light and inlivening Beams especially in his Summer-approaches In the Ministry of his Word God holds out his Hand Rom. 10. 21. and by the Inspirations of his Spirit he lays hold on our Hearts In both our Beloved puts in his Hand by the hole of the Door Cant. 5. 4. and saith as unto Thomas Reach hither thy Finger and put thy Hand into my Side Or as to his Spouse Cant. 2. 13. Arise John 20. 27. my Love my fair One and come away When thus Christ by his Spirit comes a Woing to the Spouse and after this manner whispers in thy Heart he is come very near thee as our Saviour said even at the Doors And now that this Door stands Mark 13. 29. open and Christ is coming out to meet thee now come forth ye Daughters of Jerusalem and behold King Solomon Cant. 3.
11. Now lift up your Heads O ye Gates Psal 24. 7. Now now is the time of Access How deep mayst thou get into thy Saviour's Bosom when thus wide opened How much way mayst thou rid when thy spread Sail is filled with such a Gale The Golden Scepter is reached out no danger or fear now to draw near but only of missing the Opportunity When thou hearest the sound of a going on the top of the Mulâ—erry Trees then bestir thy self as God said to David 2 Sam. 5. â— when Christ thus knocks and would come in Now a wicked and froward Locking the Door against him may lose him for ever so that although thou shouldst after knock and strive to enter his Door may be shut as well as thine Luke 13. 24 25. and all the answer thou hast be as it is v. 27. Depart from me I know you not God saith Aben Ezra may be found in any place and at any time but it must be ante obsignationem decreti When the Door of Mercy is Sealed up look for no Entrance so desperate is a wilful refusal Nay so dangerous is a careless neglect that in this our Advance it may give us such a Back-cast as will very hardly again be recovered but that we may come limping behind and go halting to our Graves The very Spouse's Drowsiness and Coyness cost her many a both wearisom and dangerous Step before she could again meet with her Beloved There was indeed a Provision in the Law that they who being far off in a Journey could not keep the Passover in the first Month might do it in the second and the like Custom was among the Romans but remember See Grotius in Nâ—mb 9. 10. c. that but in that Case it was Death to the Jews and that Case cannot be here for we may draw near to God in a Journey when far from Home and with the Romans they were called Stultorum feriae Let us therefore in these our drawings near to God walk not as Fools but as Wise redeeming the time by laying hold of every Opportunity They are wont to say a Wise Man will make more Opportunities than he finds What Fools then shall we be if we take not such as we find Especially if we may be so advantaged to find God and draw near to him by them 2. This drawing near and keeping close to God as it must be in due Season so with all Sincerity as Barnabas exhorted the Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of Heart Acts 11. 23. Our approaches to God should be out of an inward and real tendency of our Souls to him as of the Iron to the Loadstone or the Stone to the Center not forced or feigned Either out of Malice to have advantage to do the more Mischief as Judas drew near and saluted Christ when it was to betray him or those false Brethren Gal. 2. 4. who crept in to espie the Disciples Liberty Christ and his Church have too oft such Snakes in their Bosom as venemous Spiders in Kings Palaces Or out of Hypocrisie as Men draw near and salute in a Complement so some cleave to the Church but it is with Flatteries Dan. 11. 34. nay some compass God himself about with Lies Hos 11. 12. draw near to him with Mouth and Lip whilst the Mat. 15. 8. Heart is far from him Isa 29. 13. How prodigiously profane is the Hypocrites Impudence that with such Vizards dare approach so piercing an Eye and draw so near to play with such consuming Flames 3. This drawing near to God as it is to be with this sincerity of Heart so with all the intention of the Soul This that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also imports when it is not Frigide simulate sed sincero ardenti studio as Beza paraphraseth it with full purpose of Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all the desire of the Mind as that of the Levites Deut. 18. 6. It 's no lazie pace but a rapt motion in which the Soul is snatcht from all else to be fixt in God It 's upon the Chariots of Amminadah shuns all Cant. 6. 12. Delays over-masters all Difficulties is impatient of any thing to come between it and its Beloved Nihil libidinosi amatores nihil conflataus Vulcano e duobus unus c. None of the most loving Pairs that either the Scriptures express or Poets fable come near these passionate Out-goings of the Soul or these former Unions Omnia illa naturalia hyperbolica fabulosa turpia c. as Austin speaks There is an invincible irresistible Power in these mutual Cords of Love to draw hard and bind fast as he said excellently Grace winneth infallibly holds inseparably Dr. Field of the Church l. 1. c. 3. leads undeclinably The Union is so close that it 's a mutual Inhabitation John 6. 56. The Ty is so strong that it 's come to Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7. 35. The Soul cleaves Psal 63. 8. as Jonathan's to David his sweetest Friend 1 Sam. 18. 1. or as the loving Husband to his dearest Wife Gen. 2. 24. so cleaves to God as it leaves all for him But this leads me off from this manner of drawing near to God to the Way and Means of such approaches 1. For the first is Removendo prohibens a careful avoiding 1. Negative of that which sets God and us at a distance and that is Sin only It 's not thy outward Meanness which may indeed occasion proud Men to bid thee keep back and stand there at a distance Jam. 2. 3. Nor thy Poverty which Solomon observes is wont to separate the poor Man from his Neighbour Prov. 19. 4. Not the most dangerous and infectious Sickness which may make thy Lovers and Friends as David 's stand aloof off from thy Sore Psal 38. 11. But Blessed be our God who stoops lower than Man will and draws nearer than best Friend sometimes either can or dare It 's neither Prison nor Pest-House that the Son of Righteousness disdains to look in at or keeps the God of Heaven out from keeping his poor dejected Servants company Christ meets his cured Patient when Men had cast him out John 9. 35. Visits St. John when Banished to the Isle of Patmos Revel 1. 9. and goes all along with his Israel in the Wilderness The poor Begger that is shut out of the Rich Man's Luke 16. 20 21 22. Gates is received into Abraham's bosom and admitted into the King of Heaven's Presence The Mourner clothed with Sackcloth let in to his inward Court when thrust out of Abasuerus his outward Yea the Poor the Blind the Halt and the Lame have they but on a Wedding-Garment invited to the Luke 14. 21. Marriage Feast It 's our Sin only that separates between us and our God Isa 59. 2. It fixeth that great separating Gulf at last Luke 16. 26. and causeth all Estrangement now
Sons we will rather have it raw than stay for it 2. We are very Weak And a weak Body cannot stand long under an heavy Burden without sinking How much to do hath a weak sick Man to get over a long Winter's Night without fainting Job was half at that pass when he said What is my strength that I should hope Job 6. 11 12. And my strength and my hope is perished said the Lamenting Church Lam. 3. 18. When her Strength is spent that she can bear no more her Hope is also gone with it that she can wait no longer 3. Vnbelieving As he that believeth maketh not haste So Isa 28. 16. nothing sinks the Heart sooner than Despair which gives over hoping and waiting together 1 Sam. 27. 1. They wait Isa 26. 8. when the desire of their Souls by Faith is carried out to Piscator the remembrance of his Promises 4. Not more Weak than Froward as the sick weak Man useth to be and the froward Child crieth fiercely if you stay long A Burden on a galled Back frets and makes the Man go fretting that he cannot standstill 5. And very Proud too Now waiting as it puts Honour upon him that is waited on and therefore great ones affect it so it debaseth the Waiter And therefore the proud Man cannot endure it is hasty cannot wait no not upon God himself 2 King 6. 33. It 's not so with us when we are humble but ever some stirring of Pride when we cannot quietly wait and sit still 6. And lastly We are very full as of Self-love so of Self-conceit The one concludes for our Safety and the other consults for Means of it of our own which usually are next hand and so we cannot stay to wait on God's Counsel Psal 106. 13. This we see in Saul who cannot stay for Samuel's coming when he apprehends present danger 1 Sam. 13. 11 12. and so strains Courtesie and Conscience together and Chap. 14. 19. he cannot tarry to wait for an answer from God when he conceives he hath thought of a better Course than God could direct him to Which even David also had a strong touch of Chap. 27. 1. when consulting with his own Heart about the best way of his Safety he cannot stay and wait upon God who had so constantly preserved him But he must needs both dangerously and dishonourably run away to the Philistines No greater Enemy to our trusting and waiting upon God than leaning to our own understandings Prov. 3. 5. Thus Weakness and Vnbelief sink us Pride and Frowardness make us swell and hastily rise up against God Self-love and Self-conceit make us in unwarrantable ways of our own start out from him all severally and joyntly keep us from an humble meek faithful self-resigning Waiting upon him Which yet there is all reason we should endeavour and prâ—ctice if we consider 1. Who and how great that God is that we are to wait on O shame we our selves whilst we think how long we can endure to dance Attendance on great Men and have not the patience to wait half the time on the Great God How blasphemously irrational was his reasoning 2 Kings 6. 33. This evil is of the Lord What should I wait on the Lord any longer The Prophet teacheth us a better and a quite contrary Inference Hos 12. 6. because he is Elohim the Great God and ours we should therefore wait on him continually 2. Who and how Mean we are that do wait poor Beggers and Beggers may well be Waiters The poor of the Flock waited on me saith the Prophet Zech. 11. 11. We are Poor let us not be so Proud as not to be willing to wait but so Ingenuous as to blush when we think how long we let the Begger wait at our Doors and yet have not our selves the patience to wait any time at God's who yet are but Beggers At best but Servants And dost thou expect that thy Servant should wait on thee and not thou on God Especially seeing Waiting in Scripture is put for Service Prov 27. 18. So it 's that piece of Service which God sometimes only calls for only to wait on our Master when we cannot work for him That which both fits us for Work and which God expects even Waiting upon him both for Pardon and Acceptance after all our Working Luke 17. 7 8. 3. As Great as God is and as Base as we are yet consider whether in waiting God hath made us stay long Either absolutely when sometimes he hath prevented our Prayers and Thoughts Isa 65. 24. So that as it is Chap. 30. 18 19. He hath waited that we might not wait Not we so much as He hath waited to be Gracious And have we so much cause to be thankful to God that He hath oftentimes rescued us so speedily and can we see no cause then to be content when always for some good Cause He sometimes comes in more slowly Oft-times absolutely it hath not been long that God hath made us wait At least comparatively not so long as Our Betters have waited on him Heman from his Youth Psal 88. 15. and David all the day Psal 25. 5. Our selves have waited on Men for lesser Matters Have made others wait on us for Trifles Nay have made God himself wait on us 1. For first Conversion Hand held out all the day long Rom. 10. 21. 2. Afterwards for further Entrance and Communion Christ stands and knocks at his Spouse's Door till his Head be full of Dew and his Locks with the Drops of the Night Cant. 5. 2. for that which after all his waiting he hath gone away without as in both those places and 1 Pet. 3. 20. His Long-suffering waited One hundred and twenty years in the days of Noah and yet was disappointed 4. Though never so long yet not longer than till we be once fit for it Though till then it did tarry yet then it will not Hab. 2. 3. Till then God waits and not we 5. Fifthly for the most part we have not used to wait so long on God for Mercies in our want of them as God hath waited upon us with Mercies in our enjoyment of them Many of us must say that our Fevers have neither been Quotidian nor Hecticks our Good days have been more than our Ill days as with us in this Climate our longest Winter-nights are not longer than our longest Summer-days Our Peace longer than our War and our Plenty than our Penury and therefore either absolutely we have not waited long or at least in all the former Particulars not so long Comparatively that we have cause to complain of it And though it should be longer yet not longer if we consider the weight and worth of the Mercy we wait for It 's sometimes no less than Christ and Salvation thou waitest for assurance of God's Love the mortifying of an habituated Lust like the healing of an old Sore and curing of a Chronical Disease It may be it 's