waited for the Promise Our Respect to the Word is made up of a mixture of Obedience and Dependance there must be a Consent to both and we must resolve for the Holy and Heavenly Life Faith is an Act of the Will as well as of the Understanding Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them Besides being perswaded there is embracing The promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us 2 Cor. 1.20 And they are exceeding great and precious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 In one place you have both 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the World to save Sinners Therefore embrace them you must with all your Hearts and submit to this way of Covenanting with God 4. Your Judgments must highly esteem these Promises and your Hearts find full Contentment and Satisfaction in them We read often of receiving the Word with Joy and the confidence and rejoycing of Hope Heb. 3.6 Usually the Word of God hath too cold and slight Entertainment in our Affections and we do not value those precious Promises as we ought to do they should be dearer to us than our Lives and give us more Satisfaction than all the Enjoyments of the World Psal. 119.111 I have taken thy Testimonies as an heritage for ever they are the rejoycing of my Soul they do you good to your very Heart and the more you are acquainted with them the more you will see the worth of them Luke 6.23 Rejoyce and leap for joy for great is your reward in Heaven And of the Eunuch when he had sealed Covenant with God Acts 8.39 It is said he went his way rejoycing Faith cannot do its Office that it begets an Holy Gratitude to God to draw us off from the Allurements of Sense and fortifie us against Adversities and Troubles and engage us to the Duties of Christianity which are distrustful to Flesh and Blood unless it did fill our Hearts with an higher and better Joy than the World yieldeth Surely 't is Comfortable to be pardoned and reconciled to God to be in the Way and under the Hopes of Eternal Life Thirdly The Effects which these Acts produce These may be stated by the several Uses for which the Word of God serveth 1. T is the Seed of a New Life 2. The Constant Rule of all our Actions 3. The sure Charter of our Hopes 4. Our Strength and Preservation against all Temptations from the Devil the World and the Flesh. 5. Our Comfort and Cordial in all Afflictions 1. 'T is the Seed of a New Life 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of Corruptible seed but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever And Iames 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures And also 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature When we so believe the Pardon and Grace and Blessedness offered that our Hearts are changed into the Life and Likeness of God for the Truth is not rightly owned and believed till this Change be wrought both in Heart and Life then we are cast into the Mould of this Doctrine Rom. 6.17 Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine that was delivered to you Gospel Truths serve not for Speculation or meer Talk and Discourse but for Sanctification and therefore if this Seed be sown and engrafted in your Hearts and you begin to live to God an Holy and Heavenly Life you have the surest Evidence of your Faith for Causes are made sensible to us by their Effects 'T is usually brought as a proof of the Word the Sanctifying Vertue of it so 't is of the Sincerity of your Faith for the Word profiteth not unless it be mingled with Faith and since both Faith and the Word concurr to this Effect it may be ascribed to either Surely therefore if we believe the Word of God and value it as we ought it doth leave the Impression of God's Image upon us for it is the fairest Draught and Representation of God that ever was in the Law and Life of Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 If our Souls and Lives be a Transcript of the Word this Image is thence deduced to us by the Spirit and of necessity it must be so for Christs comforting Promises of Mercy and Glory are made to these New Creatures who live the Holy and Heavenly Life They have God's mark and Signature upon them and therefore are said to be sealed to the day of Redemption Eph. 2.30 and Eph. 1.3 This Renovation of the Soul is the Seal of God the Pledge of his Love and the Earnest of the heavenly Inheritance 2. The Constant Rule of all our Actions There is a fixed determined Rule from whence we cannot swerve and vary without Sin and if we would have Communion with God here or enjoy him hereafter We must keep close to this Rule Gal. 6.16 As many as walk according to this Rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God This Rule that is the Word of God which directeth us as to our General Path and Way and all our steps or particular Actions Psal. 119.105 Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths We must hide the Word in our Hearts Psal. 119.110 Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee We must consult with it upon all occasions as willing to understand our Duty Psal. 119.24 Thy Testiminies also are my delight and my Counsellors And because we may mistake thrô Error of Mind or be tempted aside thro' aversion of Heart and manifold Temptations Therefore we must earnestly beg it of God Psal. 119.133 Order my steps in thy VVord and let not any Iniquity have dominion over me And we must use all study our selves Rom. 12.2 and constant watchfulness Eph. 5.15 See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Now that which I say is this When the Word ruleth the main Course of our Lives and teacheth us how to live in the World soberly righteously and godly the tenderness of the Word and high respect to it that we dare not transgress it whatever Temptations we have so to do sheweth that Faith hath obtained its effect in us For trembling at the Word fearing of a Commandment and whatever of that kind is spoken of in the Scripture they are all Fruits of Faith 3. 'T is the Charter of our Hopes Iohn 20.31 These things are written that ye might have life through his Name 1 Iohn 5.11 This is the Record that God hath given unto us eternal life and this life is in his Son Now the Work of Faith
Man had a due sense of God's Being the Tempting Baits of the World would scarce be seen Riches and Honours and Pleasures would be forgotten as if they were not Prov. 23.5 All things would be as nothing in comparison of him 2. Things Invisible because of their distance as they are future so a Believer hath the advantage of other Men They that look to things Invisible and Eternal see something to outweigh all carnal Allectives or Terrours and so have more Incitations to Piety than the World can afford Temptations to the contrary Take the Terrors of Sense what 's a Prison to Hell the Fire wherein Gods Servants are burnt to Ashes to the Fire that shall never be quenched and the Worm that shall never die Luk. 10.4 So take the delights and allurements of Sense what are those to the Pleasures at God's Right Hand for evermore A Man that looketh to things unseen seeth that the Terrors and Delights of Faith are far greater than the Terrors and Delights of Sense and are more sure and certain Alass the pleasures of the World are but as Dung and Dogs-meat to Christ Phil. 3.7 8 9. All the evils are but as a Flea-biting in comparison of the promised glory Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us And 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance They were liable to Violence and Rapine brought before Tribunals c. yet all this was nothing to these greater things As it darkens the glory of Worldly things so it lesseneth the evil of them 2. From the Subject They that make eternal things their scope they have a new temper of Heart The Soul naturally doth run out upon present things as the greatest and only realities That which is born of Flesh is Flesh Iohn 3.6 Yea all the while the Soul dwelleth in Flesh and worketh by the Senses these present things will be a Temptation to us But there is a new Bias and Bent put upon them by Grace there is an Eternal Principle that carrieth them to Eternal Ends 'T is called the Seed of God 1 Joh. 3.9 The Divine Nature which maketh us escape the corruption that is in the World through Lust 2 Pet. 1.4 Such a Nature as giveth Eternal Riches a due value and esteem 'T is an Immortal Seed 1 Pet. 1.22 Eternal Life is begun in all that shall be saved it is working towards its final perfection The Apostle telleth us That he that hateth his Brother hath not eternal Life abiding in him 1 Iohn 3.15 Implying that he that loveth his Brother or hath any Grace hath Eternal Life begun in him which is working towards perfection 3. From the slightness of Temptations when a Man once groweth dead to the impressions of sense The corrupt Heart of Man is all for present satisfactions and though the pleasures of sin be short and inconsiderable yet because they are near at hand they take more with us than the Joys of Heaven which are future and absent 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken us and loved the present World Esau for one Morsel of Meat sold his Birth-right Heb. 12.16 When Lust importunately craved a present satisfaction all future considerations were laid aside A little Ease Honour Gain and Preferment in the World makes men part with all that is sacred surely the presentness of things is a great Snare Therefore do Afflictions seem too grievous Heb. 12.11 and Temptations so pressing We can tast the delights of the Creature and feel the pleasures of the Flesh The Happiness of the World to come is unseen and unknown Let us Eat and Drink for to Morrow we shall die is the Language of every Carnal Heart Therefore it will not venture upon the practice of duties difficult and distastful to present affections and forego what we see and injoy upon the uncertain hopes of what is to come Present things have mor advantage to pervert the Mind than good things at a distance to draw it to God Here lieth the Root of all Temptations the inconveniencies of a strict Religion are present and the rewards are future Well this advantage is nothing to those that can overlook present things and have their Hearts wholly taken up about things to come Sense and Faith are the two opposite Leaders and Captains in the Spiritual Warfare All the Forces of the Regenerate part are led up by Faith Sense on the other side Marshalleth all the Temptations of the World and the Flesh Sense is all for enjoyment and actual possession To meet it Faith giveth a substance and being to things to come and maketh the Soul seek out other satisfactions and contentments The strength of the renewed part and success of the Spiritual Battle lieth in the liveliness of Hope and the certainty of Faith which maketh these things present which Sense would judge absent It forestalleth the Joys of Heaven that restraints from present delights may seem less Irksome So that a little Profit or present Pleasure cannot prevail over that deep sense of everlasting Joys and Pleasures that are to come Take for instance Moses Heb. 11.24 25 26. By Faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh 's Daughter chusing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures in Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward Faith sheweth we shall lose nothing in this World but we shall have much better in the other World looking to these things sweetens the bitterness of all Crosses and weakeneth the strength of all Temptations Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us 4. From the Nature of the Scope and End 'T is a Measure and a Motive 1. 'T is a Measure To direct us how to use all things When a Man hath fixed his end he will the sooner understand his way the Intention is as the Eye of the Body Mat. 7.22 The light of the Body is the Eye if a Mans Eye be single the whole Body is full of light Every Man is made wise by his End for the End is the Measure of the Mind Now above all other ends Eternity must needs make us wise because it is the last end the most noble end which we can propound to our selves and so thereby can understand the true measure and value of all things In things Evil or Good In things Evil. It sheweth how really evil things really evil are As Sin the weight and grievousness of Sin is
and you and your Hearts be together you sin against God Job 21.13 They spend their Days in Wealth and in a moment go down to the Grave It is dangerous to employ your whole Time in Mirth and in Visits and in Company that should be spent in examining your Hearts humbling your Souls and seeking the Face of God so that your Hearts grow dead and barren Helps to Sobriety are two to consider the Preciousness of Time and the Vileness and Danger of Pleasure First The Preciousness of Time that will appear in sundry Considerations 1. Time is short We have a great deal of Work to do and but little Time therefore we should redeem it from Pleasure and rather incroach upon our Recreation and spend it in Matters that most concern us All complain of the shortness of Time and yet every one hath more Time than he useth well We should rather complain of the Loss of Time than of the Shortness of Time as Seneca said Non accepimus brevem vitam sed fecimus nec inopes Temporis sed prodigi sumus We make our Lives far more short than otherwise they would be and we do not want Time but waste it We spend it freely upon Mirth and vain Pleasures as if we had more than we could well tell what to do withal Life is short and yet we throw it away as if we had not such great work to do as to mortify Corruptions and to make our Peace with God as if that Eternity which cannot be exhausted in our Thoughts did not depend upon this Moment When Men are writing of a Sermon and have but little Paper left they write close O consider our Work lies upon our Hands and therefore the Acts of Duty should be more close and thick The Sun is even going down we know not how soon Day may be over 2. Too much Time hath been spent already so will all the Godly-wise judg 1 Pet. 4.3 For the Time past of our Life may suffice us to have wrought the Will of the Gentiles Rom. 13.12 The Night is far spent the Day is at hand And there 's but little left to express your Love and Thankfulness in glorifying God Our Infancy was spent in Ease and Youth in Sin and Age in Business Certainly that part of your Lives was merely lost which was spent in an unregenerate Condition Saith Austin Perdit quod vivit qui te non diligit He loseth that Time which he lives that doth not love the Lord. Properly we are not said to live till we live in Christ. A Man may be long at Sea tossed to and fro upon the Waves and yet be but little from his Port and cannot be said to have made a long Voyage so a Man may abide long in the World but cannot be said to live long if he doth not live in Christ. Reflect this Truth upon thy Heart Alas my Life hitherto hath been a Death rather than a Life useless and lost to all spiritual Purposes and shall I still waste my Time and spend my Days in Ease and Idleness Travellers that have tarried long in their Inn mend their Pace and ride as much in an Hour as before they did in many so we have staid too long O let us now mend our Pace Say I have lived thus long vainly sinfully carnally in an earthly manner I have little thought of God and treasuring up for Heaven or providing for my latter End O how rich might I have been if I had been a good Merchant for my Soul How am I now outâ—tripp'd by many my Equals my Youngers in Age but Seniors in Grace They are in Christ before me O why doth God spare me but to recover that which is lost 3. Consider it is uncertain how long thou shalt enjoy the Season the present time is always best and shall we waste it vainly We have not a Lease of our Lives Ludovicus Capellus tells of a Rabbin that being asked When was the fittest time for a Man to repent he answered him One day before he dies meaning presently for this may be your last day We know not how soon God may call us to himself In an Orchard some Fruits are pluck'd green few are left to rot upon the Tree Mariners that have not the Wind in a Bottle are ready to tackle the first Gale We shall never have a better opportunity to consider our ways in Youth we want Wisdom and Zeal and in Age Strength in the midst of Business we want Leisure and in the midst of Leisure we want a Heart There is not more Efficacy in the latter season than in the former Do not think that Sickness and old Age will help you more in the work of Repentance than Youth Moral Arguments work not without Evangelical Grace The bad Thief had one foot in Hell and yet he blasphemed There will be more Difficulty in old Age but no Help Sickness and Age needs a Cordial and not Work and therefore no Season like the present 4. They that have lost Time know the worth of it O if they might have the happiness to live again that are now in Hell would they waste their precious hours so wantonly and lavishly as you do Dying Men that are afrighted in Conscience discover to us the Passions of the Damned they would give all the World for one Year or one Month to repent He that so passionately begged for a drop to cool his Tongue how would he have indented with God for a Year's Respite from Torment In the day of Death all the Wealth of the World will not purchase one day longer We never know what we lose in losing Time till it be too late It is better to be sensible of the worth of Time in Earth than in Hell Knowledg of things that are evil and bitter is more easily gained by Teaching than by Experience and Feeling But we do not lay these things to Heart Christ mourned over Ierusalem because she lost her day Luke 19.42 If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes 5. We must give an account for Time and therefore let not Pleasure engross and take up too much of it Whenever God comes to reckon with his People the great thing for which he calls them to an account is their Time he keeps an exact reckoning of the Years of his Patience Psal. 95.10 Forty Years long was I grieved with this Generation I have given them thirty forty fifty Years Respite to think of their Sins and apply their Hearts to be wise for Eternity So of the Times and Seasons of Grace and Methods and Dispensations of Mercy Luke 13.7 Behold these three Years came I seeking Fruit of this Fig-tree and find none by which is meant the three Years of Christ's Ministry with the Jews for he was then entring on his last half-year When the Scripture speaks in a round number there 's
her Head because of the Angels In the Assembly there you meet with Angels and Devils Angels to observe your Garb and Carriage and Devils to tempt you therefore be covered because of the Angels Yet usually Women come hither with a shameless Impudence into the Presence of God Men and Angels This is a Practice that neither sutes with Modesty nor Conveniency nothing can be alledged for it but Reasons of Pride and Wantonness it feeds your own Pride and provokes Lust in others You would think they were wicked Women that should offer others Poison to drink they do that which is worse lay a Snare for the Soul uncover that which should be covered lest you provoke others of your Rank to imitate your Vanity if they should not by the Fear of God be guarded from unclean Thoughts and filthy Desires Now Christians should be far from allowing Sin in themselves or provoking it in others 5. When dressing of the Body takes up too much of our Hearts and Time so as to cause us to neglect the inward adorning and by it we are tempted to Pride Certainly there is a Sin in Fashions themselves but the greatest Sin in the Pride of the Heart The Garment falls under a Rule but Apparel is not the Offence but Pride Isa. 3.16 The Daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with stretched-out Necks and wanton Eyes walking and mincing as they go and making a tinkling with their Feet Better never wear Jewels or costly Raiment more than to be tempted by it to Pride Therefore the spiritual Ornament you should still preserve is being humble in Spirit 1 Pet. 3.4 Let your Adorning be the hidden Man of the Heart even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit When you forget that it is a sad Exchange Outward Adornment belongs to the Pomp of the World but the inward Adornment is our spiritual Glory and Excellency The outward adorning is to please Men but the inward adorning pleaseth God Now we should rather please God than Men better never please Men than offend God 2. To offer some Helps 1. Consider Curiosity in Clothes argues Deformity of Mind a godly serious humble Christian is above these things Therefore how can we chuse but think that a Man or Woman hath Vanity in his Heart that is so clothed with it upon his Back Look as Plaisters argue a Wound or Sore so do these exotick and vain Attires argue a Wound and Blot in the Soul that there is Pride Vanity and Levity there Clemens Alexandrinus observes that the Lacedemonians permitted only Harlots and infamous Women and common Prostitutes to go in gorgeous Attire Clothes then are the Flag and Ensign which Pride hangs out and the Nest of Wantonness 2. To be proud of Clothes is to be proud of our own Shame Before Sin came in Man did not need a Garment Look as the Sun is adorned with Light it needs no Trimming and Ornament so Man in Innocency was adorned with Grace and needed no other Robe but when he sinned he needed Garments So then he that is proud of his Clothes is but proud of the Rags with which his Wounds are bound up Clothes are a Memorial that we were once disobedient to God Shall a Thief be proud of his Shackles or a Malefactor of his Brand or Mark in his Forehead This is a time of Mourning not of Triumph therefore God at first clothed Adam with Skins an Habit that becomes Mourning We shall not need these things in Heaven Clothes are only there in Use where Sin is 3. Consider that Habit makes not the Man A Horse is not chosen by his Trappings but by his Strength and Swiftness the Trappings are things external that conduce nothing to his Goodness so Man is not to be valued by his Habit it is but the Excrement of Silk-worms not by the Ornaments of the Body but the Endowments of the Mind Imperatoria Majestas saith Seneca virtute constat non corporis cultu And therefore if you would excel others indeed you should excel them in Grace and Vertue Alas many are but Dung finely dressed the hidden Man of the Heart that 's the Man Grace is the best Dressing and that which is never out of fashion by this Men are valued The more wise and excellent Men are indeed the less curious in their Apparel Cato that had been Consul at Rome never wore Apparel that exceeded an hundred Pence Let great ones be known by their Modesty of Apparel 4. Consider when you are most gorgeous the Beasts excel you Craesus King of Lydia being gorgeously arrayed asked Solon if ever he had seen a more beautiful Spectacle he answered Yes Sir I have seen Peacocks and Pheasants and other Birds And Matth. 6.29 Christ takes notice of this that Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of the Lillies The Draughts and Colours of Nature are more beautiful than Art Therefore neither delight in Bravery or Envy when thou seest the Bravery of others thou hast a fairer Flower in thy Garden 5. Think often of Jesus Christ hanging naked upon the Cross who was stripped of his Garments to satisfy for thy Excess O! shall we again put him to open Shame as if he died in vain Say Shall Pride live when Christ died to subdue it and mortify it and to expiate for it IV th Branch Sobriety in worldly Cares The next Branch is Sobriety or Moderation in worldly Cares These also besot the Mind and deprive it of the Sense of spiritual things By a strange Fascination and Inchantment our Care becometh our Pleasure and Men grow quite drunk with the World so that they are always scraping and raking here as if their whole time were given for nothing but getting Wealth First What this carking and worldly Care is that must be moderated The Scripture doth not only allow but require an honest Diligence It is a Command as well as a Threatning In the Sweat of thy Face thou shalt eat thy Bread Gen. 3.19 The Grievousness and Burdensomness of Labour falls under the Threatning but the Labour it self is a Command as moral as any of the Ten. The Apostle saith Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but he doth not say Do nothing The Scriptures would not have us to be idle and careless they commend the diligent Hand To let Children and Family shift for themselves were not only unchristian but unmanly we see the very brute Beasts provide for their young Ones Diligence is one of the means by which God provideth for us But yet though the Scriptures do allow a diligent Care yet they forbid a carking Distrust There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Care of Diligence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Care of Diffidence the first is a Duty laid upon us the second is a Sin Faith is painful but not distrustful It is represented by the Emblem of a pair of Compasses while one Foot is fast in the Center the other wanders about in the Circumference
in all our Enjoyments If God gives you deliverance you may say as Hezekiah Isa. 38.17 Thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the Pit of Corruption You are loved into Mercy Whatsoever you enjoy it is not as a Creature but as an Heir What a Comfort then will a Christian take in a morsel of Bread when he causes God's special Love in it more than worldly Men can take in their greatest Possessions Look as a mean Remembrance from a Friend is better than a Royal Gift from an Enemy so this makes thy Meat and Bread sweet when sent from thy Father in Heaven when thou hast it as an Heir of Promise 6. This will make Afflictions sweet their very Property is altered they are not now vindictive Dispensations but such as belong to the Covenant of Grace and so they will not do us harm In faithfulness thou hast afflicted me Psal. 119.75 When you can make this Reflection the Lord seeth I want this else I should not be exercised with such Providences At least there is a Supply of inward Comfort and then a heavy Burden is nothing to a sound Back If God strikes Sin is pardoned and the Sting of Affliction is taken away 7. It will sweeten Death it self thou knowest whither thou art going Death is a sad stroak to wicked Men which sends the Body to the Grave and the Soul to Hell it must needs be a King of Terrors to them But Death to those that have this strong Consolation is as Haman was to Mordecai from a Mischief it is made a Means to do us Honour Christ hath delivered us both from the Hurt and Fear of Death Heb. 2.14 15. That through Death he might destroy him that had the Power of Death that is the Devil And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life-time subject to Bondage So that we may entertain it with Delight as Iacob looked upon the Chariots that were sent for him with rejoicing This is a Messenger to carry me to Christ and who would refuse to be happy Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ. They know Death is but a loosing from the Body that they may be joined to Christ and they had rather lose a thousand Bodies than Fellowship with Christ their Souls are sent away in peace to the place of Bliss 8. This makes the Day of Judgment sweet Look as the betrothed Virgin longs for the Day of Espousals and when the Bridegroom will come or as a Woman longs for the return of her Husband that is gone a long Voyage so the Soul that is betrothed to Christ longs for the return of the Bridegroom that he may carry it into his Father's House 9. It will make the Thoughts of Heaven sweet When a Christian walks abroad and points up to Heaven he may say there is the place of my Bliss and everlasting Abode One would think this were enough to ravish the Heart of any Man and make him do any thing even run to the ends of the Earth to gain this strong Consolation But we are backward and slow therefore here is the great Question What shall we do to get and keep this great Comfort I shall give you a few Directions Many rest in Notions when they see the Way they are discouraged and go no farther But will you engage before the Lord to observe these things if you find them according to Scripture First Then how to get these strong Consolations 1. Lay a good Foundation by meditating upon the Mercy and Truth of God in the Gospel Our first Comfort ariseth from Meditation or the serious Act of Faith on the Mercy and Truth of God as settled Assurance ariseth from a sight of Evidence God usually gives us at first Conversion a taste of his Goodness and Sweetness which differeth from Assurance 1 Pet. 2.2 3. As new-born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby If so be ye have â—â—sted that the Lord is gracious Usually at first when the Soul is taken up with deep Thoughts of God's Love and Mercy in Christ God lets in some Comfort and Sweetness into the Soul which though it be not Assurance and a solemn Testimony of our Interest in Christ yet it is a Refreshment which the Soul receiveth while it admires the Riches and the Bounty and the Certainty of God's Grace However this is a Taste a Beginning that maketh as look after a more assured sense of God's Grace Briefly there must be believing Thoughts of God's Mercy and Truth I call this Meditation because all the direct Acts of Faith are performed and carried on by the help of the Thoughts Faith engageth us in solemn musing and deep Thoughts fasten things upon the Spirit As Eggs are hatched by a constant Incubation so when the Soul museth Comfort ariseth The two things you should often propound are Mercy and Truth because they are the Iâ—â—hin and Boaâ— the two Pillars which support the Covenant of Grace for it was made in Mercy and kept in Truth Therefore it is said Mich. 7.20 Thou wilt perform the Truth to Jacob and Mercy to Abraham The Covenant was made first with Abraham therefore it was Mercy to him but it was made good to Iacob therefore it was Truth to him In the 89th Psalm they are seven times coupled the one is the Fountain the other the Pipe and Conveyance it springs from Mercy and is conveyed and dispensed in Truth Therefore the Psalmist saith Psal. 25.10 All the Paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth to them that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies It is free that it may be sure and sure that it may be free These are the two Attributes God doth glorify in the Covenant of Grace and in all his Dispensations of Grace 1. Meditate of the Mercy and Love of God In the Covenant of Works God would glorify his Justice but his great Aim in the Covenant of Grace is to glorify his Mercy Ephes. 1.6 To the praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath accepted us in the Beloved God would make Grace glorious Justice seeks a fit Object Mercy only a fit Occasion The Question of Justice is To whom is it due But the Question of Mercy is Who wants it who needs it Well then though Satan and our own Hearts may make many Objections there is enough indeed to overwhelm us to damn us when we look to our selves But what will God glorify Grace Grace This is the Banner he hath spread over the Church in defiance of all the Powers of Darkness He hath brought me to the Banqueting-house and his Banner over me was Love Cant. 2.4 You must refresh your Souls with a sense of God's Mercy every day get a sprinkling of Christ's Blood upon your Heart Now in the establishing Assurance this is necessary for the Spirit sealeth us a Spirit of Promise upon terms of Mercy and Grace Ephes. 1.13 Ye were sealed
keepeth up Joy in the Soul and no Violence of Temptation is able to break it and remove us from the Truth Rom. 8.24 25. We are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for But if we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it They are Confident that in God's Time they shall have Salvation and final Deliverance tho' it be not to be seen any where but in God's Promise by Jesus Christ. Well then the fewer External Comforts we need the stronger is our Faith the more the weaker Weak Christians must be carryed in Arms dandled on the Knees fed with sensible Pledges and ocular Demonstrations or else they are ready to faint 2. The Imperate Acts or Effects of Faith they are produced by Vertue of this Property Faith's prevailing over Sight and Sense I shall name four 1. To promote Holiness and reduce us and reclaim us from the false Happiness Surely none will accomplish the Work of Faith with Power and so glorifie God and Christ in the World that is live in all holy Conversation and Godliness but those that have that Faith which is the Evidence of things not seen those that live always as in the sight of an Invisible God are the thorow Christians What greater Check can there be to Temptations to Sin than to live always in the Sight of an Invisible God Gen. 39.9 Or to Temptations to the World than an Invisible Glory Or to the Troubles and Molestations of the World Rom. 8.18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us And 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light Afflâ—ction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory If Godliness expose us to Difficulties Molestations and Troubles Faith seeth the Final Rest Glory and Happiness If we are inclined to the Honours and Pleasures of the World Faith seeth the most shining Glory will soon burn out and end in a Snuff Psal. 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandment is exceeding broad And 1 Ioh. 2.17 The world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever If Sense present the Bait of present Profit Pleasure or Honour Faith seeth the Final Shame Ignominy and Loss and so we are guarded on all sides against Right-hand and Left-hand Temptations This is a General I shall speak of more particular Effects 2. To keep the Heart tender and in awe of God's Word Surely 't is a Blessed frame of Spirit and very useful to us to tremble at the Word of God Isa. 66.2 To this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word And to stand in awe of his Word Psal. 119.161 My heart standeth in awe of thy Word Now this can never be unless we have that Faith which is the Evidence of things not seen for many times the Word threatneth Evils which are not likely to come to pass if we look to the visible face of things and all that part of God's Discipline is lost unless we can believe unseen things See Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house by which he condemned the World and became heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith The World was then in a Jolly Condition and little dreamt of a Flood The Earth flourished as much as ever and there was Building and Marrying and Planting but God had told him of an universal Destruction of all things by a Deluge therefore he admonisheth the careless World and provideth for his own and Family's Safety So we read of Iosiah when he heard of the words of the Book of the Law he rent his Cloaths 2 Kings 22.11 We do not read of any actual Trouble that was then in the Land or any Danger nigh When an Age is very corrupt and ripe for Judgment God giveth Warning But alas few take it or lay it to Heart for the World is led by Sense and not by Faith they are not affected with things till they feel them Few can see a Storm when the Clouds are in gathering but securely build on the present Ease and Peace tho' God be angry But in the Eye of Faith a sinful Estate is always dangerous therefore they fall a Praying and humbling themselves and cry to God mightily and use all means of Safety while a Judgment is but yet in its Causes 3. To support us against the greatest Dangers and Terrors Heb. 11.27 By Faith Moses forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him that is invisible To depend upon God's Aid and Succour in a time of great Extremity and Danger needeth a strong Faith as to appearance he was ready to be swallowed up being pursued by a wrathful and Puissant King The Sea was before him the Egyptians behind him and the Craggy and unaccessible Mountains on each side but the Terrors of Sense may be easily vanquished by those Invisible Succours which Faith relyeth upon An Invisible God can bear us out against Visible Dangers 4. To teach us how to carry an equal Mind in Prosperity and Adversity in Prosperity when we are born up by the Chin we have but too much Confidence and when we are lessened and but short in the World we are full of Diffidence and distrustful Fears Psal. 30.6 In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved When a Child of God hath gotten a Carnal Pillow under his Head he lyeth down and sleepeth sweetly dreaming many a pleasant Dream of uninterrupted Felicity in the World but if God taketh away his Pillow from under his Head then he is as diffident as formerly confident then God will be favourable no more God is the same his Promises the same the Covenant the same the Mediator the same but our Condition is changed because we look to things seen live upon things seen and still imagine of things according to what we see and feel So for supplies of Maintenance and Provision if we have them not in View and sight how little can we depend upon God If Sense be against the Promises the Promises do us but little good How few can comfort themselves in God when all faileth Hab. 3.18 or make his All-sufficiency their Store-house Gen. 17.1 No they must have a full heap in their own keeping How few can take his Promises for their Heritage Psal. 119.11 No they must have Lands and fixed Revenues or else they know not where to have Food and Raiment for themselves and Children How few can be contented to trust the Purse in God's Hands and be contented to take their daily Allowance from him which yet is a necessary Point of Faith of
is to lay hold upon eternal life 1 Tim. 6.12 that is seize upon it as ours as assured to us by the Word of God or to take it as our Happiness and accordingly pursue after it Eph. 1.13 In whom ye trusted after ye heard the word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation Now when we choose this Felicity for our Portion set our Hearts upon it make it the chief Care and Business of our Lives to seek it and do all as Means thereunto carry our selves as Strangers and Pilgrims in the World and look for no great Matters here but wholly depend upon God's faithful Word for this Happiness to come then is Faith wrought in us 4. 'T is our Strength and Preservative against all Temptations from the Devil the World and the Flesh The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit Eph. 6.17 A Weapon of excellent use in the Spiritual Warfare And 't is said 1 Ioh. 2.14 Ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one This helpeth us to ward off the bloâ—â— of any Temptation When the Heart is well stocked and furnished with this Word of God you have something to oppose still to Darken the Splendoâ— of the World to check the Desires of the Fâ—esh and so do the better carry on a continual Warfare and Watchfulness And so the Fleshly Inclination is overruled and the Profits Honours and Pleasures of the World have less force upon us VVhen the Devil sheweth the Bait and the Flesh is ready to swallow it Faith sheweth the Hook A Belief of the VVord of God being of a lively and vigorous Nature produceth Noble effects in us It casteth down all that rebellâ—th against God and casteth out all that would be preferred before him Psal. 37.31 The Law of his God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide A lively active Sense of his Duty is kept fresh upon his heart 5. To be our Comfort and Cordial in our Afflictions Psal. 119.59 This is my Comfort in my Affliction thy VVord hath quickened me Verse 92. Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in my Affliction Heb. 12.5 Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto Children My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him So Psal. 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts delight my Soul God's Comforts are such as God alloweth or God worketh The Matter of both is in the Scriptures though the Spirit be the Author of them and the Instrument he worketh by is Faith In Wants and Streights how sweet is it to a Believer to consider how amply we are provided for in the Covenant When Gods Hand is heavy upon us and Providence represents him as an angry Judge yet the Covenant represents him as a Father In a time of Tryal one promise of God will give you more true Comfort and Support than all the arguings of men Fourthly The Notes whereby we discern a strong and grown Faith as to this Property of it its respect to the Word 1. When the Consolations laid down in the Word of God are more prized than any extraordinary Dispensations Certainly 't is a weakness when Men undervalue the Comfoâ—ts of the Word as slender empty unsatisfactory and would have the Manifestations of God's Love exhibited to them in some singular and extraordinary way Eliphaz chargeth it on Iob wrongfully Iob 15.11 Are the Consolations of God small with thee is there any secret thing with thee God's ordinary way is the sure way the other layeth us open to a Snare Surely our Consciences are best settled in the ordinary way of God's Word in a way of Faith Repentance and close walking with God but as Naaman despised the Waters of Iordan so many despise the ordinary Comforts and would have Signs and Wonders to assure them These may long sit in darkness because if God comforts them not in their way they will not be comforted at all Now though God sometimes in Condescention to his People may grant their desires as Christ did to Thomas yet 't is with an upbraiding of their Weakness and Unbelief Ioh. 20.28 You should acquiesce in the common allowance of God's People least you seem to reflect on the Wisdom and Goodness of God and lay open your selves to some false Consolation and dream of Comfort while we affect new Rules without the Compass of the Word especially when we find not our expectations there speedily answered like hasty Patients ready to tamper with every Medicine they hear of rather than submit to a regular Course of Physick Gregory telleth us of a Lady of the Emperors Court that never ceased importuning him to seek from God a Revelation from Heaven that they should be saved Rem difficilem petivit inutilem 'T was a thing difficult and unprofitable difficult for him to obtain and unprofitable for her to ask having a surer way by the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have a more sure word of Prophecy than Oracles The adhering of the Soul to the Promises is the unquestionable way to obtain peace Luther as he confesseth was often tempted to ask for Signs or some Special Revelation He tells also how strongly he withstood these Temptations Pactum feci cum Domino meo ne mihi mittat Visiones vel etiam Angelos contentus enim sum hoc dono quod habeo Scripturam Sanctam quae abunde docet suppeditat omnia quae necessaria sunt tam ad hanc vitam tam ad â—uturam I indented with the Lord my God that he would never send me Dreams and Visions I am well contented with the Gift of the Scriptures 2. When the Word is matter of Joy and firm Confidence to us before there is any appearance of performance This in two Cases 1. In Case of Delay when 't is long e're God appeareth and Faith doth not require the Existence and Pre-essence of the thing believed only the Promise of it Therefore though the Promise be delayed it eyeth the Blessing at a distance Heb. 11.13 These all dyed in Faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off were perswaded of them and embraced them Abraham was one of them Ioh. 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad And we if we would be strong Believers must do likewise Heb. 6.12 Be not slothful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the promises A Christian is not to be valued by his Enjoyments but his Hopes Heaven is all performance Here he dealeth with us by Promises but you will find his payment sure and that God in effect is better than all his Promises for they cannot signifie and convey the full Sense of all that God meaneth to bestow Therefore we must wait whether the Promise be to be fulfilled in this Life or
the Life to come let us dig the Pit and tarry till God fill it with Rain from Heaven 2. In case of Difficulties Wants Distresses the naked Promise must be ground of Hope and Comsort to you though it seem to be contradicted in the Course of God's Providence when it is neither performed nor likely to be performed you are to go by his Word whatever his Dispensation be Rom. 4.18 Abraham against hope believed in hope And David saith Psal. 56.4 In God will I praise his Word in God I have put my trust I will not fear what man can do unto me So Verse 10. In God will I praise his Word in the Lord will I praise his Word The best holdfast Faith can have on God is to take him by his Word though he withholdeth Comfort and Deliverance from us yet we may praise him as long as we have his Word His Dispensation giveth no Satisfaction yet the Soul can find Rest and Contentment in his Word Well then if the Word be an impregnable Bulwark against all Fears and Dangers and Comfort against all Wants and Distresses your Faith is grown for the more simply our dependance is upon the Word of God without sensible Encouragements the stronger is our Faith 3. When all the Trust we have in God concerning the Comforts we expect by the way is still referred to the great Blessing of Eternal Life We are to trust God by the way for our Protection and Defence as well as for the Reward at the end of the Journey by swimming in the shallow Brooks we learn to venture in the great Ocean but still in subordination to the main Blessing This is the great Comfort Luke 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom And our Faith in the Word tendeth to this Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our Learning that we thrô patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Therefore strength of Faith is hereby determined 4. Because the Word is not only our Charter but our Rule The strength of Faith is known by this If we value the Word of God as it maketh us wise unto Salvation therefore we delight in the plain Word without the Ornaments of wit as painting in Glass Windows hindereth the Light Every thing communicateth to it 's own Nature Heat causeth heat Cold causeth cold Ministers speak as the Oracles of God and so the People receive SERMON V. ON 2 THESS I. v. 3. Your Faith groweth exceedingly and the Charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth Fifthly WE come to the Fifth Property of Faith which is an high Value and Esteem of Jesus Christ I mention this 1. Because Faith in the New Covenant mainly and distinctly respects Christ Acts 20.21 Testifying both to the Iews and also to the Gentiles Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ. Why Repentance respects God I shewed you lately because from God we fell and to God we return We fell from him as we withdrew our Allegiance and sought our Happiness elsewhere we return to him as to our Rightful Lord and proper Happiness But Faith respects the Mediator who is the only Remedy of our Misery and the Means of Eternal Blessedness He opened the way to God by his Merit and Satisfaction and actually bringeth us into this way by his Renewing and Reconciling Grace that we may be in a Capacity to please and enjoy God and that 's the reason why Faith in Christ is so much insisted on as it begets a Title to the Blessings of the New Covenant It hath a Special Aptitude and fitness for this work of our Recovery from Sin to God partly because a guilty Conscience is not easily settled and brought to look for all kind of Happiness from one whom we have so much wronged Adam when once a Sinner was shy of God Gen. 3.10 Guilt is suspicious and maketh us hang off from God Psal. 32.13 And if we have not one to lead us by the hand and bring us to God we cannot abide his Presence 2. Partly because the Comfort of the Promises is so Rich and Glorious and the Persons upon whom it is bestowed so unworthy that it cannot easily enter into the Heart of a Man that God will be so Good and Gracious to us unless we have a sound Belief of his Merit who hath procured these Mercies and Hopes for us 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Therefore since Sense and Reason could look for no such thing 2 strong Faith is necessary 3. The way God hath taken for our Deliverance is so supernatural and strange that nothing but Faith can receive it Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life And Rom. 8.32 He spared not his own Son but gave him to dye for us 4. The chief of our Blessings lye in another World and Nature cannot see so far off 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off Unless we believe Christ and his Message to us we shall never entertain these things 5. For the present Christ's People are assaulted and afflicted with so many Difficulties and so seemingly forsaken and Temptations to Unbelief in this lower World are so manifold and pressing that we can take no Comfort in the New Covenant unless we have Faith in Christ who is able to maintain and defend us till he hath brought us home to God 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day 6. Faith in Christ is most fitted for the acceptance of his free Gift Faith and Grace go always together and are put as Opposites to Law and Works Rom. 4.16 Therefore 't is of Faith that it might be of Grace And Eph. 2.8 By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of our selves it is the Gift of God Faith establisheth the free Grace and Favour of God or his Condescention to us in the New Covenant wherein Pardon and Life are offered to Penitent Believers What we receive by the Grace of God in Christ cannot be of Right or such as we may Challenge by Vertue of Obedience to the Law upon that Account He might Condemn us but he doth Accept us upon these New Terms which Christ propounded of his meer Grace and therefore Faith solveth the Interest of Grace in our Pardon and Salvation 7. Because the Duties of the New Covenant are opposite to the bent of the Carnal Heart which is set upon Liberty and Uncleanness Rom. 8.7 The Carnal mind is Enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be And nothing
his Sufferings 1. In the value of the Sacrifice Nothing could expiate Sin but the Blood and Shame and Agonies of the Son of God A Man would have thought that a Word of Christs Mouth would have pacified God but so great was the offence that though he cryed with strong cries God would not hear him till he had endured his Wrath. Christ prayed Matth. 26.39 O my Father If it be possible let this cup pass from me But God would not bate him a farthing If you would know Sin go to Golgotha 2. The Extremity of his Sufferings His outward Sufferings were much If you consider the Majesty of his Person he was the Great God that filled Heaven and Earth with his Glory and yet was sold for thirty pence the price of a Slave His back was mangled with Whips his Body nailed to the Cross he was scorned in all his Offices a variety of Sorrow was poured in by the Conduit of every sense seeing smelling tasting hearing and feeling If you consider the Excellency of his Constitution his Body being framed by the Holy Ghost was of a more exact temper his Senses more lively they that enjoy Life in a higher measure than others the more delicate the Sense the higher the Pain the back of a Slave is not so sensible of stroaks as of one that is nicely and tenderly bred His Senses were kept lively and in their full vigour he refused the stupifying Cup that was given to him He kept his strength to the last this appeared by his strong cry when he gave up the Ghost Luke 23.46 And when Iesus had cryed with a loud voice he said Father Into thy hands I commend my spirit and having said thus he gave up the ghost But what is this to what is inward The Agonies of his Soul under the Curse and Wrath of God due for Sin his Desertion of the Father it is more to see the Sun eclipsed than to see a Candle put out he complained that his soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto death Matth. 26.38 His Soul dwelt with God in a Personal Union Christ knew how to value his Fathers Wrath he had an excellent Judgment and tender Affections When he sweat drops of curdled Blood he needed support from an Angel Now put all these Circumstances together and see if Sin be a light thing Object But many think this lesseneth Sorrow Christ hath endured so much what need they be troubled Answ. 1. These know not what Faith and Love meaneth Can a Man love Christ and not mourn for that which was the cause of his Sufferings Thou art the Man that laid all this upon Christ. 2. Slight thoughts of Sin are a disparagement of Christ's Sufferings you make nothing of that which cost him so dear 3. Christ's Death doth not nullifie our Duty in this kind but ratifie it He died not only to expiate the guilt of Sin but also to shew the heinousness of it God might have taken another course This for Humiliation 2. As to Reformation The Death of Christ furthereth this 1. By way of Obligation Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me The great Argument that quickneth us to the Spiritual Life is that it is a thing pleasing and acceptable to him If we knew any thing pleasing and acceptable to a Man that had redeemed us out of a miserable thraldom we would do it They are unthankful Wretches that dare to deny Christ any thing 2. By way of Purchase Our Liberty from Sin was bought at a dear rate not with Silver and Gold You disparage your Redeemer and seek to put him to shame if you live in Sin for you go about to make void the purchase and to overturn the whole business which Christ hath been establishing with so great a cost He paid dear for that Grace which you slight you tye the Bonds which he came to loosen 3. By way of Conformity to the purity of our Sacrifice He was without spot and blemish A Carnal Christian dishonoureth his Head and puts him to an open shame as if the Church were but a Sanctuary for naughty Men and Christianity a design to make us less Careful and Holy What a spotted Christ do we hold forth to the World We are to look upon Christ crucified so as to be crucified with him 2. The Day of Judgment The serious Consideration of that day is an help to Repentance Acts 17.30 31. He hath commanded all men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness As Hell worketh on Fear so this on Shame It helpeth Humiliation and Reformation 1. Humiliation It is a means to prevent the Shame of that Day if we do not call Sin to mind God will call it to mind Psalm 50.21 I will set thy sins in order before thee The Book of Conscience shall be opened and not only ours but Gods Book too Now it will cost us grief to look upon our Sins then grief with desperation terms of Grace are ended and we can have no hope A Sinner now blots the Book that is in his own keeping but then he cannot We will not own the Convictions of the Word when it sheweth our Face but then Iude 15. He will convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds that they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Confession now is neglected but then all shall be brought to light out of our own Reins 1 Cor. 4.5 Iudge nothing before the time until the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknâ—ss and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have praise of God Let us take shame before it be imposed on us Sins repented of will not be mentioned to our confusion but only to the glorifying of the Riches of the Lords Grace They that repent their Sins shall be then blotted out Acts 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the days of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 2. Reformation It includeth Faith and Obedience 1. Faith Let us get our discharge before that day cometh then we shall have boldness 1 Iohn 2.28 And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming The Members of Christ's Mystical Body need not to be affraid of Christ's Judgment their Advocate shall be their Judge their Hearts are sprinkled with his Blood as the Door-posts against the destroying Angel They that are not careful to be found in Christ surely they do not believe that God will make inquisition for Sinners Is the day of Judgment a Fable Scripture
you by discontent impetuous Rage passionate Commotions contumelious Speeches Envy Revenge we hinder our joy in the Lord. Now all this must be carefully avoided least we contract deadness and numbness of Conscience 4. If by Sin you have wounded your Conscience and brought smart and mourning upon your selves abide not in that Estate but humble your selves renewing your Repentance and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ sueing out your Pardon and getting your Wounds healed Beg of God to restore the joy of his Salvation that your broken Hearts may be revived and your broken Bones restored and set in joynt again Psalm 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce and verse 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Never rest till you come again to delight in God with an hearty resolution not to break with God any more Psalm 51.6 Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom Psalm 85.8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints but let them not turn again to folly God is ready to receive lapsed Penitents that are sensible of their errors and are willing to return to their Duty Psalm 32.5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Isa. 57.17 18. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart I have seen his wayes and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comfort to him and to his mourners Your case is sad and grievous but not desperate and hopeless you may have comfort upon Gods termes mourning for Sin that Sin may be made bitter to you and you may not hazard your peace for trifles another time and putting your business into the hands of your Redeemer the Advocate must make your peace for you 1 Iohn 2.1 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous A SERMON On I. Thessalonians v. 17 Pray without ceasing IN the words we have 1. A Duty Pray 2. The continuance of the Duty alwaies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from both observe Doctrine That constant and frequent Prayer to God is a Duty required of Christians In handling this Doctrine I shall shew 1. What Prayer is 2. How it is to be carried on without ceasing 3. The Reasons of the Doctrine I. What Prayer is And here I shall speak 1. Of the Nature of Prayer 2. Of the several kinds of it 1. First For the Nature of Prayer Prayer is the offering up of our desires to God in the Name of Christ for such things as are agreeable to his will 1. It is an offering up of our Desires Desires are the Soul and Life of Prayer Words are but the Body now as the Body without the Soul is dead so are Prayers unless they are animated with our Desires Psalm 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble God heareth not Words but Desires 2. These Desires are offered unto God or brought before the Lord in this solemne way Zeph. 3.10 My suppliants even the daughters of my dispersed shall bring mine offering That is shall reverendly express their Desires to God An Offering was either a Sacrifice and Prayer is a Spiritual Sacrifice 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye are an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. As a Man did then present himself and his offering before the Lord so do we present our selves and our desires and pour out our Hearts before him Or an Offering might be the Mincah or Meat-Offering which was baked or fryed in a Pan and then presented to the Lord Psalm 45 1. My heart inditeth a good matter not raw indigested Services must be performed to God such as are the eructations of the flesh or Incense was offered to the Lord. Let my Prayer be set before thee as incense Psalm 141.2 And we read of Vials full of odours which are the Prayers of the saints Revel 5.8 Incense was a mixture of sweet spices which being set on fire the fume thereof ascended into Heaven so do our holy and ardent desires ascend unto God 3. They are desires presented in the name of Christ in whom alone we are acceptable to God Iohn 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you 4. They are desires of things agreeable to the will of God 1 Iohn 5.14 And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us All our Desires must be regulated by his revealed Will and subordinated to his secret Will so far as God seeth it fit for his Glory and our Good for upon other termes he is not bound to us Secondly The kinds of Prayer so there are sundry distinctions 1. There is Mental Prayer Exod. 14.15 Wherefore criest thou unto me Moses cryed unto the Lord and yet no words are mentioned And Vocal Prayer Psal. 5.3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up When Prayers are put into Language or formalized into some outward expression Again 2. There is suddain and ejaculatory Prayer as Nehem. 2.4 The king said unto me for what dost thou make request so I prayed unto the God of heaven That is some suddain dart of Prayer such as Prosper I pray thy servant lifting up his Heart in a suddain desire to God to direct or give success to his Petition And solemn Prayer and of greater length Rom. 15.30 That ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me which words imply a Prayer full of earnest pleadings 3. There are Publick or Church-Prayers 1 Tim. 2.1 2. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for kings and for all that are in authority Where he giveth directions how the Prayers of their Publick Assemblies should be ordered And Private or Family Prayer Acts 10.2 Cornelius is said to be a devout man and one that feared God with all his house and gave much almes to the people and prayed to God alwayes that is a Man that worshipped God with his Family as good Men use to do And it is said 1 Chron. 16.43 That David after Publick Services returned to bless his house that is to pray for his Family as he had done for the people before And Secret and Closet Prayer concerning which Christ giveth Direction when thou prayest enter into thy closet Matth. 6.6 Again 4. There is Ordinary and Extraordinary Prayer Ordinary Prayer is performed upon Ordinary Causes such as Daily Necessities Psalm 55.17 Evening
blessings indeed by an holy Education Oh it will be a great happiness to be Parents to such as shall be Heirs of Glory As Children ought to be looked upon as a great mercy so also as a great trust which as it is managed may occasion much joy or much grief If Parents doat upon them they make them Idols not servants of the Lord If they neglect Education they will surely prove crosses and curses to them or if they taint them by their example Young ones are very apt to follow the example of those they see or converse with or are related to them Those Forty two Children 2 Kings 2.23 24. That were devoured of two She-Bears and cryed Bald pate to the Prophet of the Lord were Children of Bethel which was a nest of Idolatry Therefore Parents had need see what example they give or suffer to be given to their Children in contemning the Servants of the Lord or in any other kind of sin 3. Reproof to Children born of Godly Parents and notwithstanding dedication and education break out into unseemly and wicked courses For Children born in a godly Family to be naught is the greatest degeneration that can be Ungodly Children of godly Parents these wrest themselves out of the Arms of mercy and instead of a blessing become a burden and a curse They cast off their Fathers God Prov. 27.10 Thine own Friend and thy Fathers Friend forsake not But what shall be said of them that forsake their Fathers God They break off and interrupt the course of the Blessing Jer. 2.12 13. Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord For my People hath committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living water and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that will hold no water He would have the Sun to look pale the spheres to cast out their stars Wilt thou be a Traytor to thy Fathers God Solomon continued allyance with Hyram because he had been a Friend to David And wilt thou break off the Grace of the Covenant Cain excomunicated himself Gen 4.16 Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. Ishmael for scoffing malignity against the power of godliness was cast out of Abrahams Family Gen 21.9 Esau for sensual prophaneness Heb. 12.15 Despising Spiritual priviledges for sensual satisfactions The Jews were cast off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for unbelief Rom. 11.20 or positive rejection of the Gospel Christ made them the first offer 2. Vse To exhort Parents to bring up their Children for God For if they be an heritage from the Lord they must be an heritage to the Lord give them up to Him again as you had them from Him at first For whatever is from Him must be improved for Him Dedicate them to God and Educate them for God and he will take possession of them in due time Hannah though her Son were a Levite born and her eldest Son yet she Solemnly Dedicateth him to God 2 Sam. 1.27 28. I Prayed for this Child and the Lord hath given me my Petition which I asked of him therefore I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. Give God his portion Now if the Dedication be sound it will ingage you to a serious Education God dealeth with us as Pharaoh's Daughter did with Moses his Mother Exod. 2.9 Take this Child away and Nurse it for me Motives 1. The express charge of God who hath made it your Duty Ephes. 6.4 Fathers bring up your Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Deut. 6.7 These words shalt thou teach diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Now we should make Conscience of these commands as we will answer it to God another day 2. The example of the Saints who have been carefull to discharge this trust God presumeth it of Abraham Gen 18.19 For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Observe God reckoneth upon it and disappointment is the worst vexation And it is a means to obtain the Promise and the blessing 2 Tim. 3.15 And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures How by his Grandmother Lois and Mother Eunice as is expressed elsewhere Surely they are unworthy to have Children that do not take care that Christ may have an interest in them 3. The importance of this Duty Next to the preaching of the Word the Education of Children is one of the greatest Duties in the World For the service of Christ and of the Church and State dependeth upon it Families are the Seminaries of Church and Common-Wealth Religion dwelt first in Families and as they grew into numerous Societies they grew into Churches As Religion was first hatched there so there the Devil seeketh to Crush it The Families of the Patriarchs were all the Churches God had in the World And therefore when Cain went out of Adam's Family he is said to go out from the presence of the Lord Gen. 4 16. If the Devil can subvert Families other Societies and Communities will not long flourish Towns and Nations are made up of families A fault in the first Concoction is not easily mended in the second Here is the first making or marring And Solomon telleth us Prov. 20.11 That even a Child is known by his doings 4. To countermine Satan who hath ever envyed the succession of Churches and the growth and progress of Christs Kingdom and therefore seeketh to crush it in the Egg by seeking to pervert Persons while they are young and like wax capable of any form and impression As Pharaoh would destroy the Israelites by killing their Young ones So Satan who hath a great spight at the Kingdom of Christ knoweth there is no such compendious way to subvert and overcome it as by perverting Youth and supplanting Family Duties He knoweth that this is a blow at the root Therefore what care should Parents take to season Children with holy Principles that they may overcome the wicked one by the word of God abiding in them 1 John 2.14 I have written unto you Young men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one And cleanse their Hearts by a regard to Scripture direction Psal. 119.9 Wherewithal shall a Young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word They are defiled already not as Vessels taken out of the Potters shop but as Vessels tainted and polluted 5. To make good
refreshments 3. They are described by their constant progress till they came to the place they aimed at that is in the Text They go from strength to strength every one of them in Zion appeareth before God That is having found some refreshment and reparation of strength they are encouraged to go on their way till they appear before God in the Holy Feast and have communion with him in his publick worship and then chearful joyful Souls they In which words 1. Their progress is described 2. The term and end of their journey I. Their progress They go from strength to strength That is they are always gathering new strength and courage notwithstanding their difficulties It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is increasing their power and strength yet more and more so far are they from being weary faint and discouraged as Rom. 1.17 The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith that is our Faith still increasing And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 that is Our Glory increasing more and more So they go from strength to strength that is they increase in Strength and Courage Some read from Company to Company or from Troop to Troop or Squadron to Squadron As the word signifieth Strength in the general so sometimes a Troop of Men. It was their fashion to repair to these Feasts in great Troops For David saith Psal. 42.4 I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy day Luke 2.44 They supposing him to be in the company went a days journey and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance The croud was so great that Christ was lost in the throng So they go from Troop to Troop from one of these Companies to another the later overtaking the foremost which sheweth their alacrity in this journey But we may keep our reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from strength to strength II. The term and end of the Journey Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God At length they come to the Tabernacle the Type of Christ's promised Incarnation God's pitching his Tent in Humane Flesh and so these Godly Travellers reap the benefit of their long trouble and enjoy the pleasure of God's publick Worship The Sept. Read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The God of Gods shall be seen in Zion The words of them are opened Now the use of them is double as Zion was a Figure of the Church or as it is a Figure of Heaven 1. As Zion was a Figure of the Church so it doth express the Zeal of God's Children to joyn themselves to his Militant Church in this World and to make after the Ordinances there to injoy Christ notwithstanding all difficulties with which such a purpose is incumbred Those that may have comfortable Communion with God in his Holy Worship must expect Troubles and yet they many times meet with a Spring or a Pool by the way some mitigations of Providence and Refreshments in their Miseries at length they shall obtain their Desire 2. As Zion is a Figure of Heaven of Ierusalem that is above the City that hath Foundations And so it doth notably express the condition of those that aspire after the Triumphant Church in Heaven and all things in this Psalm concerning these passengers are sweetly applicable to this David compareth himself to two sort of Israelites ver 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy House they shall be still praising thee Some Saints are at home already dwelling with God and praising him is their perpetual Exercise These are in Patria in their Country Others in via in the way Travellers home 1. Their Hearts are in the ways thereof their whole Time Care Thoughts and Affections are set upon this how they may get home Phil. 3.20 Our conversation is in Heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. Mat. 6.20 21. Lay up for your selves Treasure in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust doth corrupt and where Thieves do not break through nor steal for where your Treasure is there will your Heart be also 2. These have a Wilderness to get thorough and a comfortless Valley full of discouragements For through manifold tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14.22 Only now and then God giveth them a little refreshing a Spring by the way or a Pool sometimes inward sometimes outward Comforts and Supports that they may not be afflicted above measure and beyond what they are able to bear 3. In this valley of Tears and in the midst of Sorrows they find strength renewed to them and supports given so that the further they go the more chearful they are 4. At length our troublesome pilgrimage in this world is rewarded with the Beatifical vision of God in a better World and then we shall find that all our pains though never so great are well bestowed when the God of Gods is seen in Zion I. Those whose Hearts are set upon the ways of God and do in the midst of all difficulties hope to come before him in Zion that is above it is their Priviledge and Duty to go on from Strength to Strength II. Those that go from Strength to Strength shall at length appear before God in a Blessed and Heavenly Estate 1. Doct. Those whose Hearts are set upon the ways of God and do in the midst o◠〈◊〉 difficulties hope to come before him in Zion it is their priviledge and Duty to go on 〈◊〉 Strength to Strength 1. It is their priviledge as they grow older to grow better wiser and stronger Isai. 40.31 They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint They that wait on the Lord that do with patience expect the performance of his promises shall still have a new supply of strength enabling them to bear up when they seem to be clean spent so as to Mount as on Eagles wings which are Fowls that fly strongly and swiftly and renew their Youth Psal. 103.5 Thy youth is renewed like the Eagles Whether as those Fowls are famous for long life vigorous and healthful as if always young or it respects some particular qualities of the Eagle Some say the Eagle by casting her Feathers reneweth her youth As Micah 1.16 Inlarge thy baldness as the Eagle Some by casting her Bill when the upper Beak groweth crooked with age and shutteth up the lower Well then this is the priviledge of God's Servants so Psal. 92.13 14. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Those Plants which our Heavenly Father hath planted in the midst o◠all their troubles and difficulties they flourish as Trees stand all weathers
Persons that is his Judgment is not sway'd by any thing that is extrinsical and belongeth not to the cause in hand and will not approve or disapprove any Man for his Persons sake or External Prerogatives if he be not otherwise worthy of approbation or reproof As to instance in the foregoing distinctions 1. The Gifts of the Body Strength and Beauty It is not the Strong and Beautiful that are accepted with God but the Good and the Holy He is strong in a Spiritual sense not that overcometh another man but tameth his own flesh Prov. 16.32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his Spirit than he that taketh a City The true strength is seen also in vanquishing the temptations of the Devil 1 Iohn 2.14 Ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one So not outward Beauty but Grace doth make us amiable in the sight of God Alas that is a fading thing in its Prime it is but Skin-deep The adorning of the hidden man of the Heart is that which is of great price in the sight of God 1 Pet. 3.3 4. This Beauty is never shrivell'd nor doth it wax Old and is in high esteem with God 2. For the Gifts of the Mind Learning Secular Prudence these things may make us more Serviceable in the World but surely in themselves they do not commend us to God It is pity Men should prostitute their great abilities to so vile an use as only to Cater for the Body or to turn and wind in the World or else to put a Varnish on the Devils cause As Satan chose the form of the Serpent to deceive our first Parents because he was the subtilest of all the Beasts of the Field Gen. 3.1 So he delighteth to employ the sharpest subtilest Wits but at last with all their Wit and Learning they are thrust down into Hell unless they lay aside their Worldly Wisdom and cleave to Christ and walk in his ways whatever it costs them 1 Cor. 3.18 If any among you seemeth to be wise in this World let him become a Fool that he may be Wise. In the Eye of the World it seemeth foolish to stand on terms of Conscience but that that will be found the best Wisdom at last 3. Of Estate Rank and Quality Some are Noble some Ignoble But the Blood that runneth in the Veins of the Poor is of the same Colour with yours that are Nobly Descended By Nature you are equal for he has made all Nations of one Blood Acts 17.26 And this distinction will not out-live time but ceaseth at the Graves Mouth Certainly it beareth no weight before Gods Tribunal 1 Cor. 1.26 Not many Mighty not many Noble are called So some are Rich and Mighty others are Poor and in a low Condition but none are accepted the more for their greatness dignity or Worldly preheminence Iob. 34. â—9 He accepteth not the person of Princes and regardeth not the rich more than the pâ—or for they are all the work of his hands Alas it is a vain plea with God to say I am Rich I am Noble I am a Prince I hope he will not deal severely with me The Rich or Poor Prince or Beggar do all stand upon the same level before God The dignity power and wealth of Princes doth not move him to spare them neither Lordship nor Ladiship nor Principality nor Kingdom can stead you if you be a Transgressor your Sensuality is as odious to God as the Drunkenness of the Rascality When we stand before the Lord we are stript of all our personal qualities and regarded only according to our Works Rev. 20.12 I saw small and great stand before God So for Bond and Free Though Christian Religion abolish not those civil distinctions which are between Masters and Servants Governors and Governed yet it layeth no weight upon any of these as to our acceptance with God The Bond may be Christ's Freeman 1 Cor. 7.22 and the Free are but Christ's Servants Therefore the Apostle biddeth Masters to carry themselves well to their Servants because God is no respecter of persons Eph. 6.9 Col 3.25 4. In respect of Nation or Country Some lye nearer others more remote from the Sun but they are all alike near to the Sun of Righteousness Gal. 3.28 Iew and Greek are all one in Christ Iesus or else miserable without him Especially since the coming of Christ in the Flesh the door of Grace is much more inlarged and the inclosure broken down 5. For Externals in Religion for Profession and outward Priviledges Cornelius was an holy and good Man but wanted Circumcision yet was accpted of God when many a Carnal Jew that had it was rejected by him This is attested by the Apostle Rom. 2.9 10 11. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doth evil of the Iew first and also of the Gentile but glory honour peace to every man that worketh good to the Iew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of persons with God God is not partial to Jews above Gentiles nor to Carnal literal Christians above Pagans If by outward profession there be a people nearer to God than others they have the priviledge to be first rewarded if they do good But then they must expect to have punishment and destruction first if they do evil for the greater their Priviledges the greater also their Provocation and Guilt will be For God's rewards and punishments are not conferred by an uncertain rule of arbitrary favour and displeasure neither do they depend on outward priviledges of being or not being Circumcised but are exactly proportioned to mens Qualifications and Actions Well then Baptism or the external Profession of the Faith is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Christian as Circumcision or the Profession of the Law is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Jew Now if either be without holiness of Heart and Life it is nothing to their acceptance with God either for the submission to the Rituals of Moses or the external observances of the Gospel if there be not that Constitution of Heart or that course of Life which this Profession calleth for for God looketh not to shews and appearances but the reality of Mens Godliness and Obedience It is no Plea to say I am of the true Religion 6. I shall add Where Men are under one common Profession but differ in lesser things As there were different Parties at Corinth but one common Christ 1 Cor. 1.2 All that call on the Lord Iesus Christ both theirs and ours with 12 and 13 Verses Is Christ divided It is the nature of man to confine all Religion to their own Party and inclose the common Salvation As here in England our Divisions have tempted us to Unchurch Unminister Unchristianize one another we make no scruple to cast one another out of Gods favour but God's approbation doth not go by our Vote and Suffrage
wonderfully reconcile the heart to God and make our thoughts of him sweet and acceptable when we come to Pray to him Christ will not be strange to his own flesh as we are bidden Not to hide our selves from our own flesh Isai. 58.7 3. His bountiful providence His former kindness to David is mentioned all along the Chapter both by the Lord himself and also by David God that hath been good will be good for he wasteth not by giving but is where he was Iam. 1.5 If any lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him As the Fountain remaineth as full as ever tho it overflow and sendeth forth its streams God delighteth that former mercies should be improved to future trust 2 Cor. 1.10 Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us And to Prayer Phil. 4 6. In every thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God Promises should not lye by us as a dead stock Psal. 116.2 Because he hath inclined his ear to me therefore will I call upon him as long as I Live Deus promittendo et donando debet God is a Debtor both by his Promises and by his Gifts He loveth to crown his own mercies and to follow gift with gift For he is not weary of giving 4. His Promises The Promises to incourage Prayer are very large 1. There are indefinite promises of Audience Psal. 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee Job 22.27 Thou shalt make thy Prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy Vows So Isai. 45.19 I said not to the Seed of Jacob Seek me in vain Now these are mighty incouragements and shew us that 〈◊〉 is not labour in vain to seek God So that if there be not a commandment in our way to stop our requests we have all the ingagements in the World to come and acquaint God with all our desires griefs fears wants requests We may find in our hearts to be dealing with him upon these incouragements For what cannot God do And what will not Prayer do with a good God who is readily inclined to his People and able to do what he pleaseth and hath promised to do what we desire 2. There are promises of general universal concernment that God will not only hear Prayer but do all that we desire of him As John 14.14 If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it And Matth. 21.22 And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in Prayer believing ye shall receive Psal. 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart And many such expressions Not that men have a lawless liberty allowed them to ask what they will and Gods power shall lackey after their vain fancies and appetites No these large and universal offers admit of a limitation propounded in Scripture and that then when these universal particles are mentioned these limitations are to be regarded that you may not make promises to your selves and set God a task by your self-conceitedness and vain fancies and think him ingaged beyond what he is pleased to bind himself unto But what are the Limitations 1. That we ask righteously according to the matter So you have the limitation 1 John 5.14 15. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us And if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of him All the business is what is the meaning of these words According to his Will Ans. With Conformity to his Revealed Will and with Submission to his Secret Will Surely with Conformity to his Revealed or Commanding Will that we ask nothing unjust or sinful and seek to bring God to our hire as Balaam when he built Altars and sought to God for leave to Curse his People And that we ask nothing but what is agreeable to his Secret Will Many things are lawful yea and commanded as for Parents to ask the Conversion of their Children and it is our Duty to use the means in order to it but we must refer the success to God God must be judge what shall be most for his Glory In short we must ask according to his Commanding Will with due respect to his decreeing Will Ioh. 14.13 Whatever ye ask the Father in my Name I will do it that the Father may be glorified in the Son Whatever belongeth to our Duty and the Glory of God we must do but for the event how God will be glorified by either we must submit it to God So for lawful things Gâ—ace puts a restraint upon the Will of a renewed man that he seeketh nothing but what may be for the Glory of God and his Good If he asketh other things and to other ends he is prompted thereunto by his Flesh which maketh him Lust after Vain Empty Carnal Satisfactions to please his flesh 2. The next Limitation is to the manner If we ask them fervently and with that Life and Seriousness which finding a Prayer in the Heart doth require So Mat. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Prayers are not answered if the Spirit of Prayer be wanting or that liveliness which is necessary to make it Prayer though the form and fashion of it be kept up Men may pray but that Life which their Necessity calleth for may be far to seek When we set our Face to seek the Lord God with Prayer and Supplication Dan. 9.3 I set my Face unto the Lord God to seek by Prayer and Supplications Jer. 29.13 Ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your Heart This sets the Spirit of Prayer a work 3. The next Qualification is of the Person as in the Text Thy Servant so in other places 1 Ioh. 3.22 And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his sight That is we are as certain we shall receive as if we had it already If Prayer should be performed with the greatest Earnestness and the greatest Faith and Confidence yet if the Consciences of men reprove them of any looseness and lightness of Spirit or that they have served God by halves and are off and on with him in their Practice and look for good things from God while they neglect their own Duty and what is required of them they cannot think that God should do it for them they cannot look that God should be ingaged any further than he hath ingaged himself So Ioh. 15.7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto
you If you be sollicitous about the word of Christ and the matters of Duty contained therein you have a great advantage at the Throne of Grace So Psal. 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my Heart the Lord will not hear me Many that pray are as Ice a little thawed above but hard at bottom they have not such a strong setled Resolution to walk more closely and orderly with God but allow some secret Lust and so marr their own Audience and Acceptance with God II. For Reasons 1. With respect to God 1. His Observance 2. His Acceptance 1. With respect to Gods Observance He is an All-seeing Spirit and therefore will not be mocked with a vain appearance or a little bodily exercise but the Prayers we make to him we must find them in our Hearts 1 Sam. 16.7 For God seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but God looketh on the Heart We may Act the Parrot before men but God looks to what there is in the Heart 1 Chron. 28.9 Know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect Heart and with a willing Mind for the Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the Thoughts A man up in the Air seeth the Spring as well as the River and its course we that stand by see the course but not the Spring God understandeth whether we are inclined and encouraged whether we are habitually inclined to God Ier. 5.3 O Lord are not thine eyes on the Truth Rom. 8.27 And he that searcheth the Heart knoweth what is the Mâ—nd of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the will of God He knows a belch of the Flesh from a groan of the Spirit He understandeth our desires as well as our Words So whether we are encouraged by the Grace of the New Covenant and Sense of our own qualification 1 Ioh. 3.20 21. If our Heart condemn us God is greater than our Heart and knoweth all things Beloved if our Heart condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God 2. With respect to Gods Acceptance God granteth not our Prayers till our Hearts be fixedly bent towards him Psal. 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their Heart thou wilt cause thine Ear to hear When God hath put it into their Hearts to pray and awakened their desires then he will hear Dan. 10.12 From the first day that thou didst set thine Heart to understand and to chasten thy self before thy God thy words were heard God hath accepted the Heart without the Tongue but never accepted the Tongue without the Heart Moses cryed to God when he spake not one word Exod. 8.12 and God heard him 2. With respect to us 1. The part which the Heart beareth in all humane Actions It is fons actionum ad extra and it is terminus actionum ad intra In our actings towards God Prov. 4.23 Keep thy Heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of Life and in our receipts from God this is the thing that God aimeth at Rom. 6.17 Ye have obeyed from the Heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you Prayer is not a receiving duty as hearing In praying the Heart begins in hearing it ends the Duty 2. With respect to our carriage in Prayer We do not conceive a Prayer but impose a Prayer upon our selves if the Tongue guide the Heart rather than the Heart the Tongue Like Children that cast stones into the Mine but do not draw Oar out of the Mine Acts 2.26 Therefore did my Heart rejoice and my Tongue was glad I. Vse Information 1. What need is there of Recollection before we come to pray that we may not force upon our selves what chance offereth but may have a Prayer in our Hearts before we have it in our Tongues Psal. 45.1 My Heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made touching the King my Tongue is as the Pen of a ready Writer Usually we offer to God a dough-baked Sacrifice Only that I may not grate upon a tender Conscience there is an habitual Preparation and an actual Preparation The habitual Preparation lyeth in a broken hearted Sense of our wants radicated Inclination or bent of Heart towards God and Heavenly Things and in a Confidence and Liberty towards God The actual Preparation lyeth in such a Sense of our Necessities as the present Case doth deserve such a quickening of our desires after Heavenly Things as may fill us with Life such a remembrance of the Grace of God in Christ and our own Sincerity that our Hearts may not reproach us when dealing with God as a Father Again I distinguish that our requests are Ordinary or Extraordinary Ordinary When we ask daily supplies of Grace having no particular streight Temptation Difficulty or Business of moment then in hand Here the Habitual Preparation with little or no Actual Preparation serveth in our daily Prayers for necessary Blessings Extraordinary as in some notable trial difficult Streight Conflict Temptation or when we seek some special Benefit and upon eminent Occasions then as our Necessities are greater so our Acts of Prayer are more earnest Psal 109 4. For my love they are my Adversaries but I give my self unto Prayer Our Lord Jesus Christ being in an Agony prayed more earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 22.44 And so it resolveth this Case What if I have not such a feeling of strong and earnest desire or the over ruling bent of the general Inclination Yet keep not off from Prayer 1. Good desires are to be asked of God 2. Such desires as you have must be expressed 3. Prayer is the usual way to quicken and increase them 4 Turning away from God is the means to kill them 2. It informeth us what need we have of more help than our own if we must find every Prayer in our Heart which we utter with our Tongues Three things are necessary in Prayer The Humane Spirit or natural Faculty that I may by my Understanding work on my Will The New Nature Faith Hope and Love to believe in God and see him before me to incline me to God as my chief good and to hope for Benefit from him The Divine Spirit to excite these Graces Iude 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost Rom. 8.26 The Spirit it self also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered The Spirit works not on us as blocks but as rational Creatures nor does it blow on a dead Coal II. Vse Caution Do not take every thing for Prayer which looks like it 1. Bodily exercise Mâ—ny by the Agitation of the bodily Spirits work themselves into some vehemency their Voice is heard on high but the Heart is dead and cold quibus arteriis opus est These fill up only a little