any purpose this is to remember even as if a man did not remember as Moses sayes remember and forget not that thou provokedst the Lord to anger in the wildernesse Deut. 9. 7. that is remember it and doe not remember it with a dead memory As Balaam remembred that God was angry with him in the way no question but if a man had askt him about it a weeke or two after he would have shewed that he did remember it he could tell the place the time and the manner and how it was in his journey and how the Lord stood before him with a drawne sword But alas this was a dead memory for this practice shewed plainly that he had forgotten it in effect I say there is a dead memory a man may have an excellent memory to goe from point to point nay a better memory in this sense then many of Gods dearest Children and yet this memory be a dead memory Secondly there is a living memory a memory that hath life in it as God sayes of penitent Ephraim I doe earnestly remember him still Jer. 31. 20. marke God did not onely remember him so he does remember all men he remembers reprobates and all but he did very earnestly remember him so when a man does earnestly remember God the remembrance he hath of him is earnest he remembers his word earnestly he is earnest in the remembring of his will though there be never so many things to put God out of his thoughts he is daily tempted to forget himselfe in some thing or other about God but he is earnest to remember when a mans memory is eager after a thing now it is a live memory Now the question is when the memory is alive for the handling of this First I will shew you what the memory is Secondly what a great blessing of God it is that we have a memory Thirdly when the memory may be said to be alive Fourthly we will prove it and then we will make some uses of the point First what memory is It is the conservation of what we apprehend as a man hath many things in common with a beast so memory is in his fancy and imagination for look what a man hath seen or heard or tasted or smelt or felt memory is the conservation of the same some can remember the shape of men of towne and creatures we can remember what colour things are of what a taste such and such meats have such a memory beasts have as we see in the milch Kine they remembred their Calves 1 Sam. 6. 12. they went lowing as they went thus the children of Israel remembred the flesh that they had in Aegypt we remembred the flesh which we did eat in Aegypt Numb 11. 5. and this we call a sensitive memory Secondly memory most properly is a faculty of the minde whereby it preserves the species of what it once knew and therefore when a man is said to remember he is said to be mindfull as David sayes be ye mindfull alwayes of his Covenant 1 Chro. 16. 15. that is looke you alwayes remember his Covenant for when the minde once knowes a thing memory is a certaine Paper of the minde to retaine it and to keep it and therefore it is called the soules store-house it is the soules treasury as our Saviour Christ speakes a good man out of the good treasury of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evill man out of the evill treasure of the heart bringeth forth evill things Matth. 12. 35. memory is the soules chest where it keeps all its Jewels that look what a man knows specially if he like it presently he layes it up to keep by him as it is said of Mary still when she knew any thing of our Saviour when she knew of any saying of his she kept it in her heart Mary kept all these sayings Luk. 2. 19. properly I say memory is a faculty of the minde whereby when it knowes a thing once it is able to keep it This we call intellectuall memory Thirdly by consequent memory is in the conscience for the soule of man being privy to it selfe what it knowes what its told of God what notions it hath what it does what it hath done or what it hath not done it hath a Paper to record this and therefore in this sense we call memory the soules Register for thus it is in the conscience so when the Sonne of Iacob were privy to themselves that they had sold their brother Ioseph ye know how their conscience remembred what they had done above twenty yeares after O we are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought us and we would not heare Gen. 42. 21. their conscience had registred their fact up and did remember it against them so many yeares after So Adonibezek being privy to himself when he cut off the thumbes the great toes of threescore and ten Kings and made them to gather scraps under his Table you see how his conscience had registred this and could remember it against him another day Judg. 1. 7. so that memory is by consequent in the conscience too And this memory we call the Booke of a mans conscience These three are all the proper memories that we have because memory can properly be nowhere but where apprehension is either sensitive apprehention as in fancie or intellectuall apprehension as in the minde or reflective apprehension as in the conscience they understood not thy wonders neither did they remember them Psal 106. 7. Fourthly memory in an improper sense is in the will and heart of a man because there is some retention too of what is past and gone as let a man love or hate his brother though that act be past and gone yet there is some retention of that act against another time for when a man hath hated one heretofore he is the more ready to hate him afterwards which is a signe that the heart does retaine what it did before nay sayes Aristotle there is memoria in pedibus there is memory in the feet there is memory in the hand as the Psalmist speakes if I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget her cunning Psal 137. 5. this is called remembring too in the Scripture but this is improperly so called this we call a habit or faculty or a dexterity in acting by reason of precedent actings Thus ye see what memory is Now this memory is of things that are past for if things be present we are said to see them or behold them or so But when they are past now if we can see them still this is by way of remembring indeed we may be said to remember things both present and to come in regard that our knowledge of them is past as the Apostle sayes Remember them that are in Bonds as being bound with them Heb. 13. 3. that is though the thing be now present yet I would
company dare talk of their roguery before them as Amnon before Jonadab Jonadab ask't him what he ailed he was so sad O sayes he I would fain lie with my sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13. 4. He knew before whom he was if Jonadab had been a godly man he durst as well have eaten his own tongue as have told him his base lust A godly man the very presence of him would have made him ashamed and to have bitten in his lips When a minister is unsent of God no body does respect him out of conscience they care not for his words whereas when a minister is sent this makes him as an Angel of God when others call him all to naught the conscience of many will plead for him as we see there of Jeremy O this man is not worthy to die for hee hath spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord Jer. 26. 16. There 's never a sent minister but if he come in trouble except peoples consciences be seared with a hot Iron they wil speak for him in their bosomes Alas why is he put down Why is he imprisoned Why is he opposed He hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord. So that this is the second wherein all ministers should agree they should be all sent of God not contenting themselves with the calling of man without being also called of God Thirdly they must all agree in the matter that they preach the same word is delivered unto all ministers to preach Preach the word 2 Tim. 4. The same Gospel the same Truths the same Duties the same Commandments the same Promises the same threatnings Ye know there is one God and one Faith and one Baptisme one Lord Jesus Christ there is but one way of life one gate to heaven one salvation one Bible Now every minister must agree in this You know all men are by Nature the children of wrath in a damned estate now all Pulpits should agree in this every minister labouring to bring their people to a sight of their misery by sinne every minister should shew his people what cursed creatures they are untill they be converted and renewed every Minister should presse the evill of sin and open the wiles of Satan the guilt of the conscience the spiritualnesse of the Law the necessity of humiliation and repentance and amendment of life that there is no mercy but in Christ no salvation but by Christ except people take him to live in their hearts by faith All ministers should let their people know the terror of the Lord the strictnesse of Gods judgements the inseparable connexion of mercy and a godly life that no profane person can enter into Gods Kingdome no hypocrite no meer civill man that a form of godlinesse will not serve turn that none but Saints shall stand at Christs right hand at the last day All ministers should preach what a narrow path there is to Paradise how few there bee that find it that saving grace cannot stand with the reign of the least lust that people must be pure and holy what ever the world think of purenesse and precisenesse and strictnesse yet without this no flesh shall be saved If all pulpits sounded with these truths and all ministers cried those aloud would lift up their voyces like a trumpet and not spare what a land should we have The want of unity in this matter is the cause that wickednesse does so much abound a drunkard a whoremaster a muckworm may come to a Sermon and goe away with hope that he shall have peace When ministers make the pulpit a scaffold in which like Masters of Defence they play their prizes blazon their own wits descant upon their text as though the Scripture were a Rattle for children and fools to sport with tossing it to and fro hither and thither as boyes at a Tennis when they go about to amaze their hearers to mount aloft to be in their high phrases and coyned words more like Mimicks and Comedians then Ministers when they search into moath-eaten Friers affect allegories would fain be thought Linguists and interlace a many of allegations of Latin and Greek sentences which a School-boy might doe with a Polyanthea or if they speak plain they skim the truth of the Scriptures and never dive deep to the edifying of the soule May be they will preach good morall matter But a man may goe to hell though he doe as they teach people may heare them a thousand times and no man made to cry out What have I done They preach of repentance but then they open it so slightly that a man may repent as they say and be damned they preach of faith in Christ but they make it so broad that thousands have it and sink into the bottomlesse pit with it they preach that sin must be forsaken and a good life must be led but they handle it in that wise that their hearers may doe as they say and yet have no more grace then a reprobate nor so much neither Now beloved the unity among brethren should be this to agree in the right matter of preaching that the word may be carved to all as their need is that they may see their own cases that they may understand the wiles of the Devil the fallacies of their own evill hearts the counterfets of faith and repentance and new obedience and that they may not be cousened with them This is the third thing Fourthly they should all agree in the true manner of preaching That which our Saviour sayes of hearing Take heed how yee heare Luke 8. 18. he means of preaching too let your Ministers take heed how they preach Beloved we that are the Ministers of God we are to labour to turn Lions into Lambs and to transform the heart of man to breed new creatures unto God and therefore it is not every kind of preaching will serve the turn 1. Then Ministers should agree in preaching with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power as Paul sayes not with the wisdome of words lest the crosse of Christ be made of no effect 1 Cor. 1. 17. q. d. If we should preach wit and learning eloquence then the death of Christ would be of no effect that is no man would be converted Christ would be offered to none therefore we must preach nakedly to flash the naked word into mens consciences that they may see Thus saith the Lord against their sinful courses thus saith the Lord of their estates this reproofe is from the Lord this threat is from the Lord thus saith the Lord you are a wretch this is thy sin and this is thy cursed condition and it is the Lord and not I that does affirm it It is said of Christ that he preacht with authority and not as the Scribes Matth. 7. 29. What is it to come with authority When a man speakes from God to the consciences of men as when a Constable comes in the name of a King I
off the Son of God and everlasting life Still when the Prophets would speak unto the people this was their preface The Lord sent mee so sayes Isaiah the Lord sent mee Esa 48. 16. so sayes Jeremiah the Lord sent mee When they refused to hear what he said O sayes hee Truely the Lord sent mee of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words unto you Jer. 26. 15. One would think it wore enough to strike terrour into the hearts of men to put off any Sermon any rebuke any exhortation of Christs Ministers when they know the Lord sends them Of a truth the Lord hath sent mee to speak all these words unto you May bee the Minister is as poore a creature in himself as one of you O but remember who sends him as Christ sayes hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee and hee that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent me Luk. 10. 16. So much shall suffice to have been spoken of the first way whereby Christ is said to have the seven Starres that is the Ministers of the Church namely he hath the sending of them Secondly Hee hath them that is hee hath the giving of them their Commission as they have their Mission from him so they have their Commission from him too They are not onely messengers but Embassadors This Commission hath two things first the heads of their Embassage that Christ sends them to treat of Secondly the authority of their Embassage that Christ invests them with For the first the heads of their commission Christ hath the appointing of them what they shall treat of and they are five First they shall preach the Word Goe and preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16. 15. Secondly to remit the sin of all them that doe embrace the Gospel Joh. 20. 23. that is to pronounce all the promises of the Covenant of Grace and in particular forgivenesse of sins to all true penitent and beleeving Soules Thirdly to administer the Sacraments of the New Testament to all the said persons to whom the promises of eternall life doe belong for the assuring of their hearts concerning all the things of the Kingdome of God to them in particular Matth. 28. 19. Fourthly To build up the Church of God for the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying of the body of Christ untill they all come c. Ephes 4. 12. Fifthly to shut the Kingdome of Heaven upon all that have an evill heart of unbelief to goe on in their sins and not to stoop to the Scepter of Jesus Christ Mark 16. 16. and in divers other places These are the heads of their commission that Christ will have them treat of in their Embassage unto men Secondly now for the Authority that hee invests them with it is not any carnall or earthly authority to jet and to vaunt or to domineere as though they were Lords and Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5. 3. no sayes Christ it shall not be so with you But hee that is greatest among you hee shall bee as the least Luk. 22. 26. and therefore I doe not here speak of any earthly authority No the Authority that Christs Ministers have and they have it from him is a spirituall Authority uamely not onely to preach and to declare forgivenesse of sin and to administer the seales of the covenant and to build up the Saints and to denounce wrath and damnation to all that continue in their unregenerate estate through impenitence unbelief but to do all these things with a heavenly Power and Authority to have an Office under Christ for the doing of them so as to be the very mouth of Christ and that which they doe according to their commission from him to stand firme and good for ever and ever I will give power to my two witnesses Rev. 11. 3. The Lord hath given me power and authority sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 8. You will say this is great power indeed all the Kings Potentates of the earth have not so great power as this this is a power of life and death not naturall nor temporary but Spirituall and eternall this is a power not oven mens Bodies but over their soules not in small matters but either for salvation ordamnation This is a great Commission how come they by such a great one as this is O sayes Christ I am able to invest them with as much as this comes to For all power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. 18. q. d. I am able to furnish you with all authority and power goe you in my name and preach you in my name in my name bid people repent and beleeve in my name open heaven to all that doe obey and shut it upon all that doe disobey and I will make it good The use of this is First have the Ministers of Christ such a Commission from Christ then they are the greatest Embassadors that ever were or can be Embassadors of earthly Kings have a great Commission they represent the Kings person from whom they come Alas what are they to these they come about petty things about civill peace or warre and yet they are Lord Embassadors they are Lords by their places they are much respected among men O then what great Embassadors are the Ministers of Jesus Christ that represent the King of Kings person that represent the person of the Lord of Lords that came to Treat of peace betweene God and Man or of open Hostility between the Creator and the Creature as Paul sayes now then wee are Embassadours for Christ As though God did beseech you by us wee pray you in Christs stead be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 15. 20. that is we have a very great commission we represent the person of our Lord Jesus Christ we come to treat with you about eternity according as you heare us or heare us not so it will be with you unto all eternity O consider what we have to do you are enemies unto God from the womb as long as your sins doe remain ye are enemies still we come to set you at one again Yee know the condition yee know what the heads of our commission bee if yee will not hearken unto them and submit yee are damned for ever if ye doe blessed and happy are yee for evermore was there ever such a great Embassage as this as the Apostle sayes To make known the mystery of the Gospel for which I am an Embassadour in bonds Ephes 6. 19 20. q. d. though the wicked and blinde world look upon me as a Schismatique and a malefactour and cast me into the prison and here I am in bonds they see no such thing in me as an Embassadour of the great God yet the truth is though I bee in bonds they shall know it one day to their cost who I was and what a commission I had and what it is to slight it and put it off I
long he will continue us It s a dolefull signe when Christ takes away his Ministers from a place it s a signe he hath no more soules to save if he had he would let his Ambassadours lye beseeching still so that this is one great reason because Ministers are His Ambassadours Secondly Because Christ hath all power in Heaven and in Earth as he told his Apostles when he sent them out to preach All power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth Math. 28. 18 q. d. I have power to send you and I have power to continue your Ministery as long as I thinke fitting and I have power to take you away I have power to ordaine you either for salvation or the damnation of men Whom I will I can convert by your Sermons and whom I will I can deliver up to the counsell of their own hearts that they shall not be converted by you Now if Christ have all power in Heaven and in Earth then he hath power to continue his Ministers as long as his will is I need not stand to prove this it is too evident he hath power to lengthen his Ministers lives to prolong their liberties when he takes away one he hath power to put in another as good when he meant to take away Elias he anoynted Elisha in his roome If their enemies be never so many he can tye up their hands he deliverd Paul from the mouth of the Lyon though fortie men had vowed to take him away by death he diverted their plot and continued him still nay when he was in Bonds yet he was able to get him liberty to go abroad with his keeper and to preach the Kingdom of God to as many as came Suppose the world be never so mad against Christs Ministers yet as long as he hath any more worke for them to doe he can hold off their singers from meddling with them till they have finished the Taske that hee hath given them to doe The Use of this is first That Ministers should not fear to bee deprived of their liberty so long as they doe well indeed if they doe ill if they bee wicked or idle or unworthy such Ministers should fear they doe deserve to be put down But if wee bee godly Ministers it is our basenesse to feare any such thing Christ hath the continuing of us our times are not in mens hands but in his What a horrible thing is it that wee should goe against our conscience in any thing or bee afraid to speak what God bids us to bee mealemouthed to bee discouraged with rumours or dangers wee should keep nothing back of the whole counsell of God wee are starres in his hands and hee hath the continuing of us though men fight against us they cannot prevaile against us till our businesse is all done As the Lord told the Prophet Jeremiah They shall fight against thee but they shall not prevaile against thee for I am with thee Jer. 1. 19. Let us then be afraid of nothing but sinne Let us bee afraid to doe any evill either towards God or towards man let us be harmlesse in the midst of a crooked and a perverse generation Let us deale faithfully with our people let us undauntedly Preach Rebuke Exhort with all long suffering and Doctrine make our faces hard against the wickeds faces no matter for their railings their threatning speeches their malicious accusations and not feare the Lord Jesus hath the continuing of us Secondly Here we may see the reason why the Gospel continues in any place a man would wonder it should continue any where because the world cannot abide it Which of the Prophets have not your Fathers persecuted saves Stephen Act. 7. 52. They that doe evill hate the light it cuts them to the heart Every one hates mee sayes the Prophet hee was reproached for the Words sake Report say they and wee will report it One time they put him into a dungeon Another time they would have killed him Shemaiah writ Letters to the high Priest against him Jer. 29. 25. And yet hee continued his Ministery untill the day of the Captivity Nay hee had liberty when others had their liberty taken away Yee know Christ himself Preached dayly in the Temple and they took him not though they gnasht their teeth at his Doctrine and sometimes were in the minde to throw him down headlong and break his neck sometimes to stone him yet till his houre was come he had his liberty And the truth is a man would wonder how any of Gods Ministers have their Liberties continued when there bee so many Drunkards so many Enemies of all goodnesse so many that follow their own ungodly lusts and the Gospel is an eye-sore unto them and yet in many places it stands still This is Gods doing You see here Christ hath the continuing of his Ministers they shall have their liberty as long as God hath any use for them Thirdly Is it so that Christ hath the continuing of his Ministers then this is of use also unto you Now you heare whence to have your good Ministers continued even by seeking to Jesus Christ hee can lay a charge upon all the world where they are to let them alone He can say Doe my Prophets no harme Psal 105. 15. you will say why what shall we doe I Answer first let us repent of our sinnes it is our sins that removes the Ministers of God if we would repent us of our sins and turn from our wicked wayes and let the Word work upon our hearts this would continue the ministery of the Word as God told Judah when they should repent of their sins O sayes hee I will bee your God and you shall be my people and my Sanctuary shall be among you for evermore Ezek. 27. 27 28. that is by Sanctuary he meanes his publique Worship the preaching of his Word and other of the meanes of grace when they repented of their sins then these should be continued So Beloved if yee would repent of your sins I do not mean one or two or a few or so But if there might be a generall Reformation among us this would fasten the Word among us as in a sure place Secondly Let us prize the Gospell the Gospell loves to stay there where it is welcome it will never goe away if it might have good entertainment if wee would honour it and glorifie it and pluck up our affections in the dearest manner to it this would preserve it among us for ever The Church of Philadelphia that used the Word best had it longest c. Our Saviour Christ hath a saying Into what soever Towne or City yee enter enquire who is worthy there abide Matth. 10. 11. And as hee sayes Luk. 10. 7. Goe not from house to house The Gospell does not love to change houses till it be urged so it does not love to change Townes if it may have good usage So Beloved if wee would give the
know that already and no body will deny it we are Christians I answer this is the hypocrisy of men hearts their hearts will confesse it to be a truth but in their workes they do deny it The Prophet David speakes of men that were in the visible Church of God aswell as we and that would confesse this truth aswell as we and yet he sayes of many an one of them He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hath hid his face he will never see it Psal 10. 11. And the truth is this is the cause of all the boldnesse of people to goe on in their sinnes or to yeeld to sinne at any time they put this out of their bosomes that God sees them As Ezekiel speakes the land is full of blood the City is full of perversnesse for they say the Lord hath forsaken the Earth and the Lord seeth not Ezek. 9. they say so in effect they put God afar of and they doe not consider that hee sees them Beloved there 's none of us all but hath need that this truth shoud be urged upon us that God beholds all iniquity and evill we can never doe amisse but he takes notice of it Thirdly another use is is it so that God sees all mens sins Then this is a terror to all that goe on with a selfe condemning heart O consider what the Apostle sayes if our heart condemne us God is greater then our heart and he knowes all things 1 Joh. 3. 20. q. d. if we have a selfe condemning heart how much more shall we find a selfe condemning God If our own heart can find us out if that can find out our worldlines or our irreverence or our carelesnesse of God how much more wlll God find us out He knowes all our sins better then we our selves and therefore O let us quake all of us to goe on with a selfe-condemning heart it is a bad badge it is a prodigious token of the fearefull judgement of God if wee doe not get our sins done away by the blood of Jesus Christ and by his sanctifying Spirit God will finde us out for hee knowes what we are and what wee doe daily and how we live every day and howre Againe this is a terror to them that are Hypocrites If God could not see a rotten heart he should speed as well as the best O but sayes God I the Lord search the heart J try the reynes even to give every man according to his wayes and according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 17. 10. and therefore wo be to such as are otherwise within then they seeme to be without without they are painted sepulchers but within they are full of rottennesse they professe godlinesse but they suffer within a Worldly spirit a guilty conscience a vaine minde an unbelieving heart no love of God no zeale to his glory no feeling of the Churches misery no compassion with the Saints no delight in them that feare God indeed and yet they will goe for Christians forsooth God sees all their workes and will unmask them in his due time either in this world or in the world to come and will poure everlasting contempt on them Fourthly this is comfort to good people for if God see all mens sins then he sees all mens goodnesse much rather what a comfort is this in prayer to consider that he that searcheth the heart knowes what is the minde of the spirit Rom. 8. 17. Hee knowes all thy groanes Hee knowes all thy desires what a comfort is this when ever an honest soule is put to it soundly in temptation when the soule is accused by Satan hardly thought on by men and God lets bitter temptations to come on I say what a comfort is this that God knowes all the good things that are in man all ones affections all ones endeavours ail ones combats against sinne all ones griefes for corruption as Peter sayd Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Joh. 21. 17. Peter was put to it soundly at that time But yet this was his comfort that God did know all things Hee had many tokens of Gods gracious goodnesse about him hee had love to Jesus Christ hee had deepe desires to doe all that hee bade him O sayes hee and thou knowest it Againe this is an excellent comfort in time of affliction When Iob was in affliction and his friends scorned him then did hee goe and poure out his Teares unto God and this was his comfort Behold my witnesse is in Heaven and my record is on high Job 16. 19 20. Againe this an excellent encouragement to serve God in these bad and sinnefull times people generally never looke after God nor holinesse the World lookes after their pleasures and their profits and preferments and friends and the like but Religion and Devoutnesse and Godlinesse of living few people looke after that as though God did not regard what people doe Now beloved when wee heare that God sees all that men doe and markes it and will call all men to accompt what an encouragement is this to serve God as David sayd to Solomon Know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart for the Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts 1 Chron. 28. 9. Againe what a comfort is this against false accusations Hee knowes all our innocency when our Neighbours say all manner of evill of us Hee knowes wee doe that in simplicity which others thinke wee doe out of a sinister respect or out of pride or popularity or for applause What a comfort is this when wee can appeale to God as Paul sayes the Lord knowes that J lye not as David sayes I have not refrained my lips from Preaching thy Righteousnesse O Lord thou knowest Psal 40. 9. Hee knowes the uttermost endeavours and desires of our hearts is to be as good as wee seeme though the World take us for Hypocrites Hee knowes wee be true men that reverence every power that is of God though the World esteeme us factious and humorous Little does the World thinke what the Saints doe every day what wrastlings with God what conflicts in their mindes they indure this is sufficient the Lord knowes Againe what a comfort is this if wee desire to know our sinnes God is able to shew them unto us Hee can open our eyes to behold them for our humiliation that wee may say with the Prophet I know mine owne iniquities and my sinne is ever before me if we want a right sight of our sinnes at any time it is but going to God Hee knowes them all hee can helpe us to see them aright Fifthly does God know all mens sinnes then this should make us afraid to doe evill at any time or in any place yea in the secretest wee can never do any evill but God will spy us out wee cannot have a thought in our heart but hee does discerne it nor
that we know can't abide them Which among us when we pray and have base roving thoughts would not be ashamed that a man should see our thoughts rove which of us that are unsetled and dead-hearted would not blush that men had a casement to see how dead he sits at a Sermon and how dead at a Sacrament how dead in other of Gods Ordinances what base and impure thoughts sometime doe arise in his minde if he did thinke that any man should see them he would not hardly be able to shew his face among men Let but an adulterer that is naught with a whore have but a few men or but one man come and take him in the act O how it will gall him and vex him to be seen 〈◊〉 as Iob speakes if one know them they are in the terror of the shadow of death Job 24. 17. they abhorre the light they cannot abide to be brought out to be knowne Now beloved if this be our disposition by nature that we cannot abide that so much as a man should know us nay not a child of six or seven yeeres of age then O what a terror is it that the God of Heaven and Earth should know us that he should see all our lusts all our sinnefull and vile thoughts all our uncleane and noy some affections all our by ends and carelesnesse of God! O what a powerfull thing is this to worke upon the heart except it be delivered up to a reprobate sense to sleight God and care lesse for him then for a little Boy or a mortall man so then yee see this is a powerfull meanes to work upon a soule to know that God knowes all his workes though the Woman of Samaria stood jesting and playing and contesting with our Saviour a good while yet when she perceived that he knew all her villany this burst her heart O saies she this is no other then Christ he hath told me all that ever I did Joh. 4. 29. The use of this is First here we see they are desperato that this point cannot worke on its certaine they are gracelesse that can heare that God sees all their workes and yet it does not purge them from day to day it s an evident argument that a man contemnes God and makes nothing of him When David had shewed that the wicked care not for Gods eye they make a matter of nothing of it tush God does not see Psalm 19. 11. say they that is they knew he saw indeed but they made nothing of it as long as men did not see them they counted Gods seeing as nothing now marke what followes wherefore doe the wicked contemne God Psalm 13 Secondly is it so that this is such a powerfull meanes to worke upon our hearts let us not harden our hearts but let us consider of it that it may cut between the bone and the marrow and devide between the soule and the spirit God sees all our workes This point should fall upon our hearts like the almighty hand of God as it did upon Job I know thou canst doe every thing and that no thought can be hid from thee Job 42. 2. REVEL 3. 1. That thou hast a name that thou livest and art Dead WE are come to the subject matter of this example and First we meet with the reproofe that Christ gives to the Church of Sardis the reproofe is either in generall I know thy workes i e. I know them all to be starke naught for the generall and then in particular first their hypocrisie thou hast a name that thou livest secondly their deadnesse indeed and art dead The generall reproofe we spake of the last day I know thy workes and there ye heard that God knowes all the sinfull courses that any man takes he is privy to every mans sinnes though men carry them never so closely and cleverly yet he knowes them First he sees all mens sinfull actions as Elihu speakes his eyes are upon the wayes of man and he sees all his goings there is no darknesse or shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Job 34. 21. 22. people cannot get out of his sight they cannot sinne so in private but he seeth them they may goe into a secret roome and shut every living creature out but they cannot shut God out Secondly he knowes every syllable that men speake I have heard what the Prophets said they prophecy lies in my name Ier. 23. 25. the Lord can tell what men speake under the rose looke what the King of Aram spake in his bed chamber he could tell Elisha As Enoch speakes he knowes all the speeches that wicked men speake and will have them up at the day of judgement against them Thirdly he knowes every sinfull thought that is in mens hearts as Moses sayes God saw the wickednesse of man was great upon the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually Gen. 6. 5. though mens thoughts be slie things and are out of mens eyes and Angels eyes and Devils eyes yet they are not out of his eye he sees what men thinke Fourthly he knowes all that ever a man hath done as the woman said of Christ come see one that hath told me all that ever I have done Joh. 4. 29. Fifthly he knowes all the evill that ever men will doe hereafter the Lord told Moses what Pharaoh would doe before he went to him I know he will harden his heart and will not let them goe Exod. 3. 19. while the Children of Israel were in the wildernesse he knew what they would doe when they came into Canaan I know their imaginations even now before I have brought them into the Land which I sware to give them Deut 31. 21. Sixthly he knowes all the evills that men would doe in such and and such circumstances he knew Abimelech would have taken Sarah if he had not hindred him he knew that the men of Keilah would betray David if David should stay there 1 Sam. 23. 12. he knowes what a rich man would doe if he were poore what this or that poore man would doe if he were rich one dies in his infancy he knowes what he would have done if he had let him live to be a man her 's a man that lives in a good family and may be carrieth himselfe very squarely but the Lord knowes what he would doe if he lived in another place Seventhly the Lord knowes mens dispositions their natures their qualities their projects their intentions he knowes how many are rotten though they professe never so much he knowes mens persons he knowes vaine men Iob. 11. 11. I told you the reason of this First because he is omniscient and knowes all things his understanding is infinite Psal 147. 5. let a man set as good a colour as he can upon his wicked devices God can discover him let a man have never so many excuses though
they passe for currant among men yet God sees what they are men may pretend what they will and deny what they will and set an impudent forehead and face on the matter and go unperceived among men but they cannot goe unperceived by Allmighty God his understanding is infinite Secondly as he is omniscient so he is omnipresent he is everywhere whether can any creature goe from his presence if he goe into the street or ale-house or drabhouse or his house or his closet or his privy chamber he can goe nowhere but where God is and therefore how can he doe ought but God must needs see him can any hide himselfe in secret places that I should not see him doe not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Ier. 23. 24. Thirdly the Lord hath his providence in every thing nothing is done without his concurrence or sufferance if it be good it is done by his assistance if it be evill it cannot be done without his permission and disposition therefore he must needs know every thing He knew whether the Devils should enter into the herd of swine for they could not enter in untill he suffered them he knew all that Iudas and Pilate and Herod and the Jewes and the High Priests did against Christ because they did nothing but what his hand and counsell had determined before to be done Act. 4. 28. Fourthly the Lord knowes every mans sinnes because he hath a candle in every mans bosome The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20. 27 that is a mans conscience that 's the Lords Candle well if Hee have a Candle standing in every mans bosome what can bee done there in the darke Fifthly because He is judge of the whole World O Lord of Heasts that judgest righteously that tryest the Reines and the Heart Jer. 11. 20. Hee could not judge every man righteously else A man may doe well and yet seeme to doe evill againe a man may doe very evill and yet seeme to doe well yee know the heart is all in all now if God did not know all mens hearts all mens lookes and aymes and intents and meanings the circumstances and every thing that men doe Hee could not judge every man according to his workes as hee will for a certaine Hee will judge every man according to his works and therefore Hee knowes what every mans workes bee The use of this was First To confute Averroes and others that say that God does not know mens sinnes O say they God sees all things by looking on himselfe now there is no such thing to be seene in himselfe Beloved here you see that this is a blasphemous Doctrine for God knowes what ever men are or thinke or speake or doe or have done or shall doe or would doe in any case and though sinne be not in God yet the suffering of it is in God and Hee may suffer it in his just judgement and wisdome though the commiting of it be wicked yet his suffering of it is good and just The Eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good Pro. 15. 3. But I let this passe Secondly to condemne the most sorts of men that doe not consider of this truth for though men will grant that God knowes all the evill that they doe yet this vile Atheisme is lurking in mens hearts they either make God as the Epicures hold that hee sits in Heaven and regards not what men doe or at least God will not require it Psal 10. 13. they doe not charge this truth on their hearts This is the cause that men are so daring to doe evill Thirdly this is a terror to all that doe evill This is a terror to them that have condemning hearts as John sayes if our heart condemne us God is greater then our hearts and Hee knowes all things 1 Joh. 3. 20. againe this is a terror to all Hypocrites if God could not see a rotten heart then a Hypocrite should speed as well as the best But God sees what men are seeme they what they will He sees what they be Fourthly this is comfort to good people for if God see all mens sinnes then Hee sees all mens goodnesse what a comfort is this in Prayer to consider That Hee that searcheth the Hearts knowes what is the minde of the Spirit Romans 8. 27 Hee knowes all thy groanes and sighes though thou canst not utter what thou wouldst in Prayer yet Hee knowes what thou wouldst have What a comfort is this in temptation in the midst of the accusations of Satan when a man is pitifully put to it in spirituall conflicts that God knowes what is in us all our secret affections our mournings after him our private seekings of him all our hidden meanings to him all our combats against sinne all our griefes for corruptions as Peter sayes God thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Joh. 21. 17. Peter was put to it soundly at that time yet this was his comfort that God did know all things and as Hee knowes more evill by us then our selves so He knowes more good by us then our selves Againe what a comfort is this against the nick-names and false judgings of wicked men Hee knowes all our innocency when men say all manner of evill of us Hee knowes wee doe that in sincerity which men thinke wee doe in Hypocrisy Hee knowes our simplicity when men judge that wee doe it out of by and sinister respects what a comfort is this when wee can appeale to God as David sayes the Lord knowes that I lie not as David sayes I have not refrained my lips from preaching thy Righteousnesse O Lord thou knowest Psalme 40. 9. little does the World think what the Saints doe every day what wrestlings with God what goings out unto him they have this is a comfort the Lord knowes Againe what an encouragement is it to serve God in these bad and sinnefull times People generally never looke after God nor holinesse as though God had forsaken the Earth most people are of the minde that if a man bee precise hee is little the better and if hee be not so precise as some be hee shall never be the worse for that as though God cared for no such matter Beloved when wee heare that God sees all that men doe and markes and will call all men to an accompt what an encouragement is this to serve God as David sayes to Solomon Know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect Heart for the Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts 1 Chron. 28. 9. This was the first pont And then the Second point was this The consideration of this that God knowes all our workes is a powerfull meanes to all Gods elect to doe them good and to quicken them and to make them take heede of all
life of Eloqution so I may say of preaching affections are the life of preaching now by affections I doe not meane feigned and forced affections they are no affections indeed but when a man preaches so for the matter and manner indeed affectionate matter and with a true affected heart that he may move the hearts of men as one says the world is now full of knowledge as a drunkard is full of wine that his stomack is not able to digest so I say people have more knowledge then they can well digest the stomack wants heat to concoct it for their good as Rodolphus Agricola speakes any man that hath learning may teach but to move the heart and affections it requires more a great deale This is lively preaching when a Minister sets himself to be in mens bosoms what alively preacher was the Apostle Paul you may see by his dealing with Agrippa he made the Kings heart even yearne againe with his speaking the King confest how his speaking worked within his bosom almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Act. 26. 28. so you may see by the Galatians his preaching did not onely convert many of them but those whom he did not convert he did wonderfully work upon their hearts that they could have be contented to have pluckt out their eyes have given them to him Gal. 4. 15. such a lively preacher was he in the second of Judges that when he preacht he set all the people a melting a weeping like little children that had been beaten Judg. 2. 4. 5. I grant it may be the best and liveliest Ministers under heaven cannot do so now peoples hearts are more hardned But yet though we cannot undertake to move any one mans heart that 's the worke of God yet our Ministry may be lively First by labouring to make the things that we preach as it were lively before peoples eyes as the Apostle preached Christ crucified even as if he were crucified before his peoples eyes Gal. 3. 1. so Moses had a very lively Ministry the Text sayes he set before them life and death he laboured to preach with that evidence as if he had set before their eyes life death heaven and hell good and evill when a Minister preaches in the evidence and the demonstration of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. when he labours to bring the Gospell plainly to mens hearts a man may teach the Gospell but it is not preaching except he set it lively forth and labour to make people see it this is the truth and this is your sinne against that truth this is the doctrine and thus you faile in the doctrine this is the threatning of God and thus you lye under the threatning otherwise they heare a Sermon as if it did not concern them Secondly coming to particulars generals are but dead we see they leave people dead people have a hundred tricks to put them off but when a preacher comes to particulars he either quickens or slayes he convinces either to life or to death when a Minister layes the truth at every mans doore he presses it upon every mans heart he meets with many a put off he makes every conscience say I am the man except they be asleep or their minds are a wooll-gathering he darts into his hearers faces a view of their particular estates he toucheth their copy-hold he confutes their false pleas and knocks off the fingers that would be applying of a promise when it does not concern them puts it onely upon the soule to whom it does belong This is lively preaching that gives to every soule his due terror to whom teror comfort to whom comfort belongs milk to the Babe strong meat to the grown oyle to the bruised and a sword into the hard heart a whip for the Horse and a Bridle for the Asse and a rod for the fooles back Prov. 26. 3. application is the life of preaching this serves to condemne such a one this serves to confute such a one this serves to comfort such a one when a Minister does as Paul sayes divide the word aright 2 Tim. 2. 15. Thirdly by worrying of people out of their sinnes when a Minister will not let people be quiet in any of their sinfull courses when he labours daily to vex their guilty consciences and to turne them from day to day as the two witnesses did Rev. 11. 10. that they may say we cannot be quiet for this man he makes me sit upon thornes when a Minister labours to make hell to have every vile wretch and heaven and the promises to have every honest heart c. Fourthly by being pittious and affectionate towards the poore people to let them see how we pity their condition as we should doe what we can to make them feele their damned estate as also with bowels and compassion labour that they may see we doe pity them therefore preaching sometimes is called lamentation in Scripture Ezek. 19. 1. it may be people then may say what a beast am I how does our Minister pity us he mourns over us and bewayles us what a wretch am I that I doe not bewayle mine own case O beloved what a wofull thing is it that any of us should perish to be damned for ever in hell to lye in eternall paines what a pity is this is it not much better ye should embrace the good word of God and beleeve and take Jesus Christ and be willing to doe any thing he would have you to doe then to lye by it for ever in the paines of hell for the pleasures of sinne for a season alas it is for want of bowels that we doe no more good Fifthly by being deeply affected with the word of God laying nothing on peoples backs but what we lift up upon our owne shoulders speaking the truth from the bottom of our hearts uttering the word of God with feeling and with a contrite spirit O if we could drop our Sermons as dew down from heaven on our people this would be lively preaching indeed as the Prophet Ezekiel did he dropt the word of God upon Ierusalem Ezek. 21. 2. so if our Sermons did come droping downe from us as if they dropt downe from heaven O how coldly doe our Sermons come from our mouthes we doe not preach as if the word came downe from heaven as if our hearts were no higher then our pulpits Lastly by getting the Lord to goe along with our Ministry for it is not our preaching it self that hath any life no it is but a dead letter as Micha sayes I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord Mich. 3. 8. REVEL 3. 2. And art Dead THese words as ye heard have a twofold relation one to the Angell of the Church in Sardis thou art dead thy Ministry is dead there 's no life nor heat at all in thy Ministry it is no stirring Ministry thou art dead another to the Church it self thou art
give you an acquittance when ye pay in onely wash duties clipt obedience if ye served God with life conscience would give you an acquittance when ye have prayed it would give you an acquittance when ye have done a dayes worke in his harvest it would acknowledge the receipt of it well done good and faithfull servant it is well done in some measure This made Paul full of life every day Herein doe I exercise my selfe to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Act. 24. 16. that is I doe not onely goe on in good duties both towards God and towards men but this I doe always I do even exercise my selfe that I may have an acquittance from mine owne conscience when I have done that my conscience may give me a true discharge well done I have done well in some measure now as long as we are dead-hearted and hollow in Gods wayes our conscience can never give us a discharge no marvell that so few of us have Peace of conscience when we are so dead-hearted as we are if we would stirre up our selves to serve God with all heart and life we should have Peace but till this will be once we can never looke to have Peace and comfort Fourthly Though we have comfort in time of prosperity yet we cannot have comfort in affliction if we be of a dead heart how many are there that seeme to have comfort while they are well but when they come to be sick and at deaths doore then they are all to peeces then they see they have no grace no faith no good cards to shew then they are stript stark naked then their conscience sees what they are O I am a wretch how have I deceived my self so beloved though we have comfort in time of prosperity yet if we be dead-hearted we can have no comfort in affliction As David sayes this is my comfort in affliction thy word hath quickened me Psal 119. 50. when the word of God hath quickened our hearts and made us lively in all manner of goodnesse this will yeeld us comfort in affliction But if we be dead to all spirituall wayes though we scramble up hopes now they will not hold when affliction comes now what a fearefull thing is 't we shall all come to affliction ere long for man is borne to trouble as the sparks that fly upward as Job speakes nay we know not how soone man knoweth not his time as Solomon speakes but as the Fishes are caught in an evill Net so are the Sonnes of men snared in an evill time when it falleth suddenly on them And God onely knowes what sore afflictions we may have the Cup of affliction is in Gods hand and he tempers it and powres it out as his pleasure is I say what a fearfull thing is it not to have comfort then then we have most need of comfort and if we have not comfort then we are utterly undone now my brethren it is not a dead dull profession will yeeld us comfort then Let us thinke of this as God sayes What will ye doe in your day of visitation to Whom will ye flye for helpe then Isa 10. 3. so may I say though ye can be quiet and comfortable enough now in the dayes of health and peace your deadnesse does not trouble you now but what will ye doe in the dayes of visitation doe but consider what a sorry comfort ye shall have then assuredly a dead heart will assord not a syllable of true comfort then Fifthly we can never blesse God with a dead heart a dead heart is not able to affirme upon any good ground that God is his or that the promise is his or that Christ is his the soule knowes Christ is a quickening spirit and they that have him are quickened up by him the promise is a promise of life and they cannot be dead that are the possessors of it we cannot blesse God either for love or mercy or grace or any thing else when we would blesse God for any of these things the deadnesse of heart it will be objected to us O I am so dead that how can I hope that these things belong unto me Let my soule live and it shall praise thee Psal 119. 175. when the soule is alive towards God then it can praise God then it knowes all the good it hath it hath it in mercy doubting and deadnesse doe ever goe together or it 's a great marvell And indeed what is deadnesse of heart towards Christ and all his holy Gospell but a secret doubting whether it have any part in it or no as when a poore man sees a rich treasure it does but dead him the more because he sees no interest he hath in it if he could see he had an interest in it this would quicken up his heart and put it out of it's dumps And is not this now a miserable condition when a man cannot praise God if he pray it is but in a sorry manner no life no heart at all But for blessing and praising of God that he cannot doe at all except he be in a fooles paradise and dreame of a false gift This is a dreadfull condition when we are hindred from that which God most delighteth in what is there that more delighteth God then to blesse him and praise him The Lord sayes we never honour him otherwise who so offereth me praise he glorifieth me Psal 50. 23. now we can never offer God praise except our heart live Sixthly Religion is a very irksome thing unto us as long as we are dead-hearted what is it that takes away the grievousnesse of it but a lively heart when the heart is dead it must needs be very tedious very tedious to be thinking of God to be meditating of death or the world to come to be imployed in prayer to be constant in the humbling of the soule or the abstaining from our naturall inclinations to be discoursing of repentance or studying of Gods heavenly Kingdome to be imployed in the word or to goe through dirty and frozen wayes to it to goe and repeate it in our Families or to urge it upon our hearts O what weary tedious duties are these when the heart is a dead heart This is the reason why the world lets them all generally alone and never troubles their hearts with them at all because they have no life in them and many that are better minded fend them very tedious because they are dead-hearted as Solomon sayes correction is grievous to him that forsaketh the way Prov. 15. 10. now as long as we are out of the way of life while we are dead-hearted we forsake the right way and therefore correction is grievous unto us nay all the commandements of God are grievous unto us does a dead heart rejoyce to goe to Prayer nay generally he is loth to goe to it is he glad that the Sermon Bell rings is he glad at an opportunity
so eager to deny himselfe I count all drosse and dung the intentions of his heart were after Christ O sayes he that I might know him Phil. 3. 10. Thirdly the elections and choosings of the heart this is another part of the hearts life no man is dead to that which he chooses rather then any thing else now if we did still choose the wayes of God we could not be dead to them when we are dead to them at any time it is because we could even finde in our heart to make another choyce and therefore if we would know whether our heart is alive unto goodnesse whether doe we choose the way of goodnesse every day before any other way as David sayes I have chosen the way of truth Psal 119. 30. as the Lord sayes of the good eunuches they choose the things that please me Isa 56. 4. Beloved what ever we doe or thinke or speake still there be two wayes propounded to us one that is Gods way another that is our owne way now which doe we choose every day what thoughts doe we choose rather of the two to thinke what words doe we choose what actions what courses when we are together what conference doe we choose when alone what doe we choose there be two kinds of eating and drinking which choose we when we are provoked there be two wayes to take either to be impatient and suffer our passions to arise or to quell them and beat them down which doe we choose doe we say as that good man said Lord let thy han help me for I have choosen thy precepts Psal 119. 173. Fourthly the aversions of the heart ye know the heart it chooses what it likes so there is some thing that it shuns now if thou wouldst know whether thy heart be alive towards God doe but thinke with thy selfe what it uses to shun when thou art angry is it disgrace or sinne it ever shuns some thing or other either what God dislikes or what thou every day and houre something it puts off does it put off things that are offensive to thy flesh or things that are offensive to God Here lies thy hearts life if thy heart be alive towards God it is of this temper to put off those things that are displeasing to God I hate vaine thoughts sayes David Psal 119. 113. marke his heart was of this temper to put of all those things that were contrary to God it may be many of those thoughts his own heart would have rather kept I but when his heart was alive towards God he put them off though I have refrained my feet from every evill way that I may keep thy word Psal 119. 101. now when good things shall be put to a man every day by the word and by conscience and a man hath a refusing heart to them this is a dead heart as God put to Iudah to returne but they refused to returne Jer. 5. 3. God put shame before them for their sinnes but they refused to be ashamed Jer. 3. 3. now my brethren examine your bosonies how stand the refusals of your hearts doe you refuse good or evill every day if thou canst refuse temporall evill and not spirituall thou hase a dead heart Fifthly the savourings of the heart this is another peece of the hearts will something there is that every heart savours most and that it is which it is alive unto now then if thy heart be alive unto God it will savour the things of God most it will not onely doe good duties but savour them too not onely heare the word of God but it will have an admirable savour with the heart as the Apostle sayes it will have the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2. 16. as the Church sayes to Christ because of the savour of thy good oyntments therefore the Virgins love thee Cant. 1. 3. Oh how it will savour a reproofe how it will relish but if holy things have no sweet savour in thy heart it may be thou canst not for shame of the world not seeme to stand for them thy conscience will not let thee but thou wilt give them a good word and seeme to approve them but there 's no more savour in them then in the white of an egge nay they are irksome and untoothsome they doe not goe merrily down with thee like sweet conserves assure thy selfe thy heart is a dead heart Sixthly the cares of the heart this is another show of the hearts will what the heart is alive to it carketh and careth for it and therefore if thy heart be alive towards God how carefull will it be that it may not offend him yea what care 2 Cor. 7. 11. As the Apostle sayes to Titus I will have thee affirme constantly that they which beleeve in God must be carefull to maintaine good works Tit. 8. 8. therefore if a Minister be alive towards God he will be full of care for his people how he may pull them from their sins how he may draw them to God how he may most doe them good as Paul sayes of Timothy he will naturally care for your Estute Phil. 2. 20. True a man hath many things to doe in the world many cares how to live how to pay rent at quarter day what may become of his poore Children c. I but if the heart be alive towards God it will labour to cast these cares upon God cast all your care upon him 1 Pet. 5. 7. But for heavenly things for the having and keeping of a good conscience it will be full of cares about these things yea it how may get to be more afraid of sinne how may I get a weaned heart from the earth it will be caring how he may be provided for evill times how he may stand in the wofull day Seventhly the appropriating of the heart the esteeming of the heart what 's the hearts jewell that 's the heart most alive to now thinke what does thy heart prize most of all if it be alive towards God he is dearest to thee his will dearer then thine his glory then thy credit his word then thy life as Paul sayes I doe not count my life deare so that I may finish my course with joy Act. 20. 24. this was the Jewell of his heart how he might doe the worke that God set him to doe that he might finish his course so likewise if thy heart be alive love will be like a precious oyntment Psal 133. 2. heavenly wisedome more precious then Rubies Prov. 3. 15. a promise will be precious to the heart 2 Pet. 1. 4. So also faith will be a precious thing 1 Pet. 1. 7. But above all Christ will be precious to the heart to you that beleeve he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. these are heart Jewels these it endeares most it will rather â—art with any thing then these nay it will morgage any thing to redeeme these againe These things are little
have you remember it because your warning is past this is a duty ye have been told in times past therefore looke ye remember it So Solomon sayes Remember thy creatour in the dayes of thy youth Psal 12. 1. That is though thy creatour be not past yet thy creation is past and thou art not so yong but thou hast been told of thy duty in this thing in times past O therefore remember that nay thus a man may remember that which is yet to come as for example the day of his death that he must dye and come to Judgement for though the thing be yet to come yet he hath had warnings of it in times past as Ieremy sayes of Ierusalem her filthinesse is in her skirts she remembred not her last end therefore she came downe wonderfully Lam. 1. 2. the Lord finds fault with her that she did not remember her time to come The reason is because she was told of it aforehand in times past Now for the second thing that this is a great blessing beloved it is a great blessing of God that we have such a faculty in us as to remember it was a naughty speech of Charoone that an excellent memory is needfull for three sorts of men First for great Trades-men for they having many businesses to do many reckonings many Irons in the fire had need of a good memory Secondly great talkers for they being full of words had need to have a good Store-house in their heads to feed their tongues Thirdly for Lyars oportet mendaeem esse memorem for they telling many untruths had need of a good memory to be able to remember what untruths they have told lest afterward they be taken in their lying contradicting themselves I say this a prophane speech as though a good memory were of no other use then for engrossers of affaires and talkative fellowes and forging companions whereas memory is a great blessing of God and the more we have of it the more advantage we have unto our owne eternall good if we have a heart First it is a great blessing that what we once knew we may alwayes know now this may be by memory were it not for this we should be Ignorant againe as fast as we learne whence is it that ye still know how to read but because ye remember your letters and spelling whence is it that ye still know your Trades and your callings which ye were taught so long agoe but ye remember how ye were taught Ye once knew the grounds of religion may be ye were taught heretofore if ye know them still it is because ye remember them were it not for memory we should be as much to seek as if we had never learnt ought as Iude sayes I will put them in remembrance though ye once knew this Jude 5. that is as ye once knew it so I desire that ye may know it still that it may stick by you that you may make it your own what a mercy is this we cannot undertake to have alwayes the meanes of knowledge we may want preaching God knowes how soone now if we have memory to lay up some knowledge we may have the benefit of it how ever things goe may be God gave us a warning to take heed of such and such sinnes now if we have a good memory this warning may be still present with us we have had such motions such convictions such sights of sinne such stirrings such manifestations of God to us what a mercy is it that God hath given us such a thing as memory is as we had them once so we may have them still if we remember them Secondly memory is a great blessing to bring our knowledge to act upon all occasions How many thousand truths doe we know that we doe not neither can we actually thinke of now when we have use of those truths it is a great mercy that the Lord hath framed a memory in us where we may have them upon all such occasions e. g. we know we should be patient may be we doe not thinke of this duty for a day together but now when we have use of it then we may remember it So for meeknesse we know it and for forgiving of wrongs to resist temptations to deny our selves to shunne the occasions of evill we know all these things but our knowledge cannot alwayes be in act now when we have use of these truthes what a mercy is it that we have such a thing as memory is to remember them afresh did David actually think of Gods gracious judgements alwayes no but when he had use of them when he was at a dead lift then memory brought him to minde I remembred thy judgements O Lord and comforted myselfe Psal 119. 52. may be Peter had no occasion actually to thinke of those words of Christ that Iohn indeed Baptized with water but ye shall be Baptized with the holy Ghost but having a memory that gave him the use of those words in due time then I remembred the word of the Lord sayes he Act. 11. 16. may be this truth is not thought of a 12. moneth together that ones enemies may be they of our owne houshold now perhaps all on a suddain we have use of this truth then we remember it now is not this a great mercy that God hath given us such a thing that we may put up his truths as a man does his memory in his purse to take it out when occasion is Thirdly it is a great blessing to have God alwayes with one this memory is such a faculty that if a man have a heart he may have God alwayes with him and heaven with him ye know that most men are without God in the world what is the reason of it but because they will not remember him how many doe know God very much as the Heathens did they knew him to be eternall to be Almighty to be every where to be holy and just they knew him but they did not like to retaine him in their knowledge Rom. 1. 28. that is they let him goe away from them they would not keep him in remembrance as Nebuchadezer sayes of his dreame when he had forgotten his dreame it is gone away from me sayes he Dan. 2. 5. so people forget God they let God goe away from them now beloved this makes us without excuse when God hath given us a memory we might have God alwayes with us if we had a heart we need not let him goe away The memory is a deep vault in the soule where it may hide what it hath a mind too that nor men nor devils can take it away from us as the Israelites hid their corne from the Midianites so we may hide what ever our heart hath a likeing unto in our memories that we may have it always with us if we will as it is said of the good Merchant when he had found the rich Treasure he hid it Matth.