it comes to a Duty by Examination and Ejaculation When the Earth is prepared then it is fit to receive the seed when the Instrument is prepared and tuned it is fit for Musick 2. Watching the heart in a Duty An holy heart labours to be affected and wrought upon his heart burns within him There was no Sacrifice without fire a pure Saint labours to have his heart broken in a duty Psal 51.17 The incense when it was broken did cast the sweetest favour Impure souls care not in what a dead perfunctory manner they serve God Ezek. 33.31 They pray more out of fashion than out of faith They are no more affected with an Ordinance than the Tombs of the Church God complains of offering up the blind Mal. 1.8 And is it not as bad to offer up the dead O Christian say to thy self How can this deadness of heart stand with pureness of heart Do not dead things putrifie 3. Outward reverence Purity of heart will express it self by the reverend gesture of the body the lifting up of the eye and hand the uncovering the head the bending the knee Constantine the Emperour did bear great reverence to the Word When God gave the Law the Mount was on fire and trembled Exod. 19.18 The reason was that the people might prostrate themselves more reverently before the Lord. The Ark wherein the Law was put was carried upon bars that the Levites might not touch it Exod. 25.11 14. To shew what reverence God would have about holy things Sitting in prayer unless in case of weakness and having the Hat half on in prayer is a very undecent irreverent practice let such as are guilty reform it We must not only offer up our souls but our bodies Rom. 12.1 The Lord takes notice what posture and gesture we use in his worship If a man were to deliver a Petition to the King would he deliver it with his Hat half on The careless irreverence of some would make us think they did not much regard whether God heard them or no. We are run from one extream to another from superstition to unmannerliness Let Christians think of the dreadful Majesty of God who is present Gen. 28.17 How dreadful is this place this is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of heaven The blessed Angels cover their faces crying Holy holy Isa 6.1 An holy heart will have an holy gesture 6. A pure heart will have a pure life 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. Where there is a good Conscience there will be a good Conversation Some bless God they have good hearts but their lives are evil Prov. 30.12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness If the stream be corrupt we may suspect the spring-head to be impure Aaron was called the Saint of the Lord Psal 106.16 He had not only an holy heart but there was a golden plate on his fore-head on which was written holiness to the Lord. Purity must not only be woven into the heart but engraven upon the life Grace is most beautiful when it shines abroad with its golden beams The Clock hath not only its motion within but the finger moves without upon the Dyal Pureness of heart shews it self upon the Dyal of the Conversation 1. A pure soul talks of God Psal 37.30 His heart is seen in his tongue the Latines call the Roof of the mouth Coelum Heaven He that is pure in heart his mouth is full of heaven 2. He walks with God Gen. 6.9 He is still doing Angels work praising God serving God he lives as Christ did upon Earth Holy duties are the Jacobs Ladder by which he is still ascending to heaven Purity of heart and life are in Scripture made Twins Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within them there is purity of heart and they shall walk in my statutes there is purity of life Shall we account them pure whose Conversation is not in heaven * Phil. 3.20 but rather in hell Micah 6.11 Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances and with the bag of deceitful weights How justly may others reproach Religion when they see it kicked down with our unholy feet a pure heart hath a golden Frontispice grace like new wine will have vent it can be no more conceal'd than lost The Saints are called Jewels Mal. 3. because of that shining lustre they cast in the eyes of others 7. A pure heart is so in love with purity that nothing can draw him off from it 1. Let others reproach purity he loves it as David when he danced before the Ark and Michal scoffed if saith he this he to be vile I will yet be more vile 2 Sam. 6.22 So saith a pure heart If to follow after holiness be to be vile I will yet be more vile Let water be sprinkled upon the fire it burns the more The more others deride holiness the more doth a gracious soul burn in love and zeal to it If a man had an inheritance befallen him would he be laughed out of it what is a Christian the worse for anothers reproach 't is not a blind mans disparaging a Diamond that makes it sparkle the less 2. Let others persecute holiness a pure heart will pursue it Holiness is the Queen every gracious soul is espoused to and he will rather dye than be divorced Paul would be holy though bonds and persecutions did abide him Acts 20.23 The way of Religion is oft thorny and bloody but a gracious heart prefers inward purity before outward peace I have heard of one who having a Jewel he much prized the King sent for his Jewel Tell the King saith he I honour his Majesty but I will rather lose my life than part with my Jewel He who is enriched with the Jewel of holiness will rather dye than part with this Jewel When his honour and riches will do him no good his holiness will stand him instead Rom. 6.22 Ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life SECT 5. Exhorting to heart-purity Use 3 3. LET me perswade Christians to heart-purity the Harlot wipes her mouth Exhort Prov. 30.20 But that is not enough Wash thy heart o Jerusalem Jerem. 4.14 And here I shall lay down some Arguments or Motives to perswade to heart-purity 1. The necessity of heart-purity it is necessary 1. In respect of our selves Till the heart be pure all our holy things are polluted they are splendida peccata Titus 1.15 To the unclean all things are unclean their offering is unclean Under the Law if a man who was unclean by a dead body did carry a piece of holy flesh in his skirt the holy flesh could not cleanse him but he polluted that Hag. 2.12 13. He who had the Leprosie whatever he touched was unclean if he had touched the
tears shed we have many can mourn over a Dead Childe that cannot mourn over a Crucified Saviour Worldly sorrow hastens our Funerals 2 Cor. 7.10 The sorrow of the world worketh death 2. There is a Diabolical Mourning and that is two-fold 1. When a man mourns that he cannot satisfie his impure lust this is like the Divel whose greatest torture is that he can be no more wicked Thus Amnon Mourned and was sick till he had defiled his sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13.2 Thus Ahab Mourned for Naboths Vineyard 1 Kings 21.4 He laid him down upon his bed and turned away his face and would eat no bread this was a Divellish Mourning 2. When men are sorry for the good which they have done Pharaoh grieved that he had let the children of Israel go Exod. 14.5 Many are so Divellish that they are troubled they have prayed so much and have heard so many Sermons they repent of their Repentance but if we repent of the good which is past God will not repent of the evil which is to come SECT 1. Shewing the Object of holy Mourning TO illustrate this Point of holy Mourning I shall shew you what is the Adequate object of it There are two objects of spiritual mourning sin and misery 1. Sin and that twofold 1. Our own sin 2. The sin of others 1. Our own sin sin must have tears Nihil est fletu dignum nisi peccatum * Paul de Palatio While we carry the fire of sin about us we must carry the water of tears to quench it Ezek. 7.16 They are not blessed saith Chrysostom who mourn for the dead but who mourn for sin * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in loc and indeed good reason we mourn for sin if we consider 1. The guilt of sin which binds over to wrath Will not a guilty person weep who is to be bound over to the Sessions every sinner is to be tryed for his life and is sure to be cast if mercy doth not become an Advocate for him 2. The pollution of sin sin is a plague-spot and wilt thou not labour to wash away this spot with thy tears sin makes a man worse than a toad or serpent the serpent hath nothing but what God hath put into it poyson is medicinable but the sinner hath that which the Divel hath put into him Acts 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost What a strange Metamorphosis hath sin made the soul which was once of an azure brightness sin hath made of a sable colour we have in our hearts the seed of the unpardonable sin we have the seeds of all those sins for which the damned are now tormented and shall we not mourn he that mourns not sure hath lost the use of his Reason but every Mourning for sin is not sufficient to intitle a man to Blessedness I shall shew 1. What is not the right Gospel-Mourning for sin 2. What is the right Gospel-Mourning for sin SECT 2. 1 WHAT is not the right Gospel-Mourning for sin there is a five-fold Mourning which is false and spurious 1. A despairing kind of Mourning such was Judas his Mourning he saw his sin he was sorry he made confession he justifies Christ he makes Restitution Mat. 27. Judas who is in hell did more than many now adayes he confessed his sin he did not plead necessity or good intentions but he makes an open acknowledgement of his sin I have sinned Judas made Restitution his conscience told him he came wickedly by the money it was the price of blood and he brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the High Priests Matth. 27.3 But how many are there who invade the rights and possessions of others but not a word of Restitution Judas was honester than they are well wherein was Judas his sorrow blame-worthy it was a Mourning joyned with despair he thought his wound broader than the playster he drowned himself in tears his was not a Repentance unto life * Acts 11.8 but rather unto death 2. An hypocritical Mourning the heart is very deceitful it can betray as well by a tear as by a kiss Saul looks like a mourner and as he was sometimes among the Prophets 1 Sam. 10.12 so he seemed to be among the Penitents 1 Sam. 15.25 And Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned for I have transgressed the the commandment of the Lord. Saul did play the hypocrite in his mourning for 1. He did not take shame to himself but he did rather take honour to himself verse 30. honour me before the Elders of the people 2. He did pare and mince his sinne that it might appear lesser he laid his sinne upon the people ver 24. because I feared the people they would have me flie upon the spoile and I durst do no other a true mourner labours to draw out sinne in its bloody colours and accent it with all its killing aggravations that he may be deeply humbled before the Lord Ezra 9.6 Our iniquities are encreased over our head and our trespasses are grown up unto heaven The true penitent labours to make the worst of his sinne Saul labours to make the best of sinne like a patient that makes the best of his disease lest the Physitian should prescribe him too sharp physick How easie is it for a man to put a chea◠upon his own soul and by hypocrisie to weep himself into hell 3. A forced mourning when tears are pumped out by Gods judgments these are like the teares of a man that hath the stone or that lies upon the wrack Such was Cains mourning Gen. 4.13 My punishment is greater than I can bear his punishment troubled him more than his sin to mourn only for fear of hell is like a thief that weeps for the penalty rather than the offence the teares of the wicked are forced by the fire of affliction 4. An extrinsecal mourning when sorrow lies only in superficie in the outside 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they disfigure their faces Matth. 6.16 The eye is tender but the heart hard Such was Ahabs mourning 1 Kings 21. 27. He rent his cloaths and put sackcloth on his flesh and went softly His cloaths were rent but his heart was not rent he had sackcloth but no sorrow he did hang down his head like a bull-rush but his heart was like an Adamant There are many may be compared to weeping Marbles they are both watery and flinty 5. A vaine fruitlesse mourning some will shed a few teares but are as bad as ever they will cozen and be unclean such a kind of mourning there is in hell the damned weep but they blaspheme SECT 3. WHat is the right Gospel-mourning Answ That mourning which will entitle a man to blessednesse hath these qualifications 1. It is spontaneous and free it must come as water out of a spring not as fire out of a flint Teares for sin must be like the myrrhe which drops from the tree freely
it were high-water in the soul 1. When there are indicia irae tokens of Gods Season 1 wrath breaking forth in the Nation England hath been under Gods black Rod these many years the Lord hath drawn the Sword and it is not yet put up O that our tears may blunt the edge of this Sword when it is a time of treading down now is a time of breaking up the fallow ground of our hearts Isa 22.4 5. Therefore said I look away from me I will weep bitterly for it is a time of treading down Joel 2.2 13. A day of darkness and of gloominess a day of cloud c. therefore turn ye even to me with weeping and with mourning Rain follows thunder When God thunders in a Nation by his judgements now the showres of tears must distil When God smites upon our back we must smite upon our thigh Jer. 31.19 When God seems to stand upon the Threshold of the Temple as if he were ready to take his wings and flie * Ezek. 10.4 then is a time to lie weeping between the Porch and the Altar If the Lord seems to be packing up and carrying away his Gospel it is now high time to mourn that by our teares possibly his Repentings may be kindled Season 2 2. Before the performing solemn duties of Gods Worship as Fasting or receiving the Lords Supper Christian Art thou to seek God in an extraordinary manner seek him sorrowing Luk. 2.48 Wouldst thou have the smiles of Gods face the kisses of his lips set open all the springs of Mourning and then God will draw nigh to thee in an Ordinance and say Here I am Isa 58.9 When Jacob wept then he found God in Bethel Hos 12.4 He named the name of the place Peniel for saith he I have seen God face to face Gen. 32.30 Give Christ the Wine of thy tears to drink and in the Sacrament he will give thee the Wine of his blood to drink Season 3 3. After scandalous relapses though I will not say with Donatus there is no mercy for sins of recidivation or relapse yet I say there 's no mercy without bitter Mourning Scandalous sins reflect dishonour upon Religion 2 Sam 12.14 Therefore now our Cheeks should be covered with blushing and our eyes bedewed with tears Peter after his denying Christ wept bitterly Christian hath God given thee over to any enormous sin as a just reward of thy pride and security go into the weeping Bath Sins of infirmity injure the soul but scandalous sins wound the Gospel Lesser sins grieve the Spirit but greater sins vex the Spirit Isa 63.9 And if that blessed Dove weeps shall not we weep When the Aire is dark then the dew falls when we have by scandalous sin darkned the lustre of the Gospel now is the time for the dew of holy tears to fall from our eyes SECT 7. Setting forth the Degrees of Mourning NEXT to the seasons of Mourning let us consider the degree of it the Mourning for sin must be a very great Mourning the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports a great sorrow such as is seen at the Funeral of a dear friend * Gravissima peâ—cata gravissimis lamentis indigent Aug. Zach. 12.10 They shall look on me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one that mourneth for his only son The sorrow for an only child is very great such must be the sorrow for sin Ver. 11. In that day there shall be great Mourning as the Mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon In that Valley Josiah that famous and pious Prince was cut off by an untimely death at whose Funeral there was bitter lamentation thus bitterly must we bewail not the death but the life of our sins Now then to set forth the graduation of sorrow 1. Our Mourning for sin must be so great as to exceed all other grief Elies Mourning for the Ark was such that it swallowed up the loss of his two children spiritual grief must preponderate all other We should mourn more for sin than the loss of friends or estate 2. We should indeavour to have our sorrow rise up to the same heighth and proportion as our sin doth Manasseh was a great sinner and a great Mourner 2 Chron. 33.12 He humbled himself greatly Manasseh made the streets run with blood and he made the prison in Babylon run with tears * Ut scilicet peccatum lachrymis lavaret Ambr. Peter wept bitterly â— A true Mourneâ— labours that his Repentance may be as eminent as his sin is transcendent SECT 8. Shewing the Opposite to holy Mourning HAving shewn the nature of Mourning I shall next shew what is the Opposite to holy Mourning The Opposite to Mourning is hardness of heart which in Scripture is called Cor lapideum an heart of stone Ezek. 36. An heart of stone is far from Mourning and Relenting this heart of stone is known by two symptomes 1. Insensibility A stone is not sensible of any thing lay weight upon it grind it to powder it doth not feel so it is with an hard heart it is insensible of sin or wrath the stone in the Kidneys is felt but not the stone in the heart Ephes 4.19 Who being past feeling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. An heart of stone is known by its inflexibility A stone will not bend durum est quod non cedit tactui so it is with an hard heart it will not comply with Gods Command it will not stoop to Christs Scepter an heart of stone will sooner break by death than bend by Repentance it is so far from yielding to God that with the Anvil it beats back the Hammer it resists the Holy Ghost Acts 7.51 Oh Christians if you would be spiritual Mourners take heed of this stone of the heart Hebr. 3.7 Harden not your hearts A stony heart is the worst heart if it were brazen it might be melted in the furnace if Iron it might be bowed with the Hammer but a stony heart is such that only the Arme of God can break and the blood of God can soften Oh the misery of an hard heart 1. An hard heart is void of all grace while the Wax is hard it will not take the impression of the seal the heart while it is hard will not take the stamp of grace it must first be made tender and melting the Plow of the Word will not go upon an hard heart 2. An hard heart is good for nothing but to make fuel for hell-fire Rom. 5.2 After thy hardness of heart thou treasurest up wrath Hell is full of hard hearts there is not one soft heart there there is weeping there but no softness We read of Vessels fitted for destruction Rom. 9.22 Impenitency fits these Vessels for hell and makes them like sere Wood which is fit to burn 3. Hardness of heart makes a mans condition worse than all his other sins besides if one be guilty of great sins yet if he can mourn
there is hope Repentance unravels sin and makes sin not to be but hardness of heart binds guilt fast upon the soul it seals a man under wrath it is not the hainousness of sin but hardness of heart that damns this makes the sin against the Holy Ghost uncapable of mercy because the sinner that hath committed it is uncapable of Repentance CHAP. VII Containing a sharp Reprehension Use 1 Use 1 THIS Doctrine draws up a Charge against several sorts Reproof Branch 1 1. Those that think themselves good Christians yet have not learned this Art of holy Mourning Luther calls Mourning Bara herba a rare herb Men have tears to shed for other things but have none to spare for their sins there are many Murmurers but few Mourners most are like the stony ground which wanted moisture Matth. 13. We have many cry out of hard times but are not sensible of hard hearts hot and dry is the worst temper of the body sure I am to be hot in sin and to be so dry as to have no tears is the worst temper of the soul How many are like Gideons dry Fleece and like the Mountains of Gilboa there is no dew upon them Did Christ bleed for sin and canst not thou weep if Gods bottle be not filled with tears his Vial will be filled with wrath We have many sinners in Sion but few mourners in Sion It is with most people as with a man on the top of a Mast the Winds blow and the Waves beat and the ship is in danger of shipwrack and he is fast asleep so when the Waves of sin have even covered men and the stormy wind of Gods Wrath blows and is ready to blow them into hell yet they are asleep in security 2. It reproves them who instead of weeping for sin Branch 2 spend their dayes in mirth and jollity instead of Mourners we have Ranters they take the Timbrel and Harp they spend their dayes in wealth Job 21.13 Vitam agunt Sybariticam * Luther they do not lugere animo but indulgere genio they live Epicures and dye Atheists St. James bids us turn our laughter to Mourning Jam. 4.9 But they turn their Mourning to laughter Sampson was brought forth to make the Philistines sport Judg. 16.26 The jovial sinner doth make the Divel sport it is a saying of Theophylact It is one of the worst sights to see a sinner go laughing to hell How unseasonable is it to take the Harp and Viol when God is taking the Sword Ezek. 21.9 10. A sword a sword is sharpned and also furbished should we then make mirth this is a sin that enrageth God Isa 22.12 13. In that day did the Lord of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning and behold joy and gladness slaying Oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine and it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you dye saith the Lord God of Hosts That is this your sin shall not be done away by any expiatory sacrifice but vengeance shall pursue you for ever 3. It reproves those who instead of mourning for sin Branch 3 rejoyce in sin Prov. 2.14 2 Thess 2.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who take pleasure in iniquity Wicked men are worse in this sense than the damned in hell for I dare say they take little pleasure in their sins there are some so impudently profane that they will make themselves and others merry with their sins sin is a soul-sickness Luke 5.31 Will a man make merry with his disease ah wretch did Christ bleed for sin and dost thou laugh at sin is that thy mirthwhich grieves the Spirit * Tantis in malis laetari diesque jocis choreis consumere nonne est eos imitari qui phrenesi laborant qui dum carnes proprias laccrant ridem Isid Clar. is it a time for a man to break jests when he is upon the Scaffold and his head is to be stricken off thou that laughest at sin now the time is coming when God will laugh at thy calamity Prov. 1.26 Branch 4 4. It reproves those that cry down mourning for sin they are like the Philistines who stopped the Wells Gen. 26.15 These would stop the Wells of godly sorrow Antimonians say this is a legal Doctrine but Christ here preacheth it Blessed are they that mourn and the Apostles preached it Mark 6.11 And they went out and preached that men should repent Holy ingenuity will put us upon mourning for sin he that hath the heart of a child cannot but weep for his unkindness against God Mourning for sin is the very fruit and product of the Spirit of grace Zach. 12.10 Such as cry down Repentance cry down the Spirit of grace mourning for sin is the only way to keep off wrath from us such as with Sampson would break this Pillar go about to pull down the vengeance of God upon the Land To all such I say as Peter to Simon Magus Acts 8.22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee O sinner Repent that thou hast cryed down Repentance CHAP. VIII Motives to holy mourning 2. LET me exhort Christians to holy Mourning Use 2 Exhort I now perswade such a Mourning as will prepare the soul for blessedness Oh that our hearts were spiritual limbicks distilling the water of holy tears Christs Doves weep Ezek. 7.16 They that escape shall be like Doves of the Vallies all of them mourning every one for his iniquity There are several Divine Motives to holy Mourning 1. Tears cannot be put to a better use if you weep Motive 1 for outward losses you lose your tears 't is like a showre upon a Rock which doth no good but tears for sin are blessed tears Blessed are they that mourn These poyson our corruptions salt-water kills the worms the brinish water of repenting tears will help to kill that worm of sin which would gnaw the conscience 2. Gospel-Mourning is an evidence of grace Zach. Motive 2 12.10 I will poure upon the house of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and they shall mourn c. The Holy Ghost descended on Christ like a Dove Matth. 3. The Dove is a weeping creature where there is a Dove-like weeping it is a good sign the Spirit of God hath descended there weeping for sin is a sign of the new birth assoon as the child is born it weeps Exod. 2.3 And behold the babe wept To weep kindly for sin is a good sign we are born of God Mourning shews an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 A stone will not melt when the heart is in a melting frame it is a sign the heart of stone is taken away Motive 3 3. The preciousness of tears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tears dropping from a mournful penitent eye are like the water dropping from the Roses very sweet and precious to God
inutile pondus An unuseful person serves for nothing but to cumber the ground and because he is barren in figs he shall be fruitful in curses Hebr. 6.8 Arg. 2 2. By this we resemble God who is a God of mercy he is said to delight in mercy * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mac. Micah 7.18 His mercies are over all his works Psal 145.9 He requites good for evil like the clouds which receive ill vapours from us but return them to us again in sweet showres There is not a creature lives but tastes of the mercies of God every Bird saith Ambrose doth in its kind sing Hymns of praise to God for his bounty but Men and Angels do in a more particular manner taste the cream and quintessence of Gods mercies 1. What temporal mercies have you received every time you draw your breath you suck in mercy every bit of bread you eat the hand of mercy carves it to you you never drink but in a golden Cup of mercy 2. What spiritual mercies hath God enriched some of you with pardoning adopting saving mercy The Picture of Gods mercy can never be drawn to the full you cannot take the breadth of his mercy for it is infinite nor the heighth of it for it reacheth above the clouds nor the length of it for it is from everlasting to everlasting Psal 103.17 The works of mercy are the glory of the God-head Moses prays Lord shew me thy glory Exod. 33.18 Saith God I will make all my goodness to pass before thee Ver. 19. God doth account himself most glorious in the shining Robes of his mercy now by works of mercy we resemble the God of mercy we are bid to draw our Lines according to this Copy Luke 6.36 Be you merciful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as your Father also is merciful 3. Alms are a Sacrifice Hebr. 13.16 To do good Arg. 3 and to communicate forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well-pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when you are distributing to the poor 't is as if you were praying as if you were worshipping God There are two sorts of Sacrifices Expiatory the Sacrifice of Christs blood and Gratulatory the Sacrifice of Alms. This saith holy Greenham is more acceptable to God than any other Sacrifice Acts 10.4 The Angel said to Cornelius thy Alms are come up for a memorial before God The backs of the poor are the Altar on which this Sacrifice is to be offered 4. We our selves live upon Alms other creatures do Arg. 4 liberally contribute to our necessities the Sun hath not its light for it self but for us it doth enrich us with its golden beams the Earth brings us a fruitful crop and to shew how joyful a mother she is in bringing forth the Psalmist saith the Vallies are covered with corn they shout for joy they also sing Psal 65.13 One creature gives us wool another oyle another silk we are fain to go a begging to the Creation Shall every creature be for the good of man and man only be for himself how absurd and irrational is this Arg. 5 5. We are to extend our liberality by vertue of a membership Isa 58.7 That thou hide not thy self from thy own flesh The poor are ex eodem luto they are fellow-members of the same body * Pars est propter totum The members do by a Law of equity and sympathy contribute one to another the eye conveys light to the body the heart blood the head spirits that is a dead member in the body which doth not communicate to the rest Thus it is in the body Politick let no man think it is too far below him to mind the wants and necessities of others it is pity but that hand should be cut off which disdains to pluck a thorn out of the foot It is spoken in the honour of that Renowned Princess the Emperess of Theodosius the great that she did her self visit the sick and prepare relief for them with her own Imperial hands Arg. 6 6. We are not Lords of an Estate but Stewards and how soon may we hear that Word Redde rationem Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayst be no longer Steward Luke 16.2 An Estate is a Talent to trade with it is as dangerous to hide our Talent * Defosso auro incubare dicitur qui pecuni am iâ—utilem detinet Grotius as to spend it Matth. 25.25 30. If the covetous man keep his gold too long it will begin to rust and the â—ust of it will witness against him Jam. 5.3 Arg. 7 7. The Examples of others who have been Renowned for acts of mercy and munificence 1. Our Lord Christ a great Example of charity he was not more full of merit than bounty Trajan the Emperour did rend off a piece of his own Robe to wrap his souldiers wounds Christ did more he rent his flesh he made a medicine of his body and blood to heal us Isa 53.5 by his stripes ye are healed Here was a pattern of charity without a parallel * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Myssen 2. The Jews are noted in this kind 't is a Rabbinical observation that those who live devoutly among the Jews distribute a tenth part of their estate among the poor and they give so freely saith Philo the Jew as if by giving they hoped to receive some great gratuity Now if the Jews are so devoted to works of mercy who live without Priest without Temple without Messiah shall not we much more who professe our faith in the blessed Messiah 3. Let me tell you of Heathens I have read of Titus Vespasian he was so inured to works of mercy that remembring he had given nothing that day cried out diem perdidi I have lost a day 'T is reported of some of the Turks that they have servants whom they employ on purpose to enquire what poor they have and they send relief to them And the Turks have a saying in their Alcoran that if men knew what a blessed thing it were to distribute Alms rather than spare they would give some of their own flesh to relieve the poor And shall not a Christians Creed be better than a Turks Alcoran Let all this perswade to works of mercy Regia crede mihi res est succurrere lapsis When poor indigent creatures like Moses are laid in the arke of bulrushes weeping and ready to sink in the waters of affliction be as temporal Saviours to them and draw them out of the waters with a golden cord Let the brests of your mercy nurse the poor be like the trees of the Sanctuary * Ezek. 47.12 both for food and medicine †when distress'd and even starved souls are fainting let your costly ingredients revive and fetch spirits in them Let others see the coats and garments which you have made for the poor Acts 9.39 Arg. 8 8. The sin of unmercifulnesse 1. The unmercifull man is an unthankful man and what can
lax general faith When we believe the truth of all that is revealed in the holy Scriptures this is not the faith which doth priviledge us in sonship the Divels believe all the Articles in the Creed 'T is not the bare knowledge of a medicine or believing the Soveraign vertue of it will cure one that is ill This general faith so much cryed up by some will not save this a man may have and yet not love God He may believe that God will come to judge the quick and the dead and hate him as the prisoner believeth the Judges coming to the Assizes and abhors the thoughts of him Take heed of resting in a general faith you may have this and be no better than Divels 2. There is a special faith fides quâ creditur when we do not only believe the report we hear of Christ but rest upon him embrace him taking hold of the horns of this Altar resolving there to abide In the body there are venae sugentes sucking veins which draw the meat into the stomack and concoct it there So faith is the sucking veine which draws Christ into the heart and applies him there This is the filiating faith by this we are made the children of God and wherever this faith is it is not like physick in a dead mans mouth but is exceeding operative it obligeth to duty it works by love Gal. 5.6 2. Why Faith makes us children why not as well other graces Repentance Love c Answ 1. Because Faith is instituted of God and honoured to this work of making us children Gods institution gives Faith its value and validity it is the Kings stamp makes the Coyne passe currant if he would put his stamp upon brass or leather it would go as currant as silver The great God hath authorized and put the stamp of his institution upon Faith and that makes it pass for currant and gives it a priviledge above all the graces to make us children 2. Faith makes us children as it is the vital principle Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by faith All Gods children are living none of them are still-born now by faith we live As the heart is the primum vivens the fountain of life in the body so Faith is the fountain of life in the soul 3. Faith makes us children as it is the uniting grace it knits us to Christ the other graces cannot do this by faith we are one with Christ and so we are akin to God being united to the Natural Son we become adopted sons The Kindred comes in by Faith God is the Father of Christ Faith makes us Christs Brethren * Hebr. 2.11 and so God comes to be our Father SECT 4. Setting forth the signs of Gods children 4. THE fourth particular to be discussed is To shew the signs of Gods children it concerns us to know whose children we are * Aut filii Dei aut filii Diaboli Aug. Austin saith All mankind are divided into two Ranks either they are the children of God or the children of the Divel †1. The first sign of our heavenly son-ship is tenderness of heart 2 Chron. 34.27 Because thy heart was tender A child-like heart is a render heart he who before had a flinty hath now a fleshy heart A tender heart is like melting wax to God he may set what seal he will upon it this tenderness of heart shews it self three wayes 1. A tender heart grieves for sin a child weeps for offending his father Peter shewed a tender heart when Christ looked upon him and he remembred his sin he wept as a childe Clemens Alexandrinus saith he never heard a Cock crow but he wept * Da mihi Domine in hoc exilio lachrymarum fontem quem super omnem dâ—litiarum copiam â—surio Aug. l. de contrit cord And some learned Writers tell us that by much weeping there seemed to be as it were Channels made in his blessed face The least hair makes the eye weep the least sin makes the heart smite Davids heart smote him when he cut off the Lap of King Sauls garment What would it have done if he had cut off his head 2. A tender heart melts under mercy Though when God thunders by affliction the rain of tears doth fall from a gracious eye yet the heart is never so kindly dissolved as under the Sun-beams of Gods mercy see how Davids heart was melted with Gods kindness 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto there was a gracious thaw upon his heart So saith a childe of God Lord who am I a piece of dust and sin kneaded together that the orient beams of free-grace should shine upon me Who am I that thou shouldest pity me when I lay in my blood and spread the golden wings of mercy over me The soul is overcome with Gods goodness the tears drop the love flames mercy hath a melting influence upon the soul 3. A tender heart trembles under Gods threatnings Psalm 119.120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee 2 Chron. 34.27 Because thy heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self before God when thou heardst his words against this place and didst rend thy clothes c. If the father be angry the child trembles When Ministers denounce the menaces and threats of God against sin tender souls sit in a trembling posture this frame of heart God delights in Isa 66.2 To this man will I look even to him that trembleth at my word a wicked man like the Leviathan is made without fear Job 41.33 He neither believes the Promises nor dreads the Threatnings let judgement be denounced against sin he laughs at the shaking of a spear he thinks either that God is ignorant and doth not see or impotent and cannot punish the mountains quake before the Lord the hills melt the rocks are thrown down by him Nahum 1.5 But the hearts of sinners are more obdurate than the rocks an hardned sinner like Nebuchadnezzar hath the heart of a beast given to him Dan. 4.16 a child-like heart is a tender heart the stone is taken away 2. The second signe of son-ship is Assimilation Col. 3.10 Ye have put on the new man which is renewed af-the image of him that created him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the child resembles the father Gods children are like their heavenly Father they bear his very image and impresse wicked men say they are the children of God but there is too great a dissimilitude and unlikenesse the Jews brag'd they were Abrahams children but Christ disproves them by this argument because they were not like him John 8.40 Ye seek to kill me a man that have told you the truth which I have heard of God this did not Abraham You Abrahams children and go about to kill me Abraham would not have murdered an innocent you are more like Satan than Abraham ver 44. ye are of your father the Divel Such as are
proud earthly malitious may say our father which art in hell 't is blasphemy to call God our Father and make the Divel our Pattern Gods children resemble him in meeknesse and holinesse they are his walking pictures As the Seale stamps its print and likenesse upon the Wax so doth God stamp the print and effigies of his own beauty upon his children 3. The third sign of Gods children is they have the Spirit of God 'T is called the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 ye have received the Spirit of adoption c. Quest How shall we know that we have received the Spirit of adoption and so are in the state of adoption Answ The Spirit of God hath a three-fold work in them who are made children 1. A Regenerating work 2. A Supplicating work 3. A Witnessing work 1. A Regenerating work whomsoever the Spirit adopts it regenerates Gods children are said to be born of the Spirit John 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God we must first be born of the Spirit before we are baptized with this new name of sons and daughters we are not Gods children by creation but renovation not by our first birth but our new-birth This New-birth produced by the Word as the material cause * James 1.18 and by the Spirit as the efficient cause is nothing else but a change of nature Rom. 12.2 which though it be not a perfect change yet is a thorow change 1 Thes 5.23 This change of heart is as necessary * Generatus damnatus nisi regeneratus Austin as salvation Quest How shall we know that we have this regenerating work of the Spirit Answ Two wayes By the pangs By the products 1. By the pangs There are spiritual pangs before the new-birth some bruisings of soul some groanings and cryings out some struglings in the heart between flesh and spirit Acts 2.37 they were prick'd at their heart The child hath sharp throws before the birth so it is in the new-birth I grant the new-birth doth recipere magis minus all have not the same pangs of humiliation yet all have pangs all feel the hammer of the Law upon their heart though some are more bruised with this hammer than others Gods Spirit is a Spirit of bondage before it be a Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.15 What then shall we say to those who are as much to seek about the new-birth as Nicodemus John 3.4 How can a man be born when he is old c The new-birth is ludibrium impiis though it be grande mysterium piis some thank God they never had any trouble of spirit they were alwayes quiet These blesse God for the greatest curse it is a signe they are not Gods children the child of grace is alwayes born with pangs 2. The new-birth is known by the Products which are three 1. Sensibility The infant that is new-born is sensible of the least touch If the Spirit hath regenerated thee thou art sensible of the ebullitions and first risings of sin which before thou didst not perceive Paul cries out of the law in his members Rom. 7.23 The new-born Saint sees sin in the root 2. Circumspection He who is born of the Spirit is careful to preserve grace he plies the breast of Ordinances 1 Pet. 1.2 he is fearful of that which may endanger his spiritual life 1 John 5.18 he lives by faith yet passeth the time of his sojourning in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 This is the first work of the Spirit in them who are made children a regenerating work 3. The Spirit of God hath a supplicating work in the heart The spirit of adoption is a spirit of supplication Rom. 8.15 Ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father While the child is in the womb it cannot cry while men lie in the womb of their natural estate they cannot pray effectually but when they are born of the Spirit then they cry Abba Father Prayer is nothing else but the souls breathing it self into the bosome of its Father 'T is a sweet and familiar intercourse with God as soon us ever the Spirit of God comes into the heart it sets it a praying no sooner was Paul converted but the next word is behold he prayeth * Implet Spiritus Sanctus organum suum tanquam filia chordarum tangit digitus Dei corda Sanctorum Prosper in Epist Acts 9.11 It is reported in the life of Luther when he prayed it was with so much reverence as if he were praying to God and with so much boldnesse as if he had been speaking to his friend * Theodor. in vit Luth. p. 142. And Eusebius reports of Constantine the Emperour that everyday he used to shut up himself in some secret place in his Palace and there on bended knees did make his devour prayers and soliloquies to God Gods Spirit tunes the strings of the affections and then we make melody in prayer For any to say in derision you pray by the Spirit is a blasphemy against the Spirit it is a main work of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his children to help them to pray Gal. 4.6 Because you are sons God hath sent the spirit of his Son into your hearts Crying Abba Father Quest But many of the children of God have not such abilities to expresse themselves in prayer how then doth the Spirit help their infirmities Answ Though they have not alwayes the gifts of the Spirit in prayer yet they have the groans of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 Gifts are the Ornament of prayer but not the life of prayer A carcass may be hung with jewels Though the Spirit may deny fluency of speech yet it gives fervency of desire and such prayers are most prevalent The prayers which the Spirit indites in the hearts of Gods children have these three-fold qualifications 1. The prayers of Gods children are believing prayers Prayer is the key Faith is the hand that turns it Faith feathers the Arrow of prayer and makes it pierce the Throne of grace Matth. 21.22 Whatever you shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive Whereupon saith Hierom * Non orarem nisi crederem I would not presume to pray unless I bring faith along with me to pray and not believe is as one saith a kind of jeer offered to God * Irrisio Dei est Pelican as if we thought either he did not hear or he would not grant That Faith may be animated in prayer we must bring Christ in our Arms when we appear before God 1 Sam. 7.9 And Samuel took a sucking Lamb and offered it for a burnt-offering and Samuel cryed unto the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him this sucking Lamb typified Christ When we come to God in prayer we must bring the Lamb Christ along with us Themistocles carried the Kings son in his Arms and so pacified the King when he was angry * Thucyd.
Faith shows a Christian the land of promise Hope sails thither with patience Thus you see how Faith and Hope differ but these Twins must not be parted Faith strengthens Hope and Hope comforts Faith as Elm supports the Vine and the Vine loads the Elm with its fruit Faith is the Cable and Hope the Anchor and both these help to keep the soule steady that it doth not dash upon Shelves or sink in the Quick-sands Thus much for the first what hope is 2. What a Christian hopes for This is set down 1. Emphatically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That blessed hope Hope here is put by a Metonymie for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The things hoped for That blessed hope is the hope of blessedness A Christians hope is not in this life then he were in the Forlone-hope here is nothing to be hoped for but viciscitudes all the world rings changes but looking for that blessed hope This is the difference between the Seamans Anchor and the Believers Anchor The Seaman casts his Anchor downwards the Believer casts his Anchor upwards in heaven looking for that blessed hope The Believer is a rich heir Hebr. 6.17 and he waits till the Crown-royal shall be set upon his head According to our Common Law there are two sorts of Free-holds There is a Free-hold in Deed and a Free-hold in Law a Free-hold in Deed is when a man hath made an entrance upon Lands and Tenements and is actually seized of them but a Free-hold in Law is when a man hath right to Lands but hath not yet made actual entrance upon them Heaven is a Believers Free-hold in Law he hath a right to it it is promised by the Father it is purchased by the Son it is assured him by the Holy Ghost but he hath not the Free-hold in Deed but waits Gods leasure and looks for that blessed hope till the time comes that he shall actually enter upon possession of the inheritance 2. The Object of a Christian hope is set down Specifically The glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Christ Where by the way the Deity and Godhead of Christ is strongly proved from hence against the Arrians as Hierom and Chrysostom well observe The Apostle shows who this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this great God is it is saith he our Saviour Jesus Christ but that only in transitu To speak then of the Object of a Christians hope set down here Specifically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour There is a threefold Epiphany or appearing of Christ 1. There is an appearing of Christ to us as when he was Incarnate Isa 9.6 To us a Child is born This was a happy appearing when this morning Star appeared then salvation appeared to mankind when Christ took flesh he did marry our humane nature to the divine nature The Virgins womb was the place consecrated for the tying that knot Great is this Mystery God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 'T is such an aenigma as the Angels adore 1 Pet 1.12 God said the man is become as one of us Gen. 3.22 but now we may say God himself is become as one of us he made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the likeness of men Phil. 2.7 This was Christs first appearing 2. There is an appearing of Christ in us that is when he appears in our hearts which is called a forming of Christ in us Gal. 4.19 Christ is said to appear in us when by the operation of his grace he transforms him into his own image In the Incarnation Christ made himself like to to us by Sanctification he makes us like to him holy as he is holy and this is a comfortable appearing What are we better for Christs appearing in our flesh unless he appear in our hearts what are we the better for a Christ without us unless we have a Christ within us Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory 3. There is an appearing of Christ for us and that two wayes 1. Christ appears for us as an Advocate Hebr. 9.24 He is entred into heaven there to-appear in the presence of God for us 'T is a Metaphor borrowed from our Law-Courts where the Atturney pleads for the Client so Christ pleads as an Advocate for the Saints Satan is the accuser but Christ is the Advocate he answers all bills of Indictment brought in and he appears saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the presence of God for us the High Priests under the Law appeared before the Ark and the Mercy-seat which was but a Type of Gods presence but Christ appears in the very presence of God for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the face of God he spreads his merits before his Father and in the vertue of his bloody sufferings pleads for mercy and if Christ appear for us in heaven shall not we appear for him upon earth 2. Christ appears for the Saints as a Judge and this appearing is meant in the Text looking for the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Christs first appearing in the flesh was dark and obscure his beauty was vail'd over Isa 53.2 all that saw the Man did not see the Mesiah But his second appearing as our Judge will be a glorious appearing like the Sun breaking out of a Cloud * Tunc ejus sâ—lgor Majestas omnibus innâ—rescet Esti it will be a glorious appearing both in respect of Christ and the Saints 1. In respect of Christ himself and that thee manner of wayes 1. His Person will be glorious That light which shone upon Saint Paul surpassing the glory of the Sun Acts 26.13 was but a part of Christs beauty as a sparkle of the Sun of Righteousness what will it be when he shall appear in all his Spiritual embroidery 2. His throne will be glorious he shall sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the throne of his glory Matth. 25. he shall have his Chair of State set him more rich than Ivory or Pearl a Throne most sublime and magnificent 3. His attendants shall be glorious Matth. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him The Angels are the Courtiers of heaven they are compared to lightning Matth. 28.3 in regard of their sparkling lustre and these glorious sublimated spirits shall be Christi satellitium part of Christs Train and Retinue accompanying him to his Throne thus it will be a glorious appearing in regard of Christ 2. It will be a glorious appearing in regard of the Saints Christ will appear to do three things 1. Christ as a Judge will appear to acquit his people and that is by pronouncing the sentence Come ye blessed of my Father The debt-book shall be crossed in the blood of the Lamb. 2. Christ as a Judge will appear to vindicate his people The names of the godly many times lie buried in reproach but at that day they shall as