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A12974
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An exposition vpon the CXII. Psalme The high way to euerlasting blessednesse. Written for the benefit of Gods church, by T.S.
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Stint, Thomas.
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1621
(1621)
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STC 23269; ESTC S107442
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67,502
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220
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remembrance written for them thar feare the Lord Mal. 3.16 and in this Chronicle all our good seruices euen euery action of obedience is recorded that it may bee rewarded our labour then shall not bee lost nor so much as our teares but they are blotted men may forget vs as Pharaoh did Ioseph Iudg. 9.17 Gen. 41 42. and Sechemites Gedeon but God wil not our reward is sure though not so speedy as wee desire Here is great comfort to all faithfull Ministers who spend their strength to turne sinners from their euill wayes great is their reward in Heauen We must liue the life grace heare if we meane to shine in glory hereafter God heere assures vs of reward in the Kingdome of Heauen Behold what comfort shineth from hence to all you who haue spent your strength in the seruice of God and conuersion of sinners great is your reward in Heauen you shall shine as starres in the Ftrmament for euer and euer From hence we learne that the degrees of glory heereafter shall bee according to the degrees of grace here so that if wee would then shine in glory now we must shine in grace therefore take the aduantage of this thy corruption shake of all spirituall sloth vse it as a goade in thy side to make thee sweat againe in Gods worke double paines shall bring thee double pleasure double deligence double delight double holinesse double honour Who will be a common stone in the building when he might be a Piller Who would be a Doore-keeper when he might be a Steward therefore let vs looke to the whole course of our liues God rewards vs not according to our good or euill worke but according to our workes to the ordinary course of them this must teach vs faithfully to walke before the Lord in the discharge of our seuerall callings let vs look well to our worke that wee doe it and God will looke farre better to reward our worke Oh then that instead of taking thought how to get this or that good thing promised wee would once take thought how to doe this or that good thing commanded and so doing our duty we should be happy for euermore In worldly affaires no weighty thing can bee done without diligence farre lesse in spirituall Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently how shall hee looke for the penny that hath stood idle Oh that there were no such to bee found in these our dayes 2. Tim. 4 2. forgetting the rule of the Apostle Preach in season and out of season Hence it commeth to passe that their Sheepe belonging to their charge are like Pharoa his Kine so leane and euill fauoured and so weake as euery bush is able to entangle and euery ditch ready to drowne them and euery blast of vaine Doctrine able to blow them away Oh that this charge were considered and that we remembred that belongeth to them that preach not the Gospell Art thou a Steward Art thou an Ambassador Why then dost thou not distribute Gods food vnto his people How wilt thou be able to looke him in the face at whose barre one day all flesh must stand Luke 16.21 and if the rich man were cast into Hell who did not relieue poore Lazarus with his bread What shall become of those that haue famished the Soules of their people for want of holy admonition and instruction First to all bee it spoken both Minister and people let vs auoyd all sinne and endeauour our our selues to the vtmost of our power to keepe and delight in the Commandements not one but al and that we may not deceiue our selues herein let euery man examine himselfe at this marke and with a single eye and vpright heart take a view of his affections whether his ioy bee inward and spirituall that is in the assurances of God fauour in his word in his Children in Prayer and continuall practise of Godlinesse or outward and carnall that is in attainement of greatnesse and worldly pleasures in the encrease of our Corne and Wine and Oyle vvhether hee loue the peace of Conscience farre more dearely then the fauour of men or his owne life Whether hee bee more zealous for the honour and praise of GOD then his owne Whether hee bee more afraid of secret sinnes then open shame of offending God then outward afflictions Whether he bee more angry in the cause of Religion and concerning Gods glory or for our owne priuate wrongs and so throughout the rest of our affections Secondly wouldest thou repent thee of thy sinnes turne from them and haue them pardoned then labour to know them striue to find them out Consider of thy wayes make a stand for a while and examine thy courses put the question to thy soule what haue I done and againe propound it wherein am I fayling take the light of Gods Law that will shew thee thy filthinesse that will discouer vnto thee thy great corruptions and many faylings bee not backward in this duty the more backward thou art the greater cause thou hast to feare thy estate Bankerouts that are not worth a groat do not dare look into their state because they know they bee worse then nought bee then perswaded to call thy courses to account Consider the estate wherin thou art thy case is fearefull because thou art ignorant of it but it is desperate if thou wilt not be perswaded to looke into it but on the other side if thou wilt take thy selfe aside and commune with thy owne heart as Dauid speaketh Psal 4.4 surely then thou wilt be in a fayre forwardnesse to sound conuersion But heare some may aske Obedience to all the Commandements is an infallible signe of a true iustifying faith how shall I know if I be such a one or not I answere thou mayst easily prooue it in keeping the Commandements and delighting therein by this maist thou know and therefore try thy selfe whether thou hast respect to the first Table as well as to the second to the second as well as to the first dost thou performe good duties for conscience sake dost thou as well make conscience of dissembling with the world defrauding thy neighbour lying or equiuocating for aduantage as of blaspheming Gods name of prophaning Gods Sabbath of neglecting holy exercises Dost thou lament and bewayle thy dulnesse and deadnesse thy drowsinesse and heauines in the performance of holy duties to God and honest duties to men Art thou grieued and disquieted when thou findest not the efficacies and fruit of those good exercises in thy heart hast thou learned to make conscience of sinnes of omission as well of commission Dost thou as well open thy mouth to speake to his honour as keepe it shut from dishonouring him Dost thou as well make conscience of doing these good duties on the Sabbath Day hearing reading meditating and the like which God requireth as thou dost from abstaining of the workes of thy ordinary calling which hee forbiddeth
his loue why doe we not vse the meanes to become gratious in his eyes Oh let vs all seeke his fauour before the fauour of Princes let vs seeke his face euermore Fourthly this teacheth vs to haue our conuersation without couetousnes which is as insatiable as the graue in euery estate condition learne to depend vpon the Lords prouidēces Commit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him Psal 37.5 he shall bring it to passe Vse no vnlawfull meanes take not any indirect course for the obtaining of wealth or supplying our wants for God hath engaged his promise and his truth to see our needs supplied Lastly let it comfort the children of God in the middest of all the miseries of this mortall life Nothing can make vs miserable where Gods fauor is not wanting for what can make vs miserable seeing we enioy the fauour of God and the light of his countenance which is the Fountaine of all good and the ground of all other mercies whatsoeuer what Elkanah said to Hannah complaining for want of children may Gods fauour speake to all that haue their parts in it in euery distresse Am not I vnto thee instead of riches wealth glory and greatnesse in the world surely yes it is instead of these and better then all these vnto vs let therefore the inioyment of this serue for a supply for all our wants of what kind soeuer let vs make Gods fauour to bee that vnto vs which wee want for he that can assure himselfe of this hath a sufficient salue for euery sore There is no certaine way to aduance our selues but true religion and piety The generation of the righteous shall bee blessed Hence we learne that Religion and true piety is the ready way to the highest aduancement that can be therefore let vs set our hearts chiefely thereupon and aboue all the treasures in the World principally to effect that wee count it good husbandry to seeke after those things that will doe vs most good if siluer bee offered we will preferre it before brasse and if gold be offered we will take it rather then siluer Now concerning this heauenly wisedome it is said Pro. 8.10.11 Receiue mine instruction and not siluer and knowledge rather then fine gold for wisedome is better then precious stones and all treasures are not to bee compared vnto her And this should encourage vs rather to vse all industry for the obtaining of this blessed estate because it is a thing haue-able it were in vaine for a base person to sue to bee a King a Duke or a Lord none almost is so foolish as to seeke for such preferments because they know it would be but lost labour but there is not the meanest Seruant Slaue or Bondman but may attaine to this spirituall dignity which is far beyond all the aduancement that the Kingdomes of this world can possibly yeeld hee that can pray heare meditate confer and with all good care and conscionable respect vse all Gods ordinances for the obtaining of faith and other graces which doe euer accompany the same shall be sure of good and happy successe for the Lord will be found of those that seeke him with a true heart therefore let vs not so cast our eyes on earthly commodities as that in the meane time wee neglect this pearle of price and this inestimable Iewell that will so exceedingly enrich vs 2. Cor. 9.21 the Apostle telleth vs that those that runne in a rase for a prize though it bee but a Garland that is set vp yet they will put off all that might clog hinder them in their race but especially if they should runne for a Crowne of gold neither will they be so foolish to stoope downe to take vp euery pinne or poynt that lyeth in the way and yet they run but at an vncertainety when they haue done their best another may carry away both the honour and commodity from them from all which the Apostle would haue vs draw this conclusion that if such kind of persons will so bestirre themselues and seeke to acquit themselues euery way like men then much more ought we to put our selues to it sith wee runne not at an vncertainety Only the godly are sure to obtaine the Crowne but are sure to obtaine the Crowne one shall not preuent nor depriue another but all shall vndoubtedly get that which they doe expect and shall attaine vnto not a fading and vanishing but an abiding and euerlasting dignity they shall be blessed but here some may say if wee bestow our paines and endeauour so much about spirituall things in the meane time wee shall neglect those earthly things that are needfull and so bring our selues to pouerty I answere not so for prouision of our euerlasting estate doth neuer impaire our present estate 1. Tim. 4 8. For Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of that which is to come and thereby shal all matters be blessed vnto vs. Of all men they are the husbands that labour most for grace Seeing therfore they that spend their paines in seeking of grace shall neuer lose their labour nor misse of their marke but alwayes obtaine that which they do desire and when once they haue possession of it it will abide with them they cannot lose it though they would it is so durable and permanent that it will neuer decay and so vnited and ingrafted into the nature of the parties that it can by no possible meanes bee wholly taken away and therefore as in other things so in this the continuance of it addes greatly vnto the worth of it 1. Pet 4. for grace is a perpetuall inheritance that farre surpasseth al that the world can affoord a man must leaue all his earthly inheritance and aboundance hee knoweth not how soone neither can his great pompe descend into the graue with him neither can he so make it ouer vnto his seed Psal 49.17 but that they may bee defrauded of it but the heauenly treasure is ours whiles we liue and when we die and after death yea at and after the resurrection for euermore and as the perpetuitie so also the excellency of this in it owne nature should bee a forcible motiue vnto vs and set an edge vpon our affections to pursue after it continually for whereas other things are dangerous and hurtfull Godlinesse is profitable in this life and in the life to come this is alwayes profitable and helpfull it maketh vs blessed in this present life and in the life to come it bringeth with it the comfort of the spirit the feeling of Gods loue and fauour and the comfortable vse of all outward good things wee are not likely at least not certaine to continue here many dayes and what an vnspeakeable comfort then is it to be assured that when wee go frō men wee shall goe to God and when we leaue the earth Though man should forsake vs yet God will