of calamitie upon us all wisedome and learning and piety prudence are healing things Remember and O that God would put into the hearts of this whole Kingdome from the Throne to the Plow to remember the fate of a divided Kingdome from the mouth of truth it selfe O that we would all remember that misunderstandings and jealousies and divisions of heart are an high evidence of Gods displeasure and that through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts a Land is darkned and as it were infatuated when Manasse is against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasse and every man eateth the flesh of his owne Arme. Isa. 7.9.21 O let us all remember what it cost Shechem and Abimelech what it cost Benjamin and the other Tribes even the losse of threescore and five thousand men remember Priamus and his children will laugh Babylon will clap their hands and wag their head no such time for Shishak the Aegyptian to trouble Jerusalem as when Israel is divided 2 Chron. 12.2 Let it never be said of Gods owne people that they are fallen into the curse of Midianites and Ammorites and Edomites and Philistines to help forward the destruction of one another O that God would give this whole Nation hearts to consider these things that he would put a spirit of peace and resolved unity into the minds of this whole people to be true to their owne happinesse and by how much the greater are the subtilties of men to divide them to be so much the more firmly united in prayers to God and in concord between themselves that they may not expose their persons estates posterities and which is dearest of all their Religion to the craftie and bloodie advantages of the enemies of the Protestant Churches who in humane view could have no way to overthrow them but by their own dissentions I have done with this point and shall conclude all with a very few words of the next which is drawn from the scope and connexion of the prayer suggested to the judgement threatned It is this When temporall judgements are felt or feared Gods people should pray for spirituall mercies Humane sorrows cannot overcome where the joy of the Lord is our strength Thus the Lord seems to have taught his Apostle he was under some pressing discomfort the messenger of Satan sent to buffet him he prayes for particular deliverance and God answers him non ad voluntatem sed ad utilitatem implying a direction unto all such prayers My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 When thou feelest a thorn in thy flesh pray for grace in thy heart the buffets of Satan cannot hurt where the grace of God doth suffice so he directeth in time of plague and famine to pray and to seek his face 2 Chron. 7.14 to look more after his favour than our owne ease to be more solicitous for the recovering of his Love than for the removing of his Rod. This is a true character of a filiall disposition In the way of thy judgements even in that way wherein wicked men fling thee off and give thee over and quarrell with thee and repine against thee even in the way of â—hy judgements do we wait for thee and the desire of our soul is more to thy Name than to our own deliverance Isa. 26.8 true Diciples follow Christ more for his Doctrine than his loaves and are willing to choose rather affliction than iniquity The grace and favour of God is life Psal. 30.5 better than life Psal. 63.3 and therefore must needs be the most soveraigne Antidote to preserve and to bear up the soul above all other discomforts whereas if he be angry no other helps are able to relieve us Brasse and Iron can fence me against a Bullet or a Sword but if I were to be cast into a furnace of fire it would help to torment me if into a pit of water it would help to sinke me Now our God is a consuming fire and his breath a streame of brimstone Humane plaisters can never cure the wounds which God makes where he is the Smiter he must be the Healer too Hos. 6.1 All the Candles in a Countrey are not able to make day there till the Sunne come and all the contents of the world are not able to make comfort to the soule till the Sun of Righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings In a Mine if a damp come it is in vaine to trust to your lights they will burn blew and dimme and at last vanish you must make haste to be drawne upward if you will be safe When God sharpneth an affliction with his displeasure it is vaine to trust to worldly succours your desires and affections must be on things above if you will be relieved There is no remedie no refuge from Gods anger but to Gods grace Bloud letting is a cure of bleeding and a burn a cure against a burne and running into Goâ— is the way to escape him as to close and get in 〈◊〉 him that would strike you doth avoid the blow In a tempest at Sea it is very dangerous to strike to the shore the safest way is to have Sea-roome and to keep in the Main still there is no landing against any tempest of Gods judgements at any shore of worldly or carnall policies but the way is to keep with him still if he be with us in the Ship the winds and the Sea will at last be rebuked This then should serve to humble us for our carnall prayers in times of judgement such as the hungry Raven or the dry and gaping earth makes when we assemble our selves for Corne and Wine for peace and safety and be in the meane time carelesse whether God receive us graciously or no. God much complains of it when he slew Israel the raâ—k made him rore the rod made him flatter but all was to be rid of affliction It was the prayer of nature for ease not of the Spirit for grace for their heart was not right Psal. 78.34 37. The like he complains of after the Captivity they fasted and prayed in the fifth moneth wherein the City and Temple had bin burned and in the seventh moneth wherein Gedeliah had bin slain and the remnant carried captive but they did it not out of sinceritie toward God but out of policie for themselves and this he proves by their behaviour after their return If you had indeed sought me you would have remembred the words of the Prophets when Ierusalem was inhabited before and being returned would now have put them to practise But Jerusalem inhabited after the Captivitie is just like Jerusalem inhabited before the captivitie so that from hence it appears that all their weeping and separating was not for pious but politique reasons Zach. 7.5 6. And there is nothing under heaven more hatefull or more reproachfull unto God than to make Religion serve turns to have piety lacquey and dance attendance and be a drudge and groom to
private ends to make it a cloake to policy a varnish to rotten wood silver drosse to a broken Potsheard O then when we weep and seperate our selves let us not think to mock God with empty ceremonies of Repentance let us not assemble our selves only to flatter away the rod from our back and to get peace and security to our owne persons and then let the favour of God the power of his Grace the comforts of his Spirit be as unregarded as before as if we fasted and prayed onely for our backs and bellies not for our Consciences or conversations for be we well assured he who doth not aske the things which he ought shall not obtain the things which he asks such a prayer begs nothing but a deniall We have now many fasts together prayed for making up our breaches for reparing our ruines for composing our distractions for reducing this Kingdom unto an happy constitution for a right understanding between the King and his great Councell These prayers we have not found yet return like Noahs Dove with an Olive branch a gracious answer unto us again What 's the reason Where 's the obstruction Is not he a God that heareth prayers Is it not his Title Doth he not glory in it Certainly mercies stop not at God but at us We are not straitned in him but in our own bowels If there come but a little light into a room the defect is not in the Sun but in the narrowness of the window if a vessell fill but slowly the fault is not any emptiness in the Fountain but the smallness of the pipe If mercies ripen slowly or stop at any time in the way it is not because they are unwilling to come to us but because we are unfit to enjoy them Our prayers doubtless in many of us have not been words taken from him but from our own carnal dictates We would fain have things well in our Country but have we hitherto looked after our consciences The destractions without us have they driven us to consider the distempers within or to desire the things above The unsetledness of peace in the Kingdom hath it awakened us to secure our peace with God We would fain have better times but have we yet laboured for better hearts we would fain have a right understanding between the King and his great Councel but have we yet sadly set about it to have a more clear and sweet Communion between us and our God we long to see more good laws but are we yet come to the care of good lives Every one cries out Who will shew us any good but how few think on the light of Gods countenance Hence hence Beloved is the miscarriage of all our Prayers If we would seek gods Kingdom we are promised other things by way of overplus and Accession as he that buyeth a Treasury of Jewels hath the Cabinet into the Bargain But when we place our Kingdom in outward comforts and let our daily bread shut out all the other five petitions out of our prayers no wonder if the promises of this life which are annexed unto Godliness do not answer those prayers wherein godliness is neglected It were preposterous to begin the building of an house at the Roof and not at the Foundation Piety is the foundation of prosperity If you would have your cheldrin like plants like polished stones your Garners ful your Cattel plenteous no complaining in your streets If you would have the King happy and the Church happy and the State happy and peace and prosperity flourish again Let our chief prayer be Lord make us a happy people by being our God Give us thy self thy grace thy favour give us renewed hearts and reformed lives let not our sins confute and outcry and belie our prayers and pray them back again without an Answer And when we seek thee and thy Christ above all we know that with him thou wilt freely give us all other things The spiritual good things which we beg wil either remove or shelter and defend us from the outward evil things which we suffer Secondly this serveth for an instruction unto us touching a sanctified use of Gods judgments or threatnings when we learn obedience as Christ did by the things which we suffer Hebr. 5.8 when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we are chastened and taught together Psal. 94.12 when sufferings do quicken spiritual desires and the more troubles we find in our way the more love we have to our Country when we can say all this is come upon us and yet we have not forgotten thee Psal. 44.17 18. when we can serve God as wel in plowing and breaking the clods as in treading out the Corn Hos. 10.11 When with Ionah we can delight in him even in the Whales belly and suffer not our love of him to be quenched with all the waters of the Sea When we can truly say to him Lord love me and then do what thou wilt unto me let me feel thy râ—d rather then forfeit thine affection when we can look through the Anger of his chastisements unto the Beauty of his Commands and to the sweetness of his loving countenance as by a Rain bow we see the beautiful Image of the Suns-light in the middst of a dark and waterish Cloud when by how much the Flesh is the fuller of pain by so much prayers are fuller of spirit by how much the heavier are our earthly sufferings by so much the stronger are our heavenly desires when God threatneth punishments and we pray for grace this is a sanctified use of Gods judgments And this we should all be exhorted unto in the times of distraction to make it the principal argument of our prayers and study of our lives to obtain spiritual good things and the less comfort we find in the world to be the more importunate for the comforts of God that by them we may incourage our selves as David did in his calamity at Ziglag 1 Sam. 30.6 when the City Shechem was beaten down to the ground then the men and women fled to the strong Tower and shut that upon them Iudg. 9.51 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous fly to it and are safe Prov. 18.18 Herein we shall more honour God when we set him up in our hearts as our fear and treasure and mourne more towards him then for the miseries we feel and suspire more after him then all the outward contentment which we want Herein we shall more exercise Repentance for it is worldly sorrow which droopeth under the pain of the flesh but godly sorrow is most of all affected with the Anger of God Herein we shall more prevail with God the more heavenly the matters of our prayer are the more prevalent they must needs be with an Heavenly Father we have five spiritual petitions unto one for bread the more sutable our prayers are to Gods wil the more easie access
was the continuation of Anger but at last when he admitted him into his presence and kissed him here that Anger was turned away from him too 2 Sam. 14.21.24.33 These words then containe Gods mercifull answer to the first part of Israels prayer for the Taking away of all Iniquity which had beene the fountaine of those sad Judgements under which they languished and pined away Wherin there are two parts 1. The Ground of Gods answer His free love 2. A double fruit of that love 1. In Healing their Backsliding In removing his Anger and heavie Iudgements from them We will breifly handle them in the order of the Text. I will Heale their Backsliding When Gods people do returne unto him and pray against sin then God out of his free love doth heale them of it First he teacheth them what to aske and then he tells them what he will give Thus we finde Conversion and Healing joyned together Isai. 6.10 They shall returne even to the Lord and he shall be intreated of them and shall heale them Isai. 19.22 Return Backsliding children I will Heal your Backslidings Ier. 3.22 Men if they be injured and provoked by those whom they have in their power to undoe though they returne and cry peccavi and are ready to aske forgivenesse yet many times out of pride and revenge will take their time and opportunity to repay the wrong But God doth not so His Pardons as all his other Gifts are without exprobratâ—on as soon as ever his servants come back unto him with teares and confession he looks not upon them with scorn but with joy his mercy makes more haste to embrace them then their repentance to returne unto him Luke 15.20 then out comes the wine the oyle the balme the cordials then the wounds of a Saviour doe as it were bleed afresh to drop in mercy into the sores of such a Penitent O though he be not a dutifull not a pleasant childe yet he is a childe though I spake against him yet I remember him still my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him Jer. 31.20 The Lord greatly complaines of the inclination of his people to backsliding and yet he cannot finde in his heart to destroy them but expresseth a kinde of Conflict betweene Iustice and Mercy and at last resolves I am God and not man I can as well heale their backsliding by my Love as revenge it by my justice therefore I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger but I will cause them to walk after the Lord Hos. 11.7.10 Yea so mercifull he is that even upon an hypocriticall conversion when his people did but flatter and lie unto him and their heart was not right towards him nor they stedfast in his covenant yet the Text saith he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity not as to the justification of their persons for that is never without faith unfained but so farre as to the mitigation of their punishment that he destroyed them not nor stirred up all his wrath against them Psal. 78.34.35 for so that place is to be expounded as appeareth by the like parallel place Ezek. 20 17. Neverthelesse mine eye spared them from destroying them neither did I make an end of them in the wildernesse Now the Metaphoricall word both here and so often elsewhere used in this argument leadeth us to looke upon sinners as Patients and upon God as a Physician By which two considerations we shall finde the exceeding mercy of God in the pardon and purging away of sinne set forth unto us Healing then is a Relative word and leades us first to the consideration of a Patient who is to be healed and that is here a grievous sinner fallen into a Relapse Healing is of two sorts The healing of a sicnesse by a Physician the healing of a wound by a Chirurgian And Sinne is both a sicknesse and a wound The whole head sick the whole Heart faint from the soale of the foot even unto the Head there is no soundnesse in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Isai. 1.5.6 A sicknesse that wants healing a wound that wants binding Ezek. 34.4 A sick sinner that wants a Physician to call to repentance Matth. 9.12 13. A wounded sinner that wants a Samaritan so the Iewes called Christ Iohn 8.48 to binde up and poure in wine and oyle Luek 10.34 Diseases are of severall sorts but those of all other most dangerous that are in the vitall parts as all the diseases of sinne are and from thence spread themselves over the whole man Ignorance pride carnall principles corrupt judgement diseases of the Head Hardnesse stubbornesse Atheisme Rebellion diseases of the Heart Lust a dart in the Liver Corrupt communication the effect of putrified lungs Gluttony and drunkennesse the swellings and dropsies of the belly despaire and horrour the griefe of the bowels Apostacie a Recidivation or Relapse into all An Eare that cannot heare God speake Ier. 6.10 An Eye quite dawbed up that cannot see him strike Ier. 44.18 Isai. 26.11 A palate out of taste that cannot savour nor relish heavenly things Rom. 8.5 Lips poisoned Rom. 3.13 A Tongue set on fire Iam. 3.6 Flesh consumed bones sticking out sore vexed and broken to pieces Iob 33.21 Psal. 6.2 51.8 Some diseases are dull others acute some â—â—upifying others tormenting Sinne is All. A stupifying palsie that takes away feeling Ephes 4.19 A plâ—guâ— in the Heart which sets all on fire 1 King 8.38 Hos. 7.4 Let us consider a little the proper passions and effects of most diseases and see how they suite to sinne First Paine and distemper This first or last is in All sinne for it begets in wicked and impenitent men the pain of guilt horrour trembling of heart anguish of conscience fear of wrath expectation of judgement and fiery indignation as in Cain Pharaoh Ahab Felix and divers others Gen. 4.13.14 Exod. 9.27.28 1 King 21.27 Acts 24.25 Isai. 33.14 Hebr. 2.15 Rom. 8 15. Hebr. 10.27 And in Penitent men it begets the pain of shame and sorrow and inquietude oâ— spirit a wound in the spirit a prick in the very heart Rom. 6.21 Ezek. 16.61 2 Cor. 7.10 Prov. 18.14 Acts 2.37 Penitency and Paine are words of one derivation and are very neare of kin unto one another Never was any wound cured without paine never any sinne healed without sorrow Secondly c weaknesse and Indisposednesse to the Actions of life Sinne is like an unruly spleen or a greedy wenne in the body that sucks all nourishment converts all supplies into its own growth and so exhausts the strength and vigor of the soul making it unfit and unable to do any good When ever it sets about any duty till sinne be cured it goes about it like an arm out of ioynt which when you would move it one way doth fall back another It faints and flaggs and is not able to put sorth any skill or any
should not win us that judgment should not awaken us that the rod should speak and we not hear Mic. 6.9 That the fire should burn and we not feel Isa. 42.25 That desolation should be threatned and we not instructed Jer. 6.8 That the hand of God should be lifted up and we not see it Isa. 26.11 That darkness should be upon us we not give glory to God Jer. 13.6 This is that should most deject us that in mercies we have been wanton and in judgments sensless Get Repentance by an affliction and then you may look on it as trafick and not as a trouble like a Merchants voyage which hath pain in the way but treasure in the end No afflictions can hurt him that is penitent If thou escape they will make thee the more thankful if not they will bring thee the neerer and the sooner unto God The way to be safe in times of trouble is to get the blood of the Lamb upon our doors All troubles have their Commission and Instructions from God what to do whither to go whom to touch whom to pass over Be gold and though the fire come upon you you shal keep your nature and purity still Godliness saith the Apostle hath the promises of this life amongst those one special one is that we shall not be tempted above what we are able 1 Cor. 10.13 neither are there indeed any distresses against which there is not a refuge and escape for penitent sinners unto some promise or other Against Captivity When they be in the land of their Enemies I will not cast them away nor abhorre them Levit. 26.44 Against famine and pestilence If I shut up heaven that there be no rain or if I command the locust to devoure the Land or if I send pestilence among my people If my people which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked wayes then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and wil heal their Land 2 Chron. 7.13.14 Against sicknes the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing and make all his bed in his sicknes Psa. 41.3 Against poverty When the poor and needy seek water and there is none I the Lord will hear them c. Isa. 41.17 Psal. 68.10 Against want of friends When my father and mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up Psal. 27.10 Psal. 72.12 Against oppression and imprisonment He executeth judgement for the oppressed he looseth the prisoners Psal. 146.7 Against whatsoever plague or trouble 1 King 8.37.38 39. He is the God of All consolation how disconsolate soever a mans condition is in any kind there cannot but within the compasse of All consolation be some one or other remedy at hand to comfort and relieve him And so much by the way of the Invitation in generaâ—l In the Invitation we have the Matter of it and the Motives to it The Matter is Conversion without that the hand which is lifted up in threatning will fall down in punishing and where that is God hath a book of Remembrance for his Iewels when his wrath burneth as an Oven against the stubble Mal. 3.16 But this Conversion then must have two conditions in it 1. It must be Ad Dominum To the Lord not meerly philosophicall to some low and generall dictates of Reason such as Aristotle or Plato or Epictetus or Plutarch or the like heathen Moralists could furnish us withall without self-deniall lowlinesse of spirit or faith in Christ. Not meerly politicall to credit or profit or secular ends propter famam non propter Conscientiam as the Orator speaks or as our Prophet hath it for Corn and for wine Hos. 7.16 as good be an empty vine as bring forth fruit onely to our selves Hos. 10.1 But it must be spirituall unto the Lord. If thou wilâ— return O Israel saith the Lord return unto me Ier. 4.1 And not onely Ad Dominum to the Lord for that may be done falsely and flatteringly with a halting and divided heart By the force of Semi-perswasions like that of Agrippa and Orpha complementing with God and then forsaking him By the force of compulsory impressions like that of Pharaoh and Israel in the wildernes Promises on the Rack and pride when there was respite again thawing in the Sun and freezing in the shade melting in the â—urnace and out of it returning unto hardnes again like the Prophets Cake burnt on the one side and dough on the other But it must be Secondly usque ad Dominum so much the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth A full through constant continued conversion with a whole a fixed a rooted an united an established heart yeilding up the whole Conscience and Conversation to be ruled by Gods will in all things The motives to this duty are two First his Mercy he is yet thy God no such argument for our turning unto God as his turning unto us Adam looks on him as a Iudge and hides the Prodigall looks on him as a father and returns As the beam of the Sun shining on fire doth discourage the burning of that so the shining of Gods mercies on us should dishearten and extinguish lust in us This is the use we should make of mercy Say not he is my God therefore I may presume upon him but he is mine therefore I must return unto him Because he is God I will be afraid to provoke him and because he is mine I will be afraid to forfeit him He is so great I must not dare to offend him he is so pretious I must not venture to lose him His mercy is a Holy mercy which knows to pardon sin but not to protect it It is a Sanctuary for the penitent not for the presumptuous Secondly his judgement and that expressed rather as our Act then his Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity If mercies do not work upon Love let Iudgements work upon fear Extremities are a warrant unto Importunities Even heathen mariners in a storm wil cry mightily upon God When there is a deluge coming is it not time for Noah to fear and to prepare an ark Hebr. 11.7 what meanest thou O thou sleeper to losâ— the season and benefit of Gods visitations when there is a tempest over the ship heavy distresses and distractions both at home and abroad to be so secure in thy wonted impenitency as if thou hadst had no sins to procure these judgements or no sence to feel them as if there were agreements and sealed covenants between thee and the sword that it should not touch thee If thou be falling is it not high time to consider thy wayes to search and to judge thy self to have thine eyes like the windows of Solomons Temple Broad inwards to find out thine own provocations and as David speaks to keep thy self from Thine owne iniquity
his promise If God whose promises are sure binde himselfe to perform them by his oath How much more are we bound to tye our selves by covenant unto God to doe those things which are our dutie to do unto the doing whereof we have such infirme principles as are a mutable will and an unstedfast heart For the latter our relation unto him we are His not onely by a propertie founded in his soveraigne power and dominion over us as our Maker Lord and Saviour Psal. 100.3 1 Cor. 6.19.20 but by a propertie growing out of our own voluntary consent whereby we surrender and yeeld and give up our selves unto God Rom. 6.19 2 Cor. 8.5 we are not onely his people but his willing people by the intervention of our own consent Psal. 110.3 We give him our hand as the expression is 2 Chron. 30.8 which is an allusion to the manner of Covenants or engagements Prov. 6.1.17 18. Ezek. 17.18 We offer up our selves as a free oblation Rom. 15 16. and are thereupon called a kind of first fruits Iam. 1.18 We are His as the wife is her Husbands Hos. 2.19 Ezek. 16.8 Now such an interest as this ever presupposeth a contract As in ancient forms of stipulation there was Asking and Answering Spondes Spondeo Promittis Promitto Dabis Dabo As in contract of Marriage the mutuall consent is asked and given Gen. 24.58 so it is here between God and the soul the covenant is mutuall Gen. 17.2 He promiseth mercie to be our exceeding great reward and we promise obedience to be his willing people and usually according as is the proportion of strength in our faith to beleeve Gods promises of mercy to us such is also the proportion of care in our obedience to perform our promises of duty unto him II. From our selves And here Covenants are needfull in two respects 1. In regard of the falsenes and deceitfulnes of our corrupt hearts in all spirituall duties The more cunning a Sophister is to evade an argument the more close and pressing we frame it The more vigilant a prisoner to make an escape the stronger guard we keep upon him Our hearts are exceeding apt to be false with God One while they melt into promises and Resolutions of obedience as Pharaoh and Israel did Psal. 78.34.37 and presently forget and harden again Lots wife goes out of Sodome for fear of the judgements but quickly looks back again out of love to the place or some other curiosity and distemper of minde Saul relents towards David and quickly after persecutes him again 1 Sam. 24.17.19 This is the true picture of mans Heart under a strong conviction or in a pang of devotion or in time either of sicknesse or some pressing affliction on the Rack in the furnace under the râ—d nothing then but vows of better obedience all which doe oftentimes dry sudenly away like a morning dew and whither away like Ionahs gourd Therefore both to accknowledge and prevent this miserable perfideousnesse of such Revolting Hearts it is very needfull to binde them unto God with renewed Covenants and since they are so apt with Ionah to runne away and start aside to neglect Nineveh and to flee to Tarssish necessary it is to find them out and to bring them home and as David did Psal. 57.7 to fix and fasten them to their businesse that they may not runne away any more 2. In regard of the naturall sluggishnesse which is in us unto dutie We are apt to faint and be weary when we meet with any unexpected difficulties in Gods service to esteeme the wildernesse as bad as Egypt to sit downe as Hagar did and cry to think that half way to heaven is farre enough and Almost a Christian progresse enough that baking on one side will make the cake good enough that God will accept of bankrupt-payment a noble in the pound part of our hearts and duties for all We must sometimes venture to leap the hedge for there is a Lion in the way Now to correct this Torpor this Acedia and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostles calls it 1 Thess. 5.14 this pusilanimitie and faint-heartednesse in Gods service we must bind them on our selves with renewed Covenants and put to the more strength because of the bluntnesse of the Iron Eccles 10.10 A Covenant doth as it were twist the cords of the Law and double the precept upon the soul. When it is onely a precept then God alone commands it but when I have made it a promise then I command it and bind it upon my self The more feeble our hands and knees are the more care we should have to bind and strengthen them that we may lift them up speedily keep them straight Hebr. 12.12 13. and the way hereunto is to come to Davids resolution I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgresse Psal. 17.3 Emptie velleities wishings and wouldings will not keep weak faculties together Broken bones must have strong bands to close them fast again A crazie piece of building must be cramped with Iron barres to keep it from tottering So if we would indeed cleave to the Lord we must bring purposes of Heart and strong resolutions to enable us thereunto Act. 11.23 Cleaving will call for swearing Deut. 10.20 As it should be our prayer so also our purpose to have hearts united to fear Gods Name Psal. 86.11 whence the phrases of preparing fixing confirming establishing rooting grounding and other like so frequently occurring in the Scripture 2 Chron. 30.19 1 Chron. 29.18 Eph. 3.17 Heb. 13.9 Iam. 5.8 III. From our Brethren that by an holy Association and spirituall confederacy in heavenly resolutions every mans example may quicken his brother and so duties be performed with more vigour and fervencie and return with the greater blessings If fire be in an whole pile of wood every stick will burn the brighter the greenest wood that is will take fire in so generall a flame Men usually have more courage in the body of an Armie where concurrent shoutings and encouragements do as it were infuse mutuall spirits into one another then when they are alone by themselves David rejoyced in but recounting the companies and armies of Gods people when they went up to Jerusalem in their solemne feasts Psal. 84.7 And therefore most Covenants in Scripture were generall and publick solemnly entred into by a great body of people as that of Asa Iosiah and Nehemiah the forwardnesse of every man whetting the face of his neighbour Prov. 27.17 IV. From the multitudes strength vigilancie malice assiduous attempts of all our spirituall enemies which call upon us for the stronger and more united Resolutions For common adversaries usually gain more by our faintnesse and divisions then by their own strength Therefore Souldiers use to take an oath of fidelitie towards their Countrey and service And Hannibals Father made him take a solemn oath to maintain perpetuall Hostility with Rome Such an Oath have
147.20 Excellent speech is not comely in the mouth of fools Prov. 17.7 But Praise is comly for the upright Psal. 33.1 For as God is most dishonoured by the sinnes of holy men when they are committed against light and break forth into scandall as a spot in silk is a greater blemish then in Sackcloth 2 Sam 12.14 So is he most honoured by the confession and praises of holy men because they know more of his glory and goodnesse then others and can report greater things of him Wicked men speak of God by hear-say and by notion onely but holy men by intimate Experience as the Queen of Sheha knew more of Solomons wisdom from his mouth then from his fame He that sees but the outward Court and buildings of a Palace can say it is a glorious place but he that like the Ambassadours of the King of Babylen in Hezekiah his time shall be admitted to see the house of precious things and all the Treasures of the Palace can speak much more honourably of it Every one might see and admire the stones of the Temple without who were not admitted to view the Gold and curious workmanship within The more intimate Communion a man hath with God as a Redeemer the more glorious and abundant praises can he render unto him Besides Praise is the language of Heaven the whole Happinesse of the Saints there is to enjoy God and their whole businâ—sse is to praise him And they who are to live in another Countrey will be more solicitous to learn the language and foreacquaint themselves with the manners and usages of that countrey than they who have no hopes nor assurance of comming thither As they who have hope to be like Christ in glory will purifie themselves that they may in the meane time be like him in grace 1 John 3.2 3. So they that have hope to praise him for ever in heaven will study the Song of Moses and of the Lamb before they come thither And indeed none can praise God but they that can abase deny themselves wicked men in all duties serve and seeke themselves But the very formality of praise is to seek God and to make him the End of our so doing The Apostle exhorts us to offer our selves a living sacrifice Rom. 12.1 that is to say to separate our selves for God and for his uses The sacrifice we know was Gods for his sake it was burnt and broken and destroyed We must be such Sacrifices deny our selves be lost to our selves not serve nor seek nor aime at our selves but resolve to esteeme nothing dear in comparison of Gods honour and to be willing any way whether by life or by death that hee may be magnified in us Acts. 21.13 Phil. 1.20 Love of Communion in naturall creatures is stronger then self-love Stones will move upward fire downward to preserve the universe from a vacuity and to keep the compages of nature together How much more is and ought the love of God himself in the new creature to be stronger then selfe-love whereby it seeks and serves it self And without this all other services are but Ananias hiâ— lye lies to the holy Ghost keeping to our selves what we would seem to bestow upon him Lifting up the eyes beating the breast spreading the hands bending the knee hanging down the head levelling the countenance sighing sobbing fasting howling all nothing else but mocking of God And we may say of such men as the Emperor of him that sold the glasses for pearl though in a sadder sense Imposturam faciunt patientur They deceive God and fail in his precepts and they shall be themselves deceived and faile in their owne expectation For the hope of the wicked shall perish III. By a double consideration of our selves I. Of our natural Torpor and sluggishnesse unto this duty As the dead Sea drinkes in the River Iordan and is never the sweeter and the ocean all other Rivers and is never the fresher So wee are apt to receive daily mercies from God and still remaine unsensible of them unthankfull for them Gods mercies to us are like the dew on all the ground our thanks to him like the dew on the fleece We are like Fishermens wheels wide at that end which lets in the Fish but narrow at the other end so that they cannot get out againe Greedy to get mercy â—enacious to hold it but unthankfull in acknowledging or right using of it The rain comes down from heaven in showres it goes up but in mists We sow in our land one measure and receive ten yea Isaac received an hundred fold Gen. 26. 12. But God sowes ten it may be an hundred mercies amongst us when we scarce returne the praise and the fruit of one Our hearts in this case are like the windows of the Temple 1 King 6.4 wide inward to let in mercies but narrow outward to let forth praises Now as Solomon sayes if the iron be blunt we must put too the more strength and as Husbandmen use where the nature of land is more defective to supply it with the more importunate labour so having hearts so earthly for the performance of so heavenly a duty wee should use the more holy violence upon them and as the Widdow did extort justice from an unjust Judge by her continuall coming Luke 18.5 we should presse and urge and with ingeminated importunity charge this duty upon our selves as the Psalmist doth O that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse for his wonderfull workes to the children of men Psal. 107.8 15 21 31. II. Of our own benefit For indeed all the benefit which ariseth out of this duty redounds to us and none to God His glory is infinite and eternally the same there is nor can be no accession unto that by all our praises When a Glasse reflecteth the brightnesse of the Sun there is but an acknowledgement of what was not any addition of what was not When an excellent Orator makes a Panegyricall Oration in praise of some honourable Person he doth not infuse any dramme of worth into the person but onely setteth forth and declareth that which is unto others A curious Picture praiseth a beautifull face not by adding beauty to it but by representing that which was in it before The window which lets in light into an house doth not benefit the light but the house into which the light shineth So our praising of God doth serve to quicken comfort and refresh our selves who have interest in so good a God or to edifie and incourage our brethren that they may be ambitious to serve so honourable a Master but they adde no lustre or glory to God at all Now lastly for the right performance of this Duty It is founded on the due apprehensions of Gods Being Good and of his Doing Good Psa. 119.68 Or on his excellency in himselfe and his goodnesse unto us In the former respect it standeth in adoring and
reason of a man first to make a thing and then to worship it to expect safety from that which did receive being from himselfe Isay. 46.7 8. These are the three great props of carnall confidence forraigne interests domesticall treasures superstitious devotions when men please themselves in the children of strangers and have their land full of silver and gold and treasures full of horses and Charets and full of Idols hoard up provisions and preparations of their owne comply with the enemies of God abroad and corrupt the worship of God at home Isay 2.6 7 8. These are the things for which God threatneth terribly to shake the earth and to bring downe and to make low the loftines of man if he doe not as Ephraim here by long and sad experience doth penitently renounce and abjure them all And now this is matter for which all of us may be humbled There is no sinne more usuall amongst men then carnall confidence to lean on our owne wisedome or wealth or power or supplies from others to deifie Counsels and Armies or Horses and treasures and to let our hearts rise or fall sinke or beare up within us according as the creature is helpefull or uselesse nearer or farther from us As if God were not a God afarre off as well as neare at hand This we may justly fear God has and still will visit us for because we doe not sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himselfe in our hearts to make him our feare and our defence and that he will blow upon all such counsells and preparations as carnall confidence doth deifie Therefore we must be exhorted to take off our hopes and feares from second causes not to glory in an arm of flesh or to droope when that failes us not to say in our prosperity our mountaine is so strong that we shall not be shaken nor in our sufferings that our wound is incurable or our grave so deepe that we shall never be raised againe But to make the Name of the Lord our strong tower for they who know thy name will trust in thee and for direction herein we must learne to trust in God First Absolutely and for himselfe because he onely is Absolute and of himselfe Other things as they have their being so have they their working and power of doing good or evill onely from him Matth. 4.4 Iohn 19.11 And therefore till he take himselfe away though he take all other things away from us we have mater of encouragement and rejoycing in the Lord still as David and Habakuk resolve 1 Sam. 30.6 Habac. 3.17 18. All the world cannot take away any promise from any servant of God and there is more of Reality in the least promise of God then in the greatest performance of the creature Secondly to trust him in the way of his Commandements not in any precipices or presumptions of our owne Trust in him and doe good Psal. 37.3 First feare him and then trust in him he is a Help and shield onely unto such Psal. 115.11 It is high insolence for any man to leane upon God without his leave and he alloweth none to doe it but such as feare him and obey the voyce of his servants Isay. 50.10 Thirdly to trust him in the way of his providence and the use of such meanes as he hath sanctified and appointed Though mâ—n liveth not by bread alone but by the word of blessing which proceedeth out of the mouth of God yet that word is by God annexed to Bread and not to Stones and that man should not trust God but mock and tempt him who should expect to have stones turned into bread If God hath provided staires it is not faith but fury not confidence but madnesse to goe downe by a precipice where God prescribes meanes and affords secondary helpes we must obey his order and implore his blessing in the use of them This was Nehemiah his way He prayed to God and he petitioned the King Neh. 2.4 This was Esters way A Fast to call upon God and a Feast to obtaine favour with the King Ester 4.16.5.4 This was Iacobs way A Supplication to God and a present to his Brother Genes 32.9 13. This was Davids way against Goliah the Name of the Lord his trust and yet a Sling and a stone his Weapon 1 Sam. 17.45 49. This was Gedeons way against the Midianites His Sword must goe along with the Sword of the Lord not as an addition of strength but as a testimony of obedience Iudg. 7.18 Prayer is called sometimes a lifting up of the voice sometimes a lifting up of the hands to teach us That when we pray to God we must as well have a hand to worke as a tongue to begge In a word we must use second causes in Obedience to Gods order not in confidence of their Helpe The Creature must be the object of our diligence but God onely the object of our trust Now lastly from the ground of the Churches prayer and promise we learn That the way unto mercy is to be in our selves fatherlesse The poore saith David committeth himselfe unto thee thou art the helper of the fatherlesse Psal. 10.14.146.9 When Iehoshaphat knew not what to doe then was a sitt time to direct his eye unto God 2 Chron. 20.19 When the stones of Sion are in the dust then is the sittest time for God to favour her Psal. 102.13 When Israel was under heavie bondage and had not Iâ—seph as a tender father as he is called Gen. 41.43 to provide for them then God remembred that he was their father and Israâ—l his first borne Exod. 4.22 nothing will make us seeke for Helpe above our selves but the apprehension of weaknes within our selves Those Creatures that are weakest nâ—ture hath put an aptitude and inclination in them to depend upon those that are stronger The Vine the Ivie the Hopp the Wood-binde are taught by nature to clasp and cling and winde about stronger trees The greater sense we have of our owne vilenes the fitter disposition are we in to relie on God I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poore people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Zeph. 3.12 Isay 14.32 When a man is proud within and hath any thing of his owne to leane upon he will hardly tell how to trust in God Prov. 3.5.28.25 Israel never thought of returning to her first husband till her way was hedged up with thornes and no meanes left to enjoy her former Lovers Hose 2.6 7. When the enemy should have shut up and intercepted all her passages to Dan and Bethel to Egypt and Assyria that she hath neither friends nor Idols to flie to then she would think of returning to her first Husband namely to God againe Now from hence we learne First the condition of the Church in this world which is to be as an Orphan destitute of all succour and favour as an out-cast whom no man looketh
be firme stable constant unmovable in the Truth and in the work of the Lord as an house built upon a rock To stand fast and be rooted in the truth that wee may hold the profession thereof without wavering not being carried about with every winde of doctrine but knowing whom and what we have believed 1 Cor. 16.13 Eph. 4.14 Col. 2.7 Heb. 10.23 to stand fast and be rooted in the Love of God that we may be strengthned with might in his service and may with purpose of heart cleave unto him being established by his grace Eph. 3.17 Col. 1.11 Heb. 12.28.13 9. In the Civill Law till a tree hath taken root it doth not belong to the soile on which it is planted It is not enough to be in the Church except like the Cedar of Lebanon we cast forth our roots and are so planted that we flourish in the Courts of our God and bring fruit in our old age Psal. 92.12 13 14. Thirdly He promised that the Church should spread forth her branches and fill the earth and grow into a great compasse and extent and should send forth her boughs unto the Sea and her branches unto the River Psa. 80.9 10 11. Dan. 2.35 That his Church should be a universall Church over the whole world that as the whole world in regard of sinne lieth in mischiefe 1 Ioh 5.19 so the whole world should have Christ for its propitiation through faith 1 Ioh. 2.2 Totus in maligno propter zizania Christus propitiatio propter Triticum By one spirit we All are baptised into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 and that one Body made up of all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 even of all Nations kindreds people tongues Revel 7.9 no difference of persons neither Greek nor Iew neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ All and in All Col. 3.11 no difference of places All that in every place call upon the name of Lord Jesus both theirs and ours 1 Cor. 1.2 no difference of Times Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13.8 And as this is his promise so we should endeavour 1. To grow our selves in knowledge and grace to let our profiting appeare unto all men to abound in the work of the Lord to let our graces from the heart like leven from the middle of the lump spred abroad and finde their way to all the parts and powers of soule and body that the whole man may be filled with the fulnesse of God and grow up unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.13.15 16. Phil. 3.12 13. 2 Pet. 3.18 Heb. 6.1 2. To labour and endeavour the growth and progresse of the Gospell in others This is the nature of grace to manifest it selfe and by that meanes to allure and gather others to its own quality It is set forth in Scripture by the names of light which shines abroad of oyntment and perfume which cannot be hid of leaven and salt which deriveth its own nature and rellish upon a whole lump Therefore the holy Ghost was given in Tongues fiery tongues and a rushing winde all which have a quality of selfe-manifestation and notifying themselves unto others There is an excellent place to this purpose in the Apostle Eph. 4.15 16. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ. From whom the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the Body unto the edifiing of it selfe in love Where the Apostle sheweth the manner of spirituall increase in the mysticall Body of Christ by the proportion of the growth of members in the naturall Body And first there must be a fellowship between the Head and Members which in the mysticall Body is here twofold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Growing into him and receiving from him Looking in this work of growth upon Christ first as the end of that growth unto which it drives secondly as the fountaine from whence it proceeds That by growing we may have a more intimate and strong communion with him by that vertue which we receive from him So here are two necessarie requisites unto this duty of endeavouring the encrease of the Body to have Christ for our end unto which wee work and for our fountaine out of which we derive our ability of working Every true member of Christ is intent and vigilent upon the interest and honour of Christ and it belongs unto the honour of Christ to have a perfect body The Church is hi◠fulnesse he esteemes himselfe maimed and incomplete if that should be finally deficient in any thing requisite to the integrall perfection of it and hence it is that every true Christian puts forth the uttermost of his endeavours in his place to carry on the encrease of his Masters Body As every true-hearted Souldier that loves his Generall is exceeding desirous and to his power endeavours that every company and Regiment under his Generalls command may bee in all the offices and members of it compleat Againe every member of Christ being unto him united doth from him receive of his fulnesse grace for grace and so worketh unto the same ends as the head doth And as the water which first riseth out of the fountaine doth not stand still there where it began but goeth forward till it grow into a great River so those who are joyned unto Christ as a Fountaine doe by reason of that vitall Communion which they have with the Fountain carry on the growth of the whole Body and the more vigorous the life of Christ is in any part the more actively doth that part work towards the edification of the whole 2. Here is further required a fellowship and mutuall Communion of the members of the Body within and amongst themselves unto which is first presupposed the Organicall and harmonious Constitution and compacture of the Body into one out of which ariseth the forme and beauty the strength and firmnesse the order and fitnesse that is in it unto those works that are proper to it intimated in those two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly joyned together and compacted It is a metaphor drawn from Carpenters and other Artificers who by severall joynts do so coaptate and fit the parts of their work unto one another that being put together and fastned there may one whole structure or body grow out of them in that body this accurate fitnesse intimatenesse of the parts with one another produceth an excellent strength a beautifull order and a readie serviceablenesse of each part to the other of all to the whole So Ierusalem is said to be a City compacted within it self Psa. 122.3 as the Ark a Type of the Church had the ribs
into kisses Gen. 33.4 and when Saul hath compassed David and his men round about and is most likely to take them he can even then take him off by a necessary diversion 1 Sam. 23.26 27 28. This is the comfort of Gods people That what ever men say except God say it too it shall come all to nothing He can restraine the wrath of men whensoever it pleaseth him and he will doe it when it hath proceeded so farre as to glorifie his power and to make way for the more notable manifestation of his goodnesse to his people Psal. 76.10 And thus farre of Gods answer to the Covenant of Ephraim They promised to renounce Idols and here God promiseth that they should renounce them Now there are two things more to be observed from this expression What have I to doe any more with Idols 1. That in true Conversion God maketh our speciall sinne to be the object of our greatest detestation which point hath beene opened before 2. From those words any more That the nature of true repentance is To break sin off as the expression is Dan. 4.27 and not to suffer a man to continue any longer in it Rom. 6.1 â— It makes a man esteeme the time past sufficient to have wrought the will of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4.2 3. and is exceeding thrifty of the time to come so to redeeme it as that God may have all doth not linger nor delay nor make objections or stick at inconveniences or raise doubts whether it be seasonable to goe out of Egypt and Sodome or no Is not at the sluggards language modo modo a little more sleepe a little more slumber nor at Agrippas language almost thou perswadest me nor at Felix his language when I have a convenient season I will send for thee but immediately resolves with Paul not to conferre with flesh and bloud Gal. 1.16 and makes haste to flie from the wrath to come while it is yet to come before it overtake us Luk. 3.7 doth not make anxious or cavilling questions What shall I doe for the hundred talents How shall I maintaine my life my credit my family how shall I keep my friends how shall I preserve mine Interests or support mine estate but ventures the losse of all for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Matth. 13.46 Phil. 3.7 8. is contented to part with a skie-full of Starrs for one Sunne of Righteousnesse The Converts that returne to Christ come like Dromedaries like Doves like Ships no wings no sailes can carry them fast enough from their former courses unto him Esa. 60.6 7 8 9. Abraham is up betimes in the morning though it be to the sacrificing of a Son Gen. 22.3 David makes haste and delayes not when he is to keepe Gods Commandements Psal. 119.60 when Christ called his Diciples immediately they left their nets their Ship their Father and followed him Matth. 4.20 22. This is the mighty power of Repentance It doth not give dilatory answers It doth not say to Christ goe away now and come to morow then I will heare thee I am not yet old enough or rich enough I have not gotten yet pleasure or honour or profit or perferment enough by my sinnes but presently it heares and entertaines him I have sinned enough already to condemn to shame to slay me I have spent time and strength enough already upon it for such miserable wages as shame and death come to Therefore I will never any more have to doe with it This is the sweet and most ingenuous voyce of Repentance The thing which I see not Teach me and if I have done iniquity I will doe no more Iob 34.32 There is no sinne more contrary to repentance then Apostacie for godly sorrow worketh Repentance unto salvation which the soule never findes reason to repent of 2 Cor. 7.10 11 Let us therefore take heed of an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God Heb. 3.12 and of drawing back unto perdition Heb. 10.39 of dismissing our sinnes as the Jewes did their servants Ier. 34.16 and calling them back again for Satan usually returnes with seven more wicked spirits and maketh the last state of such a man worse then the first Luk. 11.26 Ground which hath been a long time laid downe from tillage unto pasture if afterwards it bee new broken will bring a much greater crop of corne then it did formerly when it was a common field And so the heart which hath been taken off from sinne if it returne to it againe will bee much more fruitfull then before As lean bodies have many times the strongest appeâ—iâ—e so lust when it hath beene kept leane returnes with greater hunger unto those objects that seed it A streame which hath beene stopped will runne more violently being once opened againe Therefore in Repentance wee must shake hands with sinne for ever and resolve never more to tamper with it Now in that the Lord saith I have heard him and observed him we learne hence First That God heareth and answereth the prayers only of penitents When a man resolves I will have no more to do with sinne then not till then doth his prayer finde way to God Impenitencie clogs the wing of devotion and stops its passage unto Heaven The person must be accepted before the petition Christ Iesus is the Priest that offereth and the Altar which sanctifieth all our services 1 Pet. 2.5 Esay 56.7 And Christ will not be their Advocate in Heaven who refuse to have him their King on earth The Scripture is in no point more expresse then in this If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me Psal. 66.18 Prayer is a powring out of the heart if iniquity be harboured there prayer is obstructed and if it doe break out it will have the sent and savour of that iniquity upon it The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 both because it is impure in it selfe and hath no Altar to sanctifie it He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be an abomination Prov. 28.9 Great reason that God should refuse to heare him who refuseth to heare God that hee who will not let God beseech him as hee doth in his word 2 Cor. 5.20 should not be allowed to beseech God Prov. 1.24.28 Esay 1.15 His eare is not heavie that it cannot heare but iniquitie separates between us and him and hides his face that he will not heare Esay 59.1 2. Ezek. 8.18 God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 the prevalency of prayer is this that it is the prayer of a righteous man Iam. 5.16 And indeed no wicked man can pray in the true and proper notion of prayer It is true there is a kinde of prayer of nature when men cry in their distresses unto the God and Author of nature for such good things as nature feeleth the want of which God in the way of his generall providence