Christ Ioh 4.34 Iesus saith unto them my meate is to doe the will of my Father and to finish his worke that is I will be content to neglect my body to doe that which is the worke of my spirit the worke of my Father And such is his owne advice seeke not the loaves saith he nourish not your bodies labour not for the meate that perisheth but looke that thy soule get the better in all things Object But how shall I know this whether my soule doth rule or no Answ. When the bodily appetite and inclination shall arise so high as to rule the sterne of the soule and the actions of it then the body gets rule over the soule but when these shall bee subdued and ruled and guided by the soule when they shall bee brought to that square which the spirit within shall set downe then the spirit rules over the body Object But my inclinations are strong and I cannot rule them what must I doe then Answ. Thou must doe in this case as Saint Paul did who kept under his body by violence as men use to tame horses we should keepe it downe wee must take heed of carnall lusts they will keepe the body too high as a Horse may be too lustie for his rider yet so as on the other side it must not be kept too low for the body is the instrument of the soule but onely the soule must have dominion over it it should alwayes bee subject to the principall agent as it is said of a servant that he should not be Supra negotium nor infra negotium but par negotio not above nor below but fit for his businesse so ought the body to be the soules servant Beloved consider this doe but thinke what your soules are that you should suffer them to be thus in subjection Thinke what a shame it is that these bodily affections should so overrule the spirit that is made like to God the soule that shall live for ever the soule for which Christ dyed that is better then all the world beside thinke I say with your selves what a sencelesse and unreasonable thing it is that this soule should be kept under by the body and that the body should rule over it Are not men in this kinde like to beasts subject to sensualitie that eate that they may play and play that they may eate and the soule is not considered all this while how it is a spirit that is like to God himselfe who is a spirit Alas what is the body to it It is in it as in a prison such is the body to the soule not to be regarded in comparison of it Therefore adde this to the other that the soule may still be advanced and that it suffer not bodily actions to bring it into subjection lest you be as bruite beasts subject to sensuality made to be taken and to be destroyed FINIS THE ELEVENTH SERMON EXODVS 3.13 14. And Moses said unto God Behold when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them the God of your fathers hath sent mee unto you and shall say unto me what is his name what shall I say unto them And God said unto Moses I AM THAT I AM c. Vse 2 A Second use from this point is this If God be a spirit then his dominion government and providence is chiefly exercised on the spirits of men It is true his providence is over all things that belong to us but as he is in himselfe a Spirit so he puts forth and exerciseth this power of his principally in guiding the spirits of men and in that you are chiefly to observe his providence toward you And that you shall see in Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God that is his rule and power is not in meate and drinke for they are outward things and hee that is a spirit regards them not but it is in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost that is in the things that belong to the spirit therein is his kingdome and dominion chiefly exercised So also Psal. 33.14 15. From the place of his habitation hee looketh downe upon all the inhabitants of the earth he fashioneth their hearts alike hee considereth all their workes Marke it when God lookes downe from heaven and beholdes the children of men the chiefest thing that he doth wherein his government is exercised is in that hee fashions their hearts and spirits and therefore those eternall subjects of his that live with him for ever and spirits as the Angels and the soules of men Therefore if thou wouldest observe the will of the Lord toward thee and wouldest see wherein his providence is chiefly exercised looke upon thy spirit upon all occasions that is what bents what inclinations what hopes and desires hee hath put into thy soule If you looke upon men in the world you shall see them divers in their spirits one man lusts after riches honour and preferment another after gaming sporting and drinking now looke upon this temper of spirit as the greatest judgement of all others Againe looke upon the spirits of other men they are fashioned a contrary way to deny themselves to seeke grace and avoid sinne to be content to have God alone to doe his worke and to leave their wages to God to live a painfull life serving God and men with their sweetnesse this is a quite contrary spirit and this is the greatest blessing Therefore you shall see that when the Lord is angry with a man so that his anger is wound up to the highest pegge then he gives him over to this judgement as it is Psal. 81.12 So I gave them over to their owne hearts lust and they walked in their owne counsells that is my judgement shall be executed upon their spirits to leave them to an unjudicious minde Againe on the other side when the Lord would doe a man the greatest kindnesse then he fashions his spirit another way Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou maist live as if he should say when I minde to doe you a kindnesse then I will thus fashion your hearts aright So Ezek 36.26 A new heart also will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you an heart of flesh The Scripture is plentifull in this Therefore if thou wouldest observe what the LORD is to thee looke how hee fashions thy spirit if thou findest that hee leaves thee to unruly affections and lusts and leaves thee to be glued to that from which thou shouldest be divorced or that he hath left thee in bondage to the feare of men as a snare to thee there is no greater judgement in the world than this as it is the greatest mercy on the
to be made after his Image and therefore in Heb 12 God is called the Father of Spirits Why He is the Father of the body also he made that but the meaning is that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father over them because he guides and nurtures them being most like to himselfe as the sonne is like the father so they are like to him and therefore hee most regards the spirits of men As you may see when Samuel went to anoint David King and all the sonnes of Iesse came before him those that were much more proper than David God tells him that he did not looke upon the persons of men nor upon their outward appearance hee heedes them not what doth he then he sees the soule and spirit of man the Lord looketh upon the heart and according to that hee judgeth of them 1 Sam. 16.7 Now if his eye be chiefly upon the spirit thou shouldest labour to let thine eye be chiefly still upon thy spirit and so thou shalt most please him Let thy eye be upon thy soule to keepe it cleane that it may be fit for communion with him who is a spirit This should teach you to looke to the fashion of your soules within because they are likest to him and carry his image in them he is a father of them in a speciall manner and they are that whereby you may have communion with him in that which is most proper unto him in spirituall exercises and performances Object But you will say what is it that you would have us to doe to our spirits to have them fit for the Lord that he may regard them and that they may be like to him Answ. 1 1 Thou must scoure and cleanse them from all filthinesse 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore these promises dearely beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthinisse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God There is a pollution which the Apostle speakes of which pollution he divides into two kindes of the flesh of the spirit both of these thou must labour to bee cleansed from but specially that of the spirit if tâ—â—n wouldst have it fit to have the Lord to delight in for he being a Spirit doth most regard those actions which are done by the Spirit and therefore that is the thing that mainely thou shouldst looke to Object But what is that pollution of spirit or what is that which doth defile it Answ. Every thing in the world defiles the spirit when it is lusted after 2 Pet. 1.4 Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust that is the world and all things in the world and all the parts of it they doe then corrupt the spirit defile and soile it when the soule of man hath a lust after them You might medle with all things in the world and not be defiled by them if you had pure affections but when you have a lust after any thing then it defiles your spirit therefore in Titus 1.15 the Apostle speakes of a conscience defiled And in Matt. 15. 19. saith our Saviour out of the heart proceede evill thoughts murthers adulterers fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemies these are the thâ—â—gs whâ—â—h defile a man He doth not speake onely of actuall adulterie or murther but even of the siâ—â—ull dispositions of the soule even these are things that defile the spirit in Gods sight who lookes upon them as you doe upon outward filthinesse with the eyes of your body So that every inordinate lusting of the soule doth defile the soule Object But is not this rule too strait We are commanded not to murther nor to commit adultery this is the commandement and why should you say that every disordered affection doth defile the soule and that it is more regarded by God then the outward actions Answ. You must know that the tenth commandement doth strike against these abominations Thou shalt not lust and so it is translated Rom. 7 so that these lustings of the spirit are those that defile the soule You see that God hath spent a whole commandement against them And indeede all the actuall sinnes committed by us simply considered in themselves as committed by the body are not so hated of God as the pollution of the spirit is Nay I dare be bolâ—â— to say that the act of adultery and murther is not so abominable in Gods eyes as the filthinesse of the spirit this is more abominable in the sight of God who is a spirit than the act of the body for it is the spirit that he mainly lookes to Indeed the act contracts the guilt because the lust is then growne up to an height so that it is come to an absolute will and execution Therefore if these lustings doe presse into the soule wee should put them out againe and reject them with shame and griefe for GOD is a Spirit and beholdes the continuall behaviour of thy spirit Againe the injury which you offer to others though in it selfe it be a great sinne yet that inward brooding of it in thy heart plotting mischiefe that boiles within thee while it hatches rancour and revenge this is that which he hates though thou shouldest never commit any actuall sinne this way Iam. 4.5 you have this phrase used The lust of the spirit to envie that is the bent of the spirit and inclination of the minde which lookes upon the gifts of others whereby it overshines them so that they lust to have that light put out that their candle might appeare above it though they act nothing yet this is abominable to him And that I might not deliver this without ground consider There is nothing so pleasing to God as a broken heart Isa. 57. Now the breaking of the heart is nothing else but the severing betweene the heart and sin As when you see an artificers worke wherein many parts are glued together if it should fall downe or the glue be dissolved then they all breake to pieces and when the lusts that are in our soules are thus severed this pleaseth the Lord not that the affliction of a mans spirit is pleasing to the Lord but the separation of sinne from his soule when the soder that joynes a sinfull action and the heart together when this is dissolved this doth please the Lord. And by the rule of contraries if this be true then it is true on the other side that when the spirit is glued by any lust to any inordinate thing it is most hatefull to God for the stronger the lust is the stronger is the glue and therefore a man the more he is tyed to this world and hath such strong lusts the more hee hath this uncleannesse and pollution of spirit And therefore as a broken heart is most acceptable to God so a spirit that is knit to any inordinate object by the thing that it cleaves to it becomes most hatefull and abominable to him
in preaching the Gospell of Iesus Christ I doe it in my spirit that is I doe it not for by-ends for feare of men or the like but I doe it in my spirit that is plainly heartily and sincerely So that to worship GOD in spirit is to have a plainnesse and sincerity in our worshipping him that is to doe it heartily what we doe to him in our praying and worshipping him when it is not formally and customarily done but our spirit seconds it within this it is to worship him in spirit So that the scope of our exhortation is that you would worship GOD chiefly in your spirits As it is said of singing Psalmes Col. 3.16 Admonish one another in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And the ground of it is because GOD is a spirit and therefore he beholdes at any such time when you come before him the inward behaviour of your spirits that is he observes when you come to preach or pray what squint-eyed ends what vaine glory what respect to men you have Yea he observes how farre naturall conscience leads you so that you do it as a task out of custome c. he observes what worldly-mindednes and carnall affections creep into the soule at that time that makes you either to post off the duty or else to doe it in a customary manner All this doth he behold he lookes to the inward carriage of the spirit and therefore doe you looke chiefly to the inward carriage to the inward frame of your minde Quest. But what is that more particularly Answ. I will shew it to you in these three things 1. See that thy spirit be as neare him as thy lippes are Isay 29.13 Hee complaines of a sort of people that draw nigh unto God with their mouth and with their lips doe honour him but have removed their heart farre from him and their feare towards him is taught by the precepts of men So Ier. 12.2 Thou oh Lord art neare in their mouth and farre from their reines Now if thou wouldest worship him in spirit see that thy spirit be as neare him as thy words are As for example in prayer thou confessest thy sinnes and professest that thou doest hate them thou prayest for mortification and grace for weanednes from the world herein thy words and Gods will doe agree they are consonant and when yet it may be the inward inclination of thy heart is farre enough off from this expression therefore bring thy spirit neare to God as thy lippes are and then thou worshippest him in spirit To shew you more plainly what this farrenesse off of the spirit is take a covetous man and put him upon the racke of any exigent where hee must part with all to save his life he will say as much as need to be in this case but his heart is set as close to his wealth as ever it was before so that he is loath to part with any thing And take a thiefe that comes before the Iudge hee confesseth his fault and begges pardon and saith that he will doe so no more but yet his heart sits as neere to his theft he is as farre from honesty as ever he was before So take a man when he comes into some exigent for that usually is the time as at the receiving of the Sacrament or at his day of death he comes and professeth to the Lord that hee will follow no more his wicked courses but he will become a new man here his words draw neare but looke to the bent and inclination of his heart to the radicall constitution of it and that is farre from holinesse there hee sits as close to his sinne as hee did before Therefore if thou wouldest worship God in spirit take care that thy spirit draw neare to him upon all such occasions as thy words doe A man in his ordinary course it may be prayes and his prayers are good but how farre his heart is from it that his life shewes It is a strange thing that at the Sacrament men come and make confession of their sins and yet their spirits are far from it and that their practise shewes Consider this you are the men that the Prophet doth speake too you draw nigh to GOD with your lips but your heart is farre from him And this is the first particuler When you worship God with all the might and strength and indevour of the minde and all the faculties of it this is to worship God in spirit 2 Sam. 6.14 It is said of David that hee danced before the Lord with all his might it was a worship of God a spirituall worship of God wherein David by his outward act of dancing did expresse his exultation and reioycing in the Lord. Now the text saith that he did this with all his might with all the might of his spirit for so you must understand it It is a Metaphore taken from the body when a man useth all his strength and might to doe any thing he vnites all the forces of his body to it so a man worshippeth God in spirit when all the faculties of the soule are concentred and united together in the performance of such a dutie And therefore it is called a wrastling with the Lord as Iacob did and it is called a striving with God as Paul saith that you strive together with me in prayer Rom. 15.30 that is when the soule and the minde are joyned all together when hee bends the whole soule to the worke this is to worship God in spirit Such an expression you haue Act. 20. where Paul went bound in the spirit to Ierusalem that is his spirit did not hang loose but it was girt up in a resolution to goe through with the worke whatsoever came of it his spirit was bound Now when thy spirit hangs loose upon the duty halfe on and halfe off when a man cares not whether hee doth it or no this is not to worship God with the spirit but when thy minde is girt up and thou dost it with all the intention of thy soule then thou dost it heartily as it is Col. 3.22 Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh not with eye-service as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing GOD where eye-service and heartily are opposed Eye-service is when a man doth it in the outward shew and appearance onely and what is the other to doe a thing heartily That is when a mans strength and his soule doth goe with the duty and the contrary to this is the loosenesse of the minde and the wandring of it about other things when the body and the words are well imployed but the minde doth not goe with them this is not to worship God in spirit when the spirit sits thus loose to God And this is the second thing wherein this worshipping of God in spirit doth consist The Third which
them as Haman had of Mordecai to hate that beloved pollution which cleaves so fast to thy spirit this were a blessed thing Thou must yet goe a step further that is to get it mortified to get it utterly cast out slaine and killed not to suffer it to live with thee thou must doe with such a pollution of thy spirit as thou doest with thine utter enemy whom thou followest to death and wilt have the law upon him and wilt be content with nothing but his life So when thou hast found out thy sinne then goe this step further to have it out before the Lord and cry against it and say that it is his enemy thy enemy an enemy to his grace it hath sought thy life and thou wilt have the life of it before thou hast done this thou shouldest doe to get it utterly cast out to get an utter separation betwixt thy soule and it so that if there should come a temptation to hee againe if there should be pleasure on the one hand and threatnings on the other then thou shouldest say rather any thing than this sinne than this lust it is my greatest enemy that hath done me thus much mischiefe so that thy soule doth not onely loath it but thou wilt not suffer it to live in thee this is that which wee ought to doe if wee would cleanse our spirits When a man hath done all this thou must goe to God and beseech him that hee would melt that soder as it were that he would make a dissolution that he would sever thy soule and the lust that cleaves so fast to it That which made the soule and the object to cleave so fast together is lust that is the soder which like unto soder must be melted with fire Isay 4.4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Sion and shall have purged the blood of Ierusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of wisedome and by the spirit of burning that is the holy Ghost who is as fire that melts the soder and loosens it also the word Ier. 23.24 so also in Mal. 3. Christ there is compared to fire and to Fullers sope and all to expresse the divers wayes that the Lord hath to cleanse our spirits from sinne Sinne cleaves to the soule as drosse to the gold now the spirit of burning cleanseth and purifies it yea it doth it violently and therefore it is said to be a hammer also in Ieremy Againe sinne sinkes in as a deepe staine therefore Christ is as sope to cleanse it And therefore goe and say to God Rather than I should not be cleansed Lord cleanse me with the fire of affliction as it is also called Zach. 13.9 And I will bring the third part saith the Lord through the fire and will refine thē as silver is refined will try them as gold is tryed It were best my beloved if you would yeeld to the Spirit the Word that they may cleanse you before his sight For if that will not doe he will come with the fire of affliction and it is better that you should be dealt so with than that your soules being still uncleane should perish for ever To fit thy spirit for the Lord that is a spirit and the father of spirits thou must goe yet one step further thou must labour to beautifie it to seeke to adorne it by a spirituall excellency Now if thou wouldest beautifie it by any thing seeke not for outward excellencies as clothes or fine apparell or adorning in the sight of men but seeke such an excellency as is sutable to the spirit seeke not other things for they are such things that God regards not So that as every man seekes some excellency or other that which thou art to seeke is to get spirituall excellency such as may beautifie thy heart for that which is outward God regardeth not You shall see an excellent place for this Isay 66.2 All these things hath my hand made saith the Lord but to this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word When the Lord lookes upon all things here below they are all at his command my hand hath made them saith he and I can dispose of them as I will but what is it of all them that I doe esteeme a spirit that is fashioned and beautified with inward ornaments so that it trembles at my word that is the thing which I regard So 1 Pet. 3.3 you have a comparison there of outward excellencies and of the spirituall decking of the inward man which the Apostle preferreth because that is a thing that is esteemed of by God Whose adorning saith the Apostle let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire and of wearing golde or of putting on of apparell But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price So it is said of wisedome Prov. 3.22 It shall be life to thy soule and grace to thy necke that is wisedome adornes the soule in the sight of God therefore that is the excellency that is chiefly to be sought by us even thus to adorne the soule And there is good reason for it for if thou consider what thy body is and what thy spirit is thou shalt see that all these things that doe adorne the outward man are not the excellencies to bee sought after Indeed there are divers kindes of those excellencies they are of three sorts First excellency of clothes and building and such gaudy things which children and vaine men and women are sensible of Secondly great titles and honours and great rewards which a higher sort of men are capable of Thirdly the excellency of learning and knowledge and skill in arts and sciences and this also is but an outward excellency for though it be seated in the spirit yet it inables onely to outward things These are not the excellencies that thou shouldest seeke for but it is an excellency of the spirit thou art to regard looke to thy spirit what that is for as the spirit is such is the man Spiritus est perfectio hominis this is the proper excellency the body is but as it were the sheath for the soule a man is said to be more excellent as his soule is excellent Other excellency is but an outward excellency this excellency is that which is intrinsecall to a man the other are but adventitious they are not proper it is not that which makes the difference The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour There is a difference of honour but all these are but accidentall differences the essential difference is the spirit and that is it which God regards and by this thou excellest thy neighbour All other excellencies are but as when a mule or an
learning and gifts and eminency and praise that followes it Another hath his heart so wedded to a convenient house wife children companions c. that if any of these be taken away he is dead in the nest Not to speake of their vaine base distempered affections they must have a hundred things their fancy is infinite and all must be to their minde or else they are still complaining Now the more things a man needes the more compound and lesse simple he is as I may so say and consequently the weaker he is and more apt to be hindred more apt to be hurt and disquieted because if you touch any of that multitude of things upon which his heart is set he is presently troubled which is more easily done as the things are more upon which his affections are placed but he is best who is come to that selfe-sufficiency of minde and to be content with that simplicity of condition that he can say of any of these things I can live by them and without them I can live without liberty I can live without friends I can live without sports and pleasure without worldly credit and esteeme without wife and children without riches without conveniency of aire garden orchards This is the condition that wee should labour to grow up to and the neerer wee grow up to it the better wee are and the safer is our condition Object But will not you have us to use such things Answ. Yes but not to bee wedded to them but so weaned from them that you may use them as if you used them not whereas there are some that have their hearts so glued to them that it breaks their hearts when they have their friends or children or estates or credit faile them or if they bee hindred from their liuings pleasure and conueniences but hee is in the happiest and best condition who can live alone and can bee content with God alone that can fetch so much comfort and helpe from him that hee can hee without friends and companions without wife and children and if hee be put into a country towne farre from all sutable acquaintance yea if he be shut up in a close prison yet he can walke with God and doe as Paul and Silas have his heart filled with joy and peace through believing This is the safety and strength of a man For even as the body the more sicke it is the more helpes it needes and the lamer it is the more props it must have one for his arme another for his legges another for his back whereas a stronge man can walke upon his owne legges hee needs noe other helpe even so the soule the more sicke and lame it is the more it needs but he which hath a strong inward man which is in health let him have GOD and shift him from vessell to vessell from condition to condition let him bee stripped of all yet hee can goe upon his legges and can live without all So saith the Apostle Pà ul Phil. 4. I have learned in what estate soever I am therewith to bee content that is riches or not riches honour or not honour yet his minde had a bottome that he could stand alone and bee happie without them Thus I say the more a mans affection is inlarged to a multitude of things the weaker hee is and more subject to bee disquieted by any thing but the more his minde is contracted and gathered into a narrow compasse and content with a greater simplicity of condition the safer and stronger hee is and lesse subject to bee disquieted by any creature because let come what will come whatsoever condition hee is put into he hath a bottome to stand upon he hath some thing to comfort his heart Object But how shall a man get his minde to such a frame Answ. You shall have a meanes prescribed in 1 Tim 6.6 Godlinesse with content is great gaine that is godlinesse is alwayes joyned with contentment it is alwayes the cause of contentment and therefore great gaine So then be a godly man that is make thy heart perfect with GOD serve and feare him alone be content with him alone for your portion he is All-sufficient his communion will breed contentment and satisfaction enough to thy heart so that thou shalt be able to live with a very slender outward condition And this is the onely meanes to have the minde drawne from these things that other men are so glued to and that is to labour to be content with GOD alone to serve and feare him to grow up to him more and more for hee is All-sufficient there is no such way in the world to contract the minde as to have GOD to be knit to him to serve and feare him and to be assured of his favour and love in all conditions Beloved what a miserable thing is it to have such changeable happinesse for a man to be so dependent upon many things which are so exceeding mutable Therefore it should bee our wisedome to bring our mindes to be content with a narrownesse or scantnesse or simplicity of condition to let the minde be drawne into as narrow a compasse as may be and so to come as neere to this excellency of GOD as our present humane condition will well permit us Vse 2 2. Seeing it is said Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect holy as he is holy and good or kinde to the evill as he is causing the raine to fall upon them and his Sunne to shine upon them So upon the same ground we may say Be simple as he is simple that is you must labour to grow up to a simplicity of minde and such a simplicity as is in almighty God you cannot reach too but to have a heart immixed to bee cleansed from drosse as the gold is you should labour to get this simplicity of minde a thing often commended in scripture What this Simplicity is wee have briefly touched heretofore and we will now open it to you more fully There are two things required to simplicity or singlenesse of heart 1 That the heart looke but upon one single object 2 That it bee so cleansed from all admixture of sinfull affections that the frame of it may bee fitted to doe so For the first I pray you marke that in Iam 1.8 A double minded man is unstable in all his waies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By a double minded man there is meant one whose minde hangs betweene a double object so that he knowes not which of the two is more eligible his minde is in an even ballance where neither scale doth praeponderate On the contrary he is a simple or a single hearted man who is not thus divided betweene two objects but he so resolveth and pitcheth upon one that hee subordinates all the other to it As for example a double minded man hath an eye to GOD and his credit to GOD and his pleasure to GOD and his friends he would faine
no Deputies for the use of Deputies argues a defect as the using of spectacles or crutches doth if the eyes or legges were well and sound inough a man would not use them so a man would not write letters or use other meanes to doe his businesse but from a defect he is not large inough to doe his businesse immediately But almighty God he is every where present and in his governing al things are done by his owne Almighty power Good Governours may have wicked instruments contrary to their mindes which they know not of as Ely and Samuel had but in GODS Government it is not so therefore learne from hence not to complaine of the iniquitie of the times or the injustice of men It is true that a kind mother may ignorantly put her child to a wicked Nurse that will abuse it but GOD never puts any of his children to Nurse but he is present with them his government is immediate So that that which is said of David he is a man after Gods owne heart it may be said of every King and Governour they doe what God would have them to doe though it be for evill as his was for good they are men after Gods owne heart As it was in the killing of Iesus Christ even that is said to be done by the determinate Counsell of God And therefore let no man complaine of his Governours for God governes not by Deputies but by himselfe Therefore let no man say that hee hath an evill Master or Governour but let him acknowledge that whatsoever he hath from man it is the worke of the Almighty God that is every where present it is he that disposeth of men and puts them into such a condition for he is the King of heaven and earth Therefore complaine to him and be patient because he hath done it doe not complaine of men and fret against them because the Lord is not absent in his kingdome but is present to guide and dispose them according to his owne pleasure Vse 2 Secondly If GOD be every where present in his owne essence and person wee should the rather choose him to be our GOD and rejoyce much in the amplenesse of our portion seeing wee have such a GOD that is every where we can goe no whither but he is present with us wee have nothing to doe a thousand miles hence but he is there and doth our businesse for us We seeke a multitude of friends because one cannot doe it because one doth one thing and another another one friend may be a comfort to us in one place but if you come to another place there you may be destitute friends cannot be every where hence we neede many friends but if you looke upon the Lord and his omnipresence all this is supplied in him hee is in every place and hee can doe your businesses for you though you be distant from the place where they are to be done and GOD is with you every where as it was his promise to Iacob when he went to Padan Aram I will be with thee saith the Lord. So he said to David and when Ioseph went into prison the Lord went with him When Abraham was called out of his Country the Lord bid him to goe I will be with thee Beloved when you consider this that GOD is every where present and can doe every thing for you whereby he hath the sweetnesse of a thousand friends in him and the ability of as many I say when wee consider this it should teach us not onely to be content but to say that we desire no more Learne therefore to studie this Attribute The more we know him by it the more comfort we gather from it As is it not matter of great comfort that in all places wee should have a GOD to doe all our businesses To which purpose is that expression in Ier. 23.23 24. Hee is a God nigh at hand that is though your businesse lie in other Countries yet I am there to doe them for you And againe is it not comfort to consider that hee is with your enemies it may be in a distance place For you thinke that if you were there you would have something to prevent them Consider that hee is there and after another manner than any man is hee is present with their mindes and knowes their counsells and moves their hearts and disposeth of all their counsells As Elisha tolde the King of Arams counsell to the King of Israel which shewed that GOD was there So also hee is present with thy friends when they are absent it may be that they forget us yet he can stirre them up as he did stirre up Cyrus to doe what hee did for the people of Israel So likewise he is present with our children when wee are with GOD when we are gone out of this world to provide for them and to bring them up Hee is present with all our affaires and businesses when we are absent and know not how things goe we are apt to be sollicitous but if we would consider that he is a great God and that he is every where this should comfort us and stay our hearts And therefore thinke with thy selfe that thou hast a large portion because thou hast the LORD And this is the second use Vse 3 Thirdly If God be every where present hence you may see a ground for his particular providence It seemes something strange to men that every small thing should be disposed of by him we thinke indeed that great things are but for the least things therein we are apt to make a doubt and can hardly beleeve it But this point in hand is a great confirmation of this truth If an horse stumble by the way wee thinke it a common accident if a fly fall into a mans eye or if a tile fall off from the house or an axe head we looke upon them as common accidents but if we consider that he is present there it is then an easie matter for us to beleeve that God doth disposed all these when the axe head falls off it is in his hand as before it was in the hand of the workeman If he be present with every small creature with every fly with every sparrow and stone with every motion of the creature then all the actions that befall us they are all his workes In him wee live move and have our being that is hee is present with every creature Therefore it is no difficulty to beleeve that hee guides the smallest thing If an enemy hurt us wee are to thinke that he is but as a staffe in Gods hand as it is said of Nebuchadnezzar Every accident is but as a cup as Christ saith of the cup that was brought to him by others Shall not I drinke of the cup which my Father gives me So wee may say of every affliction The tongues of men are but scourges in his hand hee can rule them as he pleaseth and so wee
you use to say we know not what we shall have hereafter we know what we have here and therefore the soule trembles at it Whence comes this but because we have not beene wonted to walke with the LORD Is it a great thing for him to die when he hath the same company and the same friends with him still It is but chancing the place not his company one of the speeches repeated by the Authour at his death for he is present every where Therefore our duty thence is no maintaine such a constant communion with him that we may be able to fetch helpe and comfort and direction from him so that we neede not turne aside to the creatures and be dependent upon them And indeed one that is acquainted with the LORD and hath full communion with him may be satisfied with that alone for what is it that makes a man to desire company It ariseth from these two things First partly because one would have fit objects to exercise his faculties upon which if hee had not they would languish and a wearisomnesse would grow upon them Secondly because hee would have knowledge and direction and helpe and advice and comfort brought into his empty heart by such friends as are able to suggest it to him and therefore they desire company Now shall they not finde this in the Lord more than in any creature Is not he then the worthiest and the highest object on whom they should bestow their thoughts Againe cannot he fill thy heart with joy and comfort is not he onely wise to give thee direction upon all occasions and is there any then that thou shouldest choose to walke with more than with him Every man the more faith he hath and the more wisedome he hath the more able hee is to walke with GOD and with himselfe the more unbeleeving and weake and unconstant the more unable hee is to be alone And the ground of it is By faith a man walkes with God and by reflection hee walkes with himselfe There are two companions which a man needes never to be destitute of GOD and himselfe First a man walkes by faith when hee sees GOD present and speaking to him and hee speakes againe to the LORD and the stronger a mans faith is the more he doth it Againe a man walkes with himselfe by reflection on his owne actions and heart and wayes a beast cannot walke with it selfe because it cannot recoyle and turne in upon it selfe neither can children or fooles or weake and unconstant men therefore they cannot be without company it is a hell to them to be alone and the lesse a mans wisedome is the more he complaines of want of company Seeing therefore God is every where present labour to strengthen thy faith in that his presence and so thou maist still be with him and walke with him And then secondly labour to speake to thy selfe to reproove and admonish thy selfe to consider thine owne wayes and actions to cheare and comfort thy selfe for these are all the actions of one that makes himselfe a companion and hee that doth these things shall never complaine of want of company and solitarinesse Sixthly If God bee every where present then he is present to observe all the sinnes that thou committest and to observe all the good that thou doest Then make this use of it that the presence of the Lord should be a restraint to keepe thee from sinning on the one hand and it should incourage thee on the other hand to abound in every good worke Therefore a man should say thus with himselfe I dare not doe this because God is present he stands by and lookes on It was Iosephs reason to his Mistres Though we be alone yet God is present and beholdes it And how can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God As if he should say though we see him not yet he is present and sees it and knowes it And not onely say I dare not doe it but thou shouldest say I dare not so much as thinke it for he beholdes the thoughts You shall see an excellent place for this if you compare Iob. 31. verse 1. and 4. together it is one continued speech I have made a covenant with mine eyes why then should I thinke upon a maid Doth not hee see my wayes and count all my steps As if hee should say I durst not give so much as give liberty to my thoughts because hee beheld all my wayes it is a question which those that feare God have beene wont to aske How shall I doe to bee rid of such and such thoughts that haunt mee continually I would very faine bee rid of them This is an excellent way to consider that GOD himselfe stands by annd knowes all thy thoughts and takes notice of them As put this case Suppose a wise and godly man should stand by and take notice of all thy base thoughts that passe through thy heart wouldest thou not bee ashamed of thy selfe If thy body were made a glasse and men should see all thy thoughts through it wouldst thou not bee ashamed of them and carefull in them as wee are of our actions now before men Now to consider that the Lord beholds them to consider that he sees every thought the least whereof is no light matter this would be a meanes to restraine thee Nay consider that the Lord doth not onely behold them but he ponders all thy actions to giue thee the fruit of them so that God doth not stand by as a meere looker on but he takes such notice of all thy thoughts that passe through thy heart and all thy vaine words that he weighes them as it were And therefore hee is said in Scripture so often to ponder our wayes He puts thy sins and those lusts in one ballance and his censure in the other and gives thee according he puts weight for weight he gives thee correction if thou art his child and judgement if thou bee wicked Therefore thou must consider who it is that knowes them what a one he is as it is in Rev. 2. when he tells his Churches that hee knowes them all then hee describes himselfe what a one he is as his eyes to be of flaming fire and his feete like brasse This if considered would make a man to looke about him If there was a company set together and there was an informer standing by and did note downe in his table-book what they did and did declare it to their enemies or to the King and Counsell men would be exceeding wary they would ponder every word before they spake so when GOD is present and beholdeth all that thou doest hast thou not reason much more to consider thy wayes Men say indeed that the Lord is present every where but our lives shew that wee thinke like the Atheists in Iob that God is shut up in the thicke clouds and cannot see through them Yea there is noe man but needs an increase