their Lord their founder and their finisher bring forth your bravery to entertain Christ 9. The second thing required in the Ordinance is self-excitation you must stir up your self as Deborah did calling up her own Soul saying awake awake Deborah awake awake Judg. 5. 12. open there all the Springs of your Soul for Christ as Christ opened all the veines of his heart for you 1. Open all your desires and affections for him come to this Ordinance as Behemoth to Jordan with a mighty and an all exhausting thirst upon you Job 40. 23. bring strong affections and a lusty appetite to this Supper where 't is a vertue Sublime to to be an holy glutton and to drink hearty draughts of the blood of Christ that you may go away from the Supper as Christ did from his Baptism filled with the Holy Ghost Mat. 3. 16. you must consider what is before you as Prov. 23. 1. but in that duty 't is not your work to restrain but to provoke appetite and the rather because Christ so exceedingly thirsted after your Salvation Luke 12. 50. though he knew it would prove so costly to him Christ saith with desire I have desired to Eat this Supper with you Luke 22. 15. that had no need for himself of either you or it how much more should you say with desire I have desired to Eat this Supper with Christ who is at all the charges pain and pains himself and all for your Eternal profit 10. Secondly excite and quicken up all your faculties as the affections those hand maids of the Soul give attendance to meet Christ the mistical David just as the Virgins of Israel met literal David in their Singings and dancing 1 Sam. 18. 6 7 8. every one Singing their part appointed them accordingly hope is sent out to wait for this King of glory and if he come not desire is sent out to fetch him Love Delight and Joy receives and entertains him all these Virgins go out to meet this blessed bridegroom Mat. 25. 1. having first swept the House clear and cast all the filth away into the brook Kidron 2 Chron. 30. 14. Math. 13. 14. Jam. 1. 21. and brought forth their best bravery Arras hangings Persian Carpets rich stools all their Plate and Jewels to wit all the graces of the Spirit far surpassing Aarons rich garments that were for glory and beauty all to prepare a large upper-Room for entertaining the King of glory even so all the faculties of the Soul must be stirred up to Improve their Interest in such a blessed guest as 1. your understanding must look round about him and behold him altogether lovely from this Sycamore-Tree as Zacheus Luke 19. 3 4. Cant. 5. 16. 2. Your will must offer up both Sword and Keyes c. As the Major doth to his Prince at his entertainment 3. Your memory must be ready to Register every act of love to your Soul remembring his loves more then Wine Cant. 1. 4. In a word Christ must be led into every Room of your heart and Lastly all your graces must be excited and made ready to receive each their Alms from Christs fulness as saving knowledg justifying Faith sincere Repentance servent love c. All come to touch him for healing vertue well knowing that Christ comes with a Royal heart into the Soul to give abundantly and like himself no mean gift can come from so noble an hand and heart and that all this may be done you must use the third thing required to wit strong Invocation coming as a Prince to him Job 21. 37. and begging his grace in all with your whole heart Psal 119. 58. 11. The third general is your Improvement after all When Faith and all your other graces together with your affections and the faculties of your Soul have plaid their part in the Mount and brought you even to a Transfiguration as was done both to Moses and to the Messias Exod. 34. 29. Luke 9. 29. then 1. You must tremble to lose that luster and glory that God hath put upon you by your conversing with him If he hath made you one of his Jewels by communicating his presence to you Mal. 3. 17. then shine as a Jewel in all your Relations that all which see you may acknowledg you to be a seed the Lord hath been blessing Isa 61. 9. 2. Be thankful to your Lord for this inestimable benefit Psal 116. 12. be of a rendring disposition and that in your life as well as with your lip If Davids condescension to such a dead Dog as Mephibosheth accounted himself was so admired by him 2 Sam. 9. 7 8. how much more by you that in rigour of Justice might be fed with Wormwood and have the waters of gall to drink Jer. 9. 15. yet the Lord gives you the flesh of his own Son to be meat indeed to you and his blood to be your drink indeed Joh. 6. 55. that might say I will not feed you at all Zech. 11. 9. 3. Let it be an everlasting obligement on you to keep far from every evil matter Exod. 23. 7. The Oath of God no less is a Sacrament is upon you lay Gods charge upon all your corruptions Cant. 2. 7. you are Vas Signatum shall you Sin Neh. 6. 12. your all is for the Prince Ezek. 44. 3. do singular things for Christ that doth singular things for you Mat. 5. 47. The seventh Walk of a Christian wherein all the other Walks do meet is the Lordy-Day CHAP. XI 1. COnsiderations and 2. Directions before in and after it 1. Consideration Remember to keep holy the Sabbath-day Exod. 20. 8. you must first Consider the Number of it Before the fall when Mans nature was pure that the Lord God gave Man but one Commandment to wit that of not eating the forbidden Fruit but after the fall when Mans nature was defiled God gave him ten Commandments and those mostly prohibitive to stop his proneness and strong Inclinations unto evil The first of the tenth doth teach you the Object of Worship The second the matter of Worship the third the manner of worship both of outward and inward worship in all these as the fourth teaches you the time of worship inwardly and outwardly also The time of worshipping God is not left to mans own liberty for then the loose heart of man would keep no time at all though time of worship as well as that God is to be worshipped is Juris naturalis written on the Tables of mans heart yet one of seven is Juris positivi and written on the Tables of stone both which are the Writings and the workmanship of God as Exod. 32. 16. The fourth Commandment closes up the first Table 1 As the most powerful means to keep all the three former and 2 As it draws into one the whole worship of God and lastly as it makes Gods worship known to the World which otherwise would not be so well known as it is by keeping a day
that I refer you to that Religious Duty of Meditation which followeth here there is another Conversation of your Tongue as to that I refer you to that Religious Duty of Conference which followeth also in ' its place here As to your Conversation in natural and civil Actions which is not my present Work I refer you to my Crown and glory of a Christian from Page the 78. to Page 121. Wherein you have directions to guide you therein 2. Religious Duty in the Walk of a Christian is therefore a comprehensive Word and contains in it the All of mans duty both to God and to Man as the first Table in the Decalogue is before the second Table First in Order because first in nature and Excellency I shall begin therefore with your duty to God in Religious Actions And first with Meditation which is a Scripture duty Phil. 4. 8 that all the Sons and Daughters of Abraham should live in the practice of as Isaac did Gen. 24. 63 the heir of Abraham you must walk in Abrahams and in this Son of Abrahams steps in this World If you would lodge in Abrahams bosome that Synonymon of Heaven in the World to come alas those licentious times have almost Antiquated the power and practice of this Religious Duty in which you should be conversant all your days This holy Patriarch was not of so loose a mind as those in our loose times that would spend the evening of the Sabbath in Sports and pastimes for he spent the Evening in holy Meditation 3. The Word Shuach in the Hebrew Signifies to speak with a low voice as in the heart and the Word in the Septuagins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signifies a satiating Soliloquy as if Isaac had his fill of Divine talking both with his God and with his own heart It was his holy Exercise and Recreation thinking the latter part of the day as fit for Acts of Holiness as the former part was It was a pleasant and delightful pastime as the Greek Version is to the Patriarch and he found more heart-Ravishing complacency in it then can be found in all the delights of the Sons of Men and no less it was to the Prophet who professes he found more transcendent sweetness in Meditating on the Word then in the honey or in the honey-comb Psal 19. 10. 94 19. 139. 17. 119. 103. he found marrow and Gold yea better in it 4. Oh then do you account it your duty and your priviledg to take a few turns daily upon this Mount Tabor of Divine Contemplation which is an Heaven upon Earth a beginning of the beatifical vision an Employment as it is in a manner without the body plainly Angelical 't is an handsel of Happiness and a Foretast of Heavenly Joy Oh who would not but be an Anchorite to be pent up in the Voluntary Prison-walls of this Religious Action and to say with Peter 't is good being here No doubt but Moses was ravished in Spirit all the 40. days he conversed with God yet longs he still for more crying I beseech thee shew me thy glory Exod. 33. 18. 5. Objection but you will say how can such a duty be so delightful that is so difficult to this I Answer by Similies difficulty and delight may be found in one and the same Action there may be difficulty in the beginning and delight in the progress and ending the root may be Bitter and the fruit Sweet 1 Simile 'T is in this duty as it is in the heating of an Oven the first kindling of the fire in it may be not only difficult but painful the fewel must be set on fire and then it must be blown up with labour into a Flame after that the Oven begins well to warm the fewel will then catch and kindle of it self no sooner is a stick thrown into the Oven but presently 't is all on a blaze So where there is but a little sparke of grace in the heart at first it requires some paines to blow it up into a Flame but when the heart is once heated with the true Flames of Love then doth it enflame all the thoughts and sets the affections on fire insomuch that then this duty will not only be without difficulty but with much delight 6. 2 Simile 'T is with your heart as it is with that wax which hath been laid in cold places it thereby becomes hard and unpliable to your hand insomuch that it will break rather then bend but if laid a while in the Sun or by the fire or if wrought a while in your warm hand then doth it soften and become pliable and so capable of any Impression Thus will it be with you in this Divine duty the greatest difficulty lyes in your entrance into it for corrupt nature and carnal principles will put forth a repugnancy against it and therefore flesh must be put to silence in this blessed duty which is mainly the exercise of the Spirit in you the experience of all ages tells you as well as your own 3 Simile that the entrance into Learning is attended with difficulties and discouragements but when once the Nut-shell is crack'd and the sweetness of the Kernel tasted then do youth pass through all difficulties with delight till at last they become Famous Instruments in Church or State 7. 4 Simile This duty is indeed as the climbing upon some high Tree Monument or Mountain all hard Work but then there is a blessed compensation for all your paines at the top of all these First at the top of this Tree of life there be the choicest fruits to nourish up your Soul to eternal life Secondly at the top of this Monument of mercy you have the most lovely and Soul-refreshing and heart ravishing prospect even transforming and transfiguring you into the glory of it Thirdly at the top of this Mountain of God and of Holiness you may behold not only the Kingdomes of this lower World and the Vanity of them quite contrary to the Devils land-skip showed to your Lord but also the glories of a better World as Moses from the Top of Pisgah the upper land of Canaan that transendently flows with Milk and Honey Digging in Mines of the Earth a pressing of grapes in the Wine press c. Are both hard works yet finding fine Gold in the Mines of the Scriptures by this Spiritual digging and a rich Wine flowing from this blessed Wine-press of Divine Meditation will make a satisfactory Amends for all your paines at last 8 Having removed this Objection out of your way as Amasa's body was out of the Armies way that their March might not be hindred 2 Sam 20. 12 13. Let us now proceed to shew as I st how pleasant this duty is so 2ly how profitable both to your self and to others 1. Io your self upon a twofold account 1. For preventing evil Belzebub that Prince of Flies cannot Fly blow your heart so long as it is boiling a good matter
must find out that both by your own experience and by the Experiences of others It certainly availeth much though happily it availe not always God hath indeed said that the Children of Moab shall go into his Sanctuary to pray but shall not prevail Isa 16. 12. But he hath avowed before all the world that the Children of Sion shall not do so Isa 45. 19. They shall not seek the Lord in vain their Prayer shall be like Jonathans bow it shall never return empty God ever hears their Prayers always ad Salutem as Anstin saith though not ever ad Voluntatem he always hears their Prayers according to their well when he doth not hear them according to their Will 7. First the manner of Prayer Now that your Prayer may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a throughly-wrought effectual and available Prayer to work wonders in Heaven and Earth Jam. 5. 16. yea after a sort Omnipotent as Luther said take these following Directions for managing this duty aright first before duty as to the manner of it before in and after it First of those that are Antecedent or before Prayer Direct 1. You must be New born a New Creature until the Child be come out of the womb it cannot Cry no more can you Cry Abba Father so long as you are in the womb of a natural state Rom. 8. 15. God first accepts the person and then the Action or offering Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. your person must be accepted as Abel was and then your Prayer will be acceptable you must be Righteous in Christ 't is the Prayer of the Righteous that prevaileth Jam. 5. 16. as it is the Character of the unrighteous that they call not upon God Psal 14. 4. Paul was never said to pray till Converted from his Pharisaical State Act. 9. 11. So if at any time they do pray their Prayer is an Abomination Prov. 21. 27. and therefore 't is not accounted Prayer The long Prayers that Paul had while a Pharisee were not reckoned Prayer at all you must first be a Temple of the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. and then you will be an House of Prayer for so the Temple is called Naturalists tell us of a Jewel that when put into a dead mans Mouth loseth all its Vertue So prayer a pretious Jewel in it self in the mouth of one that is dead in Sin hath no force nor efficacy God will not hear Sinners Joh. 9. 31. he will not take them by the hand Job 8. 20. Margin Hebr. and Geneva Biblt 't is but a Multiplying lies daily Hos 11. 12. a compassing God with lies to call God Father when we are not his Children and while we are without Christ You must pass through the merits of the Son into the mercies of the Father 8. The second Direction before duty is prepare to meet your God in duty Amos 4. 12. The Jews had their preparation for the Passeover Joh. 19. 31. So should you have for prayer setting some time apart as well to prepare for Prayer as for prayer it self 't is coming to duty with a common Spirit and with an Ordinary frame of heart that makes us lose many a duty 2 Chron. 12. 14. Ezra did better then Rehoboam herein Ezr. 7. 10. the latter lost all the former sav'd all hereby Labour therefore your heart into a praying frame before prayer this is done by getting First the Majesty of the great God before whom you are going wrought truly and throughly upon your heart Consider seriously he is a great King Mal. 1. 6 14. and a God that will be Sanctified of all that draw nigh to him Levit. 10. 3. this may help you to a God sanctisying frame of Spirit David prepared with all his might why the reason is rendred The Temple was not to entertain man but God therefore must it be more Magnificent and he more exact in all preparations for it 1 Chro. 29. 1 2. Christ tells you he is gone to prepare a place even a Temple a Mansion of glory for you Joh. 14. 2 3. and will not you prepare a place for him in that poor heart of yours Consider also Secondly his purity that the God with whom you have to do in prayer is a God of purer eyes then to behold Iniquity Hab. 1. 13. he cannot look upon it but he must loath it he cannot behold it but he must punish it this calls for a reverential heart Psal 2. 11. Before him who is in Heaven and you on Earth Eccles 5. 2. cover your face if Angels do so that are holy and blessed Esa 6. 2. Much more you that live in an House of clay and drinks up iniquity like water Job 4. 19. 15. 16. Tremble to bring along with you any Sin unrepented of unpardoned lay aside all filthiness Jam. 1. 21. as the Serpent her poison when she goes to drink yet with this difference she after drinking reassumes it again you may not do so with the Poison of Sin when you have been drinking of the Rivers of Gods favour this is to return with the Dog to his Vomit 2 Pet. 2. 22. you must know it again no more Gen. 38. 26. nor have so much as a leering look towards it Psal 66. 18. much less allow of it or wallow in it 9. Would you have leave with God in prayer then leave Sin and that for ever you may not say concerning your Sins as Abraham did concerning his Servants and the Ass which he left at the foot of the Hill Gen. 22. 5. saying I will come again to you but you must take an everlasting farewel of your Sin when you come to your God and with David keep your self for ever from your Iniquity Psal 18. 23. and as he wash'd his hands in Innocency when he did compass Gods Altar Psal 26. 6. So must you wash your heart in that fountain that is opened Zech. 13. 1. Thus Ruth did wash and anoint her self before she went up to Boaz. Ruth 3. 3. and Esther purified and persumed her self for acceptance with Ahasuerus Esth 2. 9 12. and the Captive Damosel was to pair her nails c. Before she became a fit bride for an Israelitish Bed Deut. 21. 12 13 14. and the Rabbies say that a Man might not come into the Mountain of the House of God with his staff nor with his Shoos nor with his purse nor with dust upon his Feet hence Lavers were set at the door of the Tabarnacle for washing off defilements at their entrance thither Exod. 30. 18 19. and Bernard used to say at his entrance to his publick Devotion O wordly thoughts ad templi Januam manete vos stay ye here at the Church door alluding to Abrahams words Gen. 22. 5. and to Moses deed Exod. 3. 5. as above in Meditation Thus also Solomon saith keep your foot when you enter into the House of God Eccles 5. 1. that is look well to your affections those feet and out goings of the Soul
cares that they stay at Church-door with Bernard and at the foot of the hill of God with Abraham as above but they must not go up or in with you if they presume to press in with you drive them away as Abraham did the Fowls that disturbed if not defiled his Sacrifice Gen. 15. 11. The Rabbies say that in the Temple though there was much flesh for Sacrifice used in it yet not so much as one Flie was seen stirring there So not a wandring thought should appear stirring in your worship especially considering you are the Temple of the Holy Ghost so should not think your own thoughts Isa 58. 13. in Gods Temple have more of Sabbath thoughts on week-day then week-day thoughts will less trouble you on Sabbath-day 7. The third Direction for preparing your heart to this Religious duty is beware of a prejudiced Spirit either against the person Teaching or against the Doctrin Taught 1. You may not have a prejudicate opinion against the Teacher if once you distast his person you can never relish his Doctrin the best of Ministers are exposed to prejudice even Christ himself that Palmoni Hamadabber Dan. 8. 13. or Prince of Preachers was personally cavilled at viz. Is not this the Carpenter And can any good thing come out of Nazareth c. If this did befal that green Tree what can the dry expect Mark 6. 3. Joh. 1. 46. Luk. 23. 31. Hence Paul admonished Timothy so to behave himself in the Church of God that none might despise his youth 1 Tim. 4. 12. this is a great Impediment to a prospering and profitting Gospel the Heathen could say Inter senum deliria Juvenum praejudicia cadit Respublica 'twixt the dotage of old men and the prejudice of young men the Common-wealth falleth O that we had not cause to say that betwixt those two cadit Religio the common Salvation falleth the plainest Preachers are exploded by such as if they stood not in need to be put in Remembrance of those things they know 2 Pet. 1. 12. The end of Preaching is not only to inform the Judgment but also to reform the affections not only to teach Men what they know not but also to stir them up to Practise what they know 'T is ordain'd for this as well as that 8. Neither 2ly must you have prejudice against the truth taught as those of Itching ears 2 Tim. 4. 3. not abiding sound Doctrin as fore eyes not enduring the Sun-shine the fault is not in the Sun but in the eyes so 't is not in the Doctrin but in them which savours no Doctrine save that which suites with their Itching tempers being not willing to frame the heart to the Word but rather desirous to have the Word framed to the heart Thus Carnal men despise Prophecying 1 Thes 4. 12 20. and plain Preaching is foolishness to them 1 Cor. 1. 21. though it be under the blessing of a Divine Institution in that phrase It pleased God which is not so Solemnly set upon bare Reading the Word you may indeed and must try the Spirits 1 Joh. 4. 1. and prove all things in Order to the holding fast of that which is good 1 Thes 5. 21. as those well bred Bereans did Act. 17. 11. and if you find the grain good never quarrel with the seeds-man Elias's food was acceptable to him though unclean Ravens were his Servitours and Currant Coin is not to be refused though from a Leprous hand yet 't is ever best from a Barnabas Act. 11. 24. of all others 9. The fourth Direct herein is beware of presumption as well as prejudice that you come not to the word with an heart resolved before hand what to do let God and his Ministers say what they please Jer. 2. 25. so as to take your own way and to follow your own course Jer. 44. 16 17. as if you scorn'd to bend to truth this is proud obstinacy or stubborn pride which you must abandon Say not you know enough already for you know nothing yet as you ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. you must become a fool for Christ 1 Cor. 2. 18. and sit down at the very foot of God Esa 41. 2. to receive his Law Deut. 3. 33. Thus Mary sate at Jesus feet and heard his Word Luk. 10. 39. great Naaman will learn good from a little Maid 2 King 5. 2 3 4. c. Bring along with you a bored ear Psal 40 6. and a bowing heart as Samuel speake Lord for thy Servant heareth 1 Sam. 3. 10. as Saul said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act. 9. 6. In a Word pray to God that all this may be done that he would bless the Word both for the killing of Sin and the quickening of grace c. Do you beg a blessing on the food of your body and not of your Soul Prov. 2. 3 5. cry after it this is your life Matth. 4. 4. Esa 38. 16. Joh. 6. 63. 10. The second thing you are to mind is concomitant as the first things preparation the second is performance to wit wâ—â—â— is required of you in this Religious duty and 't is threefold 1 Attention 2 Intention and 3 Retention 1 Attention of the ear 2 Intention of the heart and 3 Retention of the Memory 1 of the first of these to wit Attention of the ear The ear is the sense of Faith as the eye is the sense of love Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. 17. God makes the ear to be the Organ of our Salvation in working Faith by hearing the word as it was the Instrument of our destruction when our first parents lent their ear in listening unto Satans lies the Milk of the word is not to go in at the mouth but at the ear the ear is the Instrument to take in God by and not the eye Exod. 33. 19. Moses desires to see Gods glory Ver. 18. no saith God I will proclaim it and accordingly he doth so Exod. 34. 6 7. and thus likewise God doth testify to Elias in a still small voice not in visible things as fire and Earth-quake but in a voice which is Audible 1 Kin. 19. 11 12. both those Instances teaches you that teaching by a voice should be the principal means to bring your soul to the saving knowledge of God Moses thought that his seeing of God would much confirm him as Papists thinks of their seeing of Pictures and Crucifixes but God Rectifies Moses errour and proclaims himself the Lord Rectify the Popish mistake also 11. Hearing prevail not neither will Seeing no not your seeing a man from the dead Luke 16. 27 31. the Jews were so far from believing when they saw Lazarus raised from the dead that they would have kill'd him for no other fault but because he who had been dead was alive again Joh. 12. 10. their seeing of such an one was so far from working Faith in them that it Transported them into fury and into such sublime malice and
the Manna hence is that promise of hidden Manna Revel 2 17. when the dew was gone the Manna remained for the people to gather O get an Omer full of this Angels food put it into the Golden Pot of a Sanctifyed memory and lay it up before the Lord. Ver. 33. 34. Heb. 9. 4. 26. You must with Mary Luke 25. 51. lay up all Christs sayings in your heart though there be but a little distance betwixt the head and the heart yet 't is a long time ere the Word get down from the former to the latter yet this must be done Luke 9. 44. let my sayings saith Christ not only Sink down into your ears and heads but also into your hearts the Word should be hid there Psal 119. 11. If you desire a preservative from Sin You must treasure it up there till it be kindly wrought upon your heart and become an Engrafted Word Jam. 1. 21. till you have an Inclination to it and a delight in it when it Incorporates and becomes one with you and you with it Thus the Word must Sink as well as Swim 't is not enough that it Swim in the head but it must also Sink down into the heart God promiseth to give an heart to know him Jer. 24. 7. in that New Covenant 't is not head to know him though the head be the seat of notional knowledg yet the heart is the seat of that which is practical and experimental The seed of the word abideth 1 Job 3. 9. only in honest and good hearts Luke 8. 15. there be three bad sorts of hearers to one good how oft doth Satan that Prince fowle of the Air pick up that seed which is sown on the high-way of the head and not in the heart 27. None ever that was wise went to the Well for a Pitcher of Water to spill it by the way Jewels are to be lock'd up carefully and not cast at our heels for fear of Theeves no wonder if the grand Thief Satan steal away that word you are careless of your self he is to blame for robbing you of your best Riches but who is blame-worthy that leaves ope the door The Samaritan Woman went to the Well for water to carry it home Joh. 4. 7. and Ruth gleaned in Boazs field to carry home to her aged Mother at Home Ruth 2. 19. Is the Lord kinder to you then Boaz was to Ruth who let her glean among the sheaves and bid his servants let fall handfulls on purpose that she might gather them Ver. 15. 16. be sure you beat out what you gather of the Corn of Heaven and carry it home with you and Scatter it not by the way our Memory must not be as the Sieve or broken Vessel that lets all the liquor of life run out if it be so naturally and in Worldly things as well as Heavenly yet know for your Comfort the oftner that the Vessel hath water in it though all the water run out yet it leaves the Vessel cleaner then it found it A retentive faculty is necessary to an healthful body until there be a due segregation and no less is it necessary to an healthful Soul yet must not your memory be as the Spunge to suck up puddle-water as well as purest Wine but rather like the Fan that blows away the chaff while the solid Wheat abideth and like those in Mat. 13. 48. you must gather the good fish into this Vessel of a Sanctified memory and cast the bad away as Moses slay the Egyptian when you meet him but save the Israelite alive wise Virgins distinguish 'twixt meat of Gods sending and that of the Devils cooking 28. The consequent duties after hearing be 1. What concerns your self keep in everlasting remembrance Prov. 4. 20 21 22. as you must not be like the hour-glass that runs out one way as it comes in the other way or as the Hogshead that lets go the Wine but retains the dregs So you must be like those Vessels that let go the bran but retain the pure Wheat 't is your Spiritual health and life Ver. 21. 22. 2. Meditate upon what you thus remember 1 Tim. 4. 15 which is as the bellows of the Soul that kindles holy affections if you chew the Cud you are a clean Sacrifice 3. Repeat it the whole Book of Deuteronomy is but a Repetition of Moses former Sermons in his foregoing Books as a man that comes into a Garden of Flowers and Spices is not content with the present fragrancy thereof but carries home some of them in a Nose-gay for his future Refreshment when you have been in the Garden of Spices and felt the Savour of Christs ointments carry some home and pound them for use Repeating yea and Conferring is as the pounding of those Spices this makes them smell sweeter indeed 4. Turn all into Prayer that you may not only repeat it in your lips but especially in your life Luke 11. 28. Ezek. 33. 32. Jam. 1. 23. The best Repetition of Sermons is in the life Sermons should be felt and lived as well as heard then is the root of the matter or word Hebr. indeed in you Job 19. 28. when it brings forth fruit Col. 1. 6. and the stalk of wickedness Ezek. 7. 11. Will be out grown The fourth Religious duty another walk of a Christian is the Singing Ordinance CHAP. VI. 1. SEeing the Saints are called Singing Birds Cant. 2. 10 12. the time of the Singing of Birds is come 'T is a thousand pitties that any of those Singing Birds should lose this Singing Ordinance as if it were still Winter with them and as if the Spring-time of grace were not come upon them or as if it were the mowting Month with them as it is with some Singing Birds which having some dist emper in their Voices Tongues or Breasts Sing not at all in that Month. The Saints of the most high God should rather be as the Canary-Birds that warble out their pleasant Notes all the Months of the Year seeing the time of the Singing of Birds is come upon them And they are made able to say in the witnessings of the Holy Ghost Rom. 9. 1. that their Sins are pardoned their persons are accepted off and their names are writ in the Lambs Book of life This is the true Singing time and they should rejoice in this Luke 10. 20. and rejoice evermore 1 Thes 5. 16. yea in every thing give thanks Phil. 4 4 6. always warbling out the high praises of the most high God which is ever comely for the upright Psal 33. 1. 8. The Method of my discourse upon this Subject shall in Gods strength be thus managed 1. In showing you the grounds reasons and Arguments at least some of them that may be alledged for it 2. The Answers to those Objections that are usually urged against it and of both briefly First of the first of those The first Argument to enforce this Religious duty is taken from the Divine precept all
3. or the Song of the Lamb Rev. 15. 3. For should a man Sing a good Song with his Voice and play a bad one upon his Instrument it would make but an ungrateful grating Noise So it is with them whose lips and lives are not Relatives and whose Actions contradict their sayings and singings yet every thing that hath breath should praise the Lord. Psal 150. last and such as cannot do what they ought they resolving to reform ought to do what they can Seeing the positive command for this duty is general and universal Sing to the Lord all the Earth Psal 96. 1. and make a joyful noise all ye Lands Psal 100. 12. and Sing to the Lord all ye Kingdoms of the World Psal 68. 32. The duty is grounded upon the Soveraignty of God as he is a great God and a great King above all Gods Psal 95. 3. and as his works of Creation and Providence extendeth to all the Sons and Daughters of Men Psal 145. 6. to 10. Therefore the Psalmist Infers and we with him O that All men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the Children of Men. Psal 107. 8 15 21 31. 't is oft over again and again 14. The second Objection is we may not Sing with a mixt multitude that do but take the name of the Lord in vain hereby we do but partake of their Sin and so make it our own Answer the first when Moses and the Children of Israel Sang that Famous Song Exod. 15. 1. there was not only a mixt multitude among them at that time as is expresly mentioned Numb 11. 4. but also such of the Children of Israel that soon forgat the works of God and tempted Christ in the Wilderness even of those that Sang his praise Psal 106. 12 13 14. and 1 Cor. 10. 9. And the Song of Moses recorded in Deut. 34. was appointed to be Sung by the Children of Israel not only in their upright state but also in their state of Apostacy that it might testify against them as a standing Witness Deut. 31. 19 21 22 29. even by such it was to be Sung as Moses knew would after his death corrupt themselves utterly and the New Testament also Act. 13. 44. tells you that almost the whole City of Antioch the greatest part whereof were poor Pagans came together to hear the Word of God and though the Apostle managed the work both in praying to God and in praising of God yet may it not be cal'd confusion if the whole Assembly said Amen to all This saying Amen by the people gave their assent to both Prayers and Praises 1 Cor. 14. 16. And was an universal acting personally in Gods worship as well as personal singing is 15. The second Answer is though Sinners which drive the trade of Sin do Sin in the manner of singing because they do it not after a Spiritual manner yet they do not Sin in the matter of the duty which is plainly Obligatory to all though it be comely only in Saints he doth bonum though he doth it not bene and yet the Saints themselves may Sin in the manner of it too as well as sinners alas none of us know either how to pray or how to Sing but as the Spirit helps our Infirmities Rom. 8. 26. so as to sing after a gracious manner and to make Melody in our hearts to the Lord and no sufficient Reason can be rendred why Saints should discontinue their duties because sinners do own God and their own duty both by the light of Nature and the Law of God enjoined them Paul both prayed and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all Act. 27. 35. even among poor Pagans rude Mariners and Soldiers that trusted to their own wisdom more then to Gods word Ver. 11. and that would have kil'd Paul not withstanding all his kindness to them Ver. 42. he doth not discontinuc his Devotion and duty upon the account of a mixt multitude besides God delighteth that his will should be obeyed and abhorreth that his Law should be disobeyed even by sinful men as in Sauls case 1 Sam. 15. 22 23. and in Ahabs 1 King 21. 27 28 29. God knows how to allow yea and to reward that which is his own when yet he takes no pleasure in the sinful manner of the performance of a Divine duty 16. The third Answer is there is a parity of Reason put upon both praying and singing Jam. 5. 13. is any afflicted let him pray is any merry let him Sing Psalms The stress of both those duties lays not so much upon the qualification of man as upon the commandment of God and though sinners cannot sing with grace in their hearts yet this excuses them no more from singing then from praying both which are alike general duties to all mankind and not peculiar to Saints the very light of nature pressed Jonahs Mariners to pray in distress Jon. 1. 6. And the Moral precept that forbids Atheisme commands Prayer which is an owning of God He is Davids Atheistical fool that saith in his heart there is no God and that calls not upon God Psal 14. 1. 4. Hence it is inferred that though carnal Ignorant or prophane people cannot Sing as they ought no more can they pray as they ought yet as this excuses them not from praying work neither can it from singing work whatever is not done with Faith is Sin Rom. 14. 23. and without Faith there can be no pleasing of God Heb. 11. 6. as to pray so to Sing without Faith is Sin yet not to pray at all is a greater Sin for the former is formality but the latter is Atheisme which is the worse of the two 17. The third Objection is Singing is but Temple-worship and should be assisted with Instruments of Musick c. Answer the first Moses and Deborahs Song was long before the Temple 2. The Song of the Lamb Rev. 15. Is taken out of several Psalms 3. Praying was Temple-worship and was attended with Incense there as well as singing was with Musical Instruments there and so the Argument lays as strong and as Cogent for abolishing the duty of praying now as well as of singing 4. Singing to Instruments then used were only typical and so but temporary belonging to the Ceremonial worship and so is ceased 't was accommodated to the Church during her Minority Gal. 4. 1 2. but singing with heart and voice is Moral-worship and so to abide among the mature heirs the Ceremonial and Pompous part of Temple-worship is done away but the moral part in simplicity and gravity remaineth and now no voice should be heard in the Church but such as is significant and is edifying by signification which the noise of Instruments cannot be 1 Cor. 14. 10 11 26. and in that Prophecy of the Gentiles Conversion Psal 95. We are commanded to make a noise with Psalms but not with Instruments Ver. 1. 2. 18. Briefly the fourth Objection