in minde of that Axiome which was registred amongst the Ciuilians in the daies of Iustinian 〈…〉 That it waâ— nâ—t conuenient for any man to looke after what was done at Rome but to examine iustly what ought there to be done Thâ—s politike rule was maâ—e to vphold Romes creâ—it 〈◊〉 Româ—s villanies I would a little alter it vnto your Worship and say that it is conuâ—nieâ—t for you to looke after what is done amâ—nâ—â— vs and to examine iustly what ought to be done This is the next way to giue you to see the idlenesse drunkennâ—sse and o her dâ—sorders that doe abound through Ale-houses those cursed nurseries of villanie which doe compassâ— vs in on euery side and prouoke you to vnshâ—ath the sword of iustice which God hath put into your hand Câ—ra â—â—â—â—â—â—nteâ— nemâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Dâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—stâ—â— aâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—quam inducâ—re Oh how well would it become you how much would it honour God and how would it cheere the spirits of the good who are sadded with this burthen vpon vs MADAME let me put you in minde of that speech of Iohn to the elect Ladie If there come any vnto you and bring not the doctrine of our Lord Iesus receiue him not to house neither bid him God speed and let your speciall care be that your children be found walking in the truth To you both I haue as a Minister of the Gospell Onus vel ipsis Aâ—gâ—â— soâ—mâ—oâ—â—â— a fearefull burden which lieth vâ—on me God is my â—ortion if I shall vnder goe it with an honest heart This shall also adde vnto my reward if in your places you shall still carry your selues as the beloued of God This therefore he prayeth for who desires for euer to remaine Your Worships poore friend and carefull Shepherd ROBERT ABBOT THE HID MAN OF THE HEART 2 CORINTH 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature NOT to stand vpon the coherence of these words there is decided in them a case of conscience which being well conceiued will giue great satisfaction to a tender soule The case is this How I may know my selfe to be in Christ The resolution is this If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Which resolution that we may conceiue and apply I shall take this course First I shall open the doctrine of it and secondly apply it 1 Explication The doctrine of it is this He that is in Christ is a new creature For the opening whereof consider two things First the subiect or party spoken of that is he that is in Christ secondly the predicate or thing spoken of him to wit that he is a new creature To conceiue aright of the party spoken of consider three points First what it is to be in Christ Secondly the necessitie of it And thirdly how many waies we may be in him As to the first To be in Christ is to be in the state of grace Whâ—t it is to be in Christ that is to be conuerted from sinne to be glewed by faith vnto Iesus Christ and so to haue fellowship with him in righteousnesse and holinesse As to be in the Lord Apoc. â— â—â— is to bâ— in a gratious estate cut off from thâ— old man and grafted into â—esus Christ so is it likewise to be in Christ Rom. â— There is no cond mnation to them that are in Christ saith Paul thaâ— is to them thaâ— are in the â—taâ—e of grace And no other thing doth Paul â—ignifie by sleeping in â—esus 1 Thess 4.14 16. and dying in Christ but dying in a conueâ—ted and gratious estate Now secondly for the necessitie of our being in Christ it shall appeare three waies It is necessarie that we bâ— iâ— Christ First because if we be not in Christ we shall perish for euer for which cause the Apostle chiefly desired to be found in him as he saith I haue accounted and I doe iudge all things to be losse and dung Philip. 3.9 that I might winne Christ and that I may be found in h m. Why shall we perish if we be out of Christ I answer secondly because if we be our of Christ we haue no sauing right either to our naturall ciuill gratious or glorious liues All our sanctified right is by purchase all our purchase comes from our price and all our price from the God-Man Iesus Christ who hath giuen himselfe for vs. But why doth all our sauing right to all things come from Châ—ist our price I answer thirdly Because all the true good we haue comes vnto vs by couenant Be it spirituall things Iâ—â—â—â— 3â— God puts the law in our inward parts for our illumination he writes it in our hearts for our sanctification he taketh charge of vs for our protection he manifesteth the inward graces of the Spirit in vs by his knowledge and worship he forgiueth our iniquities and remembreth our sinnes no more for our iustification Ier. 32.40 41. he will delight to doe vs good and neuer depart from vs for our perseuerance and all this comes to vs by couenant Be it temporall anâ— bodily things Hosea 2.21 22. I will heare the heauens saith God and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the corne and the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israel â—hat is they shall haue plentie of the things of this world and all this comes vnto vs by couenant and by Gods mariage of himselfe vnto vs as the Prophet speaketh Now then seeing â—ll things come vnto vs by couenant let mee aâ—ke you what difference is there betweene comming to vs by couenâ—nt and comming to vs by Christ Surely noâ—e at â—ll For therefore the Prophet calleth Christ Esay 42.6 Esay 49.8 The Couenant of his people that is of the Iewes the seed of Abraham according to the flesh first because to them belong the Promises and to their Children next and in reuersion to vs who are Abrahams seed acâ—ording â—o the Spirit If you a kâ—â—e why Christ is called the Couâ—nant of the people I answer First because he doth reâ—â—iue the Promises from God in Abraham Isaack and Iaacob in the behalfe of the Church In which respect the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 1.20 Which as I â—â—ke it may be â—xtâ—ndâ—d â—oth to the â—â—â—â—â—t and to the acâ—omplishment of â—heâ— Gal. 6.15 that in him that is in Christ are all the Promisâ—s yea and in him they are Amen Secondly because in him the Church doth bend her selfe to performe couenants yea and doth it in him and as his bodie In which respect the Apostle saith In him a new creature aâ—aileth So that not onely the promises oâ— God are in him but our performances also Thirdly because as Christ â—ade this Couenant so he confirmed it by his death In which respâ—ct his bloud euen in the shadow is called the bloud of the Couenant Heb. 9.20 and the remembrancer and seale of it is called the New
of the Priests Court and whoso was found perfect and fit was clothed in white and accounted worthy To what end should the care of God and man concurre in this if it were not necessary You haue learned how to apply deeper things I will therefore end this rule with that speech of Ierome to Nepotian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sors Talem se exhibere debet vi ipse possideat dominum pos ideatur a domino Ministers are therefore called Clergie-men either because they are the Lords lot or because the Lord is their lot and portion Now he which either is the Lords part or hath the Lord for his ought to carie himselfe that both hee may possesse the Lord and bee possessed of him The last rule which I would commend vnto you to be obserued that you may proue your selues to bee sent of God is to be in a readinesse to giue your Master an account of your seruice For this is an argument of faithfulnesse and faithfulnesse of a diuine Sender who before he sends can try the heart and reines Put case therefore that now yee heard that voice of God Arise ye dead and come to iudgement that now the earth did vomit vp her dead that Saint Peter stood vp with his conuerted Iewes and Paul with his Gentiles that Iohn came in with Asia Thomas India and Titus Creta What would ye doe What would ye do I say Could ye say Lord I tooke thy person vpon me to feed thy Sheep of conscience not of couetousnesse to build vp thy kingdome not to inlarge my owne praise and purse I haue walked before thee with an vpright heart in the middest of thine house and now Lord behold I am ready to giue thee an account of my sinceritie though not of my perfection If it be thus my Reuerend and beloued Brethren giue me your hands and let vs with comforts goe together and trade into heauen by prayer studie and meditation for the best commodities that in Gods stead we may enrich his people and present such as belong to him as chast Virgins to God in the day of Christ What shall I now say I will humbly beseech you to measure with loue what I haue said and to supply some of the defects in particulars with what I could say in the throng of my businesses in the Sermon following which I offer vnto your eyes as I haue for the most part vnto your eares at our last Visitation as ye freshly remember and with it I present you with the prayers of my heart that this my seruice may in this kind as it hath in another be accepted and also that it may some way be profitable to prouoke against all Antichristian abhominations So prayeth hee who desires euer to rest From my Studie this 9th of May 1625. Your faithfull fellow-helper in the haruest of CHRIST IESVS Robert Abbott DAVIDS DESIRES PSAL. 27.4 One thing haue I desired of the Lord that will I require that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple WE haue often from this place This Sermon was preached at an Assise beene full fed and fatted with Sermons from Texts which haue put both Iudges and Iurers Lawyers Plaintiffes and Defendants in minde of such duties as God doth require at their hands If you will giue mee leaue this one time to digresse I shall striue to winde vp your hearts to heauen to kindle your affections to religion and religious duties knowing assuredly that if once we be good men we shall also be good Common-wealths men and doe nothing but that which is iust in the sight of God and Man We reade of the Bird of Paradise that shee hauing no legs neuer toucheth the earth but liueth in the aire with the vapors which arise from below till she dieth and then shee falleth to the ground and is discouered Many such birds of Paradise hath our God who though they sucke vpon earthly things for their necessarie releefe and maintenance yet haue their conuersation in heauen and are neuer discouered to be more earthly than when by death they are brought into the wombe and embracings of the earth their common mother Amongst the rest DAVID hath been famous in this kinde whose deuotions doe discouer such liuely graces such mortified lusts such a heauenly minde and such an anatomie of a good soule as the Psalmes are aptly called that as it was with Ierome when he had read the life and death of Hilarion he folded vp his booke and said Well Hilarion thou shalt be the Champion whom I will follow so it may be with vs when we reade the sweet precepts and godly patternes of deuotion in Dauid we may iustly cry out Well Dauid thou shalt be the champion whom we will follow Through the whole bodie of the Psalmes he hath discouered wonders in this kinde neither is this Psalme barren For ye may finde a threefold peece of deuotion in it The first is shewed by eleuation when by an exuberancie of speech he lifteth vp his heart and draweth it to cling close vnto God amid all his enemies Verse 1 2 3. as his light saluation and strength The second is shewed by admiration when he draweth his heart from all the world to loue those meanes wherein God doth communicate himselfe vnto vs. Verse 4 5 6. The third is shewed by petition whereby he draweth his heart to rest vpon God to be vnto him as he had said and to doe vnto him as he had desired Verse 7 8 c. We haue to doe you see with the second discouery of DAVIDS deuotion that is his admiration secretly implied in the frame of his whole speech Wherein by the heauenly disposition of his desires hee doth shew his dependance vpon God in his ordinarie course of offering grace For whereas the soules of men are considered either according to their vnderstandings or according to their desires and appetites reasonable sensitiue DAVID hauing exercised his vnderstanding in the beholding of God as he was to him and as he would be to his enemies doth here exercise his desires to Gods house Touching which desires these three things offer themselues to our consideration 1. The office of his desires which is shewed in two things 1. The first is their choise One thing haue I desired They chose one thing aboue the rest 2. The second is their constancie That will I seeke He doth prosecute his desires and will not let them vanish to no purpose 2. The obiect of his desires The house of God There was nothing after which his heart panted more eagerly than Gods house 3. The motiues of his desires which are two 1. The worth of Gods house in it selfe Beauty amenitie or sweet and amiable presentment which it offereth and holdeth out to the godly view 2. The worth of Gods house to DAVID To inquire in his
vnto our soules so they doe poyson the vnderstanding and make it sottish in spirituall things for though there be first darknesse in our thoughts and enmitie in our wisdomes Hester 1. yet as Ahashuerosh doth first draw his Courtiers vnto wickednesse and then his Courtiers doe make him worse by flattery and other sinister meanes so the vnderstanding doth first surrender vp her naturall powers and offices being content to be blinded and mislead and that way be giuen to the will and desires to inthrone the Deuill and then the will and desires doe more infatuate the minde the belly fighting with the braine and misleading it being blinded to the ruine of the whole man Secondly consider that vnruly desires doe hinder comfort The greatest comforts which wee reape from our selues are our desires Good desires are the glory of a good mans soule what is a godly man but a man of desires Christianus est in fieri non in facto A Christian is what he hopes to be and therefore desires it rather than what he is by present practise What is the good mans faith Oh that I had Christ no doubt DAVIDS heart was not without a mystery when he was so eagerly carried after the water of the well of Bethlehem and this is the mysterie of faith in our hearts which is more eagerly carried after Christ with desires than with full perswasions Psal 119.5 And what is the good mans obedience Oh that my waies were so direct that I might keepe thy statutes As therefore if wee had but one worldly thing whence wee might reape comfort we would make much of that so let vs deale by our desires make we them as pretious as we can in Christ Iesus that God may accept the will for the deed It is true indeed that that cursed flesh which is in our bosomes preuaileth against vs much but blessed shall we be if our eares hearken in time to the wholesome counsell following Wee reade of the Lake of Armach in Ireland that it hath this propertie If you thrust a staffe into the bottome of it that part which is in the mudde is turned into iron and that which is in the water is turned into a whetstone Like vnto this staffe is the flesh and spirit of man in the Lake of this life The flesh which carrieth a mans desires to digge in the mudde of this world is turned as it were into iron and therefore it is no maruell if it preuaile against our frailtie but the spirit which at the worst descends no lower than to the troublesome billowes of this world is as it were turned into a whetstone this must be broke off and not only scoure the rust of the flesh but euen consume it that so at the last wee may haue our desires at command as DAVID Happie shall wee be if by being strong in the Lord and in the power of his might we shall make our desires to be like that liuing herbe called Sentida of which they write thus That if a man doe but offer to touch it it withdraweth the leaues and if hee touch it indeed it drieth vp and withereth which yet so soone as the hand is withdrawne flourisheth againe happie I say shall we be if thus so soone as any worldlinesse or wickednesse doe but offer to approach we draw our desires away by a sigh to heauen if it take possession we droope and die within our selues and neuer be at rest and flourish till it be gone againe Thus we haue viewed the choice of the Good-mans desires we will further view them in their Constancie Constancie The wickedest man amongst vs may say If this be so pretious a thing to reserue and limit my desires as DAVID did to this one thing then I am sure enough of my hand for euen I Balaam who would haue pleaded an ill cause and pronounced an vnrighteous sentence Numb 23.10 in cursing them whom God had blessed and blessing them whom God had cursed Gen. 27.34 haue reserued my desires for the death of the righteous and I Esau who haue set more by earth than heauen haue reserued my desires for my Fathers Propheticall blessing But DAVID takes vp the matter and telleth vs that as it is the office of the good mans desire to make choice so to be constant in their choice and to like the good obiect whereat it lookes too well to change What I haue desired that will I seeke Hence carry this point with you That Gracious desire is not satisfied till the partie desiring doe embrace the thing desired Yee know how it was with DAVID when he was desirous to finde out a place for the Arke that signe of Gods presence he had no rest till he had done it he would not come into the Tabernacle of his house nor come vpon his pallet or bed he would not suffer his eyes to sleepe Psal 132.3 4. nor his eye-lids to slumber till he had found out a place for it Euen so is it with al Gods people in prosecuting of al good desires they are sicke and their soules faint within them till they haue brought them to some good passe See it in Christs Spouse in the Canticles Cant. 3.1 2 3 4 5. shee desired communion and fellowship with Christ wherefore shee gaue her selfe no rest in her bed by night she sought him whom her soule loued and though she found him not yet she arose and resolued to seeke him still when she could not enioy her desired content by her owne industrie she runnes to the Ministery of the Word the Watch-men thus she is like the Turtle that mournes her selfe to death if she cannot finde her mate To open this more distinctly the vnweariednesse of holy desires is seene in three things First they consume all difficulties for Gods sake let a man desire any thing that good is he shal finde such pailes of water as these are to be throwne into this fire why should I desire this seeing it crosseth my profit pleasure ease or seeing I hauing obtained it shall be exposed to reproach and contempt But grace consumes all this and makes a man say with Nehemiah Should such a man as I feare and this not out of selfe-loue vaine-glory checke of conscience but for God and goodnesse sake Secondly they are fixed vpon the thing desired and presse vpon the superiour faculties of the soule to know it better to approue it and neuer to forget it though not to be enioyed but after long time and many conflicts So that as desires make a man neuer to stand vpon difficulties as I said before and as we see in the souldier who through desire of victory and prey standeth not vpon the hazard of his life so they fasten the eye of the soule with intention vpon the thing desired as the desires of the louer captiuates the blinded minde to admire to inuent praises deeply and often to thinke vpon and the will and affections
we loue the bag better than the Pulpet and we delight more to prare with them for ours than to pray with them for themselues and theirs we are spots and blots in the beautifull assembly of the Saints What beauty is it to see those that should liue in Heauen and draw their people after them to liue in the holes of the earth like Moles and muck-wormes Who will beleeue him that saith Heauen is the best place in the world when all his businesse is to make his nest vpon the earth I dare not say that there ought to be no care for earthly things for we haue bodies that doe depend vpon vs as well as soules but when the thorns do so choake the good seed in vs that the beauty of Gods house decaieth then woe vnto vs. Thirdly it may be done by our wickednesse if the white Nazarites become as blacke as coales if Iacobs smooth voice be accompanied with Esaus rough hands if studies be turned into tap-houses and tauernes and holy tongues which should speake blessings into tongues of wantonnesse and vanity how doth the beauty of Gods house in vs looke like a stinking dunghill to all godly beholders In the feare of God therefore cast we these filthy coales out of our hands we haue sinned against Gods beauty too much already and these miserable times doe call for more beauty in our selues and for more godly care by praying preaching and examples that more of Gods beauty may appeare in those congregations ouer which God hath made vs Shepherds Oh it is a fearefull case to refuse operatiue knowledge Hosh 4 and to forsake the law and fearefull shall be the iudgement vpon such Priests Hosh 10. they shall weepe for want thornes and thistles shall grow vpon their altars Vse 2 Thus haue I spoken vnto you my brethren and so vnto you as I haue not forgot my selfe behold if you will not heare I will turne vnto the people Listen my beloued you haue heard that Gods house hath glorious beautie to draw you to loue it I beseech you by the mercies of God to yeeld vnto two suites which I shall make vnto you My first suit is that you willl bee prouoked and fiered with this beauty I could tell you that the name of this place is the Lord is there that Iesus Christ walketh about this candlesticke that the Holy Ghost is present to second the word in the hearts of all beleeuers that the good Angels doe pry into with admiration the holy fellowship which we haue with God and man but though I doe passe by the beauty of persons the beauty of things may through Gods blessing preuaile with vs. Would you goe to heauen It is the beauty of Gods house which shall lift you vp thither Would you faine see Satan vanquished it is the beauty of Gods house shall doe it the preaching of the Gospell shall make Satan fall downe from heauen like lightning Would you discouer the wickednesse of your owne hearts that you may amend It is the beauty of Gods house that is the discerner of our thoughts and intents of our hearts Heb. 4.12 13. Would you willingly see God in his ordinances and more than an earthen vessell in the congregation of the Saints It is the beauty of Gods house that will manifest the secrets of your hearts vnto you 1 Cor. 14.24 25. and will make you fall downe on your faces and say plainly God is in vs indeed It is true indeed you will say that you can pray and sing Psalmes and that you can haue the word of God at home and therefore this is no such great beauty But let me say with the Apostle Heb. 13.22 I beseech you suffer the words of exhortation for I haue written vnto you in few words as if I should say It is necessary that with a good heart you goe to behold the beauty of Gods house in the preaching of the word because the Scripture is so briefe My second suit is that you would doe your best to make the beauty of Gods house appeare more beautifull through you He that seeth the worth of a thing thorowly will doe his best to make it appeare the more worthy through him both in affection in word and in action he will thinke of it more intirely hee will speake of it with greater praises commendations and if it be within his reach and he be capable he will doe his best to procure it So let vs deale with the house of God and the beauty thereof let vs thinke of it as of the glory of Israel the testimony of Gods presence Let vs not thinke our best words too good for it either in thanksgiuing to God that we haue had it thus long or in praying to him that hee would be pleased for Christs sake to continue it amongst vs still or in commending it to others and perswading them to giue it that right and place in their hearts which it requireth and for our actions ô that we would liue worthy of it Holinesse becommeth Gods house for euer from which if we degenerate what can we expect but that God should take away this beauty and giue vs vp to vile affections to goe a whoring after our owne inuentions What shall I now say vnto you I will put you in minde of a pretty custome in Hungary If an Hungarian bee called a coward he doth neuer wash off the disgrace except he haue proued himselfe in single combat with a Turke I confesse I haue done as much as called you all cowards He that vseth switch and spurre doth as much as tell others that his horse is dull and he that vseth pressing exhortations and motiues doth all one as if he should tell them that they are dull of hearing and too slow to right their owne causes against the propensity of their cursed natures to the contrary You shall neuer wash off this aspersion except you enter Duell with that damnable Turke Security I might tell you how it lulleth vs asleepe in a cursed peace and makes euery one of vs from top to toe neither to minde heauen nor hell how it makes vs pollute our consciences and sinne against them for a friend for a see how it makes the foundations of the earth to be out of course but I passe these things and intreat you only to see how it makes vs prophane Gods Sabbaths pollute his ordinances because it doth blinde vs from seeing the beauty of the Lord. Oh therefore as wee loue God and our soules let vs fight against it by walking as in the sight and presence of our God and as by thinking speaking doing all things in this meeting as if the great king of heauen and earth were with vs in our charge inquiry verdict and sentence so by humbly crauing at Gods hand with the blinde man in the Gospell Lord that I may receiue my sight that wee seeing Gods beauty may admire it we admiting it may
be moued by it to cleaue to God and his goodnesse in the assemblie of the Saints Thus much of the first motiue of Dauids desires There is yet another motiue whereby he did prouoke himselfe to loue Gods house 2 Matter of direction in it and that is matter of direction to be found there implied in these words To inquire in his Temple As if he should say There I may consult with God and know what is best for me to beleeue and doe It may be Dauid had reference to that holy oracle Psal 28.2 towards which to helpe his faith he held vp his hands in prayer but yet Gods house is an ordinary place of inquiry also I went vnto the sanctuary of God saith the Psalmist then vnderstood I their end and was satisfied Psal 73.17 For if we must heare the word of God not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God 1 Thes 2.13 then how hath it not power to bring vs all manner of content and satisfaction in those necessary scruples that may arise in our soules If I should say of Gods house as of those riuers in Transiluania wherein there are found lumpes of gold which weigh a pound weight then I make no question but it would be a motiue strong enough Why should it bee lesse when I say that there we may inquire seeing this is the way to get wisdome whose merchandise is better than siluer Pro. 3.13 14. and whose gaine is better than gold Thus we haue considered Gods house in the type now in the truth You must know that Dauids desires reached further than his owne time As when he desired the waters of the Well of Bethlehem his desires reached as some thinke to our desires after Christ borne at Bethlehem who is called the desire of the Nations so when in banishment or other distresse he desires Gods house his desires doe reach vnto ours after the Church of God the body of Christ Lay therefore downe this ground from hence that We must haue earnest desires to be of the true Church of God Mallem esse membrum ecclesiae quà m caput imperij That Emperours heart must be in euery one of vs who said I had rather be a member of the true Church than the head of an Empire To vrge this consider these foure points First that in the Church onely the fountaine of the house of Dauid is opened vnto vs for sin and for vncleannesse Zach. 13.1 Mat. 1.21 because Christ is the Sauiour of his people It is said of one of the Canary Ilands that it hath no water to be found in it yet that through the prouidence of God the people want none for there doth grow a certaine Tree which is couered with a misty Cloud whereby it becomes so moist that it abundantly drops downe water to suffice both man and beast Such a Tree of Life is Iesus Christ vnto his Church for though he be clouded and couered with the vaile of infirmity yet to his Church which hath fellowship with him by faith hee doth drop downe the sweet liquour of grace for grace to the refreshment of their soules Secondly that the Father Sonne and holy Ghost doth onely dwell in the Church All other companies of men whatsoeuer are but the sties of Satan yea though the courts of Princes Ezek. 48. Es 45.14 But the name of Gods City is The Lord is there yea Aethiopia Sabaea and Egypt shall say God is in her Apoc. 1. yea Christ is in the middest of the seuen golden Candlesticks and when his father and his mother sought him sorrowing they found him in the Temple to teach vs where we should finde him euer after to wit in the true Church of God Thirdly that our being in and of the Church is that thing alone which can comfort vs in all our seruice and secure our hearts that it shall be acceptable to God Who were those that were rewarded with the euening penny but those that laboured in the Vineyard to the end of the day There were many heathens that laboured well yea Mat 20. so well that they shall condemne many thousands of Christians that come short of them in ciuill righteousnesse yet they had no true comfort because their seruice was not to the true God nor in the Vineyard of the Church Lastly the Church is often compared in the Scripture to the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 13. and that both in respect of distance the men of the world being as farre in goodnesse from the men of the Church as heauen from earth and in respect of influence the Church deriuing her ministeriall helpes to a new generation to all within her reach and fathome as also in respect of the Churches imployment from God to bee none other but the gate of Heauen as Iaacob said of Bethel and a nursery for the Kingdome of glory Now would it not be an vnspeakable comfort to be assured that wee liue in the Kingdome of Heauen I know that we haue many troubles and vexations of spirit many fightings within and terrours without but what can they hurt our happinesse so long as we are in the Kingdome of Heauen Vse Let euery one of vs therefore consider diligently with our selues these foure grounds and as wee doe finde the truth of them so let vs bee carefull to further our desires with them to the true Church of God What will it auaile vs to be of that company wherein wee cannot bee assured that there is the fountaine of the house of Dauid Will it profit vs to ioyne our selues with that society wherein there is not God and Christ in grace as well as in power Can we looke for any good in those assemblies where is not the Kingdome of Heauen and wherein if we worke we cannot looke for Gods penny No surely Quest Will you aske me then how you shall know your selues to be of that Church that so your soules may still goe after it as the Spouse of Christ Ans I answer you shall know it three waies Transire in Christum 1 By your head 2 By your coapting and fitting to be vnited to him 3 By those ligatures and ties whereby you are knit vnto him 1. First wee shall know our selues to bee of the true Church if Iesus Christ be the head of that Church whereunto we cleaue we are sure that that is the true Church whereof Iesus Christ is the head but we cannot be certainly assured that that is it which hath the Pope to be another princely spirituall and monarchicall head no though but ministeriall First we are sure I say that that is the true Church whereof Iesus Christ is the head For first Christ hath all things subiected vnto him for the Churches sake As hee is God he hath all things subiected vnto him for his owne sake as Mediatour he hath a purchased subiection for his Churches sake Ephes 1.22 23.
Christ in his life death resurrection and ascension there being two things distinctly to be conceiued which yet goe together in time first our being made members and secondly our receiuing the gifts of members vpon this I say there will grow two questions wherein our consciences will desire satisfaction whereunto I would intreat you to attend in their order The first is this How we may know that we are made liuing members of Christ How we may know that we are made liuing members of Christ It is a sweet question and worthy our consideration Therefore marke diligently that this secret will be discouered vnto vs by three signes especially The first signe of our being a member of Christ is If we are borne againe No member can be a member of the bodie but by naturall generation and therefore in the want of armes and legs all that are made by Artizans are but counterfeit members so none can be a member of Christ but by spirituall regeneration Therefore through the power of Gods spirit and word we must finde an alteration in all the parts and powers of the bodie and soule from what we are by nature This is called a turning in the Scriptures when of Prodigals we become Conuerts feeding no longer vpon the husks of swine those noysome and filthy lusts of the flesh but of the feast of fat things and fined wines as Esay speaketh or of the fat calfe which God hath prouided Esai 25.6 Luke 25. that is chearing our hearts with the wisdome of Christ against our folly and blindnesse with the righteousnesse of Christ against our guiltinesse with the sanctification of Christ against the reliques of our sinne and vncleannesse 1 Cor. â— 3 and with the redemption of Christ against our apostaticall and back-sliding hearts The second signe of our being a member of Christ is If we receiue new sense and motion from the head As in the naturall bodie all the members doe receiue sense and motion from the head so in the spirituall bodie For though there be no naturall connexion of parts betwixt Christ and vs Act. 3.21 the heauen containing him in respect of his bodily presence and we being here on the earth yet by vertue of the spirituall ligatures and ties of faith which is Gods ordinance to this end wee haue no lesse reall coniunction though we cannot see it than naturall head and members haue Wee cannot see the coniunction betwixt man and wife who yet are one flesh though they are a thousand miles asunder Prov. 2.17 by vertue of that contract and couenant of God betwixt them The vnion betwixt the beasts and the wheeles in Ezekiels vision was not visible Ezek. 1.21 yet it was reall because the spirit of the beasts was in the wheeles which made them moue together and stand still together So it is betwixt our Head and vs. If therefore by vertue of this vnion we doe not daunce after natures pipe which the Apostle calleth walking after the flesh or sowing to the flesh or fulfilling the lusts of the flesh but are moued to walke after the spirit so to runne that we may obtaine not to be clogged with the earth but to haue our conuersation in heauen to sit with Christ in heauenly places and in our whole course though with much strife and reluctation to moue vpwards then may we safely say that we are members of Christ The third signe of our being a member of Christ is if we worke for the head As the whole naturall bodie is vnder the obedience of the head so the whole spirituall bodie doth worke for its head as for its king and soueraigne If the head be warred against the foot runneth or standeth and the hand doth defend if the head be in peace the whole bodie maintaineth its honour vseth meanes to better vnderstanding to ripen iudgement to corroborate memorie to quicken senses and to performe other offices vnto it So must we worke for Christ he must increase we must decrease All our labour must be to maintaine his honour therefore wee must denie our selues to wit our naturall iudgements wills affections and the worth of our workeâ—â—hat Christ may be all in all vnto vs and wee may cry out with that blessed Martyr None to Christ none to Christ Oh that we had hearts to try our selues by these signes How great will our comfort be if we can finde our selues to be members of Christ Some men ioy that their armes and legs are members of sound and healthfull bodies but it is no matter though the outer man perish so long as the inward man by being a member of Christ is renewed daily I bowe therefore the knees of my heart vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and beseech him that hee would grant both to you all and me and all Gods people that wee may for euer proue our selues to be borne againe to receiue heauenly motion from Christ and to worke for him that so wee may proue our selues to be his members I will open a little light vnto you in these three points We may know our selues to be borne againe How wee may know our selues to be borne againe if God haue giuen vs a conscionable care to nourish the hid man of the heart Euery thing hath a naturall instinct to nourish it selfe so soone as it hath a naturall production euen so must wee haue 1 Pet. 2.2 For therefore Peter saith As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby As babes desire the mothers dug so must our soules if they be regenerated desire the word of God How is that 1 Vnappeasably I answer First wee must desire it vnappeasably Giue a childe houses and lands gold and gaine profit and pleasure and nothing will content it but a dug so all the world is worth nothing to Gods babes without the word Psal 1 19. as Dauid saith The word of thy mouth is dearer vnto me than thousands of gold and siluer Secondly we must desire the word constantly 2 Constantly Little children doe not onely desire the dugge waking but when they are asleepe their lips will be going so Gods babes though they being ouertaken with drowsinesse cry out with the Spouse I sleepe yet their hearts awake Cant. 5.2 and when they are most drowsie they will be nibbling vpon the word yea they cannot be content without it For looke as the needle of a Diall doth nothing but tremble and shake and hath no rest till it be turned vpon the North pole so the heart of Gods childe can haue no peace in any degree of securitie till it be raised feelingly to imbrace the word of God againe 3 Cryingly Thirdly we must desire the word cryingly Euery one of vs do see the new-borne babe to cry for the dugge euen so must we for the word We must cry to God for it and desire him that we may neuer be
the good Word of God which is able to saue our soules As wee doe wry our mouthes with the new borne babe after the dugge of Gods Word so with the growne man we haue a good stomacke and appetite vnto it The huskes of mans wisdome and humane traditions are hunted after of those of whom the Apostle saith Beware of dogges Phil. 3.2 but the man of God hungreth to heare God speake And because he knowes that he is borne againe for the kingdome of God therfore though when he meets with the things of this world he doth thankfully embrace them vse them as if he vsed them not yet he seekes after the things aboue Col. 3.1 aboue the world the Church aboue nature grace aboue the fauour of Princes the grace of God aboue sinne a Sauiour aboue earth heauen If therefore it be thus with our soules that as all creatures do seek their meats sutable to their natures the Lion flesh the Horse grasse the Fowles Wormes the Catts Mise and the Bees hony so we doe hunt after these things then haue we entred into this life Secondly Those helpes that doe respect our enemies are our naturall vigilancy and watchfulnesse against that which doth thwart and oppose life And from this head I shall commend vnto you two signes of life The first is Sensiblenesse of the least degree of death or opposition of life He that is in an irrecouerable estate 2 Sensiblenesse of death findes not the least degrees of death creeping vpon him and when hee is readie to die saith He is well whereas he that is well is sensible of the least distemper but if a man be dead he doth not feele death it selfe he heares no alarum to battaile sees not the approach of any enemy nor smels the stinke of any wound So if we be in a spiritually-dead estate we feele not killing sinne to approach Prou. as Solomon saith of the foole Hee casteth fire-brands arrowes and mortall things and saith I am not in iest So we make sport vnto our selues in the committing of sinne and say Doe we not liue Yea if we be dead let God send one letter of defiance vnto vs after another for our sinnes we heare and heare not we know and vnderstand not and though from â—he crowne of the head to the sole oâ— the foot there be no part whole 〈…〉 nothing but botches and blaines full of corruption yet wee smell not the stinke of the corruption of our wounds we runne not to the bâ—lme of Gilead wee desire not the good Samaritane to helpe vs but if wee are aliue oh how doe we scud from death as the fearfull Hare from the greedie Hound How doth the least approach of this death by the least sinne make vs cry out with Paul Wretched man that I am Rom. 7. who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Poore Christians who are deiected and cast downe at the fearefull fight of their owne guiltinesse the more sensible they are of the death of sinne the more they cry out of themselues as of dead men whereas if they would passe righteous iudgement they should conclude that the spirit of life is in them 3 Fiâ—hing against death The next signe of life is fighting against that which would take it away The liuing worme being trod vpon will turne vp the taile Heare O worme Iacob so wilt thou if thou haue any life in thee When the worme feeleth the earth to be shaken presently it commeth running out of the earth fearing the approach of the mole so if thou liue when thou feelest the shaking of the cabbin of thy ease and securitie thy bodie I meane by paineâ— acheâ— and diseases then thou dost presently startle come to the doore to see what newes meet thine enemy death disarme him and pull out his sting that at the last â—he conquest may bee thine Againe is there life in vs then the Spirit of life doth fight against the flesh â—om â— â— lest wee liuing after it do die Oh how doe liuing men striue against the whole bodie of sinne and death How doth the spirit lust agaâ—nst the flesh Yea Gal. 5.17 how doth the liuing spirit get the vpper hand and sight more manfully euery day than other especially against that sinne which doth most crosse it I haue kept me from my wickednesse saith Dauid that is Pâ—â—l 18.23 that sinne whereunto hee was most inclined euen so must we if we haue this new life This is the way to finde all liuing grâ—â—es to increase all sin to be in a decaying estate For we know that there is no equall match betweene the old man the new as God smites the enemies of his people on the checke bone that is Psâ—l 3.7 hee deales not with them as with men but as with boyes in stead of opposing them with swords and stauâ—â— hee sends them away with a boxe on the eare so will the liuing spirit deale with the dying flesh it will master it at the last as a growne man would a childe and ouercome it with lesse difficultie though not without all danger to it selfe Secondly Where there is the life of grace there will be an imployment of our strength in the acts of life The actions of liuing men are proper to men that are aliue so are they to these new men From this head therefore I shall giue you further two sorts of signes either such as doe concerne a mans owne indiuiduall person or those which are shewed for succession in propagating their kinde They which doe concerne a mans person are two 4 The breath of the new man First if we can freely draw the breath of the new man It is a signe of life to men of the world if wee can freely draw that breath which God doth offer for the prolonging of naturall life so likewise is this a signe of this new life if wee can freely draw the breath of Gods mouth which God doth breathe vnto the hid man of the heart And what breath is this but the Spirit of the Lord in the Scriptures Marke therefore if wee can draw in the Word of God to the cooling comforting and refreshing of our weary hearts which pant vnder the burden of sinne and if we can put it out againe both to coole the violence and fierie courses of sinfull men and to heat and warme the lukewarme and frozen hearted sonnes of men this will assure vs that we liue the life of God 5 Seruice of God The second signe which doth concerne our persons is this If wee doe put ouer our whole bodies and soules to the seruice of God For as then wee doe liue a naturall life when we doe imploy all our strength to the seruice of nature and as then wee doe liue a loyall life to our Soueraigne when wee are wholly taken vp for his honour and maintenance in good so then wee liue the life of
deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God Rom. 8.21 wherein a new beginning and not an end of things doth seeme to be implied it may seeme that the Apostle doth misse his marke when he saith that the end of all things is at hand But I answer that both are true It is true that the creature shall be deliuered from vanitie and it is also true that they shall perish or that their end is at hand They shall perish in respect of their naturall and ciuill fashion 1 Cor. 7.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transâ—â—us accidâ—nâ—alis Eccles 1.4 2 Pet 3. as the Apostle saith The fashion of this world passeth away but they shall not perish in respect of their elements and elementarie materials For as Salomon saith The earth remaineth for euer and though the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heat yet God shall but change them as a vesture and they shall be changed Psal 102.26 So that as once God sent water to cleanse and purge the earth and to restore it to a better state when the rebellions of the earth were washed out of Gods sight so God shall one day send his fire to burne vp the stubble of vanitie and consume all that drosse which sinne hath made in the creatures to what vse we shall know hereafter Here is the end of all things to wit a perishing from their present state and condition Thy end when thou shalt be left destitute of all outward supplies and stand naked before God to giue an account of all things which are done in the flesh whether good or euill The end when all outward necessaries delights and profits shall vanish away But how could the Apostle say 3 Is at hand that the end of all things is at hand when from this time there haue slid along aboue a thousand and six hundred yeeres I answer that yet this end might well be said to be at hand in diuers respects First in respect of God with whom a thousand yeeres is as one day and one day as a thousand yeeres 2 Pet. 3.8 There is no succession with God he being infinite yea he doth all things with one eternall and vndiuided act In which respect Iohn speakes of his time as of the last houre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ioh 2.18 and we may speake of ours as of the least and last degree of time in it Secondly in respect of Christ who is exhibited because after Christ his comming in the flesh and outward dispensing of the worke of our redemption the next act which doth remaine concerning him is his comming to iudgement God hath decreed his comming and promised it and prophesied of it God hath sent him and hath committed vnto him all authoritie and power and now what remaineth but the last time wherein he should publikely shew it by drawing his bodie into the same glory with the head such honour haue all his Saints Thirdly the end may be said to be at hand in respect of the course of time which is runne into the last age of the world which though it be not pointed at in particular because we should alwaies be prouided for it yet is it in generall because we might not be without warning Hence is it that as there were six daies in the Creation before the Sabbath so there are reckoned vp six ages of the world before our sabbatisme commeth in the day of Christ as they are manifestly distinguished in the Scriptures The first age is from Adam to Noahs floud which was of ten generations 2 Pet 2.5 and this is called the old world The second is from the Floud to Abraham which is also of ten generations and here Matthew beginneth the genealogie of Christ The third is from Abraham to Dauid of fourteene generations The fourth is from Dauid to the captiuitie of Babylon of fourteene generations The fift is from the captiuitie of Babylon to Christ of fourteene generations all which are reckoned by the Holy Ghost Matth. 1.17 The sixt age of the world is the age of â—hrist In which respect it may well be called the last daies and the last time aâ—ter which remaineth the rest for the people of God Lastly the end may be said to be at hand in respect of the state and condition of the world since Christs time which hath bowed and declined vnto her crutches as wee may see in two things First in the malignitie of her diseases which haue euer since brought her towards her graue of destruction If you aske mee what these diseases are I answer sinnes especially the mysterie of Antichrists iniquitie which begun to worke euen in Pauls time 1 Thess 2.7 1 Thess 2.4 and hath by little inthroned it selfe euen in the temple of God to the dishonour of God and discomfort of his people We ordinarily say that then the end of a man approacheth when the vitall parts decay and sicknesse getteth the vpper hand so when the Church decayeth and sinne Satan and Antichrist preuaile it may well be said that the end draweth on Secondly as the worlds diseases doe argue that the end is at hand so let it not be ouer-curious to say that the conquest which fire getteth ouer the world may perswade vs also in some measure that it is euen so indeed Fire incroacheth vpon the world in dwarfing the creatures All things waxe lesse and lesse things or persons ordinarily neither grow so great nor continue so long Consumente ubertate seminum exustione as they haue in former times First came the water abounding with moisture and the world flourished with giants and mighty creatures but now the fire is entring its kingdome and the world is pestered with little creatures for the heat consumeth the moisture and shall in processe of time burne the whole world Thus we haue considered the Apostles doctrine and cast vp the summe to be thus much that the time approacheth when God by fire will giue an end to the present state and condition of all outward things We will now looke no further for Vses of this point then to the words of the Apostle Let me say vnto you therefore suffer the words of exhortation that we be sober that we watch and that we watch vnto prayer in these last and miserable daies wherein we liue Vse 1 First seeing the end of all things is at hand let vs be sober For the pressing of this Be sober consider with me two points First wherein sobrietie standeth and secondly what motiues may stirre vs vp to the practise of it As to the first if you aske me wherein Sobriety standeth I answer Wherein sobrietie standeth As drunkennesse doth not onely stand in an immoderate and vnmeasurable drinking of wine or beere but also in a spirituall doating and surfetting vpon and with any of the outward things of this life according
to that of the Prophet Oh thou that art drunken but not with wine so sobrietie is not onely shewed in the moderating of the appetite in the vse of drinkes but in a repressing of our account and loue and libertie to all outward things as meats drinks and clothing houses and lands profits and pleasures of what kinde soeuer When wee looke vpon them and vse them as a sicke man who is dieted doth his victuals to cure the ineuitable miseries of this life that is moderately When we so behold them as our inward peace is not hindered by any of the worlds glories and that sweet contentment which we should haue in God is not abated nor our hearts so bewitched with any outward thing as to be wrought not to make that account of God and godlinesse which we should It is as it were a second nature to the things of this world which haue a cunning merchant about them that is the Deuill to set them forth to our greatest disaduantage to bewitch our soules and to gaine ground of vs daily but when we can possesse them as if we possessed them not and vse them as if we vsed them not and being assisted with power from on high preserue our inward peace and comfort in God and godlinesse in thâ— midst of the confluence of all outward thingâ— this is Sobriety Vse 2 Thus wee see wherein it standeth Now in the second place to stir vs vp to practise sobrietie consider 4. things Motiues to Sobriety First by this meanes wee shall learne to liue without these outward supplies If we should haue no meats nor drinks no houses nor lands no profits nor pleasures yet if we had beene formerly sober we should be the better able to liue such a life during Gods pleasure Behold when the end of all things is come all these outward supplies shall be taken from vs. Gods consuming fire shall consume our clothes that should couer our nakednesse our meats that should satisfie our hunger our drinks that should quench our thirst our houses and lands gold and gaine which filled vs with inward pride and outward contentment What shall wee doe in such a case How will the glutton fast who hath fatted the prison walls of his soule with varietie of delicates How will the drunkard endure thirst who hath made himselfe liue the life of a flie by his continuall sucking How will the proud man endure nakednesse before the throne of God who hath made a continuall sinne of the couer of his shame How will the couetous man endure pouertie who hath made his siluer his hope and red clay his confidence Surely it must needs be with great griefe and vexation of spirit Oh therefore to preuent this miserie let vs be sober Secondly by this meanes we shall shew our selues to be such as delight in God and therefore such as shall be rich when all outward things are perished from off the face of the earth Hee that surfets of the things of this world either in minde or in heart either in affection or in action doth either make the world his God or his belly his God or his backe his God and so goeth a whoring after other Gods But he that is sober reserues his heart for God will not clog himself with the chains fetters of this world no tho of gold that so he may haue his conuersatioÌ„ in heauen And how can such a man feare that God hath not reserued a place for him in heauen Therfore be sober Thirdly By this meanes we shew our selues not to delight in the world In truth we haue no cause to set our hearts vpon it For if wee respect worldly things themselues they are as well in the hands of those whom God hates aâ— whom he loues and what wise honest woman will set her heart vpon beauty when God giues it to a strumpet as well as to her If we doe respect our selues we are either fooles or children as naturall men wee are fooles and so the world is too apt to draw vs to behang and dresse our selues all our times with the weake and powerlesse flowers of profits pleasures and honours of this life as we are better men we are but children and so we are too too apt to catch the butterflies of this world and to quench the spirit with the bitter waters of worldly contentments If wee respect others they trust in their goods saith Dauid and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches yet a man can by no meanes redeeme his brother he cannot giue his ransome to God that he may liue still for euer Psal 49.6 7 9. and not see the graue If we respect our Christ hee is not come vnto by any thing in this life but by faith Non qâ—aeritur Christus argento sed fide and if we haue faith then as a penny purse with a most precious Iewell is better than the richest purse that is empty so the most despicable man who hath faith in his heart is more precious than he who hath all the trappings of the worlds wantons without it Seeing then that wee haue so little cause to loue the world oh that we would shew it And how can wee doe it better than when wee restraine our hearts from it by sobrietie Rowze wee vp our hearts therefore Suffer them not to rot with wallowing in the dung of this life All creatures haue their place in the great workmanship of God according to their worth and dignitie the Angels in heauen the Sunne Moone and Stars in the firmament the Elements as they are more pure superiour one to another the dearely beloued mettals gold and siluer in the intrals of the most grosse creature the Earth and doe we thinke that we are put into the earth to hunt and hunger after earthly things No No this is not our proper place we looke for a Citie whose Maker and Builder is God here is but the place of our banishment Heauen is our home Oh therefore let vs bee sober Fourthly by this meanes wee shall better attaine to watchfulnesse When a mans belly is full his bones would be at rest hee is vnfit to watch therefore Christ saith Take heed lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life Luke 21.34 lest that day come vpon you at vnawares So when a man is full fed of things of this life his soule is readie to sleepe and snort in securitie Whereas euen as a spare diet doth make vs lesse sleepie so sobrietie is a great meanes to watchfulnesse which is the next vse which is to be pressed as the Apostle saith Be sober and watch Vse 2 In the second place therefore seeing the end of all things is at hand And watch let vs be exhorted in the feare of God to watch Now because watchfulnesse doth referre it selfe vnto two heads of Diuinitie first to Faith and secondly to Loue or first to
all his sinnes to the comfort of his soule Fourthly he must know the graces which he wanteth and which God vsually bestoweth vpon his children as mercy peace loue humilitie meeknesse faith repentance and the like and that not onely in word but in their whole efficiencie and power for the disabling of all our sinnes For he that knowes them not and their vertue and that God giues them to that end cannot aske them as hee should Fiftly he must earnestly beg them and their increase and maintenance from him from whom commeth euery good gift The more beggar denying a mans selfe and laying open his sores the sooner made rich by God As it is the professed fashion of some great man as they will say rather to make two Gentlemen than to maintaine one so it is Gods fashion rather to aduance many poore humble and humbled beggars than to maintaine any one that hath any woâ—th in his owne sight Lastly he must highly prize the graces of God that so he may be truly thankfull to him for them Hee thanks coldly that doth not prize highly Thus we haue considered what it is to pray notwithstanding which wee must remember that when we haue said what we can it is better felt in the heart than expressed by the tongue 2 Motiues to watch vnto prayer Now for the motiues which may stirre vs vp to watch vnto prayer doe but consider these that follow First let vs consider what we haue taken in our watch We haue taken sinne There is no man who watcheth as he should but catcheth that theefe stealing away his heart from God and godlinesse and lurking in some part of him or other Euen as therefore when a man hath taken a theefe committing burglary and stealing away of his goods hee will carry him to the Iustice accuse him and desire Law against him So when a man hath taken sin in the watch he must cary it before the great Iudge of heauen and earth accuse it vnto him and humbly desire his mercie to vs his iustice to it to bring it to naught Secondly consider the great miserie which shall come vpon vs when the end of all things is come The powers of heauen shall be shaken the heauens shall passe away with a noise the elements shall melt with fire the trumpe of God shall sound so shrill that it shall raise the dead all outward comforts shall be taken from vs the affections of our nearest and dearest friends shall be altered in so much as if they see vs goe to hell they will be of Gods minde to laugh at our destruction and if they see vs goe to heauen all domesticall respects shall cease for there is no marying nor giuing in mariage To whom then shall we cleaue in the throng of these miseries but vnto God by prayer Lastly consider that God hath ordinarily intailed his helpe in miserie to prayer Psal 50. Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I will deliuer thee God knowes whereof we stand in need and he could helpe vs as well without vs or notice from vs if he would but hee that hath said Aske and yee shall haue will not be at our right hand to helpe vs except we powre out our soules in prayer But is it euery prayer that will doe vs good in the time of miserie No surely but that prayer which God in mercie doth answer As it will doe vs no good to put vp petitions except they be granted so neither will it doe vs good to pray except God heare and answer How wee may know whâ—ther God heareth our prayers If now then amid our prayers wee would be satisfied how wee may know whether God doth heare and answer our prayers I answer that we may conceiue something of Gods good will and pleasure in this kinde by three signes First whâ—n we feele that God giueth what we pray for Thus he answered Daniel Dan. 9.23 at the beginning of whose supplication the commandemant concerning deliuerance from Babel came forth and the Angell was sent to shew him that he was greatly beloued Thus sometimes also we find a sweet assurance of his loue in the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and those graces which we sue for Secondly when God giueth vs feruent desires to continue our prayers though we do not presently obtaine what we pray for A loue and desire to prayer is the gift of God and he doth not giue the meanes but hee will bring vnto the end Though therefore he doth not grant vs presently bâ—cause he would haue vs make more account of his gifts when we doe enioy them yet if he giue vs a heart to perseuere in our suits it is a signe that he who doth worke ordinarily by meanes will not continue the meanes without a purpose in his good time to giue a comfortable issue Lastly this is also a signe that God answereth our praiers when he giueth vs faith and patience to wait vpon him in the constant vse of the holy meanes of saluation God doth not alwaies heare to answer vs in what we aske yet he doth giue vs something proportionable As hee deale with Christ when he did offer vp prayers supplications with strong cryings and teares to him Hebr. 5.7 that was able to sâ—ue him from death namely he heard him in what he feared not by deliuerance but by abilitie to vndergoe it So hee dâ—aleth with vs not alwaies by granting what we aâ—ke but by giuing something proportionable to it to inable vs to wait and to stay his leasure By these and the like signes may wee know when and whether God doth heare vs. Let vs therefore consider them well that we doe not watch vnto idle and vnprofitable prayer but such as may comfort vs in these times wherein the end of all things is at hand Thus haue you heard the Apostles doctrine and the exhortations which he hath inferred vpon it A more profitable theame I am sure wee could not haue had in these last ages Now are the times wherein the lusts of the flesh abound For whereas the soule of man is distinguished into these three powers and faculties to wit the Reasonable Angrie Rationalis Irascibilis Concupiscibilis and Lustfull faculties The first may seeme to haue borne sway in the first age of the world when the inuention and finding out of Arts and Sciences flourished The second in the second age of the world from Ninus to Iulius as Melancthon hath it then were the braue Warriours as Dauid and other Worthies The third is all in all in this last age of the world wherein backe and belly doe steale away all our care and obseruance If euer than much more now doth the soule liue in her senses Now we are so farre from sobrietie that Couetousnesse and Epicurisme doe lord it Now wee are so farre from watchfulnesse that Securitie hath taken hold of the best Now we are so farre from praying that God is not
proper to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hee will neither haue to be giuen to others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 2 in which respect he doth forbid the worship of â—â—â—els nor to be inuented or prescribed by others in which respect he will haue vs cast away all shew of wisdome in will-worship or voluntary religion Now touching this religion the Apostle doth first call it pure thereby secretly implying that there is an impure religion as well as that which is pure there being a Church of the malignant as well as a company of beleeuers and faithfull ones but as for true religion it is Pure without the drosse of superstition and mixture of humane inuention it must be as it were purged by fire as haply the English word Pure doth signifie if it bee lawfull for vs to guesse that it is with a little alteration borrowed from that Greeke word which signifieth fire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which well also answereth to the Greeke here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purgo which commeth of a word that doth signifie to purge Againe hee saith that this religion is vndefiled before God because it is a speciall propertie of true religion to approue it selfe to God False religions are all for shew and for outward pompe as harloâ—s are for garish and immodest attire to allure louers Psal 45. but the Kings daughter is all glorious within and standeth more vpon the vprightnesse of her heart to God than the ornaments of her body in the sight of men and Angels Duo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vâ—rae reliâ—ionâ—s unam juvans proximum alterum sâ—rvâ—â—â—is seiâ—sum But doth true religion altogether make vs to approue our selues to God Principally it doth yet withall it worketh a helping of our neighbour and a sauing of our selues from the tainture of a wicked generation In respect of others it doth visit the fatherlesse and widowes signifying thereby thus much that it putteth vs into the honourable imployment of works of mercy to them that are in misery For though he nameth onely these two obiects of mercy both because no works of mercy are more eagerly or more often pressed than the defence of orphanes and widowes as also because such persons are tâ—â—y times most miserable and most neglected yet I am not without the iudgement of the learned if I comprehend all workes of mercy vnder it Againe in respect of our selues it preserueth or keepeth vs safe from the defilements or the blots and spots of the world Signifying thereby that religion will keepe vs from the wilfull breaches of the law which do make vs like spotted Leopards scandalous in the eyes of others couered with garments spotted of the flesh Ob. Yea but all this while you will say the Apostle hath not described the very life of true religion which stands in beleeuing and knowing by a comfortable experience that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Sol. It is true that the Apostle describes it not by the intrinsicall forme and essence of it but by the outward badges and markes whereby it is discouered Hee knew well enough that euery one that professeth religion will be apt to boast of these things concerning which because they are in the heart euery hypocrite may goe away with his owne brag without controll therefore as it was with the Psalmist when he asked who was a true member of the Church vpon earth and who should goe to heauen Psal 15.1 2 c. hee giueth almost all outward notes drawne from the second table which fall into other mens apprehensions euen so it is with our blessed Apostle he giueth visible and palpable notes of religion which doe occurre to the senses of ordinary men and are the recognizances of pure religion Thus I hauing opened and in some measure cleared the words wee come vnto the doctrine contained in the same the whole whereof so farre as I shall touch I shall striue to referre to these foure grounds First That euery one of vs must haue a religion Secondly Wee must be of that religion which doth most approue it selfe vnto God Thirdly â—his religion is a mercifull religion Fourthly This religion will keepe vs from professed and purposed tainture We must haue a religion As to the first point We may be sure of this that God would not learne vs to know religion if he did not withall require that wee should be of it In that therefore he marketh it out he doth imply that we must haue it to professe and cleaue vnto both in life and death and to try the truth of it by these notes which God offereth To presse then the hauing of a religion vnto vs doe but consider three grounds First Religion is that which assureth our hearts that we haue right in God and Christ and so are the temples of the holy Ghost Christs members and Gods children who may expect maintenance from him Who haue right in a King but they who are knit vnto him by subiection and loyaltie So none but they who are knit vnto God by religion can say that they haue either right in God or in the things of God He that is without God and without Christ as if hee should say without religion is an aliant from the common-wealth of Israel Ephes 2.12 and a stranger from the couenants of promise and hath no hope Secondly Religion is that which is the mother of all diuine vertue whereby we are made like vnto God Religion saith Iames here will make vs doe good to others and preserue our selues Prou. 1.7 The feare of God that is religion is the beginning of wisdome The religious Proselites followed Paul and Barnabas for heauenly instructions Act. 13.43 The religion of Daniel made him to determine in his heart that hee would not defile himselfe with the Kings meat Dan. 1.8 The religion of Shadrach Dan. 3. Mesach and Abednego made them to refuse to bowe to that accursed Idol And the religion of Ioseph preserued him from vnchastitie and made him swallow downe as it were without sense the vnkindnesses of his brethren Gen. 50.19 Feare not saith he to his timorous brethren am I in Gods stead to take vengeance out of his hand or am not I vnder God Both which speeches doe manifest his religion and that it was that which brought forth this his vertuous carriage Thirdly Where there is no religion there can bee nothing but licentiousnesse and disorder all the wickednesse of men who goe shrowded vnder the religious title of Christians is practised by them for want of religion So professed Atheists if it were possible that they should be such at all times doe commit all their outrages for want of religion and for want of religion is it also that they who professe they know God but by workes deny him Tit. 1.16 are abhominable