particular Christian and it is very necessary it should be so for without growth neither can we give God his due Honour nor he receive the smell of a sweet Sacrifice from us as is fit Nor can we without it with-stand our enemies or beare our crosses that God may call us too Againe without growth and strength we cannot performe those great duties that God requires at our hands of Thankfulnesse nor doe things so cheerefully and sweetly as may be comfortable to us In summe without growth wee can doe nothing acceptably either to God or his people the more Grace the more acceptance Which is spoken that wee may value the Promises this especially that we shall grow up in Grace and Knowledge as the Lillie and cast forth our rootes as Lebanon But how shall wee come to grow Answ Goe to God that we may continually have from him the sanctifying dew of his grace goe first for pardon of sinne 1. We must goe to God claiming the promises in a right order then for a heart to reforme our wayes to enter in a new covenant for the time to come that wee will not trust in Ashur but will renounce our particular personall sinnes after which we shall find sanctifying grace so as the dew of Gods Spirit will make us grow therefore take this order to improove the promises Goe to God for his love in Christ for the pardoning of sinne and accepting of us in him that we may find a sence of his love in accepting of our persons in the pardoning of our sinne which is the ground of love for then this sence of his love will kindle our love towards him againe feeling that we are in the state of grace Then goe to God for his promise in this order Lord thou hast promised that thou wilt be as the dew and that we shall grow as Lillies make good thy promise then that I may finde the effectuall power of it transforming my soule into the blessed Image of thy deare Sonne And know 2. We must use all meanes of growth that we must use all the meanes of growth together with the promise for in the things of this life if a man were assured that the next yeare would be a very plentifull yeare would men therefore because they were thus forewarned hang up their plowes and not prepare their ground no but they would the rather be encouraged to take paines because they know that howsoever God be pleased to vouchsafe plenty yet he will doe it in the use of meanes observing and depending on his Providence So when he hath made gratious promises of the Dew of his Grace and of growth as Lillies c. This implyeth a subordinate serving of his gratious Providence therefore it is a way to stirre us up unto the use of all meanes rather and not to take us off from them Gen. 17.8 Even as God when hee told the Israelites I will give you the Land ef Canaan did onely promise it leaving the remainder to their conquest in the use of meanes Should this have made them cast away their swords No but it was that they might fight and fight the more couragiously So when God hath promised growth in Grace should this make us carelesse O no it should make us more diligent and carefull and comforts us in the use of meanes knowing that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.58 Now Lord I know I shall not loose my labour in hearing in receiving of the Sacrament in the communion of Saints and use of sanctified Meanes for thou hast made a gratious promise that I shall grew as the Lillie and that thou wilt be as the Dew unto me therefore make thy good worke begun effectuall unto my poore soule that it may flourish and bee refreshed as a watred garden But there are severall sorts of growth formerly touched either 1. A growing upward or 2. A growing in the roote or 3. A Spreading and growing in the Fruit and Sweetnesse Therefore Christians must not alwayes looke to have their growth in one and the same place but must wisely consider of Gods prudent dealing with his children in this kinde as will bee further seene hereafter in the particulars Hee shall cast forth his rootes as Lebanon That is He shall cast and spread and so put forth his rootes as Lebanon he shall grow upward and downeward in regard of firmenesse he shall be more rooted Jn what proportion Trees grow upwards in that proportion they take roote downewards because otherwise they may be top heavy and overturne a blast of winde taking advantage of their talnesse and weakenesse to roote them out the sooner therefore proportionable to their spreading above there must be a rooting in the ground As the prophet speakes to Hezekiah of Gods people 2 King 19.30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Iudah shall yet againe take roote downeward and beare fruit upward There must be firmenesse in the roote as well as growth in the branches for which cause God here promiseth to the Church and every Christian stability and fixednesse that as he groweth upward like the Lillie so he should grow downward firme and strong Quest Now whence comes this rootednesse and firme stabilitie of Gods Children Answ The cause of the Saints stability Ioh 1.16 Especially from this that they are now in the Covenant of grace rooted in Christ who is God-man in whom they are firmely rooted In Adam we had a roote of our owne but now our roote is in Christ All grace is first powred into Christs blessed Nature and then at a second hand Out of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Being rooted in Christ we become firme for there is in him an everlasting marriage and union Rom. 11.18 The Roote beareth us wee beare not the Roote Christ beareth us wee beare not him So now in the covenant of grace all the firmenesse is out of us Even as salvation it selfe was wrought out of us by a Mediatour so it is kept by a Mediatour out of us all goodnesse grace and favour of God to us is not in us but in Christ but it is so out of us as Christ and we are one But now we onely speake of the cause of our firmenesse and stability that because we are in the state of grace we have an everlasting firmenesse as we are in Christ Jesus God now making a second covenant he will not have it disanulled as the first was Lev. 18.5 for his second workes are better then his first His first Covenant was Doe this and live but his second is Rom. 10.9 Beleeve this and live So as howsoever our state in grace be but little yet it is of a blessed growing spreading firme nature so sure as what is begun in grace will end in glory where God gives the first fruits he will give tenths yea the full harvest and all Because by
good 1. To know Gods free grace First labour to know God and his free Grace in Jesus Christ 2 Pet 3.18 Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ they goe both together the more we grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Grace of God in him the more grace and rootednesse wee shall have For that which the soule doth cleerely apprehend it fastens upon in that measure it apprehendeth it Cleerenesse in the understanding breeds earnestnesse in the affections and fastnesse too So the more wee grow in knowledg the more we roote our selves in that we know And therefore the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that they might have the Spirit of Revelation c. That they might know the height breadth depth and length of Gods love that passeth knowledge Ephes 3.14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ of whom the whole family of Heaven and Earth is named that he would grant you according to the riches of his Glory to bee strengthened by his Spirit in the inner-man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love in the sense of Gods love to us and so of our love to him againe for we are not rooted in love to God till we be rooted in the sense of Gods love to us that you may bee able to comprehend with all Saints the height and breadth c. 1. Labour to know the Promises And withall labour to know the gratious Promises of Christ for we are knit to him by vertue of his word and Promises which like himselfe are Yea and Amen JEHOVAH yesterday to day the same for ever 2 Cor. 1.20 So al his Promises made in him they are Yea and Amen in themselves firme and firme to us in him They are Yea and Amen that is they are made and performed in Christ in whom they are sure to be performed and thereupon they are firme too God made them who is JEHOVAH and they are made in Christ that is JEHOVAH So God the Father JEHOVAH he promiseth and he makes them good in Christ JEHOVAH who is unchangeable But this is not enough 3. Our hearts must be stablished on that which is firme wee must labour to have our hearts stablished that they may rely firmely on that which is firme For if a thing be never so firme except we rely firmely on it there is no stability or strength from it Now when there is strength in the thing and strength in the soule that strength is impregnable and unconquerable strength In Christ they are Yea and Amen in whom he stablisheth us annoints us seales us and gives us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts How doth God stablish us upon the Promises How God doth stablish us The rest which followeth is an explication of this when he gives us the earnest of the Spirit and seales us to be his in token he meanes to make good the bargaine then we are established But we are never firmely established till we get the assurance of salvation Then as the Promises are Yea and Amen in themselves so we are stablished upon them when we are sealed and have the earnest of the Spirit Let us labour therefore to grow in the knowledge of Gods love in Christ to know the height breadth depth and length of it and to grow in all the gratious Promises which are made in Christ who is Amen himselfe as his Promises are and then when we are sealed and annointed by the Spirit we shall be so stablished that nothing shall moove us Therefore let us use all meanes for the establishing of growth in us the Word and Sacraments especially For as Baptisme admits us into the house of God so by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the blessed food of the soule wee are strengthened In the use of these meanes let us make suite unto God to make good his gratious Promise unto us that wee shall grow as Lillies and take roote as the Cedars in Lebanon Let us know that we ought every day to labour to be more and more rooted do we know what times may befall us We have need to grow every day to grow upward and in breadth and in depth If wee considered what times we may live to it should force us to grow every way especially in humility that roote and mother or graces to grow downeward in that to grow in knowledge and faith untill wee be filled with the fullnesse of God Object A poore Christian ofttimes makes this Objection O I doe not grow therefore I feare my state I am oft shaken therefore this Promise is not fulfilled to me Answ To this I answer Christians may be deceived for they doe grow ofttimes in firmenesse strength and stability though they doe not spread out they may grow in refinednesse that that which comes from them may bee more pure and lesse mixed with naturall corruption Pride Selfe-love and the like This is a temptation that old men are subject too especially in whom the heate of nature decayes who thinke withall that grace decayes But it is not so for ofttimes when grace is carried with the heate of nature it makes a greater shew being helpt by nature The demonstration but not the truth of grace is thus helpt Therfore this clause of the Promise is made good in old Christians they are every day more and more rooted firme stable and judicious and more able in those graces which belong to their place and condition Therefore they should not be discouraged though they be not carried with the streame and tide of nature help'd with that vigour that sometime was in them They grow in judiciousnesse mortifiednesse in heavenly-mindednesse and in ability to give good counsell to others This is well for we grow not in grace one way but divers waies not onely when wee grow in outward demonstration and in many fruits and actions but when wee grow in refinednesse and judiciousnesse as was said then wee are said to grow likewise Yet notwithstanding it should be the indeavour of all to grow what they can in grace when if they grow not so fast as others let them know that there are severall ages in Christ A young Christian cannot be so planted and so deepely rooted as another that is of a greater standing This should not discourage any seeing there are babes in Christ as well as strong men Therefore where there is truth of heart with indeavour to grow better and better and to use all meanes let no man be discouraged Remember alway this for a truth that we may grow and we ought to grow and the children of God ordinarily have growne more and more both in fruitfullnesse and stedfastnesse every way but not with a like growth in measure or time Therefore labour to make use of these Promises and not to favour our selves in an ungrowing
savoury and fruitfull all agrees to a tree of righteousnesse Wee say of man he is a little world a compendium of this great world as indeed there is a comprising of all the excellencies of the world in man for he hath a being with those creatures who have onely that and therewith he hath growing sense and reason whereby he hath communion with God and those understanding Spirits the Angels so that he is as it were a summe of all the excellencies of the creatures a little world indeed The great world hath nothing but the little world hath the same in some proportion So it is in Grace a Christian hath all excellencies in him that are in the world there is not an excellency in any thing but it is in an higher kinde in a Christian He hath the beauty of the Lillie and he growes up in spreading smell and fruitfulnesse his wisdome exceeds that of all the creatures there is not an excellencie in nature but wee have some proportionable excellencie in grace which is above it God useth these outward things to helpe us that we should doe both body and soule good by the creatures Whatsoever doth our bodies good either by necessity or delight they helpe our soules as plants and trees not onely refresh the outward man and the senses but also they teach our soules as heere the Holy Ghost teacheth them by outward things First it is faid His Branches shall spread When God enriches the soule with saving grace one shall grow every way and flourish aboundantly extending forth their goodnesse one every side largely to the knowledge and open view of others and then further His Beauty shall be as the Olive tree What is the beauty of the Olive tree to be usefull fruitfull and to bring forth good fruit Indeed the glory of a tree is to be loaden with fruit and usefull fruit which is the best property of fruit to be usefull and delightfull So the glory of a Christian who is a plant of righteousnesse of Gods own planting is to abound in fruits of Righteousnesse Indeed the Olive is a very fruitfull tree and the oyle which comes and distils from it hath many excellent properties agreeing to graces Amongst the rest it is a Royall kinde of liquor How the fruitfulnesse of the Olive is compared to divers graces that will bee above the rest so Grace it commands all other things it gives a sanctified use of the creature and subdues all corruption And then it is unmixed it will mingle with nothing light and darkenesse will not mingle no more will grace and corruption for the one is hostile to the other as Salomon speakes The Iust is abhomination to the wicked Pro. 29.27 Further It is sweet strengthning and feeding the life as in Zacharie there is mention made of two Olives before the Lord Zach. 4 3. which feede the two candlesticks And Olives of Grace have alwayes fatnesse distilling from Christ to feed his lamp with oyle Gods Church hath alwayes oyle and those that are Olives they keepe the Church by their particular calling 1. He shall be fruitfull as the Olive and 2. Aboundant in fruit as the Olive 3. Constant in fruit like the Olive For it beares fruit much and never failes no not in winter and hath a perpetuall greennesse Indeed the child of God hath a perpetuall verdor as it is Psal 1 his leafe never failes Psal 1.3 Because that which is the cause of flourishing never failes him Which causes are two 1. Moysture 2. Heate For we know Moysture and Heate Causes of the perpetuall flourishing of the Saints these two are the causes of all kindly growth If a tree have more moysture then heate then it is waterish if it have more heate then moysture then there is no bignesse in the fruit So true it is that moisture and heate are the causes of fruitfullnesse in a good proportion So Gods children having the Sonne of Righteousnesse alwayes shining upon them and being alwayes under the Dew of grace the promise being to be as the Dew to Israel having all Dew to fall upon them for moysture and having the Sonne of Righteousnesse to shine upon them to make them fruitfull their leafe never failes they never give over bringing forth fruit because they have in them causes perpetuating fruitfulnesse though not alike Because Christ by his Spirit is a voluntary and not a naturall cause of their fruitfulnesse That is he is such a cause as workes sometimes more and sometimes lesse to shew that grace springs not from our selves and to acquaint us with our own weakenes and insufficiency Heaven is the perfection of all both Graces and Comforts 1 Pet 1.4 Wherfore Peter calls the state of Heaven an inheritance immortall and undefiled that fades not away Why is that an estate of grace and comfort more then this of this world Because it is a never fading estate there they are alway in one tenure and because Christ shewes himselfe alway there there is aboundance of water to moysten them and heate to cherish them There is no intermingling or stopping in growth as is here therefore it is an inheritance that fadeth not away having the supply of a perpetuall cause of flourishing This in some degree is true of the Church on earth it is the inheritance of God that fades not and Christians therein are Olives that bring foorth fruit constantly having a perpetuall freshnesse and greennesse Psal â—2 12 So the Righteous man is compared to the Cedars of Lebanon which bring forth much fruit in their age he shall be fruitfull as the Olive from all which this point formerly touched followeth Observ That it is the Excellencie and Glory of a Christian to be fruitfull in his place Both to be fruitfull in his place as a Christian and in his particular calling To be fruitfull as a Magistrate as a Minister as a governour of a family as a neighbour as a friend to be fruitfull in all Because in Religion every neere relation is as it were a joyning together of the body of Christ one to another by which some good is derived from one to another God uses these relations as conduits to convey graces A good Christian the meanest of them is a good neighbour and doth a great deale of good being fruitfull as a neighbour fruitfull as a friend much more as a husband as a Magistrate as a Minister These relations are a knitting to Christ by which fatnesse and sap is derived from the head for the good of the whole bodie Therefore a Christian in all relations is fruitfull When he comes to be a Christian Hest 4.14 he considers like good Mordecai what good he may doe as he told Hester what if thou be called to the kingdome for this purpose So a Christian will reason with himself what if I be called to be a Magistrate or a Minister for this purpose what if I be called to be a
his shadow shall returne Now those that shall thus returne they revive in returning for they turne to the fountaine of life to the Sonne of Righteousnesse they come under Gods grace therefore they must needs returne and revive in vigor as they returne to God which vigor is especially meant here when he saith Those that dwell under his shadow shall returne They shall revive as the corne Now how doth the corne revive nor to speake of that comparison that the godly are corne and not chaffe as the wicked are who are driven too and fro without any solidity which though true is not here especially aimed at For it is supposed that they who are good and gratious have a substance soliditie usefulnesse and goodnesse in them like the corne Psal 1. not being emptie chaffe which the wind blowes away This is usefull to mention but to come to the scope intended by the Prophet They shall revive as the corne In this first that as the corne when unsowne it lies dead in the granarie fructifieth not but when it is sown springs up to an hundred fold as we reade of in Isaacks time who received so much increase Gen. 26.12 So it is with converted Christians before they were under any gratious meanes or in a good place they lay as it were dead and did not spring forth But afterwards being planted and sowen under gratious meanes in good company in a good family then they increase and grow up and multiplie They revive like the Corne. And then againe as it is with the Corne though it seeme to die and doth indeed die in some sort covered with winter stormes ere it spring out from the oppressions of frost and snow and hard weather as if it were altogether perished yet notwithstanding it is all the while a preparing for springing up againe more gloriously So it is with the Church which seemes to die often in regard of spirituall mortification by afflictions whereby it is dead to the world yet all this while there is a blessed life in the spirit preparing the soule under the hard pressures of all weathers to a glorious springing up againe Therefore the Church hath no hurt by afflictions no more then the corne hath by the winter which is as necessary for it as the spring-time or summer For else how should the earth be ripened and prepared how should the wormes and weeds bee killed if it were not for hard weather So it is with a Christian those afflictions that he suffers and under which he seemes to be buried they are as usefull to him as all his comforts Nay a Chistian is more beholding to afflictions for his graces and comforts then he is to outward blessings One would thinke that the goldsmith were a spoyling his plate when he is a burning of it when all that while the drosse is but a consuming out of it and the vessell so hammered and beaten out is but a preparing to be a vessell of honour to stand before some great man So it is with a Christian an ignorant person looking but one way thinks God neglects such a one and that if God cared for such a one or such a one would or could such and such things befall them they conclude hence as the Psalmist saith God hath forsaken him and forgotten him Psa 71 11. And as Christ the head of the Church was thought to be forgotten and neglected even when he was most deare and pretious unto God so even they all this while the Spirit of God is working an excellent worke in them preparing and fitting them for grace and glory Therefore in that respect also They shall revive as the Corne. Thirdly They shall revive as the corne in regard of fructification It is true both of the Church and of particular graces We see one graine of corne when it is almost perished and turn'd to froth nothing in a manner presently out of it springs a stalke and thence an eare and in that many eares God giving it a body sixtie or a hundred fold as he pleaseth So it is with a Christian when he is planted he will leaven others and those others and others A few Apostles leavened the whole world scattering the Gospell like lightning all over the same So it is true of grace in Gods Children it is like a graine of mustard-seed at the first yet it growes up and fructifies Mat. 13.31 from knowledge to knowledge faith to faith and grace to grace from vertue to vertue from strength to strength from one degree to another nothing lesse at first and nothing more great or glorious in this world in progresse of time nothing so admired of God and pleasing unto man as this which makes one all glorious and without spot O! what can be said more to incourage us to come under gratious meanes to love God and his Ordinances good company and the communion of Saints considering they are such happy people Those that are under their shadow shall returne revive and bee vigorous They shall revive as the corne which doth when it seemeth to bee dead notwithstanding all weathers grow up and multiply And whereas it seem'd dead before and lay hid being sowen it growes So being planted in the Church we shall grow for there is a hidden vertue in the least grace in the least of Gods Ordinances more then we are aware off saith Christ Where two or three are gathered together in my name Mat. 18.20 there am I in the middest of them Much more is this made good in great Congregations and families But this is not all he saith They shall grow as the Vine Howsoever the Church which is the mother Church growes before in the former words the new Church that comes under her shadow shall grow in the same manner They shall grow as the Lillie their Branches shall spread and more it is said heere They shall grow as the Vine It is a comparison delightfull to the Holy Ghost to compare Christ to a Uine the Church to a Uineyard and Christians unto vines but such as draw all their moysture and fatnesse in them from Christ the true Uine their sweetnesse being a derivated sweetnesse They shall grow as the Vine The Uine we know is a fruitfull plant The Vine is fruitfull so Christians Iud. 9.9 13. as we reade in the Judges The Olive and the Vine would not forsake their sweetnesse to be a king for it is said by them that they revive God and man being pleasing to them So every true Christian is like a vine for fruitfullnesse he is a tree of Righteousnesse a plant of Gods owne planting a vine that spends himselfe in bearing fruit Againe as it is fruitfull so it is exceeding fruitfull abounding in fruit so Christians are vines not onely for a little fruit that they beare but because they are aboundantly fruitfull which is premised that if they doe as they should do they shall be vines aboundant in the
page 396 c. God how to be conceived of in our worshipping of him page 344 345. God not to bee transformed like our selves in our affections page 345 346. To set up any thing in our soules above God is Idolatry page 347. God is the onely true defence and shelter page 386 c. Christians happinesse arising from hence page 387. God not being wicked mens shelter makes their estate most wofull page 387. Who have not God for a shelter are most miserable page 392 393. Grace Grace compared to dew in sundry respects page 207 c. Grace of God free p. 207 208 Grace of God comes insensibly and invisibly page 208 209. Grace works mildly upon the soule page 210. Grace cheeres and comforts the soule page 211. Grace makes barren soules fruitfull page 212. Grace of God unresistible page 212. Barrennesse in Grace ought not to discourage us page 213. Grace the meanes to increase it page 113. Grace wrought in the soule is an evidence of the pardon of sin in that soule page 215. All Grace from God page 216 217. Grace how to be attained pag 218. Grace compared to Olives in divers respects page 250 c. How to be rooted in Grace page 237 c. Grace why some have more then others page 408. In praying for Grace we must waite Gods leisure page 408. Grace is of a fructifying nature page 281. Gratious fruit comes from God and us too page 404. Growth Growth of Christians like Lillies page 219. Sudden Growth of Gods children page 220 221. Growth in Grace the necessity of it page 214. Growth in Grace the meanes to attaine to it page 225 c. Growth in Grace to be indeavoured after page 242 c. Christians many times deceived about their Growth in Grace page 240 c. Growth in Grace the chiefest blessing page 243. Growing Christians their excellency page 300. Governours Governours of Families ought to endeavour to bee good for their sakes that are under them page 272. Gratious Governours will communicate Grace to their Family p. 273. Gospell Gospell first and second spring of it speedy page 22â— H Hatred Hatred of sin how to discerne it page 311 312 c. True Hatred of sin is universall page 311 312. True Hatred of sin is implacable page 312 313. Hatred of sin ever followes true Conversion page 319. Hatred of sin how to be attained page 321. 368. Hatred of sin how knowne page 371. Heart Heart chiefly required of God page 311. Broken Heart a sacrifice p. 45. Humility Humility a certaine way to shun Gods anger page 197. I Idolatry Idolatry men prone to it by nature page 92. 356. Idolatry what it is page 93. Idolatry frames base conceits of God page 334. Idolatry how it is committed page 335. Idolatry the occasions of it to be avoided page 343 344. Close Idolatries of many Christians page 344 c. Idolatry Gods puishments on people for it page 357. Idolatry meanes to avoid it page 354 c. Idolaters hatefull to God p. 354 Idolaters Gods punishments on them page 357. Idolatry how sleighted by many page 360. Nothing lost by renouncing Idolatry page 373 374. Idols Idols why to be hated page 333 c. Idols abhominable to God page 333. Idols opposite to God p. 334. Infirmities Infirmities why God suffers them in his children p. 161 c. Infirmities of Gods children made their gaine page 162. Our Infirmities ought not too much to deject us page 163. Impenitent Impenitent sinners not to bee envied page 138. Infidelity Infidelity the cause of all woe page 446. Iust. Iust men who they be p. 450. Iust men have respect to all Gods Commandements p 450 451. Iust men doâ— all things to a good end page 451 452. Iust men desire to grow in grace page 452. Iust men love the Brethren page 452. Iust men have onely cause to rejoyce page 453. K Knowledge Knowledge of God and Christ is a meanes to make people leave Idolatry page 354 355. L Life Life of man subject to many annoyances both outward and inward page 391 392. Men must bee endewed with spirituall Life before they can walke in Gods waies page 461. Love Love of God an evidence of the pardon of our sins p. 30 31. Love of God to his people free page 172 173. Love of God to us eternall page 177. Love of God to us not to bee measured by our feeling of it page 179. Love of God the cause of all mercies to us page 179 c. Gods Love is a fruitfull Love page 205. M Mercy Mercy Gods scope in the new Covenant page 149. Gods Mercies are compleate to his children page 33. Mercy sweetneth all Gods Attributes page 106. Mercy agreeable to Gods nature page 191. God chiefely Mercifull to those who most stand in need of his Mercy page 108. Mercifullnesse Mercifullnesse to others is an evidence of the pardon of our sinnes page 31. Mercifullnesse a character of Gods child page 116. Meanes Meanes of salvation not profited by bring destruction p. 255. In the use of all Meanes to looke up unto God page 409. Masses Masses that we ought not to be present at them page 340. Man Man not to be a prescriber of his owne way page 444. O Occasions Occasions of sin to be avoided page 316. P Papists Papists grosse Idolaters page 94 335 c. Their shifts for worshipping Images answered page 95. Papists how they Idolize Saints page 336. Papists make an Idoll of the Pope page 337. Papists worse Idolaters then the Heathen page 339. Papists why they are so impudent in their Idolatry p. 340. Papists why so hardly converted page 356. Papists not to be conversed with page 342. Popish Writers to beware of them page 343. No reconciliation betweene Papists and Protestants page 341. Pardon Pardon of sinne the chiefest mercy which makes way for all other page 153. God Pardon 's all sinnes page 129 130 145. Pardon of sinne why not apprehended page 153. Pardon of sinne how knowne page 156 c. Pardon of sinne how knowne when we are still subject to sin page 160. Pardon of sinne not attained without Humiliation and Reformation page 166 167. Peace Peace of conscience is an evidence of the pardon of our sins page 30 157. Peace of conscience in a carnall man whence it comes page 159. Perseverance Perseverance the ground of it page 181. Persons To have Persons of men in admiration is Idolatry page 347. Performances Outward Performances trusted too is Idolatry page 351. People God hath his People in the worst times page 456 c. Prayer Prayer is a speciall helpe against all sin and sorrow p. 17. Prayer sets God on work p. 18 Prayer answered where a Spirit of Prayer is given p. 126 127. Our Prayers are heard when we renounce sin page 375 376. Praise Praise an acceptable Sacrifice to God page 48 49. Helps to enable â—to Praise God page 50. Praising oâ—â—od must be from a broken heâ— page 51.
Quest Why lips are mentioned for praise onely Answ But why doth the Prophet especially mention lips The Calves of our lips which are our words 1. Partly because Christ who is the Word delights in our words 2. Because our Tongue is our glory and that whereby we glorifie God 3. And especially because our Tongue is that which excites others Being a trumpet of praise ordained of God for this purpose Therefore The Calves of our lips Partly because it stirres up our selves and others and partly because God delights in words especially of his owne dictating To come then to speake more fully of Praise and Thankesgiving let us consider what a sweet excellent and prevailing duty this is which the Church to bind God promiseth unto him The Calves of our lips I will not bee long in the point Helpes to praise God but onely come to some helpes how we may come to doe it First this Praising of God must be from an humble broken heart 1. It must bee from an humble broken heart the humble soule that sees it selfe not worthy of any favour and confesseth sinne before God is alway a thankfull soule Take away our iniquity and then doe good to us we are empty our selves Then will we render thee the Calves of our lips What made David so thankefull a man He was an humble man and so Iaakob what abased him so in his owne eyes his humility Gen. 32.10 Lord I am lesse then the least of thy mercies He that thinkes himselfe unworthie of any thing will be thankfull for everything and he who thinkes himselfe unworthy of any blessing will be contented with the least Therefore let us worke our hearts to humility in consideration of our sinnefullnesse vilenesse and unworthinesse which will make us thankfull especially of the best blessings when we consider their greatnesse and our unworthinesse of them A proud man can never be thankfull Therfore that Religion which teacheth pride cannot bee a thankfull Religion Popery is compounded of spirituall pride Merit of Congruity before Conversion Merit of Condignity and desert of heaven after Free-will and the like to puffe up nature what a Religion is this must we light a candle before the divell is not nature proud enough but we must light a candle to it 2. A due consideration of the greatnesse of the blessings to be spiritually proud is worst of all And with our owne unworthinesse add this a consideration of the greatnesse of the thing we blesse God for setting as high a price upon it as wee can by considering what and how miserable we were without it He will blesse God joyfully for pardon of sin who sees how miserable he were without it in misery next to divels ready to drop into hell every moment and the more excellent we are so much the more accursed without the forgivenesse of sinnes For the soule by reason of the largenesse thereof is so much the more capable and comprehensible of misery as the divels are more capable then wee therefore are most accursed O this will make us blesse God for the pardon of sinne and likewise let us set a price upon all Gods blessings considering what we were without our senses speech meate drinke rest c. O beloved we forget to praise God sufficiently for our senses This little sparke of Reason in us is an excellent thing grace is founded upon it if we were without Reason what were we If we wanted sight hearing speech rest and other daily blessings how uncomfortable were our lives This consideration will add and set a price to their worth and make us thankfull to consider our misery without them But such is our corruption that favours are more knowne by the want then by the enjoying of them when too late we many times finde how dark and uncomfortable we are without them then smarting the more soundly because in time we did not sufficiently prize and were thankfull for them And then labour to get further and further assurance that wee are Gods children beloved of him 3. To get assurance that we are in Gods love this will make us thankefull both for what we have and hope for It lets out the life blood of Thankefullnesse to teach doubting or falling from grace What is the end I beseech you why the glory to come is revealed before the time that we shall be sonnes and daughters Kings and Queenes heires and co-heires with Christ and all that he hath is ours Is not this knowledge revealed before hand that our praise and thankesgiving should before hand be sutable to this Revelation being set with Christ in heavenly places already Whence comes those strong phrases we are raised with Christ Eph 2.6 sit with him in heavenly Places Col. 1.13 are translated from death to life Tronsformed into his image 2 Pet. 1.4 Partakers of the divine nature c. If any thing that can come betwixt our beleeving and our fitting there could disappoint us thereof or unsettle us it may as well put Christ out of Heaven for we sit with him That Popish Doctrine of doubting kills Thankfullnesse to God If we yeeld to the uncomfortable Popish Doctrine of doubting we cannot be heartily thankfull for blessings for still there will rise in the soule surmises I know not whether God favour me or not it may bee I am onely fatted for the day of slaughter God gives mee outward things to damne me and make me the more inexcusable what a cooler of praise is this to be ever doubting and to have no assurance of Gods favour But when upon good evidence which cannot deceive wee have somewhat wrought in us distinct from the greater number of worldlings Gods stampe set upon us having evidences of the state of grace by conformity to Christ and walking humbly by the Rule of the Word in all Gods waies Then we may heartily be thankfull yea and we shall breake forth in Thankesgiving this being an estate of Peace and joy unspeakeable and glorious wherein we take every thing as an evidence of Gods love That assurance of being in the state of grace is the nurse of Thankesgiving Thus the assurance of our being in the state of grace makes us thankfull for every thing so by the contrary being not in some measure assured of Gods love in Christ wee cannot bee Thankfull for everything For it will alwaies come in our minde I know not how I have these things and what account I shall give for them Therefore even for the honour of God and that we may praise him the more cheerefully let us labour to have further and further evidences of the state of grace to make us thankfull both for things present and to come seeing faith takes to trust things to come as if it had them in possession Whereby we are assured of this that wee shall come to heaven as sure as if we were there already This makes us praise God before hand for
againe deformitie for it takes away the beauty and vigour of the soule and dejects the countenance it debaseth a man and takes away his excellencie Gen 49.4 as Iacob saith of Reuben Vnstable as water thou shalt not excell because thou wentest up to thy fathers bed Saith God to Cain Gen. 4.6 why art thou wrath and why is thy countenance fallen and the Prophet David hee confesseth Psal 32.3 4. when I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long So againe There is no soundnesse in my flesh Psal 38.3 because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne So that sinne is a wound and a disease whether wee consider the miseries it brings on soule and body or both Therefore howsoever a sinfull person thinke himselfe a goodly person and weare his sins as ornaments about him Pride Lust and the like yet hee is a deformed loathsome person in the eyes and presence of God and when conscience is awakened sinne will bee loathsome irksome and odious unto himselfe fill him full of griefe and shame so that hee cannot endure the sight of his owne soule That all sinnes are diseases Now all sinnes whatsoever are diseases The first sinne of all sinnes which wee call hereditarie Originall sinne what is it but an hereditarie disease a leprosie which we drew from our first Parents spread over all the soule having the seeds and spawne of all sinne in it The Church of Rome makes it lesse then other sinnes as indeed Popery is ignorant both of the height of grace and of the depth of corruption for if they knew the one they would bee more capable of the other Why doe they not conceive aright of grace and of the height of it because they know not the depth of Originall sinne And indeed the true knowledge of this disease is proper onely to the child of God in the true Church none but he knowes what Originall sinne is others can dispute and talke of it but none feeles it but the child of God Now all other particular actuall sinnes 1. Sinne like a disease in regard of the cause be diseases flowing from hence so that all diseases in this kinde arise either 1. from our selves as wee have a seminarie of them in our owne hearts or else 2. from the infection and contagion of others or 3. from Satan who hath society with our spirits as men have with the outward man comming in by his suggestions and our intertaining of them so that in that respect sin is like unto a wound and a disease in regard of the cause of them And in regard of the effects 2. Sinne is like a disease in regard of the effects it breedâ— sinne is like a disease Diseases if they be neglected breed death it selfe and become incurable so it is with the diseases and sinnes of the soule neglect them and the best end of them will bee despaire in this world whereupon wee may have advantage to flie unto the mercy of God in Christ This is the end of sinne either to end in a good despaire or in a fruitlesse barren despaire at the houre of death leading to Hell when they have no grace to repent Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death c. Sinne it selfe is a wound and that which riseth from sinne is a wound too doubting and despaire for this disease and wound of sinne breeds that other disease a despaire of mercy which is the beginning of Hell the second death These things might be further inlarged but for the present onely in generall know That sinne is a disease and a wound of the soule so much worse then the diseases of the body by how much the soule is more pretious then it and the death of the soule more terrible then the death of the body Sinne is a disease and a wound for what is Pride but a swelling what is Anger but an intemperate heate of the soule like an Ague as it were what is Revenge but a wild-fire in the soule what is Lust but a spreading Canker in the soule tending to a consumption what is Covetousnesse but as a sword a perpetuall wounder of the soule piercing it through with many sorrowes what is Security but as it were the Lethargie and Apoplexie of the soule and so wee might goe on in other resemblances Quest But it may be demanded how shall we know that we are sicke of this sicknesse and disease you speake of Answ How doe wee know that we are sicke in body If the body be extreame cold we know there is a distemper or if it be extreame hot so if the soule be so extreame cold that no heavenly Motives or sweet Promises can worke upon it stirre it up then certainely there is a disease upon the soule If the soule be inflamed with Revenge and Anger that soule is certainely diseased the temper of the soule is according to the passions thereof a man may know by his Passions when he hath a sick soule If a man cannot relish good diet then wee count him a sick man so when a man cannot rellish holy discourse nor the Ordinances of God You have some men that can rellish nothing but profits and pleasures and such vanities but no divine thing such have sicke soules undoubtedly So againe a man may know there is a deadly sicknesse and sorenesse upon the soule 1 when it is senselesse of its wounds and 2 is senselesse of that which passeth from it as men we say are readie to die when excrementall things passe from them without any sense So a man may know that he is desperately soule-sicke when oathes lies and deceitfull speeches passe from him and yet he is senselesse of them they think not of them they meane no harme doth that argue a sound state of body when a man is so desperately ill that he feeles not his bodily hurts and is this a good state of soule when these filthy things come out from it insensibly it is an argument of extreame deadnesse of spirit and irreverence and of a desperate sinne sick soule when there is no dread or awe of the Majesty of God let such looke about them it is an aggravation of the danger of the soule this kind of temper We usually say when the stomacke is so weake that it can hold no nourishment without casting it up againe as fast as it receives it certainely such a one is sick and in a dangerous state of body So when a man heares and heares and reads and reads and digests nothing into nourishment but all is left where he heard it it is a signe that they have sicke soules when their retentive power is so weake And there is certainely some sicknesse some dangerous obstruction in that soule that cannot digest the wholesome Word of God to make use of it some noysome lust then certainely obstructs the soule which must be purged out
of God whereby it discerneth the generall truths concerning God our selves the state of the Church the priviledges of Christianity and such like in summe it is a right divine apprehension of spirituall truths Definition of heavenly prudence And prudence this is a kinde of sharpenesse of spirit whereby the Spirit of God directs the soule knowing the right generall principles to particular cases Prudence is an application of the generall knowledge of generall things to particulars and is an ordering of the life in particular exigencies and cases in a right order according to the direction of the Spirit as wee have it Prov. 8. I wisdome dwell with prudence Divine wisedome wheresoever it is dwells with prudence that is where God doth inlighten the understanding to conceive aright of the misteries of salvation there it dwells with prudence that is it directs the soule to an orderly carriage of life towards God and man and in regard of it selfe every way as it should doe in all estates times and conditions that is meant here by prudence a particular gift whereby a man is fit to consult and deliberate of things in particular to be done in particular cases of conscience and the like Now wisedome and prudence they are both together in Gods people howsoever perhaps one is more excellent then another Some are wiser who have a deeper search of truths in generall and some are more prudent in their wayes that are weaker Christians for the maine generall truths Yet there is not a good Christian but he hath so much prudence as will bring him to Heaven But God giveth extraordinary wisedome to some because they are leaders of others Yet though in Gods dispensation there be a difference yet in every Christian they are joyned together there is no Christian but hee is wise for himselfe which is Prudence This is as it were the salt which seasoneth all other graces and knowledge whatsoever for what is knowledge without discretion but a foolish humour what is Patience but blockishnesse if a man doe not discerne how why and upon what ground to be patient what is Religiousnesse without this but superstition and what is Zeale but an indiscreet heate if it be not seasoned with this Prudence yea and what is Constancy it selfe but an indiscreet rigour and stifnesse without wit So that it is the seasoning of all other graces whatsoever that which puts bounds and measure unto all therefore hee joynes it with Wisdome who is wise and who is prudent good as we say consists of a whole entire cause unto which must be occurrence of all circumstances together one defect may make it to be sinnefull So this is Prudence to observe a due order cloathed with circumstances of the manner and season of every good action and duty therefore be joynes heere Prudence Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudâ—nt and he shall know them Now these be the two graces that leade and guide a mans life there must be first a generall understanding and light of the soule and then there must be a particular light to apply this generall to particulars Prudence is as it were the steward of the soule which dispenceth the light thereof according to particular occasions Now for Wisdome and Prudence we will not insist long on them onely we will draw towards a right discerning of them squared and proportioned to our understandings by resemblances of other things for a man may know what they are in divine things by some proportion to humane things what they are there as to give a little light to it Signes of worldly wisedome He is a wise prudent man in the world that will be sure to make the greatest his friend So God being the greatest of all and most able to doe us good he is a wise and prudent man that makes him his friend and cares not who hee breake with so he breake not with God And we account him also a wise and prudent man in the world that like the wise steward in the Gospell provides for the worst times Mat. 16.3 what course did he take for himselfe herein hee provides for as he fore-sees danger So spirituall Wisdome and Prudence will direct a man what is best for his latter end his eternall rest and happinesse in another world Heavenly wisdome prefixeth to a man a full view of his latter end and that which followeth thereupon in another world and so makes him provide before hand and direct all things to that end A wiseman will not have things to seeke when he comes to make use of them Mat. 25. like the foolish virgins who had their oyle to seeke when they should have had it ready He is truely spiritually wise towards his latter end that as hee knowes there is a state to come so is truely prudent to have all things ready against that time that considering the uncertainety of this life hee may not bee surprized unawares like those glorious virgins who had a lamp without oyle And amongst men he is also counted a wise and prudent man that makes a right choice for this is wisdome when a man discerneth a difference and answerably makes his choice Simile matâ—r erroris saith one Likenesse is the mother of error There is a likenesse betweene good and bad in the world and betweene truth and error now hee is a wiseman who is not catchr with these resemblances but discerneth a difference between temporall eternall things shadowes substances realities and appearances of things and suitably chooseth eternals before temporals the favour of God before the favour of men and in a word those things which concerne everlasting happines before those that are perishing Wisdome is seen in choice By these few instances named we may see what heavenly wisdome and prudence is by proportion of Wisdome and Prudence in earthly things Now considering that there is a better state in another world then in this he must needs be a wise man that orders things so as that he may not loose eternity Most men in the world are penny-wise and pound foolish as we say wise to a particular end to get particular favours and riches Deut. 32.29 so to satisfie their intentions but for the maine which is Wisdome indeed to looke to their last estate and happinesse and to fit their actions and courses that way how few are wise to purpose how few provide for eternity therefore no marvell the Prophet saith who is wise and who is prudent because men live by sense and not by Faith Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them Observ Now the next thing to be observed hence is this That the wise and prudent onely know these things There must be Wisdome and Prudence before we can know divine Truthes and make use of them Observ and then observe further That true Wisdome and Prudence carries men to Gods Word Who is wise to understand
he hath union with Christ His life is hid with God in Christ Coloss 3 3 4. who when hee shall appeare he shall appeare with him likewise in glory Therefore if Christ be firme the estate of a Christian must needs be firme For he is a Cedar another man is as grasse or corne upon the house top Isa 40.6 All flesh is grasse saith the Prophet Object I but they have wit and memory and parts c. yet they are but as the flower of the grasse perhaps better then ordinary grasse but the grasse withereth and the flower fadeth what continueth then O the word of the Lord and comfort and grace by that word endures for ever and makes us endure for ever This is excellently set downe by the Prophet David Psal 1.3 we see there the righteous man is compared to a tree planted by the water side his leafe failes not So a Christian is planted in Christ he is still on the growing hand and his leafe shall not wither Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Psal 92.13 shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall still bring fruit in their old age they shall be fat and flourishing they shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Vse 1 A comfort from the firmnesse of our condition This cleere difference should stirre us up to be comforted in our condition which is firme and stable Why doe we value christall above glasse Because it is brighter and of more continuance Why doe we value continuing things inheritances above annuities Because they continue If by the strength of our discourse we value things answerable to their lasting why should we not value the best things our estate in grace this is a lasting condition for a Christian is like a Cedar that is rooted and takes deeper and deeper roote and never leaves growing till he grow to Heaven Hee shall cast forth his Rootes as Lebanon Vse 2 Againe let all them make Use of it that find not the worke of grace upon their hearts O! let them consider what a fading condition they are in they thinke they can doe great matters perhaps they have a destructive power they labour to doe mischiefe to crush whom they will in this world But what is all this we see what the Psalmist saith of a Doeg a cursed man who had a destroying power Why boastest thou thy selfe in mischiefe O mighty man Psal 52.1 the goodnesse of God endureth continually Why boastest thou thy selfe that thou canst doe mischiefe and overturne Gods people c. Know this that the good-will of God continues Boast not thy selfe thy tongue devisest mischiefe as a sharpe razor God shall destroy thee forever He shall cast hee away and pull thee out of thy dwelling and roote thee out of the land of the living Those men that rejoyce in a destructive power in their ability to do mischiefe and exercising of that ability all they can they shall be pluckt out of their place and rooted out of the land of the living And as it is in Iob Job 27.21 they shall be hurled away as a man hurles a stone out of a sling Then what shall the righteous say they shall see and feare and say Loe this is the man that made not God his strength Psal 52.7 but trusted in the aboundance of his riches and strengthened himselfe in wickednesse He thought to roote himselfe so fast that he should never be remooved but at the last it shall come to passe that all that see him shall say loe see what is become of him this is the man that trusted in his riches and made not God his strength what is become of him saith David of himself I am like a greene Olive tree in the house of God Psal 52.8 I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever Let them trust if they will in Riches Power Strength and Favour with Saul and great men yet notwithstanding be Doeg what he will I shall be a green Olive planted in the house of God c. So here is a double use the Scripture makes of these things 1. The godly man rejoyceth in his condition and 2. Other men feare and grow wise not to trust to their fading condition They are as the Prophet speakes as a bay tree that flourishes for a time Psal 37.35 and then after come to nothing their place is no where found They keepe a great deale of doe in the world for a time but afterwards where is such a one their place is no where found no where comfortably they have a place in Hell but comfortably a place no where This is the estate of all those who have not a good roote for saith Christ Mat. 15.13 Every plant that my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up It is true of every condition and of every man if God have not planted him in that excellent state or doe not in time he shall be rooted up for the time will come that the earth will hold him no longer he rootes himselfe now in the earth which then shall cast him out He cannot stay here long Heaven will not receive him then Hell must What a miserable thing is this when wee place and bottome our selves upon things that will not last when our selves shall out-last our foundation when a man shall live for ever and that which he builds on is fading what extreamitie of folly is this to build on Riches Favour Greatnesse Power Inheritance which either must be taken from him or he from them he knoweth not how soone What makes a man miserable but the disappointing of his hopes and crossing of his affections now when a man pitcheth his soule to much upon his worldly things from which there must be a parting this is as if it were the rending of the skinne from the flesh and the flesh from the bones when a mans soule is rent from that he pitcheth his happinesse on this maketh a man miserable for misery is in disappointing the hopes and crossing the affections Now onely a Christian plants his heart and affections on that which is everlasting of equall continuance with his soule as he shall live for ever so hee is rooted for ever in that which must make him everlastingly happy These things wee heare and they are undeniable true but how few make use of them to desist from going on in a plodding swelling desire of an earthly condition to over-top other men such labour to grow in taulenesse and height but strive not to be rooted Now that which growes perking up in height over-topping other things yet without roote what will become of it It will be turned up by the Rootes Now How shall we grow to be rooted How to be rooted in Grace For to attaine heereunto it is not onely necessary to apply the promises and challeng God with them but to consider also what wayes he will make then