described by their calling The thing is true Make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 that is your Conversion Rom. 1.6 7. Among whom also are ye the called of God Called to be Saints So 1 Cor. 1.2 Saints by Calling If the Saints and people of God be described by the Called-ones and our Conversion be termed our Calling Then when God brings home a man to himself he does it in a way of Calling First Because those that God brings home to himself are afar off We call men that are afar off If they be near we speak to them By nature we are afar off from God therefore when he converts men he is said to call Acts 2.14.39 Peter standing up with the eleven lifted up his voice and said to them Ye men of Judea c. hearken to my words v. 14. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are afar off even to as many as the Lord our God shall call v. 39. Called upon this account because ye are afar off Secondly Is it not necessary that we should be conformed to Christ our Head and to Abraham our Father the father of the faithful You shall find Abraham was called Isa 51.2 Look unto Abraham your father c. for I called him alone Christ is also said to be called in a way suitable to him Mat. 2.15 Out of Egypt have I called my son Heb. 5.4 No man taketh this honour unto himself but he that was called of God as was Aaron Isa 4.26 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness c. Isa 49.1 Listen O isles unto me c. The Lord hath called me from the womb We are to be conformable to Christ our Head and to Abraham our Father in our calling Thirdly If God shall bring a man home to himself according to the practice of men he must bring him home in a way of calling I drew them with the cords of a man Hos 11.4 When God deals with man it is in a way suitable to man But why When he brings a man home to himself will he do it in a way of calling when as he might do it immediately by his own infinite power If I knew that a man would not accept my Invitation to Dinner I would never send to invite him God knows that every one will not come what need he then stand calling and inviting We must consider That as God will deal with man in the way and according to the manner of men So he will deal with man also in the way of God too Christ is God-man God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.6 Because the work of our Redemption was to be carried on by the hand of God and by the hand of man both Whereas should God deal with man only as God then he would convert him presently by his own infinite poâ—er and never make any invitation to him And if he should deal with man onely as man he would never invite any of the dead For who is there of you that will send to the grave and invite a dead man to your table But as God he invites dead ones There are some that think Christ need not to invite because he can bring men home to himself by his own almighty power But such do forget that the Deity works as a man Others think men are to be converted onely by moral swasions and perswasions Such do forget that Christ works as God too But Christ iâ— God man because the great work of our Redemption and Salvation is to be carried on by the hand of both As God he does invite and call irresistably omnipotently As man he invites by perswasion As God-man he invites and gives a heart to accept of his invitation Fourthly If all those blessings and mercies we are call'd to are called Gods blessings and mercies as so they are Who ha's called us out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2 9. Who hath called us to his Kingdom and Glory it were presumption in me to meddle with the things of God with the things that are Gods if he did not invite me to it But if a Begger comes to your house and shall sit down at your table he does not presume because you have invited him God will have his people know that they do not presume when they come at his Invitation and call and meddle with the things of God Fifthly If all the work of Christianity be bestrewed with difficulty and affliction we had need be called thereunto for in the time of affliction or difficulty what shall bear up our heart and carry us through but Gods Call Gods Call is our Warrant and our strength therefore fit that all that are brought home to God it should be in a way of Calling Thirdly What is the duty then of all that are called to Gods Kingdom and Glory I answer It is their duty to walk worthy of God By worthy is not meant a worthiness of Merit No There is a four-fold Worthiness mentioned in Scripture First In regard of Merit So onely Christ is worthy For thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals Rev. 5.9 Secondly In regard of Acceptation So the Saints are worthy They shall walk with me in white for they are worthy Rev. 3.4 Thirdly In regard of Proportion So Our present afflictions are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed 2 Cor. 4.17 That is there is no proportion between the glory of Heaven and the afflictions we meet with here below Fourthly In regard of meetness suitableness and fitness Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance Mat. 3.8 And thus it is the duty of all that are called to walk worthy of God c. Reason 1. Because Dignity calls for Duty and the more Dignity the more Duty What greater Dignity then to be called to Gods Kingdom and glory Secondly The more sad and dismal any mans condition is the more he is obliged and engaged and bound to God to walk worthy and answerably to God who hath called him out of that condition The condition we are call'd out of is a condition of great darkness For that is great darkness a man is in which he cannot rise out of nor lie still in This is our condition we can neither rise out of it of our selves nor lye still in it Therefore arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Eph. 5.14 Thirdly The more comfortable and glorious the condition is that a man is called unto the more he is engaged to God who hath called him to that condition What is good in all the world or desireable but we are called to it in this being called to his Kingdom and Glory Is light desireable We are called out of darkness into his marvellous light Is Holiness desireable God hath not called us to uncleanness but unto holiness 1 Thes 4.7 Is Peace desireable We are called to Peace 1 Cor. 7
any good But I say Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance or Face upon me that is shew thy love and thy favour to me The Elevation of Gods Face or Countenance in Scripture phrase doth note the Communication and Manifestation of the gracious presence and favour of God For it is a Metaphor drawn from the rising Sun scattering the beaâ—â—â— of its light so upon inferiour Creatures that thereby Life and Comfort is brought unto them This David prays for and chooses in opposition to the generality of mens desires and so the Doctrine is this Though Men do ordinarily seek after something that may make them happy in this World Yet a gracious Man doth count himself fully happy in the enjoyment of God and the light of his Countenance 'T is true indeed there is an happiness to be obtained saith he and ordinarily men do seek this happiness in the Crowd and Throng of the Creatures But as for me I do not place my happiness there but in the clear enjoyment of God whatever therefore men say or do in reference to their happiness this is that I say Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon me So that though men do ordinarily seek after something that may make them happy in the World Yet a good and gracious man doth account himself fully happy in the enjoyment of God and the light of his Countenance for the opening and prosecuting wherof 1. I shall labour to shew you that there is a disposition in men to seek after something that may make them happy 2. That they are commonly mistaken in the matter of their happiness 3. Yet there are a Generation of Men who have found out true happiness and are truly blessed 4. Wherein this happiness doth consist and why it doth consist therein 5. How a man shall know whether he hath ever been thus blessed or enhappied with the light of Gods Countenance shining on him 6. How he may attain thereunto As for the First That there is a disposition in Men to seek after something that may make them happy This Text saith Nemo est Mortalium qui habet in votis ut fruatur bono hoc est naturale est omnium creaturarum commuâ—e tendere in aliquem finem sub aliqua ratione boni finis enim â—onum convertuntur homini autem maximé convenit qui praeâ—itus est intellectu quo finem apprehendit ibi proponit ad ilâ—m per media contendit Ames in Psalm Agere propter finem est proprium creaturae rationalis Aquin. Many say Who will shew us any good By which many we are saith Dr. Ames to understand all Men but that cannot be because here is an opposition in Davids practice to the practice of this many but his practice was not opposed unto all but to the generality of Men generally therefore there is a disposition in Men to seek after something that may make them happy In the beginning man was truly happy and though he be now fallen from that happiness yet there is a disposition in him still to grope after happiness Ye see how it is with an House that is burnt down though it be burnt down to the ground there are divers pieces of Timber left though scorched and burnt and spoiled yet left and so though Man be fallen and that goodly building which God Created at the first be now burnt down to the ground yet there are certain scorched and spoiled Principles left in him and what more natural to Man then to desire that he may be happy surely therefore there is a disposition still in man to seek after happiness Look how far a man knows that a thing is good so far he may act and seek after it because good is the object of mans will but every man knows in general that it is good for him to be happy Utrum omnis homo appetat beatitudinem It em quod beatitudo duplicâ—ter potest considerari primo secundum communem rationem beatitudinis sic necesse est quod omnis homo beatitudinem velit ratio aâ—tem beatitudinis communis est ut sit bonum perfectum c. Secundo possumus loqui dâ— beatitudine secundum specialem rationem quantum ad id in quo beatitudo consistit sic non omnes cognoscà nt beatitudinem qui nesciunt cui rei communis ratio beatitudinis conveniat ut per consequens quantum ad hoc non omnes eam volunt Aquin. 12. ae q. 5. a. 8. It 's true indeed that naturally men do not distinctly know wherein their happiness lies but as Aquinas observes there is a general knowledge of happiness and there is a distinct and right understanding of it Now though all men have not this distinct knowledge of our happiness yet all men have a general knowledge of it and they know that its good for them to be happy surely therefore there is a disposition in all the children of men to seek after something that may make them happy But 2. General Though there be such a disposition in men yet they are generally mistaken in the matter of their happiness Many say Who will shew us any good But Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance c It seems then that there is a general mistake amongst men in reference to this happiness Is not he mistaken herein that doth bless himself in the way of his sin Some do so Deut. 29.19 Is not he mistaken herein that doth bless the Covetous whom God hates Some do so Psal 10. Is not he mistaken that doth place his happiness in the enjoyment of the Creature And who doth not so Oh says one if I can but attain to such and such an estate then I shall be happy Oh says another I am now reviled and reproched if I can but clear my self and come off with Honour then I shall be happy Oh says another I have such and such an adversary if I can but overcome him then I shall be happy What man is there that doth not place his happiness in one Creature comfort or another Do not some place their happiness in Pleasure some in Riches some in Honour some in Power some in Health Strength and Beauty of Body some in Knowledge Wit and Learning some in moral Civil Life and other excellencies But if Happiness cannot be found in these either singly or together then surely there is a great mistake amongst the Children of Men in reference to their last end and happiness Now what creature excellency is there in all the world that can give this happiness to the Children of Men Certainly none Vide Aquin. Sum. 1. 2 ae coâ—tra gent. l 3. Suar. de beat Anton. panâ—h ps 1. 1. For will ye instance in the strength and health and beauty of ones Body Indeed our Health is the Salt of all the mercies and comforts which we do enjoy but may not a bad and wicked man enjoy his health and
by their own present want For saith Aristotle if you look into your experience ye shall find that if a man be poor Aristot Ethic. l. 1. then he thinks it an happiness to be rich if a man be disgraced then he thinks it is his happiness to be vindicated if a man be sick then he thinks there is no greater happiness in the world then to have his health and so men measuring their happiness by their own present wants are mistaken therein 4. But ordinarily men are mistaken in the matter of their happiness because they do not hearken to and consider what is spoken to them about true happiness Famous is that story of Craesus among the Heathens he was a King of a great Country and tumbled in his Gold and Silver and Solon that Wiseman of Greece coming into his Country he desired to speak with him and when he saw him after Solon had seen and viewed all his wealth and glory he asked him Whom he thought to be the most happy man in the world Imagining that Solon would have said Craesus But Solon answered I think Tellus was the most happy man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vide Herodotus â—â—b 1. Tellus saith he why Tellus because said Solon he having Governed the Common-wealth well and brought up his child honestly and religiously he dyed honourably Well then said Craesus but who dost thou think is the second happy man in the world I think said he those two Brothers that instead of Horses drew their Mother in a Chariot to the Temple Whereupon said Craesus what thinkest thou of me I think says he thou art a very rich man but a man may be happy though he be poor and a man may be unhappy though he be rich for he may lose all his riches before he dye and therefore ante obitum nemo I think none truly happy but he that lives well and dyes well whereupon that Wiseman Solon was dismissed the Court with neglect but afterward this Craesus making war against Cyrus he was overcome by Cyrus and being taken Captive he was laid upon a Pile of Wood to be burned to death then lying on the Pile of Wood he cryed out and said O Solon Solon Cyrus enquiring what he meant then he said this Solon was a Wiseman of Greece that told me that happiness did not consist in riches for they might all be lost and a rich man might dye miserable whose words said he I then neglected but now I find true and therefore now I cry out and say O Solon Solon And truely thus it is at this day Preachers call upon men and tell them that our happiness lyes not in these outward things and they doe not regard it But there is a time a coming when men will cry out and say O Solon Solon but for the present men will not hear and consider where their happiness lyes and therefore they are thus mistaken in the matter of their happiness But thus now you have heard that men are mistaken and how it comes to pass that they are so mistaken and so I have done with the Second General now the Third follows 3. General 3. Though men are generally mistaken in the matter of their happiness yet there are a generation of men who have found out this happiness and are truly blessed many say who will shew us any good but I say otherwise plainly then there are a generation of men that have found out this happiness and are truely blessed for those that the Scripture calls blessed are blessed indeed Now there are a generation of men whom the Scripture calls blessed and if you would know who these are I will instance to you in some particulars 1. The Scripture calls them blessed that have their sins pardoned Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered Rom. 4. Secondly The Scripture calls them blessed whom the Lord doth teach the mysteries of his Kingdom Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou teachest out of thy Law Mat. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee but my father Thirdly the Scripture calls them blessed that wait on the Posts of wisdom and are made wise thereby Prov. 8.35 Blessed is the man that heareth me and waiteth daily at my gates watching at the Posts of my door Prov. 3.13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom and getteth understanding so again v. 18 And happy is every one that retaineth her Fourthly The Scripture calls them blessed that are of a meek humble and a pure spirit Blessed are the poor in spirit Blessed are the pure in heart Blessed are the meek in spirit Mat. 5. Fifthly The Scripture calls them blessed that do walk in Gods ways and not in the ways of the world Psal 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth meditate day and night So Psal 119.1 Blessed is the man that is undefiled in the way and so again Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his Commandments Sixthly The Scripture calls them blessed that suffer for Christ his way and truth and name Mat. 5. Blessed are ye when men persecute and revile you for my name-sake Seventhly The Scripture calls them blessed that consider the poor Saints and people of God who have bowels of love and compassions Psal 41. Blessed is the man that considereth the poor Eighthly The Scripture calls them blessed that know and doe the work of their place and office both to God and man John 13.17 I say unto you saith Christ the Servant is not greater then the Lord if ye know these things happy are ye if you do them Ninthly The Scripture calls them blessed that wait and prepare for the deliverance of the Churches and the coming of Christ behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments Rev. 16. Tenthly The Scripture calls them blessed that dye in the Lord and are found so doing when Christ comes blessed is that servant whom when the Lord comes he shall find so doing Mat. 24. And blessed are those that dye in the Lord. Rev. 14.13 Do you therefore ask who is this blessed man the man that is truly blessed the Scripture tells you in all these particulars so that doubtless there is a generation of men that have found this happiness and are truly blessed that is the third General now the fourth follows Fourth General Wherein the true blessedness or happiness doth consist Beatitudo formalis consistit in fruitione beatitudinis objectivae beatitudo autem objectva est Deus quia est bonum perfectum satiens appetitum the Text tells you in the light of Gods countenance and the shine of his face for look wherein God did command the Priests of
old for to bless his people therein true blessedness must needs consist now if ye look into the sixth of Numbers ye shall find that therein God commanded Aaron and his Sons for to bless the people verse 23. on this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying The Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and if you look into Psalm 67 1. ye shall find that when the Psalmist prayed for a blessing he prayed thus The Lord be merciful unto us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us Surely therefore the happiness and blessedness of man must needs lye and consist in the light of Gods countenance and the shine of his face Object But if our blessedness doth consist herein then some of Gods own people are not blessed For God doth hide his face from some of them and how many are there even amongst the Saints that complain saying Oh the face of God doth not shine on me Ans True they do so and its possible that God may hide his face from his own Children for a time but what Child of God is there in all the world but the face of God hath shined upon It is possible that a Child of a natural Father may never see the face of his Father his Father may be dead before he is born but no child of God but hath seen his Fathers face for what is the face of God but his favour and what is the shine thereof but the manifestation of his favour and when God pardoned his sin at the first did not he manifest his love and favour to him And doth he not daily do it in supporting him with his Arm In the times of the old Testament the Saints did measure the favour of God too much by outward mercies and blessings because the Land of Canaan was promised them as a favour from God when the Enemy did break in upon them they said That God did then hide his face from them but ye know how is is with the day if it be day the Sun shines and though ye see not the beams thereof yet you see the light thereof so here though you see not the beams of Gods countenance yet if it be day with you you see the light thereof Now it is day with all the Children of God they are Children of the day and therefore whatever they say or think there is none of Gods Children but the face of God doth or hath shined upon Quest But how shall I know that the face of God hath ever shined on my Soul for there are many delusions about this matter How shall I therefore know that God hath ever lift up the light of his Countenance upon my Soul 5. General That is the 5th General therefore I shall now speak to that Ans If God hath ever blessed you in truth then hath his face shined upon you for his blessing and the shine of his face go together as ye have heard Now when God blesses a man then he draws him nearer to himself Blessed is the man saith the Psalmist whom then causest to approch unto thee when God blesses a man then he makes him to encrease and multiply if he bless him in his estate then he doth increase and multiply therein if he bless him in his parts or gifts or graces or comforts then he causeth him to increase therein so at the beginning the Lord blessed Man and said increase and multiply And therefore if thou hast been such an one as hath lived at a distance from God and now at brought nigh to him and increased in thy gifts graces and comforts then hath the Lord blessed thy Soul and so hath shined on thee 2. If God hath ever shined upon thy Soul then he hath wonderfully irradiated and enlightened and taught thy Soul the mysteries of the Gospel which did never enter in thy heart before Psal 67.1 2. The Psalmist saith Be merciful unto us and bless us and cause thy face to shine upon us that thy way may be known c. And says the Apostle 2â— or 4.4 6. God that commanded light to shine out of darkness shine into your hearts to giv you the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 3ly If this light of Gods countenance hath indeed shined upon your heart then your other carnal kitchâ—n lights have been put out thereby Ye see that when the Sun shines upon the kitchin-fire it doth put it â—ut so if ever God hath shined upon your Soul there â—ath such a glory fallen upon your hearts that thereâ—y all your carnal kitchin-comforts and delights have â—een put out thereby 4ly If God have shined upon thy Soul in truth â—hen are you satisfied with the light of Gods Counâ—enance and yet your desire after it is the more inâ—reased This seems to be a Paradox but it is true â—â—e more a man sees the light of Gods Countenance â—he more he longs after it and the more he longs after it the more be is satisfied with it Shew us the Father saith Thomas and it sufficeth I have now that saith the Soul which doth make me happy therefore I am fully sâ—tisfied yet I have tasted such sweetness in it as I cannot but thirst and long after more Oh when shall come and appear before thee that I may be fully satisfied with thy likeness 5ly If the face of God hath ever shined upon your Soul then there hath been a time when you were in the dark and by the light of Gods Countenance your doubts and fears have been all dispelled at once God never shines but upon those that have been in the dark God that commanded light to shine out of darkness shine into your hearts saith the Apostle and when God shines then all your fea s and doubts and objections are answered at once not by degrees and one after another but the face of God answers all at once As when the Husâ—and comes home though his Wife have had many fears that she should never see him again yet when she sees his face then all her fears and doubts are answered at once So here although you have had many fears that you should never see the face of God again yet when his face shines then all your doubts are answered at once 6ly If the face of God have ever shined upon your Soul in truth then have you been thereby enabled to do and act some great thing for God and you have had an heart given you to do it Cant. 1.12 When the King sits at his Table my Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof By Spikenard here we are to understand the sweet smelling fruits and graces of thâ— Spouse of Christ Now saith she these graces send forth their smell when Christ sits at his Table when I have the gracious presence of Christ then are my graces most
that her affections are placed upon another And are our affections placed upon things below what doth that do but raise the jealousie of Christ against us Jealousie is the rage of man what is it then in Christ Now therefore as you desire that the jealousie of the Lord Jesus may not be raised against you that the ways of God may be made sweet and easie to you that you may never lose your affections or the things affected that you may have a standing relief in the day of your distress that you may have full evidence of the interest in those things that are above and that your portion may lye there Oh Set your affections on things that are above and not on things on the earth Quest What shall we do that we may raise and draw up our affections unto these things above for our affections are indeed too much on things here below How shall we draw them off from them and draw them up to these better things that are above Ans You must be sure to get a new heart affections are the movings of the heart an old heart cannot move unto things that are above First therefore you must get a new heart Affestiones bonas vel malas causat voluntas bona vel malaâ— August tom 5. fol. 169. 2. Then you must get knowledge of these things that are above for ignoti nullam cupido there is no desire of unknown things nor affections to them some desire knowledge and not affections some desire affections and do not labour after knowledge Give me knowledge hearted with affections and affections headed with knowledge for as knowledge without affections make wicked men secure so affections without knowledge make Godly men scrupulous Study therefore to know more and that knowledge shall be a light and lanthorn to the feet of your affectionr 3. If you would draw up your affections unto things above then put your self under the most wooing discoveries of Gospel love Wooings towle out affections Christ wooes in the Gospel there doth the spirit also breath and these motions of the soul can never be stirred up but by the moveing of the spirit on the heart Ezek. 1.12 The living creatures went every one straight forward whether the spirit was to go Now the spirit moves in the wooing dispensations of the Gospel there then place your selves and give up your hearts unto these wooings 4. And in case that any sensible dispensation fall upon you either by affliction or enjoyment let your eye affect your heart affections are sensible movings of the so I doth the Lord therefore speak unto your soul by afflictions or Sacraments he sure that you improve these sensible dispensations to the working up of your affections unto things above 5. And be much in meditation for as reading and hearing doe beget knowledge so meditation doth beget affections either therefore you are in company or you are alone if you be in company mutual Exhortation will quicken your affections unto what is good if ye be alone then sit and meditate on the things that you have heard or read or seen or done and thus your affections will and shall be raised unto things above Quest But my affections are most unsteady though they be raised to day yet they are down to morrow what shall I do that I may so set my affections on things above that they may be settled on them Answ In case your affections have been raised Then 1. take as much pains to keep your affections up as you did to raise them up And 2. In case you feel your affections begin to ool and decline then stir up your self and the grace of God that is in you The Prophet Isaiah complains that none stirred up themselves to take hold on God The like complaint may we take up now for what is the reason that our affections dye and cool away after raisings of heart but because we doe not stir up our selves and hearts to take hold on God in case therefore that your affeâ—â—ions doe begin to abate and cool blow them up afresh and stir up your selves thereunto 3 Be sure that you make use of the varietie in the ways of God which he hath given you varietas refocillat variety is refreshing and affecting God hath given us divers ordinances to be exercised in that if we be dull and weary in one we may go to another if you be weary in prayer you may go to reading if weary in reading then go to meditating if weary in meditation you may go to conference if you will spend your self only in one duty there will grow a dulness and deadness upon you but if you exercise your self according to that variety which God hath given you your heart will be kept up with an holy freshness unto things above But 4. Because that we are much affected with new things therefore study the words and works of God much and be always digging in them then some new truth or new discovery will arise upon you which will affect your heart and ever heap up your affections unto things above And 5. In case that you have any great affections unto what is good be sure that you labour more and more to refine that affection things refined keep longest Distilled Waters keep longer then the leaves out of which the waters are distilled if ye have Rose leaves they will not keep fresh so long as the water that you distill from them those affections that you now have it may be are sweet unto you but they are as the Rose leaves somewhat of a drossier matter which doth adhere to them if you would now take those very good affections and Refine or Distil the same then would they keep the longer Go then and carry in your Rose leaves unto Gods-Still and labour more and more to refine your best affections Thus your affections shall not only be set on things above but be setled on them And my Beloved is it not a good and blessed thing to have sweet and large affections for good Surely it is a great mercy to have large affections in good and for good some of us have had large affections to the things of the world and shall we not have as large affections unto things that are above Old men generally want affections and young people doe abound therein but what will all our affections doe us good if they be set on things here below Alas we shall but lose them and the things affected too But if you set your affections on things above you shall neither lose your affections nor the things affected Wherefore let us all receive this Exhortation Set your affections on things above and not on things on the Earth How to walk with God in our Callings 1 Cor. 7.20 Brethren let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God IN this Chapter the Apostle speaks to a Case of Conscience Whether it be lawful for the Believing Wife to depart from the
what these Snares and Temptations are and take heed thereof 2. If you would walk with God in your calling then you must live by Faith in your callings For by Faith Enoch walked with God And the life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Thereby you shall be kept from Covetousness and love of the World This is our Victory whereby we overcome the world even our Faith Thereby you shall be contented with your condition whatever it be thereby you shall be able to leap over a Wall and over all those difficulties that you meet within your callings thereby you shall live sweetly and graciously in your calling and walk with God Now if you would live by faith in your calling then you must have an eye to Gods commandment promise and providence First you must go to your callings as to Gods ordinance otherwise you cannot look with both eyes to God but with one eye to the world and with the other to God But you see that he hath taught us That you cannot look with one eye to Heaven and with the other eye to the Earth but if you will look to the Heavens both eyes will look to Heaven So if you will look to God you must look with both eyes to God The way thâ—â—â—fore to look with both eyes to God in your calling is to go to your calling as to Gods ordinance and because Faith and the promise are as Buckle and Clasp the one cannot be without the other Therefore you must observe those promises that are made to your calling and rest thereon And because God doth sometimes guid us by his eye in the way of our callings therefore you must have an eye to providence and whatever you do in the way of your calling yâ—u must quietly leave the issue of it and success to God And thus shall you live by faith in your calling and so walk with God in your place 3 If you would walk with God in your calling then whatever you do therein do all to the glory of God Whether you eat or drink saith the Apostle do all to the glory of God If I work in my calling for mine own profit onely then I walk with my self therein but if I do all for Gods glory not mine own profit then I walk with God in my calling 4. If you would walk with God in your particular calling then be sure that you so manage your calling that your general calling may not be an hindrance but an help unto your particular And thus your particular calling may be no hindrance but an help to your general calling Wo to that calling which eats up Prayer The particular and general callings are joined together by God Those that God hath joined together let no man put asunder Be sure therefore that your general calling be an help to your particular and your particular no hindrance to your general Thus shall you walk with God in your calling and in the fifth place 5. If you would walk with God in your calling then be sure that you turn as God turns sweetly complying with his dispensations in the way of your calling If two men walk together when one turns the other turns and if one do not turn as the other turns they cannot walk together but if one turns as the other turns then they walk together So in our walking with God it may be Gods dispensations in my calling is comfortable then am I to rejoice and to praise the Lord. It may be God turns and his dispensation is sad in the way of my calling then am I to humble my self before the Lord and to comply with his dispensation which if you do in your calling then shall you walk with God therein Yet 6. If you would walk with God in your calling then you must judge of things in your calling as God judges and measures things by his Bushel We are very apt to measure and judge of things in our callings by the verdict of the means and second causes if the means and second cause smile then we smile though God frown if the means and second cause frown then we frown though God smile if the second cause be big and promise a great mercy or blessing to us then in the strength of the second cause we promise it to our selves though God threatens the contrary if the second cause or means threaten a misery then in the strength thereof we threaten our selves with that misery though God promise the contrary blessing That is not to walk with God in our callings He that walks with God in his place and calling must judge and measure things according unto Gods verdict But 7. If you would walk with God in your place and calling then you must spiritualize your particular calling with heavenly things and the things of God not put all upon a morning and an evening prayer but your particular calling must be sprinkled with holy Meditations and gracious Speeches Thus it was with Abrahams Servant when he went for Rebeccah He sprinkled his Service with meditation prayer and godly speech And if ye look into the 5th of Judges ye shall find that upon a glorious Victory that God gave to his people its said verse 11. They that are delivered from the noise of the Archers in the Places of drawing of water there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord. Not onely at their Church-meetings and in prayer or duty but while they are drawing of water Thus our particular calling is to be sprinkled with heavenly things and if you do thus then shall you walk with God in your calling And oh that there were an heart in us all thus to walk with God in our callings This is every mans work and every days work Now therefore that you may do it give me leave by way of motive to leave these few considerations with you 1. If you walk with God in your particular calling God will walk with you in your general calling Is it not a gâ—eat mercy to meet with God in your prayers and duties if you go up to him in your particular callings he will come down to you in your general 2. Then shall your calling be a blessing to you indeed and you shall have another further and greater reward then the wealth of your calling Collos 3. Servants obey your Masters in all things not with eye service as men pleasers but in singleness of heart fearing the Lord. verse 22 And whatever ye do do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men verse 23. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ It seems then by this Scripture that though a man be a Servant yet therein he may serve the Lord and walk with God and if he do so he shall not onely have wages from his Master but of the Lord he shall receive the reward of the Inheritance
Now he is best paid which the Lord pays the Lord will not onely give him his outward wages but an everlasting inheritance Oh what a good thing it is to walk with God in our callings Yea. 3. Thereby the knots and difficulties of your callings shall be taken of and your way made easie that God whom ye walk with in your callings will lift you over all the stiles that are in your callings If a Child walk with his Father in the Fields when they come at an high Stile the Father lifts him over it So if you walk with God in your callings then he will lift you over all the Stiles and Difficulties of your callings Yea 4 Thereby you shall be kept from the sins and temptations of your calling A mans calling is like to a great Logg or piece of Timber in a green field look upon the field and you see it all green and handsome but take up the Logg or Timber that lies in the midst thereof and there you find Worms and Sows and Vermin that do breed under it So look upon a mans carriage and generally it is very green civil and handsome but if ye look under his calling you shall find nothing but Sows Worms and Vermin Now this walking with God in your calling will keep you from the Vermin of your callings Yea 5 Thereby shall your way of godliness be convincing and winning As God hath distributed to every man as the Lord hath called every one so let him walk and abide with God saith the Apostle in this Chapter Why so For what knowest thou oh Wife whether thou shalt not save thine Husband or how knowest thou oh Man whether thou shalt save thy Wise Yea says the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3.1 Likewise ye Wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the word they also without the word may be won by the conversation of the Wives It is not therefore a morning or evening duty though that is good that is so winning but a constant walking with God in our places and callings is convincing and winning Yea 6. Thereby also you shall be fit to die and leave all the World with ease The more a man runs his heart into the world in his calling the harder it will be to die and the more a man walketh with God in his calling the fitter he will be to die and to leave all the world with ease Now therefore as you do desire That you may be fit to die That your ways of godliness may be convincing and winning That the knots and difficulties of your callings may be taken off That your callings may be a blessing to you indeed And that God may meet and walk with you in your general calling labour more and more to abide and walk with God in your particular calling Which that you may do Labour to be master of your Art Be diligent in your place Deal not unjustly with men in your calling be not too familiar with your callings but keep your due distance from them Observe what the Temptations and Snares are that are incident and take heed thereof Labour more to live by Faith in your calling Let not your general eat up youâ— particular nor your particular destroy your general Whatever you do in your calling do all to the glory of God Be sure that you turn as God turns Give when he gives Measure all things in your callings by his Bushel And be sure that you always sprinkle your outward employments with some heavenly refreshments And thus Brethren Let every one wherein he is called therein abide with God For it is the duty of every man to abide and walk with God in his calling And thus I have done with this Argument How to walk with God in our callings OF GOOD AND BAD COMPANY How to avoid the one and improve the other Psal 119.63 I am a Companion of all them that fear thee and of them that keep thy Precepts MY desire now is to speak something of good and bad company and therefore have made choice of this Scripture In this Section the Psalmist laboureth to confirm his faith and to comfort himself in the certainty of his own grace by seven or eight properties of a true believer The first is drawn from his choice A good man makes a right choice he chooses God for his portion verse 51. Thou art my portion O Lord. The second is drawn from the fixation of his resolution A good man is fully resolved for o walk with God I have said I would keep thy words verse 57. The third is drawn from his earnest desire of Gods love and favour A good man doth desire the favour of God above all things I intreated thy favour with my whole heart verse 58. The fourth is drawn from his self-exâ—mination A good man doth ponder weigh and examine his own doings and ways I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies verse 59. The fiâ—th is drawn from his readiness to keep Gods Commandments A good man doth not put off or delay his duty I made hast and delayed not to keep thy Commandments verse 60. The sixth is drawn from his adhaesion to the ways of God in times of opposition A good man will not be driven from the ways of God by the opposition of men The bands of the wicked have robbed me but I have not forgotten thy law verse 61. The seventh is drawn from the thankfulness of his disposition under all dispensations A good man will give thanks to God whatever his condition be At midnight I will give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgements verse 62. And the eighth is drawn from his company A good man will keep company with those that are good I am a companion of all that fear thee Which is explained by these following words and of them that keep thy Precepts I am a companion of all that fear thee Though I be a King and they be never so poor I ev n I David the King am a companion of all that fear thee and do keep thy Precepts Where then you may observe thus much That a good man will have good company It is the property of a good man to keep good company his companions are such as do fear the Lord. Yea though they be much beneath him yet if they be such as doe fear the Lord he will not boggle at their acquaintance and fellowship I am a companion says David the King of all those that fear thee So that a good man will have or keep good company For the opening and clearing whereof First we will inquire what this good company is and when a man may be said for to keep good company Secondly why and upon what account a good man will have good company Thirdly I will answer unto some Objections or Cases of Conscience about this company-keeping and so come to the application 1. As for the first if you
ask what this good company is I answer 1 That is not good company which the world calls good company nor he a good companion which the world calls a good companion If a man will drink and take off his Cups he is a good Fellow in the mouth of the World And if a man be a Jolly Frolick Merry man that can make you laugh with some pretty Tales and Jests he is a good companion but if he be a good natured man and will not be angry then he is a good companion indeed This is the worlds good company or good companion but I say That is not good company which the world call good company 2. Neither is that good company which a man 's own ingagements calls good company if a man be a good man and I have a mind to hate him then I 'le first maâ—e him wicked that there may be room for my hatred if a man be a wicked man and I have a mind to keep him company or love him then I 'le first make him good and say he is good that there may be room for my love and fellowship with him It was a custome amongst the Jews that the King should once in a year read over the chief part of Deuteronomy in the Audience of the people and as their stories tell us when Agrippa came to those words One from among thy Brethren thou shalt set King over thee thou maiest not set a stranger over thee which is not thy Brother Agrippa's eyes trickled down with tears in remembrance that he was not of the seed of the Jews Whereupon saith the story the people cryed out three times fear not Agrippa for thou art our Brother So that when men please they can for their own engagements make a man a Brother and a good companion but I say That is not good company which my own judgment and engagement calls good company But that is good company which the Saints generally call good company and that is good which the Scripture cals good company Such are all those that do fear the Lord and doe keep his Precepts for so saith David I am a companion of all those that fear thee and do keep thy Precepts Now a man is not said to keep company with others either good or bad because he doth occasionally fall into their society Possibly a good man may occasionally meet with or fall into the society of those that are wicked Yet he is not thereby said for to keep wicked company neither is this forbidden for saies the Apostle 1 Cor 5. I have written to you that you should not keep company with c. yet not altogether for then you should go out of the world And possibly a bad man may occasionally meet with good people and be in their companies yet he is not therefore said to keep good company 't is not this or that occasion that doth make a companion Neither is a companion properly one whom a man doth ordinarily deal with in a way of Trade and Commerce For the Christians in the Apostles time did ordinarily trade and Commerce with the Heathens yet did not keep company with them â—ut a companion properly is such an one as I do chuse to walk and converse with ordinarily in a way of Friendship so that company-keeping doth imply three things First it is matter of choice and therefore relations as such are not properly said to be our companions 2ly it implyes a constant walking and converse with another and so it is expressed Job 24 8. Prov. 13.20 And Thirdly this ordinary converse or walking with another must be in a way of friendship and upon this account He that Sampson used as his friend is called his Companion Judges 14.20 A companion therefore properly is such an one as I do chuse to walk and converse ordinarily with in a way of friendship The Apostle Paul expresses it by a word that signifies to mingle 1. Cor. 5.11 I have written to you that you keep not company with the world the word in the Original is that you mingle not with such There is a medling with the world and there is a mingling with the world It is not unlawful to meddle with the things of the world but it is unlawful to mingle ones heart with the things of the world so it is not unlawful to meddle with the persons of the world but to mingle with them is unlawful and look when I do chuse the men of the world for to walk and converse with ordinarily in a way of friendship then do I keep them company but if men be such as fear God and do keep his Precepts and I chuse out such to walk and converse ordinarily with then am I said for to keep them company And thus now you see what good company is And when a man may be said to keep bad or good company 2 General Well but then secondly why and upon what account will a good man keep good company Why it is his duty to doe it he cannot but do it and it is best for him to do it It is his duty For if it be his duty to avoid evil company then it is his duty to have good company Now for bad company you know what Solomon sais Prov. 1.10 If Sinners entice ye consent thou not to theâ— verse 15. Walk not thou in the way with them but refrain thy feet from their path and again chap. 4.14 Enter not into the Path of the wicked and goe not in the way of evil men avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away Was not God greatly displeased with Jehosaphat for his walking and fellowship with Ahab and his house Read I pray what is said 2 Chron. 19 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the Seer went out to meet Jehosaphat and said to him Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. And ye know what is said in the 1 Psal Blessed is the man that walketh not in the Counsel of the ungodly that standeth not in the way of Sinners nor sitteth not in the seat of the scornful It may be you will say that you do not sit in the seat of the scornful though you be amongst them ordinarily but do you not stand in the way of sinners nor walk in their counsel If you be found either in their counsel or in their way or in their seat sitting standing or walking amongst them the blessing doth not belong to you If you be a Professor you ought not to be found in such company It is the duty of all those that fear to avoid evil company and as it is their duty to avoid evil company so it is their duty to frequent good company Cant. 1.5 If thou knowest not O thou fairest among women saith Christ to the Spouse Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock Cant. 1.8 And Solomon doth not only
It impâ—ies Authority or Commissiâ—n That which falleth within the compass of our Commission and Authority is In the power of our hand Upon this account Abraham said unto Sarah concerning her maid Hagar Gen. 16.6 Behold thy maid is in thine hand that is within the compass of thine authority Illud vere possumus quod jure possumus Though a man be able to do a work yet if it be not lawful or within the compass of his calling â—â—d commission it is not in the power of his h â—â— to do it Secondly As the words do imply Authority so they do imply an Ability For though a mâ—n have the power of Authority to do a work yet if he have not the power of Ability to do it it is not in the power of his hand to do it Knowest thou not said Laban to Jacob Gen. 31.29 that it is in the power of my hand to do thee hurt that is Knowest thou not that I have power and strength and ability for to do thee hurt But Thirdly As the words do imply an Ability so they do imply Opportunity and Occasion for though a man have both power of Authority and of Ability to do a work yet if he have not Opportunity to do it that work is not in the power of his hand to do 1 Sam. 10 7. And let it be when these signs are come unto thee that thou do as occasion shall serve In the Hebrew as your Margent tells you it is as thy hand shall find to do And if ye look into Scripture you shall find that a man is said to do that work which he doth occasion though that work be done by another See Acts 1.18 It 's said of Judas That he purchased a field with the reward of iniquity In Mat. 27.3 5. He brought the thirty pieces of silver to the Priests and threw them down in the Temple and departed If he threw them down in the Temple and left them with the Priests how did he purchase the field Yes says the interlineary Gloss Possidit quia possideri fecit He purchased it because he did that work which did administer the occasion of this purchase Look therefore when a work is within the compass of our commission and which we have ability and opportunity to do then it is truly said to be in the power of our hand and that is the work which our hand finds to do So that whatever work that is which God doth betrust us with if we have ability and opportunity to do it that we are to do with all our might Quest 2. Well but then secondly When may a man be said to do this work of God with his might or with all his might I answer it imports five things First He that will do the work of God with all his might must do it with all his soul in opposition unto heart-division As in the New Testament there is mention of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double-minded man So in the Old Testament ye read of a divided heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An heart and an heart And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heart is sometimes put for the affections and sometimes for the conscience Yea the Hebrew hath no other proper word for conscience but the word heart Therefore says the Apostle If thy heart condemn thee that is if thy conscience condemn thee that 's an Hebraisme Now the heart of the affection may run one way and the heart of the conscience may go another way The heart of Herods conscience went with John Baptist but the heart of his affection went with the Dancing damsel The heart of a Drunkards conscience is to leave his Drunkenness but the heart of his affections is to his drunken company But where a man doth the work of the Lord with all his might he doth it with all his soul in opposition unto Heart-division 2. And secondly As he must do it with all his soul in opposition unto heart-division so he must do the work of the Lord with all his understanding in opposition unto unskilfulness For sâ—ys Solomon It is the property of a fool not to know the way to the city Eccles 10. The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them because he knows not how to go to the city That is saith Luther He wearieth out himself in difficult things and questions when he doth not know that which is ordinary and necessary for him to know he knows not the way to the city But as for the Wiseman saith he His heart is at his right hand ver 2 A wisemans heart is at his right hand That is he doth his work with dexterity in opposition unto all unskilfulness 3. And thirdly As he doth Godâ— work with dexterity in opposition to all unskilfulness so he doth it with all his affections in opposition unto Lukewarmness and Remisness For as the Philosopher observes All remisness doth arise from the mixture of some contrary Now where there is a mixture of the contrary a man cannot do his work with all his might But Fourthly As he must do Gods work with all his affection in opposition unto Luke-warmness so he must do it with all his ability in opposition to all Reserves Ananias and Sapphira did not do Gods work with all their might Why because they had their Reserves But Moses did Gods work with all his might when he brought the people out of Egypt Why because he left not an hoof behind him he had no Reserves So now when a man will not leave an hoof behind him but doth Gods work without all reserves then he doth it with all his might Yet Fifthly As he must do it with all his ability in opposition unto all Reserves so he must do it with his diligence and industry in opposition unto sloth and negligence For he that is slothful in his business is brother to the scatterer saith Solomon Do you therefore ask when a man may be said to do Gods work with all his might I answer it implies these five things He must do it with all his soul in opposition to all division of heâ—rt With all his dexterity in opposition unto all unskilfulness With all his affections in opposition unto all luke-warmness and remisness With all his ability in opposition unto all reserves And with all his industry and diligence in opposition unto all sloth and negligence Well but then thirdly Why and upon what account or reason must we do Gods work with all our might I answer 1. It is Gods will we should do so it is his Commandment Deut. 4.5 6. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soul and with all thy might Here are three All 's All thy soul all thy heart and all thy might And lest you should think that there may be some abatement in New Testament-times ye shall find that when Christ cites those words in Luke 10.27 he addes a fourth All. Thou shalt
blessing can there be in this world then to enj y ones self under God to enjoy ones self and to be free from all things Paul counted it a blessing to have the comforts of this world and to be under the power of none but to stand free from all Now there is no such way in the world to stand free from all things as to resign up our selves souls and wills unto God Haec est vera libertas servire Deo True liberty doth consist in perfect subjection to God Who more free then Christ yet who more subject to the will of God then Christ Not my will but thy will be done no such way to enjoy ones self as to give up our selves unto God Doth not the Begger enjoy her self most in giving up her self to a Prince for marriage Secondly Yea what greater blessing is there in the world or in the world to come then to enjoy God Now if you do resign and give up your self unto God you shall enjoy God for God will give down himself unto you 'T is observed That God the Father never gave down that great dispensation of the Spirit unto Christ till Christ had thus resigned up his spirit unto the father Look what we do give up to God that God will give down to us in a better edition yea he will not only give our selves to our selves if we resign our selves unto him but if you resign and give up your self unto him he will give down himself unto you if you resign up your spirit unto him he will give down his Spirit unto you Thus this Soul-resignation is an In-let to this mercy Yet thirdly You will all say It is a great mercy and blessing to have your prayers and desires granted Then read â—hat the Psalmist saith Psal 37.4 Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart Commit thy way to the Lord trust also in him and he will bring it to pass Dost thou say I pray and use endeavours yet the thing prayed for endeavoured after doth not come to pass Why Then commit thy way to the Lord resign up thy way unto God and he will bring it to pass I remember a notable story that Thaulerus hâ—th This Thaulerus lived in the beginning of the German Reformation a little before Luther whom Luther seems to prize above all Authors Da mihi istum insignem Theologum Thaulerum said he Give me that eminent Author Thaulerus Now this Thaulerus tells us of a certain Wâ—man that as much given to Prayer and had sâ— great credit in Heaven that she did but ask and had from the hands of God Insomuch said he that divers came to her to pray for them according to their necessities who 〈◊〉 she promised to pray for yet sometimes did forget to pray for them Yet says Thaulerus The things which her friends did desire were given to them and coming to her to thank her for her prayers Nay truly said she I am ashamed and blush before you for if you have received the mercy it is no thanks to me for I forgot you And thereupon going unto God in prayer she begged this of God That he would please to tell her the reason why the mercies desired were given though she did not pray for them Whereupon she received this answer from God says Thaulerus Hear O my daughter Audi filia mea ex quo dio tuam mihi resignasti volunta tem ego vâ—c ssim dedi tibi meam Thau erus From the day that thou didst resign thy will up to me I did give my will to thee And the truth is there is no such way to obtain what â—e would as to resign up our wills unto God Thus this Soul or Self-Resignation is an In-let unto many mercies Secondly As it is an In-let unto many blessings So it is an In-let unto many graces and duties What grace or duty will ye instance in Will ye instance in Prayer First It opens the Sluices of Prayer and as one speaks well though you pray ne're so long or loud yet if you do not resign up your Soul and Will unto God your prayer is but non-sense and a contradiction in re Secondly Or will ye instance in Faith Faith is a trusting unto God Now the more you betrust God with your self the more you trust to God And what greater betrustment then the Resignation of ones Soul unto God Thirdly Thereby you shall be contented with your condition whatever it be with the best contentment For there is a twofold contentment One that arises from the fullness of your enjoyment Another that arises from the apprehension of the wise carving hand of God This last is best and the most refined Now if you can but truly resign your self and Will unto God you will be thus contented Fourthly Thereby also you will rejoyce in God and mourn for sin at once Some mourn for sin and neglect joy in God Some joy in God and neglect grief for sin But if I can truly resign my self unto God I shall grieve for sin and rejoyce in God together Yea fifthly Thereby also you will be able to answer unto your Temptations especially that great Temptation that lies so hard upon some You are now in a good condition but suppose it were so and so with you What would you do then Why if ye have resigned your self unto God you 'l be able to say I do not know what may befall me but I am sure nothing shall come amiss for I have resigned my self and my Will unto God Thus this holy Resignation is ye see an In-let to many g aces and duties Thirdly As it is an In-let unto many graces So it is an In-let also unto many comforts yea indeed unto all our comforts For what comfort can a man have in himself or condition till he hath truly resigned and given up himself and Soul and Will unto God but being done ye may freely go about your business If a man have a Suit in Law and have left his Cause in the hand of an able careful friend and Lawyer he is quiet Much more may we be quiet when we have left and lodged our Case and Way and Soul with God Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established Prov. 16.3 Not thy business and works but thy thoughts shall be then at rest Do not all things rest in their Center And is not God our Center The more indifferently that a mans heart is carried out towards changes the more quiet and sedate is his spirit Now when a man hath resigned himself up to God then he will be more indifferent unto all conditions The private Souldier doth march indifferently this way or that way at the command of his Leader Why Because he hath resigned up himself to the wisdom of his Commander The Sheep is indifferently led into this Pasture or the other Why Because resigned up to the will of
the Shepherd So if our Souls be truly resigned up to God we sha l be indifferently carried to this or that Pasture for we are the sheep of Christ I remember a notable speech that Luther had to Melancthon Melancthon being much troubled about the affairs of the Churches and the low estate of the same Luther wrote a Letter to him and in that Letter he hath this expression Thou art much troubled and afflicted O Melancthon et Philip is to be admonished and desired to leave governing the world Sed monendus est Philippus ut dâ—sinat gubernare mundum As if he had said Philip thou undertakest to govern the world therefore thou art thus dejected Do but leave the Cause to God and let him govern and thou wilt be quiet and not troubled The only way therefore to be quiet within is to resign and give up all unto God This Self or Soul-resignation is an In-let unto many mercies an In let unto many graces an In-let unto many comforts Surely therefore it is a good and an excellent thing to resign and give up our selves unto God Quest VVell but then how is this work to be done that we may truly resign and give up our selves our souls and our wills unto God Answ 1. It is not to be done sleightly and overly but seriously and solemnly It is an ordinary thing with men to say The will of the Lord be done Gods will be done and the like But it is one thing for a man to be indifferent in a business saying The will of the Lord be done and another thing for a man to give up himself and will effectually unto God It is one thing for a man to do this in a sleighty and general way saying The will of the Lord be done and another thing to make a distinct and clear Resignation of his will to the will of God in particular things Look into Scripture and ye shall find that wherever this work was done truly it was done solemnly and seriously Secondly As this work is not to be done sleightly and overly So neither is it to be done forcedly and lastly but freely and firstly The first thing I do I must commit my self and cause and will unto God If a City or Town be besieged it yields and resigns at the last because it can hold out no longer But this Resignation is a forced work the Resignation of our selves and wills unto God is not such VVhen Pharaoh could stand out no longer then he resigned up the Israelites And so when men can hold out no longer then they say Well it is the will of God that this thing should be wherefore now the will of the Lord be done VVhen they can do no other Then they resign up the thing and themselves unto God But this true Resignation is done freely and firstly not forcedly and at last Thirdly As it is not to be done lastly and forcedly So it is not to be done partially and by halfs but fully and totally I am thine saith David to God Oh save me Ps 119.94 When a man comes to God for mercy he pleads not for part but all He doth not say O save my body and not my soul but Oh save me Nor doth he say Oh save my soul and not my body But I am thine Oh save me When a man desires pardon of sin he desires not the pardon of some but of all When God gives himself unto us he gives himself wholly This Resignation of our selves unto God is a great Sacrifice a great Offering and it must be of all an Holocaust God cannot will not take less then all He that resigns himself unto God with a reservation of a part doth like Ananias and Sapphira He pretends the whole and gives but part and so he doth lyeâ—â—nto God Fourthly As this Resignation must not be done partially and by halfs So it must not be done conditionally but absolutely When you have taken a Servant and you bid him do this or that it may be he 'l say to you It was none of my bargain I bargained with you for to be yo r Steward but not to be your Groom in your Stable Or I bargained with you to be your Clerk but not to be your Scullian this or that work which you set me about is not according to my conditions And so when a City besieged doth resign it doth resign upon Articles But when a Soul doth truly resign it self unto God Then no Articles no Conditions Lord what wilt thou have me to do says Paul Oh any thing Lord any thing I will return to my Fathers house and let him make me his hired servant Do but receive me Lord and I 'le not article with thee it 's a Resignation without Articles The Covenant of Grace whereby God doth give himself to us is absolute and not conditional So is that Covenant whereby we do resign and give up our selves unto him Abraham subscribed to a blanck so must all the Children of Abraham do Fifthly As this Resignation is not to be done conditionally So it is not to be done passively and in a way of submission onely but actively It 's one thing for a man to submit unto Gods will and another thing to resign up himself and will to the will of God A man is properly said to submit when he quietly yields unto what is done A man is said to resign up himself and will unto God when he doth quietly yield over his affections to the thing done as best because God wills it For example I meet a Thief on the way and he takes my Purse I submit because I cannot help my self but I do not resign up my will to his will I resign up my money into his hand but not my will unto his will nor my affections and judgment to the thing done judging that good which is done But when a man doth truly resign up himself unto God he resigns up his thoughts and judgment to the wisdom of God It is not a bare submission unto what is done Sixthly As this Resignation is not to be done passively So it is not to be done deceitfully and feignedly but in all pâ—ainness and sincerity We read of the enemies of the Lord that they shall submit feignedly unto him so Psal 18.44 Strangers shall submit themselves to me The margent hath it They shall yield feigned obedience But the Hebrew is They shall lye unto me So Psal 66.3 Through the greatness of thy power thine enemies shall submit themselves to thee Margent Shall yield feigned obedience Hebrew Shall lye unto thee There is a feigned obedience a feigned yielding a lying â—esignation and submission unto God â—er 42. The people of the Jews come to Jeremiah to go unto God for them and they say ver 5. The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us whether
it be good or whether it be evil c Wherefore Jeremiah did intreat the Lord for them but they would not do what they said Whereupon said Jeremiah ver 20. Ye dissembled in your hearts when ye said We will do according to all that the Lord our God shall say So that there is a lying submission whereby men in affliction and distress do feignedly submit and resign themselves up to God Possibly a man may hear that the onely way to have his will is to resign up his will unto God Now that he may have his will he will resign it up unto God This is but to serve himself of God But where this work is truly done it is done with the greatest plainness of heart and the most sincerity Seventhly As this work is not to be done feignedly So it is not to be done sinfully but in well-doing Some say The will of the Lord be done and they say they do resign and give up themselves unto God But if ye look into 1 Pet. 4.19 he will tell you That this work is to be performed in well-doing Let him commit his soul to God in well-doing as unto a faithful Creatour And thus ye see how this work is to be done rightly It is to be done Solemnly and not sleightly Freely and firstly not forcedly and lastly Wholly and totally and not partially and by halves Absolutely and not conditionally upon Articles Actively and not in a way of submission onely With much plainness and sincerity And in well-doing Quest Well but when is this work to be done Answ It is to be done daily Once done and yet ever doing But there are some times wherein this work is to be done especially but most especially at our death First I say this work is to be done daily Sometimes a man is to resign up his will unto God in reference to his Health Sometimes in reference to his outward Estate â—ometimes in reference to his Relations Sometimes in reference to his spiritual Condition But as the Psalmist speaks Trust in the Lord at all times So I say we are to resign up selves and Souls and Will to God at all times Yet secondly There are some special times and seasons which do call for this work I 'le name Five First When a man doth convert and turn unto God Then he is in a special manner to resign and give up himself unto God What wilt thou have me do said Paul at his first Conversion The Priests that offered Sacrifices unto God were first offered themselves After Conversion we do daily offer our Sacrifices to God At the first therefore we are to offer up our selves unto him Secondly When a man is called forth unto any great work or service or employment especially if it be beyond his own strength and power Then he is to resign and give up himself unto God So Moses did So David did So all the Worthies of God have ever done when they have been called out to any great employments Thirdâ—y When a man is in any great danger distress and affliction Then he is to resign and give up himself and will unto God If the Lord have any pleasure in me says David he will bring me back again yet if not his will be done So Joab when he saw that enemies were round about him Let us fight says he for the cities of our God c. and the will of the Lord be done Fourthly â—hen a man doth joyn himself unto the Lord and his people Then he is especially to resign and give up himself unto God So the Churches of Macedonia did for says Paul 2 Cor. 8.5 And this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God Fifthly When a man hath sinned greatly and wandred from the Lord and from his holy Profession and doth return again unto God Then he is in a special manner to resign and give up himself unto God The same thing is to be done in our renewed as in our first Conversion And if ye look into 2 Chron. 30. ye shall find that when all Israel had gone astray Hezekiah exhorting them to return unto the Lord he saith v. 8. Now be ye not stiff-necked as your fathers were but yield your selves unto the Lord Margent Give you your hand unto God When we have stollen any thing from God it is our duty to restore it Have we therefore in our first Conversion given our selves unto God and afterward by our sins taken them away agâ—in whenever we do return unto God then it is our duty to restore and so to resign up our selves unto him And thus now ye see what those special times and seasons are which call for this work at our hands The times of Conversion câ—lls for it The time of special Employment calls for it The time of great danger calls for it The time of joyning to the Lord and his people calls for it And the times of our returns unto God after wandrings calls for it But Thirdly Though we are to resign our selves unto God in such times as these are specially Yet most especially we are to do it when we come to suffer for then God is ready to receive us Exod. 19.4 Then men are ready to destroy us Psal 10.14 The poor committeth himself to thee When we come to dye For then did Christ do it especially Then the Soul is to return unto him that gave it It doth not dye or sleep with the body in the grave but it returns unto him that gave it This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise saith Christ And the Apostle tells us That Paradise is the third heavens and the place of Glory 2 Cor. 12. Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all How can a man be said to be with Christ presently upon his death if the soul dyes and sleeps with the body Yea says he I am in a strait in respect to you I desire to live in respect of my self I desire to dye But if the soul sleeps and dyes with the body why should not he desire to live in regard of himself When the man dyes then the soul and spirit returneth to him that gave it When a man therefore dyes it is fit to resign and give up his soul unto God Secondly When a man dyes then if his soul goes to Heaven it is to pass through the Enemies Countrey for Satan is the Prince of the air The Air is full of Devils the soul therefore hath need of a good Convoy to pass through this Enemies Countrey And how should a man get this Convoy but by resigning and giving up his soul into the hands of God Thirdly When a man dyes Then he launches forth into the Ocean of Eternity And as God is the disposer of our times for the present so of our Eternity also Fit it is that we should acknowledge his