of this that made this rich worldling to be branded for a fool Give Alms plentifully and provide for your selves Bags that wax not old be sparing as to your selves but lay out and spare not upon the Service of God Give your selves unto prayer let reading the Word Meditationâ—… Self-examination be your daily exercises do good to all men serve your generation with diligence study to be useful sill up your relations with duties and when you have done all go out of your selves look wholly unto Jesus and live by faith this do and you shall have treasure in Heaven and let death come when it will it will but set you in possession of glory But woe to them that have laid up nothing on the other side the Grave Death will break them for ever and will prove their eternal undoing 4. Be the death of your sins that they may not fasten like Hell-hounds upon you when you are most helpless Mortifie your corruptions and then the bitterness of Death is past Sin is the sting of Death that makes it dreadful that makes it hurtful O do not arm your enemy against you death cannot hurt you but by the weapons that you put into its hands by your sins if Sin be dead death is conquered This is the top of misery when sin and death shall sly upon a poor creature together when death as the unclean Spirit taking with him seven other Spirits worse than himself shall set a man's Sins all upon him and besides the terrour of its own apaling looks shall shew him the more ghastly and affrighting faces of those Fiends and Furies his unpardoned sins this is the sting of death and makes that the King of terrours 5. Observe the approaches of your enemy daily and remember that you are for ought you know more than half dead already Let not gray hairs be here and there upon you and you know it not observe all the warnings of death and consider in all your pains and insirmities that these are but twitches and items from death How often is death knocking at your doores Death hath a great part of you already in possession whatsoever is past is death's and how little how very little is to come God knows sure I am nothing is yours but the present time Christians shall Death get ground upon you every day and be marching up towards you and will not you provide accordingly and make preparations for it every day as Death comes daily towards you do you labour to make it good against Death Let your fortifications go on daily let some breach be made up let somewhat be mended every day forget not that holy Counsel to meditate every evening that seeing thy dayes are numbred there is one more of thy number spent and thou art now nearer to thy end by a day 6. Dare not to live in such a case or course that you would not dare to dye in How know you but your next step may be into the grave and would you be found in your sins how do you know but death may meet you at the next turning and O how unwelcome a meeting will it be if you be found by it laden with the gains of unrighteousness or with lusts and pleasures would you have Death to find you out of your harnesses would you meet your enemy without a weapon or be found by him in a careless secure and sleeping posture If not how dare you live at such a rate are you at an agreement with Death 7. Be alwayes in your Fathers business that Death may not be able to find you doing evil or doing nothing the holy Calvin would not sorhear his labours in his dying Sickness but when perswaded to give over replyed what shall my Lord come and find me idle it was said of the laborious Willet who was alwayes very early at his work that he was half way on his journey before others did set out Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Remember in what you undertake that Death may overtakq you before you have ended therefore see that you do nothâ—…ng without Gods warrant carry this with you and you need not fear Death's surprisal Woe unto you if Death find you with your work to do How holily how happily ended that Blessed Saint Mr. Lovo who could dare to say in his last Prayer Father I have glorisied theâ—… on Earth I have sinished the work which thou gavest stâ—…ma to do and now O Father glorifie me withthy own self Surely the end of that man was peace The last words that ever he spake were Blessed be God for Jesus Christ. Blessed be God for peace of Conscience He lived a life of exemplary diligence and the comfort of his death answered the holy painfulness of his life This was Paul's joy I have fought a good sight I have sinished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me tâ—…e Crown of life 8. Get Conscience to be your friend least that should set Death upon you to worry you when yóu come to dye Beware you mistake not the slumber of Conscience for a setled peace the Serpent may be but frozen in your bosoms when you think him dead Death will rouze the sleeping Lyon and then Oh fearful work that he will make his roaring will shake the heart of Rock and apale the countenance of Kings and loose their joynts and break all their bones If you be wise get and keep a good Conscience carry it to the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness get it sprinkled with the blood of Christ. Exercise your selves to keep a Conscience void of osfence towards Goâ—… 〈◊〉 towards all men In all your undertakings let Conscience have the casting voice ask counsel of it diligently hear its rebukes patiently thankfully as a precious balm that will not break your heads make it to give in its judgment about your Estates If it be confident be sure it be upon Scripture evidence if it be doubtful get it well setled in time if it condemn you away with speed to your Redeemer sue out your pardon get it purified and pacified Follow after peace and holiness but accept of no peace but of God's speaking Please Conscience rather than all the world keep her and she shall keep you they that are careless of defending Conscience are preparing for their own torment at death 9. Remember your Sick-bed resolutions and set a mark upon those things that did make death look most ghastly Woe to you if Sickness find you again in the same sins which formerly stung you what will you say to Conscience or how will you look Death in the face if you be found at last to have been false to your Sick-bed vows Alphonsus King of Aragon sent to the Bishop to know how he should do to become a good man he answered he should be the man he promised to be when last sick of the Gout 10. Keep no
want of self-examination for want of pain and diligence in observing their own heart But now if you set upon this duty you will be skil'd in your own hearts I doubt this work of self-examination is seldom done by many Christians except it be upon some special occasion Thirdly Consider hereby you shall come to a thorow acquaintance with your own hearts 2 Cor. 13. 5. Prove your selves and then follows know you your selves he that proves himself oft shall know himself at length DEUTERONOMY 32. 46. And he said unto them set your hearts unto all the words which I testisie among you this day THe words foregoing my Text are called the Song of Moses what is storied of the Swan is made good in the Saints they sing sweetest when they are about to die It is said of Christ that never man spake like to him and he never spake more like himself than a little before his passion What tender words what yearning melting bowels what endearedness of affection doth he express to his poor sorrowfull Disciples in the 15 16 17. Chapters of John There is saith One of the Ancients more worth in these three Chapters than in all the Books in the world Moses that famous servant of God Israels guide Prophet Governour Father Husband being about to take his leave of that perverse stiff-necked people begins to sing of Mercy and Judgment And he sings sweetly in the ears of God but dolefully I doubt in the ears of Israel Having ended his Song he doth enforce both it and the Counsels given in the foregoing Chapter with this vehement exhortation in the words of my Text. Set your hearts c. By All these words we are to understand not onely the mercies and judgments spoken of in this Chapter but the precepts laid down in the foregoing Chapter and therefore he addes in the next words after my text which you shall command your Children to observe to do all the words of this law I shall not stand any longer upon the words but presently give you this Doctrine Doct. That when God hath-discovered any duty to his people he looks that they should set their hearts to it In the prosecution of this Doctrine I shall speak to these three things First shew you what it is to set your heart to any duty and shall speak particularly to that duty that God hath lately laid open to us from those words Commune with your own hearts Secondly I shall propound some motives to stir up those to it that have not yet begun to stir up those that have begun to go on in it Thirdly I shall prescribe some directions for the conscionable constant easie performance of the duty First What 't is to set the heart to any duty This carries in it First Remembrance Secondly Serious consideration Thirdly Resolution Fourthly Love Fifthly Life Sixthly Labor Seventhly Care Eightly Constancy First Remembrance or a minding of our duty Heb. 2. 1. Give the more earnest heed to the things that you have heard lest at any time you let them slip The memory of man is a leaking vessel apt to let out as fast as God poures in It is like a grate in the water-course still the trash doth stick by us but the pure water the things of God and of another world are soon out and gone Beloved it is very strange and yet very true those things that we are most affected with which are most fresh in our minds that our thoughts do most naturally run upon in a few weeks or months the savor of them dye and the things are buried in oblivion and perhaps scarce ever come to mind again Concerning this excellent course that we have been directed to I pray God that I may never live to see it dead and buried and thus I pray for you all I confess I am afraid of myself lest time should wearout the sence or remembrance of so great a duty but the Lord be better to me than my fears and to all others whose fear this is Neither is it implyed only that we should never forget this duty or think upon it only nowand then but that our thoughts should run upon it That which a man sets his heart upon he will often mind The voluptuous man sets his heart upon his pleasure and therefore will mind his pleasure The Covetous man sets his heart upon his riches and therefore minds his riches Their thoughts are so taken up with those things that they scarce think upon any thing else So it should be with us When we are sitting at our tables lying down rising up alone in company going to any duty inour shops about our callings we should remember this course We should be as well able to forget to eat as to forget the rule by which we should eat VVe should be as well able to forget to sleep and speak and follow our callings as to forget the rule by which we should do it I shall shut up this particular with the prayer of David so full to this purpose 1 Chron. 29. 18. O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel our fathers keep this for ever in the imagnations of the thoughts of the heart of thy people and prepare their heart unto thee Secondly Serious Consideration or a pondering of the duty in our heart as the expression in Luke is chap. 2. 19. Now there are these three things that we are to consider when God doth discover any duty to us First What have I done Hath not this command of God been neglected by me Have not I been a meer stranger to the duty now laid open or is not this the duty that the minister and my conscience hath pressed upon me from time to time and yet I have neglected it Secondly What must I do Is not this the command of God And dare I do otherwise than obey it Is it not the God of heaven that speaks unto me examine thy self commune with thy own heart Is this God to be slighted His authority to be despised darest thou O my Soul to say the God of heaven nay Thirdly What shall I do VVhat will become of me in tâ—…e day of visitation and in the day of judgemâ—…nt if I daily neglect this known duty this weighty duty this necessary duty VVhen trobles shall come slowing in upon me like the waves of the Sea one upon the neck of another how shall I be able to stand under them If I think to go to God for refuge Conscience will fly in my face and tell me this is the God that thou hast despised whose voyce thou hast not hearkned to How shall I stand in the day of judgement and look God in the face if I am contentious and will not obey the truth What can I expectbut tribulation and anguish and wrath Rom. 2. 8 9. A Scripture which me thinks may be as a thunder-bolt in the hearts of any that hath a secret purpose in himself to neglect this duty If
have caused to be printed on purpose for that end I do not doubt but you would find it a happy means for the letting in the light into their souls Psalm 74. 1. O God why hast thou cast us off for ever why doth thine anger smoak against the sheep of thy pasture THis Psalm and particularly these words do contain the Churches sad lamentation over her deep affliction together with her earnest expostulation with God about the cause Two things there are that the Church in these words doth plead with God First The greatness of her Affliction Secondly The nearness of her Relation First The greatness of her Affliction And there were three things in her asfliction that did make it lye very heavy upon her First The root of this affliction and that was Gods anger why doth thine ANGER smoak c. Secondly The height of this affliction God was not only angry but he did smoak in his anger Thirdly The length of this affliction It was so long that God did seem to cast them off for ever Secondly The neâ—…rness of her Relation Against the sheep of thy pasture as if they should have said Lord if thou hadst done this against thine enemies it had been no wonder If thou hadst poured out thy wrath against the vessels of wrath it had not been so much But what wilt thou draw out thy sword against the sheep of thy pasture It were no wonder that thou shouldst take the fat and the strong and pour out thy judgements upon them but wilt thou do it to thy sheep There be several doctrines that I may raise from the words as First Doct. That Gods people are his sheep Second Doct. That God may be sorely angry with his own people With his own sheep Third Doct. That when God is angry with his people it becomes them carefully to enquire into the Cause Fourth Doct. That when Gods people are under affliction they ought to take notice of and be much affected with his anger from which they do proceed Fifth Doct. That Gods people under affliction are or should be more affected with his anger than with their smart This is that the Church doth complain of Not that the Church did so smart but that God was so displeased and angry That did most affect her Six Doct. That Gods people are apt to have misgiving thoughts of God when they are under sore afflictions God was angry with his people and their hearts did misgive them as if God did cast of his people Seventh Doct. That God may be angry with with his people so sore and so long that in the judgement of sence it may seem that they are for ever cast off Eight Doct. That though the people of God may not murmure against his proceedings yet they may humbly expostulate with him about the cause Why doth thine anger smoak against the sheep of thy pasture I have spoken heretofore to the first of these doctrines I shall speak now to the second To wit Doct. That God may be angry and sorely angry with his own people I have already in the audience of some proved this point And answered several questions As first How anger may be ascribed to God secondly How far he may be angry with his own people Thirdly What is the difference between Gods being Angry with his own people with the wicked I shall not respeak any thing of what I have spoken but proceed to a fourthquestion Fourth Question By what signs and evidences may we come to know whether God be angry and here I shall first premise four Propositions then answer the question in six Conclusions First I shall premise these 4 propositions First Proposition That a person or people may verily think themselves to be in Gods favor when they are indeed under his anger and displeasure Second Prop. That neither Gods favor nor his anger can be known meerly by his outward dispensations Third Prop. That Gods anger or favor must be judged of rather by our carriage toward him than by his carriage towards us Fourth Prop. That for the discovering of Gods favor or anger we must consult rather the book of Conscience and of Scripture than the book of providence First Proposition That a person or people may verily think themselves to be in Gods favor when they are indeed under his anger and displeasure This is an awakening consideration and therefore should be duly laid to heart A Church may think her self in a very good and safe condition and yet Jesus Christ may loath it and be ready to spue her out of his mouth As of the Church of the Laodiceans Men may cry to themselves peace and safety when sudden destruction may come upon them And may say Is not the Lord among us No evil can come unto us and yet be upon the very brink of destruction Men may have great hopes of the presence of God with them and yet evidences of Gods departing from them And may cry the temple of the Lord when God is even casting them out of his sight We read of som that had a great deal of confidence of Gods favor they would still lean on the Lord and were consident that he had favor for them and yet the Lord was ready to break out upon them to their destruction Micah 3. 11 12. They build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity c. Yet will they lean upon the Lord and say is not the Lord among us None evil can come upon us Therefore shall Zion for your sakes be ploughed as a field They may think that because the ordinances of God are among them that God is among them when God may be turning them up as a field that is ploughed This ought to startle and awaken men Sirs it is not your Confidence but your evidence that will carry it Many times there are none so confident of Gods favor as those that are marked out for the objects of his eternal wrath and displeasure The carnal Jews they would not be beaten out of their carnal confidence And though the prophet told them of the wrath of God that was coming against them yet they would not hear him till wrath came upon them and there was no remedy Second Prop. That neither Gods favor nor his anger can be known meerly by his outward dispensations No man knoweth either Love or hatred by the things that are before him Men have very shrewdly erred by judging of Gods favor or wrath by his outward dispensations When the Psalmist took his mark by this how sorely was his faith shaken and his feet almost gone When he beheld the Godly in affliction and under suppression and the wicked prospering in their wickedness The 73 Psalm gives you a true account what a sad bout he had by this He observed they had no bonds in their death and they were not plagued like other men Their eyes stand out with fatness they have more than heart could wish They
of danger And blessed be God he is not behind hand with you he that owned you in your prison state Brethren how hath God owned you in clearing your cause for which you are suffering here If the Kingdome of heaven be promised to them that suffer for righteousness sake then sure it is promised to you for you are suffering here upon that account And then for your call how sweetly and joyfully did we come hither though God knows we had not enquired into what we entended as to our subsistance here yet God sent us all hither joyfully together and I hope God will send us home as joyfully again But let me shew you in some particulars wherein God hath done more for you then for others as you are prisoners First You are better fed then others Who do live upon the bounty of Gods extraordinary providence like you may not God almighty speak to you as the Apostie to them 1 Cor. 9 7. Who of you goeth a warfare at his own charges VVhen our Saviour sent forth his disciples without scrip or shooes sayes he lacked ye any thing they answered nothing May not we say so if he say to us lacked you any thing we must say no he hath poured out his kindness upon us O how sweetly did the holy prophet think you rellish every bit of meat when God provided every bit so extraordinarily for him 1 Kings 17. 6. And the Ravon brought him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening God doth not send it to us by a Raven but by friends but all he sends bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening without our care And is not God to be observed in this you know there is a kind of a Famine abroad but God will not have it a Famine here VVho ever wants God will be sure that his prisoners shall not want As the King took care of Jeremiah Jer. 37. 21. Then Zedekiah the King commanded that they should commit Jeremiah to the Court of the prison and that they should give him dayly a piece of bread out of the Bakers-street untill all the bread in the City was spent VVhen Jeremiah was in prison God would be sure that he should not want as long as there was any bread to be had in the City So God commands concerning his prisoners though there be a kind of Famine abroad God will not suffer his prisoners to want Secondly You are better taught than others VVho is like to you O people about whose tents the Mannah raineth not every morning onely but morning and evening week dayes and Sabbath dayes God doth open his door to you and make every day as a Sabbath to you Thirdly You have more promises than others Now there are come in to us a whole shoal of of promises that we would not not so properly claim before 1 Pet. 2. 20. If when you do well and suffer for it you take it patiently this is acceptable with God 1 Pet. 4. 13. 14. Rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy If you be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you Jam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him If you suffer with him you shall also raign with him 2 Tim. 2. 12. Blessed are they that suffer for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my name sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven Math. 5. 10 11 12. Time would fail me to go over all those promises that are come in now upon us all at once Oh we are an unthankfull people if all these promises do not raise our faith and joy Is it a light thing my brethren that you should be heirs of the promises Fourthly God hath hath honored you more than others To others with you 't is given to believe but to you 't is given to suffer for his sake which the Apostle reckons up as a step higher than others attain to Philip. 1. 29. Fifthly God hath intrusted you with his honor more than others God hath put more into your hands than into the hands of any other Gods glory is trusted morewith the sufferers of Christ than with any others O be infinitely tender of Gods honor O see that you love him more than others praise him more than others A Sacramental speech grounded on Psalm 40. 7. Lo I come IT is my purpose to speak to you of the coming of the Son Lo I come Now concerning this coming I shall shew you First Who it is that is come Secondly How he is come Thirdly Whence he is come Fourthly Why he is come First Who it is that is come This is the first thing that I shall desire you to consider with reference to the coming of Christ. First The bridegroom is come God sends his Ministers to you with that cry Math. 25. 6. Behold the bridegroom cometh O with what joy doth the Bride receive her Bridgegroom so should believers receive Christ. Arise you Virgins then and come away Awake you virgins this is the call of your Bridegroom Cant. 2. 8. The voice of my beloved behold he cometh c. And what was this voice of her beloved that doth so ravish her heart see verse 10. arise my love my fair one and come away and so ver 13. Christ calls again and again and you should come away Secondly Your King is come God sends his Ministers to you with that glad newes that he put in the Prophets mouth Zach. 9. 9. rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion behold thy King cometh Brethren this is that which should cause you to rejoyce and shout for joy that your King is come And great reason have for he is a great King and hath salvation with him Luke 19. 9. This day is salvation come to this house Thirdly The deliver is come Rom. 11. 26. Brethren I know good news must needs be welcome to you at such a time as this why hear you then the blesseds news that ever came to the ears of man Luke 2. 10. Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born a Savior which is Christ the Lord. Ah Brethren that the Savior is come the deliverer is come this is the blessedst news that ever man heard Hear what the Lord saith with reference to this in that of the Prophet Isa. 62. 10. 11. He cals upon his people to cast up and prepare the way c. say ye to the daughter of Zion behold thy salvation cometh
c. Ah brethren this is good news for Zion and this is the news God hath sent me with behold the deliverer the Saviour is come O with what a welcome should such as this be received when he comes how welcome was the news to the captives that brought the news of their liberty why such should be the welcome that you should give to the news the Gospel brings you of a deliverer Now is your Jubilee blessed are the people that hear the joyful sound Psa. 89. 15. He alludes to the sound of the Trumpets in the time of the Jubilee but it is to be understood of the joyful sound of the Gospel It is blessed news that Christ the deliver is come Secondly I am to shew you how he is come There is a two fold coming of Christ his gracious and his glorious coming His glorious coming is not till hereafter at the last day This is the coming that he speaks of Rev. 1. 7. He speaks of it as if it were present because 't is as certain as if it were present Every eye shall see him But then there is his gracious coming and that is two fold corporal or spiritual His corporal coming in his admirable Incarnation his spiritual coming in the Gospel Invitation First His corporal coming in his admirable incarnation And this is blessed news to the world at this his coming there were a quire of angels to celebrate his praise Luke 2. 13 14. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God saying glory to Godin the highest and on Earth peace good will towards men We read that the great and glorious works of God they are celebrated by the angels And there are these four great works celebrated by them First The work of Creation So that 〈◊〉 Job 38. 7. When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for Joy It is spoken with reference to the Creation the angels did list up their voices and sang the praise of their Creator Secondly The work of conversion Luke 15. 10. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth The work of conversion is a great and admirable work and therefore celebrated by angels Thirdly At Christs incarnation so Luke 2. 10 11. Fourthly At the resurrection Then all the angels of God shall appear then shall be a most glorious and general appearance of the angels to celebrate that work heaven shall empty it self of all its glorious inhabitants Secondly There is the spiritual coming of Christ and this is in his Ordinances This is his Chariot wherein he rides on conquering Psa. 45. 3 4. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh and in thy Majesty ride prosperously This is to be understood of Christs going forth in the sound of the Gospel which is his sword whereby he rides on to conquer the world Now in this respect Christ is come exhibiting himself in the voice of the Gospel there Christ doth shew himself and impart himself to his people Thirdly I am to shew you whence he is come He is come from the throne of his glory From the court of his Angels From the hosome of his Father First From the Throne of his glory O what a wonderful descent was this that he should come from the Throne of his glory to the manger among the beasts from the company of the angels to be crucified among the theeves he came among the beasts the world would not receive him but he was thrust out among the beasts Man by his Apostacy had brought himself among the beasts and hither did Christ come to find him But he was humbled more yet from the throne to the cross From the height of his glory to the extremity of shame O how should we think of the strange abasure of Christ that he that was heir to the Crown of glory should become man and viler then any of the Sons of men in some respect this should have your great admiration Secondly From the Court of his angels The Lord Jesus Christ he was the brightness of his Fathers glory the express image of his person that made his angels spirits and his Ministers a flaming fire All the angels you must know were his Messengers And what abasure was here that he should come from the company of angels to be contemned by the basest of men Thirdly From the bosome of his Father The Lord Jesus Christ he was the Son of Gods delight his darling the beloved object of his soul Math. 11. 27. Christ is he that lyes in the bosome of the Father and he alone is able to reveal the secrets of the Lord to the world so John 1. 18. Now that the Lord Jesus Christ should come from the bosome of God to the belly of hell that he should leave the glory of heaven for the torments of hell and all for our sakes what a strange wonder of Love was this hence was it that Christ came for us This is the bread that came down from heaven that a man may eat of and not dye Fourthly I shall shew you why he is come And that is To seek and to Save First To seek That is one end of his coming so Luke 19. 10. And who do you think that he is come to seek It is us that were lost All we like sheep have gone astray now Christ is that great good sheapherd that came to seek and to save that which was lost in Luke 15 you read of the lost groat the lost sheep and the lost Son and who do you think this was this was the lost sinner ver 32. who was it think you that sought us and found us when we were lost It was Jesus Christ it was he that sought us We had never found him had not he sought us I am found of them that sought me not 〈◊〉 65. 1. If Christ had stayed for us till we sought him our salvation had never been wrought The Lord Jesus Christ he sought us not and laid hold on us He took not hold of angels but of the seed of Abraham In effectual calling there he takes hold of the sinner he is fain to run after them and stop them or else they would run into perdition Secondly He is come to save so the Apostle to Timothy 1 Tim. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief He puts in for one Oh brethren this is that should make the coming of Christ welcome to you he came to seek and save you O therefore welcome him at his coming Use. Is it so that Christ is come then go you forth to meet him Math. 25. 6. That was the cry there this is that which God sends his Messengers to call upon you for that you may go forth to meet him But how should you go forth to meet him First as a Bride doth her
bridegroom Secondly as redeemed Captives do their deliverer Thirdly as dutiful subjects do their King First As a Bride doth her Bridegroom This I shall open to you in three particulars First Put off the rayment of your captivity Secondly put on the wedding Garment Thirdly trim up all your Lamps First Put off the rayment of your Captivity If the poor Captive woman were to shave her head and pair ber nails and put off the rayment of her captivity c. Deut. 21. 13. before she was to be married to any one of the Tribes of Israel how much more should you put off the old man and your sinful deeds that are to be married to Christ If so be the Children of Israel were to wash and sanctifie themselves and wash their cloaths when the Lord was to come down upon Mount Sinai Exod. 19. how much more should you when the Lord 〈◊〉 comes down to you you know that Children may not come at their fathers Table with unwashed hands neither must you to eat of the dainties spread in the Gospel Secondly You must put on the wedding garment You will say what is this it is a conjugal love to Jesus Christ. And this is compared to a garment for we are bid to put on charity or love And it s set forth as the best part of the Christian rayment and above all things put on Charity for what more fits a marriage than a conjugal affection you should bring forth your most strong and ardent affections and love to him you should meet him with songs and what songs such as the Psalmist doth Ps. 45. title A song of Loves let your eyes be fixed upon Christ in the Gospel till your eyes affect your heart and while your heart is musing the fire will be kindling where will you bestow your love but where the bridgroom is so lovely Thirdly You should trim up all your Lamps you should snuâ—…f all your lights and trim up all your lamps to go forth to meet him And receive him and feed upon him when he is offered he is held out to you on purpose in the Gospel for you to take and receive him Gal. 3. 1. Foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been ardently set forth crucified among you But you will say was Christ 〈◊〉 in Galatia he was in the preaching of the word he was crucified among them Secondly You must meet him as redeemed captives do their deliverer would you know how this is it is with palms of victory in your hands with garments of salvation with songs of deliverance These are the three things wherein this stands you have all together in Rev. 7 9 10. They were in white robes the garments of Salvation and palms of victory and they had the songs of salvation too ver 10. Oh Brethren if you have any sence of your spiritual bondage and captivity to be the servants of sin under the fear of death under the King of terrors then be glad in your redeemer meet him with songs of praise O how should the high praises of God be heard in your mouths you should meet him as the virgins did David at his return from his victory 1 Sam. 18. 6. with singing and dancing with joy c. Thus should you meet your deliverer you should compass him with songs of praise O my Brethren you that are the redeemed of the Lord look down into the horrible pit and then look up and sing songs to the Lord. O it is a glorious salvation that Christ hath wrought for us How welcome was he to good old Simeon how sweetly doth he hug Christ in his arms and much more you must think in his heart now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation This we have seen we have seen Christ coming to us in the Gospel We have seen him like Sampson pulling down the house about our enemies and carrying away the posts and setting them up as Trophies of his victory It was he that was condemned that you might be freed O let your lips praise him and the souls which he hath redeemed let me call upon with the Psalmist Psalm 98. A psalm on purpose to Jews and Gentiles to sing to the Lord for their deliverance versâ—… 3. He hath remembred his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God And what use doth the Psalmist make of this vers 4. make a joyful noise unto the Lord all the earth c. He goes on calling upon all the Creatures to praise God for this If the Sea must roar and the floods clap their â—…nds how much more should you do it that are the redeemed of the Lord. Thirdly Meet him as dutiful subjects do their King This is the news sent to Zion behold thy King cometh Then meet him as a King receive him with acclamation and praise as they did when Solomon was proclaimed King 1 Kings 1. 39 40. They blew the Trumpet and all the pâ—…oplt said God save the King And the people piped with pipes and returned with great joy so that the earth rent with the sound of them O if they met King Solomon with such joy how should you meet Christ It is another manner of King that comes to you than Solomon was you should say to Christ as they did to Gideon Judg 8. 22. Rule thou over us for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian Thus should you say to Christ rule thou over us for he hath delivered you not from the hand of Midian but from Satan But how should we meet our King prepare the way bow the knee First Prepare the way Math. 3. 3. Christ had his fore-runner going before him that was John saying prepare you the way of the Lord make his paths straight How must the way of the Lord be prepared every Mountain must be brought low c. every Mountain of pride and opposition that are in our hearts must be laid low O if there be such preparing for the King where he is to lodge and go how much more should you for the King of glory where he is to lodge Secondly Bow the knee we read of Joseph and you know he was a type of Christ. that when Pharaoh had exalted him from the prison to such dignity he prepares some to go before him and cry bow the knee So God hath set up Christ and exalted him and given him a name above every name now let me call upon you and my self with you that you bow the knee to him I speak not of the bodily knee it is more than your cap and knee that he requireth He will have you to bow before him O then see that you bow before him see that you do him homage Now your King is set up in another manner than he was upon the Crosse behold your King That is
Christian methinks I should hear thee say Lord 't is enough thou hast laid down thy life for a ransome I see my cure in thy wounds I doubt not butthy blood is sufficient to cleanse me from all my sins And who now shall appear-against me Ah Justice once a terrible word now I can see thy face with comfort Once Justice was so terrible as never was the face of a judge more terrible to the prisoner at the bar than that to me but now 't is pleasing to me Once I had rather have fallen into the lions mouth than to come to it O how did my soul grow pale and my heart ready to dye like Nabals within me when I saw the ballance held up in one hand and the sword in the other but now I see that the death of Christ and his blood shall be put into the ballance with me I am not afraid Here now see a great wonder the pure holyness of God taking pleasure in a sinner and the strictest justice shaking hands with the offâ—…nder now the justice of God is become my friend Third Object O but unbelief seems yet to object from the multitude and strength and policy of the enemy Methinks I see the trembling soul in the posture of the prophets man who beheld the mountain beset with Charriots and Horses and crying out O Master what shall we do If it were but flesh and blood it were not altogether so much but 't is principalities and powers who can break thorow the host of these Philistines But Christian look to this crosse look to a dying Christ look what his death speaks to thee wherefore art thou ready to fall with these fears and ready to sink under them methinks I see him taking thee by the hand as he did Peter O thou of little faith why didst thou doubt look here by my cross and see all thine enemies lye slain by my death and what wilt thou be afraid that thy slain-enemies will rise again and pursue thee methinks soul I should hear thee triumphing and crying out what can you do O my enemies I have seen captivity led Captive and for whom did he overcome but for me as for me now I will throw out the gantlet and bid defiance to my enemies Who is he that condemns It is Christ that dyed who shall seperate us from the love or death of Christ shall tribulation or distresse c. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors c. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I see now all overcome in the death of Christ. Devils I fear you not I behold all your legions in chains and made captives by Christ. Death I fear thee not for I know that thou art slain by him that had the power of death and devils I know that thy commission is altered and thou comest not with authority to arrest me but with an invitation to invite me to feast with the Lord. And thanks be to God who hath given us the victory To the most beloved people the flock of Christ in Taunton Salvation Loving and most dearly beloved I have lately received your affectionate letter and though I never question your affections to me and need no verbal testimony yet I cannot but take it thankfully and read it delightfully when I see it attested under your own hands And I cannot but tell you you are the people of my cares the desire of my eyes the people of my delights of my prayers My labors with you for many years though some time attended with difficulty and danger yet were not tedious but my time passed like Jacobs when he served for Rachel and my sufferings for you are not irksome through grace because I trust they are for your edisication and are a seal of my love to you and more especially of the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ which I have long preached among you The Lord God teach me with humility and thankfulness to bear such honor that I should be set for the defence and consirmation of the Gospel And now my dearly beloved though you should not be insensible of Gods great visitation upon you yet I would not have you inordinately disquieted that I am removed from you to a prison for a season but rather imitate the Heroick vertue of that most gracious mother in the Martyrologie who when the Son of her bowels came not to a prison but to a stake to be sacrificed in the flames for Christ fell down on her knees and blessed the Lord that ever she should be so happy as to have a Son to suffer for Jesus Christ. Ah my dear flock how glad should 〈◊〉 be if God would send me forthwith among you again to feed you as in the dayes of old and to go in and out before you that you might find pasture yet be not dismayed fear not little flock though you are little and despised and hated of all men for Christs name sake Christs relation to you and tenderness of you is such that you cannot miscarry He liveth and his care liveth The Godly wife of that worthy Cornish Divine Mr. Vincent being left in great want with many little Children would often answer them when tâ—…y came crying about her for bread and she had none to give with this gracious expression be quiet children our God 〈◊〉 And surely that my brethren may be a quieting comforting consideration both for you and me though the bread do 〈◊〉 fail But at length this gracious woâ—… being left quite destitute and her children calling upon her when she had neither bread nor money breaks out into a bitter weeping which one of the littleones observing he comes and puls his mother by the Apron saying Mother why do you weep thus Is God dead now such a rebuke did the Lord send her by the mouth of a poor babe Brethren be not dismayed Christ liveth and therefore let your hopes live let your courage live let your faith live also Christ liveth ever therefore let your hearts live for ever Psal. 22. 26. He liveth to make intercession sor you and from his living you may be assured of life John 14. 19. of your Jastification Rom. 8. 34. Of your Salvation Rom. 5. 10. Beloved do but seriously think of Christ's relation to you and you cannot want comfort Why he is not ashamed to call you Brethren Even when he was entred upon his state of exaltation risen from the dead far above the state of mortals he own'd poor weak believers for his brethren John 20. 17. Go to my Brethren Math. 28. 10. Go tell my Brethren Yea when he cometh with all his holy Angels with him and sits upon the throne of his glory he will own the very least and lowest among poor believers before all the world for his Brethren Math. 25. 31. with ver 40. keep this my
in flesh which is the worâ—…t of all Now is it not a wonder of all wonders that God should look upon such a one as man That God that humbles himself to behold the things that are done in heaven that this great God should look upon us or take any pleasure or delight in us O how should we admire this Grace Secondly If you consider what man is What a Vain what a Vile thing he is 1. What a vain thing he is His vanity appears 1. By Gods testimony of him 2. By mans own hand subscribing to it 1. By Gods testimony of him Isa 40. 15 16 17. All natious before him are as vanity They are as the drop of a 〈◊〉 and as the small dust of the ballance c. 2 You shall see mans own hand subscribing to it If you will but look into other places of Scripture you shall see man setting his own hand to it Psal. 39. 11. Surely every man is vanity mark every man Men of all Ranks and conditions Psal. 62. 9. Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are alye to be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter than vanity The Psalmist doth not speak it rashly but as one that had tryal of what man was and yet he gâ—…ves this as the result of his experience and tryal that if man were put into one ballance and vanity in the other it would weighâ—… him down So Psal. 39. 5. Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity Not vain but vanity it self yea every yea altogether yea at his best state he is altogether vanity Job 11. 11. For he knoweth vain men That is the proper Epethite that belongs to man Man is a vain thing and that in two particulars He is Worthless and Useless 1. He is a worthless thing Iob 11. 12. For vain man would be wise In the original 't is Empty man Man is by Nature empty of every good thing So the Apostle in me that is in my slesh dwelleth no good thing There is nothing that is spiritually good left all is lost by mans Apostacy from God Yea man is not onely nothing worth but worse than nothing We use to say that a man that is over head and ears in debt is many thousands it may be worse than nothing so is man he is insinitely in his makers debt and cannot come out as we acknowledge in that petition forgive our debts where we acknowledge two things 1 That we are in debt to God 2 That we cannot pay him This is the condition of man he is infinitely in God's debt he cannot pay any thing he hath nothing to pay 2. He is a useless thing Able to doe the Lord no service Eph. 2. 1. Yea when he is recovered by grace 't is very poor service that he can doe for his maker And therefore our Saviour teacheth his disciples to say they are unprofitable servants when they have done their duty Yea we are so far from doing him any acceptable service that we cannot but sin against him and offend him Now put these things together and doth it not appear to be a wonder that God should make such account of man Is he a vain thing Worthless and Useless and yet will God set his heart upon him what a wonder is this 2. Man is a vile thing If he were onely empty of good this were something but now he is not onely empty of all that is good but he is full of all that is displeasing to God Job 15. ver 16. Man drinketh in iniquity like water This is the condition of man he drinketh in sin as the fish drinks in water Sin is his proper Element The filthy carcase lying before us is not more loathsome to us than we are to God in our sins Man before God in himself is like a carcase lying in its crawling worms Now is it not strange that so vain yea so vile a thing as man have any room in Gods heart How should we cry out with the Psamist here in the text Lord what is man c. Thirdly This will appear by considering What great account this great God hath of this poor thing man What great account God hath of him will appear 1 In what he hath laid out upon him 2 In what he hath laid up for him 3 By the near union he hath taken him into with himself 4. By his near relation to him 5 By his entertaining such familiar communion with man First If you consider what God hath laid out upon him The care and the cost 1. The care Ah brethren this is strange grace that the infinite God should lay out his care his thoughts upon such a thing as man is yet thus he doth 1 Pet. 5. 7. For he careth for you Now this will appear worthy of your admiration if you consider what this care is 'T is a Paternal care a Personal care a Perpetual care 1. It is a Paternal care A Fatherly care As a father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him So Mal. 3. 17. God calls them his Iewels Now if a mans house be on fire he will be sure to save his Jewels But if a mans children be in the house he will rather loose his Jewels than his children And if he saveth any Child then that that is the dutifull child So God will spare them as a son that serveth him Now this Paternal care is upon that account Natural Constant Vigorous 1 It is a natural care which is in fathers and this is in God This the Apostle commend ed Timothy for Phil. 2. 20. That he 〈◊〉 rally cared for their state That which is nâ—…tural is delightful so is Gods care of his people he takes pleasure in it in his projects and designs to bring his people to glory Yea God is so Ambitious as we may so speak that he is angry when we will not cast our cares upon him He would have us be carefull for nothing 2 Upon this account it is also constant and uninterupted That whis is Natural is constant As the fire doth naturally give heat therefore it alwaies doth so But that which is contrary to Nature is quickly gone As if you heat water over the fire the heat is quickly gone again because it is against nature Now Gods care is Natural and therefore Constant. 3 That which is Natural is vigorous That which is done against Nature is done slowly As when you cast a stone upward Now Gods care is a Natural care and therefore a vigorous care 2. It is a Personal care God will look to us himself Isa. 66. 2. It is true God doth put others to look to us but he will not trust us with these but he will look to us himself 3. It is a perpetual care As when Daniel was to be cast into the Lions Den Dan. 6. 14. The king set his heart upon Daniel to deliver him c. So Gods heart