on him as the eyes of Servants nay not onely so but if that be not enough we wil not onely wait but hang upon him not onely so but in a holy sence wrestle with him by Prayer as Jacob did that he would be mercifull to his People that he would take care still of that little part of the Ark floating on the Waters Nay we will not onely wait upon him as Servants but as Children and not onely with the eyes of Children but with the Teares of Children with eyes fixed and hands spread and knees bowed with lips opening and hearts mounting we will wait upon him that this hope may be fixed in all our faces and shine in all parts thus if we doe we shall make the Text compleat For conclusion of all There are but two things that may perplex us uncertainty and feare Vncertainty that is one wrack and torment and feare is another This hope and waiting will stablish the soule in both Take the rule of both For uncertainty doe as Hezekiah did take these letters of uncertaine rumours and spread them before the Lord. For the feare let us take our selves and cast our selves before the Lord at his Footstoole For the uncertainty let that be the Scripture Habak 2. The Vision is yet for an appointed time but in the end it shall speake and shall not lie It shall come and shall not tarry Though it tarry yet we will wait for it For the feare let this be the word to fix our hearts that David hath given opportunity to handle this day Behold though our feares be great yet our hopes are some therefore as the eyes of Servants look to the hands of their Masters and the eyes of a Maiden to the hands of her Mistresse so doe our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy on his people THE Geust-Chamber DELIVERED IN TVVO SERMONS BY That Learned reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuel Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON Matth. 22.4 Behold I have prepared my dinner my Oxen and my Fatlings are killed and all things are ready Come into the Marriage LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. SERMON I. LUKE 22.11 12. And ye shall say to the good man of the house the Master saith unto thee where is the Guest Chamber where I shall eat the Passover with my Disciples And he shall shew you an upper Room furnished there make ready THIS Text is not the Scripture for the day but it is next of kin to it it is the Story for the day though not the Chapter for it is the very same Story that out of another Evangelist is appointed for the Gospell of this day and you lately heard it read to you But I chose rather to handle it out of St. Luke because that part which makes for my purpose is more fully set downe by him And indeed betweene the two Evangelists in the recording of the Story we shall find that there is some difference though it may be easily salved For St. Matthew in Chap. 26. he so relates it as if the motion of preparing the Passover came first from the Disciples of Christ but St. Luke in this Chapter he so relates it as if the motion of preparing the Passover came first from Christ but the very next words doe make it plaine to us where he shews that the first motion of the thing came from Christ but the first motion of the place came from the Disciples of Christ Therefore St. Matthew when he tells us of the Disciples of Christ propounding to their Master concerning the preparation of the Passover I suppose the first precept went from Christ he gave them charge to goe and prepare as it is in Luke then they goe and propound the Question concerning the place Where wilt thou that we prepare And both these considerations even in the entrance of this Scripture might be usefull for us for in the Narration that is made by St. Matthew we have here propounded to us what is the duty of a godly Servant he will put his Master in mind of matters that are weighty and important not onely such as concerne the world but such as concerne Religion If we follow the relation of St. Luke there is set downe the duty of a godly and religious Master to call upon his Servant to excite him to be frequent and zealous in the work of the Lord in the service of God According to the method that St. Matthew followes there we may see the part of a religious people of a good Flock they will in case even speake to their Pastor and call upon him for the practise of those duties that belong to him and we will take it well at your hands Christ himselfe was pleased to suffer himselfe to be remembred by his Disciples God himselfe suffereth himselfe to be remembred by us when we call for those things we need But if we follow the method of Luke so you shall see what is the duty of a carefull vigilant Pastor he will oft stir up his People his Flock his Parish to consider what they are doing when they come to the service of God to whose house they come whose Table they repaire to whose Word they heare before whome it is that they cast downe themselves still he will call upon them to prepare for the Passover Were I guilty of any great neglect Beloved I would hope that some of you would be so friendly as to call upon me to put me in mind and yet I have cause to suspect that rather the most would be so negligent as to let me alone willing to enjoy in my idlenes their owne security Therefore you shall give me leave now to prevent you as Christ did here his Disciples to speake to you that you make ready for the Passover the Passover why is there any Passover now to be kept among Christians Yes if you doe not know it the Apostle will tell you that Christ is our Passover 1 Cor. 5.7 He that prepares himselfe for the applying of the death of Christ and the procuring of himselfe greater interest in the merit of his Passion he prepares for the Passover You know as Christ said to his Disciples that within these few dayes after two or three dayes the time will come about wherein we celebrate the memoriall of his Passion the time of his Resurrection and this is another Passover the Christians Easter is his Passover and if there were not this yet the remembrance of that work about which we are conversant this day As Christ is the Passover in the substance of the thing so the Sacrament that he instituted his last Supper that is as the Passover in the memoriall of the benefite it is the Sacrament that came in the room of the other the Lords Supper that is the Christians Passover also and you know that those dayes of receiving they hasten upon you the next Sabbaoth the next Friday this very day Give me leave then to call upon
how shall I now defile them I have found the smart of sin I have put off the garment of the old man the Serpents skin is now gone I am made partaker of the fleece of the Lamb there is another garment of the robe of Christs righteousnesse is drawne over me shall I take my old raggs againe shall I take that which I have put off I have bathed my feet my affections I have washed my hands in innocencie I have washed my heart in the laver of epentance with that laver that begot repentance the blood of shall I defile my selfe any more in the wayes and workes of sinne this is the language of repentance it leaves sinne to turne no more to it Here in a true convert differs from a formall Christian he will turne for a time when Gods hand presseth him when he is driven to an exigent and etremitie he will leave his sinne but as a man puts off his garments at night when he goes to bed to take them when he awakes He leaves sinne in the night of affliction and tribulation but when the storm 's over he takes it againe to himselfe Such Christ speakes of in the Gospell they are compared to dogs and to swine to dogs that returne to their vomit and to swine that returne to wallow in the myre scuh as the Apostle saith that having escaped the intanglements of the world are defiled again the second time Such a one was Lots Wife that turned from Sodome but looked back againe such a one was Demas that left the fellowship of the world and imbraced the fellowship of the Apostle but his resolution held not out after he left the fellowship of the Apostle and betooke himselfe to communion with the World But on the other side a true penitent doth not so after he hath tasted once of the sweetnes of grace after he hath gotten assurance of the pardon of sinne it begets in him such a detestation and hatred that though he fall into any of those sinnes that cost him the plowing up of his fallow ground and the breaking of his heart he would not change the comfort of his estate for the pleasures of all sinnes though they were not for a season but for eternitie repentance is a finall change so we see the phrase cleared repentance and prayer is a turning The Prophet saith Turne to the Lord that is turne your lips to him offer the sacrifice of praise and turne your hearts to him too offer the sacrifice of a contrite spirit so much for the meaning of the phrase I come to the second that is the Propositions that arise from this dutie of action The propositions are two that arise clearely The first Proposition is this that In publique calamities that are threatned or sent upon a Land there is no hope of having the judgement or punishment removed except there be a turning to God by prayer The Prophet saw the judgement and their miserie and he chalks out the meanes to prevent it The first meanes is this the turning to the Lord that is the summe of all there is no hope of removing the punishment except wee turne te God by prayer That is the first and that is the way that the Scripture chalks out to us in diverse places after a diverse manner It shewes it us sometimes by vertue of the precept God hath commanded us Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee when trouble is nigh at hand when any affliction perplexeth thee when thou groanest under any calamitie loe God himselfe shewes thee the way and that is this Call upon me in the day of trouble that is pray to me turne to me by prayer that which he cals there Call upon me is here Turne to the Lord they are both phrases equivalent It is not only by precept but it is set out by promise the Scripture chalks out this by promise take one for all 2 Chren 7. That will suit with our occasion and this Scripture There God makes this promise If I shut heaven that there be no raine or if I command the locusts to devoure the Land or if I send the pestilence that it break forth If yet they shall turne to me and seeke my face and pray to me and forsake their evill wayes I will heare from Heaven and pardon their sins and heale their Land There could not be a more gracious promise nor a more ample promise it is not only in generall if that my judgements shall break forth on them for then it may be they would have wanted understanding to have applyed it in particular judgements therefore God instances in such and such judgements they may stand for all in time of famine and drought if there be no raine and if because there be no raine there is no plentie if they be not only in famine but pestilence he sets the meanes whereby he will be induced to withdraw these judgements If they seeke my face and turne to me and call upon my name and forsake their evill wayes There are all the particulars of dutie Then there are all the particulars of deliverance I will heare from Heaven and pardon their sinnes and heale their Land that is I will remove the judgements and not only so but take them to grace and favour so it is chalked out by promise as well as by precept Nay not only by promise but it is chalked out by Testimonie and experience take Davids experience for all for David was one that shewed more experience of the knowledge of Gods wayes then any other First there is the experience of his owne person 2 Sam. 22. When I was in distresse I called upon the Lord I cried to God and he heard me out of his holy Temple and my crie entred into his eares See David in distresse called upon the Lord and he heard him If we will not believe his experience for himselfe let us see it for others That he sets down in diverse psalines in generall words that The righteous crye and the Lord heares them and delivers them from all their troubles The order is this when the righteous are in trouble they crye to the Lord and he heares them and his hearing is his answer and his answer is deliverance out of trouble See yet if the generall will not serve if Davids experience will not serve see it in particular Saints Psal 34. This poore man cryed to the Lord. It is worth observing that David breakes out into such an abruption of phrase he named none before if he had spoken before of one of exceeding pietie and predicated this of him This pooro man wee might say as the Eunuch to Philip Doth the Prophet speake this of himselfe or of some other man but it is a phrase ordinarie in the Psalmes therefore take notice of it it is in another Psalme Her foundations are upon the holic hill a man would wonder who he speakes of but he knew wee must
in this World but more for the hope of life in another world Many thanks are due for Creation but more for redemption for in Creating us he made us once but in redeeming us he made us againe and in giving us the hope of life everlasting he makes us for ever There is great thanks due for removing temporall Plagues but more for the removing of his wrath and our sins Therefore the Prophet would have them understand that as they prayed first Take away iniquity so they should give thanks in that order when their iniquities were taken away then they should thanke God for the pardon of their sins first for spirituall then for temporalls Reason shews this order for in our Prayers we Pray for temporall things with conditions but for spiritualls without conditions as we pray for them more fervently so we should be thankfull for them with more enlarged hearts So in taking away temporall things we give thanks as Job did but in spirituall things we give thanks when God gives them but none gives thanks for the taking them away It is true when God with-holds grace he can make grace grow out of that separation from himselfe but that is by accident that the want of grace should be a meanes of the propagating of grace but properly and directly none can rejoyce in the taking away of grace We give thanks for temporalls when we want them but for spiritualls onely when we have them That is the second thing Thirdly another thing he would instruct them in by adding this clause is this that thankfullnesse must be joyned with Prayer first he teacheth them to pray Take away iniquity but he closeth the Prayer with thankfullnesse These must goe together they are Sister-duties and in a large sence speaking thankfullnesse is a part of Prayer therefore as Prayer inlargeth it selfe in expressing of wants so thankfullnesse in expressing it selfe in Gods goodnesse It is a defect we find in the Missalls of the Romish Church where we find many Prayers made to Saints but not one forme of thankfullnesse If it be lawfull to pray to them it is lawfull to thanke them for favours received by them What a grosse error is it in them to make Prayers and not to thanke them Those are more rare they set them at the end of their Books Glory and praise be to the Virgin Mary but for the particular since they make so many Prayers to the Saints why doe they not thanke them As in the one they are injurious to God in praying to Saints so in the other they are injurious to the Saints in not thanking them for so many mercies they receive for the rule is firme whom we pray to we must give thanks to for the mercies we may pray we may give thanks As Elisha spread himselfe upon the Child hand upon hand and face upon face so in these two duties the hands must be spread to God and hands and eyes must be fixed and fastened on God in giving thanks when we receive mercies as they are fixed in begging and the hands must be spread as wide in blessing God as ever they were in praying to him and the Knees must bow as low and the voyce of the lips must be lifted as loud in giving thanks for mercies as ever they were extended in praying for mercies It is a signe of an ungratefull heart to be fervent in begging mercies and to be unmindfull of thankfullnesse Therefore the Prophet bids them joyne thankfullnesse to Prayer That is the third thing he minds them of that thankfullnesse is due for all mercies and for spirituall mercies and that thankfullnesse must goe along with prayer The Fourth is this that thankfullnesse is to be the close of Prayer here the Prayer ends So will we give thee the Calves of our lips Prayer is one of those duties that I said had a Language there are two Letters that make up the Language Confession of sin that is the Alpha and thankfullnesse to God that is the Omega of it All Prayer opens with confession of sin all Prayer shuts with thanksgiving that is the end of Prayer Prayer it selfe is the Key that opens to all duty and thankfullnesse is the Key that locks up prayer O! How sweet will the order be observed when Prayer makes the Way and Thankfullnesse closeth it Where these two are joyned when a man is conversant in that worke be it Morning or Evening Sacrifice both Sacrifices meet in this in Confession of sin there is the Dawning of the DAY and in giving Thanks there is the Evening Sacrifice the Latter end and Close of Prayer Christ taught us this in the Lords prayer after he had set downe six Petitions For thine is the Kingdome the Poweâ— and the glory to shew that Prayer must be shut up with thanksgiving The Apostle Paul shewes it in 1. Tim. 2. Texhort that Prayers and Supplications be made for all with thanksgiving In Phillipians 4. Therefore let your Suites and Requests in all things be made knowne to God by Prayer and Supplication and giving of thanks In both places giving of thanks comes in the last place With Prayer and Supplication and giving of Thanks Why doth he set it in the last place To shew that thanksgiving must close up Prayer So will we give the Calves of our lips That is the fourth thing And how well doe all these if they be put together concurr in the preparation we are to make this day for the Sacrament Looke back to the first point delivered and see if there be not a concurrence of all these Remember the three enlargements of the order of them remember these six things in joyning these to them So will we render the Calves of our lips When we come here we pray to God for his grace and for the continuance and enlargement of his grace therefore it is that he instituted the Sacrament that it might be an instrument for the confirming and conveying of grace it is the instrument that God useth Thereupon it is that diverse of the Fathers are bold to call it the preservative against everlasting death the conservative to everlasting life the salve of imortallity We come here to beg grace and the continuance of it we come to beg grace and the evidence of grace too by the confirming and assuring of it For that purpose the Sacrament was instituted to confirme our faith that we might not want a memoriall of all those great things that Christ wrought for us In this respect the Fathers call the Lords Supper the pledge of eternity the defence of faith the hope of the Resurrection because here grace is enlarged it pleaseth God to enlarge and confirme it this way For those that want certainty here they may get assurance those that have it may get an addition Thirdly here we beg pardon of sin and we give thanks for it and we come to have that sure to us and make acknowledgement of it by thankfullnesse Lastly
yea more truly happie That shall serve for the first particular the manner of propounding this truth unto us The second is the thing it self which transcends in these words whose God is the LORD or who have the LORD for their God In the generall it is an ordinary as well as transcendent An ordinary because all partake of this priviledge Whereupon S. Austin asks the question Cujus non est Deus But S. Hierome resolves it Naturâ Deus omnium voluntate paucorum In a communitie the God of all even to the sparrow on the house top and grasse of the field but the God of the righteous after a peculiar manner To come to the meaning we must let go the generall this ordo communis providentiae as he is Dominus omnium the Lord of all creatures this brings not happinesse along with it God's ordinary and generall providence intitles not to that supreme blessednesse which is in himself The speciall references are onely intended and those we may reduce to these two heads The first is ordo specialis influxûs on God's part the respect of his being gracious to us Then the Lord is our God when he shews himself benigne and propitious when he manifests his mercie and goodnesse in the wayes of grace and means of salvation It is so expounded Psalme 65.4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and Psalme 33.12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance Being thus taken it affords us this meditation That there is no true happinesse but in the favour of God and light of his countenance that is in God himself both because happinesse is onely from him he is the onely authour of it Non facit beatum hominem nisi qui fecit hominem Qui dedit ut homines simus solus dat ut beati simus He onely makes Saints who makes men 't is S. Austin's elegant expression Then again as it is onely from God so it is onely in God As the soul saith Austin is vita carnis so God is the beata vita hominis so fully that a man cannot be happy either way nec absque Deo nec extra Deum not without God because he is the Doner not out of God because he is the thing it self and all which belongs to it As S. Ambrose of the foure beatitudes in S. Luke compared with the eight in S. Matthew In istis octo illae quatuor sunt in istis quatuor illae octo and as King Porus when Alexander askt him how he would be used answered in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is like a King Alexander again replying Do you desire nothing else No saith he all things are in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So in this which we are now about it holds much more both the foure and the eight and all beatitudes they are in God so that he who hath God must needs have all things because God is all things There is no notion under which we can couch beatitude but we may find it in God by way of eminencie if as a state of joy or glory or wealth or tranquillitie or securitie God is all these if as a state of perfection salvation retribution God is all these not onely the giver of the reward but the rewardit self both our bonum and our summum A Christian is never truly happy till he can find himself and all things in God The fruition of God it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Pelusiota speaks the very top of the spire or pinacle of beatitude both here and in heaven In hoc uno summitas beatitudinis eliquatur to use Tertullians words Were a man in paradise were he in heaven it self and had not God he could not be happy Were he on Job's dunghill in Daniels den in the belly of hell with Jonah nay in the infernall hell with Dives and yet had God he could not be miserable for heaven is wheresoever God is because his influxive presence maketh heaven That 's the Ordo influxûs I mentioned for which he is said to be our God Besides this there is ordo Divini cultûs on our part The respect of our being serviceable to him when we love him and fear him and honour him and adhere unto him as we ought To all these there is blessednesse pronounced in severall Psalmes to those that fear him Psal 128.1 to those that keep his testimonies Psal 119.2 to those that trust in him Psal 84.12 If we take it thus the point is this in summe There is no true happinesse but in the worship and service of God Felices sunt qui Deo vivunt that 's S. Bernards Servire Deo est regnare that 's S. Ambrose his expression As much as this The godly man is onely the true happy man Yet we must understand it aright It is not to serve him onely in outward profession which either makes us his or him ours There are many who pretend to serve him who cannot challenge this interest for they serve him but with their lips in act themselves and their own pleasures in this both hypocrites and idolaters that under the shew of one God set up many to themselves The Epicure he makes his belly his God the lascivious man his lust the voluptuous man his pleasure the factious man his humour the covetous man his mammon I name this last It is the observation of S. Austin in his 7 book De Civitate Dei and of Lactantius in his second De Origine Erroris That avarice gives laws to religion whil'st generally sub obtentu Numinis cupiditas colitur Yea and S. Paul expresseth it more punctually That covetousnesse is idolatry Col. 3.5 And the covetous man an idolater Ephes 5.5 For he doth the same to his gold that the heathen did to their idoles he makes his gold his God his God because his joy and his care and his confidence Those pictures he worships though otherwise he abhorres idoles to these he offers his service he gives them his heart he extols them ascribes unto them the glory of his happinesse These are thy gods O Israel which brought thee out of the land of Egypt this money got thee such a preferment procured such a deliverance prevailed in such a suite It 's the secret idolatrie which runnes through the world But such men as these they are as farre from God as from his service and as farre from happinesse as from God Whosoever will make sure of the Lord to be his God he must put the idoles out of his heart he must go out of himself he must not willingly harbour any sinne Sinne separates from God excludes from happinesse cuts off both priviledges of God's being ours and our being God's Yet there is one thing more with which I will conclude Since it is so that happinesse is seated in these mutuall intercurrences of calling the Lord our God and our selves his people and seeing
religion is the Vinculum unionis which makes these mutuall interests intercurrent and couples them together it follows as the upshot of all That the chief and choicest part of Nationall happinesse consists in the puritie of God's worship in the enjoying of God's ordinances in the free passage of the Gospel that is in the truth and integritie of religion In this alone there are all sweets all beauties all blisses all glories It is as the ark of God to Israel and as the golden candlestick to the Churches the elevating principle which advanceth a Christian Nation above the heathen and the reformed Churches above other Christian Nations and this Iland in which we live I may say without arrogancie above all There is no Nation in the world which hath had the condition of religion so pure and prosperous as we for almost these hundred yeares It 's true if God calls us to account we cannot say that we have answered our opportunities we find not wherein to boast of our righteousnesse for vve are a sinfull people vvhose lives for the most part of us are as much vvorse as our means and professions better then in other places It is true also that of later yeares the love of religion in most hath grovvn cold and the puritie by some hath been stained and corrupted and I vvill not novv discusse vvhere the fault hath been the rather because it is every mans endeavour to remove it from himself Onely I will adde thus much That wheresoever the fault is there is no man hath shewed himself more forward to reform it then the King himself But Princes cannot alwayes attain their ends according to their liking because they see with other eyes and execute with other hands then their own And if we should cast the faults of men upon authoritie we should do wrong I fear to those who do not deserve it for even this very yeare notwithstanding the reformation of corruptions hath been with so much zeal and diligence endeavoured yet the end is not attained Nay in some respects it is so farre set back that to my understanding the state of religion hath never been worse since the first reformation then this present yeare in respect first of the greatnesse of our distractions which have divided us all one from another then of the multitude of sects and sectaries which cry indeed as the Jews before them Templum Domini but with a worse addition ut Templum Domini diruatur Lastly in respect of the many dishonours done to the service of God with so much scorn and scandall to religion that in forein parts they question whether all this time we had any No doubt all this is come upon us for our sinnes let us remove them and then God will blesse our studie of reformation But yet in the mean time let us remember that message which the good Bishop sent to Epiphanius Domine sol ad occasum descendit Our sun-shine is but yet declining it may come to set if we now begin to disgust this greatest blessing of religion which God hath bestowed upon us Let us learn to regard it more to love it better to blesse God for it and for his government who upholds it a Prince so devout and religious in his own person that if all were like him we should have a Kingdome of Saints In this respect we may use Velleius his words of his Majestie Cùm sit imperio Maximus exemplo Major est The lustre of his pietie surpasseth the lustre of his empire If therefore that of Synesius be true That men generally affect to write after the copies which are set by their Princes it behoves us all both to take out the lesson and to blesse God for the copie And moreover as this day puts us in mind let us all send up our most affectionate prayers that his Throne may be established by Righteousnesse his Crown exalted with Honour his Scepter be for power like Moses rod for flourishing like Aaron's that his happy reigne may in himself outlive us all and in his posteritie be perpetuated to all generations that succeeding ages may confesse Surely God hath been favourable unto this land and hath not dealt so with any Nation O how happy are the people that are in such a case Yea how happy are the people which have the Lord for their God! FINIS SERMON I. Hosea 14.2 Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquitie and receive us gratiously so will we render the calues of our lips THis Text is able to make a dumb man eloquent to set open the doore of utterance to the most illiterate tongue If there be any one among us that labours of Moses imperfection who confessed of himselfe that he was slow of Tongue and impotent for eloquence let him read this Text and it will teach him to speake If there be any among us that have put on Davids resolution to keepe silence even from good words let him read againe this Scripture only and he shall finde a way to the passage of Speech The Prophet here in this place takes on him the Office and function of a Schoole-Master having learned the Art of speaking the heavenly art of speech himselfe he labours to train up others to the knowledge of the same Art and I shal not think much to be his scholler at this time and to presse these words a little further then the Prophet intended them He gives them only as a rule of direction to the people how to pray to God but they may serve as a rule of direction to Ministers how to speak to the people and indeed if this go before the other will the better a great deale follow That you may with speed turne to God it becomes us to turne to you we must call upon you that you would please to call upon him wee must first open our mouthes to you that you would open yours before the Throne of grace And indeed I must needs confesse that I have been too long silent from this Theame of repentance considering what the times are Our dangers are great our carelesnes is as great no man goes about to labour to meet God I can hold no longer and when I look upon this Scripture methinkes I may take Elihu's speech into my mouth Behold I am full of matter and the Spirit within me constraineth me My belly is as new wine which hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottles I will now speake and keepe silence no longer Me thinkes I heare the Prophet behind me calling upon me as Moses to Aaron Vp hast thee get thee to the congregation the plague is begun and they are all asleepe and there is no man that spreads his Armes and no man that lifts up his voyce to God Speake to them and speake to the purpose I speake home call upon them to Take to themselves words and to returne to the Lord and
needs understand it of the Church therefore as in an holy rapture and speaking of Gods government of it he saith Her foundations ye know whom I speake of So in another Psalme the Lord heare thee in the day of trouble one would have thought he had spoken of some body before the Lord hear thee thee afflicted poor soule whosoever In the day of trouble the Lord heare thee so This poore man I know some interpret it in reference to Christ therefore they make it a prophesie of Gods hearing of Christs prayer upon the crosse and in the garden some of the antients interpret it so but yet it runs more directly concerning righteous men according to the phrase of Scripture This poore man that is any poore man any righteous man it is as much as The righteous crie and the Lord hears them This psore man cried and the Lord heard him that is whosoever is in distresse and perplexitie if he seeke to God God will heare him and deliver him Wee see it by experience And we may see it by example too The examples are many in Scripture I will instance only in three that this hath alway been the course that the Saints of God nay that even wicked men have tooke in the time of calamitie and distresse to flie to the Throne of grrace and to turne to God by prayer Moses when God sayd he had a purpose to destroy the congregation of Israel and consume them in a moment presently he betakes himselfe to his knees and he speakes to God O Lord this people have committed a great sinne it was the course that David tooke too when he saw the Angel of the Lord with his sword drawn over Jerusalem readie to destroy it It is I that have sinned it was the course that Hezekiah tooke when he had a Message of death brought to him He turned to the wall saith the Text and said to God O Lord remember how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart he turned to the Wall that is he sequestred himself from earthly occasions that he might Turne to the Lord with more libertie of Spirit and largenesse of heart It was the course that Manasses tooke that filled Jerusalem with blood when he was in chaines and captivitie and affliction he turned to the Lord and called upon him and humbled himselfe greatly it was the course that the Prodigall tooke in the new Testament when he had not bread to eate he saith I will goe to my Father that is I will turne to my Father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee we see it confirmed by example there cannot be more said To confirme it by reason for this is the most easie and the most equall and the most successefull and most possible course of diverting any ill wee are in or in danger of It is the most equall and reasonable course because God is the person that is provoked by us he is the Judge that sends the punishment it is his Law that is broken his name that is dishonoured to whom should wee goe but to him that wee have provoked by our sinnes It is not possible that the turning away of judgement should be by any other way Vaine is the helpe of man it is not in the Arme of flesh to save any one from that judgement that God sends There is no care no providence no foresight of man can divert judgement we must have recourse to God And it is the most successefull way of all other no man can instance in any example of any soule that ever turned to God by prayer in the time of distresse but if God saw it needfull in his wisedome to turne away plague or famine he turned it away Prayer is the most readie and the most equall way And Prayer is the most easie way can any man desire to have a blessing upon easier tearmes then to aske and have to turn to God and to have him turne to us to turn to God have his judgements turned from us that is the first Proposition there is no hope of turning away calamities over us but by turning to God by Prayer Secondly there is no hope of diverting judgements but by turning to God by repentance that is the second Turne to God by prayer and turne to God by repentance or else prayer will not serve without repentance If I regard iniquitie in my heart the Lord wll not heare my prayer The prayer of sinners is oft times accepted but it is of penitent sinners but the prayer of sinne never the hands of the blasphemer and the eyes of the Adulterer that looke to Heaven God lookes with indignation upon such hands and eyes and hearts we must purge our hearts from wickednesse if we will turne to God These two cannot stand together God and sinne as on the other side pardon and impenitencie cannot stand together because pardon belongs to repentance so sinne and repentance cannot stand together the one takes away the other sinne removes repentance and repentance removes sinne sinne makes a seperation betweene God and us repentance knits us againe the one destroyes the other sinne makes God turne from the purpose of of mercie Your sinnes have withheld good things from you this I did to you and would have done more but for your transgressions sin makes God turn from the purpose of mercie on the other side repentance makes God turn from the purpose of judgement Lastly Sinne never meets with pardon that is impenitencie though sinne meet with pardon impenitencie doth not it sets a man further from God then sinne when its first committed It is worse to goe on in sinne then to commit it But repentance alway hath pardon First repentance never misseth of forgivenesse if we turne to God he is alway readie to turne to us See in that place of the Psalme The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him to those that are of a broken heart and he saves them that be of a contrite Spirt Yet plainer in 2. Chron. 3. If ye will turne to the Lord the Lord will not turne his face from you yet againe Amos 5. Hate the evill and seeke the good it may be the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph that is peradventure he will Some may say here is some hope some comfort but here is no assurance there is no assurance in this place The Lord is nigh he may be nigh he is nigh to all he may be nigh to me but yet it may be he will not turne to me in mercie it may be he may be too neare me as when he sends judgements what comfort have I by that promise the Lord is nigh I have lesse comfort by that It may be he will turne Is salvation promised with it may be It may be God will be gratious There is but little comfort in that Turne from your evill wayes and God will not turne away his face He hath turned
Psalmist describes them they were a people given too much to words the Israelites In Psal 10. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse mischeife and vanity is under their tongue Psal 59. the Psalmist saith they used to belch out their words against God Swords were in their mouthes that is they had all kinde of words but those that they should have words of cruelty Swords were in their tongues words of deceit the poyson of Aspes was under their lips words of mischeife words of rebellion against God and yet for words of devotion and words of repentance there their hearts were barren It was their backwardnesse to this duty the Prophet observed and that made him frame this exhortation they were backward to the worke of repentance they hardly knew what it meant some generall hints they had that God was displeased and was to be pacified but they had forsaken the Fountaine of living water They knew how to bring words to Ashtaroth but not to come with words of repentance to the true God There were many impediments that kept them from using words in prayer Partly they were afrayd by reason of their sins Partly they were ignorant they knew not how to endite their prayers to frame their bill when they should preferr their suits to God Partly their hearts were hardened they were not touched within out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Where there is not repentance within there are no words without The Prophet observed all these defects their backwardnesse to this duty that made him frame this exhortation Take to you words That this was their case before and after and then we may see it out of diverse places of Scripture Before the time of this Prophet see it in Job see it in David After the time of this Prophet we may see it in Jeremiah Chap. 8. I hearkened and heard but there was none that turned to the Lord He tooke a Candle to looke about him and could not finde a man that knew how to pray to God That it was so in the time of this Prophet see it in Isaiah Chap. 64. he lived in the same time with Hosea There is none that calls upon God there is none that layes hold on him by prayer The Prophet observed this well that here was their errour and defect hee might have sayd of them as Job saith concerning his Freinds I waited and expected if they would speake to God but I found they were all silent The Prophet had long expected to see if after all those excitements they would yet turne if they would yet learne to make but one forme of prayer to humble themselves but in the eyes of men but afterward finding that yet they would not returne of themselves he could hold no longer but provokes them to the practice of the duty of repentance that they might now shew the language of repentance and prayer Take to you words It is as much as if he had sayd How long will ye absent your selves Are ye not yet sensible Neyther the judgements that are insticted nor the evills threatned will not they yet move you If yet they cannot stirr you up in your mindes to seek God because he is gracious yet look to your selves seek to him for your selves because you are miserable If you cannot come to him of your selves come to me I will learne you if it be feare that keeps you back I will embolden and encourage you though your sins be many God is gracious though they be great God is mercifull if ignorance keep you back come hearken to me I will teach you the feare of the Lord Little Children I will teach you to pray and set you a forme of confession though you cannot bring repentance in perfection bring it in the principles though the name of teares be yet unpleasant to you yet the name of words is acceptable what more easie then this I call not now for the plowing up of your fallow ground and the rending of your hearts though God expect that that you may come to that in time All that I now require is that you take words and speak to the Lord in this forme Take to you words So now in this part we may see there are two things commendable in this carriage of the Prophet The first thing that is commendable is this that hee watcheth over them in their deficiencies he hath an eye upon them he studyed where their imperfections lay that he might apply himselfe to cure them that hee might lay on the salves A Phisitian who knowes not the cause and the nature of the disease cannot apply a remedy The Prophet searcheth and diggs for hardnesse of heart in Israel and having found it he applies the remedy he watcheth over them in their ignorance and back-slyding See Jeremiah he tooke a Candle to see if there were a man I hearkned and heard saith he It was the course that the Apostles took See Paul Heb. 5. how he studies the condition of the Churches he wrote to Some were strong and he propounds the Oracles of God to them some were weaker and those he comes to in elements and principles of Christian Doctrine He comes to the Hebrews bringing the Milke of principles and teaching them againe which were the first elements of Faith It is the course that every good Minister takes we shall never know the state of our people unlesse we study their imperfections and watch over them How shall we know what Doctrines to deliver to you It is a thing you desire to walke in clouds that we might not observe you in your imperfections but that you may be raised out of sin give us leave to pry into them to be diligent to watch over our Flocks and Heards to watch which way they walke and how they thrive and live that we may know which is diseased which is wandring and which is sound and which keeps in the Fold That is the first thing in the Prophet The second thing commendable is he doth not onely watch over their weaknesse but condiscend to their infirmities he applyes himselfe to their temper So the Apostle Paul dealt with the Corinthians 2 Cor. 3. And I brethren when I came to you I could not come to you as spirituall but as carnall babes in Christ therefore I brought not strong meat but milke because you were not able to beare meat nor are not yet The Apostle condiscends to their capacity he saw the state of their stomack what meat they could beare and what they could not digest and he comes to them accordingly So Hosea here hee observed that the people were not able to beare this strong Doctrine of the depth of repentance therefore he comes to them in the first principles hee reads to them the Alphabet of repentance he would first teach them to spell repentance For teares and sighes and groanes and rending of the heart and beating in peices of the spirit he knew
them a patterne of prayer he gives them this forme of confession You see beloved that formes of prayer are not now taken up only it is not a thing so new as that so many disgraces should be put upon set formes especially those that concerne the whole people a Church and Congregation they are as ancient as Pauls time Paul is pleased to tie himselfe to a forme and not only when he preached I doe not say he did so alway for then there was a greater necessitie but even when he wrote A man when he writes hath libertie of time for varietie especially Paul having the gifts of the Spirit yet he ties himself to a set prayer in al his Epistles and makes it a token whereby it may be known Thus I write the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ c. and so he shuts up all Not only Paul but our blessed Saviour he that is the wisedome of the Father he by whose Spirit we learne to pray he that commenceth our suits to God he that hath the fulnesse of all knowledge therefore all varietie of heavenly expressions when he prayed before God and in his last prayer that he made in the garden thrice he prayd Matth. 26. and all those times he useth the same forme he speakes the same words he went and prayed first Father if it be possible and then in vers 22. he prayes againe and saith the same words and then in verse 24. he prayes and saith the same words he could have had varietie to have exprest that notion that is to beg assistance of his father which he needed then as man he exprest it in that forme we have his example it is as old as Christs time Nay before Christ came in the time of the Prophets it is as old as Moses and that is as farre as we can goe For Hezekiahs time it is plaine 2 Chron. 29. he cals to the Priests to sing to the Lord in the words of David and Asaph there are many particulars And therefore they are much to blame that will bring an ill report on a good thing that goe about to stumble the consciences of the weake as though it were an impediment for the Church of God in publick to keep themselves to a set forme They might remember that there be examples and What was written aforetime is written for our learning But we have more then examples we have Christs direction When ye pray pray thus Our Father Besides we reade of the happie successe that those prayers had and God approved of the same when they used and kept themselves to formes he that approved it in other Saints will not disdaine it in us if it were pietie in them it cannot be ill in us As for those flouts that they give it that it is a stinting of the Spirit a confining of the grace of God that it is to keepe people to walke upon crutches and making people swim upon bladders they are emptie vaine windy words that become such emptie Spirits they are not the words of the Spirit of God they are not words that savour of pietie nay not of reason For yet if they be scandalized at the formes that wee make will they at the formes of Christ and of the Prophets will they say that Christ that conformed to a forme and to the Prophets that it was a walking upon crutches and a swimming with bladders if they lay such imputations upon the formes that we have they will not spare to lay the same upon that of Christ they quarrell as much against it as at our prayers that now superstition it must be or I know not what vaine tautalogie to have the use of the Lords prayer in publick assemblies Why did Christ give it It is the form that he would have his Apostles and his Church use to the worlds end and as one saith well for a man to pray otherwise then Christ would have him to pray it is to be imputed ignorance and folly and sinne Our blessed Saviour had a speciall intendment of pietie when he set that forme to his Disciples and to the Church of God and if therefore they finde fault with that we may well think they will be too scrupulous to finde fault with those formes that the Church hath set But let them not say that preparation to prayer is a stinting of the Spirit no it is not a stinting of the Spirit of God but a restraining of our owne wandring Spirits Preparation is not so much a confining of the Spirit as want of preparation is an abandoning of the Spirit of God It is true it is acknowledged and cannot be denyed that conceived prayer is an admirable grace where it pleaseth God to give the facultie and power but yet for publique prayer though the gift were had by one it is not by all There are speciall uses and reasons that in publicke prayers formes are to be had They are speciall helpes to the weaknesse of those that are not able to send up their owne suits They are speciall helpes of devotion where the people know not what those things are that they are to beg of God They are a speciall meanes to keepe in the heart and affections within good compasse and bounds to hedg it in that it rove not They are speciall helpes to communitie and unanimitie of prayer That which commends publique prayer is one heart and voyce sent to God how can that be by so many persons as meet in this congregation if they have not one forme if there be not uniformitie kept in that Besides ordinarily people doe not so much excell in this gift as fitly to expresse themselves in conceived prayer and oft those that are great ones are wanting Wee know not how to pray as we ought The Poet sayd if men follow their owne desires they seduce them for what prayers make they One Poet tels us that they would beg of God that they might have opportunitie to deceive give me grace that I may be accounted a holie and righteous man we may make such prayers as these sometimes unlawfull sometimes hurtfull sometimes sinfull things we should pray for and so more sinfull we should be if we utter before God without due meditation what we thought on before Therfore these formes are put to us we have mention upon record of the prayers of Abraham of Jacob of Moses of David of Hezekiah of the Prophet Jeremiah Daniel Habakkuk Nehemiah Ezra all theirs with many others are set downe upon record To what purpose but that we might thereby learne to fit our selves with words to attaine a habit of prayer by studying of these formes And it is a great incouragement to know the formes that the Saints prevailed with of old that God accepted such prayers at their hand he that accepted them then if we send them by the same Spiâ—it will accept them now Therefore in the course of Scripture for all Christian duties for all duties of pietie there
work and gone through the labour till then it stands not with reason that he should receive the Crowne which way soever we take it Whither we consider the sufferings Or the reward If we consider the sufferings admit that sufferings be as they are as Physick to the soul it is not fit the Plaister should be removed till the wound be healed when the wound is healed the Plaister will fall off God takes not away the Physick of tribulation till he hath wrought the cure and done the work perfectly Againe if we take these temptations and tribulations as trialls before he have given sufficient proofe he takes not away the triall there are other graces of God justifiable as wisdome so patience and the rest must be justified It is not fit that the fire of tribulation should be removed till the Gold be purified then he will quench the Furnace and take away the fire When the Triall is wrought he will take away the affliction So it is if we looke to the suffering Then if we consider the reward there is good reason considering the reward Either As the reward of Conquerours Or the wages of Labourers Doth any Captaine give donatives till the warfare be ended When the Conquest is gotten then the rewards are given Doth any Master pay his Servants or Labourers till the work be done When the work is done then Call the Labourers and give every man his wages every man a penny VVill you have the wages before the work be done VVhat is the work The work of Action The work of Suffering Till these be done that we can say with our blessed Saviour I have done the work thou gavest me to doe the work of Action and passion look not for the wages Christ shews it in Mat. 12. VVhen even was come then call the Labourers VVhat is the even Take it eyther way for The even of the World The even of mans Life If you take the even for the even of the World as St. Paul doth Which the Lord shall give me at that day And our blessed Saviour in another place in the Gospell The Harvest is the end of the World then the righteous shall shine as the Sun in the Firmament Then when the end of the World comes It is true that way Or take it for the end of life it is true that way look not for the Crowne of immortallity till this life be ended while we are in this World we are still subject to sin and suffering but he that is capable and fitly quallified for that estate must neither be in a state peaceable nor sufferable not sufferable or subject to passion he that is fit for the Crowne Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God that is in the state of immortallity then flesh and blood must be laid aside VVhen is that When corruption hath put on incorruption when the mortallity and sinfullnesse of flesh and blood is layd aside Flesh and blood shall inherit but it must be purified and sanctified and fitted Flesh and blood cloathed with immortallity and incorruption VVhen is that In part at the end of life and in whole at the end of the World there shall be the whole Crowne the possession of life at the end of the VVorld the halfe Crowne the Coronet is set upon the soul when the work is done when we have finished our course not till then and then we may be sure of it then we shall come to heare that word of approbation after all the triall is taken Well done good and faithfull Servant That word is the Crowne that word is as much worth as Heaven there needs no other Crowne but Gods approbation what Crowne needs there more then the golden approbation of God It is true that word will not be spoken till then to that St. James alludes when he tells us of the time to stop our stomacks They shall receive the Crowne of life then when they are wholly and throughly and approvably tried So much for that part the first appendix that is made to these words concerning the course of Gods dispensing the Crowne of life Then when he is tried he shall receive the Crowne of life SERMON IIII. James 1.12 Which the Lord hath promised to them that love him IN the handling of these words I shall fall upon my last dayes argument The Crowne of life but with new variety with other Meditations I shall present it againe but as our blessed Saviour appeared to the two Disciples in another forme and other considerations then before Before I let you see it as a Crowne of possession now as a Crowne of promise I then set it before you as the Apostle doth in the former words as Corona praeliantium the Crowne of Conquest of those that fight and now I must present it to you as Corona amantium the Crowne of those that love The variety ariseth from the diversity of the words as they are here set downe by the Apostle for here are three gradations of the description of this Crowne of glory Communis Propria Magis propria First it is set downe to us in a generall word which comprehends all the severall branches and excellencies of that glory by the name of blessednesse Blessed is the man Then there is a speciall word of that generall when it is called the Crowne of life Then last of all there is another speciall a more speciall of that speciall when it is referred to the grace of love the Crowne of life which God hath promised to them that love him So this is the part that I am now to speak of which is the close of the verse And there are two things that are observeable in it One on Gods part it is Corona promissa the Crowne promised Another on our part it is Corona amantium the Crown of them that love him These are the two things I am to speake of I begin with the first of these the first branch of this last part of the description that hath respect to him that gives the glory Corona repromissa the Crowne that is promised The Apostle adds these words out of a great deale of wisdome and foresight He lets us see by this word that he adds here both who is the Donor and what is the conveyance of this excellent glory If you aske about the Donor the same is he that performes that promiseth that is God He that gives us our first being it is he onely that gives us our well being The being of nature is from him and so is the being of glory Nam ille solus c. as St. Austin sayth very well he onely can make man happy that made man at the first It is that that we all shall know one day if we be so happy as to inherit it when God translates us thither that it is Christs glorious hand that sets on this Crowne I but God will have us know it now before we come to it therefore least
we rob him then of all there is nothing that God desires but our love therefore in this regard it is that the Apostle sets here the qualification Those that love him If we take love single then the promise is made to love to love first of all graces love hath the first promise it hath preheminence in the graces and preheminence in the Crowne it hath the first portion Then take it as it is joyned and is in concatination with other graces it hath not onely the chiefe place in the promise but all because it is all it includes all graces gifts being accepted of God as all the Apostle sets it downe to stir us up above all things to take care to have our hearts fill'd replenish'd with the love of God the promise is made to love They shall inherite and receive the Crowne of life which God hath promised to them that love him * ⎠* THE SAINTS HERITAGE DELIVERED IN ONE SERMON BY That Learned reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuell Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON Psal 16.6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly Heritage LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. PSAL. 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as a Heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart THIS Psalme it is penned in the same straine that Solomons Book of Proverbs is it is not enlarged by production but by coaugmentation As in that Book so in this Psalme there are many passages even all that are very precious but they have no great dependance one part on another There is in this Psalm as many severall ejaculations as there are Sentences there but yet there is no good documentall dependance between them The passages of this Psalme are rather the ebolitions of a devout â—oul then any continued narration A kind of dependance there is but it is like that that was between the links of those Rings that St. Austin speaks of that were touched with a Load-stone The parts they doe hang one upon another not by rules of Art but by the touch of the Spirit And yet that is set forth with that variety that a man that reads the Psalme will think that the Prophet David was in all the severall kinds and sorts of Divine tempers In some passages you have him transported with the rapture of admiration in another breaking forth into humble devout supplication then againe into penitentiall confession then into holy purposes and resolutions and then againe making of serious and solemn protestations to walk in the Commandements of God and to this head we are to refer this Verse that now I have read to you It is a holy protestation that the Psalmist makes by way of Remonstrance or declaration to testifie the great esteeme that he had of the Commandements of God and the comfort he received by them Therefore I have now made choyse of it to follow the Scripture which I last handled as a supply of that which was not there exprest That Scripture shewed to us how a Christian may draw comfort to himselfe in the time of Tribulation from the consideration of the future Crowne of glory that is referred to the other life And here now we have a Foundation of comfort laid downe to us for the present to be had and onely to be had in the word of God in the testimonies that are divine which were the rejoycing of Davids heart and so of all others in the same condition It is set forth to us in this excellent example the person of him that penned the Psalme whose heart was more deeply stricken with the wound of love towards the Commandements of God then any creature that ever breathed upon the Earth and better versed in them By making inquiry into that that was his practise we shall the better learne what should be our owne For that purpose I will divide the words onely into these two parts There is Davids Profession There is Davids Motive The Profession in these words Thy testimonies have I taken for a heritage for ever The motive in these For they are the rejoycing of my heart The profession is one of those many that he makes in this Psalme but more compleat and full then any if not then all of the rest He sayth in other places of the Psalme of Gods Commandements that he had them in esteeme above gold above fine Gold above all riches he comes more neare home to the point in this testification here and it is more full when he sayth he esteemed them as his Heritage as his lot and portion he makes them both as Lands as goods as all above all temporall things whatsoever That we may see it now more fully let us First consider what it is that the Psalmist here speaks of Then what it is that he testifies of it The thing here spoken of is the word of God couched under that name The testimonies of the Lord. Thy testimonies It is a relative name given to the word of God as indeed most of the names whereby it is called in Scripture if not all are relative Some in reference to God Some in reference to Man Some in reference to Both In regard of God himselfe the word is called Voluntas domini the will of the Lord because it containes in it the declaration of his will and pleasure to be wrought by us It is called Verbum domini the word of the Lord because it was published by himselfe Viva voce at the first when he gave the Commandements and voce spiritus by the secret voyce of the Spirit after when he inspired the Prophets and Apostles to pen it Then it is called Statuta Domini the Statutes of the Lord because he hath stablished and ratified it to be the rule of truth and life and Salvation for ever Then in regard of man it is called Lex Domini the Law of the Lord Quia ligat it binds him to performe and to obey and Timor Domini the feare of the Lord because it begets in every one that is acquainted with it a holy ravishing and feare both of the nature and power and judgements of God Then in regard of both it is sometimes called Mandata domini the Commands of the Lord to be performed by us and Judicia domini because it containes the judgements of the Lord to be executed upon us if we breake it And Testimonia Domini the Testimonies of the Lord. The Testification as one sayth between God and his people both that they receive this Law and engage themselves to obedience and conformity to it So now this linck of words and names hath brought us to the name here used A name more frequent then many of the rest and more often used when the Speech is not onely of the word of God it selfe but of any thing that hath reference to it First
the Tables of the Law that containe the Commandements they have this word on them they are called the Tables of testimony Then the Ark that contained these Tables that hath this word it is called the Ark of the testimony Then the Tabernacle that held the Ark had this word stamped on it it is called The Tabernacle of Testimony Here they hang the Tabernacle held the ARK the Ark held the Tables the Tables held the Law it transmitted by the power of it this name to all that had reference to it And it is fitly called testimonies Respectu Sui Respectu Dei Respectu Nostri In regard of it selfe First because it was a Law given at first by many solemn testifications as one observes Lex evangelium c. The Law and the Gospell were given under testimonie Besides therefore the testimony because it is the testification of all Divine sacred truths of all things that concerne Salvation The Scriptures onely give witnesse to themselves there is no truth doth so besides Divine truths and the Commands of God And Salvian gives the reason very well it must needs be Incorruptum testimonium an uncorrupt testimony that is given by the pure incorrupt Spirit of God that was the Inspirer of it Then againe it is a testimony in respect of us Actively Passively Actively because it is the testimony to be beleived by us Hence it is that we confirme all truths Non est processio c. we can have no proofe of any thing in Christianity but out of the holy Scriptures As St. Chrysostome well Sine his testibus c. without these sacred witnesses our inventions have no validity they are of no force Therefore because it is a witnesse to the truth it is called Gods testimony hence we are to draw the testimony of confirmation Then passively too therefore the testimony in regard of our selves because it testifies against us if we doe not observe and keep it It is true of the Old Testament It is true of the New Testament Of the Old God himselfe speaks he Commands Moses to put the Tables in the Ark that they might be a Witnesse and Testimony against them And our blessed Saviour speaks of the new in the Gospell The words that I speake shall judge you shall witnesse against you at the last day They are testimonies of comfort as St. Austin sayth well if we keep them and testimonies of conviction if we transgresse them That no man may think he can sin without a witnesse there are many Books of witnesse will be produced The Book of the creatures the Book of Conscience and the Book of Gods prescience and the Book of the Scriptures too Every Chapter that we read every Text that we heare at any time Expounded will eyther be Pro or Contra a testimony a witnesse eyther for us for our comfort and assurance or else against us for our conviction therefore in respect of us it is called a testimony Last of all in respect of God himselfe both because it doth give a testimony to him it makes God knowne to us it gives a testimony of all those attributes that are himselfe of his Wisdome of his power of his justice of his goodnesse of his truth The Declaration of these we have them all in the Book of the Scriptures there is never a Book but there is a testification of these In the Book of Genesis we have there a testimony of his power in making the World A testimony of his justice in drowning the World Of his goodnesse in saving Noah In the Book of Exodus we have a testimony of his providence in leading the People of Israell through the Red Sea in bringing them out of Aegypt We have a testimony of his wisdome in giving them his Law What should I name more In the New Testament in the Gospell all is testimony As the Old gave testimony to God so the New to Christ To him give all the Prophets witnesse not onely the Old but the New These are they that testifie of me Every where there is testimony of Christ of his humility in taking our Nature of his power in working of Miracles of his wisdome in the Parables that he spake of his patience and love in the torments that he suffered for us Both Law and Gospell the whole Book of Scripture and every part of it in these regards is fitly called The testimonies of the Lord. And the holy Psalmist makes choyce of this name when he was to speake to the honour and glory of it because it was that name from which he sucked a great deale of comfort in that it was the testimony of Gods truth and goodnesse and wisdome and power to him thereupon he makes so precious esteeme of it as to account it his heritage This is the first thing what the Psalmist speakes of the word of God under this name The testimonies of the Lord. Now from that we may goe on to the next to see what it is that he thus predicates and testifies of them and it is an honourable Elogium I have taken or as some read it I have chosen or as others I have claimed them as my heritage and a heritage for ever In all these variations we may see abundance of Heavenly affection in the Psalmist at this time Considering that the word of God it was that great blessing that God bestowes upon the Church and hath intitled and interessed all his Servants in it therefore David makes advantage of the premises he challengeth his title and interest as being one 〈…〉 one of the Servants of God I have claimed 〈◊〉 an Heritage for ever Considering againe that the word of God is that great gift that God reacheth out himselfe the greatest gift that ever he bestowed upon the World but the gift of his Son and the gift of the holy Ghost next them the word of God that is the great gift and God reaching out this great gift now David as it were spies Gods hand extended towards him therefore he meets him in this work and God having a hand to give he hath a hand to take I have taken them as my heritage for ever Yet againe remembring that they were of more worth and esteem then all Earthly things whatsoever more precious then gold then fine gold and all spoiles and riches he is here put to his choyse which way he will take and what he would make choyse of the glory of the World of which he had plenty the royalty of it or that that was more deare to his Soul the testimonies of the Lord. What doth he With Mary he makes choyse of the better part here he pitcheth and fixeth his election I have chosen thy testimonies as a Heritage for ever Any of these wayes it is full of affection And what is it now that David takes and chooseth and claimes The testimonies of God For an Heritage An Heritage it is a word that is precious and a word
there is a continuance of the Scriptures through all ages to the Church therefore he adds here they are an Heritage for ever for ever as noting the perpetuity Mary hath chosen the better part that shall not be taken from her He makes it such an Heritage as he will not part with he that sells all to get Heaven will not part with Heaven to get all For ever that makes us have interest If it were so in Davids time it is in ours now to us still an inheritance That we may see we have interest in it as well as David the Apostle tells us God hath called us to it as an inheritance Colos 4. He hath called us to the inheritance of the Saints in light He doth not say the inheritance of the Saints in Heaven because he would let us see that the wrrd is an inheritance Heaven is an inheritance in light in the light of glory and in the light of grace in the light of the testimonies the word here Here is the scope of the word used by David to shew his high esteeme of the word he calls it his inheritance What is the use of it First Of comfort that seeing God hath given it to his Servants as a Heritage if at any time there be a Famine of the word of the Lord eyther in our hearts or in the Church upon this ground we may lay claime to it as long as God continues a Church he will continue the Scriptures so long as there is any to be gathered into the fold he will have his word whereby they may be converted as long as there are any Saints on Earth he will lend them this their portion Then it is a Use of contentation being that is our Heritage whatsoeuer portion we have besides make this the cheife if we have none yet we are those that are richly endowed There is no man but may take comfort and contentment now in this frame of the Psalmist if he can bring his heart to Davids temper Rich men that have possessions on Earth here is one possession that will be better to them then all Poore men that have no inheritance that it may be as Stephen sayth of Abraham Act. 7. that have not so much as a foot in the world not one foot to live in though they have seaven foot when they are once dead but though his inheritance be not so much as one foote here here is that that makes amends for all the heritage of comfort that is in the word of God here and of glory afterwards He may say of it as the Psalmist sayth in another Psalme My Lot is fallen in a faire ground I have a goodly heritage He that hath this portion this ground of comfort to himself he is abundantly rich and rich with the riches of Heaven 3. There is a Use of excitement to stir us to frame and work our hearts to this temper of the Psalmist Labour to get that esteeme of the word of God that he had If there were nothing else to move us to it this name and appellation that is given it were enough There are none of us all so much mortified to the World and so much withdrawn from the pleasures profits of it but we are ready to startle and to rouze up our selves at the name of an inheritance If a man heare that an inheritance is befallen him what paines will he take to goe and see it As him in the Gospell If any of us be allyed to a rich man that hath no Children what meanes and course will we not take to be thought worthy to be his heire To succeed him in his inheritance And this is but in temporall things The man in the Gospell comes to Christ and thought to have drawne this benefit from him Master bid my Brother divide the inheritance He comes to Christ to suck out temporalls he might have had spiritualls he comes for half an inheritance he might have had a whole one We are like the Children of Israel that would take their portion on this side Jordan earnest we are for temporalls Heavenly things we relish not It occasioned that Speech that was used of old and will be used rich men though they have no Children never want Heires there will still be those that pretend Heire-ship to their inheritance Shall not we have that apprehension of things celestiall that worldly men have of things temporall God is richer then all he comes to us with offers of riches laden with all riches riches of the spirit and sets open that treasurie to us in his owne Son whom he hath sent into the World and made knowne what riches is in Christ by the word of God though we see such abundance of indeficient riches yet we are so stupid and insensible that we are not at all affected with it there are very few that look after the spirituall inheritance or the comfort of it And if we get it we are not so choyse to part with it as men are of temporalls Naboth thought it unlawfull to part with his inheritance though it were to a King God forbid that I should sell the inheritance of my Fathers There is no Christian but if he understand himselfe aright in the way of Heaven will be of Naboths resolution and Naboths temper he will never rest till he have gotten interest in the comfort of this inheritance that is both in the word of God and leads to Heaven and when he hath got it he will not part with it for all the World besides That he may truly value Heaven he will set a valuation upon the word of God and work himselfe to Davids temper here is his profession of himselfe Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever That is the first generall part Davids profession The next is Davids Motive therefore I call it his Motive because it induced him to be of this Opinion because They are the joy and rejoycing of my heart Nothing will induce a man sooner to have a good Opinion of any thing then to have joy and comfort by it we value and prize every thing that affords rejoycing if it afford true joy it affords all For joy is the flower that springs from every good and is as the Crowne and contentation of all therefore it was his motive It runs thus if we take it in due order Thy testimonies have beene the rejoycing of my heart therefore I have taken them as an heritage for ever It was Davids motive and it was a good motive However worldly men think it is but a soure distastfull work to be alway Poreing in the word of God they think Christians are but Melancholly Creatures and the continuall excercise and study of the Scriptures to be but a drie and distastfull work yet the Saints of God that have comfort from it they know how precious that excercise is how much joy it brings that the life of a Christian is a life of joy
and that his rejoycing is to be picked out of the word of God and that will appeare to us by three Propositions that are here contained The first is this that a Christian in this world hath his rejoycing he hath his rejoycing here his life even while it is a life of sorrow is a life of rejoycing Though they be creatures of mortification though they be Creatures daily excercised in repentance though they be daily tried by afflictions and tribulations yet Christianity is such an excellent estate that in the middest of tribulation they find comfort in the middest of mortification it administers rejoycing St. Paul found it not onely in tribulation but in other failings therefore he sayth of all godly sorrow causeth rejoycing It must needs be that there must be rejoycing in godly sorrow for godly sorrow produceth and raiseth joy therefore he sets it downe in another place As sorrowing but yet alway rejoycing He sets it downe with advantage he gives sorrow but a Siâ—ut as sorrowing As if the sorrow of a Christian in the world were not worthy the name of sorrow It is Sicut but Vera gaudenti alway rejoycing True rejoycing It is a slander and an evill report that men bring on Piety to think it makes men sullen and discontented alway in an afflicted estate There is nothing makes the heart more chearfull then a good Conscience there is nothing brings a good conscience so much as the favour of God a constant walking in the wayes of Gods Commandements a keeping to the rules and wayes of piety Christianity is not so stoicall as to grudge us of our joy A Christian is so far from being deprived of joy that he is the onely Creature indeed that hath the true title to it It doth not take away this affection it takes away none it improves none more then this Non lollit c. It doth not take it away but rightly tempers it it teacheth us to place it on the right object to keep the due bounds the right compasse That we may see that it doth not sequester or exclude the comfort or joy of the heart the Scripture calls upon them most of all and gives them Commands and in junctions of rejoycing and it doth it by reduplication Rejoyce in the Lord O yee righteous and least they should not be ready to take the first admonition Againe I say rejoyce there is an injunction from that St. Austin observes well the Saints in the World are tied to rejoyce to rejoyce in the Lord Si non c. If we doe not make use of this affection to Gods glory and our owne comfort we should repugne the Command of God and more then a single Command too there is a reduplication And St. Basile observes from that that the word is doubled Rejoyce and againe rejoyce it notes the encrease and augmentation of their joy they should not onely rejoyce a little but much not once but oft they should make it a continuall work There is good reason to stir us up to joy all the blisse of Heaven is set downe by joy Enter into thy Masters joy And not onely glory but the first fruits in this World are called by that name the joy in the holy Ghost To this purpose God encourageth us to it by the best examples the example of the Prophets and Apostles and if that be too little by the example of Angells and if that be too little by the example of God himselfe There is joy in Heaven joy among the Angells of God when it is said that there is joy in Heaven for one sinner that is converted there is joy with God Joy it is the affection that God honoureth because he will be sure to Invite us to take our fill of joy if it be right and spirituall joy There are none of all the Saints if we look to them but they had their time of rejoycing even those that were most depressed and afflicted Holy David Abraham Job Paul all these had their times of rejoycing Christianity it is a state of rejoycing and the Saints of God have their times to rejoyce in this world That is the first Proposition Secondly there is another that ariseth from this as they have a true title to joy so they have the onely title to true joy it is not superficiall joy that they are affected with it is substantiall joy substantiall joy is that that is upon true grounds and when joy is rightly seated The right Seat where is it The Spirit the heart of a man It is joy of heart they are the rejoycing of my heart Otherwise joy is not substantiall if it be out of its place from the Teeth outward in the outward man it is not true joy unlesse it be inward If it be outward onely it may be mirth as Tully saith yet not true joy joy is that that is in the heart and springs from the heart Even carnall men will be full of mirth they will have all the expressions of joy that are possible in the outward thing but it is onely superficiall dissembled joy it is not that joy that is truly within For in the middest of that mirth the heart is sorry The joy of the Hypocrite is short for a moment as holy Job sayth It is as the crackling of Thornes In the middest of that mirth there is the Worme of Conscience that damps all that is as the Hand-writing upon the Wall to Bellshazzar when it came to be read it filled him full of horrour and anguish and discomfort and vexation there are none of these outward things that can breed cordiall substantiall joy On the other side a godly man in the middest of sorrow can preserve joy of heart It is true a godly man is not alway as the wicked Jocund and joviall they are not loud in their mirth it may be they laugh not much but a godly man is still joyfull when he laughs not for there is the true mirth and joy that is within As the Poet sayd of the running of Nilus the running of Nilus is very still yet it is very swift though it make not any appearance of motion the excellency sayth he of the River is in this that it seems little to move and yet it moves apace So it is with the joy of a godly man the joy of a Christian moves not outwardly there is no revelling he doth not make boast of his joy but then within he hath it he hath the Feast of a good Conscience and there is the voyce of the Bridegroome and of the Bride The voyce of the Bridegroome must needs be there when the voyce of Christ is there when the voyce of the Spirit is there There is the pipeing and dancing in a spirituall sence and all those concommitants of mirth that attend the Feast of a good conscience A godly man onely hath true joy he onely hath cause to be so therefore David expresseth it in Psal 4. Thou hast put
God are called Statutes because they are immoveable they cannot be altered and changed thereupon it is that you have this Epithite anexed oft in Scripture they are sure and stedfast and faithfull The statutes of the Lord are sure Psal 19. A more sure word of prophecie saith Peter Stedfast promises Rom. 4. Sure and stedfast commandements Heb. 2. It is an epithite still given to shew the surenesse they are called Statutes the Latine word signifies stability the Hebrew signifies visitation that God visits for breaking them yet this is proper they are called Statutes because they are ratified they are firm the things that God hath established Every thing is said to be ratified that stands My counsell shall stand saith God in Isa and out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established therefore we stand to it it is the rule and summe of our faith that cannot be abolished it is a thing ratified thy Statutes Statutes is more then precepts they are unabrogable precepts they are Statutes Sanctions Decrees Constitutions If I would enlarge my selfe from this particular I could shew that hence there is an obligation laid to observe Gods lawes because they are Statutes that that God by his decree hath established we cannot nullifie them by our transgressions wee nullifie Gods commandements as much as lies in us as oft as we break them to transgresse the commandements is as much as in us is to cancell that that God hath confirmed and to nullifie that that God hath ratified it is not only to break it by sinne but to break it in the validity There is no man that transgresseth but he wisheth there were no commandements no rule of obedience and piety It is not so with other creatures all other creatures have a law and it is a statute-law because it is a law that they have not broken they all keepe those Statutes that God hath given them and they have nothing but the instinct of nature not only animate but inanimate creatures the Stars keep their courses and the Earth and the Sea keeps it's course and motion of ebbing and flowing as the impression was first made in them when they were created it is a firmer law that is given to man not only that law but the law of Gods commandements He hath given him that law that shall stand more firme for that law of nature shall be abrogated when there shall be a dissolution of all Heaven and earth shall passe the law of nature the law of the creatures shall cease then there shal be a cessation of that but though heaven and earth passe not one jot or tittle not one jot of Christs word shall passe it is Austins observation jod is the least of all letters and the affix is the little dash of it Our blessed Saviour saith there shall not an iota not an affix passe but the least part of Gods commandements shall be kept Then if other creatures keep their law shall not wee much more labour to observe that that God hath given us If wee labour not to keep them as statutes we shal as judgments if they be not done a nobis they shall be executed de nobis if they be not done by us they shall be executed upon us but I will not prosecute the word that that he calls before commandements he calls here statutes A stationary exercise he useth a stationary object I will dwell or stand upon the exercise of thy Statutes The first was for the exercise this for the meditation he contents not himselfe with one resolution or with the second this whole Psalm is nothing but a multitude of holy resolutions and ejaculations take but this one part of the Psalm this one division that my Text is out of see how resolutions come one on the necke of another In vers 46. there is one I will speake of thy testimonies before Kings In the 47th there is another I will delight my self in thy commandements After that he is not content he gives a third I will lift up my hands to thy commandements which I have loved And in the latter part he closeth with a fourth I will meditate in thy Statutes He arms himselfe with resolutions and these two resolutions are subservient one to another the preparatorie act to meditation in Gods statutes I will lift up my hands to thy commandements He first prepares before he falls to meditate he doth not rush upon the sudden as we do in prayer uncivily when we come into the house of God hee fits and tunes his heart he sets the parts in order before he goes to meditate he composeth himselfe his eyes his hands his heart all the whole man before he goes to meditate I will first lift up my hands to thy commandements and then meditate on thy statutes as it is in Psal 51. Before he will sing he will tune Awake my Lute Harp awake my glory and my selfe will awake right early David would not sing before he was prepared he tunes before he sings Psal 45. My heart is enditing of a good matter I speake of the things which I have made touching the King He prepares his heart that hee may get Gods approbation so here before he sets seriously to meditation he puts every affection in a right key and tune and then when he had set all right after he had composed his very gesture his eyes fixed to heaven his hands lifted to Gods throne then I will meditate in thy statutes He sets the most heavenly act on an heavenly object there is no object fitter for meditation then the Commandements there is no act fitter for the commandements then meditation Meditation is the improving of all other exercises spirituall whatsoever meditation is an Angelicall exercise the only exercise or the chiefe that we know of that the Angels exercise in heaven is the meditating of Gods will and wayes and works If we would conform our selves nay if we would attain to the height of Angels it must be by meditation yet we generally the most of us are very negligent and backward in this duty few men know what belongs to meditation or what is the comfort of it those that professe they love God and delight in his commandements though they read sometime and heare sometime they labour not to improve that that they read hear by meditation meditation is come to be the scorn of the world I account meditation is scorned because conference about holy things repetition is a thing in reproach in the world It is true I know those things may be done sometimes as they are out of faction and under pretence of repetition oft times conventicles are made but a modest humble soule will not do things for applause or offence but if we look to benefit our selves by the word of God we will take all helps to remember what we hear and apply it to our selves and we cannot do it without meditation and repetition
not faith if it faint not love if it decline and wax cold not obedience if it give over not repentance or humility or patience or meeknesse if they have not their perfect work Faith that will hold but that it holds out it is from perseverance Love will take its flight and mount up but that it mounts up to the highest to Heaven it must be from perseverance Obedience will follow after Christ but to hold to the end in obedience to be carried to the full length it 's from perseverance So every grace hath that that is the accomplishment of it from the grace of perseverance Without it as St. Bernard sayth very well neither he that fights can hope to overcome at all or if he overcome and conquer a little he cannot look for the Crowne unlesse he conquer still and goe on There is the second excellency of perseverance The third and principall excellency of perseverance that that more expresly toucheth upon the Text it is the continuation of the motion of a Christian that that keeps a man still going And motion is excellent in every Creature the Creature the more excellent it is the more excellent it is in its motion The Earth that is the lowest Element and the basest moves not at all The Water that is next above the Earth moves but not so fast as the Aire that is above the Water and the Aire though it move faster and more constantly then the Water yet it moves not so nobly and constantly and so fast as the Heavens the celestiall bodies and the Starâ— of Heaven Take but one instance the Moone hath two motions which shee dispatcheth at once with a great deale of swiftnesse and constancy Let men that are below blaspheme and curse let Dogs bark let the Winds blow let stormes bluster and the Clouds frowne the Moone goes on to finish her course So a Christian if he be of a heavenly temper there will be the motion of the Heavens perpetuity of motion Perseverance makes the motion perpetuall it gives perennity to the motion of a Christian that though a Christian meet with many discâ—uragements in the way of piety temptations and tribulations and persecutions yet for all this as the Sun and Moone and Stars he keeps on his motion though wicked men oppose themselves though St. Pauls Dogs doe more then bark though the stormes of temptation bluster and the winds of persecution gather themselves together though Heaven and Earth oppose yet perseverance will carry a Christian strait on his way through all impediments and make him leap over all discouragements it will bring his motion to the end that is the excellency of perseverance That is the first thing if we take the phrase under the similitude of locall motion They goe on Secondly consider it under the similitude of Vitall motion for as I said their going on is their growing on Growth is a vitall motion for properly nothing is said to grow but that that hath life Therefore Scaliger observes there is a great deale of difference betwixt those two words augmentation and extention things inanimate that want life may receive extention and dimension but they are not properly said to grow but things that have life Plants and Trees and living Creatures Growth therefore properly is a vitall motion and that vitall motion is remarkable in Christianity in a spirituall sence there are many words whereby 〈◊〉 Scripture sets out these advances of Piety When it considers us in the way of piety it is called proceeding when it respects the emulations of piety it is called excellency when it respects the operations of piety it is called abounding when it respects our progresse in piety it is called persevâ—ring when to the state of piety it is called growth And all these there is good reason to be given of them in respect of the severall relations a Christian hath in this World We are viatores in this World we must proceed and goe on We are Work-men in the Vinyard of the Lord we must persevere We are lights in the World lights must excell that is their commendation We are Rivers as David makes the similitude Rivers of God they must swell and abound Christians they are the Babes in Christ that are to come to the stature of spirituall Man-hood being Babes they must grow Of all other expressions those two are remarkable when it is called abounding and growing David useth both these the word of abounding or excelling All my delight is in those that abound or excell in vertue Psal 16. The other word of growth is in Psal 92. speaking of the righteous man He shall grow up as a â—edar in thine house St. Paul makes use of both those words too sometimes he exhorts to grow in grace sometimes to abound and excell Strive that you may excell to the edifying of the Church Alway abound in the work of the Lord. The phrase or word of abounding is a metaphor taken from Rivers Rivers that get encrease by running A man would think a River in continuall motion should doe nothing but spend it selfe and not get but lose but the longer it runs the more accesse of water flowes to it and the further its progresse the greater it is It is little at the head but it is great at the foot the longer it goes on So should a Christian be like Ezekiells waters that at the first were but up to the Ancles and then ascended till they came to the Neck till at last they covered the whole man such is the swelling Spirituall the excelling and abounding in grace The other word of growing is a metaphor taken almost from all sorts of vitalls It is taken sometimes in Scripture from building as a building from a small beginning growes to a great vastnesse and magnitude so a Christian being built on the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles our blessed Lord being the Corner stone he growes up to a holy Temple in the Lord Ephes 2. Sometimes it is taken from the similitude of Plants and Trees Hosea 14. They shall grow up as the Lillie and as the Vine their Root shall be like Lebanon Sometimes againe it is taken from the similitude of other Creatures in Mal. 4. speaking of righteous men he sayth They shall grow as the Calves of the stall Sometimes it is taken from our selves from the similitude of the growth of the body corporall growth So in Ephes 4. he speaks of Growing up to the fullnesse of stature to a perfect man in Christ As the body first hath seed and then life and then supply of nourishment and then by it it comes to height and stature So it is in the state of grace there is first the seminall being of a Christian in regeneration or the new birth then after come the supplies of nourishment by the influence of grace and receiving the sincere milke of the word after these supplies of nourishment comes this spirituall growth That you may
glorious names that he is Dominus Virâ—ute it is Translated Lord of power but take the Originall it is Lord of vertue In Mark it is said He is sate downe at the right hand of God and in Matthew it is said At the right hand of power because power and Omnipotency is proper to God he is called in the abstract power The other is by addition the Lord of strength or of power the God of virtue In like manner when the Scripture speaks of the holy Angells this is one name that is given to them they are called Virtutes though the name be taken from strength we Translate it vertues or powers because they excell in vertue though not in inferiors that we call morall yet in those of a higher straine Likewise when the Scripture speaks of Men of Christians it useth these two for equivalent words those that excell in strength and those that excell in virtue The reason is because as Plato well defines it vertue it hath a corroborating quality in it the consolidation and corroboration or strengthening of the mind it is from virtue Therefore virtue and strength are used as words equivalent so eyther way we may read it If thus They goe on to virtue so it carries a very faire construction it lets us see that virtue is at a distance A man that will overtake virtue must make hast Virtue is out of our reach by nature it must be gotten by excercise and action and proceeding It is pretty morall of Symonides when he would describe the House of Virtue he makes it not seated pleasantly but among Rocks and Thornes because it is hard to find Though the fruit of vertue be sweet the way of virtue is full of difficulties And the like morall Plato alludes to when he would set forth that embleme that he would have before the Doore of vertue a Picture drawne alway sweating standing before the Doore of vertue Clemens Allexandrinus sayth the same Because it is not an ordinary motion that we are to use for virtue it is not going or walking but running there must be making great hast a great contention of the whole man for a man to overtake virtue Therefore they goe on to vertue there is a journey to be taken Or else they goe on to virtue to let us see that A spirituall man hath virtue alway in his eye There is the mark he aimes at next to God his mind is on virtue and therefore on virtue that he may come to God There is nothing next to God and Christ that a godly man prizeth more then grace which is a thing that is not onely the consolidation of the mind but the beauty O how amiable are thy Tabernacles Thou art all faire to draw us after thee Tullie would set it downe by three words of the same signification There is nothing more amiable and sweet therefore there is an inviting attracting force in virtue To let us see that virtue is attractive when a man stands at a distance it drawes him forward But I will not read the words so but take them in the second construction They grow up to strength Strength is a word frequently used in Scripture to express the enablement of grace Sometimes we meet with the strength of confidence whereby we are able to rely upon God So David toucheth upon that The Lord is my strength Blessed is the man that makes the Lord his strength To make God our strength is to put confidence in him There is the strength of confidence Then there is the strength of consolation the cure of sorrow St. Paul calls it Strong consolation And the Prophet David when he breathed after it he expresseth it I am a man of no strength that is of no comfort And in another place The Lord is my strength and my portion for ever The Lord should be his Comforter there is the strength of comfort Then there is the strength of grace that is the enablement to goe on in vertue and piety It is a spirituall word drawne from a corporall signification The first signification of it corporall strength is the consolidation of the whole body or of particular parts whereby it is enabled to execute the use of it Vigour and consolidation is the strength of the body So in a spirituall sence the vigour and vivacity of the mind whereby it is enabled to doe good and to shun the contrary to â—eare that which is inflicted this enabling grace is called the strength of the mind So take this construction They goe on to strength because strength is gotten by motion especially if it be moderate That is the difference between corporall and spirituall motion corporall motion adds not but takes away from unlesse it be moderate if there be over much labour and motion But in a spirituall sence there is no motion so great and fast and full of labour but it adds strength the faster we move the more strength we get therefore they goe on to strength for the very strength is increased by motion Then take the other they grow up by strength Strength is gotten by growth men come not to strength in an instant we are not men and strong at once No more is it in Christianity no man is borne and made strong at the same time but we are first Babes in Christ and then men Indeed in the Primitive times when grace was infused immediately then God set examples of those that were strong in Christ and begotten to him at the same time Babes and men Paul in his Conversion at the same time was a Babe and a man and others that had the infusion of the Spirit though miraculously But it is not so now there are many spaces between these two a Babe in Christ and a strong man there must be the ages of growth must be gone through So now to grow to strength is to grow to stature for stature is the basis of strength and age is the way to stature So here now is the thing they grow up to strength that is to spirituall stature to man-hood to these great enablements Here is that we are to take notice of It is not enough to grow but to grow up sensibly to that state and strength as whereby we may be more enabled to doe God more service To doe more work and to dispatch it with chearfullnesse It is that aime that is laid in all sorts of conditions and things in civill things it holds a man is not content to be of a Trade but he would thrive in it In naturall things it holds in Plants first there is seed and then it is sowne and then it takes root and then it springs and spreads and flowers and growes up till it come to seed againe and yeilds increase So these steps and degrees there are in Christianity there is being and life and strength and stature These degrees hang one upon another there cannot be strength unlesse there be stature nor that without
Verb to his owne comfort and a better he cannot then this And that this word must be added appeares by the next words Till he have mercy upon us To looke till he have mercy on us is to wait so there is good reason why this word is added If we look to the thing begged mercy it is so precious that we may wait for it It was Servants that he mentioned and it is their duty to wait upon their Masters they wait upon their Trenchers at meat they wait when they goe to bed and when they rise they wait in every place therefore because he had mentioned the first word he takes the proper duty there is nothing more proper to Servants then waiting and if we are the Servants of God we must wait There is good reason in that respect because it is a word so significant therefore the Spirit of God varies it he keeps not exactly to the line so doe our eyes looke but so doe our eyes wait Thirdly why he makes another variation so doe our eyes wait upon the Lord He writes not after his Coppie for there it is As the eyes of Servants looke to the hands of their Masters It should have run So doe our eyes wait on the hand of the Lord he sayth not so but varies it So doe our eyes wait on the Lord. What is the reason It would have been too strait Though we must wait on Gods gracious hand both of power that orders all things and of bounty that distributes all things yet it would have been too strait some would have imagined that there were nothing in God to be waited on but for his bounty and power No he shews that we must at large wait upon the Lord in all that belongs to him if we have respect to his glory and honour we must wait upon his Throne if to our vilenesse we must waite on his Footestoole If to his bounty we must wait on his hand if to his wisdome we must wait upon his providence if to his truth we must wait on his promises There is nothing in God but it is to be waited on in all his attributes and relations not onely as our Master but as our King as our Father and as our Shepheard Therefore that the Psalmist might better leave it for an enlarged supply as that a Heavenly heart might intercept it he saith not as in the former so doe our eyes wait upon the hand of the Lord but so doe our eyes wait upon the Lord. That is the reason of the third variation There are but two observable besides I shall stand a little longer on them they are materiall The fourth is why he doubles this word of excellency upon the Lord our God For one word would have served but that no word can serve to set out that excellency but having named Master before one would think it should run so doe our eyes waite upon our Heavenly Master as our Heavenly Lord but he adds the Lord our God To shew the difference between the Masters of the World and of him that is above The Masters here below are Masters indeed but they are men like our selves our Master above is the Lord our God The Masters here that have dominion are Domini but sub domino under that great Master but he is Dominans dominantium the Lord of Lords They are Masters that have their breath in their Nostrills but he is the Master that gives life and breath and motion and all things Therefore to shew that we stand in a double Obligation to God in our service and attendance he adds two words we wait upon him as our glorious Lord and as our gracious God both wayes we give him our eyes and attendance To shew this double obligation observe in the first line the prescription the Coppie there are both relations mentioned and a double notion to both relations there is Masters and Mistresse Servants and Hand-maid To note thus much by the doubling of the one that if there be any better service in the one sex then in the other we are to draw the patterne from that that we may give the purest service and attendance to God And noting in the other if there be any respect due to either of those Masters or Mistresse they should be both drowned and swallowed up in our respect to God he useth both words to shew that we should yeild all service to God St. Austin in his Commentary on the Psalmes propounds the Question and so doth Jerome if that be his he finds a double scruple he makes two Questions One Question is why we are called Ansilla in the Singular number a Hand-maid Another Question is why Christ is called not onely Dominus but Domina As the eyes of Servants wait on their Masters so doe our eyes upon Christ St. Austin gives this reason and Jerome and it is full of wit both these predications will hold for us that are Christians It is Servi sumus ancilla sumus we are both Servants and we are the Church we are Servants of his Handmaid As we are the people of God so we are called Servants as we are the Church of God so we are ancilla So for the other predication our Lord and Saviour is both Dominus and Domina He is The Lord Our Lord because he is our God and Domina he must have the duty of a Mistresse because he is the virtue and wisdome and excellency of God That is Austins and Jeromes It is full of wit but it is a little to adventerous I durst hardly to mention it if it were not theirs their wit is sweet and in their intentions full of piety but I dare not give it as a truth Yet there is reason to be given why both are exprest to shew the service that we owe to God The reason is this both words are used because no one word can set out any part of Gods excellency look in what part you will There is no one word can set out the glory of God in Heaven therefore there are two words used the glory of both lights the glory of the light of the Sun and of the Moone There is no one word can set out to us the perfection of the robe of Christs righteousnesse that he cloaths Beleivers with therefore two words are used he cloaths them with double Ornaments of the Bride-groome and of the Bride Isa 61. There is no one word can set out the propinquity of our alliance to Christ therefore Christ sets it out by two words He that doth the will of my Father is my Brother and Sister There is no one word can set out the tendernesse of the love of God therefore it is set out by the love of both Parents by the love of a Father and a Mother Can a Mother forget her Child And as a Father pirties his Child so the Lord hath mercy on them that feare him In Gods love there is the love of both
other mercies alway for generall mercies every day And it is a point now worth the considering in these times because the state of our times is so that every man almost is ready to let goe his confidence If things succeed not in every perticular according to our expectations and desires then we think the whole Chaine of providence is dissolved if one linck be loosed we think all the businesse is overturned and all our hopes disappointed if God answer us not in our time upon every occasion The reason is we know not what it is to wait on God Beloved it is true if God were tied to one way or meanes or to one time or to any one person or to any one instrument there were good cause that we should suspect our hold in the successe of the affaires of the Church at all times then we had good cause to be fearefull But God is not straightened so much he hath wayes that we know not and times that we understand not of and persons he can make to spring out of the Ashes of them that are taken away that are contemptible in our eyes and God can strengthen them though they be as the shaking of an Olive God will perfect this work if we be not the impediment if our sins stay him not if we wait It is true I confesse it pleaseth me exceedingly and I congratulate and rejoyce your desires almost as much affect me with joy as the other with sorrow to see men in amazement at such a time It is a signe of your love to the Church beyond the Seas yet how unacceptable was it upon the first relation No man knew what to speake or what to think It is a signe that Religion hath taken some impression It is a signe that you have a simpathy with the Servants of God it is a signe that you have the affections of Servants towards God But for all this take heed while you doe right to the Servants of God that you doe not injury to God himselfe because he is faithfull that hath promised Remember he orders the affairs himselfe God can raise up a Josuah in Moses room I rather use the word because I am very much delighted with the Simile of that noble victorious Prince he was a Moses Was said I O that is a wounding word that you cannot endure O that I could say he is and yet I cannot say the contrary we are kept betweene hope and feare though it be more to be feared then hoped in that particular I am afraid But whether was or is like Moses he was and if he be Is God was with him as he was with Moses in the leading of his People He came into Germany as Moses into Aegypt with a greater band but a small traine in respect of the Enemies but God turned his weaknesse to strength He was faithfull as Moses was he sought not himselfe as Moses did not Moses brought the Children of Israel out of the Furnace he brought the poore afflicted of Germany a good way out of the Furnace And now that all may be like Moses Moses Sepulcher is not known to this day and the life or death of that excellent Prince is not yet knowne to this day like Moses Sepulcher There is yet our perplexity yet there is our comfort there is some comfort in that word that it is uncertaine for that that is uncertaine may be otherwise O but I think that it may be Howsoever be it so or otherwise God hath done his part he hath not left us without a comfort See but how he hath tempered sad Tidings with a mixture of comfort he hath tempered the losse with gaine there is sorrow with joy there is feare with hope there is losse with Victory Why then if God doe thus to us and so feed us with his mercy and support our longanimity if he ply us thus have we not reason to wait upon him Let us now run to this word in the Text. Behold as the eyes of Servants wait on their Masters so doe our eyes wait on God till he have mercy on us and alwayes but esspecially then For did you but know the comfort that comes by hope and expectation innumerable comforts come from hope Hope holds life and soule together if thingâ— goe ill hope continues us still in life till things goe better Hope is the Pillar of the wavering soule hope is the Ladder that hath one end in Earth and another in Heaven hope waits for all the good things that God hath promised Hope is the Anchor of the soule as the Apostle compares it Nay not onely the Anchor sayth St. Chrysostome but the Ship to that good Anchor It must needs be well when it is both the Ship must ride safe for the Anchor is hope it must be safe it selfe for upon it is the Ship the Ark that carries the Saints through the troubles of this World it is the Anchor that makes us keep our riding that we dash not on the Shelves and Rocks that encounter us It is a better Anchor then other Anchors they are alway below the Ship at the ground but this Anchor is above it is not fastened in Earth but in Heaven How sure would a Ship be if it were fastened aloft to Heaven if God had the Tacle in his hand God hath the Cable of this Anchor in his hand Faith is the Cable hope is the Anchor the Ship will ride safe if the Anchor be in Heaven Let us waite we have good cause to wait he is powerfull and can doe more he is gracious and will doe nay further he is faithfull and hath done and will doe abundantly beyond our expectation and he that hath begun will perfect it O therefore let us acquaint our souls with waiting We are so impatient that if God give us not all at the first call what our hearts are prompt to suggest we think all is lost O if we had hope the nature of hope is to abide and stay Gods leasure Hope is never frustrate See it in the example of the Saints David I waited patiently on the Lord and God heard me It is confirmed and ratified by promises Solomon sets one Waite on the Lord and he will save thee David another Wait on the Lord and he will preserve thy soule Wait patiently on the Lord and he will bring it to passe We have it ratified by promise Nay in experience who ever waited and was frustrated Our Fathers trusted in God and were not ashamed he gave them their hearts desire and he hath exceeded ours therefore have recourse to that Anchor and learne what it is to wait on God that we may say as Job Though he kill me I will trust in him Though he disappoint all I will hope my hope and waiting shall be placed on God my trust shall be in him he never suffered that staid his leasure to be ashamed they were had in remembrance Therefore our eyes shall wait
faith thereof prejudiced after till his Passion and Resurrection were over he would not have them Preach that Doctrine after the Resurrection they might Preach it safely many would would be scandalized by his suffering if they had Preached it before Then another reason was out of his great humility as he was in a state of humility so he takes to himselfe Titles of humility the Son of man still the Son of man is in effect no more but this as much as a man for all men are the Sons of man even Adam himselfe that was the Father of all was the Son of man because he was man though he were not begotten of any and notwithstanding that all men may be so called yet you shall find no man in Scripture cal'd so but Christ onely Ezekiel in the Prophets Ireneus observes there are but two in both Testaments I never meet with more that is Ezekiell the Prophet and Christ Ezekiell is so called Chap. 2. Son of man stand upon thy Feet What is the reason he should be called so All men are so and all the Prophets were so But why Ezekiel more then the rest and he onely One reason may be because in his Visions he was conversant among Angells therefore to put him in mind that he should not be transported above measure as Paul because he should not be elevated a Messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him to take him off least he should be puffed up with revelations So the Prophet Ezekiel is called the Son of man though thou be in these Visions remember thou art but man the Sonne of man Another reason why he is so called may be because he of all other of the Prophets had most Visions and it is the same reason why our blessed Saviour calls himselfe so for he onely besides Ezekiel and he oft is called so Dan. 7. in the Old Testament I saw one like the Son of man because of his Incarnation In the New Testament he calls himselfe still so he never was called by any else but Jesus thou Son of David and Jesus thou Son of God but he calls himselfe the Son of man out of abundance of humility In Mat. 16. he adds this clause when it seemed superfluous Whom doe you say that I the Son of man am The sence had been full if he had said whom doe you say that I am yet he adds out of superfluity so great was his humility Whom doe you say that I the Son of man am As he there calls himselfe the Son of man and in diverse places so here too out of abundance of humility when he sends to this Owner the good man of the house he sayth not the Lord the Son of God sayth the Lord our righteousnesse the Lord our Redeemer sayth but the Master sayth That Observation of Jerome concerning the man that came to Christ and would have followed him Master I will follow thee where ever thou goest and Christ would not suffer him Jerome observes that the reason why he repelled him was because he called him Master if he had said Lord I will follow thee he had not had the repulse that Observation I say will not hold for Christ himselfe that gives direction to call him Master and now to call him Master when they were to goe on such a Message as shewed his Authority shews plainly that Christ did not stomack it he was not offended that any man should call him Master nay he delighted in the name as the name of Lord sets out his Soveraignty so the name of Master shews that he is the onely chiefe Teacher even he himselfe when he sent to this man he bids them use the name the Master sayth it was most fit in regard of himselfe And it was a most fit name in respect of the man that was to receive the Message First it was the fittest name for the Triall of his faith it is not said Jesus sayth then he must needs condiscend for who will not set open his house that Jesus may come there But Christ will have him give a testimony of his faith the Master saith some men would have asked presently who is the Master No but as soon as he hears the name Master he knew they meant Christ there he gave a testimony of his knowledge and faith Then it was the fittest name for comfort Christ by this adopts his Disciples they say not our Master though he was so but the Master the Lord the great Master he that will be thy Master if thou wilt receive him and welcome him he renders thee this priviledge that thou mayst be his Disciple it is the Master sayth it was for the testimony of his faith and fittest for his comfort Lastly it was the most fit name to perswade him to this thing for it is a name that hath a great deale of force and power in it when the two Disciples went to lose the Colt on which Christ was to Ride to Jerusalem and the Owner asked them why they loosed him All the answer they gave was this the Lord or Master hath need of him as soone as ever they heard this word it was such a convincing word that they parted presently from that which was their owne and suffered him to be carried away When Mary was in the middest of her dumps they were grieved for the death of their Brother Lazarus as soone as shee heard Martha come and tell her the Master is come it put her out of her sorrow presently shee arose there was so much comfort in the word that shee thought all comfort was come and all sorrow was forgotten when shee heard that name because it is so powerfull and perswasive a word in the hearts of all that know Christ Lastly it was the fittest name that they could carry because they were Disciples and Christ would shew them by this how much obedience he found even in those that were not Disciples and he would shew them withall how they were to goe into the World to Preach the Gospell in whose name they were not to goe in their owne name Did we Baptise in our owne name sayth the Apostle or did we preach in our owne name No the Prophets did not so but they came Thus sayth the Lord. Christ himselfe as Mediator he came not in his owne name therefore blessed say the People is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Looke sayth Austin blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. Therefore whosoever he is that commeth in his owne name he is cursed as every man is that brings his owne Dreames and inventions and leaves the word of God he comes in his owne name The Disciples did not they came in Christs name Nun quid c. saith Ambrose tell me when Paul and Peter preached the Gospell did they use their owne words did they not speake so as inspired and guided by the Spirit of God So they said as Christ their Master said to
there must be our comfort not to be ashamed of a low condition Christ stooped to it he had not so much of his owne possession as to call one Chamber his to set out his poverty But withall it sets out the plenty of Christ for though a man have nothing in possession yet if he have much in title he is rich Christ had nothing of his owne the whole World and every mans house that House is his that he would Command and marke out for himselfe Where is the Guest-Chamber A man would have thought that Christ spake not of his owne there is a house that I have in Jerusalem I have pointed out such a Roome to eat my Passover with my Disciples he sayth not tell us if thou hast a Guest-Chamber or we intreat thee that we may have it by way of hire and we will give thee so much as it is worth for the time or season lend it our Master for a while this is his suite and this is ours no but to shew that Christ had right to it Where is the Guest-Chamber I have a Chamber in thy house that thou callest thine If I marke and set it a part it is not thine now where is the Guest-Chamber that I have marked out It tells us thus much that God hath more interest in that that is ours then we our selves if he call for it he hath interest in every mans possession the men of the Citty acknowledged so much when they let the Colt goe at that word The Lord hath need of him so this man acknowledged as much when he let his Chamber goe at the word of Christ Where is the Guest-Chamber It will be a great meanes to incline us Beloved to the right use of those things that God hath trusted us with if we doe but acknowledge that hand from whence they come if we can but acknowledge who is the owner if we can spie that we think our selves owners we are indeed under God owners in respect of men Farmers to God whatsoever we have is more Gods then ours he lends us Houses for the present for our comfort that we may doe him Service and bring some glory to his sacred Name but if we our selves are not our owne in respect of God are our Houses If we be not our owne but God hath more Title to us then our selves what have we then Have we a penny God hath more title to our hearts then our selves have we more right to our Houses then he It will be a great meanes to stablish and comfort our hearts when God takes away that plenty that he hath given us he takes away his owne so long he hath trusted me with the dispensing of it he hath made me his Steward he will see if I will serve him in a lower condition may I not trust him with his owne It will be a great excitement to charity when God presents the poore to us God Commands and asks Christ begs with his mouth he holds out his hand he asks what any thing that is mine No for his owne The Apostle Paul hath shewed plainly those that have Houses should be as if they had none and those that have Wives should be as if they had none How is this that such as have married Wives should be as if they had none Because the Church is the Spouse of Christ Christ is the Husband and in regard of that Marriage the other is not to be owned and those that have Masters and Servants should be as if they had none because one is our Master in Heaven and those that have Houses as if they had none because our Lot and portion is above and those that use the World as not using it because whatsoever is in the World it is nothing to the possession that God hath provided for us If we could but once come to this to acknowledge God to have more right to that we have then our selves if he call for it and take it away it will breed comfort in the one and contentment in the other liberty and bounty and freedome of mind Christ speaks oft in his word though we heare not when he calls Where is the Guest-Chamber He speaks to us this word when he tenders a miserable Spectacle and presents it before our eyes in a poore creature that wants the necessaries of this life many Saints of God there are that are Harbourlesse they come and in them Christ speaks where is the Lodging thou hast provided for this poore man I meane to send him to Lodge with thee this night they have received Angells nay Christ himselfe in them Oh Where is the Guest-Chamber It is that that Christ speaks to the impropriator and depopulator not onely of the houses of men but of the house of God Where is the Guest-Chamber where my people should meet together to call upon my name and to be instructed in the wayes of Salvation Hast thou turned it to a Stable or a Barne where my People should meet together to partake of the Mysteries of Salvation Where is the Guest-Chamber It is Beloved that that they aske here you know what is meant when we aske where is the Guest-Chamber The Church in which we meet that is the Guest-Chamber there we are to provide there God hath promised to heare us Where two or three are met together Nay yet there is another Guest-chamber it is the Question that God propounds to mans heart Where is the Guest-chamber that I may eate not with my Disciples but feast with my Spirit that I may come and lodge and dwell and Sup. It is This Guest-Chamber that Christ enquires after and I think he speaks to your hearts that are to receive now and after that you will labour to make your Rooms furnished there for him the first Guest-Chamber is the Church of God the Furniture of that is Devotion the second Guest-Chamber is the Table of the Lord the Furniture of that is repentance the third Guest-Chamber is the heart the Furniture of that is the faith and reformation of those that beleive in his name Be sure that thou hast an Answer when God makes this Question where is the Guest-chamber Lord thou knowest better then I here it is though not prepared not made ready as it should be but though I cannot say it is ready Lord thou canst make it ready here is the Guest-chamber where thou shalt dwell and lodge You see I have dwelt longer upon this point then I would I might have handled all but I see I am prevented and therefore that that serves not for the preparation of this dayes receiving shall serve for the preparation of the next dayes receiving and I shall goe forward in the After-noone SERMON II. LUKE 22.11 12. And ye shall say to the good man of the house the Master saith unto thee where is the Guest Chamber where I shall eat the Passover with my Disciples And he shall shew you a large
upper Room furnished there make ready IT was the course of our blessed Saviour in the Gospell upon some solemn occasions to send forth his Disciples as Noah did the Creatures into the Ark by pairs two and two Two Disciples he sent to loose the Colt that he rod on in Tryumph to Jerusalem Two Disciples he sent here for the preparing of the Passover when he meant to keep the last and most solemne And he did it upon speciall reason Partly for the honour of the imployment Partly for the comfort of the Messengers Partly for the expedition of the work The loosing of the Colt was a matter of hazzard and trouble the preparing of the Passover was a matter of paines and labour he sends them therefore two And he doth not send them at all adventure but he gives them a mark that was infallible for their better guidance they should meet a man bearing a Pitcher of water It is eyther my happinesse or unhappinesse Beloved that the imployment is the same and the assistance lesse The end of our Preaching is the loosing of the Colt and yet not the loosing but the breaking of Creatures that are more unruly And the end of this Sermon is a preparation but not of the Passover but of the Lords Supper a Sacrament more honourable in it selfe and more comfortable in the fruit therefore that which stands in need of a great many more Disciples The work is the same or the like you see the ability lesse I am to come to you to speak alone there is no Disciple to be my Assistant and I want that guidance too that those two Disciples had I should look long before I should spie a man with a Pitcher of Water It may be observed in Scripture that they were alwayes fortunate and successfull journeys that had such guidances Abrahams Servant when he went to choose a Wife for Isaac that was his happinesse that God guided him to meet Rebecka with a Pitcher of water Saul when he went to inquire for Samuel that was his happinesse he met a Woman that was about the same imployment and shee told him where the Prophet was Our blessed Saviour himselfe John 4. was sure of a Convert when he met the woman at the well It is that that I would faine doe but it will be long ere I shall find such a happy guidance If I could find but one man who had a Pitcher of water I would presently find out the Guest-Chamber It is not the Pitcher but the â—ountaine of water the Teares of repentance that are the preparative for that performance that was that which Christ sought that was that which the Disciples met with that is the thing I shall desire to find here for my guidance in the prosecution of this Scripture It must be mine to seek but yours to give wheresoever there is such a Pitcher of water in the eye there is the Guest-Chamber in the heart and where the Chamber is so furnished there Christ will come to feast to eat not the Passover not with his Disciples but with his Spirit in the faithfull soul not himselfe to eat but to give us to feed and that of his grace and of his goodnesse It is the intendment of this Scripture it is the intendment of my weak meditations at this time Wherein I shall fit you better to goe on if we look first a little what we have done already I told you this Scripture conteins in it these 3 things There is the person to whom they were sent described here in that he is not described Two things were observable in him The apellative name which is set downe The good man of the House And the proper name which is concealed The second it is the Message which they are to carry here these two Disciples when they are to prepare for the Passover In that there are three things The strength of their Commission The Master sayth There is the enquiry of the place Where is the Guest-Chamber There is the deputation of it to a peculiar end That I may eat the Passover with my Disciples Of the two first of these I have spoken already I shewed who this good man of the house was as far as it concernes us to know him What was the reason why this terme was set before the Commission The Master sayth not the Lord sayth not Jesus of Nazareth sayth It was the fittest name for Christ to give them it was the fittest for them to carry and the â—ittest for the good man of the house to receive I spake of the inquiry after the place Where is the Guest-Chamber How Christ had none of his owne he had no House nor Chamber to Lodg in not so much as to keep the Passover He had no house for civill no house for religious affairs Againe it shews his plenty that he that had none of his owne could Command all that was this mans that was not knowne to the Disciples nor knowne further to him then his divine nature found him out Thus far I went in the Fore-noone Now the third thing in the second generall is the deputation of this Guest-Chamber that they were thus to enquire after to a holy and religious purpose Where I shall eat the Passover with my Disciples In that you see these two things propounded to us There is the end to which it is deputed That I may eat the Passover And the condition of the Communicants With my Disciples The first it is the end for which it is deputed for the eating of the Passover It was one end but not the sole end it was not the chiefe end there was a greater end that Christ mentions not that was the celebration of that last Supper of his the first to him his last to us But he makes mention here onely of eating of the Passover because that onely was knowne both to the Disciples and to the Jews In that we may see that of the Apostle fulfilled it was accomplished here Love sayth he is the fullfilling of the Law Therefore love is the fullfilling of the Law because Christ is the fullfilling of the Law God is love and Christ is love and Christ is onely the fulfilling of the Law and the fullfiller of it We shall not neede to stand much upon that particuler to look to the reasons why Christ would condiscend to eat the Passover as he saith in the Gospell Then are the Children free He said it of Tribute it is trueâ— of these solemnities that are religious then is the Lord himselfe free Christ was the substance of the Passover Christ was the Institutor of the Passover will he please to communicate It is true indeed in himselfe he was exempted and needed not doe it but he did it for these reasons First for the honouring of his owne Ordinance it was he that appointed that Sacrament by the dispensation of Moses to the Jews to the people of Israell therefore to shew that he was a
countenancer of his owne institution he was pleased himselfe to eat of it As he was the Son of God so he was not at all nor could not be subject and as he was the Son of man because he was a righteous man therefore he was free He could have freed himselfe from those afflictions the deliverance whereof the Passover signified and he could have made himselfe free from all that injury that was offered him by the Jews yet he was pleased to condiscend so far sayth St. Ambrose well it was thus far appointed he that instituted the Passover taking the similitude of flesh yet true flesh being incarnate that he himselfe should observe that rite that himselfe instituted St. Austin presseth it well that is the part of a good Pastor or Shepheard to goe before his Sheep in his owne example and himselfe to doe that that he would have them to doe That he might make us zealous in all those performances that he requires at our hands he himselfe was pleased to performe and to condiscend to the performance of that that concerned him not to eat the Passover That is the first reason Secondly another reason was the preparative of his owne Passion he saw that his owne sufferings drew nigh the Passover it selfe was a Type of that to shew that he was the true Passover he brings into the same Room the Passover that was the Type and the Passover that was the Truth As St. Chrysostome observes well at the same Table there was both the one Passover that was the figure and the other that was the substance and celebrates both The keeping of the Passover was nothing else to the Children of Israel but a remembrance of that grace that was past and a sealing of some other grace that was promised The grace that was past was the goodnesse of God in making the Angell to passe-over them when he smote the Aegyptians here then was the conformity Diem transitus c. Christ when he was to passe from death to life he keeps that Feast that was the solemnity of that great transcision that God wrought for them and being to tast of the bitternesse of death he would goe in the eating of the soure Herbs to the drinking of that sourer Cup of his Passion To shew thereby that he was the end of all the Ceremoniall Law the end of all the Types in the Old Testament that very Lamb which was the most eminent of the Types was now fulfilled in the appearance and presence of Christ as St. Chrysostome sayth Sanguis ille c. that Lamb signified Christ the Lamb of God and the blood of that Lamb that was then sprinkled upon the Posts of the Door signified that far more precious blood of Christ that was shed for the washing away of sin That is the second reason that he might Preach to them by this Action and shew who was the Messias the true Lamb the true Passover as the Apostle calls him Christ our Passover is Sacrificed for us Therefore Christ did eat the Passover Thirdly it was also for the abrogation of it to put an end to it He put an end to Circumcision virtually by taking it as he gave strength to Baptisme by assuming it by joyning these two Sacraments legall and Evangelicall the Passover and the Supper he put an end to the one and gave strength of beginning to the other Therefore it is that Euthimius observes that in the celebration of the Passover he keeps it not exactly as it was prescribed to the Jews It was set them the 14. day and he kept it the 13. day They were to eat it standing he eat the Passover lying and leaning One reason why he kept it the 13. day was because he would not be prevented in his Passion He knew the 14. day that it should be kept was the day of his deliverance and betraying therefore to make an end of that work that was one reason he kept it sooner and dispensed with his owne Law Another reason was to shew in the different keeping of it that the Passover was abolished all judaicall shaddowes began to vanish now they were dead though their death did not appeare till afterward The Passover it was an obscure Type as Nazianzen speaks well of a clearer Type the representation of the Lords Supper and therefore was to give way to the better and more honourable Sacrament that then Christ instituted by joyning it to the former sayth Theophilact there was blood that was taken away by blood ceremoniall blood by the blood of Christ There was a Sacrifice that was taken away by a Sacrifice the legall Sacrifice by the spirituall and the Passover it selfe even while it was fullfilled it was changed that was another reason The third reason therefore Christ eat the Passover that he might put an end to it and make it the last eating of it Last of all the reason why he eat iâ— and kept it was to shew his subjection to the Law to set us a patterne and example of obedience he was obedient in every point not onely to the Law morall but even the Law ceremoniall For two reasons One was he became obedient because we were disobedient that his obedience might satisfie for our neglect We were transgressors of the law Christ would be a keeper of it Sayth St. Chrysostome because thou wert a Transgressor of the Law therefore Christ was pleased to keep it he was made a curse to free us from the curse he was made sin to wash away our sins He was made under the Law Gal. 4. that he might free us that his perfection might satisfie for our infirmities And that here now the Christians soule might find true refuge for however I be assured that my sins and transgressions be washed away by the blood of Christ yet when it comes to my particular God requires perfect satisfaction to the whole Law that I can never doe in my owne person here is our refuge there is one in our nature that hath satisfied the Law and all that God could require the very extreamity and utmost letter and period that is Christ and in that he is my Mediator and Redeemer I have done that that he did I have done it in him though I could not in my selfe That he might perfectly satisfie and obey for us he was obedient to the Law Secondly to stop the mouths of all cavilling Pharisees they were ready to object to him that he was a raiser of new Sects that he was an Enemy to the Law of Moses and that therefore he came not from God No he shews in all the passages of his life that he was one that honoured the Law because he was conformable to it the Law of Circumcision he subscribed to it the Law of Dedication and Offering in the Temple he subscribed to that the Law of keeping the Passover he subscribed to that Let now prophane Wretches goe and think themselves eased of the yoak of the Law of God
in that they are called to Christian Liberty Let men that know not the comfort of receiving the Sacrament that is divine of Gods institution sequester themselves and think it is no comfort or benefite at all to come to the Lords Table Our blessed Saviour by this very example did lay before their eyes their owne refutation that if he who was not tyed to the Law yet would please to condiscend so far he that had power of the Law he that was the Ordeyner of the Passover he that appointed it if he would stoop so far that needed not to keep it how much more ought we to conforme to all the precepts that God gives us that so oft transgresse We that stand in need of so many helps of faith and increase of comfort that encounter with so many temptations Therefore if we will have true comfort let us find it in applying our whole lives to the obedience of Christ to all those precepts that God hath given us If Christ were so strict as even then when he abolished the Passover to keep it we that expect so much comfort as we need had need be stirred up to come to the Sacrament oft that is the reason The second thing is the condition of the Communicants that I may eate the Passover With my Disciples He doth not name himselfe alone though indeed the proper worke of the Disciples was not to be silent yet he might have left them out for it must be supposed that he would not eate it alone for it was to be eaten with the Familie but he puts them in by way of emphasis that I may eate it with them with all them and only vvith my Disciples There are two things especially commended to us It is First generall and then It is exclusive That I may eate it with my Disciples and eate it with none else even in this particular he shewed himselfe obedient not only to the substance of the Law but to the circumstance of it it was the command that God gave Exod. 12. for the eating of the passover every one was to eate it with his Familie with his owne Familie the Disciples of Christ were the familie of Christ therefore it is that he takes them in they were his care his sheep his particular flock his schollers his pupils his servants his children in which according to what relation soever wee looke on it there is true reason why he should eate it with his Disciples When he went to be transfigured he tooke but 3. Disciples Peter James and John because that was the manifestation of his glorie it was not to be dispensed to all but only to so many as were fit to be witnesses but this was a worke of humiliation because it was a worke of obedience the eating of the passover therefore there he takes all I with my Disciples because they had that reference to him To shew us how carefull wee should be of those that are committed to our charge Parents of Children Masters of servants Tutours of their Schollers Pastors and shepheards of their people and flock It is the high commendation of any man in superiour place that he looks to those that are under him God would by that Law of eating the Passover with their Familie give them to understand thus much that in these spirituall references all are alike to him there is the same law for the servant as for the Master there is neither bond nor free there is as free accesse for the servant to the Table of the Lord as for the Master Secondly he would commend thus much to them in the fourth commandement that it belongs to every one that is above in superiour place to looke to those that are under them It is that testimonie that Solomon gives to a vertuous matron Prov. 31. She provides meate for her houshold and a portion for her Maids It is not only to be understood of meat temporal but of spiritual instruction It was a high commendation of Joshuahs resolution I and my House will serve the Lord. That is the testimonie that God gives of Abraham that he would instruct his Familie he would instruct his Children he would teach them in the way of the Lord and if you will make a good account for your selves you must looke to make some account for your servants and your Children that was the reason why our blessed Saviours care manifested it selfe so much for his Disciples he had a care of all that he preached to and taught but a more especlall care of them there was never Hen so gathered her Chickins as he clucked his Disciples about him they were those that had a part in his temptation they had fellowship with him in his sufferings they were those that left all to follow him they were those that were to enlarge the Gospel to plant the Church to be Witnesses to carry his name about all the World it was necessary he should have respect to them to instruct them by precept and by example and so he did He did publish Parables to all but he did Expound them to his Disciples he laboured to gather all he kept them still under his wing He healed all Diseases but he washed his Disciples feet he Preached obedience to all he practised obedience in a more particular manner before them he called upon others to fullfill the Law he fullfilled the Law to them that they might be instructed he eat the Passover with his Disciples So I have done with the third thing the last of the second generall I come to the 12. Verse and that is the third generall part of this Text which is the principall thing to be considered in it the successe and satisfaction that the Disciples received when they went to the good man of the house to enquire for the Guest-Chamber Christ tells them of the successe before they come there they knew their Errand how they should speed he will say thus and thus to you He will shew you a large upper Roome furnished there make ready In which consider onely these 3. things Here is something of Christ And it shews us somthing of the Master of the House And somewhat of the Disciples that were sent Here is the Divinity of the Sender a manifest argument and proofe of Christs Divinity that sent them he knew before what would befall Secondly here is the great benignity and courtesie of the Master of the House that received them he shews them presently upon their word a Roome so and so furnished Then here is the Businesse that is given in charge to them that went that were imployed they must make ready in that Roome and no other The first of these is the argument of the Divinity of Christ that sent them and not one argument onely here are three couched in it Here is a proofe of his Divine Knowledge Here is a proofe of his Divine Power Here is a proofe of his Divine Providence First here is a proofe
He comes oft-times in the habite of a Poore man and begs a lodging and askes for the Guest-Chamber and the Roome there are many that are furnished for worse uses and never a Corner that Christ can be thrust into He that found a roome in bloudy Jerusalem is excluded out of the Houses of many Christians and left in the streets He comes oft and solicits thy heart and speaks to thee to pay him his owne not thine to pay his Tithes to burne thy double Leases to Cancell thy soule-condemning Customes to restore those things that thou hast taken away from him by Laws as wicked as he that made them thus he calls for his owne The entertainment that this humble man gave Christ in the Text he finds it not with us we are so far from giving him a Chamber that we shut him out of the House we are so far from giving him any thing that is ours that we take from him that that is his We take the Houses of God into our owne possession Churches and Chancells are in the power of lay-men poore Ministers they bury and secular men they have the fees The Sanctum Sanctorum that the high Priest onely might enter into and onely once a yeare it is now in the possession of lay-persons the place that answers to that the Chancell and the Church Is this an argument of a heart that would receive Christ Would we part with any of our Rooms for Christ that have taken these from him Think of it think of it it may be that little moytie of their estate is that that makes all moulder away when all is done for whosoever hath right to them you have none It was a better resolution that this man makes to himselfe and we should practise that I have done with the second thing Here is the divinity of him that sent them and the great benignity of him that received them as soone as they had made the motion he wellcomes it Now thirdly here is the last thing and then I have done here is the businesse and imployment of them that did goe There prepare and no otherwise Christ as he sent a Message to him so he gave a Commandement to them he made them his Harbingers to mark out his lodging and directs them what lodging he would have as though he had beene acquainted in the House Make ready there prepare for the Passover It was the Command that was then given to them but it is a great deale better direction to us and concernes us more then it did them It hath a truth now there is a Roome of this nature that Christ will be entertained in it must be a large upper Roome and a Roome furnished St. Bernard observes it that there are three Guest-Chambers there are three Rooms in which Christ is received There is the Chamber of the Scriptures that is a large Roome because there is in it all saving Truths That is an upper Roome because it was penned and inspired by the Spirit of God that came from above That is a Roome furnished there is a storehouse of all comforts upon all occasions for men in want for men in affliction for men in prosperity for young for old for all sorts there are truths to be applied and directed When is it that this Room is prepared Then the Roome of the Scripture is prepared for God when the bread of life is rightly broken and divided to the people then this Roome is made ready for Christ Secondly there is another Chamber and that is the Chamber of the Church All the properties also meet in this Roome it is a large Roome the corners of it spread to the utmost parts of the Earth And it is an upper roome the upper part of it is in Heaven the Church tryumphant and thence it is that all grace comes and falls upon it It is a Roome furnished sayth Jerome well It is furnished with variety of gifts and graces with variety of Scriptures and Sacraments that God hath provided and appointed It is a dineing Roome it is a Supping Chamber It is a Guest-Chamber properly that sayth Jerome because there it is that we meet at the Lords Table we partake of the Lords Supper even to the end of the World The Church of God it is a supping Guest-Chamber When is this Chamber provided and prepared for Christ Then when the wheat is gathered into the Barne then when men are gathered into the bosome of the Church and preserved there then when they are built up in this holy faith then this Roome is prepared Thirdly there is yet another the Chamber of the Conscience the Chamber of the heart that is Caenaculum too a spiritnall supping Roome and place for Christ and the Spirit of Christ I will come and sup with him sayth Christ in the Revelation Chap. 3.20 I and my Father will come and sup with such a man Christ will come and Sup with that man that receives him he will sup with the faithfull soule that is he will dwell there and take up his lodging Here is the Roome that Christ wants and that is the Roome that we must prepare It was a materiall Roome that they were to provide that Roome that God calls to us for is the Roome of the heart Think not that it is the Roome the Chamber as St. Austin sayth Christ alludes to it when he sayth of the godly man that in Prayer he will get into his Chamber and shut his Doore Every man that will pray aright enters into the Chamber of his Conscience David sayth plainly in Psal 4. Enter into your Chamber into the Cabbin of the heart this is the Roome that we must provide It hath all the properties too God will not feast in any other hearts then those that are provided First it was a large Roome where the Lord did institute and eat his Supper A large Roome is an enlarged heart enlarged with Devotion and thankfullnesse We must not put Christ in a corner we must not pen him up He will have the whole house and the whole heart it is that he calls for My Son give me thy heart that is as much in effect as Where is the Guest-Chamber there I will lodge there I will baite and there I will stay and abide and dwell make ready that Roome let it be a large Roome and a large heart for God Secondly it must be an upper Roome too the heavenly heart is the upper Roome a heart lift up it is the word that is used in the Psalmes I lift up my heart yet we keep them grovelling upon Earth Art thou not ashamed Look upon thy selfe why hath God given thee eyes and set them in that place aloft whereas he hath set them forwards in other Creatures but that they should be oft lifted up to Heaven Why hath God given man a Spirit and not other Creatures but that it should be lifted up oft Is it not a shame then to have thy head
aloft and thy heart below grovelling upon the Earth Is it not a shame for thee to be upright in body and to creep upon the Earth in thy mind God that cannot away with a heart that is puffed up he expects a heart that is lifted up and thus elevated to him Therefore in the Old Testament we find that in all holy performances to signifie the elevation of the heart the Saints went up Christ would be transfigured in the top of the Mount he often Preached to the People from Mountaines to note his Heavenly Doctrine He did oft withdraw himselfe for Prayer and he prayed upon the Mountaines So did Daniel get himselfe into an upper Roome So Peter in the Acts he got to the top of the House not onely for privacy but to note that a man that will goe to meet God he must ascend higher in his spirit Therefore Jacob saw a Ladder in his Dreame to note that every man that comes before God in Prayer or in any holy performance he must ascend Sayth St. Ambrose well ascend thou in holy performances let thy heart be lifted up Doe that indeed that thou art incited to in receiving the Sacrament Lift up your hearts it must be a Roome aloft an upper Roome We lift them up to the Lord. Then know if thou wilt be partaker of those divine Mysteries if thou wilt have true comfort of that supreame union as St. Austin speaks Pietas c. Devotion will knit those together that the Elements in the World hath seperated we are seperated from the Saints in Heaven but faith and a heavenly conversation will knit us together we shall have union with that society If we will give God a Roome fit to welcome him it must be a large Roome and an upper Roome a heavenly heart Lastly it must be a furnished Roome what is the furniture The variety of graces wherewith the heart and Conscience of a man is to be adorned that is the Furniture Carefull we are to provide furniture for our bodies and for our Houses and for our Chambers in which we lodge but there is a Chamber that is in us that is neglected The Saints of God had a care of this sayth St. Bernard Every Saint provided some furniture when they came to God Mary Magdalen the furniture that shee provided was in humility shee laid a sure foundation Thomas the Apostle he made his provision in solidity of faith John the Apostle he made his provision in the enlargement of love Paul made his furniture in the intimate inward secrets and Mysteries of divine wisdome and Peter his in repentance So every one that will receive Christ and wellcome him must make provision What is the provision that he requires Faith and repentance the beleiving heart and the pâ—nitent heart Let the roome be washed let there be repentance and then it is provided Let the Roome be swept let there be faith and then it is provided These are the hangings and the furniture and much more that you may add in your owne Meditations This is the heart where Christ will loâ—ge Remember these things you that are to receive the Mysteries This man that gave entertainment to Christ thought it a dishonour to bring him into any Room that was not prepared he made it ready before Christ sent by the instinct of the Spirit by one word of the two Disciples God sends to you Disciples not so powerfull in speaking but Disciples after Disciples and intreats you to make ready He sends not a Commanding word where is it He asks not so but he beseecheth you that you would make your hearts ready Now is the solemne time to bring furnished hearts it was at this time when Christ went in triumph to Jerusalem they cut boughs of palme and strewed them in the way to shew that he was the only Conquerour it was then that they cut downe boughs of trees to shew how powerfull the Evangelicall Axe was that was laid to their consciences to bring them to the duties of pietie they did not only strew boughs but their garments that is saith St. Ambrose well all their glorie and dignitie they were not ashamed to lay all at Christs feet it may be some of their cloathes were costly you will not part with a fashion you will not consecrate one to Christ nay the more you are spoken to and entreated the more you encrease in your exorbitancie Doe you think that ever Christ will lodge in that bosome that is set to sale to every ludibrious wanton eye will Christ take his roome there judge ye thinke with your selves will he remaine in that braine to sanctifie the imaginations of it that is so frizled and that he will glorifie that face that is so altred to another colour then he gave it doe you furnish and provide your bodies so for Christ cares he for these carriages must these be your Easter entertainment will ye thus prepare to come to the Lords Table I tell you I am conscious to my selfe of worse infirmities then you have I dare not deny to adminster the sacrament to any man that reacheth out his hand to take it if there be any that goe on in sinne my charitie shall thinke that there is repentance within but I doe it with a trembling heart I rather wish my selfe No Prophet nor the Sonne of a Prophet Never come to Church and receive those mysteries in such a habite where the outward vanitie is I say there is not the inward preparation there is not a making readie Wee had need to provide more zealously and carefully for the eating of the Lords Supper then they for the Passover it is a Sacrament of more worth and eminencie O that there were but the same man to guide you the man with the pitcher of water I come to you with the booke and with the word of God follow yet that direction and if you will give me the other so shall you have the approbation here that Christ gave this man he shall not say where is the guest-Chamber but I have found it here is a heart for me to dwell in and reside in even this man is he that hath chosen me an upper Roome large and Furnished there I will prepare and make readie So much for this time Angells Inspection DELIVERED IN TVVO SERMONS BY That Learned reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH Doctor in Divinity somtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge Master of Emmanuel Colledge and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON EPHES. 3.10 To the intent that now unto the principallities and powers in heavenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold wisdome of God LONDON Printed by M. Simmons in Alders-gate-streete 1650. SERMON I. 1 PETER 1.12 Which things the Angells desire to looke into THAT the Mysteries of the Gospell are things well worthy the Studie of Apostles I shewed in the beginning of this Feast from the Text that I handled the first day I then spake of it and I
journey ib. Judgments No removing of judgments without repentance page 15 Cause of feare that judgments will continue page 20 The word of God why called his judgments page 286 See feyned prayer praise Just How God is said to be just in forgiving sins page 38 Justification Free justification misunderstood page 69 K. Knowledge A proofe of Christs divine knowledge page 467 Knowledg of evill Angells deâ—ective in divine Misteries page 493 Angels want no knowledg that concerns their happinesse page 521 See practise L. Labourers The Crowne of life the reward of labourers page 256 Language Every grace hath a peculiar language page 36 99 Large The heart a large roome how page 481 Latitude Latitude of Gods mercies page 114 Lasting The Crowne of life a lasting honour page 231 Law The word of God why called his law page 266 All creatures but man keepe the law set them page 323 Legall Thankefulnesse better then legall sacrifice page 169 See Dead Life The Crown given at the end of life page 257 See comprehensive Lifting see eyes hands mind Religion Linked Graces linked together page 358 Lips Praise called the calves of the lips why page 161 167 What lips God will bee praised with page 163 Lips put for the whole man page 165 Long. Comfort against sufferings if they be long page 233 Lord. Thankefulnesse due to God as our Lord page 148 Lovâ— Why the Crown is promised to love page 269 All graces in lâ—ve page 271 Every one that loves God shall be crowned page 275 Meanes to get love to God page 276 Meditation of Gods lovelinesse begets love to God page 277 To blame our selves for want of love page 278 The greatest testimonie of love to God page 310 See commands prayer suffering word M. Man The word man how taken in Scripture page 189 Woman included under the name of man page 192 Man tempts man how page 247 Two men in a Christian page 340 See Incarnation Many Comfort against sufferings if they be many page 233 Master Obedience due to all kind of Masters page 394 Servants learn evill of their Masters page 397 Difference between earthly and our heavenly Master page 407 How to know whether God be our Master page 413 The duty of a good Master page 430 Christ why called the Master page 442 Christ the great Master page 448 Meanes God not tyed to meanes page 421 Measure True love keeps no measure page 275 Meditation Preparation to meditation necessary page 324 Meditation what page 325 Meditation scarce in the world page ibid. Meditation improves every grace page 327 Mentall Vocall prayer a help to mental page 53 Merit Merits of Saints not to be trusted page 108 No satisfaction by merit page 119 Mercie Antiquity of Gods mercie page 113 Mercie a motive to beg mercie page 116 The end of all waiting is for mercie page 418 See alliance attribute duration waiting Metaphor Metaphor what page 155 Duties in Scripture delivered under metaphors page 156 Mind Eye of the mind to look up to God page 386 Ministers Ministers to watch their people in their failings page 34 Ministers to condiscend to peoples weakness page 35 See Declare Mysteries Good Angels studie Gospel-mysteries page 496 506 See Angels Mixed We have need of tryals because we are mixed page 252 Monosyllable Masters servants how as monosyllables to each other page 394 Morall Difference between Christian and morall vertues page 359 Motion Motion of two sorts page 334 The life of Christianity in motion page 335 Perseverance the continuance of a Christians motion page 337 Difference between corporall and spirituall motion page 346 The continuation of a Christians motion page 354 See standing excellent vitall Mournfull Mournfull words to be used in confession of sin page 45 Mountains Why the lightning strikes the mountains page 472 N. Name Every true Christian hath his name in the promise page 274 A new name given to Believers page 437 The names of diverse Pen-men of Scripture concealed page 440 Preachers not to come in their own name page 474 Nature To turn to God by the bond of nature page 23 Art perfects nature page 61 Necessity Bond of necessity to turn to God page 23 O. Obedience Bond of obedience to turn to God page 23 Obedience singles not out commands page 313 Lifting up the eyes a testimony of obedience page 389 The period of a Christians obedience page 419 Christ the pattern of obedience page 460 The assent of an obedient heart page 476 See condition Object Faith singles not out it 's object page 313 Omniscience Christs omniscience shewed page 437 Others God tries us that others may know what is in us page 250 Over Mercie over Gods works page 112 Outward God must have praise from the outward man page 164 Comfort when God takes away outward things page 452 Owne Servants not their own page 396 P Pardon Impenitency never meetes with pardon page 18 Errour of those that will not pray for pardon page 68 Arguments against such as deny to pray for pardon page 71 Pardon to be begged with all blessings page 72 How the Devill hinders prayer for pardon page 73 Severall expressions of the pardon of sins page 104 God the only author of pardon page 107 Goodnesse of God in the pardon of sinne page 111 To beg more grace after pardon page 131 Pardon to be prayed for before removall of judgments page 139 Thankefulnesse especially due for pardon page 147 See confession eyes Passe-over The Christians Passeover page 431 All invited to the new Passeover page 438 Why Christ did â—at the Passover page 459 See Abrogate Pastor The duty of a Pastor to his Flocke page 431 Patience Patience to be laboured for page 213 Praise of Patience page 214 Promises the support of patience page 266 People The duty of people to their Pastor page 430 Perfect perfection Vocall prayer makes prayer perfect page 54 Christians to grow to perfection page 369 Perfection when to be sought page 374 See Soule Perseverance Perseverance carries on a christian still page 335 Excellency of perseverance page 336 No grace carries to heaven without preseverance page 337 See heaven sublime Physick Repentance as Physick page 25 Suffering as physick page 256 Piety Advances of piety severall wayes set forth page 338 Pitch The pitch that is set to a christians growth page 369 Place Duty of those eminent in place page 434 Pleasant Sin why pleasant to men page 106 Plenty Christs plenty page 451 Poore Poverty Poverty of Chsist set forth page 448 Worldly men imitate not Christ in his poverty page 449 Comfort for those that are poore page 450 Christ begs in the poore page 478 Popery A new kind of Popery page 70 Portion To make Gods word our portion page 295 The most possible way to remove judgements page 14 Pardon over Gods works of power page 112 Proofe of Christs diuine power page 469 Practice Practice required of Christians page 359 Knowledge without practice nothing page 360 Prayer