more if it be mercy then Lord take all my God I will have my God I must have so that now the decree is set downe what ever it cost I will have it Act. 11.23 and now I see the commodity is faire and the offer is kind As a merchant if he have a great stock some in corne some in houshold-stuffe and land and cattell if he sees a bargaine he will sell all that hee hath yea leave himselfe neither shoppe nor house and all to buy this purchase so I beseech you play the wise men here 's a deale of time spent in eating and drinking and sleeping and recreating and apparrelling and company-keeping and bowling and vaine things Play now the wise men now God must have time prayer must have time and now a stubborne heart will aske a great deale of time to batter down many a sigh and many a tear and many a prayer now no more apparrell then will serve the turne c. What a deale of tricking and trimming there is for the body It might fare well with the soule if it were but served as our sinkes are many times what washing and scouring have they Away with this tricking and trimming if you doe not leave it it will cost the setting on if God require more then this Be wise for your soules if you have not time enough then put off your pleasure nay and put off the world too nay put off friends put off all sell all No marvell indeed though many men say I marvell how such a man lives and runs up and downe so much oh let them know there is a purchase in hand that will well requite both his paines and cost Doe not then stand higling with God and break off for a little odd money For many say I would serve God but my friends will forsake me and I would come to Gods house on the week day but the boyes in the streete would laugh at me I say why will you dodge with God in this manner Wil your friends save you When you lie on your death-beds and your consciences accuse you and you cry out Now friends save mee they cannot for they may perish and you too Oh away with this dallying with God What if your Landlord frowne on you what if your father forsake you Resolve thus What though I have the frowne of men I have the favour of God What though the world be gone yet heaven is my comfort happiness that 's not gone Then say I 'll dodge no longer with God Saint Augustine stuck fast to his corruptions yet To morrow Lord and to morrow hee would leave them and yet he prayed against them and at last hee read the place in the Romans Lay aside chambering and wantonnesse c. and then he said Why not to day Lord and so strooke through the bargaine You see the commodity if you will have it speake if you have it not you may go away and repent you of it as long as you live Now I pray you answer me Will you have grace will you have salvation and will you buy this and give as the market goes tell mee doe not delay while to morrow Why not to day O let your soules answer and say Yea Lord to day Take all onely save my soule Come what will come I 'll have it Then now the businesse is ended the bargain is made go and take the condition it is yours 4. Buy not onely for time present but for future times If thou hearest the Word of God now then store for thy soule Let this day bee a day of reconciliation and then you may say at such a day the Lord afforded you grace and you bargained and that the Lord knowes it Keepe that by you that when Sathan tempteth you and saith unto you Have you any grace you may recall this and say I provided such a day against such a question and I remember the time place and stone I stood on and the Minister that spake and the Lord is my witnesse Oh store up it is the part of a wise man so to doe Isa 42.23 Who attends that hee may heare for afterward Joh. 16.4 These things saith Christ I speake unto you that in the time to come yee may remember them So yee see the opportunities of grace the market day for it then go home cheared and having gotten grace keepe it by you Hee that was content to sell all hee had the pearle This will cheare you to sell all to get Christ and keepe him by you In the last place When the match is made then in all other things you doe you must change the property of them you must now trade for grace use the world as if you used it not and you must not live to your selves but to God you must trade for God and walke with God You see how you must bestow your labour and paines else heaven will not bee had If you aske the maner how you must seek these things it must be in the first place Come to the market betimes and see the choyce and buy the best upon any termes and store up for the time to come and then buy other things You must seeek grace in the first place when you are at the meanes you must bestow your heart on the means and when you have seene the bargaines lay aside those that are more necessary and then part with all to have them and thus store up for the future And Lastly Use all outward means no otherwise then to help you forward to speed To proceed Now wee must retaine in our callings three things 1. Wee must use them so that they must give way to spirituall things I would not have trades-men so set to their callings as that they will give no liberty for prayer and for hearing of the Word of God Let commodity let profit go to the wall rather then to let prayer and the Word to fall and to be neglected First seek the Kingdome of God As any man will doe if there come two men to him if the one be better then the other he will bid the other stand by till his betters be served so it is here God is better then commodity then profit then let God be served first let dutie be performed first 2. We must so use our callings as that we may bee the better fitted to perform more duty to God It is very fit wee should have some tast of God in our daily imployments that we may thereby be the better fitted for his service As a man takes a cup of sack before supper not that he makes a meale of it but to make way for his meale just so we should have our hearts more enlarged by it to performe our duties every way to take notice of Gods favour and kindnesse towards us 3. We must keep heavenly minds in earthly or worldly occasions and that is a marvelous hard thing this is the reason that the Saints of
the Lord hath a veine of vengeance to waste this mans estate and a secret plague to plague another mans wealth So now consider your waies Consider how that when you were carelesse of God then the Lord crush'd all you did Where are mens hearts thus to waite upon and to follow God I say where are mens hearts if grace bee the best good then labour herein II. Secondly Time to purchase it is but short See the opportunity that God gives us to get grace From whence we may draw two reasons One from the shortnesse of our life and the other from the shortnesse of the meanes of grace and salvation by reason of our unprofitablenesse It is our wisedome to strike while the iron is hot the means of grace and salvation is short and hee that dies without grace shall never be saved Consider of it this may bee the last time that I ever shall speake or you shall heare for the Lord may take away our lives or the meanes from us Therefore while you have time imploy your time for there is a great deale past and that 's gone and cannot bee recalled againe so that 's none of ours then for the time to come that 's none of ours for we cannot tel whether we shall live or no therefore onely the time present is ours Heare therefore while you have time and means the offer of grace is tendered Oh turn ye turn ye why will ye die But see what became of it the Lord offers commodity but 't is not worth the buying amongst some What saith the Text Mat. 23.37 Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered you as an hen doth her chickens but saith the Text ye would not O let us not stand out with God lest hee leave such an heavie doome upon us as hee did on Jerusalem Now your house is left unto you desolate How often would I have received you and you would not O then I say take heed that the Lord doth not say to us O England how often would I but you would not Ye care not now for teaching yee will have no instruction Well you shall not saith God to Jerusalem you shall never see my face more till you can prize it yea till you say Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest So the Lord may say unto us Oh ye have refused mercy but yee will cry and houle and never shall have mercy more How dost thou know this oh man whether ever thou shalt have the offer of mercy againe You may never have any more offer Luk. 19 41. Christ stood over Jerusalem and wept Oh saith hee that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes now they are taken away because ye would not They may have the Word but shall finde no good in it Oh that is the doom of all dooms when the Lord curses his blessings when the Lord gives a man up to the hardnesse of his own heart and to the blindnesse of his owne eyes Who knowes but the Lord may speake to some of us now and that hee will never offer nor worke again Pro. 1.27 They shall call and cry but I will not answer them saith the Lord. Who knowes but that this may bee thy lot This may bee thy share Is there any one whose soule stirres within him and sayes Oh the precious means of salvation that I have had how kindely did the Lord come and I had almost yeelded and yet withstood the Lord Is there any that hath been thus I charge thee take heed lest the Lord set it down upon thy forehead Wel grace hath been offered and it hath been refused it shall never be offered more My Sabbaths they have had but they profaned them well they shall never see Sabbath more of all plagues there is none like to this O fearfull that the Word should never work more and They shall cry but I will not answer Pro. 1.24 A man were better to be torn in pieces with wild horses then to hear that voice Wisdome saith there I will laugh at your destruction When a man is in perplexity and the Lord should see him and laugh at him in his misery and should say This is he that heard the Word and opposed it this is the man come and behold him O Angels come and rejoyce at his destruction this is he let him be accursed this is hee that despised all meanes therefore send him downe quick into utter darknesse then ye will know what it is to oppose grace Time may come that thou wouldest pray and thou mayest have no heart or if thou dost the time may come when God will not hear thee Oh I withstood all means and therefore with what heart can I doe any thing Oh that ye would but think on this thou mayst seek and seek and seek often and that with tears and yet mayst have the repulse Deut. 1.41 The people of Israel began to murmure against the Lord Would to God wee had dyed in Egypt The Lord heard them and made a solemne vow that they should never enter into the land of Canaan Deut. 1.45 Then they returned and wept and prayed but the Lord heard them not Therefore take heed how yee oppose grace and salvation I beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christ his sake think of it How many offers of grace have wee had and then have said wee would labour that our hearts might bee enlarged towards God and wee would be more holy wee have had many Sabbaths how little have wee profited by them If God shut the Israelites out of Canaan for the refusing of one offer feare God I say feare and stand agast Seeing it is so it is the part of wise men to take the offer of grace and salvation whilest it is offered to them MISCELLANIES I. The Prayer of Faith JAMES 1.6 But let him aske in faith nothing wavering for he that doubteth is like a wave of the sea driven with the winde and tossed Let not that man think hee shall receive any thing from the Lord. THE holy Apostle hath pressed the distressed scattered Jewes to the practice of a marvellous heavenly and holy duty but a marvellous hard one and that indeede which might seeme most unseasonable considering the extreme pursuers that then pursued them beyond strength almost The duty was this as it is expressed in the words of the text Ver. 2. Brethren count it all joy when you fall into many temptations Each word carries a weight and a kinde of impossibility to a distressed spirit and a perplexed heart Hee sayes not they should finde this by proofe and that it would appear in issue that temptations would bring them forth pleasant fruits of righteousnesse through the blessing of the Lord but hee bids them account it so before hand when they felt nothing but vexation Now this was not to bee done
so should it be with thee as thou desirest that that which is good for thee should be continued so shouldest thou desire that all good should bee given to thy brother Wert thou in disgrace thou wouldest desire reputation have the like desire for the credit of thy brother Act. 26.29 I would saith S. Paul that all that hear me this day were altogether as I am altogether holy altogether assured of Gods love Here is an heart such an one as Adam had in perfection it was as if hee should have said I would to God that all that heare me this day had the like evidence of Gods goodnesse We ought to desire that what good befals us might happen to our brethren also Num. 11.29 I would to God that all the people of the Lord were Prophets So hast thou honour say I would to God all Gods servants had honour too Is thy soul comforted say Oh that all Gods servants were so we thinke our candles burne the worse because others burne bright This was not in Adam and ought not to be in us wee should rejoice in the good of others Luk. 15.8 They rejoiced with her we must rejoice in the prosperity of others Adam had the heart to rejoice in the good of his brother and wee ought to doe the like 2. We must be painefull to promote the good of our fellow-brethren as our own Love is solicitous and full of care to provide for what is beloved Looke what care thou wouldest bestow to promote thine owne honour or welfare the same diligence must thou use in due time and place though not in the same measure to procure the honour or welfare of thy brother 1 Cor. 13.5 Love seekes not her owne Gal. 5.13 Serve one another in love Thou shouldst in this case be a servant to thy brother it should be one part of thy taske to promote his good We all ought to take speciall care of our brothers credit for we are tearmed our brothers keepers Gen. 4.9 yea we should take the honour life safety of our brother as our charge we must keep evil from him and not suffer it to lye upon him Lev. 19.17 the evill of sinne especially so farre as God puts occasion into our hands God enjoynes not man this duty towards Scorners Ephraim is joyned to his idols Hos 4.17 let him alone wee must not cast pearles before swine Lev. 19.17 yet thou shalt not suffer thy brother to lye in sinne This is love in truth to rebuke another plainely and not to suffer sinne to lye upon him Ezek. 13. To sow pillowes under mens elbowes this love came from hell it never came from righteousnesse Quest Why was Adam thus furnished with righteousness Ans Because he was made a sociable creature for the maintaining of society and propagating the Church Love is the sinewes of society In a building all the parts must bee pinned together otherwise one part will not uphold another so it is in society there must be inlets of love to uphold it wee must bee souldred together with loving affections else there is no continuing of society The desolation of kingdoms the ruine of nations whence comes it but from want of love Saint Paul makes love a matter of excellency 1 Cor. 12.31 I shew to you a more excellent way Adam therefore being made for society must bee furnished with this love which was a speciall meanes to helpe him therein The use is threefold 1. It falls heavie upon many wicked and ungodly men Malicious men have not Gods image on them the vilenesse of whose hearts is such that in stead of having in them righteousnesse and love they have hearts full of rancour within and tongues full of railing without The sting of the serpent is in their hearts and the poison of asps is under their lips they regard not what they say against those that feare Gods name If righteousnesse bee the image of God then envie and malice is an argument of a man whose heart God never wrought upon it is a blacke brand of a childe of the Devill In this the children of God are manifest from the children of the Devill 1 Joh. 3.10 The children of God are the children of love the children of Satan are the children of hatred Hee that hateth his brother is a childe of the Devill it is manifest thou maist conclude it undoubtedly 1 Joh. 4.8 He that loveth not knoweth not God as if hee should say Thou that hast no love hast no interest in God Hatred is that wherein the kingdome of Satan consists Joh. 8.41 as for all other sins they are practised among men but this is the trade of the Devils in hell The Pharisees bragged that they were Abrahams children You seeke to kill me saith Christ which Abraham did not if you were of your father Abraham you would doe the workes of Abraham but marke the 44. verse You are of your father the Devill for hee was a murtherer from the beginning You have never heard that Sathan stabbed a man but his murther was Hee maligned Adam in his innocency this therefore is a devillish sinne Sathan doth not steale neither is he drunke but he is envious as hell If this bee expressed in your conversation know what ever your stocke may be yet you are of your father the Devill Those that set themselves against the life and honour of their fellow brethren for we may set our selves against the sinnes of others those I say whose hearts sinke at the good of their brethren and rejoice if their goods and estates bee overthrowne doe by that shew whence they draw their pedegree This is the very brand of a wretch Gal. 4.19 Ishmael was a cast away as the text plainly speaks what was his guise He persecuted the sonne of Promise he persecuted him with a railing tongue for this the Scripture often calls persecution and this is the note of a man born after the flesh who shall never see Gods face for the Text saith Cast him out Envie and malice is the sinne of the Devill and it is the note of a reprobate the Lord therefore looke upon us that wee seeing our owne misery may strive for power against it and get love from God that we may be possessed of happinesse with him Use 2. The second use is of Instruction Expect no friendship from the wicked From the former truth we may learn what to expect at the hands of the ungodly There is no friendship to bee expected from a wicked man Love is another matter then men make of it it is a grace above nature which no man can expresse unlesse God put this image into the soule Love comes from righteousnesse We had as good look for honey in an hornets nest or in a serpents den or sweet fruit from a crab-stocke as love from an unrighteous man unlesse the root of righteousnesse bee within love cannot bee without 1 Pet. 1.22 You that have purified your
is called the heavenly treasure looke as it is with wicked men Rom. 2.5 They treasure up wrath against the day of wrath the more sinne they commit the more punishment will lye upon their soules so doth a good man lay up a treasure of holinesse Should a man bring all the treasure of Dives all the honour of Ahashuerus they would doe him no good Wilt thou appeare and say Lord I have cozened so many poore and by this means I have gotten so much wealth No the onely commodity that will go off is holy services Rev. 14.13 Blessed are they that dye in the Lord their works follow them nothing in the world but works can follow a man The services that come from a sincere heart will go with thee to thy grave therefore as Factours purchase things that will bee saleable when they come home so let us now lay up that provision that will stand us in stead hereafter 2. Hence we see how to carry our selves towards others Love those best who are best As good children let us imitate our father God loves men that obey Let the same minde be in us Psalme 119.63 I am a companion of those that love thee Hee saith not I am a companion to those that haunt evill places but to such as love God Psalm 103.6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull in the land 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while you are with him The Lord keeps company with them that keepe company with him in holy duties Let us be of the same affection towards our brethren and let nothing breed division but only the sins of others Zach. 8.23 Tenne men shall take hold on the skirt of a Jew saying Wee will goe with you for the Lord is with you I say let nothing breed jarres between us and others but only their sins §. 11. NOw wee proceed to the second part of the Covenant Of life promised to Adam if obedient What God promises to Adam Hee that doth these things shall live For the opening of this wee must treat of three particulars 1. What life is 2. Wherein lies the sweetnesse of the promise 3. The universality of it 1. What is meant by life Life naturall Life is double naturall and spirituall eternall life is nothing but spirituall life made perfect Naturall life is the motion of the creature issuing from the joyning of the body and soule together according to the kind thereof The life of a tree is to grow of a reasonable creature to discourse This is not meant here for Adam did thus live before and after he brake the Comandements of God And spirituall 2. There is a spirituall life which belongs to the soule in holy duties it is called life by a similitude and it is those spirituall workes which proceed from the whole man the soule being united to God As the union of the body and soule causeth life so the union between the soul and God causeth spirituall life Gen. 2.7 God breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life so the Lord breathes assistance and this is spirituall life here meant which may bee discovered in three particulars 1. Adam Spirituall life discovered in 3. things out of his speciall liberty hee had was able to put himself under the streame of Providence and so to bee carried on to holy duties God would have assisted Adam but hee must first put himselfe under the streame of Providence as the boat upon the streame so would the Providence of God have conveyed Adam All things were made for man and man is next neighbour to God Had Adam looked towards Gods wisedome hee should have been quickned in wisedome and so he might have received strength from any Attribute if he would submit his heart to the streame of it Joh. 1.16 From Christ we receive grace for grace What letters are in the seale the same are in the waxe so when by faith wee look upon Christ there is grace in him and it is conveighed to us Psalm 86.11 Unite my soule to thee first the soule must be united and then it acts from that union John 6.68 Thou onely hast the words of eternall life as if hee should say By thy vertue only wee must bee strengthened By this time God and Adam are met 2. The soule of Adam being met with God hence followed spiritual actions namely Adam was able to worke like God according to his manner the boat and rower and streame goe all one way In 1 Pet. 4.6 a good man is said to live according to God This is spirituall life when a mans will and desire is answerable to God but wicked men Ephes 4.18 are strangers to the life of God Col. 4.12 The Apostle prayeth that they might stand perfect in the will of God Psalm 119.144 Give mee understanding that I may live A man doth not live thus because hee seeth as the beasts doe or growes as the trees do or reasons which the devils can do but because hee hath an understanding to live the life of God When Adam is at God hee is where he would be Rom. 14.18 The kingdome of heaven consists not in meats and drinks that is in outward actions they are in themselves neither good nor bad but when a man is led by God to performe holy duties hee then pleaseth God in them 3. Hee had power to hold out this blessed will of God to others that they might love it Phil. 1.20 St. Paul prayeth that in life and death God might be magnified Adam did hold out the glory of God that all the world might see how glorious hee was Quest. Wherein lyes the pith of this promise what should Adam reap from this The sweetnesse of the promise of life wherin Answ It lies in this That God would so continue good to Adam that if hee would obey God hee would so support him with his grace that hee should have pleased him for ever as if God had said If thou will doe what I command I will unchangeably supply life to thee I will expresse it by the contrary Thus it befell Adam hee broke the law and therefore was vnder the power of sinne to bee led by the force of it to sinne eternally and perish everlastingly The Lord said Thou shalt not eate Adam did eate so going against the command the Lord puts him under the authority of corruption and this is spirituall death So then it is not the law of God that rules thee but the vanity of thy minde that domineers over thy soul and members of thy body Contrariwise had Adam pleased God he should have been under the power of holinesse and never have sinned For God thus said to Adam If thou will keep my Lawes I will support thee and thou shalt never bee subject to any evill As it is with the damned they can doe nothing but sinne and depart from God daily so contrariwise had Adam performed Gods laws God with a
full streame of immutable assistance had carried him on daily in his service This is the happinesse of a Saint in heaven not only to be freed from misery and anguish or to have joy and delight a man was not made only for these but to please God If it were possible for a sinfull creature to carry a proud heart to heaven hee were miserable but if a man have holinesse all sweet content is his This is but the second part of happinesse Qu. Why did God make this covenant with Adam Answ This covenant observed had added immutability to Adams happinesse Because it was the only way to conveigh an immutable condition to Adam God had furnished him with all things nothing was wanting but immutability and constancy Immutability is an essentiall property belonging to God Mal. 3.6 Jam. 1.17 therefore it was impossible that any immutable quality should bee put into Adam If Adam had made use of Gods continuall assistance sustaining him though hee were in himselfe mutable yet hee could never have changed A glasse though it bee brittle yet hold it in a mans hand continually it will never break so though Adam were brittle yet if hee would have kept him in the hands of Gods assistance he could not change Adams obedience was an helpe hereto had Adam done Gods will hee had pleased God Gods pleasure is himselfe himselfe is immutable therefore hee must have an immutable assistance The damned in hell did offend God and provoke his displeasure his displeasure was unchangeable therefore he delivereth them up to the authority of sinne to be unchangeably sinfull and perish everlastingly so it was here with Adam Gods pleasure was immutable therefore he pleasing him God must reward him answerably Use 1. The first Use is of Instruction Impossible to bee saved by the Law it is impossible for any man to bee saved by the works of the law Why He that will bee saved by the covenant of works must performe the conditions of the covenant but no man can do this for the law requires personall obedience that is that which comes from his owne power and constant obedience in all things at all times without any failings therefore no man being able to do this no man can have life by his works Rom. 3.20 By the law a man hath knowledge of sinne now if the law discovers a mans sinne and pronounce him guilty of death it cannot save him Gal. 3.10 They that will be saved by the works of the law are cursed for cursed is every man that continueth not in all these things to doe them If a man breake the law but once though hee never breake it more hee could not be saved by it It is impossible for a man to keep the law since the fall and therefore it is impossible for the law to save him Gal. 4.21 Cast out the bond-woman and her son The law begets children to bondage it shewes a man his bondage in sinne and condemnes him for it Adams sin is rightly charged upon us Use 2. Wee learne hence not to repine at the Providence of God not to charge God foolishly because the sin of Adam is imputed to us We have in our hearts the old Proverbe of Judah Our Fathers have eaten sowre grapes and our teeth are set on edge See saith some man Adam hath sinned and shall I be punished Thus the soul snarles at God like a chained dog Labour to quiet all such distempers If Adam had performed the law thou wouldst have beene content to have been happy why then is it not equall that since he broke the law thou shouldst bee plagued It was the argument Job used to his Wife Job 2.10 Shall wee receive good at the hands of God and not evill So when the heart begins to rise against God saying Adam sinned and shall I be plagued Thou speakest foolishly shall wee receive good if he had kept the law and shall we not receive evill since hee hath broke it Are you content to partake of the mercy of Christ and not to partake of Adams sinne who stood in your stead Use 3. The third Use is of direction To live holily get the Spirit of promise how to get power to carry us on in a Christian course If thou wilt stand fast have recourse to that which may support thee have recourse to the Spirit in the promise Our grace is feeble but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and it will make thee to endure Rev. 14. The reason why the grace of the Saints of God is feeble is because they have not recourse to the Spirit We look to our owne pits no wonder then if the streams of grace be dry have recourse to the fountaine which is Christ 1 Sam. 2.9 10. No man shall prevaile by his owne strength Say as David Psalm 51.14 Stablish mee with thy free Spirit my spirit is feeble and unconstant but doe thou stablish mee Isa 40.29 The strong men shall faile if they trust in themselves but hee that putteth his trust in the Lord shall renew his strength like the Eagle Hence many a weake Christian liveth and dyeth comfortably when as the stronger stagger all their daies because the one trusts to Christ the other to his owne abilities This David makes the foote of a Psalme Psal 136. The mercy of the Lord endureth for ever bee sure therefore to repose thy selfe on that most constant bottome §. 12. Gen. 2.9 And God set two trees in the garden NOw we come to the seals of this Covenant Of the Sacraments of life to Adam and those were two trees the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evill Trees types by Gods appointmēt They were not bare trees but set apart by Gods appointment As water in Baptisme is set apart to be significant to typifie spirituall Baptisme so did the Lord appoint these for a significant end They were naturall trees but had a kinde of institution by God touching the termes of agreement betweene him and Adam Concerning these trees wee must enquire foure things 1. The reason why God appointed them 2. The nature of them 3. The reason of their diversity Why appointed of God 4. The use of the whole For the first of these Why they were appointed I answer God did appoint them for a double end 1. To perswade Adam of his faithfulnesse that hee would put it out of question that hee purposed seriously to doe what hee promised Not that God needed this for any weaknesse on his part but to condescend to the infirmity of Adam When a man hath sealed to a covenant hee cannot fly off therefore the Lord did it to make all sure and to fence them against the policy of Sathan who told the woman shee should not dye Gen. 3.5 As if he should say God grudges at your happinesse hee knowes if you eate you shall live Therefore the Lord sets his seale to certifie Adam
the last daies so that all wise men should store up against an evill day To redeeme is to purchase or to buy The time that is a season not a distance of many houres but a season and that is the convenience or meeting of many helps together As winde and tide makes a season to saile in so when there is a faire day and the sun shines tha't 's a season of travelling When there is no winde nor tide there are indeed so many houres but it is not a season so in the night there are so many houres but not a season no sun-shine or light and therefore not a fit time or season for travelling But that is a season when there are helps afforded of doing good 2. What is it to redeeme the time It is no where read but it signifies thus much To buy in the market as tradesmen do So should the children of God while time and meanes and health and life and liberty is afforded unto them store themselves with faith and ability against evill daies The Doctrine hence is this Doct. Improve gracious occasions for good It is a point of spirituall wisedome to purchase the opportunities of grace and salvation at any rate Where helps are there are opportunities of doing good For the further explication of this Doctrine there are 3. questions to bee propounded 1. What are the seasons of grace and salvation 2. What wee must part withall for them 3. What course wee must take for to purchase them Quest 1. What are the opportunities of grace Opportunities of grace what Answ They are either generall or speciall Generall are such as men take in the time of their life here is the time of working here is the time of doing and getting for In the grave there is no wisedome nor counsell Eccles 9.10 and there is no hope neither for as death leaves us so shall judgement finde us Eccles 3. 2. There are speciall opportunities for every business a time to plow and sow and reap so there is a day of salvation a day of grace These seasons may bee divided into three heads 1. When we have matter to worke upon Then is a season when God calls us to do good Sometimes the Lord casts us among the poore that wee should relieve them the ignorant that wee should instruct them the wicked that wee should reprove them Sometimes the Lord lets us bee wronged that is a time to use patience and suffers us to be disgraced that is a time to use humility and to trample all reproaches under feet 2. Sometimes there are speciall meanes of doing our selves good as upon the Lords day which is the market day for our soules wherein God sets out his wares to sell if men have hearts to come and buy and such are the Sacraments and communion one with another See how men do in worldly matters so do you in spirituall one man sels cloth another man corne so should Christians Thou shouldst give thy brother a word of humiliation he should give thee a word of comfort as thou standest in need of the same 3. When the Lord enlarges the hearts of his children as hee doth many times that is another opportunity take hold of it when the Lord strikes strike thou when the Lord moves move thou As when thou hearest the Word and art convicted by it and thy heart begins to move oh then that 's a season Make hay while the sun shines follow the blow and breake thy heart and humble thy soule for that is a speciall and a spiritual opportunity for good to thine own soul Or sometimes when thou art in thine owne private chamber and the door shut and the candle out and the curtaines drawne about thee then call thou to minde thy sinnes and the many abominations thou hast committed oh then humble thy soul and break thine heart and blesse the Lord for that opportunity Quest 2. What must wee give for these opportunities of grace and salvation Answ With what wee must part for them What will you bestow This is Gods market day if you will bid like a chapman you are like to have them I will tell you what you must give and I will set downe the price in three particulars 1. A man must part with all his sinnes and corruptions and a man may doe that upon as reasonable termes as may be for a mans sins will never doe him good but hurt and therefore he ought to forsake them 2. If it please God to set his commodities at so high a rate then wee must forsake all the comforts of this life rather then lose salvation Not only pleasures and profits and delights but meate drinke and apparrell if God will have his wares so deare Wee must part with all kindred friends and all yea life it self if occasion should serve But sometimes the Lord is so mercifull and the market goes at so low a rate that a man may have both the comforts of this life and the means of grace and salvation too but if the Lord require these then we must let all go Phil. 3.7 8. I count all things drosse and dung yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs-meat in comparison of Christ Wee must part with all for Christ and bee willing to suffer for him if God require I count all dogs-meat saith S. Paul I count all these things nothing A Pharisee of the Pharisees a Jew circumcised the eighth day yet I account all these but dung Mat. 19.27 There when Christ called his Disciples unto him Peter said Master we have left all and have followed thee What therefore shall bee to us Hee answered Yee that have followed mee in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit upon the Throne of his glory even yee shall sit upon the twelve thrones c. So that you that are content to part with all house and land silver and gold friends and acquaintance and follow Christ in the regeneration all things shall be restored unto you Christ saith unto the young man Follow me I pray saith he suffer me to bury my Father No no saith Christ Let the dead bury their dead but follow thou mee So when our hearts hang after commodity and profit and wee are loath to part with them which indeed are but dead commodities dead profits they say they will heare and attend afterward oh I say Let the dead burie their dead attend thou here 3. Wee should bestow the best of our labour and our continuall endeavour about these things Wee must not think that the Lord brings us up for nothing but to live as we list and to spend our time about what we please no he will make us seek for mercy and downe on our knees and beg for it and make us be glad that wee can have it too and bee wonderfully thankfull for it Phil. 3.13 One thing I doe but leave all the rest forgetting that which is behind and pressing forward to
that which is before to the reward of the high calling in Jesus Christ if by any means I might attaine unto it Ob. Is this the price Yes But then some may object and aske May a man of himselfe purchase salvation Ans No no nothing so Man cannot deserve it at the hands of God No merchant can get a commodity unlesse hee layes downe something for it so it is here unlesse we part with sin and pleasure and the like we cannot have these And these are the rates that God hath set on his wares that 's the reason why they are called purchasing As a man cannot have commodities unlesse hee purchase them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unlesse hee payes for them just so it is here wee cannot have these unlesse wee buy them at these rates that God hath set downe and that is called purchasing Now when wee come into the market Rules for buying at Gods market that wee may buy those things wee want at the best hand observe these foure rules wee are all carefull to buy at the best hand most care ought to be taken for the purchasing of grace and salvation 1. We must runne betimes to the market wee must take the day before us wee must seek after the means of grace and salvation and seek it in the first place Wee must know that there is no buying but in the market and all men that need repaire thither and wee must rise betimes in the morning and be at the opening of the market In the little countrey villages you know there are no markets nor no commodities that wee need if a man stands in need of a commodity it is to bee had no where but in the market thither he must repaire just so it is here In every town there is not fasting and praying and preaching then you must goe where it is so that if we have not means at home wee must seek for them abroad When Josephs brethren wanted corn in the time of famine they went to Joseph their brother for hee had laid up some for them There is corne in Egypt there is praying and preaching in such a towne there you may buy corne Ye should use all meanes and take all paines to heare the Word and though men scoffe at you yet tell them that market-men must doe so Dan. 12.4 Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased 2 Chron. 11.16 It is said there that the people forsooke all and went up to Jerusalem to sacrifice to God Many times a man goes four or five or sixe miles to a market I confesse a man might make a shift for a while without a market by borrowing of his neighbours but a man cannot live without a market long no not the best gentleman in the countrey so a gracious heart cannot live without the Word Mat. 24. The text saith Wheresoever the dead carcasse is thither the Eagles will resort so it is with the Saints of God if there bee any Eagle-minded they will resort thither where Christ is taught and there seeke for Christ as the Eagles for the carcasse If he be a dung-hill sparrow then he will be content to live among the flyes such men can live whether there bee any market or no whether there bee fasting or praying or no they care not Isa 2.3 The people there say Come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob that hee may teach us of his waies Each man calls his neighbour Come let us goe to the market or to the faire so should the Saints of God Come let us goe unto the house of the Lord unto mount Zion c. There are a generation that are content to have commodities cryed at their doores will not come out for them to buy them oh surely such men never knew the want of grace As they must come to the market so they must come with the first Pro. 8.34 We must waite at the gate of Wisdome we should bee with the formost in the towne not stay as many doe till halfe Gods service is past Psalm 103.4 My soule saith David doth even waite untill the morning watch so wee should wait all opportunities to be first in the Church and tarry till the last When Peter was to come to Cornelius his house Act. 10.24 before hee came they were all there A good husband or a wise merchant will goe betimes to the market goe and stand at the townes end and see what good cattle comes in and what good penny-worths may be bought so that by this means he hath all the best before him and seeing all the good penny-worths will let none goe out of his hand Oh that yee were as wise for your soules as you are for your bodies to come betimes He that comes betimes hath the chiefe all the holy petitions sweet promises of the Gospel and uses of instruction admonition reproofe and comfort But for a man to come late when the prayers are finished and the Minister hath tooke out his Text and hath delivered such points and such Doctrines he loses all the benefit of them and why he came after they were delivered as when the dayes of Fasting were wee came at the last duty when as many sweet prayers and heavenly petitions had been put up to the Lord and what is the reason you got no benefit by them oh you lost your market you must seek to the means with the first 2. When you are come to the market you must attend upon it You must bestow your selves upon the meanes that God hath bestowed upon you you must come for some good end A wise man as hee comes to the market betimes so when hee comes there hee attends it hee will not stand hanging about stalls or slip into an ale-house yea rather an hell-house but he will attend his businesse and see how the market goes and observe the penny-worths hee will see the choice things in the market and will not let a good penny-worth passe his hands so should a good Christian bee attentive and listen not suffer any choice thing to slip from him You must attend the market for your go upon life and death upon salvation or damnation therefore do not lose your market Rev. 3.2 Bee watchfull let not a good penny-worth goe out of your hand but hold it fast A wise merchant sees a commodity and layes hold on it and will not let it goe hee will cheapen it and will not let it goe out of his hands for feare he should lose it so when the Word meets with you hold it fast oh that 's my sin say and that belongs to me Pro. 4.13 The text saith Lay hold on instruction let her not goe keep her for shee is thy life Deale with it as men do many times with a commodity if they set on it they will have it whatever it cost them Oh that men were thus set upon Christ
that they would resolve hee should bee theirs whatsoever he cost them oh that our hearts were thus set upon the means When the Lord hath shewed thee the necessity of them and God hath revealed himselfe oh I say hold fast there let not that opportunity goe it will be a marvellous folly if thou dost and it will deprive thine heart of much benefit nay thou maist lose thy soule by such dallying when you have time and opportunity and yet lose it sure it is for want of attendance Likewise the children of God must pray privately besides this for they have private sins as well as other sins Attend not looke not after temptations but attend upon the means Many men when they come to market wil fall about their homely occasions that which they should doe at home they doe in the market just so it is here when the Minister is preaching then they are reading or praying or conferring oh this is a sinfull thing you must doe your owne businesse at home and not neglect the opportunity before you 3. Wee must lay aside yea lay by those that are the best commodities and most necessary Wee see Trades-men need many things but those things that are most profitable and necessary they will be sure to have and if their purse will reach and hold out they will buy other things afterward Hee will buy bread now on the one side and cloth on the other side bread hee must have for his family to feed them and cloth hee must have to cloath them and if his money will hold out then haply hee will buy some lace or a rattle for his child So I say you have the choyce of all favours and of all mercies now provide that which is most necessary First seek the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 This is the maine thing it is of necessity that the soule should be saved What is here meant by the Kingdome of God Some say It is the kingdome of glory others the kingdome of grace but how can a man seek the kingdome of glory but first hee must have the kingdome of grace before that of glory And how shall a man attaine to this The Lord hath vouchsafed it to none but to those that do seek it in his ordinances it is to bee had by the preaching of the Gospel of grace Was there ever any man ordinarily converted but by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 for Faith comes by hearing c. This Word is the word of the Kingdome first seeke that by which faith is bred by which Christs righteousnesse is made ours make this sure to thy soule for this is that you cannot be without this is that which David desired Ps 27.4 This is that I will require Lord saith hee that I may dwell in the house of the Lord and see thy face in the beauty of holinesse You make little of the preaching of the Gospel and never regard it but David was glad of it O Lord saith hee One thing I have desired whether I have health or no life or no I care not but one thing Lord I crave that I may see thy face in the beauty c. For this did Christ commend Mary Martha Lu. 10.42 Martha thou art cumbred about many things and much businesse but Mary hath chosen the better part that shall never be taken from her Whether is the soule better then the body A child of God will say The soule is best Whether is prayer better then profit heaven better then earth if prayer and heaven bee the better then let the earth stay let commodity stay let profit stay let heaven and salvation be served first This dashes the dreames of many men that will not stir out of their shops though they may well bee spared will rather lose the Word of God then lose the profit of six pence Oh see now come and lay these things together and see the difference between them Ob. But some will say they will have them but lay them by yet and afterward they will bargaine Answ But deferre not the time Now what will you give for them Me thinks I heare mens soules say O mercy mercy is worth a thousand worlds Oh what availes it to be rich and miserable honourable and accursed You little ones what say you Do not you wish for mercy O mercy mercy without mercy we are for ever wretched oh it is mercy that wee live and are not sent quick to hell But now will you buy it you shall have it cheape enough What will you give Now wee come to the maine You must give as the market goes and on Gods termes for you must not thinke that God will save you with wishing Oh no no he will not But now Will you buy them Then bid faire you must part with all your sinnes away with the proud heart and away with the world and the pleasures thereof Now see how the world replyes First young ones reply We have no wit nor understanding well you must beleeve else you must perish The old man sayes I am weake and feeble well you must get faith or else you must perish too Now you know the price of it you must provide to pay it Mat. 13.44 There it is said The wise merchant when he found the pearl went and sold all that he had to buy it That was a great price Thou must sell all to buy this if thy lust bee as deare to thee as thine eye thou must part with it if thou hast a proud heart thou must downe with it if a man have a faire estate and so many hundreds and such lands and such and such wares in his shop if God require it hee must part with it all The drunkard must part with his cups and the whoremonger with his queans unlesse yee doe part with these ye cannot have Christ this is the price of it Returne to me an answer whether you will have it or no that I may returne an answer to the Lord that hee may preserve it for you See that of Judas Acts 12.24 He would rather have the 30 pence yea he would betray his Lord for it and he had it but hee came againe with horrour of conscience and threw it away and threw away himselfe too for hee went and hang'd himselfe and now hangs in hell for ever It is an easie matter for a man to tell over his money but not so easie to make the heart willing to part with it but if you will not part with it now there will come a time at the day of death and then the covetous man will say Here take my money that I have got by oppression and the drunkard will say Here take my cups Then I say now part with them be wise merchants part with them now and the match is made Then now resolve Is it mercy saith the soule then it is enough Lord take all though I never see a good day
Barge speedily to the haven if this streame be stopped or turned another way it will not bee able to carry a Boat because the strength of it runs into another channell so 't is with the streame of providence dammed up and turned another way by distrust Mat. 14.31 when Peter was to walke upon the water all the while he sank not his faith was sure but when a great wave came then hee began to faile the Lord cryes to him Oh thou of little faith not why dost thou sink but why dost thou doubt The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why art thou divided part of his heart looked to God by faith and so was supported part looked to the waves and feared the greatnesse of them and so was carried downe the streame as plucking himselfe from under the power and providence by which he should have beene supported Reason 3. Unbeliefe indisposeth and unfitteth a man and maketh him uncapable of that mercy he begs and God is willing to bestow Look as it is with a vessell turne the back-side of it to the spout and it will scatter all the water but hold now the hollow side and then it receives it so it is with the soule unbeliefe is the back part of the heart that spils all the mercy and goodnesse that God offers in the promise and will not suffer the least refreshing thereof to come to the heart Jer. 17.5.6 Cursed bee the man that trusts to the arme of flesh and departs from the living God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall be like a naked shrub for so the originall goes and shall never see when good comes Use 1. The first Use is of terrour to dash the comforts and to daunt the hearts of all unbeleeving sinners under the cope of heaven They have no faith they shall never they can never have any thing at the hands of God for their good His pains is to no purpose his labour is lost his prayers spilt like water on the ground without any profit whoever remains in the estate of unbeliefe let him pray God will never answer him let him seek God will never be found of him let him want and beg till his eyes sinke in his head and his tongue faulter in his mouth and his heart faile in him let him not thinke hee shall ever get any good that hee begs at the hands of God nay the Lord cannot give it unlesse he should deny his owne word alter his decree make a new covenant new Scriptures make a new way to bring a company of unbeleeving wretches to heaven which God will never doe Use 2. Gods people may by way of instruction here see what price they should set on faith and what use they may have of it Faith is not onely necessary for the attainment of eternall life and salvation but is necessary also in the whole course of our lives If you pray faith must helpe you if you seeke God faith must guide you if you fast and purpose to speede carry faith with you You have not more neede and use of your breathing then of your beleeving in a Christian course Use 3. Hence the poore servants of the Lord may take comfort to themselves and cheare up their hearts in the midst of all wants that might discourage in the midst of all miseries that doe any way annoy them Let them but pray in faith and they are sure to obtaine what they pray for for all those wants of theirs are sure to bee supplyed all their miseries are sure to bee removed Goe your way and be comforted you blessed spirits You complaine your mindes are blinde your abilities poore your corruptions great your hearts straight your desires weake be it so yet if your desires be of faith God will grant them if your prayers be of faith God will hear them and accept them Ob. Oh but my wants are many my necessities great and need a great deale of mercy to pardon such sins whereof I am guilty I lack a world of wisedome to direct mee in such straights into which I am cast and yet wretch that I am I am unworthy of what I aske and have abused all that I have received Ans Bee it granted yet what ever you bee what ever you lack it skils not be your person never so unworthy or your wants never so many aske but in faith God cannot but give it Such a man cannot but obtaine what he seeks and therefore may therein be comforted because he is sure to bee satisfied abundantly and never bee upbrayded in what he shall receive Use 4. Lastly Wee have here a ground of encouragement for to call in faith and to be confident to speed and to gaine audience whenever wee call and indeede who would not beg when he shall bee certaine to speede Have but faith in prayer and have whatever ye will at the hands of God in nothing doubt and in nothing miscarry Quest. But how may wee fence our hearts and help our selves against this wavering which we see hath been the bane of our hearts and the overthrow of our prayers Ans Wee must be warie and watchfull for which observe two Rules 1. We must be marvellous fearfull that we enter not into termes of contention with the truth and set up falsehoods by cavellings disputings against the promise as when we grow willing to deceive our selves and to invent subtill pleas how wee may object against the promise and defeat it of the proper powerfull work it would have upon our hearts and deprive our selves of the comfort we might have thereby It 's said Acts 11.2 They of the circumcision * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contended with him it is the same word that is used for * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wavering in the text when we by armies of carnall reasonings and cursed cavellings against the truth of the promise set up a company of surmises and jealousies in our soules to keep off and to stop the entrance of the promise into our hearts are apt to say as Nicodemus did unto our Saviour Joh. 3.9 How can these things be and with Sarah who laughed and said Gen. 18.13 Can Sarah have children in her old age 2. A man is said to waver when hee questions the promise though hee doe not dispute against it This we must be as wary of as of the other Act. 10.39 when the Lord had directed Peter in the vision that hee should not count the Gentiles uncleane he professes he came without gainesaying for when the Lord hath promised and the Word hath spoken wee ought not once to question it but conclude undeniably that it wil be Ps 23. Doubtlesse mercy and truth shall follow mee all the dayes of my life Isa 39. He hath said hee will doe it and not one jot nor one tittle of his Word shall faile which may bee a good ground to keepe our faith from failing and our prayers from
wavering II. A preparative to the Lords Supper COncerning the preparation to the Sacrament three things are considerable 1. How wee may know whether we have a title to the Sacrament yea or no. 2. How to bee prepared for it 3. Thirdly how to reape and receive the benefit of it being so prepared For the first Whether we have a title to the Sacrament or no we will discover it two waies 1. Wee will shew what doth interest the soul thereto 2. What doth not hinder and consequently what also doth hinder the soule from comming Inverting the order First then What doth not hinder I answer briefely and punctually thus Rule 1. First the want of the sense and feeling either of Gods favour towards us or of the present apprehension to our owne sense of Gods grace in us doth not hinder I say that the want of the sense and feeling either of Gods favour to the soule or of the worke of grace in the soule doth not hinder a man The ground of it is this If hee that hath great interest in Gods love may yet notwithstanding not be assured of it in his owne sense if he that hath a great work of grace may yet not be able to apprehend that worke that God gives nay if a man that walkes exactly before God cannot see the power of grace that helps him so to do it is certain this cannot hinder him from the right of comming to the Sacrament But the former may be ergo c. The Rule is undeniable Rule 2. This is no hinderance from comming to the Sacrament that a man findes a deadish heart within him in the performance of service that a man findes a body of death oppressing of him and lying upon him when hee comes to this duty And the reason is this because the soule sometimes when it is most pestered and the heart most deaded and clogged is then truly in the estate of grace and also walkes most humbly before God and labours to depend upon and seek much more for his mercie and to strive most sincerely against its corruptions all which argue that a man is deepely interessed in Gods love and hath an interest in a great measure to the Lord Christ and his Covenant and so consequently to the Sacrament I dare say this That the worst services of a Christian man to his owne sense and apprehension finde most acceptance with God The poorest duties for the performance outwardly are sometimes most perfect Why Because then the heart is most abased in it selfe and then it sees most neede of Christ and then also doth it crave succour and reliefe from Christ therein In a word as inlargements of heart and great freedome and forwardnesse and sufficiencie many times unto duty is accompanyed often with most falsenesse at least wise with most pride and haughtinesse of heart so deadnesse wearinesse untowardnesse inability is many times accompanied with most humility with most brokennesse with most basenesse with most going out of himselfe unto Christ and with most sincerity in approving the heart unto Christ Rule 3. The third Rule is this Former unpreparednesse unto Gods service and haply sometimes to a mans owne sense unprofitablenesse under the Sacrament in the receiving thereof is not should not bee any sufficient hinderance to any faithfull soule to come yet freely hereunto for it skils not what a man hath beene formerly nor what his failings have been in former times at the duty if now those be amended and hee be humbled for them strive against them yea and for the present doth addresse himselfe unto this duty There cannot but be many failings in each mans performances what then if this sinne might hinder then other sins might hinder also but no sin may hinder a man from comming to Christ for it is a great sin not to beleeve in the Lord yet a mans former unbeliefe as it must not keepe him from comming to Christ no more may it hinder him from comming to the Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ Besides shall unprofitablenesse and unpreparednesse before hinder because it is a sinne that should rather make us take heed that we doe not commit a sinne in not comming to the Sacrament when we should for if unpreparednesse and unprofitableness hinders because it is a sin then not comming when wee should come hinders because it argues a sinner Quest How shall I know whether I have the worke of grace and so consequently title to or interest in the Sacrament Answ The first evidence is taken out of 1 Joh. 5.18 He that is borne of God keeps himselfe that the wicked one touches him not We may discover the truth of grace by the worke of grace this is one That a gracious heart keepes himselfe so that the wicked one doth not touch him So that where there is true grace there is power against all corruption and the soule that is truely wrought upon by Christ is enabled by the spirit of the Lord Jesus to master any distemper Quest Why but a man might here say would you have a man so perfect or shall his grace bee so pure and holy that corruption should not be in him nor lodge in his soule Ans I answer The text doth not say so the text saith this The evill one toucheth him not that is closeth not with him fasteneth not upon him doth not domineere over him this is to keepe a man untouched Quest But how shall a man know that hee is only oppressed and foiled by corruption and that yet he is not touched with it Ans That may be perceived on this manner 1. When the soule cannot master corruption as it would and overcome the unruly distempers thereof yet it will stand in the defence of Jesus Christ and will not plead for a base corruption he will not say Oh it is my infirmity it is my nature alas I cannot amend it c. but a gracious heart will come to this hee sees his sinne and observes his distemper and corruption and the heart saith The Law is holy and good the reproofe is good the admonition is good the duty good yea the soule will freely say I have the vilest heart under heaven but the Law is a blessed Law 2. When the soule observes and hates and loathes and discovers and pursues all manner of traiterous devices and rebellious dispositions in others against the Lord Jesus Christ It is certaine hee did never hate sinne in himselfe that joynes or sides with sinne in another mans heart and life 3. Observe what authority or what value or what excellency the Word hath in the account of the soule namely Is thy soul under the supreme government and soveraigne royalty and authority of the truth if it bee then it is a gracious soule It is one thing for a man to have sufficiencie to the discharge of a dutie with strength and promptnesse and another thing to be under the authority of the truth and to submit himselfe