lodge within them 2. As there are outward duties to be performed as praying hearing works of mercy c. so there are spiritual duties purely spiritual as the internal acting of faith and love and hope and the fear of God the souls choosing of God cleaving to God rejoycing delighting in God meditating of him c. Exact Christians have a special respect to those spiritual duties in the exercise whereof stands chiefly their living in a holy fellowship communion and acquaintance with God and for outward duties their care is to perform them spiritually they pray with the mouth and pray with the spirit they praise the Lord with their lips and offer up their hearts as a spiritual sacrifice they hear with their ears and with their understanding also they labour to bring their souls under the Word to pour forth their souls in prayer to draw forth their souls in their very alms Isa 58. If thou draw forth thy soul to the hungry Psal 69. 10. I chastened my soul with fasting Oh Brethren if this be to walk exactly then how much loosenesse doth this â—iscover in us loosenesse in our very Duties men do not only 〈…〉 like Libertines and swear like Libertines aud neglect duties like Libertines but perform duties like Libertines thou that usest to pray in thy Closet or in thy Family or in the Congregation in an outward formal way and dost not pour out thy Soul in prayer thou prayest like a Libertine thou that fastest and doth not chasten thy Soul with fasting thou fastest like a Libertine thou that hearest and dost not bring thy soul under the word thou hearest like a Libertine this is loose praying and loose hearing loose from the Rule which requires the exercising of the inner man as well as the outward 3. In observing the command to the utmost and here I shall give a fourfold further description of them 1. They endeavour to get up their hearts to the highest pitch of affection care and activity They would be the best Christians the most humble the most mortified the most patient the most exemplary and active Christians not slothful in businesse but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. 2 Cor. 7. Yea what care yea without clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what vehement desire yea what zeal c. A sincere Christian would be a zealous Christian in his sincerity stands the height of it Zeal is not a distinct grace but the height of every grace Love in the height of it Desire in the height of it Care and Resolution to follow God in the height of it A zealous Christian exercises every grace performs every Duty and doth it with all his might he is not willing to spare or to favour himself but will spend and be spent in the work of the Lord the flesh will be pleading for a little ease for moderation it will be solliciting the Sobl as Peter did Christ Pitty thy self favour thy self thou wilt never hold out at this rate thou wilt pull all the Country about thine ears if thou beest thus hot and forward but the Soul returns the same answer as Christ did to him Get thee behind me Satan hold thy peace slothful heart let me alone for I will speak for God while I have a tongue to speak while I have an heart while I have an hand while I have an eye while I have a soul while I have a being I will follow on after the Lord I will serve him I will praise him I will sacrifice all I am and have to him and then come on me what will 2. They are studying and seeking out opportunities for service Such Christians are of strict lives but of large hearts of strict consciences but of large desires and aims Grace sets limits to their consciences but none to their holy affections they never do so much for God but they are studying how they may do more Isa 32. 8. A liberal Man deviseth liberal things a merciful man deviseth merciful things a righteous man deviseth righteous things he doth not only exercise Liberality and Mercy and work Righteousness when he hath an opportunity put into his hands but he sits down and considers what great things the Lord hath done for him what marvellous loving kindnesse the Lord hath shewed to him and thereupon studies and casts about what greater things then yet he hath done he may do for the Name of God as it is said of the wicked Proverbs 6. 14. He deviseth mischief continually And Psalm 64. 6. They search out iniquity they accomplish a diligent search search out for every opportunity to work wickednesse to satisfie their lust So Righteous men search out and make a diligent seach after opportunities to work Righteousnesse 2 Sam. 9. 3. Is there not yet a man left of the house of Saul saith David to whom I might shew the kindness of God Is there not yet a poer Sool in distresse to whom I might shew kindness for the Name of God Is there not yet a poor Family in misery to whom I might shew mercy Is there not yet a poor sinner to whom I might give counsel Is there not yet a poor Saint to whom I might administer comfort for the sake of my God As it is said of the Devil He goeth up and down seeking whom he may devour So may it be said of such they go up and down seeking whom they might save and recover out of the snares of the Devil other men what good soever they do it is as little as may be their consciences will not let them be quiet but something must be done when they have done so much as will but keep conscience quiet thy have done A sincere Christian hath his love to satisfie his desires to satisfie as well as his conscience he loves much and it is not a little duty that will satisfie strong love 3. They shun occasions and temptations to sin they would keep at as great a distance from sin as possible they are careful to keep far enough within their line they dare not venture to their utmost border lest they go beyond it ere they are aware A wary Christian having observed what things have proved snares and temptations to him and have drawn him aside to iniquity formerly will take heed how he comes nigh them again If carnal society hath cool'd and damp'd his heart and left a fleshly savour upon his Spirit he will take heed how he comes into such company again If going to his utmost liberty in the use of the Creatures either Meat Drink or Apparel hath inticed him beyond his bounds he will be wary how he allows himself the like liberty and will deny himself the freedom he might use rather than again run himself upon danger he is sensible of his weaknesse to stand against a temptation and thereupon is the more watchful that he run not into temptation men that are bold to venture into temptation to venture into
unpeaceableness and suffer not unpeaceably be patient and you will be peaceable Brethren see that you be thus well advised meek humble peaceable and clear in the grounds of your sufferings And then V. Be resolute Be sure you stand on good ground and then resolve to stand your ground against all the world Follow God and fear not men Art thou godly repent not whatsoever thy Religion cost thee let sinners repent but let not Saints repent let Saints repent of their faults but not of their faith of their iniquities but not of their Righteousness The Psalmist as holy a man as he was was almost brought to it his feet were almost gone he began to say when he considered the prosperity of the wicked and his own afflictions Psal 73. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed mine hands in innocency Look to your selves you that stand and take heed lest you fall You that stand in integrity take heed lest you fall away by your Repentance Repent not of your righteousness lest you afterward repent of your repentance Repent not of your righteousness no nor of your zeal or your forwardness or activity in the holy wayes of the Lord. Your zeal it may be hath put you in the front of the Battel where you receive the first and hottest charge of your enemies reproaches and persecutions when others that have kept them more close and been more remiss or hid in the crowd and more out of gun-shot yet wish not your selves a step farther back or a cubit lower in your stature in the Grace of God Wish not any thing undone concerning which God will say well done Repent not and remit not of your zeal think not of a retreat Do not as the King of Israel hide your selves under a disguise feign not your selves to be worse in hope to escape the better the arrow may find you though you be hid from the eye Let not any of you that have been confessors of Christ return to be only his midnight disciples Forsake not the Lord till you can find a better Captain that is till God cease to be God till the Lord say shift for thy self there is no help for thee in thy God Retreat not from holiness till you are sure you can retreat without loss Be not false to Religion till you find it false to you If ever Godliness leave you in the lurch renounce it and spare not If ever Religion cost you more than it is worth throw it off as you will Christians know when you are well and hold your own be not betrayed out of your refuge If you must suffer suffer for that which will pay you your charges suffer not for your sins but for your Religion suffer not for the shadow or name but for the substance of Religion If any thing in the world will save you harmless in your sufferings and quit the cost of all your expences it is substantial goodness If there be any Stigmata Lâ—udis they are the marks which we bear in our bodies of the Lord Jesus If there be any shame that hath a glory in it it is the reproach of Christ and the shame that you suffer for his Name If there be any Cross that is a Crown it is the Cross of Christ If there be any Cross that can be undoubtedly called the Cross of Christ it is the holy Cross or sufferings for holnesse Those Martyrs that suffered under the Popish tyranny for witnessing against the abomination of the Mass with the rest of their Idolatries and Superstitions had not a more clear and glorious Cause and Crown than thou hast who sufferest for the power of Holinesse If there be any thing in the World which God owns and wherein his honour is nearly concern'd it is holiâ—ess If ever the Divel shewed himself a Devil it is in his opposing holinesse if ever he shewed himself a Devil in print it is in those books of reproaches and scoffs that are written against purity if ever he shewed himself a Devil in grain it is when his hands have been dyed with the blood of Saints Brethren if you will resist the Devil if you will be on the Lords side be on the side of Holiness If you will stand to any thing if you will not be whifling inconsistent shaken reeds tossed up and down with every Wind if you will fix any where fix here upon substantial godlinesse This is the great controversie betwixt Heaven and Hell betwixt the seed of the Woman and the Serpent betwixt the professing and prophane world about the substance and power of godliness some quarrels and contests there are about the shadows and appendants of Religion matter meerly circumstantial but whatever noise there be made about such things as these the bottom of the controversie lyes deeper it is about the body of Religion and not the skirts of its garments it is he that will live godly in Christ Jesus that doth and must suffer persecution Art thou godly Fix here and let this be thy resolution I live in a World of quarrels and contentions contentions about shadows and circumstances but for such things as these though I will not defile my self by complying in my practise with what Conscience complies not yet I list not to be contentious nor to perplex my self or others about them But by the grace of God whilst God is a God of holinesse whilst holinesse is the image and Interest of God whilst these words of the Lord Be ye holy follow holiness live righteously soberly and godly in this present World whilst these and the like words of the Lord stand un-repeal'd by the Grace of God I will be a Friend an Advocate a Confessor a practitioner of Holinesse to the end of my days This is my resolution and in this resolution I commit my self to God and so come on me what will FINIS PHIL. 4. 9. Those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do the God of Peace shall be with you WHat the particular Reason of my choice of this Scripture this day is if you compare my present station with the intent of the Apostle in these words you will easily understand These words of the Apostle being part of the close of his Epistle to the Philipiant are his Valediction or Farewel to them It is not unknown to you that I must now be parted from you and I have pitched on this Scripture to be the Close of my Twenty Years Ministry among you God hath sent me among you to be a Builder and I have chosen this Text to be an Hammer to fasten and drive home those Nailes of Instruction and Consolation which I have been so long endeavouring to enter into you God hath sent me among you as a Fisherman and I have chosen these words to be as the closing of the Net Behold once more the Net is spread and I am now making my last Draught and oh
testimony of their own Consciences This is our rejoycing the testimony of our Consciences 2. A witness in the world Ye are witnesses your eyes have seen what our lâ—fe hath been be but true witnesses and then be you witnesses speak but what you have seen and speak the worst among you that believe the world will be ready to say you are too crafty to let us know what you do in secret when you are amongst your selves I but says he let them that believe speak those that have been with us publickly and privately what our conversation hath been if it be said they are of your own party and will not speak all they know then he appeals to a third witness a Witness in Heaven and God also he that seeth things before whom are all our ways he that seeth all things seeth our integrity and blamelesseness But here that I be not mistaken I must distinguish betwixt their aims or what they are pressing and reaching towards and their attainments or what they have reached to The aims of these cricumspect Christians in their whole course are at perfection Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the mark they would keep their way without the least wandring they would not tread one step awry they would not speak one word amiss they would not think one thought amiss they would not neglect any one duty nor commit any one sin but would be what the Apostle would have them to be Holy and harmless the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked generation These are their Aims and as to their Attainments though they fall short of their desires they cannot do as they would The good that I would I do not yet they do their best they follow the Lord with the best of their understanding serve the Lord with the best of their strength and when they have done their best they mourn and grieve that 't is no better That I may more distinctly open this exact and upright walking in the way of the Lord which their hearts are set upon I shall consider it 1. As it hath respect to the Commandment 2. As it hath respect to Conscience 1. Their exact walking as it hath respect to the Commandment stands 1. In having respect to every Commandment to the whole Word of God Psal 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Mat. 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have Commanded you The life of a Christian is a busie life the Words of God finds us much work to do we have work for every faculty and member our understandings have their work our wills affections consciences tongues ears eyes hands have all their particulars works assigned them every grace hath its work faith hath its work love hath its work patience hath its work every lust makes us work to restrain deny watch crucifie them these are weights and clogs that will hang on and will hinder us from all other works if we let them alone these are working against us continually and apt to set us on work against our selves a working mischief and ruine to our souls if they be not continually looked to and kept under We havâ— work against us for every condition our prosperity finds us much work to keep our selves humble heavenly watchful in an holy fear and jealousie lest the contentments and pleasures of this life make an invasion and inrode upon our hearts and spoyle us of our graces and comforts Our afflictions find us work to keep our spirits from sinking and fainting from murmuring and envying at those whose way doth prosper We have all the set and solemn duties of Religion to attend upon we have praying work and hearing work and Sacrament work and reading work and heart-searching work and meditating work We have work to be done for others our neighbours and acquaintance our friends and our enemies our families our servants our children we have not only work to do for them as men but work to do for God with them God hath work for us to do among our neighbours God hath work for us to do in our families and for our friends and enemies instructing work reproving work praying work works of mercy and charity c. we have a continual succession of work every day hath its businesse Christians must have no sleeping dayes their very Sabbaths must be working dayes we must be at work for our souls even on those dayes wherein we must do no bodily work There remains a rest for the People of God such a rest wherein they shall work no more nor be weary any more wherein all their work shall be to eat of the fruit of their doings but on this side that rest there is no rest but we must be full of labour You see the Word hath provided much work for Christians now those that are circumspect and upright and in the way will be through pac'd and stick at nothing the Word requires they 〈◊〉 for any service ready for every good work they will not pick and choose they will not halt or baulk with God but as the Apostle Col. 4 10. Endeavour to stand compleat in all the Wills of God Those duties that have most pain in them those duties that have most hazard attending them those duties that have the greatest contrariety to their natural temper and dispositions if they be duties if the word sayes This must be done this is that which the Lord requires an upright heart will yield and stoop to them Brethren if there be any one thing required in the whole Book of God that you cannot consent to but allow your selves in the ordinary neglect of concerning which you say with Naaman The Lord spare me in this one thing whatsoever else you do you can have no comfort that your hearts are upright 2. In having respect to the most spirituall and inward part of the Commandment the Commandment contains fugienda and facienda sins to be avoided and duties to be performed and both these are either outward or spiritual 1. As there are outward sins to be avoided sins of the mouth sins of the eyes ears hands so there are inward sins spiritual wickednesses evil thoughts Jer. 4. 14. unclean lusts Mat. 5. 28. inordinate affections an evil conscience and the like now sincere Christians have an eye to and hold a strict hand upon these spiritual wickednesses 〈◊〉 to have their consciences purged their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience their affections and lusts mortified Gal. 5. 24 They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections an lusts their care is not only that they be no drunkards or swearers nor lyars nor railers nor oppressors nor of proud froward fretful impatient carriages and behaviours but they would not covet they would not lust they would not be of proud impatient fretful envious unpeaceable hearts they would not that an evil thought not a vain thought should
evil company to venture themselves among frothy and vain persons especially when they have proved what a snare such have been again and again to them it is a sign that they have little fear of sin care of their souls or consciences or regard to God or godlinesse a circumspect Christian dares not venture so prophane men wonder at them why they will be no more free nor familiar with them not so much as to fit and be merry with them They think it strange saith the Apostle that you run not with them Oh the reason is they are afraid of the hook and therefore dare not meddle with the bait 4. They abstain from all appearance of evil that is the command 1 Thess 5. 22. Abstain from all appearance of evil they would live not only sine crimine but sine labo not only without any fault but without any flaw or scar upon them Oportet Caesaris uxorem absque suspitione vivere To the end they may cut off all occasion from them that seek occasion against them they would do not only things honest but things of good report too they enquire concerning what they are about to do not only a Liceat but a Deceat not only whether it be lawful but whether it be comely there may be divers things that may be lawful in themselves which are yet unseemly may look with an evil face All things are lawful saith the Apostle but all things are not expedient A circumspect Christian endeavours both to keep a good Conscience and to keep a good Name he would keep a good Conscience for his own sake and a good Name as far as may be for his Brethrens sake his desire is both to hold up the power of Religion and to keep up the credit of Religion and therefore it is he herein exercises himself both to keep a conscience void of guile in the sight of God and a conversation void of offence in the sight of men The Servants of Christ see that there are many eyes upon them that will espy the least spot upon them and therifore their care is to keep themselves unspâ—tted of the World to carry themselves so that if it be possible the World may have nothing to spot them withall they are sensible how obnoxious they are to the severe and rigid censures of the World and that all the reproaches that fall on them fall on the Lord and his Gospel what an out-cry is there in the World against those that fear God as if they were bryars and thorns the fire-brands of the World and the troubles of Nations that run the World upside down as if there were no Lions in the world but Christs Lambs as if Christs Sheep were all Wolves and therefore to prevent this and to put to silence the ignorance and malice of evil men they endeavour as much as may be to gain upon the hearts and to get the good opinion of all men to walk so that they may not only profit but please others and render the Gospel the more lovely with them they would not only wrong no man defraud no man provoke no man but they would displease no man give no many any occasion of offence or distaste at them and their way Sinners as much as the poor Saints are cryed out against for troublesom and unquiet yet they are desirous rather to please than provoke you they would please all the world as far as they may without hurting themselves or them indeed they would not sin against God to please men they would not wound their consciences to save their credits they would not lye nor dissemble nor flatter nor connive at you nor comply with you in sin to gain your good will but as far as they can in order to your good they are willing to become all things to all men let them alone but to do their duty to God to your and their own Souls and if that do not displease you they are willing in all things to do their best that they may not offend you And thus have I given you the description of these men by the exactnesse of their walking according to the Scriptures which stands in their endeavour to have respect to every command to the most inward and spiritual part of every Command and to observe every command to the utmost to this I shall add two things 1. When they have done all that they can after this care and circumspection they will acknowledg themselves unprofitable Servants they are thankful and blesse God for helping them on in his way but yet they are humble they are so far from boasting that they have done so much that they are ashamed that they have done no more Whilst they admire the Grace of God towards them they abase and abhor themselves in dust and ashes 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I no thanks to me but to the Grace of God that was with me Some comfortable difference there hath been blessed be God betwixt my Conversation and the wayes of many others but who hath made me to differ from another or what have I that I have not received and if I have received it why should I boast as if 〈◊〉 received it not Something through the Grace of God hath been done some service hath been performed but what 's all this to what I might have done what 's all this I have done to what I have left undone How small is my service if it be compared with my sins How few are my duties if compared with my neglects Wha's all I have done for God to what I owe to the Lord to that which he hath done for me who hath redeemed my life from death and crowned me with loving kindnesse But oh What 's all I have done to what God hath promised to do for me What 's my Work to my Reward What 's my Race to my Crown Such humbling self-abasing thoughts as these do Christians exercise themselves in to lay them low even in the dust before the Lord. The prophane World brand them for a proud Generation who say to their Brethren Stand aside I am holier than you What more common in suc'h mouths precise but as proud as the Devil It 's true and Christians will freely acknowledge it and take the shame of it upon them that this pestilent Evil Pride is a weed that is apt to spring up in the Richest Gardens we can hardly be lifted up to an holy course but we are apt to be puft up with a vain conceit we can hardly do well but we are apt to think too well of what we do many a precious Christian hath groaned and travelled in pain under the bondage of a self-exalting heart but yet he 〈◊〉 bewailing it and bemoaning himself for it yea â—is very disease helps on to a cure his pride is a means to humble him his being lifted up above measure is the very thorn in his flesh that
his heart was tender These temper circumspect Christians are very chary of keeping their hearts in and therefore any thing that would brawn or harden them they carefully shun as the eye that cannot endure the dust that falls into it is quick at its ward to keep off any thing that would be noxious to it and this is the reason why Christians can bear any thing rather than sin because it 's this alone that 's hurtful to conscience they are hardy enough to bear afflictions these are no prejudice to conscience it is not against their consciences to suffer but it is to sin affliction may perplex the thoughts and too much disquiet and distemper the passions but will never trouble conscience Object Tender Consciences Who more stubborn and peremptory and obstinate and stiffe in their way thau these Do you call this tenderness Sol. There is a threefold-stiffeness Manifested 1. In a refusing to receive conviction touching any thing wherein they are faulty or in an error 2. In a refusing to revoke their errors upon conviction that they are in a fault let either of these be charged upon them and let the charge be made good and then call them stubborn obstinate or what you will 3. In a refusing to act contrary to their conviction to do that which Conscience is not satisfied in which after their most free fair debate most candid enquiring into and most impartial weighing all that is or can be said for it their conscience still tells them they should sin in doing it Hereupon though all their Friends should come and perswade and entice them though all their Adversaries should fall a scoffing and reproaching them a threatning persecuting them yet still they refuse to yield This stiffness is that stedfastness which the Lord requires in them and is so far from being inconsistent with true tenderness that it is their tenderness If an Idolater should come and perswade such to worship an Idol if he should threaten them with the fiery furnace with the Lions Den and yet they will not Is this their stubborness Or is it not their tenderness If an Adulterer should perswade them to uncleanness If a Libertine should come and think to scoff them out of their strict holy course or to tempt them but to some little indulgence to their flesh in some such way as this Why What hurt is there in a little mirth What great matter is it to take a little liberty now and then Why should you think your selves wiser than other men yet they will not hearken will you call this their obstinacy or their tenderness Here be obstinate creatures indeed they will not be Idolaters they will not be unclean they will not be Libertines they will not be liars nor dissemblers they will by no means be perswaded to rebel against God and Conscience and therefore they be obstinate Perswade them to that which is good convince them that they are in an error and then try whether they will be obstinate tell them Friends you walk disorderly unchristianly you are uucharitable ccnsorious contentious proud vain and convince them of it and see if they will not hearken to you thank you for your admonition Christians prove your selves to be conscientious by your tenderness however the World go about to blast and reproach you with your consciences and call your uprightness hypocrisie your tenderness obstinacy yet part not with it so but still resolve with Job chap. 27. Till I dye I will not remove my integrity from me There is a double way wherein we may be said to remove our integrity 1. By departing from it 2. By belying it 1. By departing from our integrity by turning aside to iniquity by being found false to God and conscience and by a liberty in sinning exchanging this truth tenderness of heart for hardness hypocrisie Take heed you do not thus depart from your Integrity Beloved you live in a world wherein conscience is like to cost you dear if you will own any such thing as conscience or conscientious walking you are like to smart for it Look to it that your conscience be sound such as is worth the suffering for do not suffer for the name of conscience or consciencious but for the thing look to it that whatsoever you suffer for conscience you suffer nothing from conscience for your wronging or abusing or violating of it Sufferings for conscience for an upright conscience are precious Sufferings from conscience from an evil and abused conscience will be bitter Let all the world be against you rather than conscience whom the world smites for conscience God will heal whom the world judges God will justifie but if our hearts condemn us who shall plead for us or comfort us Carry your selves so that conscience may be your comforter not your tormentor There is no torment like the stings and revenges of an abused conscience Keep your consciences tender and they will neither hurt you nor suffer you to be hurt by others keep your integrity and it will keep you The Psalmist prayes Ps 25. 21. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me Let me not think to shift my self of trouble by sheltering my self under sin let me not go about to make my peace with my troublesom adversaries by casting in my lot with them let me never think to be beholding to iniquity for my safety let integrity preserve me Preserve thou me in mine integrity and let it preserve me Christians give the world leave to talk and do what they will but when they have said and done their worst keep you honest and you shall keep you safe Your consciences will be your confidence and your security He that walketh uprightly shall walk sure Be not reproached out of your refuge let not the world find you obstinate against your duty nor yet yielding to iniquity be not stubborn but yet be stedfast yield to reproofs while you slight reproaches Let us be so gentle flexible easie to be entreated so fearful to offend so ready to please all men in all things which are not against conscience its peace purity that we may convince them that in those things wherein we fix and do not yield it is because we cannot not because we will not and let us yet be so stedfast in those things which would be a wound defilement to conscience that we may let them see it is but a vain attempt for them to think to reproach or persecute us out of our integrity let us be sincerely tender not out of any sickleness or weakness of conscience or from groundless scrupulosity much less from sullenness or humor but from a sound mind and pure conscience Let us be universally tender of every evil not only of the greatest and most scandalous but of the smallest sins not only of open sins such as come to the view of men but of the most secret sins the most inward and spiritual wickedness such as need
Apostle checks telling them that circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing these are not the things wherein Religion stands keep the Commandment fear God walk before God in holiness and righteousness let your zeal be speâ—â— that way but trouble not your selves so much about these lesser matters Yet two things must here be added 1. This is not so to be undeâ—stood as if Christians were to swallow all things of this nature without examining whether they be agreeable to the Word of God or not a due regard must be had to the satisfying of Conscience even in the smallest things we may not yeild to practise any little things which are against our Consciences though we may not spend our zeal about them as if Religion lived or died with them 2. Even against these lesser things there ought to be zeal exprest if they should be like to prove destructive to the substantials of Religion and hinder the main end which they pretend to promote by this it â—ppears what I mean by turning aside to the right hand or being righteous over-much By curning aside to the left hand I mean the same which Solomon there doth by being wicked overmuch Neither be thou wicked overmuch This is not to be understood as if there were any wickedness which is not too much a little is too much it checks and restrains all liberty to sin though in many things we sin all yet let not sin get the head of thee keep it under keep it down as much as is possible least it grow to that height that it prove thy speedy ruine by turning aside therefore to the left hand understanding all declinings to licentiousness Either 1. By making duties no duties making sins to be no sins and so making the way of life broader than Christ hath made it and stretching out liberty beyond our line as turning aside to the right hand stands in the infringing of our liberty in imposing such burthens which God hath not imposed so turning to the left hand stands in taking up a liberty which God hath imposed making it noâ— matter of Conscience to be strict not only in the Circumstantials but neither in the Substantials of Religion so blinding Conscience and bribing it over to side with lust that it accounts it not a duty to be so strict and so precise in any thing but that there may be a greater latitude allowed and a remitting of our care and zeal especially in cases of any hazard or danger that our zeal and strictness is like to cost us 2. Making bold with duties and sins neglecting known duties running upon known sins making shipwrack of Conscience to satisfie lust when though Cor-science stands convinced that holinesâ— in the strictness of it is our duty and that licenciousness and living after the flesh is our sin yet we will indulge to our selves our fleshly liberty Now this is another Character of circumspect Christians they will walk according to conscience in all things without turning aside either way either to the right hand or the left they are not willing to turn aside to the right hand either by putting Religion in those things in which God hath put none or by putting more of Religion in any thing than God hath put in it their zeal is for the substantials and weighty things of Religion as for the circumstantials though they will not act in these contrary to Conscience yet they list not to be contentioâ—s a about them nor censorious of those who agreeing in the main to differ in these things from them But their great care is not to turn aside to the left hand they will not for fear of being too precise grow profuse and profane but as the Apostle Hebr. 13. 18. They have a good Conscience willing to live honestly in all things endeavouring to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously soberly and godly in this present evil World being holy and harmless the children of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked generation III. From this way they will not be withdrawn either by any hopes or advantages on the one hand or by any fears or dangers on the other they have not taken up Religion on such slight grounds as to be either flattered or frighted out of it Christians at their first engaging in the way of the Lord do sit down and consider what it will cost them to be Christ's Disciples they count all the charges they cast up all the damages that they can be subject to before-hand and fore-see that there is enough in Châ—ist to make amends for all and to save them â—armless at the last whatever falls They count upon tribulations losses reproaches and the greatest of temptations and if they did not fore-see that the gain of Godliness would countervail all the losses and inconveniencies it's like to be attended with they would not have adventured on it but seeing for a certainty they can be no loosers hereupon they set up their staffe determining not to depart for ever They take Christ and his wayes for better for worse for richer for poorer in prosperity and affliction they resolve to stand or fall to suffer and reign to live and dye with him They promise to him as Ruth to Naomi Ruth 1. 14. As the Lord liveth I will not leave thee whither thou goest I will go where thou lodgest I will lodge They will take their Lot with Christ where ever it falls Christ hath said to them I will never forsake you Heb. 13. 15. and they have said the like to him he that hath not thus engaged is no true Christian this absolute resolution to be ever the Lord's never to forsake him is of the essence of true conversion he is no true Convert that is content to follow Christ in fair weather only as far and as long as he safely may a sincere Convert will follow Christ absolutely and unalterably Now being thus engaged whatever befalls them it is no more than they looked for they are called fools and counted stubborn and refractory self-will'd self-conceited and they looked to be counted such and so it moves them not they are set upon by flatteries and tempted by outward prosperity but it cannot prevail Thy money perish with thee says Peter Germana illa bestia non curat pecuniam 'T was said of Luther Money will do nothing with them Preferment will do nothing with them Prisons Banishment Death it self can do nothing with them None of these things move me neither â—ount I my life dear unto me so that I may finish my course with joy Acts 20. 24. And as they will not be drawn to a total Apostasie from Christ so neither will they be brought to allow themselves in any little deviation Psal 44. 17 18. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined thy way in
it rather than faith You that are ignorant idle profane and unsanctified and yet believe you shall be saved you believe a lye you believe that which God hath never said shall be nay you believe that which God hath said shall never be Jer. 27. 11. They are a people of no understanding therefore â—e that made them will not save them 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such shall never inherit the Kingdom of God Hear sinners hear God must be a lyar or your faith a lye But the faith of God's Elect such as hath been before described this is that precious tryed faith by which whosoever believes shall not be confounded Christians you that have obtained such precious faith a Christ-imbracâ—ng faith an heart-purifying a flesh-mortifying a world-conquering faith you may venture safely upon it if ever this faith deceive you God hath deceived you the Scriptures have deceived you Christ hath deceived you who hath prayed and we may be bold to turn Christ's prayer into a promise that this faith fail not let the Phanatick world laugh and mock and call your consolations delusions your confidence conceit or what they will let them alone you must give losers leave to talk and laugh yet cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of toward 6. The Doctrine concerning Good Works is a certain truth In this I shall shew First What we are to understand by Good Works A good work in general is an holy or gracious action to the making up whereof thâ—se four things are necessary 1. The principle must be good from which it proceeds it must be from an honest and upright heart for a pure conscience from faith unfeigned c. Mat. 12. 35. 1 Tim. 1. 5. 2. The matter must be good something that is commended Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee Isa 29. 13. Their fear towards me waâ— taught by the precepts of men 3. The form or manner of doing must be good it must be well done this takes in the conâ—ideration of all its circumstances of time place c. 4. The end must be good it must be done to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. As to the particular kinds of Good Works they are not easily to be reckon'd up The Papists talk little of any good works but the exercises of bounty and liberality in giving Alms feeding the hungry cloathing the naked visiting and relieving the afflicted building of Almes-houses Colledges and the like upon which they â—ufist so much as if there were scarce any other good works but such as these but we may not confine them within so narrow a compass Good works do signifie the same with a good life or a godly life the doing and observing all things which God hath commanded us Our living holily honestly circumspectly fruitfully imports the same with our doing good works the exercising of all the graces of Christ faith love hope c. The subduing and mortifying of lust and corruption the governing our hearts the governing our tongues the ordering of our carriages towards God and towards men all acts of Religion Righteousness Mercy Charity Praying Fasting Hearing Sanctifying the Sabbath Lending Giving Forgiving Peace-making Instructing Exhorting Reproving Denying our selves taking up our Cross following Christ Fighting the good fight of Faith laying up treasure in heaven and the like these are good works every thing is a good work concerning which God will say at last Well done good and faithful Servant In all these the Lord requires 1. That we act Ad extremum virium to our utmost Eccles 9. 10. What thine hand findeth to do and so what thy head or thy heart findeth to do do it with thy might Tit. 2. 14. Zealous of good works Rom. 12. 14. Not sloathful in business but servent in spirit serving the Lord Col. 1. 10. Fruitful in good works 1 Cor. 15. ult Abounding in the work of the Lord. 2. That we act in these Ad extremum vitae to the end of our dayes Deut. 6. 2. Fear the Lord thy God and keep all his statutes and his Commandments all the dayes of thy life 3. That we be doing Per totum vitae cursum without intermission there must not only be well-doing but a continuance in well-doing Rom. 2. God will not have any Chasms or vacuities in our lives but every day must be filled up with the duties of it Christians must not thin of getting to heaven persaltum they must not leap but walk they must not leap over a duty nor leap over a day nulla dies fine linea The Law of God doth not allow a day to sin not abate us one dayes work To demand a breathing time from the service of God is to desire so much time for the service of sin We are ever serving one Master or the other we are certainly serving sin when we are not in one way or other serving the Lord. Secondly That goâ—d works are necessary Necessary to salvation a so as though we are not like to be saved by our works yet we cannot be saved without them He that works not shall not eat bread in the Kingdom of God The everlasting Rest is not for loyterers but for labourers Mat 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in heaven Faith cannot save us without works The Apostle tells us Jam. 2. 26. Faith without works is dead and a dead faith cannot bring us to life Therefore the Apostle Paul so vehemently charges Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God may be careful to maintain good works for these things are good and profitable to men Where observe the Preface to the chaâ—ge This is a faithful saying that is a true saying and a great truth a worthy saying worthy to be delivered worthy to be received And these things I will that thou affirm constantly or teach constantly or strenuously or resolvedly be not beaten off from it Why what is this great truth Why â—his is it That they which have believed in God as ever they would that their faith should stand them in any stead must be careful to maintain good works not only to do good works but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to maintain or to excel and abound in good works these things are good and profitable to men Now let me demand of all the world where lies the Phanaticisme in any of all this Which of these Doctrines is it that is but a conceit Is it this that Christians must not onely be believers but must do good woâ—ks Is it this That they must work with all their might that they must be doing to the end of their dayes that they must continue at their work withoâ—t intermission that is that they must bestow noâ—e
born of the Spirit is a spiritual man and those that are led by the Spirit walk on in a spiritual course that is they live a more noble and raised life then the rest of the world Carnal men who are governed and ruled by that evil spirit that is in the world live an evil and carnal life worldly spiritual men a worldly life sensual men a sensual life Ephes 2. 2 3. Wherein in time past ye walked after the course of this World according to the Prince of the power of the Air the spirit that now worketh in the children of Disobedience among whom we also had our conversations in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind Whilest we were in the common state we took the common road whilest we were in the flesh fleshly men we lived a fleshly life To serve ouâ— bellies to serve our appetites to serve our pride and covetousness and other lusts this was our life And this life was sutable to that Spirit which was within them and that evil Spirit the Prince of this world without them that govern'd and steer'd their course Accordingly the Saints having a new heart within and a new leader without do lead a new life as the flesh and the Devil carry evil men on in a course sutable to their leaders so the Spirit and Grace of God carry on the Saints in a course sutable to theirs an holy spiritual and heavenly lifâ— So that this is to walk in the Spirit to live holily and spiritually this is that life which is called The life of God Ephes 4. 19. The Conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. Our Conversation is in Heaven And a Spiritual and Heavenly Life this may be called upon a three-fold account 1 Their dealings are about Spiritual and Heavenly things 2 Their delights are Spiritual and Heavenly 3 By these Spiritual dealings and delights themselves become daily more Spiritual 1 Their dealings are about Spiritual and Heavenly things God and Heaven and everlasting Glory and those spiritual Exercises whereby God is served and Glory obtained these are the matters about which this life is spent They live with God they hold daily intelligence with Heaven they are much in the contemplating and admiring and adoring the infinite beauty and incomprehensible perfections of God and his unspeakable love and gracâ— and goodness towards them They are searching into the Mysteries of Christ studying out the riches of the glory of the Mystery of the Gospel They live amongst Angels their hearts and their eyes are dayly in that general Assembly and Church of the first-born When they sleep they lay them down under the wings of their Lord no sooner are they awake but they get them up to the top of Pisgah to take a view of the Promised Land When I awake I am ever with thee says the Psalmist When the covetous man awakes he is with his God when the Epicure awakes he is with his God when the Adulterer awakes he is with his Goddess Christians are presently above the clouds above the stars falling down before the Throne of the Almighty Their work is to seek and serve and praise and please the Lord to carry themselves so that they may be accepted to God to be washing their robes and making them white in the bloud of the Lamb to be minding their souls consciences affections thoughts that these may all in their several capacities exalt and enjoy the Lord Their Trading is for the Pearl whilest the Merchants of the Earth are trading for Gold and Silver and Spices whilest the Muck-worms of the world are dealing in Corn and Sheep and Oxen and Asses whilst the vâ—luptuous wantons of the earth are dealing about fashions and feasts and sports trading in Toyes Feathers Apes and Peacocks Christians are trading in Promises and Prayer in Faith and Repentance in Patience and Humility in Mercy and Charity that by these they may make their Calling and Election sure and so an entrance may be administred unto them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ These are the businesses of Christians lives their dealings are about spiritual things 2 Their delights are in spiritual things The Lord is the delight of their hearts Delight thy self in God sayes the Psalmist Psal 37. 4. And what he bids others do he does himself Psal 16. 8 9. I have set the Lord always before me therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoyceth The thoughts of God are dear and precious to them The Word and Law of God is their delight Psal 1. His delight is in the Law of his God The Courts of the Lord his Ordinances Worship Sabbaths are their delight Psal 84. 1. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts Their work is their delight Psal 40. I delight to do thy will Their hardest works Fasting and Watching and Wrestling and Fighting against Sin and Temptations crucifying and mortifying their own flesh denying themselves mourning for sin there is much sweetness they find in their very travels and tears and sorrowings as sorrowing sayes the Apostle yet alwayes rejoycing As Solomon speaks of Carnal Mirth Prov. 14. In the midst of laughter the heart is sad so it may be said of spiritual Mourning in the midst of sorrow the heart is joyful the heart of a Saint is never in so sweet a frame as when it is melted into godly sorrow but especially Christ is their deleght he is the deliciae Christiani orbis Canticleâ— 2. 3. I sate down under â—is shadow with great delight Carnal men are ready to say to them as the Daughters of Jerusalem to the Spouse Cant. 5. 9. What is thy beloved more â—en another beloved What beauty is there in him that thou shouldest thus desire him or take such pleasure in him They see no beauty in him he hath no Form nor comeliness in their eye and therefore they think there is none Oh Sinners you do not know Christ you have had no acquaintance with him you have not tâ—sted of the fruits of this Tree of the clusters of this Vine I sate me down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweeâ— to my taste Saints have tasted of the sweetness of Christ tasted that the Lord is gracious and therefore can take great delight in him The delight they take in Christ is that which puts such a delight into every Ordinance into every Duty therefore Praying and Reading is so pleasant to them because there they meet with their Beloved Christ appears to them in his Word Christ meets his Saints in their Prayings and Fastings and this makes all sweet to their souls Carnal men think the life of Saints to be an heavy a sad and most troublesome life they count that themselves have the onely merry and pleasant lives that their Hawks and Hounds their Carding and Dicing and Drinking and Dancing their Seews and Plays that these are the onely Heaven This
First Set apart some time more than once to be spent in secret before the Lord. 1. In seeking earnestly his special assistance and gracious acceptance of you 2. In considering distinctly all the Termes or Conditions of the Covenant as they have been laid before you in the Directions already given you and are also expressed in the form hereafâ—er proposed 3. In searching your bearts whether you either have already or can now freely make such a closure with God in Christ as you have been exhorted to In special Consider what your sins aâ—e and examine whither you can resolve to forgo them all Consider what the Lawes of Christ are how holy strict and spiritual and whether you can upon deliberation make choice of them all even those that do most crosse your worldly interests beloved sins and corrupt inclinations as the rule of your whole life Be sure you be clear in these matters see that you do not lye unto God Consider whether however corruption will play its part and be pulling you back yet the prevailing part of you will be for God and Christ and all his holywayes Secondly Compose your spirits into the most serious frame possible sutable to a transaction of so high importance Thirdly Lay hold on the Covenant of God and rely upon his promise of giving grace and strength whereby you may be enabled to performe your promise Trust not to your own strength to the strength of your own resolutions but take hold on â—â—nstehigâ—s Fourthly resolve to be faithful Having engaged your hearts opened your mouths and subscribed with your hands to the Lord resolve in his strength never to go back Lastly Being thus prepared on some convenient time set apart for the purpose set upon the work and in the most solemn manner possible as if the Lord were visible present before your Eyes fall down on your knees and spreading forth your hands towards Heaven open your hearts to the Lord in these or the like words O Most dreadful God for the passion of thy Son I beseech thee accept of thy poor prodigal now prostrating himself at thy door I have fallen from thee by mine iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a thousand-fold more the Childe of Hell by my wicked practice but of thine infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to thee with all my heart Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my Weapons submit my self to thy mercy And because thou requirest as the condition of my peace with thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at defi-ance with all thine enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against thee I here from the bottom of my heart renounce them all firmelie covenanting with thee not to allow my self in any known sin but conscientiously to use all the meanes that I know thou hast prescribed for the death and utter destruction of all my corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my affections upon the world I do here resigne my heart to thee that madest it humblie protesting before thy glorious Majestie that it is the firm Resolution of my heart and that I doe unfeignedly desire Grace from thee that when thou shalt call me hereunto I may practice this my resolution through thy assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in this world rather then to turn from thee to the wayes of sin and that I will watch against all its Temptations whether of prosperity or adversiâ—y least they should withdraw my heart from thee beseeching thee also to help me against the Temptations of Satan to whose wicked suggestions I resolve by the Grace never to yield my self a Servant And because my own righteousness is but menstruous rags I renounce all confidence therein and acknowledge that I am of my self a hopeless helpless undone creature without righteousness or strength And forasmuch as thou hast of thy bottomless Mercie offered most Graciouslie to me wretched sinner to be again my God throug Christ if I woul accept of thee I call Heaven and Earth to record this day that I do here solemnly avouch thee for the Lord my God and with all possible veneration bowing the neck of my Soul under the feet of thy most sacred Majestie I do here take thee the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holie Ghost for my portion and chief good and do give up my self bodie and soul for thy servant promising and vowing to serve thee in holiness and righteousness all the daies of my life And since thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the onely means of coming unto thee I do here upon the bended knees of my Soul accept of him as the onely new and living way by which sinners may have access to thee and do here solemnly joyn my self in a marriage covenant to him O blessed Jesus I come to thee hungry and hardly bestead poor and wretched and miserable and blinde and naked a most loathsome polluâ—ed wretch a guilty condemned Malefactor unworthy for ever to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord much more to be solemnly married to the King of Glorie But 〈◊〉 such is thine unparallel'd love I do here with all my power accept thee and do take thee for my head and husband for better for worse for richer for poorer for all times and conditions to love and honour and obey thee before all others and this to the death I embrace thee in all thine offices I renounce mine own worthiness and do here avow thee to be the Lord my Righteousness I reâ—ounce mine own wisdome and do here take thee for mine onely Guide I renounce â—ine own will and take thy will for my Law And since thou hast told me that I must â—uffer if I will reign I do here covenant with thee to take my lot as it falls with thee and by thy grace asisting to runne all hazzards with thee verily supposing that neither life nor death shall part between thee and me And because thou hast been pleased to give me thy holy Laws as the rule of my life and the way in which I should walk to thy Kingdome I do here willingly put my neck under thy yoak and let my shoulder to thy burden and subscribing to all thy Laws as holy just and good I solemnly take them as the rule of my words thoughts and actions promising that though my flâ—sh contradict and rebell yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole life according to thy direction and will not allow my self in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my duty Onely because through the frailty of my flesh 〈◊〉 am subject to many failings I am bold humbly to protest That unallowed miscarriages contrary to the setled bent and resolution of my heart shall not make void this Covenant for so thou hast
to sinners Bring me no more vain Oblations Incense is an abomination to me Sinners not onely your wickedness but your very prayers will undo you If you make them a shelter for sin your very prayers will be turned into sin 2. Returning Prayers When a Sinner being struck with a sense of his sin and of his necessity of changing his way and of his utter inability to turne of himself under the fears and troubles of his heart goes to God and cryes out Lord what shall I do I see I am in an evil case my soul is running on in sin and they curse and wrath I behold running on upon me Lord save me Lord help me Lord pardon Lord convert me break me off from my sins break me off from my sinful companions I cannot get loose my heart is too hard my lusts are too strong my Temptations are too many for me to overcome of my self Lord help me turn me and I shall be turned pluck my foot out of the snare that I be not utterly destroyed forgive mine iniquity make me a clean heart make me thy childe make me thy servant that I may never again yield up my self a servant to sin Such a prayer as this if it be hearty and and in earnest if there be no promise of audience yet at least there is an half promise Who can tell Or it may be the Lord may hear Though it cannot be properly said the Lord doth accept neither can any man say he will reject it as an abominable thing This being premised 2. I answer to the question That sinners if they have but anâ— heart to it have also a price in their hand God hath put arguments into their mouths also to plead with him for mercy As 1. The grace of God or his gracious Nature his readiness to shew mercy this even strangers may lay hold upon Benhadad's encouragement to beg his life of the King of Israel may be the sinners plea in the begging of his We have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings Go Sinner to the Lord and speak thus in his ears Lord I have heard that the King of Glory is a merciful King Thy name is the Lord merciful and gracious and thy Nature is according to thy Name It is thy Nature to pity and in thy heart there is plenteous compassion Oh I am a miserable creature a poor undone helpless wretch do for me according to thy Nature do for me according to thy Name will the God of mercy send away such a wretch that comes for mercy will the God of Grace send me away without Grace The God of Mercy hear me the God of Grace grant me to find grace in his eyes 2 Gods Call or gracious Invitation Isa 55. Ho every one that thirsteth come to the Waters and he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat buy Wine and Milk without Money and without â—rice Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Rise sinner he calleth thee Go to the Lord and when thou goest tell him Lord thou hast bid me come and behold here I am I come Lord at thy Word I come for a little Water I come for thy Wine and thy Milk I have brought no price in my hand but thou hast bid me come and buy without Money and without Price Though I have no grace yet behold at thy word I come for Grace though I have no Christ yet I come for Christ though I cannot call thee Father yet being called I come to thee as Fatherless With thee the Fatherless shall finde mercy And is it only those that want the Fathers of their Flesh is it not also those that want the Father of Spirits Shall earthly Orphans find pity and onely Spiritual Orphans be left Orphans If I am not thy child may I not be made thy Child Hast thou not a childs Blessing left yet to bestow upon me Thou hast bid me come come for a Blessing bless me even me also O Lord. Wherefore hast thou sent for me Shall I be sent away as I came I come at thy word do not say again be gone be gone out of my fight I cannot go at thy Word I will not go for Whither shall I go from thee Thou hast the Words of Eternal life Since thou wilt have me speak Lord answer Though I dare not say Be just to me a Saint yet I do say I will say I must say Lord be merciful to me a sinner 3. Christ And there are two things in Christ upon which sinners may plead with God 1. His Sufficiency There is enough in Christ in his obedience and death to save the worst of sinners to save the whole World of Sinners There is a fulnesse in Christ Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell There is a fulnesse of Merit to obtain pardon to make reconciliation for whoever comes a fulnesse of the Spirit to Sanctifie and cleanse them from their sins He 's able to save unto the uttermost all those that come unto God by him From this Sinners may reason thus with the Lord. O Lord I do not come to beg that of thee that cannot be had Thou hast enough by thee Look upon Jesus that sits at thy right hand 〈◊〉 there not Righteousnesse enough in him to answer for all my uâ—righteousnesse Are there not riches enough in him to supply my povertie Oh shall I die for want of a pardon when there is such blood continually before thee pleading for pardon Oh shall I lie down in my own vomit and wallow in the mire of my filthie lusts when there is such a Fountain by thee that 's still open for sin and for uncleannesse Oh sprinkle me with this blood O wash me in this Fountain Hear Lord send me not away without an Almes when hast it by thee 2. His Office which is to bring sinners to God to make reconciliation for sinners to make intercession for Transgressors Isa 53. Psal 68. 18. Thou hast received gifts for men yea even for the rebellious also What a strange and mighty Plea is here for poor sinners Oh it is true Lord I am a Transgressor and have been from the Womb I have played the Traytor and been a Rebel against thee all my dayes But is there none in Heaven that will iâ—tercede for a Transgressor Hath the Lord Jesus received no gift for this poor Rebel that falls down before thee Though I am a Rebel Lord yet I am a returning Rebel Though I am a Rebel yet let me recieve a Rebels gift not a Rebels reward Lord that would be dreadful but some of those gifts which Christ received for the Rebellious Doth Christ make intercession for Transgressors and shall not he be heard If thou wilt not hear me who am a sinner yet wilt thou not hear him that speaks for sinners
or on the Glory and Pleasures and Lusts of the World with such an admiring and doting eye when Death comes as now I do A godly Life a good Conscience the promises and priviledges and hopes of the Gospel I can now look on as follies and fancies and trifles shall I count them so then Sin and guilt I make a matter of nothing now shall I have the same thoughts at death It I could speak with any soul that 's gotten one step beyond the Grave and should ask him What do you think of sin and the pleasures of sin now What an answeâ— might I then expect What a strange change will Death make upon my person When if I be a Saint this poor Soul that hath had its habitation in Meshech hath been imprisoned in a sinful body mourning and sighing and labouring under the burthen of sinnes and lusts and temptations and doubts and fears and scotts and scornes shall in an instant be set at liberty from all this and be lodged in the armes and bosome of the Lord of Glory Or if I be a sinner when I shall be taken from all my glory and greatnesse from all my delights and dalliances from all my hopes and confidence and be thrown down like Lucifer Son of the Morning from all my brightnesse into the blacknesse of darknesse for ever When though I lie down in hopes and confidence that I shall have rest yet within a minute after Death hath closed mine eyes I shall awaken in everlasting flames How will my undone soul then cry out Oh where am I Is this my place Must this be my dwelling for ever Are all my hopes and confidences come to this Is all my mirth and my pleasures come to this Wo wo wo to me miserable Wretch how am I deceived whether am I fallen Quest 4. How dreadful will this day of Death be to sinners when it is come Whilst its only preached or thought of at a distance it affects but little but when the day of darkness is come and they shall feel their house of Clay falling when their last Sand is running their last breath drawing their miserable souls lanching into the depth of Eternity when a few minutes will lodge them in the place of darkness and everlasting torments What a black day will it appear then Quest 5. On which hand am I like to stand in the Judgment Am I like to stand on the right hand or on the left Among the Sheep or among the Goats On which hand do I stand now Have I my Conversation among the Goats my fellowship with the Goats here and can I expect to have my sentence with the Sheep Quest 6. What may I do to get above the fear of death and Judgment How blessed is the state of those Christians that are gotten beyond this fear They may well be content to bear the Cross they may well be patient in tribulation they need fear none of those things they shall suffer here their great fear is over Death is swallowed up in victory But how may I upon good grounds be out of this fear How I be fit to die to stand in the Judgement and not may thence be afraid Oh if I could get the Sting of Death out this sin crucified this guilt removed Oh if I could get such a Life over which Death can have no power if I could get Christ to be my Life my Judge to be my Friend then welcome Death and the Grave welcome the Great Day then that black hour will become the blessed hour then that dark and gloomy day at the approach wherof this sinful world will call to the Mountains to cover 〈◊〉 and the Rocks to fall on them would be to me a glorious day wherein I should lift up my head with joy because my Redemption is so nigh So let me live that I may be fit to die and then let my Lord comâ— whenever he pleases Yea then I may say Whâ—â— are the wheels of his Chariot so long a coming Make haste my Beloved and be thou like to a Roe on the Mountains of Spices VII Head concerning Eternitie or the World to Come THere is a two-fold Eternity Of Blessednesse and of Misery The ones the portion of the Saints the other the reward of all the ungodly of the Earth Direct 1. Consider what the Scriptures speak 1. Concerning the Eternity of Blessednesse Heb. 4. 9. There remaineth therefore a Rest to the People of God Psal 16. ult At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore 2 Cor. 4. 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Whence note that the state of the Godly in another World is 1. A State of Rest 2. A State of Joy 3. A State of Glory 4 That the Joy of this Rest is unspeakable and unconceivable Therefore called the Rest of God the Joy of the Lord When a King makes a Feast he makes a Royal Feast When a King gives Gifts and Favours he gives like a King God will save like a God reward like a God such shall be the reward of the Righteous that men shall say Verily he is a God that Judgeth Psal 58 11 5. that this Joy is Eternal 2 Cor. 4 18. The things which are not seen are Eternal 2. Concerning the Eternity of Misery Isa 30. 33. For Tophet is ordained of old Tophet is a place lying in the Valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem where the Idolatrous Jewes burnt their Children in Sacrifice to Molock And it is used as a Type to signifie Hell or the place and Punishment of the Damned hereafter Whereof this is the Description He hath made it deep and large the Pile thereof is Fire and much Wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it Matth. 8. 12. But the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast into utter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Mark 9. 44. Where their Worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched Whence note That the torments of the ungodly in another world shall be 1. Intollerable It is the wrath of the Lord that will lie upon them the breath of the Lord shall kindle and feed their flames As the Lord will save like a God so he will punish like a God The Wisdome Power Severity and Justice of God shall be exercised in compounding such a deadly Draught such exquisite Torments that the ungodly World shall feel that he is a God with whom they have to do 2. Eternal That shall never have an end This makes Hell to be Hell indeed a Pit without bottome a night that hath no day following it a Grave from which there is no Resurrection Oh the heighth and depth and length and breadth of this one word Eternity Direct 2. Ask thy Heart Quest 1. Who shall ascend into the Holy hill Shall the unclean enter in thither Or the Ignorant or unbelievers or
worse if I go on a little longer 4. The Renewing of our Covenant will revive the Obligation of it Though there be not a stricter yet there is another Tye There is a new link added to the old cord Men are more afraid and ashamed to break their word as soon as it is gone forth out of their mouths The seriousness wherewith such a sacred duty should be performed will leave some impressions upon the heart The very considering over our Covenant-breaches which is necessary to our renewing of it will awaken our hearts to more care and watchfulness These things being premised I shall give you this double Direction for the performance of this Duty 1. For the time when 2. For the manner how Touching the former there are some special times when this Duty is especially seasonable As 1. Upon your falls into any greater sins Great sins make great breaches and 't is not safe to let them lie unmade up Breaking of Covenant makes a breach upon Conscience and this will prove as the breaking down the banks of the Sea which if they be not presently made up there may be no stopping them 2. In great straights and Afflictions We have then our hearts at the advantage to bring them back or to bind them the faster to the Lord when we stand in any special need of comfort or help from God Gen. 28. 20 21. when Jacob fled from his Fathers house for fear of his Brother Esau he vowed If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and rayment to put on so that I come again to my Fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God Times of straights and difficulties are a special season for this Duty though it be too ordinary that those vows which we make in the dayes of our distress are quickly forgotten in the dayes of our prosperity Sickness-promises are in our health like Sampsons Wit hs broken as Tow when it toucheth the fire 3. In case of any declinings to a careless remiss and sensless frame of heart or life 4. At our approaches to the Table of the Lord. These are some of the special times for the performance of this Duty 2. For the manner how 1. Remember your Covenant read over and consider distinctly the terms of it and weigh diligently the strictness and great solemnity of your engaging to God therein that your hearts may be the more deeply affected herewith 2. Remember your faults Read over and consider distinctly the sins you have fallen into since your engaging to the Lord together with the several aggravations of them and repent and be humbled under them Isa 50. 4 5. 3. Especially consider how your hearts have stood towards the Lord in the main whether your falls have not been such as give you occasion to suspect that you were not upright in your first engaging Consider whether such a life as you have led since such sins as you have been overcome by since are consistent with sincerity 4. Resolve upon more care watchfulness and faithfulness for the future Verbal promises though there appear some affection at the time if they be not joyned with a resolution to take more care are like to come to nothing 5. Have a special eye in your engaging to the Lord at your special sins failings and neglects that you have found your selves more enclined to and more ordinarily overtaken by I will through the help of God watch against every sin but especially against covetousness passion or lying c. This is my sin herein I am apt to be faulty here my hardest work lies I will watch to every Duty but especially to temperance or patience or self-denial herein I have been most wanting 6. Lay hold on the Covenant or Promise of God for the renewing of his Grace towards you for the renewing of your strength whereby you may be more enabled to perform your promises and pay your vowes It may be your former experiences of your unfaithful hearts have quite discouraged you I have found this heart of mine so fickle and so false and so feeble that I dare not trust it so far as to engage any further for it I have found my work so hard my lusts so strong my temptations so many my strength so small my attempts to follow God so successess that I am afraid I shall never come to any thing I doubt I shall but mock God and bring more guilt upon my self by adventuring to promise any thing farther for this sinful infirm and unfaithful heart Why though thou darest not trust thy heart yet trust thy God who hath said That he will put his fear into thee that thou shalt not depart from him that he will renew thy strength and that his grace is sufficient for thee Depend upon God for the renewing of thy strength and then fear not to renew thy Vows 7. In this strength of the Lord go into his presence and with sorrow in thine heart and shame in thy face falling down before him humbly confess and acknowledge thy falls and failings and then in the like solemn manner as thou hast been before directed engage thy self again to the Lord in the same Covenant 2. I shall next direct you to make right improvement of Duties Godliness doth not stand barely in Praying Meditating or Examining there is something farther that these Duties have a respect and must be useful to 'T is an holy life that is the end to which our holy Duties are to lead and help us on That they may do so take these two following Directions 1. Whenever you set upon Duties resolve to put hard for it to enjoy such sensible Communion with God in them that you may come off in a better and more spiritual frame of heart than you came on 2. Having gotten up your hearts to any better frame in Duty be careful to keep it up after Duty Whenever you set upon Duties resolve to put hard for it to enjoy such sensible Communion with God that you may return from them with some advantage upon your spirits Resolve with him Nunquam à te absque te recedam whenever I come before the Lord I will never go away without him The reason why we thrive no more by Duties is because we do not meet our God in them God never meets with his Saints but he sends them away with some marks of his Goodness upon them The reason why we do seldome meet with God in our Duties is because we do not so wishly look for his appearance God waits for thy coming Soul and if it be not thy fault thou mayest see his face before thou departest and if thou see God in a Duty thou wilt not then return without some impressions of God upon thy heart When Moses came down from the Mount where he had seen the Lord his face did shine there was something of the glory of God upon his
lying in wait to steal it away whatever you have built you have adversaries lying in wait to pull down again I have heard of some inchanted places where what men built in the day the Devil pull'd down at night and this danger you are continually in what 's built at one prayer the Devil labours to pull down before the next Let your eye be much upon your hearts observe diligently how they hold up or sink that if there be the least damp or decay growing upon you you may espie it before it be gone too far 'T is no wonder we lose all upon such a sudden when ordinarily as soon as ever our duties are done away we goe and think no more where we have been or what we have been about as if we were well content to take our leave of our duties and our God together When you depart out of your Closets leave your hearts behind you Worldlings seldom bring theit hearts thither when they come to pray they leave their hearts behind them Let Christians never carry them thence when you have done praying and must abroad to your earthly affairs let your hearts stay behind with your God Let your thoughts be much upon the entertainment you have had see to it that the temptations you meet with do not so easily divert you from minding what you have been begging or wrestling for 2. Make present use of what you have obtained God gives Grace and Strength and Life for use and use will preserve it Hath the Lord warm'd thy heart goe warm thy Brothers heart and that will keep thine from cooling Hath God spoken comfortably to thy soul goe and speak of thy God and what he hath done for thee to others Hath God inclined and thereby fitted thee for action take the season thou may'st do more for God and for thy soul in such an hour than in many dayes beside be doing with what thou hast received and thou need'st not fear losing it when we are idle then we fall asleep and grow cold Instruments do not rust while they are in use We never more spend our strength than when we spare our labour 3. Life up your hearts to the Lord often every hour in some short Ejaculations No business no company can hinder this duty and this will be of special advantage to you therefore neglect it not every sigh or breathing of your souls Heaven-wards will fetch down fresh influences from Heaven upon you 4. Charge this whole course actually upon your selves every morning and examine every evening how you have kept to it 5. If you cannot otherwise bring or hold your selves 〈◊〉 this course bind your selves to it for some time by special vow till being a while inured to it it may become at length more easie Being thus entred upon and prepared for a godly life I shall give you some directions 3. How to carry it on and for your help herein take these following counsels I. In your whole course pursue and as much as possible eye your end God and your own salvation Consider often wherefore you live and what it is you would have and if this be it that God may be honoured and your souls saved let this be pursued and prosecuted in all the parts of your life Take not that course do not that action that hath not some tendency that way and that which hath a tendency let it be directed to that glorious end Let every arrow be levell'd at your mark The reason why the end is no more attained is because it is more intended 't is no wonder we shoot short or beside our mark when our eye is not upon it The eying our end will both direct our course and quicken and encourage us on Set the Lord much before your eyes dwell upon the contemplation of his Glory and glorious Excellencies consider how worthy the Lord is to be exalted and what an honour it is to poor creatures to be any way serviceable to his Honour what pity it is that any of your time any of your strength should be spent upon vanity which might be so improved to so worthy aud high an end Begrutch every minute of your time that is not bestowed on God Consider the blessedness of living for ever in the presence and enjoyment of God Look towards the holy City enter by faith into the Holy of Holies set your selves before the Throne of God view as much as at this distance you are capable that everlasting light those blessed and glorious joyes those rivers of pleasure that exceeding eternal weight of glory which is there possessed by the Saints And then say to your hearts Come on soul come on here 's that thou art praying for here 's that thou art labouring for here 's the Country the Kingdom the Crown that thou art fighting for and wrestling for and running and suffering for The setting this glory before your eyes will both quicken and sweeten your holy course and take off your hearâ—â— from any other courses The end puts a beauty upon the means and a blackness upon all the hinderances of its attainment A sight of Heaven will make a holy life a beautiful life There are two things that make an holy life beautiful 1. That it 's the Image of an Heavenly life 2. That it 's the way to it All the labours difficulties sufferings of a godly life are therefore pleasant and beautiful because they are the way of the Kingdom And on the other side a sight of Heaven will make the wayes of sin to be unpleasant to be dark and black wayes There are two grounds upon which sin is odious to the Saints 1. It 's Opposition and unlikeness to God it bears the Image of Hell upon it not of Heaven 2. It 's Interposition betwixt them and their end Nothing else can ever keep them from God There 's no danger of their falling short of Everlasting blessedness but by sin This is the only Gulf that 's fixed between them and Glory And hence 't is that the way of sin with all its pleasures ease and delights is to the Saints a dark and dismal way The pleasures of sin are black pleasures the gains of sin are black gains the jollity and liberty and prosperities of sin are all dark and black in their eye These clouds whatever brightness there seems in them do keep the Sun from shining on them Oh! what progress might you make in the way of Life where Holiness with all its difficulties become beautiful and Sin with all its delights become odious What would there then be wanting that might encourage you on what would there be then left to hinder you Why let God and Glory be more in your eye and then Sin will be more odious Holiness will be more precious in your eye you would then neither want encouragements to lead you on nor be incumbred with such temptations as now keep you back Tit. 2. 11 12 13. The Grace of God
of all sorts As it is said of the Tree of Life that stands in the City of God above Rev. 22. 2. so let it be said of every living Tree that stands in the Vineyard of God here below That they bring forth twelve manner that is all manner of fruits be fruitful in every good work and bring forth fruit for every season There are summer fruits and there are winter fruits that God expects from you By summer fruits I mean those that are most proper for the daies of your prosperity as thankfulness watchfulness fear humility self-denyal mercy compassion c. Your winter fruits rae such as God looks for in the dayes of your affliction fasting repentance mortification humiliation submission patience c. Brethren be not only good summer servants but winter servants also and when ever it is winter with you â—all close to your Winter-work be much in the â—xercise of repentance godly sorrow patience c. â—et the persecuting World see that godliness will â—ot only live but flourish too in the hardest Winâ—er The truth is there is no such flourishing time â—or the Saints as the time of trouble Gods trees do usually bear best in Winter The Winter frosts do ordinarily bring forth and ripen their fruit better than the Summers warmthâ— At least the hard Winter prepares for a fruitful Summer Beloved â—s it Winter with any of you lose not this fructiâ—ying season to your work to your work Let your work serve you in stead of fire to keep you warm â—et not the cold windes and storms chill and freeze your spirits and so kill your fruits let a fire be kindled and kept alive within you the fire of love â—nd holy zeal I mean let those winds not blow â—ut but blow up these fires let them blow out the fire of lust of passion and contention but let them blow up the fire of love and zeal and let your winward warmth supply the want of outward comforts and encouragements for the cherishing and â—â—ripening of your fruit Be either bringing forth fruit or preparing for fruit let nor the Plough stand still let the clods be broken let the seed be cast in If it be the day of your tears sow in tears it is good sowing in such a rainy day and such a seed-time will bring forth a comfortable Harvest IV. Be stedfast and unmovable 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be not moved either from the hope of the Gospel or from the Obedience of the Gospel Be not Apostates from Christ let not the fear of the Crosse make you weary of the yoke of Christ Turn not back from the holy Commandment for any Tribulation that may come upon you Suffer not your selves to be persecuted out of your Religion or conscience Tribulations are temptations and will try what there is of God in you what reality there is lying under all your professions whether the Word of Christ hath taken any root in you And such troubles will make the greatest Tryal of you which fall upon you for righteousness sake There are some troubles that fall promiscuously on all good and bad and put no difference betwixt the one and the other but as an overflowing flood bear down all before them As in general families pestilences and wars in which it happen alike to the just and unjust to him that serveâ—â— God and him that serveth him not There are other troubles that fall only on the heritage of the Lord on the best among a people When the vile of the earth prosper and flourish and those only in whom some good thing is found are the suffering people When the Sun shines on the barren Mountaines and miry Marishes and 〈◊〉 Storms the Thunder and the Hail fall only on 〈◊〉 fruitful Fields when the Corn is smitten and 〈◊〉 the Thorns and Bryars escape Such troubles as fall on the Righteous of the earth and for their righteousness sake when the bread and water of affliction are given to Disciples and in the name of Disciples these are the most trying troubles Such troubles as leave men to their choice either to sin or suffer When godliness becomes the common rode to tribulation and ungodliness is the only door that is left open by which we may escape and shift our selves out of danger Such afflictions as these will make the most narrow search and through tryal whether we are godly indeed or not Brethren see that your hearts be so established with grace that you stand your ground and keep your way in such dayes of temptation And that you may hold out and hold on and abide in the day of greatest tryals take this course I. Try your selves throughly aforehand 1 Cor. 11. 3. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged Though I cannot say if we would try our selves we should not be tryed yet this I can say if we would try our selves we should be the more likely â—o abide the trial of the Lord. Try your selves afore-hand And that 1. What you are in the state of your souls according to the instructions I have already given you in this matter 2. What you are in your duties in your active obedience He that is not faithful in doing the Will of God is not like to be found faithful in suffering the Will of God He that carries himself Christianly in his present state needs not trouble himself with fears and doubts how he shall stand in any future state he may be brought into The tryal that trouble will make upon us is whether we will be faithful in doing the Will of God when we must suffer for it Now he that neglects his duty and cannot hold his heart to an holy conscientious course when he is in no danger and his Religion is like to cost him nothing what is like to become of this mans godliness when it may cost him the loss of all We readâ— Dan. 6. 10. When a decree was signed That whosoever should ask any Petition of God or man save of the King should be cast into the Lyons Dâ—n That Daniel prayed and gave thanks to his God three times a day as he haâ—â— done aforetime If Daniel had not used to pray aforetime when praying would bring him into nâ—â— danger he would not doubtless have adventured oâ—â— it in such a time when he saw evidently that it waâ— like to cost him his life Brethren Consider what your present course and care is Do you pray now and fast now and withdrawing your selves from the lusts and liberties of the world Do you now apply your selves to a soâ— ber serâ—ous self-denying life Are you now active for God and your sâ—uls and have you been conscientious and watchful and fruitful aforetime when there was nothing to molest or discourage you If you have been carnal and vain and remiss in the exercises of Religion when you might have been as holy as you would as strict and as zealous as you would without any fear of suffering for
parting prayer The Lord be with you the God of peace be with you yet I cannot turn this prayer into a Promise nor give you any assurance that the God of Peace will be with you These things premised I shall now give you the full proof of the Doctrine in the following Reasons The Doctrine you remember is Those that obey the Gospel whatsoever or whomsoever they want shall ever be in a peaceful and blessed Condition The Reasons are 1. The God of peace shall be with them 2. If God be with them all things whatsoever befall them shall make for their good Reas 1. The God of Peace shall be with them these things do live in the obedience of the holy Doctrine which you have received and the God of Peace shall be with you This glorious Promise is pregnant with all the blessings that Heaven and Earth can afford If you ask why what is there in it I demand of you What is there in God God is in the Promise all that is in God is here assured to the Godly The Philosophers of old attained to some glimmerings of the excellencies that are in God by these 3. wayes 1. Per viam Negationis conceiving of him as a Being removed from all things signifying imperfection as ignorance impotence iniquity corruptibility composition alteration or any limits or bounds of this Essence Power and Glory 2. Per viam causalitatis conceiving of him as the Fountain of all other Beings and thence concluding that whatsoever Excellencies or perfections are scattered up and down in the whole Creation are all united in him from whom they had their Originall 3. Per viam eminentiae by way of Excellency so that whatever perfections whatever goodness is to be found in any Creature though it be not to be found in God formaliter yet there is that in him he being the first cause of all that doth infinitely superabundantly answer them all Though there be not the same Specifick Excellencies in him nor those very pleasures and delights issuing from him which the creatures yield yet there are such Excellencies such perfections as transcend and surpasse them all The Scripture tells us more positively and plainly that God is Almighty Omniscient Omnipresent Infinite Eternal Unchangeable All-sufficient Holy Righteous Gracious the Portion the Protection the Rewarder yea the exceeding great Reward of them that diligently seek him And this is he that is in the promise God is in the promise I must not enlarge in this spacious Field I shall keep nearer the Text and shall confine my self to these four particulars 1. God is in the Promise as the God of Peace as the Authour and bestower of Peace The greatest of Blessings is the Blessing of Peace Peace hath all blessings included in it It hath possession fruition and security it hath plenty pleasure and safety where there 's no peace there 's no security for the holding nor opportunity of enjoying what we have Whatever we have we have it as if we had it not Peace is the greatest of Blessings Peace with God is the most glorious of Peace What is there that 's excellent what is there that 's desirable that is not comprehended in this Peace with God Where there 's Peace there 's Pardon guilt cannot consist with this Peace being justified by Faith we have peace with God Where there 's Peace there 's Grace and holiness there 's no Peace saith my God to the wicked Where there 's Peace there 's Love and good will As love so peace is the union no lesse then this the Almighty God bears you good will These two peace and good will are Twins On earth peace good will towards men Where there 's peace there 's life everlasting ife Internal is the seed of eternal peace This peace is a Portion peace with God is our possession of the God of Peace This Peace is a Sanctuary if the God of Peace be with us the Peace of God will keep our hearts Christians in the World you must have trouble suppose you have yet in him you shall have peace who hath overcome the World Isa 26. 5. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace in peace peace as 't is in the Original whose mind is stayed on thee Psal 85. 8. I will hear what the Lord God will speak he will speak peace to the People and to his Saints What a clattering is there in the World what tumults and commotions are raised about the followers of Christ as if the World were falling about their eares The Devil speaks wrath evil men speak death and bonds to them breathing out threatnings reproaches persecutions against them In the midst of all this fearful noise I 'le hearken saith the Psalmist what the Lord God will speak Whatsoever men or Devils speak I 'le hearken if the Lord God speak at the same rate Oh no he will speak peace to his Saints Let the Sons of contention do what they can the Sons of God shall be the Sons of Peace they shall live in peace they shall dye in peace they shall dwell in peace for ever Isa 32. 17 18. The Work of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness shall be quietness and assurance for ever And my People shall dwell in a peaceable Habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places Oh how great is the peace that they have who love thy Law Christians fear not to follow God let not that sad word nor the fulfilling of it scare you out of your duty All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution What if they do whilst you are able to say I am persecuted but I have peace I am poor but I have peace In a Prison but I have peace in a Wilderness but I have peace though all the World be against me God is at peace my Soul is in peace what discouragement should all that be to you 2. He that is the God of peace is the God of power He promises peace and he promises no more than he can perform He can create peace he can make their enemies to be at peace with them He can make a league for them with the Beasts of the field with the Lions with the Wolves with the most brutish among the people He can say to the proud Winds and Waves peace be still and they obey him He can give them rest from the dayes of adversitie he can give them rest in the dayes of adversity he can give his Beloved sleep upon the points of Swords and Spears 3. He that is the God of peace is the God of patience This is my great fear that though God gives yet I shall break my peace The God of peace with me oh this is he whom I dishonour and disoblige daily by my distrusts discontents impatiencies murmurings and what peace to such an hearr what peace so long as such unbelief so much iniquity as I find daily within me remaines upon me
lost they were even ready to fall upon him The people spake of stoning him but he encouraged himself in the Lord his God 2. What the event hereupon was why God help'd him to all he had again vers 19. There was nothing lacking to them neither small nor great neither sons nor daughters neither spoyl nor anything they had taken David recovered all Hence note 1. That a Christian when he hath lost all hath yet a God to go to at last 2. Whilest a Christian hath a God to go to his case is never desperate let him but encourage himself in his God and all will be recovered Sinners triumph not over the poor people of God when they are at their worst when they are brought as low as your Pride and malice can lay them though they should be stript naked and left destitute of all their comforts though all the World should ride on their backs and tread on their necks yet rejoyce not against them though they fall they shall arise when they are at their worst there 's still help for them in their God 3. The Presence of the Lord shall be with them Whither soever they may be scattered they shall not be scattered from their God That Promise made to Moses Exod. 33. 14. My presence shall go with thee belongs to all 〈◊〉 Israel of God My presence in the Original 't is my face in the Septuagint my self shall go with thee The presence of God is either General or Special By his general presence he is every where 1. Per Essentiam he fills all things 2. Per Cognitionem he beholds all things 3. Per Sustentationem he upholds all things 4. Per Dominium he governs all things But to let this pass as not so proper to our purpose 2. There is his Special or his gracious Presence whereby he manifests himself to be with his people 1. In some visible and standing tokens of his presence as in those extraordinary the Pillars of the Cloud and of the Fire and in those ordinary the Ark and the Temple of old and the Ordinances of the Gospel now 2. In some inward influences and irradiations upon the hearts of his people 3. In some visible and signall effects of this presence whereof there are very many There are amongst others these two notable effects of Gods gracious presence which his People by vertue of this Promise may with confidence expect Conduction Covering they shall be Led in their way and they shall be Hid in their way 1. Conduction The Lord will be with them to lead them and guide them in the way that they should go Psal 25. 9 12. The Meek will he guide in Judgement the meek will he teach in his way Psal 107. 7. He led them forth by the right way that they might go to a City of habitation Psal 5. 8. Lead me O Lord in thy righteousness because of mine Enemies make thy way strait before my face The Lord leads his people in their way chiefly by his Word which is a Light to their feet and a Lanthorn to their paths And sometimes also by his Providences hedging up all by-wayes and leaving but one way open to them that hath the least appearance of the way of God So ordering the matter that any other way that is before them looks with too foul a face to leave any doubt upon them whether that be the way of God or nor It 's never uncomfortable to the people of God while they see their way before them Doubts about their way are more perplexing than dangers in their way When they know what God would have them do they can chearfully trust in him for any thing they are like to suffer Dost thou meet with Wolves or Lions in thy way thou maist blesse God 't is there thou meetest them 't would be ill meeting them else-where 2. Covering or Protection in their way Psal 31. 20. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man thou shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues Thou shalt hide them in thy presence or face thy light shall be their dark place to cover them Thou art my hiding place Psal 32. 7. In the secret of thy presence the Saints hiding place is a secret Such where neither the pride of man can find them nor can they understand what it is Reproaches shall not find them persecutions shall not find them whose Souls are hid in God they are not found when they are found they are hid when they seem to lye most open and most exposed to mens will and lust Sinners do not understand what refuge the Saints have in God It is a great secret a Mystery to them as the joy of the Saints the comforts of the Saints are a secret A stranger shall not meddle with his joy So is their safety or security they do not understand what kind nor how great security what sure nor what sweet repose the Saints find in God The secret of Gods presence is a sure and a sweet resting place for all his Saints but how sure and how sweet no man knows but they that enjoy it The secret intimations of the care of God for them of his everlasting kindness to them of his governing hand in all that befalls them working it to their greater good the secret supports and refreshings darted in as the beams of his Countenance their secret sence that their head their main is in safety though they have bruises in their heel will yield such rest in the day of greatest adversity as men can neither see nor take from them The Pillar of the Cloud interposed did both hinder the Egyptians pursuit and hide from their eyes the comfort of that Light which shined upon the Camp of Israel Moses knew what the comfort of Gods presence meant when he said Exod. 33. 15. If thy presence go not with us carry us not hence 'T is if considered a great word Israel was then in a Wildernesse among wild beasts among bryars and thorns in a weary pilgrimage but they had God among them The Lord was carrying them to Canaan the Land of their rest a Land flowing with milk honey but Moses prayes If thy presence go not with us carry us not hence We had rather be where we are in a Wilderness with God than to go to Canaan leave our God behind us If thy presence go with us we are willing to go when thou wilt whither thou wilt which way thou wilt though by the Tents of Edomites Ishmaelites Moabites Hagarens though through the Armies of Anakims Zamzummims we 'l go any whither so God go with us The absence of God makes a Canaan worse than a Wildernesse the presence of God makes a Wilderness better than a Canaan And this presence of God shall be the Lot of all his Saints Reas 2. If God be with you all shall make for you All Providential Occurrences and Events
setteth up Kings he makes War and creates Peace he bendeth the Bow and breaketh the Bow and cutteth the Spear in sunder and burneth the Chariots in the fire Peace and War Health and Sickness Plenty and Famine Life and Death are all the disposures of his hand He orders all the events and casualties of the World even from the greatest to the smallest Without him not a Sparrow shall fall nor a hair of the Head shall perish though there be to men yet to the Lord there are no casualties or contingencies But all things come to pass according as his Hand and Counsel had before determined 2. The design of Providence as it respects the Elect is the accomplishment of Gods good purpose and promise Providence governs the World and the purpose and promise governs Providence All the works of Providence have rationem mediorum ad finem God doth nothing in vain it is not consistent with the wisdome of God to do any thing for nothing God would have his People look farther than the things that are before them because all those things have a farther aspect themselves All the works of Providence have a double aspect they look backward to the purpose and promise and they look forward to the end for which they are as they look backward so they have truth in them exactly answering the purpose and promise from which they have their birth As they look forward to their end so they have good in them and that good their subservience to their end is the reason of their being Here note 2. things 1. That the subserviency of things to their end is the goodness of them if the end be good the means must as such be good also If what God hath purposed and promised be good then all things that fall in between having the respect of means to their accomplishment must upon that account be good If our crosses and afflictions do subserve the bringing about of Gods good will and good word we must say concerning them Good are the works of the Lord. It is not how any thing looks or feels at present but what it means and to what it tends If the potion be bitter and yet it tends to health if the Messenger be ill-looked and ill-favoured and yet comes upon a good errand you may bid them welcom And thus all the Providences of God are good If you should ask of any Providence wherefore art thou come comest thou peaceably comest thou for good they must all answer yes peaceably for good and no hurt 'T is but to help all that good into thy hand which hath been in the heart and hath proceeded out of the mouth of thy God that loves thee There is not a Messenger of Sathan that comes to buffet thee but is also a Messenger from God that comes to thee for good The very thorns in thy flesh shall serve thee for Plaissers thine eye-sores shall be thine eye-salve and thy very Maladies thy Medicines 2. That this relative goodness of all the works of Providence is the reason of their Being Therefore God doth what he doth that hereby he may do what he hath said and intended I do not say that the reason of Gods taking this or that means is alwayes from any thing in it self or for his natural tendency to such an end above any thing else God hath his choyce of means he can chuse here or there at pleasure can make use of what he will to serve his design but the reason why things are is this God in his Wisdom saw their ordinability to this good end and thereupon in his Providence he orders and brings them to pass So that now whatever befals a Christian he hath this to allay and take off the grievousness and sharpness of it This had never been but for the good will and good word of the Lord to me The Lord God hath said he will bless me and do me good he will heal and sanctiâ—ie and save me and now he is about it by this he is working that Salvation for me Christians you have no reason to say If the Lord be with me why am I thus why so poor why so pained so persecuted so scorned and trampled upon sure if the Lord had meant my good it would have been better than 't is with me No no 't is because the Lord is with thee and means thee well that he deals in this manner with thee The Design of his Providence towards thee is the accomplishment of his Promise 3. The Providence of God shall never fail of accomplishing its end There is nothing wanting that might give us the fullest assurance hereof For 1. The Providence of God hath power with it He is Almighty that hath promised he that ruleth in the earth dwelleth in the Heaven and doth whatsoever he will Our God is in heaven and doth whatsoever he will I will work and who shall lett it Is 43. Who can stay his hand or say unto him what doest thou were it not for our unbelief our case would be still the same in greatest difficulties as when the Coasts are most clear We might say of difficulties as the Psalmist of darkness there is no darkness with thee to thee day and night are both alike Difficulties are no difficulties with thee nor is there difference betwixt hard and easie He can save with many or with few and with none is as well as with some We once read he had too many but never that he had too few to bring about his wosk Oh how we do desparage the power of God when our difficulties make us doubt Is he God and not man Is he spirit and not flesh Wherefore then dost thou doubt What-ever God hath said he can do Believe he is a God and thou wilt never say How can these things be 2. The Providence of God hath wisdom with it he is the only wise he is the all-wise God He knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations 2 Pet. 2. 9. He knoweth what is good for his Saints and when 't will be in season he understandeth what is proper and pertinent to every case What 's proper to every purpose to every people to every person and for every season he knows when 't is a season to abase and when to exalt when to afflict and when to deliver when to put on the yoak and when to take off the yoak when to pull down and when to build up every thing is beautiful in its season If mercies come out of season mercies would be no mercies and if troubles come in their season troubles should be no troubles He knows the best method and means to his end the fittest means he sees somtimes the unfittest to be the fittest the most unlikely unpromising means do often best serve Gods end Christians if you would receive every dispensation as coming from the hands of the wise God you would never quarrel with your lot nor say of any thing
God see it good to fall into such a calamity He hath little of a Saint that would deliberately refuse it Doubtless a sincere Christian who would count his usefulness to the good of the whole Body to be his good would say even concerning such a Message were it brought to him Good is the word of the Lord And that which afore-hand he would judg to be good for him to submit to may it not be good for him to be under 2. It may also be more directly for his particular personal good For 1. It may do him the same good which Death will do for him Concerning which the Apostle says it is yours 1 Cor. 3. that is it is for your advantage It may take him from the evil to come from those sorrows and that trouble of heart which God might fore-see falling upon him by any calamities coming either on the Church in general or himself or Family in particular which being deprived of his Reason and power to reflect on he cannot feel or in the least be afflicted by If you reply But the Remedy is worse than the Dâ—sease To be useless and unserviceable is less eligible than to be sorrowful and afflicted Will any man chuse to fall into a Lethargy or Apoplexy because 't will secure him from the torment of a Feaver If there be any weight in this Reply I shall add a further Answer which if I mis-judge not will cut off all Replyes 2. Who knows what Sins and Temptations he might have fallen into and fallen by had not the Lord by this means prevented it he might possibly have been a back-slider have fallen into gross sin by which he might have been a Terrour to himself and a Scandal to the Gospel and is it not good for him that this is prevented Is not that affliction a mercy which secures from such iniquity Who can say it is not thus that the Lord foresaw he would have fallen into sin and for prevention brought him into this affliction Who can say it is not thus If none can then this is no Objection If you Reply You say it may be this is the case and I may as well say it may be not there might be no such thing that God fore-saw as the Reason of this Providence 'T is but a Conjecture and an uncertainty when you have made the most of it Be it so yet it will fully answer my end I am not now proving that all things work for good to the Saints that 's sufficiently done already But you are objecting against it and till you prove your Objection which you can never do unless you prove that this is not the case you must give me leave again to tell you your Objection comes to nothing And so at length you see this Blessed Glorious Comfortable Truth stands its Ground and Triumphs over whatever hath any shadow of Contradiction to it By the way learn hence two things 1. Rejoyce in this Promise of God Hath the Lord put in thy name here let thine heart say It is enough Be more joyful in this that God hath thus undertaken the Care of thee than if God had wholly put thee to thine own hand giving thee power to help and liberty to chuse for thy self In what wilt thou rejoyce if not in this that the whole Creation are ingaged to do thee a kindness to help thee into the possession of thy God Thou maist now not onely submit to but thankfully embrace every Providence knowing upon what Errand it comes to thee for good and not for hurt Thou maist now triumph not onely in the Consternations but in the Triumphs of thine enemies Whether they ride over thy back or thou tread on their neck 't is all one the issue will be the same Thy Troubles and thy Consolations differ only in their Countenance with what ever Grim face thy afflictions look there are smiles under learn to see through them and thou maist see light on the further side Believe this Word thou maist read it written upon every thing that befals thee there 's no Messenger that comes but brings this promise in his hand Even this shall work for good Read it and rejoyce 2. Lay thy self down quietly under it No more perplexing or distracting cares what shall become of thee no more unwarrantable shifting for thy self Let God alone Shift not for thy self lest God leave thee to thine own shifts Let not the violence of evil men disturb thy Peace or provoke thee to unpeaceableness What-ever provocations thou maist have avenge not thy self neither give place unto wrath murmuring or fears In thy patience possess thy Soul thy God and his good Word Thy strength is to sit still Stand still and see the Salvation of God thou hast nothing to do but to be Holy let that be thine only care thy God will see to it thou shalt be happy he is faithful that hath promised Love God and leave thy self and thy whole Interest in this blessed Word All things shall work to thee for good By this time you see something of the Riches of this Promise God is in the Promise the God of Peace the God of Power the God of Patience the God of Hope the heart of God the help of God the presence of God by vertue whereof all that ever befals them shall work for their good Methinks the hearing of this Promise opened should set your souls and all that is within you a crying our Oh that this were my portion Where-ever my Lot do fall as to outward things though in a Prison though in a Desert though on a Dunghil let the lot of my Soul lye in this Promise The God of Peace shall be with you Why Brethren will you take up with Godliness you have learned and recâ—ived and heard the Word of the Lord the Word of Faith the Word of Righteousness and Holiness will you hearken to will you obey these words These things do and the God of peace shall be with you Oh what foolish Creatures are we that ever we should be afraid of Religion afraid of Holiness afraid to own obey and follow God and his holy wayes What unreasonable fears are these to those that believe the Scriptures If the Scriptures be true this is the only way this following God in holiness to put your selves out of all danger to put your selves into the heart arms presence protection of the Almighty God of Heaven and Earth Oh that I could perswade you in thither and there leave you if you are once in the Lords Arms you are safe enâ—ugh into whatever hands you fall Vse By way of Application let me once more speak a few words 1. To the Ungodly 2. To the Godly 1. To the Ungodly my work with them shall be to perswade and direct them how to get into this peaceful and blessed state Amongst the ungodly 1. There are some who are far from the Kingdom of Heaven as 1. Those upon whom the Ministry of
worse and worse every spoke of the Wheel every turn of the wheel renders our condition more helpless and hopeless Our adversaries are become rampant our Soul is filled with their scorn and fury our friends are as a broken tooth or a foot out of joynt our hopes are a Spiders Web or as the giving up the Ghost the Almighty causes all his storms and billows to pass over us one day telleth another one night certifieth another and prophesies to us nothing but destruction upon destruction desolation upon desolation and where is the promise of his coming the hope of Israel is asleep her Saviour is a stranger the Ark of God is taken the glory is departed yea and God himself seems to be gone over to the Camp of the Philistines and marching against us we have waited for light but behold obscurity for brightness but we walk in darkness the Harvest is past the Summer is ended and we are not saved neither is there yet any to tell us how long Suppose you should have stood by and have seen or heard any such things any where in the World would you not have said can any good come out of such a dark abyss out of such a concatination of so many dreadful and dismal Providences Why by what hath been already said you might have answered thus Stay but a while till the whole wheel be come about till God hath brought off his work from the wheel and then you shall see Providence and the Promise meeting together and kissing each other and shall be able to say in this case what Solomon did in Israels 1 Kings 8. 56. Blessed be God that hath given rest to his People Israel according to all that he promised there hath not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of his Servants Christians whatever may come upon you at any time while you live in this World diâ—trust not your God nor be at all dismayed you shall see the day either here or hereafter and 't will be never the worse if it be not till hereafter take it upon the credit of this word All things shall work together for good You shall see the day when your hearts shall rejoyce and say Oâ— 't was happy for us that matters went so cross with us 'T was happy we were so poor and brought so low and laid in the dark and strip'd so naked of all that we either took pleasure or put confidence in Now we see that the Lord hath a more glorious design that he was carrying on for us step by step by every thing that came upon us than we were aware of or could have imagined It 's true the Shimei's have been cursing the Ishmael's have been mocking the Rabshaka's have been railing the Ploughers have been ploughing the Hunters have been pursuing and had almost overtaken overcome and swallowed us up quick but blessed be our God that hath not turned our captivity and saved us by a mighty Salvation but hath done us good by all their mocking and cursing and raging against us Now we see there was such light sowing in our dark dayes such a Peace a sowing in those deep furrows such an Harvest of joy sowing in the dayes watch is over your race is run come and enter into my rest The first Come is Come down with me from the pride from the pomps and jollities of this present World come with me into the Wilderness into the valley of tears come and suffer with me come and dye with me The second Come is Come up with me up out of the Wilderness up out of your Prisons up from your bonds your Jubilee is come come up with me Come put off your prison-garments and put on your robes shake off your fetters and take up your palms lay down your Cross and take up your Crown from your Prisons to your Palace from the Stocks to the Throne You that have descended with me are the same who shall now ascend with me to my Father and your Father to my God and your God The first Come is the Come of a Suitor Come grant me your love give me your hearts and accept of mine This is the Errant upon which his Ambassadors are dispatched As Abraham's servant to take you as a Wife for your Lord. This is the meaning of all those Jewels and the Bracelets they bring in their hands the Lord sends Servant upon Servant Epistle upon Epistle Token upon Token and all speak the same word Come come come away and accept of your Lord and be married to him The second Come is the Come of the Bridegroom Come home with me into my holy City into my Royal Mansion come into my Chamber come into my Bosom come and lodge between my Breasts live in my presence and rest in my love for ever Christians my business while I have been with you hath been to bring you to God to espouse you to Christ and you that have already or will yet at last be perswaded to give your consent and wil give me leave to make up the Match I can give you assurance That he will shortly come and make up the Marriage and must say to you as Naomi to Ruth Ruth 3. 10. Sit still my Daugther till thou see how the matter will fall for the Man will not be in rest till he have finished the thing this day Sit still Christians till you see how matters will fall and however they fall know your Lord will not be in rest till he have finished this thing and brought you home to be with him where he is I am now parting from you in this confidence that however after a few dayes I shall see your faces no more in this world yet I shall shortly meet you in the Bride-Chamber of Glory where we shall ever be with the Lord. Beloved in the Lord I must now leave you but give me leave e're I go to deal freely with you and yet a little farther in the close of my day this once more to open my heart to you and to tell you 1. What my parting Feares 2. What my parting Wishes for you are which I carry upon my spirit 1. My parting Feares I go off from you with are especially these 1. I am afraid that there are many of you upon whom I have bestowed my labour in vain I am afraid that I have instructed you in vain exhorted perswaded beseeched and reproved you in vain 'T was the Apostles case and his fear concerning the Galatians Chap. 4. 11. It is my grief that when I would have no more to speak but an healing word a comforting word I must yet drop down a bitter word on some of you that when I would speak only from Mount Geriziâ— I must yet again speak to some from Mount Ebal that when I would leave a Blessing behind me upon you all I am like to leave some bound under a Curse It 's grievous to me thus to speak