the last daies so that all wise men should store up against an evill day To redeeme is to purchase or to buy The time that is a season not a distance of many houres but a season and that is the convenience or meeting of many helps together As winde and tide makes a season to saile in so when there is a faire day and the sun shines tha't 's a season of travelling When there is no winde nor tide there are indeed so many houres but it is not a season so in the night there are so many houres but not a season no sun-shine or light and therefore not a fit time or season for travelling But that is a season when there are helps afforded of doing good 2. What is it to redeeme the time It is no where read but it signifies thus much To buy in the market as tradesmen do So should the children of God while time and meanes and health and life and liberty is afforded unto them store themselves with faith and ability against evill daies The Doctrine hence is this Doct. Improve gracious occasions for good It is a point of spirituall wisedome to purchase the opportunities of grace and salvation at any rate Where helps are there are opportunities of doing good For the further explication of this Doctrine there are 3. questions to bee propounded 1. What are the seasons of grace and salvation 2. What wee must part withall for them 3. What course wee must take for to purchase them Quest 1. What are the opportunities of grace Opportunities of grace what Answ They are either generall or speciall Generall are such as men take in the time of their life here is the time of working here is the time of doing and getting for In the grave there is no wisedome nor counsell Eccles 9.10 and there is no hope neither for as death leaves us so shall judgement finde us Eccles 3. 2. There are speciall opportunities for every business a time to plow and sow and reap so there is a day of salvation a day of grace These seasons may bee divided into three heads 1. When we have matter to worke upon Then is a season when God calls us to do good Sometimes the Lord casts us among the poore that wee should relieve them the ignorant that wee should instruct them the wicked that wee should reprove them Sometimes the Lord lets us bee wronged that is a time to use patience and suffers us to be disgraced that is a time to use humility and to trample all reproaches under feet 2. Sometimes there are speciall meanes of doing our selves good as upon the Lords day which is the market day for our soules wherein God sets out his wares to sell if men have hearts to come and buy and such are the Sacraments and communion one with another See how men do in worldly matters so do you in spirituall one man sels cloth another man corne so should Christians Thou shouldst give thy brother a word of humiliation he should give thee a word of comfort as thou standest in need of the same 3. When the Lord enlarges the hearts of his children as hee doth many times that is another opportunity take hold of it when the Lord strikes strike thou when the Lord moves move thou As when thou hearest the Word and art convicted by it and thy heart begins to move oh then that 's a season Make hay while the sun shines follow the blow and breake thy heart and humble thy soule for that is a speciall and a spiritual opportunity for good to thine own soul Or sometimes when thou art in thine owne private chamber and the door shut and the candle out and the curtaines drawne about thee then call thou to minde thy sinnes and the many abominations thou hast committed oh then humble thy soul and break thine heart and blesse the Lord for that opportunity Quest 2. What must wee give for these opportunities of grace and salvation Answ With what wee must part for them What will you bestow This is Gods market day if you will bid like a chapman you are like to have them I will tell you what you must give and I will set downe the price in three particulars 1. A man must part with all his sinnes and corruptions and a man may doe that upon as reasonable termes as may be for a mans sins will never doe him good but hurt and therefore he ought to forsake them 2. If it please God to set his commodities at so high a rate then wee must forsake all the comforts of this life rather then lose salvation Not only pleasures and profits and delights but meate drinke and apparrell if God will have his wares so deare Wee must part with all kindred friends and all yea life it self if occasion should serve But sometimes the Lord is so mercifull and the market goes at so low a rate that a man may have both the comforts of this life and the means of grace and salvation too but if the Lord require these then we must let all go Phil. 3.7 8. I count all things drosse and dung yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs-meat in comparison of Christ Wee must part with all for Christ and bee willing to suffer for him if God require I count all dogs-meat saith S. Paul I count all these things nothing A Pharisee of the Pharisees a Jew circumcised the eighth day yet I account all these but dung Mat. 19.27 There when Christ called his Disciples unto him Peter said Master we have left all and have followed thee What therefore shall bee to us Hee answered Yee that have followed mee in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit upon the Throne of his glory even yee shall sit upon the twelve thrones c. So that you that are content to part with all house and land silver and gold friends and acquaintance and follow Christ in the regeneration all things shall be restored unto you Christ saith unto the young man Follow me I pray saith he suffer me to bury my Father No no saith Christ Let the dead bury their dead but follow thou mee So when our hearts hang after commodity and profit and wee are loath to part with them which indeed are but dead commodities dead profits they say they will heare and attend afterward oh I say Let the dead burie their dead attend thou here 3. Wee should bestow the best of our labour and our continuall endeavour about these things Wee must not think that the Lord brings us up for nothing but to live as we list and to spend our time about what we please no he will make us seek for mercy and downe on our knees and beg for it and make us be glad that wee can have it too and bee wonderfully thankfull for it Phil. 3.13 One thing I doe but leave all the rest forgetting that which is behind and pressing forward to
the Lord hath a veine of vengeance to waste this mans estate and a secret plague to plague another mans wealth So now consider your waies Consider how that when you were carelesse of God then the Lord crush'd all you did Where are mens hearts thus to waite upon and to follow God I say where are mens hearts if grace bee the best good then labour herein II. Secondly Time to purchase it is but short See the opportunity that God gives us to get grace From whence we may draw two reasons One from the shortnesse of our life and the other from the shortnesse of the meanes of grace and salvation by reason of our unprofitablenesse It is our wisedome to strike while the iron is hot the means of grace and salvation is short and hee that dies without grace shall never be saved Consider of it this may bee the last time that I ever shall speake or you shall heare for the Lord may take away our lives or the meanes from us Therefore while you have time imploy your time for there is a great deale past and that 's gone and cannot bee recalled againe so that 's none of ours then for the time to come that 's none of ours for we cannot tel whether we shall live or no therefore onely the time present is ours Heare therefore while you have time and means the offer of grace is tendered Oh turn ye turn ye why will ye die But see what became of it the Lord offers commodity but 't is not worth the buying amongst some What saith the Text Mat. 23.37 Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered you as an hen doth her chickens but saith the Text ye would not O let us not stand out with God lest hee leave such an heavie doome upon us as hee did on Jerusalem Now your house is left unto you desolate How often would I have received you and you would not O then I say take heed that the Lord doth not say to us O England how often would I but you would not Ye care not now for teaching yee will have no instruction Well you shall not saith God to Jerusalem you shall never see my face more till you can prize it yea till you say Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest So the Lord may say unto us Oh ye have refused mercy but yee will cry and houle and never shall have mercy more How dost thou know this oh man whether ever thou shalt have the offer of mercy againe You may never have any more offer Luk. 19 41. Christ stood over Jerusalem and wept Oh saith hee that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hidden from thine eyes now they are taken away because ye would not They may have the Word but shall finde no good in it Oh that is the doom of all dooms when the Lord curses his blessings when the Lord gives a man up to the hardnesse of his own heart and to the blindnesse of his owne eyes Who knowes but the Lord may speake to some of us now and that hee will never offer nor worke again Pro. 1.27 They shall call and cry but I will not answer them saith the Lord. Who knowes but that this may bee thy lot This may bee thy share Is there any one whose soule stirres within him and sayes Oh the precious means of salvation that I have had how kindely did the Lord come and I had almost yeelded and yet withstood the Lord Is there any that hath been thus I charge thee take heed lest the Lord set it down upon thy forehead Wel grace hath been offered and it hath been refused it shall never be offered more My Sabbaths they have had but they profaned them well they shall never see Sabbath more of all plagues there is none like to this O fearfull that the Word should never work more and They shall cry but I will not answer Pro. 1.24 A man were better to be torn in pieces with wild horses then to hear that voice Wisdome saith there I will laugh at your destruction When a man is in perplexity and the Lord should see him and laugh at him in his misery and should say This is he that heard the Word and opposed it this is the man come and behold him O Angels come and rejoyce at his destruction this is he let him be accursed this is hee that despised all meanes therefore send him downe quick into utter darknesse then ye will know what it is to oppose grace Time may come that thou wouldest pray and thou mayest have no heart or if thou dost the time may come when God will not hear thee Oh I withstood all means and therefore with what heart can I doe any thing Oh that ye would but think on this thou mayst seek and seek and seek often and that with tears and yet mayst have the repulse Deut. 1.41 The people of Israel began to murmure against the Lord Would to God wee had dyed in Egypt The Lord heard them and made a solemne vow that they should never enter into the land of Canaan Deut. 1.45 Then they returned and wept and prayed but the Lord heard them not Therefore take heed how yee oppose grace and salvation I beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christ his sake think of it How many offers of grace have wee had and then have said wee would labour that our hearts might bee enlarged towards God and wee would be more holy wee have had many Sabbaths how little have wee profited by them If God shut the Israelites out of Canaan for the refusing of one offer feare God I say feare and stand agast Seeing it is so it is the part of wise men to take the offer of grace and salvation whilest it is offered to them MISCELLANIES I. The Prayer of Faith JAMES 1.6 But let him aske in faith nothing wavering for he that doubteth is like a wave of the sea driven with the winde and tossed Let not that man think hee shall receive any thing from the Lord. THE holy Apostle hath pressed the distressed scattered Jewes to the practice of a marvellous heavenly and holy duty but a marvellous hard one and that indeede which might seeme most unseasonable considering the extreme pursuers that then pursued them beyond strength almost The duty was this as it is expressed in the words of the text Ver. 2. Brethren count it all joy when you fall into many temptations Each word carries a weight and a kinde of impossibility to a distressed spirit and a perplexed heart Hee sayes not they should finde this by proofe and that it would appear in issue that temptations would bring them forth pleasant fruits of righteousnesse through the blessing of the Lord but hee bids them account it so before hand when they felt nothing but vexation Now this was not to bee done
to the governement of that good Word There is a passage that sometimes hath been much in my thoughts in Psal 119.29 Take from me the way of lying and grant me thy Law Sin is a way of lying not only a step of lying but a way of lying the whole guise cariage of it is deceitful now when he saith take away the way of lying his meaning is I cannot master it my self but good Lord take it away And the text addeth grant me thy Law as who should say It is the greatest blessing the soul desireth to enjoy in this life For when the soul is cōtent that God should pluck away every corruption from him even the dearest it is a signe of grace Qu. But the question here growes further namely how a man shall understand whether hee be content that God should take from him the way of lying and to part with every beloved corruption Answ You shall observe this in two or three passages 1 Do thus observe either what speciall sinne you have in your soule and what the darling and the secret distemper of the heart is 2. Or if not that then observe what a man is in his calling there be some particular corruptions that sally out upon a man when hee comes to his particular place for sometimes when the sin of a mans nature and constitution hath failed yet the sinne of his calling hath overthrown him and also discovered him to be false 3. And thirdly observe what it is in the world or in any outward contentment a man puts the highest price and the greatest esteeme upon as thus One man he esteemes wealth is not able to endure poverty and another man esteemes his credit and he cannot abide to suffer shame another man the glory of his parts that hee would have a sufficiency above another c. Now I say if yee will trie whether the soule be content that God should take away the sinfulnesse of the heart try it thus 1. By finding out if the soule bee in good earnest content that the Lord should discover all these courses and whatever sinne is in them and should shame him for them 2. If the Lord should take away all these and the Word take place and pull away all these distempers and then the soule findes a restlesnesse untill the Lord pluck them away from him 3. Whether the soule is willing and strives much and contends sadly that it may be content that the Lord should take all that outward excellency from him that is so much prized by him If hee prize wealth to bee content that God should make him a begger if he prize his credit content that God should cover him with shame if hee prize his parts and gifts content that God should make him lye in the dust Whatever the soul is not content to part withall if it be a temporall thing that is a way of lying and he loves it imoderately Oh where is that man that can beare contempt that can beare poverty and is willing to be left under the table and to bee made base in the eyes of the world Hee that would hold any thing that he is not content the Word should take away it is certaine that that is the king and the master and the commander of the heart Now the text adds And grant mee thy Law Whether the heart have this frame is discovered in these three particulars 1. The heart puts the highest price upon the Word and the graces of God therein working and conveighed thereby as namely thus The soule that is addicted to covetousnesse cries Grant mee liberality Lord the soule that is addicted to pride prayes Grant me humility he puts a higher price upon that which is contrary to his sinne then ever his sinne was sweete to him 2. Hee lookes for and is willing also to entertaine the authority of the Word to order him and to carry him out to this way and worke Thirdly and lastly he finds a full sufficiency and contentednesse herein Grant mee thy Law I desire no more Now by this time a man is fully under the authority of the Word though I cannot doe what I would my corruptions being strong my temptations boysterous yet take from mee the way of lying Whether it be my beloved sinne or sinne of my calling or the outward comforts of those things I prize I am content it should be taken away And when it saith Grant me thy Law 1. It most prizeth it 2. It most yeelds unto it 3. It is satisfied therein By this time I say it appeares a man hath a title unto the Lord Christ Touching the fitting of our selves for the Sacrament two things are a little to be attended 1. The necessity of our comming The second is the manner how to prepare our hearts when wee doe come that we may come fitted and as we are necessarily injoyned prepared to this Table of the Lord. For the first severall questions are to bee propounded and answered and then the point will be cleered Quest 1. Is it left unto a mans liberty to come or not to come unto the Sacrament Answ It is not a point of indifferency it is a point of necessity which the Lord layeth upon us as a duty which God expecteth from us if God affords occasion with conveniency it is a sinne in us to doe the contrary I say If God afford occasion with conveniency nothing should detain us from cōming yet some straight may haply lie upon a man that it were neither requisite nor reasonable for him then to presse in to that duty As 1. Were it so that a man could not receive the Sacrament unlesse he should crosse some comfortable assurance of Gods favour towards him in the committing of some sin as to receive it by halfs as the Papists do then he were not bound nay hee ought not to receive it it is not a point of conveniency for no man must doe evill that good may come thereof it is their fault who pollute the holy ordinance in aberring from Christs institution it is not my fault not to receive 2. The second case of inconveniencie is when a man shall occasionally presse into a place and not bee acquainted with the Congregation or give offence unto it because he belongs not unto that Congregation in this case the Lord affords him liberty to depart the reason is because it is a wrong done seeing hee cannot come unto Gods ordinance without being troublesome unto the people where he is which God who is the God of order allowes not nor requires 3. If the Sacrament bee so ordered and so given and celebrated as the occasion of the times carry that haply it is done three or foure times in the weeke by reason of the multitude of the Congregation as now on Easter day Easter munday and Easter tuesday and the like I take it a man is not bound here at all times to come particularly to the Sacrament and the reason
none could receive it unless he had the image of God Hence I say they consult together about it I will create saith the Father and do you create Sonne and doe you create Spirit The work of the Father is discovered in creation the work of the Sonne in redemption the work of the Spirit in sanctification all concurre to make him partaker of happinesse This is the cause why no other creature is capable of happinesse but Men and Angels because they onely have the image of God Reas 2. Because God would have one creature above the rest that should take notice of his attributes discovered in his workes God would have the glory of his attributes that are manifested in his workes Hee creates a world in that world hee expresses the workes of wisedome power and holiness When first the heavens were bespangled with stars the earth replenished with fruits the sea with fishes no creature could see Gods worke-manship and honour him for it therefore God makes man in his owne image makes him able by wisedome to conceive his works and gives him wisedome to returne him honour from all It is requisite there should bee some spectators The goodnesse of God is in the heavens they at it were speake the providence of God now wee see these things and cannot but admire them Psalm 103. ult The Psalmist speaking there concerning the wonders of God in the heavens marke what he addes Blesse the Lord all yee all his workes As who should say All yee sonnes of men come hither see and wonder at the power goodnesse of God in these things and blesse his name for them Prov. 3.6 Acknowledge the Lord in all thy wayes The creature cannot acknowledge God because it wants the image of God but man that hath a spirituall ability to know God cannot but acknowledge him in all his wayes Men that have any curious workmanship which they would have seene build up a stage for the better view of it Why should they set it forth if there were no man to come and observe it Just so God does he makes the whole frame of the world and in that expresses his power and goodnesse To what purpose should all these bee made if there were no man to see them and wonder at them Exod. 14.4 When God would raise his honour out of Pharaoh he sets him upon a stage He might have beene slaine amongst the first borne but hee brings him into the middest of the Sea and there slew him This passed not without observation insomuch that the Heathens could say These are the Gods that slew Pharaoh c. What should bookes doe if there were no schollars The world is the booke of Gods goodnesse wherefore should this be if there were no man to studie it Use 1. The first use is of instruction Dutie to God in this respect to teach us what our duty should be to God since his kindnesse is such to us Adam was a common root therefore what Adam had thou hast in him Hence then take notice of the extraordinary duty wee owe unto God Hath God done more for us then for other creatures then let us do more for him All the world joyned together have not received so much as man As the excellency of man is above all so his care should be to returne more to God bestow the best affections the utmost labour for the promoting of the praise of God What a shame is it for a Prince to turne a Peasant for Adam the best to become the worst If the dog returne to the vomit and the sow to the wallowing in the myre if the horse and mule have no understanding it is their nature but Adam hath not the image of an irrationall creature but the image of God yea of that God that takes it in great indignation that all should serve us we will not serve him The Lord lights his candle for man to labour by he drawes his curtaine for man to rest by the creatures lift us up to God and say Serve him more then all Isaiah 1.2 The Lord makes his moane to the creatures Shall all creatures obey God better then man when man was made better by creation then them When thou findest thy heart sluggish quicken thy selfe thus Aske the fowles of the ayre and they will tell thee thou receivedst all from God returne all unto him againe When thou seest the heavens turne in their compasse condemne thy soule that thou art so dead hearted in duty The Sunne rejoyces like a Gyant to runne his course because God commands it the sea ebbes and flowes because God will have it so Nay the creatures will doe against their nature for God 1. King 13.5 Oh Altar heare the word of the Lord and the Altar breaks in peices the poore stones rend in sunder at the commandement of God and yet after so many threatnings we stoup not let us see it and bee ashamed Ob. But wee cannot obey God Ans Yet see thy bond though thou canst not pay it see thy debt be humbled though thou it not able to satisfie for it Use 2. The second use is It is not for one made after Gods image to dote on the creatures Learne from hence not to be servants to those that God hath made servants to you Wee should not bee doting daily upon these empty shadows because they are unworthy the nature of man Shall the Lord make us better then the best of all creatures and shall wee abase our selves below the meanest condition of the lowest creature Think of this that wee may consider whence we are fallen as God speakes to that Church in Rev. 2. The drunkard is a slave to his cups the covetous man is a drudge to the dirt of this world the ambitious mans being is the favour of men Nay more man is become not onely a slave to the creatures but a vassall to his owne lusts Let us be ashamed of this The Apostle 1 Cor. 3.21 when divers had disputed of the excellency of Paul and Apollo sayes Hee all is yours therefore glory not in your servants The argument fals more strongly here Bestow not your selves on these empty things they are your servants bee not vassals to them Men beare themselves according to their birth the King scornes to stoup to a Peasant and a man of Nobility scornes to stoup to a dung-hill churle Oh that wee were thus wise for our soules beare up your selves according to your birth and thinke thus with your selves When profits and pleasures crave your services a man should conceive in an holy ambition that his heart were too good to trust to lying vanities Man is of a better birth and should answer them as Christ did the Pharisies comming to tempt him Matth. 22.21 who when they asked if it were lawfull to give tribute to Caesar requireth a penny askes them Whose image superscription hath it They answering Caesars saith Give unto Caesar that which
is Caesars and to God that which is Gods so ask this question Whose superscription doth this nature beare Gods then give to God the things that are Gods Let vanity be bestowed upon the world but thy soule hath Gods image give it him If a creature be strayed or stollen though it be disfigured yet when it is found we returne it againe to the owner so thy Mind Will and Affections are straying from God Satan hath stollen them from the familie of the Almighty Though thy soule be disfigured yet it's Gods returne it home to him 1 Pet. 2.25 wee are as sheepe going astray and fall now and then into a ditch but now let us returne unto the Arch-bishop of our soules §. 2. NOw wee come to the particular unfolding of this image and the point is this Doct. The image of God was imprinted in the whole man God sayes not Gods image in the whole soule Let us make a body or a soule but man in our image It was not with Adam as with children in regard of their naturall parents If the child bee but eyed like his father wee say He hath a brow like his father and nothing else It was not thus with Adam but as it is with the picture of a man if it bee drawne to the full proportion there is a resemblance in every part so it was with him there was never a part of his body or soule but there was in them a proportion of those vertues which are in God infinitely Gen. 2. ult They saw themselves naked and were not ashamed the meaning is The eye of their consciences saw nothing within to ashame them the eye of their bodies saw nothing without that was shamefull but when they had sinned not only the eye of their consciences was open to accuse them for sin but the eye of their bodies ashamed to behold that stained which before was void of blemish Qu. What reasons may bee alledged to prove this Answ The reasons are three 1. Looke where sin takes place after the nature of man defiled there was the image of God before now sinne reignes in the whole man Sinne and the image of God are both of a breadth The privation of a thing can bee no where but where the thing was blindnesse is no where but where sight was or might have beene death is no where but where life was or might have beene so sin could be no where but where the image of God was or might have beene Sinne is like leaven that leaveneth the whole lumpe there is no whole part in man from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot therefore the image of God was in the whole man Matth. 15 1◠Out of the heart come evill thoughts There is the throne of sinne but Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies Thus is the kingdome of sin described for that a man is as it is full of all unrighteousness Rom. 1. The heart is full of malice and the hand is full of bloud the heart is adulterous and the eye wanton the members the members of an Harlot as the Apostle speaks for if profanenesse be once in the heart the hand is full of mischiefe If then the whole man bee deprived of Gods image by sinne then the whole man had the image of God before sinne Reas 2. The image of God was restored to the whole man by Christ What Christ restores that Adam had Christ renewes what was before made now Christ restores the whole man by sanctification which is clear by Scripture For it is called to this purpose the new man not a new eye or a new hand but the new man Those are two pregnant places 1 Thes 5.23 The God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray that your whole spirit and soule and body may be blamelesse unto the comming of Christ and 2 Cor. 5.17 He that is in Christ is a new creature He is not a monster but a creature This new creature hath all the parts of a creature New thoughts new endevours the eye sees chastely the tongue talkes holily all things are new both in body and soule If then the whole man had the image of God repaired then the whole man had the image of God created Reas 3. Because the whole nature of man was bound to the Law to obey it therefore it must be fitted by the image of God to obey it That all parts are under the law it is cleare the Scripture provides a precept for every part The eye must not lust The hand must labour Let him that stole steale no more but work with his hands Eph. 4.28 The Law hath a charge likewise for the tongue Let your words bee gracious Col. 3. Thus the Law reaches to the out-side and for the in-side it is cleare Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soule with all thy strength c. Unlesse the whole man had had the image of God it could not have obeyed the Law Otherwise the damned in hell or the wicked could obey Gods Law the soule is the same in substance so that if the soule as it is a soul could obey the Law the damned in hell might It was not Adams soule but the image of God that inabled him to obedience therefore he must have this image before either his body or soule could obey A man speakes Latine not because he is a man but because he is a schollar a man builds an house cunningly not because he is a man for then every man might doe it but by man might doe it but by vertue of the cunning of a Carpenter it is not the soule in regard of the essence of it it is not the body in regard of the being thereof that inables a man to keepe the Law The Devils in hell have an Understanding and Will but they cannot love God The essence of the soule will not doe it but the frame that God puts into it Use The use in Generall is this A triall of true sanctification Thou mayest hereby perceive whether thou wert ever sanctified for if so thou hast the image of God in thee and if it bee in thee it is imprinted upon thy whole man so Adam had it so Christ renewes it 1 Pet. 1.15 Be holy in all manner of conversation It is not enough to have an outside this is no argument of true grace but if ever thou beest sanctified all is made new Hee that is in Christ is a new creature It is a monstrous thing to have the eye of a Saint and the heart of a Devill to have the hands of Esau and the voyce of Jacob to howle and cry for sin and yet to retaine our old corruptions This is not to bee renewed but to be patched up a piece holy and a piece unholy Away with these appearances if ever you be sanctified the whole man must be changed When ever a man comes to meddle with a gracious
will kill him it is a signe thou hast a toadish nature that canst digest these lusts Gen. 15. ult Esau went away carelesly when hee saw that hee lost his birthright I confesse it is possible for a carnall heart to grieve for these distempers but it is either when a man hath monstrously befooled himselfe or when conscience flies in his face What you go to heaven Therefore a man on these termes may crouch not because of sin but of disgrace or the sting of conscience that lies in his bosome 2. The Saints when they are thus it is but a pang they come to their cold temper againe and they then will welcomly entertain the word and desire that it would discover their sinne A gracious heart cares not what the man bee that discovers his sinne whether he bee friend or enemy whether a good man or a bad man Hee lookes not at the man but at the goodness of the command 1 Sam. 1.17 Eli when he had been indulgent and the Lord threatned him for it hee saith to Samuel 1 Sam 3. Hide nothing from mee Jonah being in a sullen fit forsakes Gods command but this is but in a push in cold blood hee is otherwise David that had the heart of a Lyon he would not leave a man alive in Nabals house yet Abigail a woman makes him say Blessed be thou Chap. 25. thy counsell here was a gracious heart that could submit to the counsell of so mean a person But a wicked man cannot abide to have his corruption crossed they are so incorporated into it that they cannot live without it This was it that made the young man go away sorrowfull They murmure against their instructers as the Hebrew said to Moses Exod. 2.14 What wilt thou slay mee as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday Let every cup stand upon his owne bottome what have you to doe with mee c. A wicked man may bite the lip for the present and say I thanke you for your counsell yet he will goe away and fit you an evill turne But the godly come and acknowledge plainely These passages and grace cannot stand together and therefore they will submit to the truth with all their heart A wicked man will use all means to undermine the truth and misconstrue it and if any man will joyn side with him hee will fly out desperately but if hee cannot avoid it hee will like the dogge bite the stone if hee cannot have his will of the man hee will owe him a grudge The Saints will say The Word of the Lord is good strike here at this sin Esa 39.8 smite home 3. The Saints are not only carefull to have their sinnes outwardly mortified but their lives reformed they do not complain of this and that and yet maintaine it no hee that is burthened with sinne will part with it Luk. 2.8 When Christ came crooked things were made straight not onely mountaines were brought low but rough things were made smooth So in the Saints of God there is not onely a new tongue to talke of religion but a new heart and new affections It is possible for a godly man by the power of tentation to bee led aside yet you shall alwayes finde him on the mending hand and so in conclusion forsakes sin I do not say he will bee now and then drunk and the like for we doe not read of those that after they accustome themselves to gross sins do ordinarily rise again but I speake of some boysterous distemper which breaks out yet I say hee will bee of the mending hand As a man in an Ague when nature growes strong his Ague will leave him so if a man bee overtaken with these if grace grow strong hee will leave them else hee erres from the nature of true repentance You know what God calls for when hee requires repentance Isa 1.24 Cease to doe evill learne to doe well Jer. 26.3 Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the imaginations of his heart This is repentance this the Saints have done as holy Job speaks chap. 34.32 If I have done iniquity I will doe so no more Psalm 18.23 I have kept my selfe from mine iniquity Gal. 5.24 They that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof the flesh is sin the lusts thereof are the violent distempers thereof hee that hates sinne kils these Can any man kill the roote and the blossome flourish so can the root of sinne bee killed and the fruit thrive It cannot be Again morality can make a man somewhat qualified and cannot grace much more shall a Heathen bridle himselfe and not a gracious man That cannot be But a wicked man gives way to and continues in his course without any amendment and that 's the reason why they fall to day and fall to morrow and continue in it Jer. 8.6 He takes fast hold of iniquity and rusheth into it as the horse rusheth into the battell for a man customarily usually to bee transported with these boysterous distempers this is the spot of the wicked no righteous man can alwaies bee thus for hee hath not that depth of wickednesse in him yet upon some occasion hee may and doth fall into sin You see how the godly are and how the wicked behave themselves The wife railes and the husband out of a kind of sottish Nabalnesse if any thing fall crosse makes the wife and child pay for it This is ordinary these are the plague-sores of our townes also the servant if hee be admonished then hee flies out and warning must bee given presently to be gone These are the spots of profession now-adaies Use 2. It is a word of instruction Grace ordering the affections brings the most quiet life That a gracious heart brings most quiet to a mans life that takes away the greatest troubles that is most peaceable Nothing can trouble a gracious heart unlesse hee trouble himselfe It is not the blowing of the winde that shakes the earth but the wind is got into some hollow of the earth and the shaking comes from within so when there is envie malice within these breed hatred without and these shake our holds whereas were these removed were a man quiet at home hee should never be troubled from without It is not a mans condition but his corruption that breeds discontent therefore St. Paul saith I can abound and be poor hee had quiet within him Looke as it was with our Saviour Math. 8. when the winds arose hee commands them to cease so it is in the Lords power to rule these distempers nothing under heaven can quiet a man thus enraged but grace Goe to God to take away thy unrulinesse Grace makes a man on Gods side and therefore there can bee no dissention if God takes away any thing the good soule is content if hee will have any thing the soule yeelds it and so here is no trouble §. 8. Quest WHat was the image of God in
full streame of immutable assistance had carried him on daily in his service This is the happinesse of a Saint in heaven not only to be freed from misery and anguish or to have joy and delight a man was not made only for these but to please God If it were possible for a sinfull creature to carry a proud heart to heaven hee were miserable but if a man have holinesse all sweet content is his This is but the second part of happinesse Qu. Why did God make this covenant with Adam Answ This covenant observed had added immutability to Adams happinesse Because it was the only way to conveigh an immutable condition to Adam God had furnished him with all things nothing was wanting but immutability and constancy Immutability is an essentiall property belonging to God Mal. 3.6 Jam. 1.17 therefore it was impossible that any immutable quality should bee put into Adam If Adam had made use of Gods continuall assistance sustaining him though hee were in himselfe mutable yet hee could never have changed A glasse though it bee brittle yet hold it in a mans hand continually it will never break so though Adam were brittle yet if hee would have kept him in the hands of Gods assistance he could not change Adams obedience was an helpe hereto had Adam done Gods will hee had pleased God Gods pleasure is himselfe himselfe is immutable therefore hee must have an immutable assistance The damned in hell did offend God and provoke his displeasure his displeasure was unchangeable therefore he delivereth them up to the authority of sinne to be unchangeably sinfull and perish everlastingly so it was here with Adam Gods pleasure was immutable therefore he pleasing him God must reward him answerably Use 1. The first Use is of Instruction Impossible to bee saved by the Law it is impossible for any man to bee saved by the works of the law Why He that will bee saved by the covenant of works must performe the conditions of the covenant but no man can do this for the law requires personall obedience that is that which comes from his owne power and constant obedience in all things at all times without any failings therefore no man being able to do this no man can have life by his works Rom. 3.20 By the law a man hath knowledge of sinne now if the law discovers a mans sinne and pronounce him guilty of death it cannot save him Gal. 3.10 They that will be saved by the works of the law are cursed for cursed is every man that continueth not in all these things to doe them If a man breake the law but once though hee never breake it more hee could not be saved by it It is impossible for a man to keep the law since the fall and therefore it is impossible for the law to save him Gal. 4.21 Cast out the bond-woman and her son The law begets children to bondage it shewes a man his bondage in sinne and condemnes him for it Adams sin is rightly charged upon us Use 2. Wee learne hence not to repine at the Providence of God not to charge God foolishly because the sin of Adam is imputed to us We have in our hearts the old Proverbe of Judah Our Fathers have eaten sowre grapes and our teeth are set on edge See saith some man Adam hath sinned and shall I be punished Thus the soul snarles at God like a chained dog Labour to quiet all such distempers If Adam had performed the law thou wouldst have beene content to have been happy why then is it not equall that since he broke the law thou shouldst bee plagued It was the argument Job used to his Wife Job 2.10 Shall wee receive good at the hands of God and not evill So when the heart begins to rise against God saying Adam sinned and shall I be plagued Thou speakest foolishly shall wee receive good if he had kept the law and shall we not receive evill since hee hath broke it Are you content to partake of the mercy of Christ and not to partake of Adams sinne who stood in your stead Use 3. The third Use is of direction To live holily get the Spirit of promise how to get power to carry us on in a Christian course If thou wilt stand fast have recourse to that which may support thee have recourse to the Spirit in the promise Our grace is feeble but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and it will make thee to endure Rev. 14. The reason why the grace of the Saints of God is feeble is because they have not recourse to the Spirit We look to our owne pits no wonder then if the streams of grace be dry have recourse to the fountaine which is Christ 1 Sam. 2.9 10. No man shall prevaile by his owne strength Say as David Psalm 51.14 Stablish mee with thy free Spirit my spirit is feeble and unconstant but doe thou stablish mee Isa 40.29 The strong men shall faile if they trust in themselves but hee that putteth his trust in the Lord shall renew his strength like the Eagle Hence many a weake Christian liveth and dyeth comfortably when as the stronger stagger all their daies because the one trusts to Christ the other to his owne abilities This David makes the foote of a Psalme Psal 136. The mercy of the Lord endureth for ever bee sure therefore to repose thy selfe on that most constant bottome §. 12. Gen. 2.9 And God set two trees in the garden NOw we come to the seals of this Covenant Of the Sacraments of life to Adam and those were two trees the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evill Trees types by Gods appointmēt They were not bare trees but set apart by Gods appointment As water in Baptisme is set apart to be significant to typifie spirituall Baptisme so did the Lord appoint these for a significant end They were naturall trees but had a kinde of institution by God touching the termes of agreement betweene him and Adam Concerning these trees wee must enquire foure things 1. The reason why God appointed them 2. The nature of them 3. The reason of their diversity Why appointed of God 4. The use of the whole For the first of these Why they were appointed I answer God did appoint them for a double end 1. To perswade Adam of his faithfulnesse that hee would put it out of question that hee purposed seriously to doe what hee promised Not that God needed this for any weaknesse on his part but to condescend to the infirmity of Adam When a man hath sealed to a covenant hee cannot fly off therefore the Lord did it to make all sure and to fence them against the policy of Sathan who told the woman shee should not dye Gen. 3.5 As if he should say God grudges at your happinesse hee knowes if you eate you shall live Therefore the Lord sets his seale to certifie Adam
that they would resolve hee should bee theirs whatsoever he cost them oh that our hearts were thus set upon the means When the Lord hath shewed thee the necessity of them and God hath revealed himselfe oh I say hold fast there let not that opportunity goe it will be a marvellous folly if thou dost and it will deprive thine heart of much benefit nay thou maist lose thy soule by such dallying when you have time and opportunity and yet lose it sure it is for want of attendance Likewise the children of God must pray privately besides this for they have private sins as well as other sins Attend not looke not after temptations but attend upon the means Many men when they come to market wil fall about their homely occasions that which they should doe at home they doe in the market just so it is here when the Minister is preaching then they are reading or praying or conferring oh this is a sinfull thing you must doe your owne businesse at home and not neglect the opportunity before you 3. Wee must lay aside yea lay by those that are the best commodities and most necessary Wee see Trades-men need many things but those things that are most profitable and necessary they will be sure to have and if their purse will reach and hold out they will buy other things afterward Hee will buy bread now on the one side and cloth on the other side bread hee must have for his family to feed them and cloth hee must have to cloath them and if his money will hold out then haply hee will buy some lace or a rattle for his child So I say you have the choyce of all favours and of all mercies now provide that which is most necessary First seek the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 This is the maine thing it is of necessity that the soule should be saved What is here meant by the Kingdome of God Some say It is the kingdome of glory others the kingdome of grace but how can a man seek the kingdome of glory but first hee must have the kingdome of grace before that of glory And how shall a man attaine to this The Lord hath vouchsafed it to none but to those that do seek it in his ordinances it is to bee had by the preaching of the Gospel of grace Was there ever any man ordinarily converted but by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 for Faith comes by hearing c. This Word is the word of the Kingdome first seeke that by which faith is bred by which Christs righteousnesse is made ours make this sure to thy soule for this is that you cannot be without this is that which David desired Ps 27.4 This is that I will require Lord saith hee that I may dwell in the house of the Lord and see thy face in the beauty of holinesse You make little of the preaching of the Gospel and never regard it but David was glad of it O Lord saith hee One thing I have desired whether I have health or no life or no I care not but one thing Lord I crave that I may see thy face in the beauty c. For this did Christ commend Mary Martha Lu. 10.42 Martha thou art cumbred about many things and much businesse but Mary hath chosen the better part that shall never be taken from her Whether is the soule better then the body A child of God will say The soule is best Whether is prayer better then profit heaven better then earth if prayer and heaven bee the better then let the earth stay let commodity stay let profit stay let heaven and salvation be served first This dashes the dreames of many men that will not stir out of their shops though they may well bee spared will rather lose the Word of God then lose the profit of six pence Oh see now come and lay these things together and see the difference between them Ob. But some will say they will have them but lay them by yet and afterward they will bargaine Answ But deferre not the time Now what will you give for them Me thinks I heare mens soules say O mercy mercy is worth a thousand worlds Oh what availes it to be rich and miserable honourable and accursed You little ones what say you Do not you wish for mercy O mercy mercy without mercy we are for ever wretched oh it is mercy that wee live and are not sent quick to hell But now will you buy it you shall have it cheape enough What will you give Now wee come to the maine You must give as the market goes and on Gods termes for you must not thinke that God will save you with wishing Oh no no he will not But now Will you buy them Then bid faire you must part with all your sinnes away with the proud heart and away with the world and the pleasures thereof Now see how the world replyes First young ones reply We have no wit nor understanding well you must beleeve else you must perish The old man sayes I am weake and feeble well you must get faith or else you must perish too Now you know the price of it you must provide to pay it Mat. 13.44 There it is said The wise merchant when he found the pearl went and sold all that he had to buy it That was a great price Thou must sell all to buy this if thy lust bee as deare to thee as thine eye thou must part with it if thou hast a proud heart thou must downe with it if a man have a faire estate and so many hundreds and such lands and such and such wares in his shop if God require it hee must part with it all The drunkard must part with his cups and the whoremonger with his queans unlesse yee doe part with these ye cannot have Christ this is the price of it Returne to me an answer whether you will have it or no that I may returne an answer to the Lord that hee may preserve it for you See that of Judas Acts 12.24 He would rather have the 30 pence yea he would betray his Lord for it and he had it but hee came againe with horrour of conscience and threw it away and threw away himselfe too for hee went and hang'd himselfe and now hangs in hell for ever It is an easie matter for a man to tell over his money but not so easie to make the heart willing to part with it but if you will not part with it now there will come a time at the day of death and then the covetous man will say Here take my money that I have got by oppression and the drunkard will say Here take my cups Then I say now part with them be wise merchants part with them now and the match is made Then now resolve Is it mercy saith the soule then it is enough Lord take all though I never see a good day
more if it be mercy then Lord take all my God I will have my God I must have so that now the decree is set downe what ever it cost I will have it Act. 11.23 and now I see the commodity is faire and the offer is kind As a merchant if he have a great stock some in corne some in houshold-stuffe and land and cattell if he sees a bargaine he will sell all that hee hath yea leave himselfe neither shoppe nor house and all to buy this purchase so I beseech you play the wise men here 's a deale of time spent in eating and drinking and sleeping and recreating and apparrelling and company-keeping and bowling and vaine things Play now the wise men now God must have time prayer must have time and now a stubborne heart will aske a great deale of time to batter down many a sigh and many a tear and many a prayer now no more apparrell then will serve the turne c. What a deale of tricking and trimming there is for the body It might fare well with the soule if it were but served as our sinkes are many times what washing and scouring have they Away with this tricking and trimming if you doe not leave it it will cost the setting on if God require more then this Be wise for your soules if you have not time enough then put off your pleasure nay and put off the world too nay put off friends put off all sell all No marvell indeed though many men say I marvell how such a man lives and runs up and downe so much oh let them know there is a purchase in hand that will well requite both his paines and cost Doe not then stand higling with God and break off for a little odd money For many say I would serve God but my friends will forsake me and I would come to Gods house on the week day but the boyes in the streete would laugh at me I say why will you dodge with God in this manner Wil your friends save you When you lie on your death-beds and your consciences accuse you and you cry out Now friends save mee they cannot for they may perish and you too Oh away with this dallying with God What if your Landlord frowne on you what if your father forsake you Resolve thus What though I have the frowne of men I have the favour of God What though the world be gone yet heaven is my comfort happiness that 's not gone Then say I 'll dodge no longer with God Saint Augustine stuck fast to his corruptions yet To morrow Lord and to morrow hee would leave them and yet he prayed against them and at last hee read the place in the Romans Lay aside chambering and wantonnesse c. and then he said Why not to day Lord and so strooke through the bargaine You see the commodity if you will have it speake if you have it not you may go away and repent you of it as long as you live Now I pray you answer me Will you have grace will you have salvation and will you buy this and give as the market goes tell mee doe not delay while to morrow Why not to day O let your soules answer and say Yea Lord to day Take all onely save my soule Come what will come I 'll have it Then now the businesse is ended the bargain is made go and take the condition it is yours 4. Buy not onely for time present but for future times If thou hearest the Word of God now then store for thy soule Let this day bee a day of reconciliation and then you may say at such a day the Lord afforded you grace and you bargained and that the Lord knowes it Keepe that by you that when Sathan tempteth you and saith unto you Have you any grace you may recall this and say I provided such a day against such a question and I remember the time place and stone I stood on and the Minister that spake and the Lord is my witnesse Oh store up it is the part of a wise man so to doe Isa 42.23 Who attends that hee may heare for afterward Joh. 16.4 These things saith Christ I speake unto you that in the time to come yee may remember them So yee see the opportunities of grace the market day for it then go home cheared and having gotten grace keepe it by you Hee that was content to sell all hee had the pearle This will cheare you to sell all to get Christ and keepe him by you In the last place When the match is made then in all other things you doe you must change the property of them you must now trade for grace use the world as if you used it not and you must not live to your selves but to God you must trade for God and walke with God You see how you must bestow your labour and paines else heaven will not bee had If you aske the maner how you must seek these things it must be in the first place Come to the market betimes and see the choyce and buy the best upon any termes and store up for the time to come and then buy other things You must seeek grace in the first place when you are at the meanes you must bestow your heart on the means and when you have seene the bargaines lay aside those that are more necessary and then part with all to have them and thus store up for the future And Lastly Use all outward means no otherwise then to help you forward to speed To proceed Now wee must retaine in our callings three things 1. Wee must use them so that they must give way to spirituall things I would not have trades-men so set to their callings as that they will give no liberty for prayer and for hearing of the Word of God Let commodity let profit go to the wall rather then to let prayer and the Word to fall and to be neglected First seek the Kingdome of God As any man will doe if there come two men to him if the one be better then the other he will bid the other stand by till his betters be served so it is here God is better then commodity then profit then let God be served first let dutie be performed first 2. We must so use our callings as that we may bee the better fitted to perform more duty to God It is very fit wee should have some tast of God in our daily imployments that we may thereby be the better fitted for his service As a man takes a cup of sack before supper not that he makes a meale of it but to make way for his meale just so we should have our hearts more enlarged by it to performe our duties every way to take notice of Gods favour and kindnesse towards us 3. We must keep heavenly minds in earthly or worldly occasions and that is a marvelous hard thing this is the reason that the Saints of
God being snatcht away by so many worldly occasions and so many businesses that their hearts many times come to be deaded and dulled But a man should use them no further but that his heart may bee enlarged to God Looke what good wee finde in our trade let us bee led by that to see what goodnesse is in God who is the fountaine of all good When we see that great good and the commoditie that comes in to us then let us see the riches of God and seeing this is so good what should wee think of the goodnesse of God Let us see his goodnesse in it for unlesse the Lord smile on us what avails it for us to bee rich what to be rich and to be damned this is very pitifull But what is the reason men are so backward in buying these things how shall wee doe to bring men to bid like chapmen The reason to perswade them may bee taken from two grounds 1. The excellency of the commodity 2. The time wee have to purchase it I. To make the first plaine The excellency of the cōmodity to be bought these three arguments are to be taken from the commoditie 1. Because the meanes of grace and salvation is a thing of as great excellencie and price as can bee therefore in reason wee should lay downe a price for them For the better the commodity is all wise men will lay down answerably The price of salvation is a great price because there is nothing better that is or can be desired Pro. 4.7 Wisdome is a precious thing but above all things get understanding The world honours pleasures may be got but Wisedome is best of all therefore get that first For all the things here below are vaine things because they are lying vanities but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 and that will make us endure for ever too if wee are humbled by it The Word of the Lord will stand by us for it is an immortall Word and it will make us immortall also it will stand so by us as it will make us live for ever and it will cheare our soules when nothing in the world will Phil. 2.13 Wee must work out our salvation with fear and trembling Now the manner how wee shall doe this is not by making our selves rich in this world and getting the things thereof but by getting grace that it may goe well with us this is the maine thing that wee may get the love of God to get our soules to be humbled and cast down Now if this bee the best as it is then in all reason it requires the greatest price Is it so that the Word of God will endure for ever will stand by you and save you then if you give a price for any thing give most for that 2. As the meanes of grace is best and of greatest worth so it is most necessary for us What is the reason that men buy commodities Because they have need of them as if a man should say This I must have and I have need of it Gold is better then silver and pearls then both but bread is best of all for all these must be left for it a poor man will part with silver and gold and all for bread for that he must have Now there is nothing so necessary as for the soule to be saved for if a man want any thing else hee may make a shift if he be poor haply his friends be rich and they will relieve him well but if the soule have sinned and is become miserable by reason of sin oh what hope what help but only from God! Therefore that is most needfull without it the soule is starved famish'd And what though you have mony yet your soul may perish and goe downe to hell What 's that to the soul for a man to bee rich or what is that to the soule to have the person applauded and have abundance of all things and the poore soule is starved and famish'd and wants all things Me thinks I heare your soules cry out The body that 's cloathed the house filled and the shop that 's stored oh sayes the soule I shall bee damned all is provided for only I shall smart for it I shall pay for all I shall goe to hell for it I beseech you think of it The time will come when you will prize mercy and cry out for it When thou liest on thy death bed when thou art breathing out thy last breath then one dram of mercy Lord and then one dram of faith Lord then it wil be worth a world to thee Mat. 23. It is said there the foolish Virgins cry out Wee have no oyl oh lend us some oh then Lord open unto us One day the poor soule will have need of mercy You see that it is most necessary then buy it lest you bee forced to borrow and cannot have it So then there is but one needfull thing Luk. 11. ult It is not of necessity to be rich it is not of necessity to be honourable but oh this is of necessity that thy sins should bee pardoned thy person accepted and thy soule saved 3. Here is a point of great christian policy for in getting of grace and salvation you shall get all other commodity with it and all other good things It is the best husbandry to buy that which will bring in most good For all outward comforts and contentments that this life can afford they come all in this As a man that sees such a tree and such an acre of ground if it likes him he will not go to buy that but he will buy the Lordship and then all the trees are his and all the ground is his So this is our misery we stand puddling our selves here for a little honour and for a little riches go I say and buy the Lordship and then all will be made sure unto thee Pro 3.14 15 16. Get wisdome for life and honour are on her right hand and riches and pleasure are on her left hand c. First seek the kingdome of heaven and all other things shall bee cast in upon you So that a good man compares all this outward commoditie to pack thred paper which if a man goes into a shop and buyes wares he shall have into the bargaine for nothing So here get once grace and then all things else you shall have into the bargaine for Godlinesse is great gain it hath the promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. You may sit and sing Care away for all is yours heaven is yours the earth is yours It is a marvellous folly in men who take a wrong course to thrive If you would bee rich then Consider your owne wayes and your hearts and turne unto the Lord Hag. 1.16 for that is the way It is not all the policie and the carping and caring in the world that will make a man rich for
house depending upon Gods direction and blessing in the land unto which hee would bring him and where hee had engaged himselfe to blesse him and yet he was not perswaded of that speciall branch of the Covenant that he would give him a childe out of his loynes which should bee an heire to him as the text plainely testifieth Gen. 15.3 Now both these acts of faith are here required and the last is principally intended so that the full sense of the Doctrine seems to be this He that will speed in prayer must put forth the vertue of faith to beleeve in particular the obtaining of that he prayes for Jam. 5.15 The prayer of faith shall save the sick He saith not The prayer of a faithfull man but the prayer of faith as though the Apostle had spoken thus It 's not the man so much that must pray as faith in the man that must frame and follow those petitions which we put up if ever wee speed Mar. 11.33 Whatsoever yee aske praying beleeve you shal receive it that is the very particular which you beg for shall bee given you For the clearing of the Point we will enquire 1. What it is to pray in faith 2. The Reasons why hee that doth begge in faith shall receive To pray in faith according to the sense of the Doctrine implyes 3. things 1. Faith sees and settles upon the fulnesse of the sufficiency and the freenesse of the riches of grace in Christ which is able every way to supply it and to satisfie abundantly all the necessities which can befall the soule and this gives ground and encouragement unto faith to go to God because there is enough to be-had and therefore it 's likely it shall speed of that it would have Thus Abraham Rom. 4.20 Hee beleeved that God who had promised was able to give a childe though his body were not able to beget one being now dead Sarahs wombe was not able to conceive one being now barren therefore he counted it bootlesse to consider of them but being fully assured that God was able was encouraged to go to him to rely upon him by faith This al sufficiency gives footing or foote-hold to our faith 2. As the riches of goodnesse encourageth faith for to pray so in the second place it closeth with the spirit in the promises sets that on worke and fetches vertue from thence whereby it may bee enabled for to pray for it is not faith that of it self puts forth prayer by its owne power immediately but that that closeth w th sets the spirit of Christ in the promise on worke by the lively efficacie whereof the heart comes to bee quickned on and carried forth comfortably to this dutie Hence the Apostle We know not what to aske as wee ought but the Spirit helps our infirmities and it makes request A man must not fetch his prayer from his parts as will memory understanding or abilitie but from the Spirit who is the prayer-maker Jude 18. praying in the holy Ghost 3. Faith by the riches of Gods grace being encouraged and by the spirit enabled and set on worke to prayer carries the heart unto God and holds it with God untill it hath mercy Gen. 32.26 I will not let thee go until thou bless me For 1. Faith puts wings to a mans desires or if you will Faith closing with the Spirit that puts fire to our petitions lifts up our prayers and causeth them to come in unto the Lord and lay hold upon him hope expects and desire longs and the will rests and makes choyce of God and then holds there and so all lie at God dayly that is the first 2. It will not leave God untill it see his power and wisedome faithfulnesse and mercy goe forth to the accomplishment of that that hath been desired faith followes the blow home and rests not untill it see the wisdome of God contriving and his faithfulnesse and power effecting the thing craved jogs the everlasting arme of Gods power and providence and mercy to worke forth good of such whose necessities are pitied jogs the everlasting displeasure and just indignation of the Lord and followes it home to the heads and hearts of the enemies of Christ whose ruine is desired Faith goes not to meanes first but goes to God that he may worke with meanes without means above means against means Faith will not neglect means but faith goes to God to provide means and to goe out with them and to give a blessing to them It befalleth a faithfull man in this case as it doth sometimes a poore tenant oppressed by the injury and cruelty of the steward he repaires to the Nobleman himselfe intreats so much favour from him that he would injoyne his steward to deale equaly and justly with him the honourable personage easily grants so equall a request and therefore bids him tell his steward It is his minde that he should deale fauourably with him the poore man replyes Alas Sir he will not passe for my speech nor respect my words I beseech you let mee have but two words in writing or a token from you and then I am perswaded hee will not dare but do your command and when that is obtained hee knowes his desire will be effected so faith gets a Letter under Gods hand the Lord sends a token of his displeasure and indignation a token of vengeance and terrour by the prayer of faith as by a Post or Pursuivant unto the hearts of the wicked to chide Laban over night to calme the heart of cruell and fierce Esau and then it 's certaine all shall goe well Thus Jacob strove with God and would not away from the promise before hee had it under Gods own hand Thou hast said thou wilt deale well with thy servant and I will not leave thee till thou sendest this message to the heart of Esau that hee may know it is thy minde at last the Lord granted and then all the mischiefe was stopped Thou hast prevailed with God and thou shalt prevaile with man Reason 1. Unbeliefe binds Gods hands as it were that he cannot give and stops the current of Gods kindnesse that he cannot conveigh that mercy wee beg and need for as God hath decreed to give a blessing for any thing so hee hath appointed and decreed faith to bee the means to conveigh it If therefore we will not beleeve we cannot expect what wee desire God cannot give it because hee cannot deny himselfe nor crosse his decree nor alter the word the oath that is gone out of his mouth for marke Hee could doe no great thing because of their unbeliefe Reason 2. Unbeliefe intercepts the blessing upon the meanes that those meanes which God hath appointed for our good God neither goes out with them nor workes by them but the streame of providence is turned another way Asa trusted to the Physician therefore the phisick could not help him Conceive a streame able to carry and conveigh a
of his heart to the well-pleasing of God are all conveighed and communicated to the soule by the Sacrament and to bee received therein 2. You must understand how this is communicated to the soule in the Sacrament Quest How is pardon and power conveighed unto mee by the Sacrament Ans I answer This comes from a right discerning of the body and bloud of Christ when I can see beyond the outward elements and see the spirit of Christ undoubtedly communicating the spirituall good as I see the outward elements communicating the temporall good when I can see something beyond bread and something beyond wine and something beyond breaking something beyond pouring out something beyond taking and see as certainly the Spirit of God communicating the spirituall comfort unto my soule as the outward elements would do to my body in this case the Spirit of God doth as certainly communicate assurance of Gods favour power against corruption and to walke with God as the bread doth food to my stomack and the wine sweetnesse to my taste and refreshment to my nature I say the Spirit of the Lord doth as undoubtedly give Christ and his merits the fruit and benefit of them in the forgivenesse of sin and strength against corruption as drynesse goes with the bread and moysture with the wine III. The Character of a sound Christian in seventeen markes Mark I. IF thou canst mourn daily for thy owne corruptions and failings committed yet so as to bee thankfull for the grace received Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Ver. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord c. So then with the minde I my selfe serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne Mar. II. If thou art grieved for the sinnes of the times and places where thou livest Ezek 9.4 And the Lord said unto him goe through the midst of the Citie through the midst of Jerusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that bee done in the midst thereof Psalm 119.136 Rivers of water runne downe mine eyes because men keep not thy Law 2 Pet. 2.8 For that righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds Mar. III. If when thou mournest for the sinnes of the times thou take heed that thou art not infected with them Phil. 2.15 That yee may bee blamelesse and harmelesse the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom yee shine as lights in the world Act. 20.40 And with many other words did hee testifie and exhort saying Save your selves from this untoward generation Jam. 1.27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widow in their affliction and to keep himselfe unspotted from the world 1 Pet. 4.4 Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to same excesse of riot speaking evill of you Mar. IV. If thou endeavourest to get victory over thy corruptions art daily more circumspect over thy waies and more fearfull to fall in time to come 1 Cor. 9 27. But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my waies that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked are before me Job 40.5 Once have I spoken but I will not answer thee yea twice but I will proceede no further Phil. 2.12 Wherefore my beloved as ye have alwaies obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in mine absence worke out your owne salvation with fear and trembling Pro. 28.14 Happy is the man that feareth alway Mar. V. If thou canst chide thy owne heart for the coldnesse and dulness of it to good duties and use all holy means for quickning it up afterward Ps 43.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance my God Ps 57.8 Awake my glory awake psaltery and harp I my self will awake early Isa 64.7 And there is none that calleth on thy name that stirreth up themselves to take hold of thee Judg. 5.12 Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a song arise Barak and lead thy captivity captive thou son of Abinoam Mar. VI. If thou canst be patient under afflictions and better for afflictions Heb. 12.5 And yee have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Heb. 12.11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous neverthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them that are exercised thereby Ps 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy words Jer. 5.3 O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rock they have refused to returne Mar. VII If thy conversation bee in heaven that is if thy thoughts and the course of thy life be heaven-wards Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we looke for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Col. 3.2 Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth Heb. 11.15 And truly if they had been mindefull of that countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned Mar. VIII If thou delight to speak with God in thy praiers and that God should speak to thee in his Word Rom. 8. 26. Likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Joh. 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God Mar. IX If thou art as well content to submit thy heart and life to Gods Word in all things even when it crosses thee in thy profits and pleasures as thou art content to come and hear it Isa 2.3 And many people shall goe and say Come ye and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his waies and we will walk in his paths Ezek. 33.32 And lo thou art to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they heare thy words but they doe them not Mar. X. If thou canst relie constantly by faith on the
Barge speedily to the haven if this streame be stopped or turned another way it will not bee able to carry a Boat because the strength of it runs into another channell so 't is with the streame of providence dammed up and turned another way by distrust Mat. 14.31 when Peter was to walke upon the water all the while he sank not his faith was sure but when a great wave came then hee began to faile the Lord cryes to him Oh thou of little faith not why dost thou sink but why dost thou doubt The word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why art thou divided part of his heart looked to God by faith and so was supported part looked to the waves and feared the greatnesse of them and so was carried downe the streame as plucking himselfe from under the power and providence by which he should have beene supported Reason 3. Unbeliefe indisposeth and unfitteth a man and maketh him uncapable of that mercy he begs and God is willing to bestow Look as it is with a vessell turne the back-side of it to the spout and it will scatter all the water but hold now the hollow side and then it receives it so it is with the soule unbeliefe is the back part of the heart that spils all the mercy and goodnesse that God offers in the promise and will not suffer the least refreshing thereof to come to the heart Jer. 17.5.6 Cursed bee the man that trusts to the arme of flesh and departs from the living God * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall be like a naked shrub for so the originall goes and shall never see when good comes Use 1. The first Use is of terrour to dash the comforts and to daunt the hearts of all unbeleeving sinners under the cope of heaven They have no faith they shall never they can never have any thing at the hands of God for their good His pains is to no purpose his labour is lost his prayers spilt like water on the ground without any profit whoever remains in the estate of unbeliefe let him pray God will never answer him let him seek God will never be found of him let him want and beg till his eyes sinke in his head and his tongue faulter in his mouth and his heart faile in him let him not thinke hee shall ever get any good that hee begs at the hands of God nay the Lord cannot give it unlesse he should deny his owne word alter his decree make a new covenant new Scriptures make a new way to bring a company of unbeleeving wretches to heaven which God will never doe Use 2. Gods people may by way of instruction here see what price they should set on faith and what use they may have of it Faith is not onely necessary for the attainment of eternall life and salvation but is necessary also in the whole course of our lives If you pray faith must helpe you if you seeke God faith must guide you if you fast and purpose to speede carry faith with you You have not more neede and use of your breathing then of your beleeving in a Christian course Use 3. Hence the poore servants of the Lord may take comfort to themselves and cheare up their hearts in the midst of all wants that might discourage in the midst of all miseries that doe any way annoy them Let them but pray in faith and they are sure to obtaine what they pray for for all those wants of theirs are sure to bee supplyed all their miseries are sure to bee removed Goe your way and be comforted you blessed spirits You complaine your mindes are blinde your abilities poore your corruptions great your hearts straight your desires weake be it so yet if your desires be of faith God will grant them if your prayers be of faith God will hear them and accept them Ob. Oh but my wants are many my necessities great and need a great deale of mercy to pardon such sins whereof I am guilty I lack a world of wisedome to direct mee in such straights into which I am cast and yet wretch that I am I am unworthy of what I aske and have abused all that I have received Ans Bee it granted yet what ever you bee what ever you lack it skils not be your person never so unworthy or your wants never so many aske but in faith God cannot but give it Such a man cannot but obtaine what he seeks and therefore may therein be comforted because he is sure to bee satisfied abundantly and never bee upbrayded in what he shall receive Use 4. Lastly Wee have here a ground of encouragement for to call in faith and to be confident to speed and to gaine audience whenever wee call and indeede who would not beg when he shall bee certaine to speede Have but faith in prayer and have whatever ye will at the hands of God in nothing doubt and in nothing miscarry Quest. But how may wee fence our hearts and help our selves against this wavering which we see hath been the bane of our hearts and the overthrow of our prayers Ans Wee must be warie and watchfull for which observe two Rules 1. We must be marvellous fearfull that we enter not into termes of contention with the truth and set up falsehoods by cavellings disputings against the promise as when we grow willing to deceive our selves and to invent subtill pleas how wee may object against the promise and defeat it of the proper powerfull work it would have upon our hearts and deprive our selves of the comfort we might have thereby It 's said Acts 11.2 They of the circumcision * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contended with him it is the same word that is used for * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wavering in the text when we by armies of carnall reasonings and cursed cavellings against the truth of the promise set up a company of surmises and jealousies in our soules to keep off and to stop the entrance of the promise into our hearts are apt to say as Nicodemus did unto our Saviour Joh. 3.9 How can these things be and with Sarah who laughed and said Gen. 18.13 Can Sarah have children in her old age 2. A man is said to waver when hee questions the promise though hee doe not dispute against it This we must be as wary of as of the other Act. 10.39 when the Lord had directed Peter in the vision that hee should not count the Gentiles uncleane he professes he came without gainesaying for when the Lord hath promised and the Word hath spoken wee ought not once to question it but conclude undeniably that it wil be Ps 23. Doubtlesse mercy and truth shall follow mee all the dayes of my life Isa 39. He hath said hee will doe it and not one jot nor one tittle of his Word shall faile which may bee a good ground to keepe our faith from failing and our prayers from
wavering II. A preparative to the Lords Supper COncerning the preparation to the Sacrament three things are considerable 1. How wee may know whether we have a title to the Sacrament yea or no. 2. How to bee prepared for it 3. Thirdly how to reape and receive the benefit of it being so prepared For the first Whether we have a title to the Sacrament or no we will discover it two waies 1. Wee will shew what doth interest the soul thereto 2. What doth not hinder and consequently what also doth hinder the soule from comming Inverting the order First then What doth not hinder I answer briefely and punctually thus Rule 1. First the want of the sense and feeling either of Gods favour towards us or of the present apprehension to our owne sense of Gods grace in us doth not hinder I say that the want of the sense and feeling either of Gods favour to the soule or of the worke of grace in the soule doth not hinder a man The ground of it is this If hee that hath great interest in Gods love may yet notwithstanding not be assured of it in his owne sense if he that hath a great work of grace may yet not be able to apprehend that worke that God gives nay if a man that walkes exactly before God cannot see the power of grace that helps him so to do it is certain this cannot hinder him from the right of comming to the Sacrament But the former may be ergo c. The Rule is undeniable Rule 2. This is no hinderance from comming to the Sacrament that a man findes a deadish heart within him in the performance of service that a man findes a body of death oppressing of him and lying upon him when hee comes to this duty And the reason is this because the soule sometimes when it is most pestered and the heart most deaded and clogged is then truly in the estate of grace and also walkes most humbly before God and labours to depend upon and seek much more for his mercie and to strive most sincerely against its corruptions all which argue that a man is deepely interessed in Gods love and hath an interest in a great measure to the Lord Christ and his Covenant and so consequently to the Sacrament I dare say this That the worst services of a Christian man to his owne sense and apprehension finde most acceptance with God The poorest duties for the performance outwardly are sometimes most perfect Why Because then the heart is most abased in it selfe and then it sees most neede of Christ and then also doth it crave succour and reliefe from Christ therein In a word as inlargements of heart and great freedome and forwardnesse and sufficiencie many times unto duty is accompanyed often with most falsenesse at least wise with most pride and haughtinesse of heart so deadnesse wearinesse untowardnesse inability is many times accompanied with most humility with most brokennesse with most basenesse with most going out of himselfe unto Christ and with most sincerity in approving the heart unto Christ Rule 3. The third Rule is this Former unpreparednesse unto Gods service and haply sometimes to a mans owne sense unprofitablenesse under the Sacrament in the receiving thereof is not should not bee any sufficient hinderance to any faithfull soule to come yet freely hereunto for it skils not what a man hath beene formerly nor what his failings have been in former times at the duty if now those be amended and hee be humbled for them strive against them yea and for the present doth addresse himselfe unto this duty There cannot but be many failings in each mans performances what then if this sinne might hinder then other sins might hinder also but no sin may hinder a man from comming to Christ for it is a great sin not to beleeve in the Lord yet a mans former unbeliefe as it must not keepe him from comming to Christ no more may it hinder him from comming to the Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ Besides shall unprofitablenesse and unpreparednesse before hinder because it is a sinne that should rather make us take heed that we doe not commit a sinne in not comming to the Sacrament when we should for if unpreparednesse and unprofitableness hinders because it is a sin then not comming when wee should come hinders because it argues a sinner Quest How shall I know whether I have the worke of grace and so consequently title to or interest in the Sacrament Answ The first evidence is taken out of 1 Joh. 5.18 He that is borne of God keeps himselfe that the wicked one touches him not We may discover the truth of grace by the worke of grace this is one That a gracious heart keepes himselfe so that the wicked one doth not touch him So that where there is true grace there is power against all corruption and the soule that is truely wrought upon by Christ is enabled by the spirit of the Lord Jesus to master any distemper Quest Why but a man might here say would you have a man so perfect or shall his grace bee so pure and holy that corruption should not be in him nor lodge in his soule Ans I answer The text doth not say so the text saith this The evill one toucheth him not that is closeth not with him fasteneth not upon him doth not domineere over him this is to keepe a man untouched Quest But how shall a man know that hee is only oppressed and foiled by corruption and that yet he is not touched with it Ans That may be perceived on this manner 1. When the soule cannot master corruption as it would and overcome the unruly distempers thereof yet it will stand in the defence of Jesus Christ and will not plead for a base corruption he will not say Oh it is my infirmity it is my nature alas I cannot amend it c. but a gracious heart will come to this hee sees his sinne and observes his distemper and corruption and the heart saith The Law is holy and good the reproofe is good the admonition is good the duty good yea the soule will freely say I have the vilest heart under heaven but the Law is a blessed Law 2. When the soule observes and hates and loathes and discovers and pursues all manner of traiterous devices and rebellious dispositions in others against the Lord Jesus Christ It is certaine hee did never hate sinne in himselfe that joynes or sides with sinne in another mans heart and life 3. Observe what authority or what value or what excellency the Word hath in the account of the soule namely Is thy soul under the supreme government and soveraigne royalty and authority of the truth if it bee then it is a gracious soule It is one thing for a man to have sufficiencie to the discharge of a dutie with strength and promptnesse and another thing to be under the authority of the truth and to submit himselfe