One Heart and one Way Preached 1639. ZACH. 14.9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one GOD leaves not himself without witness nor his Church without witnesses and therefore he did in all ages raise up Prophets not only for his Churches present Direction and Consolation but also to shew unto them what should come to pass in the latter daies God having now opened the graves of his people commanded deliverances for Jacob and turned their captivity as the Rivers in the South sent forth his prisoners by the blood of the Covenant out of the pit in which there was no water Chap. 9.11 being now come again into their own Land they were apt to please themselves with thoughts of ease and peace as if they should now live in an I le of providence where they should enjoy a perpetual summer therefore in this captivity the Lord doth fore-warn them of greater sufferings that they were to undergo in the last times Wherein we have first the Judgement it self denounced setting forth an utter over-throw and a perfect conquest the day of the Lord cometh when the spoil shall be divided in the middle of thee ver 12. which being spoken after their return from Babylon must needs be understood deultima clade of the last destruction of their City and the present dissipation of their Nation Secondly here is a description of their miserable condition at this time the light shall not be clear nor dark ver 6. non stabilis aliqua temporum ratio there shall be nothing certain in doubtful times we are subject alwaies to new fears daily changes are continual dangers quasi in continuo crepusculo it shall be neither day nor night mixtures of hope and fear they cannot say it is so dark as there is an end of their hopes c. nor so light as there is an end of their fears Thirdly after this he comforts his Church with an assurance of deliverance and that by divers Arguments First though it were sharp yet it should be short but as one day for a thousand years with the Lord is but as one day and a day that the Lord knoweth that is he hath limited for the desolations are determined Dan. 9.26 Secondly the issue shall be happy though the day should neither be clear nor dark yet he promises laetum fore exitum the evening shall be light Thirdly the Author of their deliverance shall be Jehovah he that before gathered all Nations against Jerusalem ver 2. he that provided the thorns to scatter Judah provided also the carpenters to fray them away Chap. 1.20,21 then shall Iehovah go forth and fight against this Nation ver 3. Fourthly the manner of the deliverance God shall so do it that he will make it appear to be his work God doth many things by second causes wherein his hand doth not so clearly appear his hand is in his glove his arm in his sleeve but when it doth appear to be wholy his work then he doth make bare his arm in the sight of the Nations Isa 52.10 The Lord should be as plainly seen here as if his feet did stand upon Mount Olivet Fifthly the glorious condition of this Church after this deliverance and that in these particulars First after this Jerusalem shall be made eminent and honourable Ierusalem stood in a Valley and the Mount of Olives hid it that it could not be seen but now the Mount shall cleave asunder in the midst and all shall become a plain what ever might hinder the sight of the glory of the City or else might hinder the flocking in of her own people and of all Nations to her God will remove great obstacles Mounts shall not stand in the way of his people either to hinder their deliverance or to over shaddow their glory Who art thou Oh great Mountain that thou shouldst stand before Zorobabel thou shalt become a plain cap. 4.7 Secondly after this deliverance Jerusalem shall be exalted as the mother Church then living waters shal go forth of Ierusalem unto the uttermost parts of the earth Ver. 8. which was in a measure accomplished when the Law went out of Zion but it was not fulfilled for this fountain in Ierusalem was soon dryed up and therefore here is some further thing aimed at for the promise is summer and winter shall they run and therefore I doubt not from hence to conclude that after the coming in of the Iews great profit and enlargement both in knowledge and graces shall come upon all the Gentile Churches Thirdly the blessed and glorious Government of this state after this deliverance the Lord had for their sins broken both the staff of beauty and the staff of bonds by which he fed them in times past but now he would return and be their King again for so I should rather express he Emphatical particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super totam terram illam And it is exceeding probable that after their conversion the Lord shall in a more glorious manner undertake the Government of that people surely it is not for nothing that it is so often repeated And David my servant shall be their Prince for ever Ezek. 37.24,25 Lastly here is the fruit and consequence of this Government and that is double in this verse Iehovah shall be one and his name one c. We know the name of God is exceeding diversly taken in the Scripture but here I conceive is meant the Religion that God hath set forth in his word and the worship that he hath set up in the Church so I conceive it is used in Mich. 4.5 All people will walk every man in the name of his God we wil walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever that is the greatest part of the world as their gods are Idols so they are addicted unto a superstitious worship of these according to the inventions of men but as our God is but one and his rule of worship one this worship according unto this rule we will keep our selves to and never change for any humane invention so long as the world shall endure So that the meaning of the promise seems to be this whereas before they worshiped many Gods as there be Gods many and Lord many they served both the Idols of their hearts and of their hands now they should turn from dead Idols and serve only the living God they should say What have I to do any more with Idols and then Iehovah shall be one And whereas in the times of their ignorance as they served many Gods so in the worship of these Gods they had many superstitious and carnal rites according as every mans fancy led him and so there were as many names and several names of worship as they had many Gods But now the Lord promiseth that as all the Idols shall be taken away so all Idolatrous and superstitious worship also so that
the tails of two smoking fire-brands and they intend to enlarge their Dominions to take in Iudah and set up a King there No saith God the head of Syria is Damascus I have set them their bounds they are at their height they shall go no further the Lord hath divided the earth then to the sons of Adam but hath divided the earth to the sons of Adam according to the number of the children of Israel the fewest in number of all people the meaning I conceive to be this that the Lord did take special care in the first Division of the earth that he would chuse an inheritance in the earth for this people for so the Psalmist tells us he chose an Inheritance for them so that he that chose a people out of the earth to be his peculiar people he in the division of the earth made choice of a peculiar Inheritance for them certainly the people of God need not fear an Inheritance then When the Lord divided the earth among the sons of Adam he took especial care of them the Lord in all his Providential Dispensations hath a constant respect to his Church and a continual care of them and he adds the reason of it v. 9. though all the earth be the Lords yet the Lords portion is his people this is the first thing that is matter of history in the context Secondly he then sets forth the condition of this people when they were in the wilderness Ver. 10. he found him in a Desart Land in a vast howling wilderness the meaning is not as if this people were strangers to God till then or that the Lord took no notice of them or had no care of them for ever when they were in Egypt Exod. 4. then the Lord 〈…〉 Israel is my son my first born therefore Gods 〈…〉 did not then begin But then they began to be the Lords separated people they were its true Gods people by a Covenant before Now they are brought into a wilderness and separated from other Nations therefore because they then began to be the Lords people by a National Covenant therefore it is said he found them there is indeed another meaning of that expression found that is he is alwaies present with them as a help alwaies found of them so you find the word used Psal 46.1 God is a present help he is a help found in the needful time of trouble and so I conceive that place explains it Hos 9.10 I found Israel as grapes in the wilderness as a poor traveller in a desart wilderness hath a great refreshment by this if he meet with a Vine that hath but a few Clusters upon it so I found Israel in the wilderness which was as great a delight to me even as if a weary Traveller had found Grapes in the Wilderness Thirdly here is a further description of the Land of Canaan Ver. 13. the Lord made them to dwell upon the high places of the earth It was a Land of Mountains and Vallies and upon that account called the high places of the earth but it was a Land also where the Lord destroyed the enemies and carried them without danger in the midst of the greatest dangers thus they were made to walk on the high places of the earth as men that walk on high out of Gun-shot And then fourthly here is the plentie of the Land that flows with milk and honey where they eat the fine kidnies of the wheat and drank the pure blood of the grape a Land wherein there was no lack of any thing that was upon the earth Deut. 8.7,8 all this is but historical In the words that I have read to you comes in that which is Prophetical for Moses did not bring them into the Land of Canaan Moses dyed in the Land of Moab on the other side of Jordan and was gathered to his Fathers It was Ioshua that gave them rest and divided this Land for an inheritance to them Moses prophesied when they came unto the Land of Canaan this shall be their Condition But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked A godly man from a principle of spiritual wisdom without Divination will be able to give a great guess of men what they will be Moses might much guess by seeing how disobedient they had been in the Wilderness what they would prove when they came to Canaan but yet here is a discovery that the Lord made by Revelation to Moses what the condition of this people would be the Lord doth not only certainly know what we are but he knows what in such cases and conditions we will be Nay the Lord knows in those conditions that we shall never be put into what we would be if we were in it this is clear the Lord foretells to Moses what this people would be when they came to the Land of Canaan having such a place and such enjoyments and this is also clear when David was in Keilah shall the men said he give me up to Saul they will give thee up and yet David went out of the City that night and was never given up and according to this we may guess if we consider there are many of us some would have wealth some honour some would have higher imployment some more grace some more comfort some more assurance and the Lord denies it It is because he knows what in such a condition if thou wert put into it thou wouldst prove and that which thou lookest upon as a great affliction the Lord doth it with a very merciful hand But Jesurun waxed fat and kicked there are two things in the words to be opened First their name and Secondly their sin The denomination that is given to them here and the transgression that is charged upon them I shall briefly explain both these and then come to the point that I would insist upon from them the denomination what is their name they be called Jesurun It is used three times in this Book of Deuteronomie in Deut. 33.5 Moses was King in Iesurun and in 33. Chapter Ver. 26. Who is God like the God of Iesurun and in this place and it is used for ought I can find but in one Scripture more in all the Old Testament In Isaiah 44.2 Fear not oh Jesurun my servant and Jacob whom I have chosen there are three different apprehensions that men have of it according to the threefold derivation of the word Some from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectum that signifies right and they are so called as the people that had only the right way both to know God and to worship God the Lord had given his Statutes to Jacob and his Laws to Israel he had not dealt so with other Nations they were only the right people and so it may be explained by Isaiah 42.19 where the Lord saith Who is blind as my servant Who is blind as he that is perfect What perfect and yet blind yes perfect in Ordinances and priviledges and yet blind Forelius and
the Church Phil. 3.19 it was because their God was their belly and they minded earthly things So that if there be a Diotrephes that loves preferment he must and will have both the Dictates and Inventions of men as well as their persons in admiration for advantage sake Fourthly Cowardize Gal. 6.12 they found out a middle way to mix the bondage of the Law with the liberty of the Gospel that they might not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ but that they might be well thought of on both sides Ieroboham set up Idolatry in Bethel and an old Prophet of the Lord dwelt there yet such was his Cowardize that it seems he had nothing to say against it but that the Lord must send a Prophet from Judah to reprove him 1 King 13. and the truth is had not the Ministers been in many ages a generation of spiritual cowards they had never had so many inventions imposed upon them as they have had Secondly there are also many causes in the people but I will only insist upon this one because they receive not the Doctrine of the Gospel in the purity nor the worship of God in the love of it and therefore the Lord in Justice gives them up unto an efficacy of deceit 2 Thes 2.10,11 They are ready to receive any Doctrine without trying the spirits and to yield unto any command willingly walk after the Commandment Hos 5.11 they are for the most part a lump fit to receive any leaven the Prophets prophecy falsly c. and the people love to have it so Ier. 5. ult for a pompous Religion that consists much in outward shews and that which abounds most in bodily exercise is a thing that is generally well-pleasing unto men Amos 4.5 and usually when men forsake the rule then they look more at what will please them then what will please God this liketh you O house of Israel and this was all they looked at therein Secondly when God turns unto a people in mercy and they return unto him he will free them from all this superstition or idolatrous mixtures Zeph. 3.9 I will restore unto them a pure language which place being compared with that Isa 19.18 They shall all speak the language of Canaan Language there notes consensum cum populo Dei in fide cultu restoring a pure language may signifie purity both in Doctrine and Worship they shall speak no more partly the language of Canaan and partly of Ashdod as in times past but the pure language of Canaan in Judgement I will make them one Nation upon the Mountains of Israel and they shall defile themselves no more with their Idols and their detestable things and from all your Idols I will cleanse you Ezek. 37.2,3 And I will give unto them one heart and one way that they shall fear me for ever Ier. 32.39 Now the reason why the Lord will take away these mixtures when he returns are these First because usually these are the greatest and the most provoking sins of a Nation Hos 9.15 all their wickedness is in Gilgal this was antiently the place of worship 1 Sam. 15.12 and there they did now worship God according to their own devices the Prophet tels them where they did think to please God it was the greatest transgression that they did commit for so I conceive the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be taken pro summo in all their thefts adulteries drunkenness c. they did not all of them provoke the Lord so much as that they did worship him according to their own inventions in Gilgal Deo serviendum est non ex arbitrio sed ex imperio There is nothing to be done but by rule Gal. 6.16 now where the creature shall take so much upon himself as to set his wisdom above the wisdom of God and set his threshold beside the threshold of the Lord Ezek. 43.8 it is a provoking sin that the Lord cannot endure Secondly because this is a special cause why God departs from any people now the Lord will never return in mercy unless the cause be taken away that provoked him to depart Ezek. 8.7 every humane invention imposed as necessary to the service of God is an Image of jealousie and the aim of it is to provoke the Lord to go far from his Sanctuary it is finis operis though not operantis Thirdly because of all Judgements upon a people this is the greatest and therefore when the Lord returns unto them in mercy he must take away these Psal 81.12 I gave them up to walk in their own counsels it is spoken as of the greatest Judgement could befall them and so it is for a man to be a rule to himself for he that is his own rule must needs be his own end and he that is his own end must needs be his own God and therefore it is a speech of the greatest displeasure he hath made unto himself Altars to sin therefore Altars shall be unto him to sin Hos 8.11 Fourthly when God doth return unto a people in mercy he doth intend to delight in them and rejoyce over them to do them good and that he can never do in any service that they perform until worship be purged from humane mixtures Mal 3.3,4 When he hath sat in his Church as a refiner and hath purged his worship then shall the sacrifices of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the daies of old then but not till then Use Let this teach every one of us a double duty First hate all idolatrous and superstitious mixtures in Gods worship whatsoever Secondly beware of them First hate them as being the thing that causeth the Lord to go far from his Sanctuary to be unto his people as a wayfaring man that tarries but for a night groan under them as burdens that so the Lord may return unto his people in mercy and restâ—… unto his Church a pure language that they may no longer halt between two opinions no more swear by God and by Malcome but that he may restore to us one heart and one way To move your hatred against it consider First of all kinds of sin this is most defiling thou defiledst thy self with thy Idols Ezek. 22.4 Now what is defilement or filthiness it is saith Aquinas Carentia nitoris quem ex gratia habemus indeed all sin stains and blemisheth the beauty of the soul but this sin above others And if we observe the Scripture we shall see that they have been men of most corrupt spirits and the most profligated consciences that have been most set upon humane inventions in the things of God take the Pharisees for an instance and indeed it is Just with God that they that will find out waies of worship for God to be unto themselves means of sanctification that those should prove in just Judgement a means of desolation Secondly it is most inflaming they have inflamed themselves with their Idols under every
can expect with comfort and therefore let thy heart say Amen unto this promise be it unto thy servant according to thy word Luke 1.38 And to stir you up to it consider first the means by which God will do it and they be all desirable First he hath promised to take away the unclean spirit out of the Land for if the unclean man were taken away new would arise therefore the promise is to take away the unclean spirit Zach. 13.2 Secondly he will take off the hearts of his people from these mixtures that Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols Hos 14.18 Thirdly he will root out all these Idolatrous spirits amongst us that will not be reclaimed they that purifie themselves in gardens shall be consumed when God comes to purifie his Church Isa ult 17. there shall be no Canaanite in the Land any more for ever Zach. 14 ult and when they are cut off no more of his name shall be sown Nahum 1.14 Secondly to move you to it you have Gods command Isa 62.6 Ye that are the Lords remembrancers keep not silence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords recorders and a main thing that the people of God do record is the promises which as yet remain unaccomplished unto the Church Thirdly we have a concurrence of all the prayers of the Church of God that have gone before us for the prayers of the Church be like the acts of a State they dye not with the man that made them for they are made unto an eternal God grounded upon an everlasting righteousness offered by an eternal spirit and therefore they are eternally acceptable and of an eternal efficacy in after ages Davids prayer Psal 109.8 took effect upon Judas Act. 1.2 therefore as we must preach for after ages as the Prophets did and the Apostles entred upon their labours so must we pray for after ages and be content that other men in time to come shall reap the benefit of our prayers Lastly God hath begun already and now we have great cause to be earnest with him to go on with it Chrysost hom for he hath said shall I bring to the birth and shall I not bring forth Isa 60.9 Experiences of former mercies are a special pledge of future Psalm 74.14 he smote the head of Leviathan in the waters and gave him to be meat to his people inhabiting the wilderness it is spoken of Pharoahs army which God destroyed in the red Sea that is the destruction of the Egyptians was a pledge to him of the accomplishment of the mercy that God had promised to cast the Canaanite out of the promised Land and to give them possession of it many hardships they were to pass through in the wilderness but God gave them this mercy as food not to their bodies but food to their faith while they were in the wilderness therefore those former great and glorious promises were accomplished So that former mercies are food that God gives unto the faith of his people to feed upon till he hath perfectly accomplished whatever he hath promised unto his Church Let no man say who shall live when God doth this but be sure for thy time have a stock going in the Churches ship for there is no knowledge nor work nor labour in the grave where thou art going therefore sow thy seed and if the harvest come not in thy time yet thou shalt be no loser for in glory God will reward thee according to the fruits of thy doing Ier. 17.10 the Lord tells thee Go thy way Daniel thou shalt rest and stand up in thy lot in the end of thy dayes Dan. 12. ult comfort and encourage one another with these words Grace is Wisdom AND Wisdom the Principal thing Preached at a meeting of the Company of Black-Smiths Octob. 29. 1647. in Fish-street London PROV 4.7 Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom c. WHen the Lord gave Solomon his option 1 King 3.5 Ask what I shall give thee the choice that he himself made was wisdom Give unto thy servant an understanding heart and his request pleased God so well that the Lord gave him wisdom and understanding exceeding much and largeness of heart even as the sand upon the Seashore And this Book seems to be an Epitome of that large heart that God gave unto the Author of it the Book of the Canticles indeed sets forth the knowledge and the mysterie of Christ and Ecclesiastes sets forth the knowledge of the vanity of the creatures but here en totum Solomonem that there is not any part of the revealed will of God or the duty of man for knowledge or practice but in this book it is more or less touched at And we have great reason to admire the goodness of God that hath not suffered this Sun to set but being dead he yet speaketh and the Lord having honoured him with wisdom above all men that ever were except the Lord Jesus Christ we should hearken to his advice concerning wisdom in the text wisdom is the principal thing c. In the words you have these two things First a commendation of it Secondly an exhortation to it First the commendation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies either purity or dignity and so some interpreters render it principium sapientia wisdom is the principal thing Montanus and others of a purity in order and so Tremelius renders it quia caput est sapientiae eam acquirere the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom this is the chief excellency therefore let it be gotten in the first place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies to get a thing as a mans own possession to have a title to it and a propriety in it to make it his own to have it in his own heart and to possess it for himself and whereas there are many waies of gain that men do follow in the world and many other possessions that men do strive for and seek after the wise man here sayes in the middle of all your other gettings let this be the principal care of every one of you it being above all others the principal thing and though the world flow in upon you and you wash your steps in butter and be great gainers otherwise and the earth bring forth her encrease to you yet with all your other gains get understanding whatever you get or lose make sure of this above all But what is meant by wisdom By wisdom in this book is meant two things First Christ the wisdom of God So Prov. 8.30 I was by him as one brought up with him c. Secondly Grace which is the only wisdom in a man and so the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom or caput the chief and the principal part of it but it is only in the latter of these senses that I shall speak to at this time Doctrine First that grace only is true wisdom Secondly that
the people c. Sixthly wisdom doth set a man upon the noblest actions and the highest employments Prov. 15.24 the way of life is above to the wise c. that is his conversation is in Heaven and he seeks the things that are above and is imployed about them how he may honour God and edifie the Church enlarge the Kingdom of Jesus Christ how he may get his sins pardoned his corruptions subdued his election sealed Rev. 12.1 how he may have the moon under his feet or be an intercessor in behalf of the Church to stand in the gap and turn away wrath how he may win souls and be instrumental for the publike good this he endeavours and he that doth so is wise whereas most men are busied about meat and drink and apparel building for themselves and their posterity or are taken up with toyes fine clothes a pin a rattle is the highest things that they have in their eye as Domitian the Emperour spent his time in catching flies for all he had the weighty things of the Kingdom lay upon him nihil aliud quam muscas Captare Sueton. Sueton. Doctrine 2. This wisdom is the principal thing it hath a preheminence and a supereminency above all other things in the world Prov. 3.14 happy is the man that findeth wisdom for the merchandize of it is better then the merchandize of silver and the gain thereof then fine gold c. that is even the trading for grace in the Ordinances is to be preferred before the choicest worldly comforts But wherein doth the excellency of grace lie In these particulars First the excellency of grace lies in a conformity unto God the neerer any creature comes unto God the more glorious it is and the more happy herein lies the happiness of the Angels yea and of the humane nature of Christ that is exalted far above all the Angels in this that it is more like unto God and all the glorious Attributes of God did shine forth in him Now by grace a man is renewed and transformed into the Image of God 2 Cor. 3. ult he lives the life of God Eph. 4.18 hath a life from God in God and unto God which is a higher life then any man in the world lives his life is a most excellent life being made partaker of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 grace doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and a man hath all the vertues of God shining forth in him 2 Pet. 1.9 a man is holy as he is holy and merciful as he is merciful and we do thereby become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imitators of God Eph. 5.1 Secondly from this conformity there ariseth a communion for between light and darkness there can be no fellowship and if a man say that he hath fellowship with him and walks in darkness he doth lye 1 Ioh. 1.6 they only enjoy the divine presence that are made partakers of the divine nature and suitable unto a mans conformity so will his communion be an unregenerate man that hath no conformity to God he can have no communion with God two cannot walk together unless they be agreed Cant. 7.5 the King is held in the Galleries thou hast ravished me with one of thine eyes and with the chain about thy neck Zach. 3.7 if thou walk in my wayes and keep my Ordinances I will give thee places to walk in amongst those that stand by c. and when a mans conformity shall be perfect so shall his communion be 1 Iohn 3.2 We shall be like him and we shall see him as he is An ungracious man can have no fellowship a man must be in a state of communion Eph. 2.17 he must be made neer before he can draw neer Now every man by nature is an enemy to God and cares not for communion with him but hates any degre of approach to God he hath another fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness therefore he can have no communion with God Thirdly grace fits a man for the service of God for he hath no pleasure in fools that is a wise God every man by nature is dross and chaff fit for no honourable employment if a man were to stand before a King Dan. 1.4 he must be learned in all wisdom and knowledge and understanding c. how much more he that shall stand before the great God Psal 4.4 the Lord hath separated to himself the man that is godly the Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to himself for service and to himself for communion Psal 41.1,2 he will set them before his face for ever when the Lord calls men to any service he doth qualifie them for that service Saul for government but for a gracious work a common unction will not suffice and if a man have a new work to do he must have from the spirit of God a new supply Phil. 1.19 The Devil will not imploy instruments in his service till they be fitted and therefore there be some sins that men are not tempted unto at first because their spirits are not prepared for them Satan tempts and prevails with men by smaller sins and then they make way for greater But grace enables a man to do and to suffer which way soever the Lord employs him be the service never so difficult a gracious heart will say Here I am Lord send me Phil. 4.13 he knows how to exalt God in a state of prosperity he knows how to abound and cast him into a state of adversity and the knows how to want Phil. 4.13 and grace doth not only fit a man to do Gods work but also to aim at Gods end for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly anothers But other men non obtemperant dum obsequuntur Fourthly grace turns all things that a godly man enjoyeth into a blessing but unto an ungodly man every thing is become a curse he is cursed in his body cursed in his name and cursed in his estate and in all his relations and in all the creatures that he useth his Table becomes a snare Mal. 2.2 I will curse your blessings nay the Ordinances of God that be unto the Saints the savour of life are unto him the savour of death it is a means to ripen their sins and hasten their ruine Tit. 1.15 to the unclean all things are unclean So that Esau may have the dew of heaven the fat of the earth and yet be hated and Saul a Kingdom and yet rejected of God and Judas may have Apostolical gifts and yet be a Devil and a son of perdition they may be blessings in the thing but curses to the man sine summo bono nil bonum without the chief good there is nothing good But godliness brings a blessing into every state 1 Pet. 3.9 the Saints are the heirs of blessing unto every state Rom. 8.28 all things work together for good to them that fear God all things are yours and ye are Christs whether it be life or death things
present or things to come 1 Cor. 3.22 mercies or crosses Eph. 1.22 Christ is made the head over all things to the Church for the Churches sake he doth order all things for their good and doth as Physitians do temper poyson into a wholsom medicine Gods people are gainers by their worst estates and by their afflictions they are made partakers of his holiness and when their outward man doth decay the inward man is renewed and whatsoever God laies upon them so it works in them the quiet fruit of righteousness it matters not what befall them in this world though the rain make the way foul it is no matter so it make the land fruitful for these clouds drop fatness and therefore the soul of a godly man blesseth the hand and kisseth the rod that smites and saies it was good for me that I was afflicted maledictionem benedixit paupertatem ditavit Luther Grace is like the Philosophers stone it turns all into gold Prov. 3.18 it is said wisdom is a tree of life unto them that lay hold of her it puts a man into the same condition that he was before the fall it brings a man again into the paradise of God and the Angel with his flaming sword is removed Fifthly it fills the soul with all spiritual excellencies those that will endure everlastingly and the soul of man is the darling of a man if he loose that what good wil a world do him the excellencie of the man lies in his spirit and the great and eternal difference between man and man lies in their spirit there are two differences here below one man is a King and another man is a subject one a master and another a servant but these differences are but for the time of this life and then all these relations shall cease Iob 3.19 then the servant shall be free from his master and the Princes robes and the beggers raggs lie down together And here be excellencies also that some mens spirits have beyond others some have knowledge common gifts and common graces but these shall be alike for after this life if there be knowledge that shall cease and tongues they shall vanish away 1 Cor. 13. for all this is meat that perisheth Ioh 6.27 the soul may feed upon it a while but it will perish and a mans oyl in his lamp will go out 1 Pet. 3. ult all flesh is grass and the glory of it is as the flower only the word of the Lord turned into grace the Law written in the heart that is immortal seed c. God looks chiefly to the excellency of a mans spirit Numb 14.24 but my servant Caleb had another spirit c. for God is a spirit and the Father of spirits and his eyes are wholly upon the spirits of men and he hates sin in the soul most and so the excellency of the soul he is most delighted with is the adorning that is within Psal 45.1 the hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 which is in the sight of God of great price and all outward excellencies are but shaddows of this gold and silver pearls and perfumes c. to have an enlightned sanctified sublime spirit walking above the creatures and the Heart in Heaven where the Treasure is to be brought up to an holy independency towards all things below and a holy magnanimity and self-sufficiency this is a spirit with whom God delights to dwell 2 Cor. 6.16 the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they were panes propositionis set before the face of God for ever Sixthly grace will preserve a man from all evil Prov. 2.11,12 discretion shall preserve thee understanding shall keep thee to deliver thee from the way of the evil man and to deliver thee from the strange woman there is in every age a Course of the world for Dan. 7.2 the world is a Sea and every man is as a drop emptyed thereinto and swims with the tide and the happiness of Gods people is to be redeemed from it Gal. 1.4 In the first three hundred years the world proved persecutors afterward they turned Hereticks then Popery rose and then all the world wondred after the Beast yet in this time there were some that did watch and keep their garments that did not drink of the wine of her fornication who though they came out of great tribulation yet had washed their garments and made them white in the blood of the Lamb we see Noah in the worst times and Lot in a Sodom of filthyness to keep their garments Seneca speaks of a certain place called Ephestion which he saith Ignis innocuus circuit that hurts not those that are within and yet keeps out all evil from them truly such a fire is grace wheresoever it is Use Let me exhort you to get wisdom get understanding for let me tell you there be dayes coming wherein a little grace will be more worth then all the gold in the world Mat. 25 a little of the wise Virgins oyl what would the foolish have given for it men think they can live without God and without grace here but when they come to dye when the channels of all the creatures shall be stopt and all things take their leave and God be all in all to them and then thou hast no interest in him then thou wilt wish as Cardinal Wolsey once said If I had served my God as faithfully as I have done the King he would not have left me c. then a man will say with Galeasius their money perish with them that do prefer all the gold in the world before one hours communion with Christ Oh that I could but bring you in love with grace this day the first step to grace is a high prizing of it Luke 17.5 Christ raiseth their esteem of it and thereby encreaseth it I will give a few rules of trial c. First try the heart in respect of thy darling lust thy right hand Psal 18.23 there is no man but hath some lust that is most beloved and indulged to Now is thy heart most set against that lust above all other sins Secondly grace enables a man to discern the spiritual presence or absence of God in Ordinances Ezek. 10. he saw the glory of the Lord to depart when the rest did not and the soul is drawn out to God in the use of Ordinances and he follows hard after God and he hath the spiritual skil to discern when God draws neer and when the Lord departs for his communion is not with the duty only but with God in it he engageth his heart to draw neer to God 2 King 10.13 whereas another man like Jehu is heedless in the service he performs doth not labour with all his heart to enjoy communion with God nor observes whether God be present or absent a constant heedlesness and regardlesness in the service of God is a certain sign of an hypocrite Thirdly if sin be cast in grace doth never
for outward mercies I even for spiritual mercies Secondly give some grounds and reasons to demonstrate the truth thereof how it comes to pass that there should be so much danger that a people should become the worse for mercies For the proof that you may understand the more distinctly let me lay it down in a double distinction of mercy Mercies are either Privative or Positive Privative that is deliverances preservations from varieties of evils and dangers which otherwise we were liable unto and indeed it is a good rule that some Divines have Majores sunt gratiae Privativae quam Positivae our Privative mercies are greater and more then our Positive mercies are though we perceive them not the dangers that we are delivered from are more then the present mercies we do enjoy Now let us see whether Privative mercies make men the worse when men are delivered do they grow the worse for their deliverance look to this Deut. 32.26 the Lord speaks of a great Privative mercy I said I would scatter them into Corners I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy least their adversaries should behave themselves strangely least they should say Our hand is high I delivered them from their enemies when I took no argument from them for their deliverance then I took an argument from their enemies the Lord made use of that argument I would have given them into the hand of their enemies but I feared least they would wax proud what good now did this deliverance do this people in the 32. Verse Their Vine is the Vine of Sodom and their grapes are the grapes of Gomorrah here is the fruit now that these men brought forth of their Privative mercies that the Lord did not give them into their enemies hands for all that the people grew more wicked under these and their grapes were c. in this manner they improved their corruptions then certainly deliverances Privative mercies men are in danger to grow the worse by them In Psal 78.38 Many a time he turned his wrath away and would not suffer his whole displeasure to arise Were the people the better for it afterwards No they grew so much the more rebellious I will give but one instance more of Privative mercies and it is a famous one And it were well we made these our looking glasses Jonah is sent to prophesie against Niniveh VVithin fourtie dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed the King with the City were awakened and humbled themselves before God and the Lord was pleased to defer the Judgement they were delivered were the people ever the better or was this deliverance in mercy No the people were never the better as appears if you look to the prophesie of Nahum where you have the destruction of that people threatned to be at hand this people that had fasted and prayed yet notwithstanding vengeance comes upon them with greater fury afterwards In Nahum 3.3,4 Woe to this City that is full of blood and lyes God spared her for a time and respited his wrath but then his wrath came upon them to the utmost thus Privative mercies may make men grow the worse And men may be delivered and a Nation delivered and they growing worse for it the Lord may reserve them to further plagues Secondly there are Positive mercies and they are of two sorts and men are in danger of growing worse by both of them Either temporal or spiritual mercies as if the Lord give men the Scriptures they are in danger to wrest them to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.6 if God give them his Gospel they are in danger to turn his grace into wantonness In the Epistle of Iude ver 4. Not the word of grace but the priviledges of grace if God give men the Ordinances they say The temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord And we are delivered to commit all this abomination Ier. 7.8,9 and so in Heb. 6.7,8 there is the ground that drinks in the rain of Ordinances and Influences and yet brings forth Briers and Thorns So if men receive spiritual priviledges they may be the worse for them Mat. 3.9 Nay spiritual divination and be in danger to be the worse for it Paul was so 2 Cor. 3.7 there was sent a Messenger of Satan to buffet him least he should be lifted up overmuch Nay spiritual motions and operations Heb. 6.5,6 there are men enlightned that have tasted of the good word of God been made partaker of the gifts of the holy Ghost and tasted the powers of the world to come these are great works and yet notwithstanding what do these do these fit a man for the great Apostacy such as can never admit of a renovation thus When the unclean spirit goes forth out of the man which is a great common work too yet he returns with seven worse spirits then certainly spiritual mercies indanger men they that know most of God and Christ are in great danger to be the worse for such mercies And so it is true of temporal mercies too if you will take notice of that Hosea 1. it is a whole proof of the point in hand the text tells what is the mother of all the decay there spoken of even until they are called Loami they are not my people What is the mother of all this Diblaim and that properly signifies bunches of dryed Figgs and it is and was commonly interpreted to be a great dainty among them Cakes of Figgs were part of Abigals present to David By this the Lord sets forth their great plenty and abundance this is the mother the people had abundance and their hearts were set upon it What was the daughter to this people Gomer the word doth signifie perfection or defection commonly Interpreters take it in the last sense that is brought forth that great defection that great consumption that came upon the whole Land then certainly men may be the worse for temporal mercies that instance I am sure is plain enough in Dan. 7.2 out of the four winds that contended upon the great Sea there arose four beasts When they were grown great so as to become Monarchs they forgate to be men and became beasts and never till then never beasts till they became Monarchs thus there is a great deal of danger that men should grow the worse for temporal mercies I shall give one instance more in Neh. 9.25,26 they took strong Cities and a fat Land and possessed houses full of all goods c. and did eat and were filled and became fat c. Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against thee here were men that were a great deal the worse for their plenty the Scripture is full of such instances Let this serve for the proof of the point But you will say to me What is the reason are the mercies of God of such a malignant nature so invenomed that they make men grow thus and thus the
to prayer God hears prayers with revenge Gives the things prayed for but out of a peculiar displeasure No wonder then that men be the worse for them take but the instance of Vzziah 2 Chron. 26. he fought many battles and the Lord helped him mightily you will say God intended good to this man sure No all this was in displeasure he mightily helped him till he was strong and then his heart was lifted up to his own destruction My Brethren God doth as much rain snairs on men in mercy as in any other of his dispensations whatsoever and therefore look to it it is a dangerous thing for a people to receive mercy if they do not improve it I shall now speak a few words of Application there are but two uses that I would make of it First of examination Look back upon all the mercies that you have received from God temporal and spiritual mercies privative positive mercies Indeed it is your duty the expression is in Psal 68.26 Bless the Lord from the fountain of Israel Not only for late mercies received but look to the Fountain from whence all mercies did first flow Remember the Lord from Shittim to Gilgal Micah 6.5 it is from the first beginning of mercy to the latter end of them ask but the question now of your own hearts look to your own personal mercies every one in private family mercies and the publick mercies that God hath afforded the Nation and tell me are you the better or the worse for them have you brought forth fruit answerable to the mercy or hath not the Lord cause to say Do you thus requite the Lord oh foolish people and unwise what are the evil fruits that mercies are in danger to bring forth by which people are made the worse and see whether or no a great many of these be not to be found amongst us and if they be you may say the thing is a mercy yet notwithstanding you have little reason to take comfort in it certainly it can never be a mercy to thee nothing is a mercy to you but that which you are the better for There are six things that are the ordinary waies by which men do appear to be the worse for mercy And pray let us see whether all these be not to be found amongst us this is a day wherein you should lay your selves naked before God First the ordinary abuse of mercy is forgetfulness of God Deut. 4.14 When thou hast eaten and art full and dwellest in houses that thou buildest not and enjoyest wells that thou diggedst not then take heed least thou forget the Lord thy God And indeed this is the first and the most natural fruit of a heart fatted with mercy for so it is said here they waxed fat and kickt they lightly esteemed the rock of their salvation the mercies of God make men dis-regard God Now I pray consider if the mercies that raise thee up cast God down in thy soul examine I pray hath respect to God risen by his mercie look to it each particular foul and judge your selves faithfully I am afraid I may speak it with a great deal of bitterness respect to God hath not risen by his mercies to this Nation Nay rather lay aside all things for the things of God we have nothing to do with them Certainly this is an evil thing and is an argument that men grow the worse for mercy Secondly when they are settled upon them and satisfied with them Let them but keep this mercy it will be well with them Let us enjoy this all is well See how the people are brought in it is a strange speech Ier. 2.31 We are Lords say they we will come no more to thee God set them in a good and a prosperous condition now we will own God no more we will raign alone have we seen so much need of God in a mercy or do we ever come in to God but when some present trouble is upon us if any great eminent danger be over us then a fast otherwise if not for a year together it is no matter as much as to say we are satisfied with mercies and have enough of them We are Lords and will come no more at thee Thirdly when men grow refractory unto duty and oppose the things of godliness with a higher hand that is another way by which men grow worse for mercies An untamed heifer unaccustomed to the yoak that is the expression when you shall find such a disposition in you to reject God deride his Ordinances oppose the Ministers corrupt his Scriptures or at least endeavour to make them void by mystical allegorical interpretations and thereby make them a sound of words and no more when men dare proceed to this pass and have a great deal to say for themselves and against duty confidently this is an evil fruit of mercy Fourthly when a people do begin to dote upon their own beauty God sets them in a good condition and they begin to rest in it that evil was the fruit of their mercy Ezek. 16.15 Thou wast comely through my comeliness that I put upon thee But thou didst trust in thine own beauty this is another evil fruit of mercy men grow more self-confident of their own wisdom and their own strength and trust in their beauty a great Argument that men grow much the worse for mercy Fifthly when men ascribe mercy to themselves and would take the glory from God Hab. 1.16 Sacrifice to their own net and say this is great Babel that I have built my wisdom saith one and my power saith another this or that arm of flesh hath got the victory the hearts of men run out to second causes to poor instruments this is an argument that men grow the worse for mercies when they cannot call to mind any former thing wherein the Lord hath been pleased to use them but with great Elevation of Spirit And it must not be spoken of but with the greatest advancement of the instrument that can be And Lastly when men imploy all to their own use when all mens mercies do but serve their lusts one man saith we have obtained this mercy therefore I will be rich now I must sit at the stern saith another the management of all the negotiations of the State is in my hands as much as to say God hath given all these mercies to serve me remember that place in Isa 29.1 It is a Scripture I confess you should have much before your eyes Wo to Ariel to Ariel the City where David dwelt why is Jerusalem called Ariel you have it rendred in the margent the Lyon of God that City and that people which had been as a Lyon to conquer all the neighbouring Nations that none were able to stand before them yet when they abused all these barely to serve themselves the Lord hath a woe for them have these been the fruits that mercies have brought forth amongst us the Grapes of Sodom
the multitude of my thoughts so were the multitude of Gods consolations God will give it in the time and the season of it but withal the Lord will give it according unto the measure when he doth bring great afflictions he provideth for you strong consolations that as the affliction aboundeth so the consolations shall abound the Lord tells you that his rewards shall be according to the measure of his mercies it is an admirable expression in Hosea 10.12 according to the measure of mercies your rewards are the Lord measures your consolations according to the measure of your afflictions Thus then you see the truth of these two points Let us see now what these consolations were that upheld the heart of our Psalmist here in those sad times thy comforts delight my soul what were they I will go no further then the Psalm neither and you shall find that there were eight that were the great stay of his heart in those times As in the first place he did consider God beholds them it is a wrong that is done to his people under the fathers eyes that was the first thing that he did stay his heart on the people of God do say Surely thou art our father though Abraham know us not and Israel be ignorant of us we have no greater comfort that we can look at no friends below yet notwithstanding our groans are not hid from thee That was the first comfort Secondly God did not only see it Surely thou hast seen it but withal he did comfort himself with this God would revenge it therefore he calls him thou God to whom vengeance belongs the God that revengeth habes ultorem Deum Hierom. Hierom he was a God that did avenge the cause of his people he hath said vengeance is mine and of the Lord Jesus Christ when Steven was stoned Acts 7. it is said he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God Jesus standing why the Scripture every where saith that Christ is gone to Heaven and is sate down at the right hand of God but he seeth him standing up at the right handof God what is the reason that is tanquam causae suae judex vindex saith one as one that was the Judge of his cause and the avenger of his wrong I this is another great ground of comfort upon which the heart is stayed My God is a God to whom vengeance belongeth Then In the third place by all these the Lord teacheth his people for so he saith in the 12. Verse Blessed saith he is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest out of thy Law that is another stay of heart in the worst of rimes the rod saith he hath a voice hear the rod and who hath appointed it Nay the rod teacheth a man that it is better to be under the saddest affliction and have the graces of that condition drawn forth rather then to be under the greatest prosperity and the sins of that condition drawn forth do but observe Iam. 1.4 Let the brother of low degree rejoyce that he is exalted I you will say he hath good reason for it but Let the brother of high degree rejoyce that he is made low a hard matter to rejoyce in that my Brethren a godly man can as truly rejoyce in an afflicted condition so as the graces of that condition be drawn forth in it as he can rejoyce in a prosperous condition much rather if the sins of that condition be drawn forth in it therefore there is a teaching in the rod when a man is brought to that indifferency of Spirit as I remember the Father brings in David speaking Vis me Pastorem ovium aut regem populorum ecce paratum est cor meum Lord saith he shall I be a Keeper of sheep again or Lord shall I be a King over Israel Lord my heart is ready my heart is ready willing to embrace each condition This is another thing the rod is a Teacher the rod hath a voice Besides In the fourth place There is a rest God hath prepared for his people in the most restless condition so he saith in the 13. Verse that thou mightest give him rest in the day of evil there is a shaddow of Gods wing and the people of God in the worst condition they can lie down under this shaddow with great delight Look into that precious Scripture Hos 14.8 I am like a green fir-tree saith God the Lord like a fir-tree Why in two things it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 densam umbram habens so the Septuagint renders it a tree that yields a thick shaddow and it is a tree likewise that is alwaies green perpetuo virens never casts its leaves as other trees do in the Winter so saith the Lord such is my defence you may lie down under my shaddow in quiet and he gives them rest in the day of evil And In the fifth place he comforts himself with this the Lord knows that the thoughts of man are but vanity with that he comforts himself that all these designs shall come to nothing all their thoughts are but vanity the Lord hath appointed that he will take the wise in his own craftiness and his hand shall not perform his enterprise the Lord hath said by iniquity shall no man be established the Lord hath said he will not suffer the hypocrite to rule least the people be ensnared that is the expression Iob 34.3 Now let their designs be what they will be with this he comforts himself yet notwithstanding the Lord knows the thoughts of men to be but vanity That is another ground of comfort And then In the sixth place that I may draw to a conclusion that while they labour for their own exaltation God is preparing for their destruction that is another thing that he comforts himself with for so he saith till the pit be digged for the ungodly till the pit be digged all this while I do not envy their rising saith he but rather pitty their ruine Impatientia humana non vult habere Dei patientiam Ierom. Jerom for God is preparing a pit all the while that is another great ground of comfort in the worst of times for my Brethren there is a judgement written that must be executed and many times as Austin well observes upon the place faelicitas peccatorum fovea est ipsorum Austin even their very prospering in an evil way is the pit in which they find their ruine that is another thing by which he comforteth himself Seventhly That I may draw to an end though for the present the Lord seems to neglect the condition of his people yet he comforts himself with this that God seemed to neglect for the present but saith he he will bring forth judgement to righteousness it is true indeed Gods judgement for his people seems now to have left them it is hid but saith he the Lord will appear for their safety and he tels them plainly that will he
Oh how it damps lust brings down strong holds of sin overcomes all their reasonings and unsettles a mans former sinful peace that the bed is too short and the covering too narrow the man cannot lie down as formerly under a refuge of lies his sweet morsels now are not sweet to him but his mouth is filled with gravel As to have seen the River Iordan to run backward in its own channel and to see the Sun to go back in its own orb it was a mighty word that must do this to see that the fire could not burn in the furnace of Babylon and yet their natures with their natural properties still to be continued even so mighty a work there is upon the souls of unregenerate men but for a Law to come forth from the Lord and that very word to be written upon the heart and to be put in there as an indelible character never to be blotted out though indeed sin may soyl it and blur it yet it can never be blotted out nor obliterate 2 Cor. 3.2,3 that the conscience shall stand in awe of it that a man shall not dare do any thing that is contrary to it as Psal 119. My heart stands in awe of thy word that though he had never so great an inclination within and never so violent temptations without that he cannot get the authority of it off from his spirit and not only to do this by force but willingly and cheerfully thy Commandments are my delight that he loves the Law of God and delights in it according unto the inward man if a man should come and speak to a Marble and with his voice thereby words should be written so that they could never be blotted out again we would say this were a mighty voice there is the same power put forth when the Lord Jesus is in the middle of his people giving Laws unto their consciences as the King upon his Throne when the Law comes from Christ upon his throne it puts a kind of moral impossbility upon the man that he saies How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God! we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth we cannot but speak the things that we have heard and seen there is an inward impulse of spirit that a man cannot do otherwise as it is in the Law of sin it doth so command the man that the man cannot do otherwise because there is a Law within him and that hath the commanding power over the man that though sometimes they would strive or give any thing it were otherwise yet they cannot resist it there is amoral impotency he is not able to resist the doing of evil Thirdly it is a Throne of grace and therefore it is commonly so called Heb. 10.22 Let us come with boldness unto the throne of grace a King upon his throne doth pronounce pardon and give gifts and therefore when the Lord Jesus did enter into his glory and take possession of his Kingdom thed he did shed abroad his Spirit abundantly but it did come from the King upon his throne then he doth delight to give gifts as a King and to shew mercy as a King First sitting on his throne he doth dispence the greatest gifts from it it is from his presence in his Ordinances that he doth dispence the spirit Rev. 4.5.14 the seven spirits are before the throne it is not spoken of the person of the Spirit for that is but one but of the gifts of the spirit which because they are many therefore for their variety their multiplicity and their perfection are said to be seven spirits therefore there they are to be dispenced by Christ at his pleasure but it is as he sits upon the throne that he doth it Rev. 2.21 The River of the water of life clear as Chrystal proceeded out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb By this all light is meant for Doctrine is compared unto water as corrupt doctrine to a flood Rev. 12. and also all grace is compared unto water Rev. 4.6 there was before the throne a Sea of glass clear as Chrystal so now it is cleared again those Doctrines that had been mudded and darkned under Popery and by all the smoak that arises out of the bottomless pit now they begin to clear again and there is no mudd in them c. the spirit is given by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 that is by the preaching of the doctrine of faith for faith is there put for the doctrine of faith as also that place contend earnestly for the faith that was once given to the Saints it is therefore in vain for men to expect spiritual gifts and graces anywhere else for it is only from the King upon his throne and the seven spirits are only to be found before the throne if a man had gone into any other Pool then Bethesda and expected the moving of the water it had been no wonder if he had returned ashamed and if the Israelites will go out to gather manna upon the Sabboth day when the Lord told them it should not fall it is no wonder if they found none and so it is with all that will go out of Gods way and Christs way and yet will expect the influences of the spirit and that the Angel should move the waters and that they shall find manna though the Lord hath told them the contrary c. they shall but sow the wind and reap the whirlwind Secondly it is upon a throne that he doth grant pardon Zech. 6.13 he shall be a Priest upon his throne both the offices of a King and Priest shall meet in one person and they shall both concur unto the same eminent and glorious ends which shall be peace both the making of peace and the speaking of peace as the Priest under the Law was to offer the sacrifice to procure peace and as King he doth speak peace he sends a Messenger one of a thousand to declare to a man his righteousness if a man had a pardon from a thousand subjects it would do him no good but when the King sitting upon his throne shall give him a pardon then he saith that his soul is delivered from going down into the pit when a man comes into the presence of Christ and sees his glory and hath a discovery made to him and he sees his name written in the heart of Christ though Christ come as a Judge sitting upon his throne and his soul is set before him either to be accused or condemned and Christ saith be of good cheer thy sins be forgiven eat thy meat and drink thy wine with a merry heart for God accepts thy works let his soul be delivered from death for I have found a ransom hereupon the man revives and his flesh comes again as the flesh of a young child and he doth return unto the dayes of his youth and walks no more drooping under his own darkness that made his strength
yea to feed them with Judgement c. Fourthly delayes in Judgement to defer Justice is the next door to injustice and he in whose power it is to do a man right doth him wrong all the time his right is delayed therefore let Iudgement be executed speedily and let Justice run down 〈…〉 River and Iudgement as a mighty stream the 〈…〉 Nation is great in this respect that men 〈…〉 their undoing upon a â—ommitteâ— from day to 〈…〉 they 〈◊〉 or else if a Committee be procured it is with respect unto some few particular businesses in which themselves are engaged and when they are ended one is gone this way and another that as if nothing were to be done for love of Justice but barely to pleasure friends by whom they have been sollicited and by this means men do commonly say the remedy 〈◊〉 worse then the disease and the best is a brtar and as a thorny hedge as it is Mich. 7.4 the sheep come for succor their flesh is torn away you should Iudge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as it is the Apostles rule and it will hold in all publick administrations and ye should be nails for the small vessels as well as the great cups and flaggons Your Iustice should be as large as Solomons wisdom to reach as well to the hysop as unto the Cedar Secondly you have another Vineyard and that is your house which in a more special manner is yours also for Magistrates have the subjects only in imperium but not in patrimonium and for this Joshua 24 15. I and my house will serve the Lord if he cannot by his authority work it amongst the people yet he resolves it in his own family though he cannot thrust them out of the Nation yet he will put them out of his house and family and it was the misery that David did bewail when he came to dye though my house be not so with God c. He that cannot rule well his own house how is he able to rule the Church of God c. and here give me leave to press a few things First walk you exemplarily in your family Psal 10.1 3. I will walk in the middle of my house with a perfect heart the matter is not so much what you are abroad in common view there is many a man that is like unto to the carbuncle that which Rurus saith Translucet ad modum ardentis prunae Rurus and yet if you touch it it is key cold Secondly let the Ordinances of God be set up in your family that at least if you cannot joyn unto other Churches you may have a Church in your house which was the honour of some of the private Saints in Scripture Ahraham had his Catechised servants Gen. 14.14 the Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it was the great honor that God did put upon him I know that he wil teach his family to fear the Lord There are many men that make great shows of Religion abroad that if we look into their families there is little difference between them and the families of the Heathen that know not God Thirdly do not countenance those that are evil for any respect Asa would not bear with the Queen his Mother if she set up an Idol in a grove but he deposed her from being Queen c. Ierom. there is no relation that is to stand between God and duty per calcatum perge patrem Ierom. And in this case its our duty as it is Ieroms rule and in such cases Iesus Christ put no difference between his Mother and another woman VVhat have I to do with the woman c. and David Psal 101.6,7 My eyes shall be upon the faithful in the Land that they may dwell with me he that is perfect in his way shall serve me he that works deceit shall not dwell in my house it is grace only that makes the difference with God surely it should be the main difference with us also it is a common evil in a Magistrate their servants oppress the people but so did not â— said that godly Magistrate for the fear of my God c. and Zeph. 1.9 there will come a day when the Lord will punish them that leap upon the threshold and fill their masters houses with violence and spoyl qui praeda onusti laetabundi limen transilientes Drusius So Drusius They did rejoyce that they had gotten a booty and in such servants that are for their turn the masters can rejoyce but thou dost then covet an evil covetousness unto thy house Fourthly be diligent to know the state of thy family and by consequence in bewailing the sins of it Pro. 27.23 be diligent to know the state of thy flock look well to thy herds de diligenti rei familiaris administratione intelligitur Cartwr Cartwright Next unto the state of a mans own heart it is an evil to be a stranger to the state of his own house and a man should be much in bewailing family evils and decaies as we see it in David when he came to dye though he make my house not to grow c. For there is a curse on the families of men and that curse many times cleaves to the house as we see it in the family of Ely though a godly man and of David I will bring evil upon thy house c. And there shall not be an old man in the house of Ely for ever Consider what a sad thing it is for God to curse a family To entail mercies and promises on a family is sweet c. and as bitter is the entailing of a curse Doctrine 2. The Keepers of other Vineyards do many times neglect their own Vineyards See the instance of Iehu in the Magistracy and of them in the ministery Mat. 7 we have prophesied in thy name we have eat and drank in thy presence and in thy name have cast out Devils and we have done many mighty works for thee in the world Men employed in the highest affairs in Church and state and God hath used them as instruments of much good to others yet they themselves may be castawaies and the reasons are these First their imployments do take up their hearts there is something of the thorn in every earthly employment and it sucks the strength of the soul and a mans heart is apt to be drawn out inordinately to them and to be over-shot into them that there is no place for any thing else to grow there and those sweet retirements of soul with God from day to day he is a stranger to when he wakes and should be with God now a crowd of worldly affairs press in upon him and so by this means his soul is drowned in them It is strange to observe the highest degrees of temporary Believers and that is the thorny ground they were men that had great works upon them and were in high esteem in the Church men of great
the poor they are all the work of his hands they shall be all judged alike and shall all stand up alike before the Judgement Seat of Christ distances amongst men may perswade the vain mind of man that there is something that makes them differ but with the Lord it is not so and it is a small thing as well as a vain to profess we know God when in works we deny him And the fruit of all this is that thou maist make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success the words have many efficacies prosperous that is to have all things go well with him and his undertaking to answer his design whereas many times it doth not but the contrary and the counsels of wise men are turned backwards and though they conceive one thing yet another is brought forth it is as the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man that goes well on in his way and it is the same word used Psal 1. Whatsoever he does shall prosper and the other word for good success it doth signifie to do wisely the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viam tuam diriges intelliges eam Jerom. Jerom. Res tanta est ex qua omnis ratio Magistratus bene gerendi pendebat inculcanda est Massius Massius in loc Doctrine The only way for a godly Magistrate to rule wisely and prosperously is in all his government to have respect unto the word and to keep close thereunto First this is the way to walk by an un-erring rule let me tell you the policies of men will deceive you for they do many times deceive themselves the wise are taken in their own craft and burnt as Bees in their own hives and the Devil doth commonly make use of the wisdom of the wise also cupit diabolus c. Satan hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any man can act the Devils lusts but all men cannot understand and reach his depths therefore the Devil will make use of wise men in the world this way but this is a rule in which a man shall never err never miscarry Prov. 19.16 he that keeps the Commandments keeps his soul and as many as walk according to this rule peace be upon them it is the way to peace only Secondly this is the only vvay to rule with God Hos 11.12 they rule for God ye Iudge not for men but for the Lord and it is a great happiness to have God rule with them there are tvvo great Judgements that in a special manner vve should fear the one is to have God to depart from our Magistrates and the other from our Ordinances 2 King 18.6,7 Hezekiah clave to the Lord and departed not from him but kept his Commandments so the Lord was with him and he prospered in all things he took in hand every Government doth stand upon a double Covenant First between God and the Magistrate Secondly between the Magistrate and the people 2 King 11.17 between the Lord and the King and the people that they should be the Lords people likewise between the King and the people So that a people coming under the authority of men and obeying them for conscience sake it is still with respect unto the authority of God that they will so be under government as they wil be the Lords people still therefore the care of Magistrates should be not only that they rule in a way of providence Dan. 4.17 but in a way of grace Magnus Caesar sed Deo minor and whilest the Magistrate rules according to the word of God and hath respect to it in his Government so long God rules in and with the Magistrate and therefore all that he doth undertake shall prosper Thirdly this is the only way to have the spirit to be their guide in Government he hath undertaken to his people to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Leader not only as Saints as he is to all the Saints in general but also in their particular places and callings and imployments Ioh. 16.13 he shall lead you into all truth it is not to be understood in omnem veritatem absolute but necessariam all that is necessary to your calling imployments and condition in which he hath set you and where shall a man hear the voice of the spirit speaking but in the word it is in the Sanctuary of the Lord there David found the rule he was shewed the way the way of the spirit is in the word it is the light that shines in a dark place unto which you do well to give heed Fourthly this is the way to come under the favourable aspect of many gracious promises of success and prosperitie in your undertakings and administrations 1 King 2.3 Keep the charge of the Lord thy God his Statutes his Commandments his Judgements his Testimonies that thou mayst prosper in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thy self 2 Chron. 22.13 Only the Lord give thee wisdom that thou mayst keep the Law of the Lord thy God then shalt thou prosper c. 2 Chron. 24.20 Zachary was cloathed with the spirit and he had need be so that speaks to an apostatizing Magistracie and to a revolted and backsliding people and he said that they did transgress the Commandment of the Lord and therefore they could not prosper and Zach. 11.16 there is an Idol Shepherd or a foolish Shepherd it points unto the folly of the Government that was afterward to arise that is when they did forsake the Law of the Lord and what wisdom was there in them then Their Arm their power and authority with the people and their Eye their counsel shall be nothing but they shall err and cause the people to err in every work of their hands the Lord will mingle a perverse spirit upon them c. Use Then surely this is the way for you to prosper and this will be your wisdom in the sight of the Nations to keep close to the word and here I shall exhort you to keep close to the word First in the Doctrine of it Secondly in the worship it holds forth Thirdly in practice First for Doctrine Let the word be alwaies before you that you may receive it and give a testimony to it there is a form of Doctrine a pattern of wholsome words there is a personal foundation and there is a doctrinal foundation Heb. 6.1 Rev. 21.14 which the Saints ought to build upon all the superstructures let them be for clearing the truth and establishing not for subverting of the faith Sit profectus fidei non permutatio under persecution Satan acted another part Cogit homines negare Christum nunc docet Austin Austin Here are three things that I shall speak to First that the great interest Christ hath in the world is Truth First it is that by which Christ rules and conquers Psal 110.2 Rev. 6.2 Secondly it is that upon which the Church stands
Eph. 2.20 Churches are said to be the great interest of Christ in the world and indeed it is true that for the Saints sake and the Churches sake the world stands but he now that would destroy truth overthrows the foundation upon which the Church is built we speak of persecution and there is a great cry of persecution but the greatest persecution that ever was or can be to the Church was not in destroying their persons but in over-throwing the truths upon which the Church is built therefore Hereticks have been the greatest persecutors c. Thirdly truth is that by which holiness is maintained in the world Ioh. 17.17 sanctifie them by thy truth thy word is truth Now for men to cry up holiness and decry truth it is oppositio in adjecto the Lord loves his people but he loves his truth above all and it is dangerous to set a mans self against that which Christ specially will own and advance he hath exalted his word above all his name Secondly no Nation did ever prosper that did ever set themselves against Truth and no Magistrates did ever prosper in their Government that did set themselves against Truths and did countenance and favour them that did it to give you a few instances First consider the Jews Idolatry before their captivity was their great sin but afterward they departed Non prius facti sint haeretici quam esse Idololatrae destissent then here sies sprung up and it will appear that their opposing of truth and suffering these to get ground and make merchandize of the people was the destruction of the City rather then the Army of the Romans that came against them as Josephus c. The Rulers they favoured those that opposed Truth and did aide themselves and took their parts and contended for them the Roman Empire it was the flood the Arrian heresie their Emperours favoured it and taking part with them that brought in the Goths and the Barbarous Nations upon them and extinguished all the glory of their antient Government the Star wormwood in Augustulus falling from heaven And the Eastern part the seven Churches of Asia the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans and the doctrine of the woman Iezebel brought the Saracens upon them I might instance in many other but here at home though there was a persecution before and it may be in regard of restraint as great well nigh as was afterward but yet their sins never came to a ripeness till they did begin to make void the Law of God and labour to bring in the Doctrine of Poperie amongst us and Arminianism and the Rulers took part with them and favoured the Doctrine and Teachers and that brought in corrupt worship and this filled their measure and then did God awaken the souls of his servants to cry to him and indeed what can the righteous do when the foundations are destroyed and the Lord was pleased to hear and to awake when men in authority will favour and countenance those that endeavour to overthrow truth then God will pour contempt upon them c. and if there were no more but this it will clear it that the Churches are the great interest of Nations which have been formerly and if destroying of the truths of God be the greatest persecution of Churches that can be and the greatest wrong that is done or can be done unto them and let the Churches be corrupted let me tell you the end will be with a flood they were the sins of the sons of God that in a special manner brought the flood upon the world We may speak of Poperie and cry out of Antichrist but for the Antichrist that denyes the Father and the Son that they never did directly but consequentially and yet if the main Doctrine of Antichrist be received favoured and countenanced and the Teachers of them surely the greatest part of Antichrist is amongst us Bernard speaks of one Peter Aboliardus in his time Bernard Cum de Trinitate loquitur sapit Arius cum de gratia Pelagius cum de persona Christi Nestorius There are some men that are nothing else all their Religion is a bundle of old and absolete herisies I speak not this to stir you up to an imposition of Doctrines upon the consciences of men which is commonly objected and that all our dictates must be received a liberty and an indulgence I pray you to allow in those things wherein it may be granted but a bounding of mens spirits by the word is not bounding of the spirit an imposing those things at least not to be disputed which the Scripture saith without the believing of them men cannot be saved this is no dangerous imposition but yet this I press not but only that as you are in authority you would not countenance such Teachers and that you would give your testimony unto the truths of God and let the Nation yea all the Nations of the earth know that you are not departed from the faith to follow such lying vanities and this should I look upon as a glorious answer of the prayers of this day and that you do not involve your selves and the Nation in the ruine of these things threatned and feared in the judgement of most that are godly and considering Christians Thirdly hence also I cannot but infer that they are the greatest enemies unto the Church of God and to any Nation that do endeavour to corrupt the Doctrines of Religion and are to be looked upon as such though they may be men of great parts and otherwise for a State interest useful yet if the bent of their spirits do run out this way to corrupt the Doctrines of godliness to oppose and decry them that do support them let me tell you all the service that they can do you will not countervail this loss for though they may be cryed up for Saints yet these are the great Engineers for Satan in the world as Iraeneus hath a story of Cerinthus whom he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iraeneus and they are the greatest designers for Popery I will not say it is finis operantis but operis it is as Contzen the Jesuite Error cui patrocinium deerit sine pugna concidet This I speak as that which I am perswaded in my conscience will and doth provoke God both against you and your Government c. Secondly keep close to the word in the matter of worship services tendred unto God must be word-service and if not you will never prosper for else First it is worshiping of Devils and not God Rev. 9.20 Now to bring in worshiping of Devils amongst you and not God will be that which will cause the Lord to depart from you Secondly it is an image of Idolatry and so much the greater if there be a hand of the antients of Israel in it Ezek. 8.3 it will provoke God to depart from a Nation Thirdly this hath destroyed the most flourishing Churches and Nations Hos 8.5,6 Thy Calf
Oh Samaria hath cast thee off c. and the Eastern part of the Empire Rev. 9.20 It was their Idolatry in worship that did it Fourthly it will bring vengeance upon the Nations as well as on the Churches Hos 8.7 They have sown wind and reapt the whirl-wind Ezek. 10.2 fire from the Altar and scattered over the City it burns the hottest 2. Chron. 7.20 I will pluck you up by the roots out of the Land saies God Thirdly keep close to the word in point of practise also personal holiness the Lord requires of them that would prosper in their way and have God with them in their Government 1 Sam. 12.24,25 they had set up a new Government and the Lord had answered their desires I but he saith fear the Lord and serve him in truth and with all your hearts and consider how great things the Lord hath done for you but if you shall still do wickedly c. there the wickedness of a people indulged by the Magistrate will bring a Judgement upon the Government 1 King 14.5,7 if thou shalt walk before me as David thy Father walked in integrity of heart then c. Here you see the Apostacy of the Governors will bring a Judgement upon the Nation nay though it be but a personal Apostacy hear and fear and tremble you that are the Rulers of the Nation Secondly this is the way to get you honour in the hearts of men when you reform your lives purifie your hearts and your houses as well as your hearts there is a double image that the Magistrate must gain authority by an Image in you as men as well as upon you as Magistrates the Elders were crowned and also cloathed with white garments Rev. 4.9 Thirdly not keeping close to the word in point of practice is the way to provoke God to lay you aside and not to delight in you he loves vessels fitted for the Masters use when you are faithful to God in waies of holiness as well as unto the Nation in waies of Justice Isa 8.2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record Uriah the Priest c. A man may be faithful in discharging some trust put upon him by men but yet be unfaithful to God in waies of holiness Contah was a despised broken Idol a vessel in whom God had no pleasure one that God will set himself to disgrace God will pour out contempt upon Princes and all ungodly Magistrates and if you also walk unholily there will be a shame poured upon all your glory they must be called and faithful and chosen that God will delight to use Consider the Judgement upon Shebna he and all his lumber was cast down Isa 22.16,17,18 if men in authority be vain-glorious and self-seeking though they have made many men their creatures and raised parties to strengthen their interest God will sweep away all such rubbish Fourthly this will be a testimony to you if you walk holily and faithfully that you are called to the imployment in mercy and not in wrath if the graces of the condition God hath placed you in be exercised indeed a man may exercise parts and gifts but â—…at doth not make a man acceptable in the sight of God if the imployment a man is in do draw out and improve his corruption certainly it was in wrath not in mercy that he was placed in it therefore Remember your first love 2 Chron. 17.3,5,6 walk in your first waies that yee may have an interest in God to attain mercy from him for your selves and for the people Oh how powerful would the prayers of gracious Magistrates be and how able are they as Moses was to stand in the gap and to turn away wrath they are the shields of the earth Psal 47.9 and they are to be scuta Deo hominibus to keep off Judgements from breaking in upon the people from God as well as violences one from another and can a man do that can he think to turn off wrath from a Nation who doth expect Judgement upon himself daily and is in continuall danger of it And if there be any amongst you that are unsound-hearted under all your shews the Lord will discover you for Iob 34.30 He will not have the hypocrite raign lest the people be ensnared the word signifies a man that walks in a cloud or hath an artificial covering that men may not see and observe his steps God hates such men in authority and for his peoples sake he will not have them raign therefore let me exhort you to be sincere and truly holy in your own persons many of you have been judged so to be continue in it manifest it let it appear that you are better by authority not worse you are called Gods upon earth Oh how unworthy the name of a God will such be A drunken God an unclean covetous God c. Oh let such things be not so much as named amongst you but with abhorrency as becomes Saints see to whom the promise of protection is made and of exaltation also Isa 33.15 he that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly he that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil he shall dwell on high and the place of his defence shall be the munitions of Rocks bread shall be given him and his waters shall be sure c. I le add but a few considerations a little to quicken you to this duty I le but name them Consider first the mercies that you have received Deut. 8.10 a people purchased with mercy redeemed with a mighty hand saved yea with great salvation Secondly the opportunities you have had Prov. 17.16 opportunity is a price talentum maximum there is a time when the Angels stir the waters and if you miss an opportunitie of doing good God may never honour you with one again Thirdly remember the promises that you have made in the daies of your distress c. What have you held forth to the Nation nay to all the world with hands lifted up to the most high and vowed the endeavour of a reformation and it is a snare after vows to make enquiry the delay of a vow was visited upon Iacob twentie years after c. Fourthly consider the expectation of the Nations all the eyes of the Saints all the world over are upon you and they look what you will do God hath made your cause leading let not your example hinder them that follow you in the way that you have gone c. Fifthly it will be a mighty testimony of your uprightness that your heart is for God and that you are set against evil things persons c. Psal 139.21,22 David appeals to God in it Oh that many of you could do so as he said amicum amo in Deo inimicum propter deum they are your corruptions that are snares both to you and the Nation Sixthly what account
Remember the stars are in the right hand of God and he appoints them where they shall shine and one of the saddest Judgements that can befall a people in this life is for God to seal up the stars that 's Jobs expression in Job 9. that they shall not bring out a beam of light but the people shall be left in the dark continually Thirdly the stars are in the right hand of Christ then surely there is protection for them and a merciful care over them they do but lose their labour that think either to pluck the Saints out of the right hand of God or the stars out of the right hand of Christ Surely he will preserve a Ministery in his Church unto the end of the world or else blot that text out of your Bibles Eph. 4.12 He hath given gifts for the work of the Ministery for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints until we all come c. Why did the Lord institute the Ministery For a double end the one for the Gathering the other for the Perfecting of the Saints then so long as there are any of the Saints to be gathered or any to be perfected the end of the Ministerie is not accomplished God will uphold it until it hath attained the end of its institution Consider therefore what enemies those are unto the Church of God that endeavour to remove the stars out of their Orb for it s that leaves a people under pure darkness and a perfect night and therefore it s the worst and the most pernicious design that ever was set on foot in the world one strikes at their calling another at their maintenance though the truth is the intent of the work is the same the Ministery whatever the design of the workmen may be Well suppose God should grant your desire for there is a generation of men that have been long hacking at the Ministery Suppose it should be as you would have it give me leave to tell you two things one is when the stars are darkned in Scripture it denotes great judgements great plagues to come upon a people Ioel 2.10 The Sun and the Moon shall be darkened and the stars shall withdraw their shining But further to clear what kind of Judgement you must look for and pray mark for I speak nothing but Scripture unto you in Dan. 8.10,11,12 When the stars were cast unto the ground the text adds The daily sacrifices were taken away because of transgression cast down truth to the ground the daily sacrifice the worship of God and truth the word of God Both will soon go down if once the stars be cast to the ground and trampled on by the feet of pride Lastly take this hint from it too It s a great judgement not only to have the stars sealed up from you but to have the stars to fight against you an expression that you have in the 5. Judges the stars in their courses fought against Sisera there is not a worse Army can be engaged against a people observe Psal 68.12 The Lord gave his Word and great were the number of them that published it What follows Kings with their Armies did Flie It relates to the Ascention of Christ that is plain by ver 18. thou hast ascended on high c. the Lord did give his word at his ascention and there were a multitude of them that published it and by this means Kings Armies were put to flight they conquered by the word there is not such another way to rout Kings and their Armies Look into the 47. of Ezek. ver 10. and you shall see this shall be the glory of the last times the most glorious and most flourishing times of the Church And there shall be Fishers the text saith and the fish that shall be taken by them shall be like the fish of the great Sea exceeding many a number of converts take heed of the stars fighting against you for you have need of these stars in the best and purest times But the second thing I mainly intend the care that Christ takes of the body which is described in the latter expression he walks in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks he takes care as well of the meanest Member as of the greatest Officer Psalm 45. The unction doth run down upon the sâ—irts of his Garment so doth his protection and his provision also to explain this here are three things to be opened Why the Church is called a Candlestick Why a Golden Candlestick And what is it for Christ to walk in the middest of it First Why is the Church called a Candlestick In Revel 1. ult The seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches there are four notions in it and you must take in all or you will not understand the meaning of the Word First A Candlestick hath no light in it of it self but light must be put into it and therefore the Candlestick under the Law to which this here is an allusion the Priests were to light the Candles a Candlestick hath no more light then is put into it and it must be continually maintained by a new supply of oyl as you see it described in Zach. 4.11 There are Olive-trees that grow on each side the Candlestick and they drop the oyl c here is no oyl prepared by the art and industry of men but it is Natural Olive-oyl that doth of it self drop and therefore the supports and supplies of the Church are compared unto the rain and unto the dew that waits not for man and tarries not for the Sons of men Secondly The use of a Candlestick is for no other end then to hold up and hold out the light and to this very End the Lord hath instituted Churches the great Ordinance under the Gospel is the Church though alas we little consider it now pray observe the great End why God instituted Churches was this that he might have a company of Saints that might hold forth his Word and hold up his Worship and for this Cause the Church is called the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.16 The pillar of truth why so as one well observes as a pillar holds forth a Proclamation truth that upholds the Church but the Church holds out the Worship of God Thirdly A Candlestick is a thing moveable and with the removing of the Candlestick you carry away the light also and therefore the thing that the Lord threatens is that he will remove the Candlestick out of its place the Lord removes the Candlestick from place to place though the Land remain the Church is gone that is a dangerous Judgement not only an immediate removing of the Ordinances but of the Church for which all Ordinances were appointed the Kingdom of God shall be taken from them he will call them Loammi they shall be no more a people to him the Lord will remove the Candlestick and the glory of the Lord shall depart Lasty It s an allusion unto the Candlestick under
the middle of his Churches and Church-administrations and if the Lord once take away the vail that is upon our eyes then we shall be able to see the glorious presence of Christ in Gospel-administrations As I remember Iunius when he read the Scripture and the Lord had taken the scales off his eyes to fee the Majesty of it repente divinitatem argumenti Scripti majestatem authoritatemque senserim longo intervallo omnibus eloquentiae humanae praeeuntem horrebat Corpus stupebat animus Iunius he saw a majesty so far beyond all humane eloquence that he confesses his soul stood amazed at it so it would be to you only there is a vail before your eyes Secondly In heaven the Lord is present as revealing his mind and will unto his people the Saints in heaven know the whole mind of God concerning what ever belongs to Gods Glory or their own duty there we shall know as we are known 1 Cor. 13.12 and so he is present in the midst of his people In Deut. 23.3 As his Saints sit dowe at his feet they all receive of his words he gives forth what his will is concerning his Glory and their Duty nay look to Revel 4.22 They shall see his face and his name shall be written in their foreheads It is not spoken of the Glory to come it is new Ierusalem that comes down from God out of heaven and yet such Glorious Discoveries there shall be of the will of God and the mind of Christ unto his people as if so be they saw Gods face in heaven such a Glorious presence of Christ there is with his Churches Thirdly In heaven there shall be a glorious and full Communication of all Grace not only in reference to the secrets of his Counsel they know his Will but he will withold none of his graces from you as your Communion shall then be perfect with him so shall the Communication of all his grace be to you Now you know It is death that puts an end to sin mark it it is death that puts an end to mortification for he that is dead is free from sin 1 John 3.3 But it is the Beatifical vision that perfects Sanctification and reddit nos impeccabiles makes the soul impeccable as the Schoolmen observe there is a great resemblance of this too in the Ordinances of the Gospel and Christs presence in them Beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord we are transformed into the same Image 2 Cor. 3. ult For there are before the Throne seven lamps of fire and the seven spirits of God Revel 4,5 The Throne is Compassed about with a Rain bow signum gratiae and it is not of many colours but of one to shew how steady and constant and unchangeable Christ is in his ways and dispensations towards his people Fourthly In heaven there is convolutio animae in deum as the Schoolmen express it the soul is wholly as it were resolv'd into God Roled transform'd into God that is God wholly takes up the whole soul that is all I mean I would not be understood after that new fancy that men are deified with God But as it is said of the angels they behold the Face of your heavenly Father continually Mat. 18.10 never look off from him to eternity there is a glorious resemblance of this in the Lords presence with his Churches their eyes are fastned upon the Lord their eyes watch for the Lord mere then they that watch for the morning their soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness which is in the house of God there is that sweetness in the presence of God in his Ordinances which is next heaven it self when a man is made to drink out of the rivers of his pleasure some of Gods people can say so one day in thy Courts is better then a thousand elswhere there is a sweeter tast of God in Ordinances then there is anywhere in the world besides Fifthly in heaven there is the presence of Christ among his Saints and Angels if we should see the Lord sit upon his Throne and all his Angels and Saints gathered together round about him oh what a glorious presence this were but it s so in all Gospel administrations there is not only Chrst sitting on his Throne in the midst Rev. 4.24 Elders compass his Throne but then in Rev. 5.11 the text saith there is a guard of Angels round about the Elders Every time you come to worship God Remember there is Christ upon his Throne and Church-Officers compassing the Throne and Church-members the people and then the Angels as a guard about them Consider but that place in Zach. 3.7 If you will keep my waies I will give you Galleries to walk in amongst those that stand by A man shall be taken into fellowship and Communion with the Angels then there is a glorious presence that Christ affords unto his people he walks in the midst of the golden Candlesticks For the Application First how should this command reverence in every soul of you when you come to have to do with any Church administrations you do not consider the King will come in to see the guests you think it is but to hear a Sermon to joyn in prayer to go unto the Sacrament but consider not that you have to do there with the Lord Jesus Christ who is present in Majesty and Glory take heed therefore of all rash approaches to Christ and dealing rashly in any Gospel-institution Oh that the Lord would but set on this very apprehension on the hearts of those that profess to fear God in the Nation that they would take heed of rashness in dealing with Church-institutions in Lev. 26.24 If you walk at adventure with me Rashly with me so the word is many times used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 temere sine personae discrimine then God will walk at an adventure with you do not draw neer to the Lord Jesus Christ at an adventure for he is present at all Church-administrations there is a strange prophaness of heart that men shew in it and usually an hasty heart makes a rash mouth as Solomon speaks take heed therefore in all Church-administrations of rashness for Christ is here and he hath said you shall reverence my Sanctuary for I am Jehovah Let all be done with reverence and godly fear Secondly Is there such a gracious presence of Christ in Gospel administrations labour to see it there labour to have your souls affected with the spiritual presence or absence of Christ there The Prophet Ezekiel could see the glory of the Lord go up from the Cherubims but the people could see no such thing the Ordinances remained and they were well pleased yet though the Ordinances were not removed the glory of the Lord was gon and therefore have your hearts affected with this look upon it as your great affliction that it should be with you as it was with the Disciples after Christs resurrection the Lord appeared to
them but their eyes were with-held they did not know him God discovers himself gloriously in Church-administrations and all the time thine eyes are with-held and thou dost not see it I remember it was Bernards drift and it argueth I confess a very holy Spirit in the man Dico mihi saith he in languore desiderii mei quis amat quod non videt moriar ut te videam Bernard he sighs in the languishing of his desires and intreats God to discover himself to him Lord I am willing to dye to have a further discovery of thy self A man should come into the presence of God with high expectations of the beatifical vision and every new discovery will increas the desire to enjoy more Communion with God and therefore press the Lord with fervent prayer as he doth in that place De amore Dei ca. 1. quod obiter vidi accenso desiderio vix patienter expecto auferas a me manum tegentem and the Lord can make a short cut of it when he will habet gratiae sapientia sua compendia Desire the Lord to take that hand of his from him that hid him from his eye is there such a presence be not satisfied until thou seest it Thirdly Remember Christ is present but he is present in holiness there is no attribute of God so terrible to a sinful creature as that of his holiness Justice and wrath are no way so terrible as his holiness and this attribute Christ shews forth in his presence in Ordinances this attrâ—bute the Angels of God in glory do admire in the 6. of Isaiah and when the Saints come to worship what do they cast down their Crowns unto unto his holiness Rev. 4.8 Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts It is not a vain presence but it s a very holy presence Lastly take notice he is present in jealousie You cannot serve the Lord Why in Joshua 24.19 for he is a jealous God now there is a double fruit of Gods jealousie and do you tremble at the hearing of it First if you come at an adventure with God in Church-administrations the greatest temporal Judgements shall be inflicted upon you look to Ezekiel 10.2 The Angel of the Lord takes fire of the Altar and scatters over the City the Jews thought that the fire of the Altar did tend to nothing but to expiate their sin no saith God it shall burn the City to no fire burns as coals of Juniper like that fire Secondly if the Lord spare you in temporal judgements he will pour out spiritual judgements I only put you in mind of one place of Scripture in Ezekiel 47.11 But the myrie and the marish places thereof they shall not be healed they shall be given to salt What is the meaning of it here is waters of Doctrine and Grace issue out of the Sanctuary wherever these come there is glorious healing but there shall be under these Ordinances myrie and marish places where the water standeth new plagues shall light upon these places they shall be given to salt they shall be delivered over to perperual barrenness let never fruit grow upon that soul nor that people more these are the spiritual Judgements that God will pour out upon those that walk at an adventure with Christ in Gospel administrations for there is a glorious presence of Christ in them he walks in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks So much for a brief Explication of this portion of Scripture Gifts and Talents Shall be accounted for Preached before the Parliament on a day of Thanksgiving Sept. 3. LUKE 12.48 To whomsoever much is given of him much shall be required CHrist having before exhorted his Disciples to a continual watchful and constant preparedness for his coming the coming of the Lord as it is the great hope of the Saints they long for and hasten to the coming of that day of God so it is the great care of the Saints they knowing the terror of the Lord and they are to give their utmost diligence to be found of him in peace that they may be like unto the servants that wait for their Lords return because they know not the hour when the Son of man will come Upon this Peter propounds the question ver 41. Lord. speakest thou this parable unto us or even unto all Christ answers not directly who is the faithful and wise Steward Non negat ad omnes pertinere praecipue tamen ad Apostolos What I say unto you I say unto all watch Mark 13.37 where the same Exhortation is given These Verses set forth two high aggravations of sin when the Lord comes to reckon with his servants First the knowledge that they have Secondly the gifts and talents that they have received First the knowledge that they have he that knows his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes its true that knowledge is a great gift in so much that the Jews have a proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pauper non est nisi scientia destitutus There is no man poor but he that wants knowledge to be richin knowledge is to be indued with all riches but yet knowledge is given unto many a man in wrath and not in mercy to aggravate the contumacy and so the condemnation of a man Nihil aliud est scientia nostra quam culpa quoad hoc tantum legem novimus ut majori offensione peccemus Salv. Salv. It s a great misery to live without the Ordinances of God to be out of the Valley of Vision and in the dark places of the earth better is the bread of affliction and the water of trouble then a famine of hearing the word of God Amos 8.11 yet it is much better to be without a teaching-Priest and without the Law then to enjoy them to no other end but with the higher hand to sin against them there is no burthen like unto that of the valley of vision Esay 22.1 No woe like unto that of Ariel Esay 29. The word is by some rendered the Lyon of God because of the strength of that City and its power to subdue other Nations that it is as a Lyon of invincible strength no beast of the field could stand before it but others do render it the Altar of the Lord and it is the name given to the Altar Ezek. 43.16 The Altar shall be twelve cubits long it is Ariel so that they that had the ordinances of God and the sacrifices of God amongst them there is a wo unto them above all other people though it were the City where David dwelt so that they that abuse their knowledge and walk not answerable unto it here you see the Lord will surely reckon with them for their knowledge in the great day that he hath appointed to judge the world Secondly not only the knowledge but the gifts of men the gifts that men have received they will also aggravate their sin and increase wrath in the day
of their account the Lord will require nothing where he hath given nothing he will reckon with his servants only for the talents that they have received he doth not expect to reap where he hath not sown but where he hath committed a depositum he will require it and he will account with men according unto what their receits have been and answerable unto that so will their Judgement be there shall be different degrees of punishment answerable unto the different measure of Talents abused and neglected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Châ—ysost The Observations out of the text are four First What ever a man hath here is both given to him as a gift and committed to him as a Talent Secondly They are not given or committed unto all in the same measure but unto some much and unto some little in different measures Thirdly Whether a man hath much or little it is given or committed to him as that which he shall be called to an account for it shall be hereafter required of him Fourthly The more any man hath received the more shall be required of him in the general day of Judgement mens accounts shall be answerable to their receits Doctrine Whatsoever men receive from God they are given them or committed unto them There is that overflowing fulness in him who is the fountain of living waters that there is no man but receives something from him much or little every man doth receive and these blessings are to be considered in a double respect either as given or as committed First They are all given and are to be looked upon as dona gifts meerly of grace a man can receive nothing unless it be given him from above Iohn 3.27 Every good gift comes down from him who is the father of lights James 1.17 All good things are from above and they come unto us only in a way of gift There are but four ways of the conveyance of any thing one from another First Ex debito by way of debt which is due to be paid and so the Lord is debtor unto none who can say they gave unto God first and he shall be recompenced and though by his promise he seems after a sort to become come a debtor unto us yet it s true reddit debita nulli debens the rice of his promises are meerly his own grace and his obligation by them is not so much unto us as his own faithfulness that is true of Aquinas touching all the blessings of God bestowed upon men Opus justitiae divinae semper supponit opus misericordiae in eo fundatur Aquinas Secondly Ex pretio By way of purchase and so we have nothing to pay for they are not our own Thirdly Ex merito by way of desert and so we can have no right for when we have done all that is commanded we are unprofitable servants it cannot be agreeable to a created nature to merit any thing at the hand of his creator even the Lord Jesus Christ himself cannot be said absolutely and in a full sense to merit as Mediator at the hand of God the father and therefore grace was the foundation even of the merit of Christ himself there is gratia unionis and gratia unctionis according unto that ordinary saying of the Schoolmen Etiam meritum Christi habet Gratiam invisceratam and if the Mediatour who paid the debt could not merit much less can we Fourthly It must therefore be ex dono purely meerly of gift all our receits from God are of his grace he shews mercy for his own sake Secondly They are not only given unto them but they are also committed to them and so that they are to be looked upon as deposita committed unto them the one implyes grace in God and cals for thankfulness the other trust in us and cals for faithfulness the Lord is that great wise man spoken of in Luke 16.1 and he hath put his goods into their hands that they may preserve and imploy them as there is no man that is sine dono so there is none absque officio they are all of them stewards but not proprietaries and the time of their stewardship will have an end and then will the day of their account be that as it is said of the Jews that the Scriptures the Oracles of God that they were committed unto them Rom. 3.2 The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were concredited to them or left to them as a depositum which they were so to keep as they were to transmit unto their posterity so its true of all the pledges that the Lord doth betrust his people with they are committed unto them concredited with them as goods left in the hand of Officers for every man is a Steward of some of the graces of God and under this double notion all men are to look upon the blessings and mercies that they enjoy not only as gifts bestowed from the grace of God but as pledges committed unto their trust and here interpreters upon this place do point us unto a double distinction First Ratione rei so they are gifts to be received that the free grace that is given may be acknowledged Man in his fall had forfeited all his right to the blessings of God for he was now under the curse of the Law But the Lord did by a second Covenant give all things into the hand of the Son the Father loves the Son and hath given all things into his hand for he is appointed heir of all things which cannot be understood of him as God for so he is haeres natus but as Mediatour so he came under an act of the will of God and is now haeres constitutus Heb. 1.3 So that now the Lord Jesus raigns all Judgement being committed to him the donation and dispensation of all things is now in his hand he hath now a double ground of bestowing of gifts one is from common bounty and the other is from peculiar mercy the one by right of providence and the other by right of promise unto the one as servants unto the other as sons the one as their portion in this life and the other but as added unto the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Matth. 6.32 Secondly as Talents wherein our diligence and faithfulness is to be exercised both in imploying and in improving for there is no Talent but it s given to trade withall and being employed it will be encreased for men do gain by trading they are as the bread that Christ fed the Disciples with it multiplyes in the breaking and as the widdows oyl it encreaseth in the spending for all that a man hath received here it is in reference unto trading whether it be grace or gifts for all is given that a man might imploy it and by imploying it improve it Secondly Ratione personae as they are data in salutem propriam and commendata in salutem aedificationem aliorum First some there are