be departing and taking its leave of the body or at lest may be in danger so to do whereas the former being a man of an hayle and good constitution of body the soul may act inform enliven it many years 8. Get a respect to all Gods Commandments Psa 119.6 then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments The reason why men indulge any one lust is because they pick and cull their duties and so indeed serve not the will of God but their own choice Oh how many are there that answer the Lord with half obedience like the Eccho which makes not a perfect respondence of the voyce but of some part thereof Many make such a difference amongst the Tables as if onely one side or one part were of Gods writing Oh Sirs this will not do this will undo the man that like Agrippa doth but almost beleeve almost repent almost conform to the will of God that man shall be saved proportionably almost One sin unrepented of will cause you to miscarry to all eternity one crack in a bell may make it unserviceable untunable and till it be new cast it is good for nothing one wound may kill your bodies and so may one sin your souls Oh Christians what had become of you and I if Jesus Christ had satisfied the justice of God for all but one sin there is a text in Ezekiel Ezek. 18.27 that is usually taken for a place of the greatest mercy in the whole book of God When the wicked turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right he shall save his soul alive You have to the same purpose ver 21 22. of the same Chapter but pray mark what follows ver 28. Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgression that he hath committed no mercy to be expected from this Scripture unless a man turn away from all his transgressions 2 Tim. 2.21 the vessel of honour is distinguished from the vessel of dishonour by this character that it is sanctified and prepared for every good work Luke 1.6 and this is the commendation of Zachary and Elizabeth they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless Halting in Religion is a troublesome deformed dangerous gesture and there is no cure for this like cutting off the right foot 9. Lay hold on Gods strength for the mortifying of thy beloved sin surely this is no easie work see how it is expressed in Scripture sometime it is called the mortification of our members is to mortifie a part of the body an easie work sometimes the circumcising of the foreskin of our hearts Deut. 10.16 did the Sichemites count circumcision an easie work by crucifying of the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 was crucifixion an easie death and here in the text it is called a plucking out the right eye and cutting off the right hand the Apostle Paul in the forementioned place tells the Romans if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body you shall live He who is the fountain of spiritual life is also the principle of this spiritual death this is a work to be done by us but through the Spirit Hence in Scripture God is said to do this Rom. 8.13 Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed and the Apostle expresses this by circumcision made without hands Col. 2.11 intimating that it is not a work of mans hands but Gods Q. If any aske me but how shall we lay hold on Gods strength R. By faith great things are attributed unto this grace because it lays hold on God and sets God at work 1 Joh. 5.4 This is the victory that overcometh the world even our faith it overcomes not onely the honours and riches and pleasures of the world but the lusts of the world of which you have mention 1 Job 2.16 saith is a self-emptying grace a poor beggarly hand rich only in receiving from another something like Davids sling and stone against Goliah lusts but in the name of the Lord of Hosts and by his strength even a babe in Christ through faith shall overcome the world I must tell you that Hannibal and Alexander and all the glorious Victors that we read of were but fresh water Souldiers in comparison of one that is born of God I shall only to what I have said add a few Motives to quicken you to your duty and so commend all to Gods blessing Motive 1. Right-eye sins and right-hand sins are the greatest hinderances of the souls closing with Christ When you flea any creature the skin comes off with ease till it comes to the head and there it sticks more then ordinary skill is required to get it thence Now I must tell you the sin that I am disswading you against is not only the eye sin and the hand sin but the head sin and here conversion sticks The sinner forbears many sins and performs many duties but when it comes to this Oh master saith flesh and blood pitty thy selfe beware what thou dost what be thine own Executioner plucke out thy right eye cut off thy right hand A mans sin is himself to deny ungodlinesse is to deny selfe this is a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-murther No man ever yet hated his owne flesh Is there no getting to heaven unlesse a man leave himself behind this is durus sermo an hard saying As Naaman the Syrian 2 Reg. 5.18 When my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my hand and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing So the sinner the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing Mark 10.20 21. The young man in the Gospel tels Christ that he had kept all the commandements from his youth but when Christ said to him One thing thou lackest goe thy way sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasures in heaven and come and take up thy crosse and follow me here he sticks verse 22. he was sad at that saying and went away grieved for he had great possessions or his great possessions had him Alass this poor young man little thought that notwithstanding his forwardnesse to keep the Commandements he was under the power of worldly lusts Oh sirs there is great strength in a river when it runs smoothly and without noise Motive 2. As these sins are the greatest hindrances of the souls closing with Christ so they prove the greatest trouble to the soul afterwards Your Eye-sin will prove your eye-sore yea and your heart-sore My meaning is your conâ—cience will suffer most upon the account of this sin all your dayes Thus Job cap. 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth When a mans conscience is
Heifer or Horse that kicks and winseth The Lord complains Jer. 5.7 8. that when he fed them to the full they committed adultery c. and were like fed Horses bruitish and sensuall such as gratifie their lusts in eating c. are strong Bulls of Bashan Psal 22.12 the Psalmist sayes he was compassed about with them who were like Bulls in a fat pasture well fed and strong and ready to gore and push the great and rich and potent ones are compared to these bruits We are very apt in the midst of comforts to grow sensuall and before we are aware as Noah and Lot who both were overtaken Our Lord Christ Luk. 11.34 exhorts his Disciples against these and bids them to beware the word notes a very diligent and intent study and intention of mind to what he said least their heart should be overcharged it seems strange that he should give the Disciples an exhortation against sensuality and bruitish sins but that he knew their natures and though they were most temperate persons yet he bids them beware of surfeting knowing that if the best did not watch they might be overtaken with sensuality 2. Pride ease and idlenesse usually go together the immoderate or inordinate use of the creature this was it which God warned his peopâ—e of Deut. 8.11.12 14. take heed when thou art full c. lest thy heart be lifted up So Psal 123.4 there 't is said his soul was filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud they are put together When we fall to eating and drinking the next thing is to take our ease Luk. 12.19 So the Lord speaks Hos 13.6 According to their pastures so were they filled and their heart was exalted and they have forgotten me Ease and idlenesse attend sensuality these gratifie a bruitish disposition very much fullnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse were Sodoms sins Ezek. 16.49 And the rich glutton sang a Requiem to his soul usually when men abound in outward comforts they are most apt to grow lethargick and slothfull or at least they will not take much pains it may be they will be doing something but they will not be at much pains especially as to their souls Hos 10.11 Ephraim is a Heifer that loveth to tread out the Corn c. but not to plow he cares not for that they were wont to use Beasts in treading their Corn instead of threshing of it now it was Gods command that the Oxe that trod out the Corn should not be muzled but that he might eat as he did work Then here is Ephraim at a good lazy work that hath meat in the mouth of it wages for work and present pay here is Corn he abounds in outward things and though he treads out the Corn he will not plow that is too hard labour he will not go abroad in the wet and cold and seems to have reference to those of the Tribes that would not go to Jerusalem to worship they would not take so much pains Ephraim considers his ease he loves no hard work Ephraim did abound and grew rich Hos 12.7 8. He drave a great trade in the world and took pains but yet it was in a way that might gratifie his lust and carry on his gain but what saith God to this temper see Hos 10.11 The Lord saith he will pass upon his fair neck I 'le make Ephraim to ride He had a fair and a beautiful neck he led such a life that though he trod out the Corn he lived in plenty ease and idleness no yoke came on his neck he would not abide a yoke to be put on but by his lazy life and good trade he had a beautifull neck he became tender and delicate but I 'le pass over his fair neck as some take it I 'le cause a heavy yoke to come over his neck and will make him work and set him to hard labour I 'le make him a drudge I 'le make him ride some take it for their speedy captivity that shall tame him by his plenty and ease he is grown so lusty like a restive Jade I 'le ride him I 'le set some on his back shall ride him off his legs and Vers 12. Jacob shall break the clods the ten Tribes this is a base druddging work to break the clods but this servile work shall be his We see in Laodicea their plenty and idlenesse Rev. 16.17 went together and they were to be spewed out 3. Then there is security follows this eating c. and usually where there is abundance of these and that men are much taken up with these there is a secure sleepy forgetfull spirit goes with them and doubtlesse this was the sin of the old world that though Noah was a Preacher of righteousnesse and his making the Ark was a publike alarum to the world yet they went on in their way eating and drinking c. very securely promising to themselves peace and safety Such as are filled with what they eat and drink are apt to drop asleep and then they are secure they apprehend themselves safe from danger they are compared to a drunken man that doth not know in what condition he is in 2 Tim. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is to return to ones self after drunkennesse that they may awaken for it signifies one that is secure and so goes on in his way when he returns and recovers himself he is as a man that was drunk and awakes and returns to himself whence it is that God did so often caution his people against a secure sleepy forgetfull frame of spirit and when the Lord was to bring the children of Israel into Canaan he still bids them they should not forget him Deut. 6. c. 8. v. 14. but this sin he complains of in them Hos 2.13 When David was in the middest of his comforts he grew secure Psal 30.6 We find some brought in Isa 28.15 speaking in their thoughts that they had made a covenant with death and hell c. they in their secure thoughts apprehended themselves free from danger such thoughts ever carry impenitency and hardnesse of heart with them Zeph. 1.12 Jer. 48.11 when they are setled on their lees they never consider or say what have I done Jer. 8.6 Incogitancy and security go together a secure person never considers his own estate danger nor duty When once a man growes sleepy promising to himself freedome from danger and good dayes then he falls into some sin or other or some evil falls upon him Mat. 24.48 50. The evil servant said his Master delayed his coming and Vers 49. He began to beat his fellow-servant 1. He is secure he promiseth to himself safety his Master delayes c. 2. He falls to beat his fellow-servant Or else they fall into some sin Matth. 25.5 8. while they slept their Lamps went out or some evill befalls them Lam. 1.9 Sudden destruction 1 Thes 5.3 when men grow
great Truths and come to that which the words seem to import viz. A power in man to turn himself It is a good rule which Glassius in his Philologie gives us In Philol. l 3. p. 290. That active Verbs are given to those things which do not properly by immediate influxe do that which they signifie Sed certa tantum ratione concurrunt God said to Moses Lift up thy rod stretch out thy hand over the sea and divide it Exod. 14.16 Moses had not power to divide the sea but because there was a certain concurrence of Moses using the rod according to divine direction therefore it is attributed unto Moses whereas it was the work of God alone for vers 21. it s said The Lord caused the sea to go back So in the work of Conversion because man doth something about it therefore he is said to turn himself although the action be peculiar to the Lord Jer. 31.18 Ephraim saith Turn thou me and I shall be turned The Query here is What can or ought persons to do towards their own Conversion Something first is to be spoken of mans power or can and then something of what man ought to do For the 1. of these There is a threefold power considerable an Active a Passive and an Obediential power 1. An active power as in fire there is such a power to warm in a good Tree there is such a power to bring forth good fruit This kind of power is denyed to be in man Mat. 12.34 How can you that are evil speak good things if they cannot speak good things much less can they do good things 2. A passive power as in Wax to receive the impression of the Seal and in wood to receive the engravings of the Carver This power is not found in man 1 Cor. 2.14 Paul saith expresly The natural man or souly man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receives not the things of the Spirit of God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither can he A stiffe dead hand receives nothing neither can it 3. An obediential power which consists in a capability to receive what form or impression soever the mighty God by his power shall put upon a creature such a power is in a stony heart to become flesh its capable to be made fleshly when God puts forth his power This is the power granted by Divines to be in men and it is a very low power The sacred Writ is plentiful in setting out the impotency of man it tels us that He is not subject to the Law of God neither can be Rom. 8.7 That he cannot please God Rom. 8.8 That he cannot come to Christ Joh. 6.44 That he can do nothing without Christ Joh. 15.5 That he cannot believe Joh. 12.39 chap. 5.44 That he cannot love God 1 Joh. 4.20 That he cannot do good yeild good fruit Jerem. 13.23 Matth. 7 17. That he cannot think a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 Mans liberty or power is referrible to Natural Moral or Spiritual things To the first he hath great strength To the second some To the third none A man freely doth natural and moral things he can live soberly and chastly quoad externos actus as to outward acts he may abstain from gross sins Theft Murder Drunkenness c. he may come to the Congregations freely hear the word and not stop his ears as the deaf Adder doth but as to spiritual acts qua tales he is impotent For the better understanding of the Querie What persons can do towards their own Conversion I shall lay down several Theses or Conclusions which I shall make good by Scripture as I proceed 1. Conclus 1. All dispositions and inclinations to spiritual good which man had at first in his Creation are lost and ruin'd by the Fall Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God it s so far from having inclination to God or the things of God that it s not only an enemy but enmity against God and Jer. 2.21 the Lord saith I had planted thee a noble vine wholly a right seed how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me they had lost their original sap and were degenerated into a wild Vine and could not bring forth good Clusters 2. Conclus 2 Man being altogether averse from good the servant of sin and death sold under sin Satans captive and dead in sin is not able by his own strength and power to convert or prepare himself thereunto Rom. 3.10 12. Rom. 8.2 Rom. 7.14 2 Tim. 2.26 Colos 2.13 Rom. 5.6 Joh. 6.44 65. there must be the Fathers giving and drawing his gift and power otherwise there is no coming to Christ Men are without Christ in their natural conditions Eph. 2.12 they are dead to his life and righteousness 3. Conclus The Lord calls for humane endeavours and would have men do more then they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word signifies negotiari in aliqua re ad Lucrum Budaeus Luk. 19.13 to those had the Talents he saith Occupy till I come be pragmatical bestir your selves and improve your talents so that at my return I may find you gainers and he hid his Talent in a Napkin is branded for a wicked servant ver 22. and for a wicked and sloathful servant Mat. 25.26 4. Conclus Men may do more then they do Isa 64.7 There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee they did not shake off luke-warmness and lasiness and rouze up themselves to take hold of God by faith and prayer It s the complaint of Christ that he was hungry and they gave him no meat thirsty c. they might have done those things and bestowed their estates upon Christs members as well as others It s evident men may do more then they do for that they do not that in their healths which they do in time of their affliction then they will early seek God Hos 5.15 Weak ones do more then stronger many of weak parts act beyond those of larger abilities Many complain in their sickness that they have lost time and not done what they might where is the man that dares plead it before the Lord that he hath done all he could Because men do not what they might the Lord may not only deny grace unto them doing something yea doing much but justly condemn them because they did not what was in their power It is a common saying among Papists Jesuites Arminians and others Nos negamus ullos unquam suisse bene citentes bono naturae propter deum itaque non dubimus esse aliquod meritum congrui Chamier panstr Cath. T. 3. l. 14. c. 4. facienti quod in se est gratiam non denegat deus This is no sound foundation for it supposeth some men do act to the uttermost of their power But Whoever yet did all that was in his power whoever went so far as that he might not have gone one step farther
Did ever any read hear or pray so much but he might have read heard and pray'd more Jehoram might have waited on the Lord longer 2 Kings 6. ult 5. Conclus Humane endeavours are not required to co-operate with Gods grace and so make it effectual but his grace makes their endeavours effectual when he pleaseth Physical means make not Gods power effectual but his power makes them effectual and so it s in mens endeavours It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 6. Conclus All that men do before Conversion is not in vain fruitless and to no purpose When Rehoboam and the Princes humbled themselves at the preaching of Shemaiah they were reprieved and delivered from destruction 2 Chro. 12.12 Ahabs humiliation did adjourn the judgement 1 King 21.27.29 The Ninivites found favour with God upon their fasting and repentance Jon. 3.8 9 10. 7. Conclus All the Actings and endeavours of men whatsoever they be are not formaliter dispositions or preparations to conversion so that conversion must necessarily follow upon them For there is no necessary connexion between the actings of Men and divine Grace The Lord hath no where said if you act so far or be so disposed qualified or prepared I will convert you If Gods grace did depend upon mens Actings then those that are most Civil and Moral must be taken and those who are profane and rebellious must be left but Pharisees were excluded when Publicans and Harlots were admitted Great sinners sometimes are brought in who did nothing towards their conversion when those did much are shut out Mary Magdalen a great and infamous sinner is taken when the foolish Virgins were refused they were Virgins free from the spots and pollutions of the world they had lamps professions they did much they went out to meet the Bride-groom they gat oyle into their lamps they went to the door and they cryed Lord Lord open to us Haec sunt opera preparatoria quibus se effert Paulus Jun. in locum and there was no opening to them What preparations had Paul to this work of conversion he was a blasphemer a persecuter and an injurious person these were his dispositions and preparatory works he had towards his conversion 1 Tim. 1.13 8. Conclu Those that live under the means of grace the administrations of Law and Gospel have some operations and gifts of the Spirit which some call common preventing and exciting Grace whereby they are inabled to do many things towards and in order to conversion The Scribe that was teachable and answered Christ discreetly was not farre from the kingdome of God Mark 12.32 34. He was nearer unto it than those had not the means The preaching of the Gospel is to make the converted meet for Glory and the unconverted meet for Grace to prepare and bring them to regeneration I have begotten you through the preaching of the Gospel saith Paul to the Corinthians 1 Epist 4.15 The preaching of it wrought much in them before conversion it selfe was wrought Balaam living under the Law and amongst or nigh the people of God was much inlightned and greatly convinced insomuch that he desired to die the death of the righteous 9. Conclus No actings of men or qualifications in men are causes of conversion do merit it or make them congruous for it They are not antecedent causes or so much as Causae sine quibus non but the Lord doth according to his Prerogative work sometimes where they are not as Ezek. 16. When thou wast in thy bloud I said unto thee live There was no cause condition or qualification in them to beget affection or move the Lord to do ought for them It was the time of his love and he said live 10. Conclus What ever the endeavours and dispositions of men be they are only by way of order before Conversion they are only antecedaneous thereunto on mans part not necessary on Gods part who can and oft doth work where there be no such previous acts or dispositions as in the dry bones in Ezekiel they had no disposition or power in them to rattle and come together neither had the dead womb of Sarah any power or vertue in it to conceive 11. Conclus Acts of men towards Conversion are not to be rested in as any satisfaction for sinne as making the person acceptable to God or as inducements of God towards conversion Qui nobis ipsis nihil a deo meriti sumus quibus deus nullam gratiam nullam mercedē debet se si jure nobiscum agat juxta conditionē servorū Brugensis in loc but we must acknowledge our selves unprofitable servants when we have done all that is commanded us Luke 17.10 12. Conclus Mans quickning believing repenting or turning are not acts of man in part and partly of God but they are wholly of God and from God You hath he quickned Ephes 2.1 they were dead and could not quicken themselves it was He the Lord So no man can come to me except the Father draw him John 6.44 This drawing or causing the soule to believe in Christ is wholly the Fathers work Nisi donum dei esset ipsa ad deum nostra conversio non ei diceretur Deus virtutum converte nos Aug. de gra lib. Arb. Jam. 1.17 August And Ephraim saith Turn thou me and I shall be turned Jer. 31.18 he could not turne himselfe if the Lord had not done it it would never have been done Paul saith It 's not in him that wills c. but in God c. The will and deed are of him not of man Phil. 2.13 It is the Lord who is causa totius entis Every good and perfect gift comes downe from above it 's not a perfect gift if man contribute to it The saying of the Father is sound Velle habemus sed bene velle in parte in toto est a gratia 13. Conclus Man in the first act of conversion is meerly passive Those who believe are borne not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God nothing of mans will comes in Not ultimum dictamen intellectus did set the will on work here but the Lord begat them of his owne will Jam. 1.18 So that mans will is not semiviva semimortua but penitus extincta ad bonum spirituale and so ad hoc to this of Conversion as the vitall faculty is gone in a dead man 14. Conclus Mans will being first converted to God and by God himselfe converts it selfe also unto God acta agit as a childs hand in writing being acted by the Masters hand it writes Hence man may be said to turn himself for the will being healed and made good of unwilling willing it hath an intrinsecal principle of willing good and so dominion over its own acts whereby it turneth it selfe to God Where there is the Fathers drawing first there is presently the
on their sick beds at home they resolve if God will spare them to do or suffer any thing for God and his ways and their own salvation 9. They may cnoceive fair hopes of mercy The Lord Christ being held out in the Gospel and freely offer'd to sinners this breeds hope in them a general and preparatory hope What shall we do you told us that God had raised up that Jesus we crucified and made him Lord and Christ and that whosoever should call upon his name should be saved therefore we hope there is mercy for us Thus had they a hope kindled in them Act. 2.21 and Peter in the two next verses strengthens their hope saying Repent and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and the promise is to you and to your children 10. They may thirst after and pray for the mercy hoped for Such a qualification was in these men What shall we do you men of God we are a thirst and do intreat you to tell us where we may have water to quench our heat mercy to pardon our sins balme to cure our wounds The Publican in Luke hath left us his short pithy and affectionate prayer to imitate being in this case and state Lord saith he be merciful to me a sinner He was sensible of his sin and of his want of righteousness he had hope of mercy and thereupon came to the Temple to pray and pray'd earnestly for mercie and Conversion is none of the least mercies of God or least needful for a sinner 11. Men being come thus far they are to wait upon God for doing the work when the pots were fil'd with water the water was not made Wine till Christ put forth his mighty power neither were the men who lay at the pool of Bethesdah cur'd till the Angel came down and stirred the waters so a man in this case is to wait until the Spirit of the Lord come in omnipotenti sua vitate or victrici delectatione overcome his will and set it for the Lord and spiritual things when this is the work is done and done without violence to the will for its an omnipotent presence prevails with the will and it s immediately made willing in the day of this power By these forementioned things men are in a proximity or nextness to Conversion but not converted It must be an higher power then our own which lifts us up into an higher nature or state then we are in at present Though men may do much upon moral perswasions yet not so much as to make themselves Converts or spiritual of Animal or Natural Previous actions and preparative dispositions may make a man a picture of a Convert not a true or living Convert Having shewn what persons can and may do towards their Conversion it remains to declare what they ought to do The word must or ought the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek imports two things 1. Necessity there must be Heresies 1 Cor. 11.19 it s no mans duty to broach or bring in Heresies but they must be its necessary for the discovery of men approved 2. Duty God is a Spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and truth its mens duty so to do Joh. 4.24 It was the Pharisees and Scribes duty to pay tythe of Mint Anise and Cummin c. therefore saith Christ These things ought they to have done c. Mat. 23.23 Now then what persons can do they ought to do First there is a necessity of it we must do what we can else we are sloathful and unfaithful and our damnation will be just one thing is necessary viz. to turn unto God that our souls may be saved here it will hold good Turn or burn if it be necessary to prevent burning in everlasting flames its necessary to turn and so to do the utmost we can towards the same Secondly it s our duty Strive to enter in at the strait gate saith Christ he commands it and lays this injunction upon all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strain be in an agony as Christ was in the work of mans redemption so let men be in the works of their Conversion put forth themselves as they did in the Olympick Games the Wrestlers and Runners exerted all their might to obtain and so must men about the work of their Conversion The Lord who hath no pleasure in the death of a sinner saith Turn your selves and live There is life in turning and what should not men do to preserve or obtain life The Lord hath two great ends in saying thus Turn your selves and live yee although he know man is not able to do it 1. That we may see how corrupt and impotent our nature is and so break the strength of humane confidence thereby Quicquid nobis praecipitur a deo ad illud faciendum sufficientem potentiam habemus Dixit Pelagius quod homo sâ—lius liberi aâ—bitrii viribus potest perficere dei mandata Bradwardinus de causa dei l. 2. c 4. and bring us to be sensible of and throughly to bewayl our condition It is not so as some think and speak viz. that whatever God commands man hath power to do what man ever kept the Law since the fall of Adam and is not the Law given by way of command if man could keep the Law we might be justified and have life by it Rom. 8.3 Gal. 3.21 but the Law can neither do the one nor the other and why because man hath not power or strength to keep it 2. To put us upon looking out for help from whence the command cometh Hence is it that what the Lord commandeth us to do in one place he promiseth to give in another Circumcise the foreskin of your heart Deut. 10.16 and God saith Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart In the former verse to the Text they are commanded to make themselves new hearts and new spirits which they could not do therefore in Ezek. 36.26 the Lord promiseth to give and put the same in them Repent and turn your selves Ezek. 14.6 and chap. 36.27 Ideo dat praeceptum ut exciâ—et desiderium praestet auxilitum Leo. I will put my Spirit into them and cause them to walk in my ways the Spirit God would put in should turn them from their Idols and own ways and cause them to walk in his ways The Lord doth therefore command such things that our desires and endeavours being quickned he may reach forth help unto us Therefore let us apply our selves to all these means and ways by which the Lord worketh Conversion Let us make use of all the ways forenamed and especially hear the word preach'd and pray Turn us O Lord and we shall be turned and see to it that we use the means in good earnest we may do more as hath been shewed than we do It s the counsel of him who was wiser than other men that whatever our hands do find to do we
should do it with our might Eccles 9.10 that is with our whole might God must have the heart the whole heart and the fervency of it Rom. 12.11 Be fervent in spirit serving the Lord lasiness and luke-warmness will not promote the work fervour and diligence may further it much see Prov. 2.3 4 5 6. and remember what the Lord Christ hath said Ask and ye shall have seek and ye shall find knok and it shall be opened unto you How may beloved Lusts be discovered and Mortified MAT. 5.29 30. And if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell And if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell MY Text is a part of Christs Sermon on the Mount I shall not hold you long in the Context or portall but onely passe through unto the words that I have read In the verse before our Saviour tells us that Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart This was spoken in opposition to the Scribes Pharisees and may be urged against many carnal Protestants that have but grosse conceits concerning the Law of God and in particular that the outward act of uncleannesse onely is the breach of the seventh Commandement Thou shalt not commot adultery Now our Saviour corrects this mistake That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart not will do it but he hath done it already there is a speedy passage from the eye to the heart And because the eye and the hand are many times used as principal incitements to this sin our Saviour gives his Disciples and us this serious and holy advice in the words that I have read If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee c. The words contain a double Exhortation together with a double Reason and enforcement 1. A double Exhortation if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee 2. A double Reason and Enforcement For it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell and so again ver 30. In the handling of these words I shall first speak to them by way of Explication and then by way of Observation 1. For the Explication of them I would entreat you to take into your thoughts these particulars 1 We must enquire into the meaning of these two expressions the right eye and the right hand most Expositors by far carry it that these words are to be expounded improperly and figuratively and here I shall not acquaint you how Popists Writers abound in their own sense concerning these words there are sweet truths that kindly and freely without straining may be deduced from this Scripture like the Bee I would not tear the flower I light on There are two Interpretations given of this place that I shall take notice of 1. There are some that by right eye and right hand understand our neerest and dearest comforts which we have in this world which must be parted with for Christs sake yet not absolutely but upon this consideration if they offend If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee Now this is bona expositio a good Exposition as our Divines distinguish but not recta Expositio a right Exposition agreeable to the analogy of faith but not sutable to the scope and design of our Saviour in this place Therefore 2. There are others that by right eye and right hand understand beloved lusts as hard to be parted with as right hands or right eyes our Saviour mentions the right eye and the right hand because they are most prized as having more then ordinary of spirits and natural heat and so more fit for action I am sure this may be said concerning the right hand Indeed I conceive it an hard matter to prove that by divine appointment one hand should be more useful then the other but as God hath given us two eyes and two ears so two hands to use both indifferently and that if need required the one might supply the loss of the other if any methinks the left hand should be preferred because it is neerest the heart the fountain of life and activity but Christ takes them as he finds them as he doth in many other cases and as we have ordered the matter the right hand is more active and strong then the other and so more precious but to our purpose Some I say by the right eye and the right hand understand our beloved lusts it is the usage of the Spirit of God in the Scriptures in a figurative way to express corruption by the parts and members of our bodies so St. Paul Rom. 7.23 I see another law in my members Rom. 7.23 warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members and the same Apostle Col. 3.5 Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection c. as the members of the natural body need castigation 1 Cor. 9.27 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my body and bring it into subjection so the members of the sinful body need mortification and here in the Text sin is expressed by the right eye and the right hand 2. If thy right eye offend thee in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scandalize thee hinder thee in a way of duty for you must note that obedience and holiness is often in Scripture represented unto us by a way to give you one place for all Psal 119.1 Psa 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord and men are said to be offended when something causes them to stumble or fall in this way Sâ—n is as it were a block or a stone at which men stumble and fall let him which thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 3. Pluck it out and cast it from thee cut it off and cast it from thee a Metaphor taken from Chirurgions whose manner it is when the whole body is endangered by any part to cut it off ne pars sincera trahatur but before I leave these expressions take notice of the Emphasis that is in them in these particulars 1. T is not said suffer thy right eye to be plucked out or thy right hand to be cut off but thou thy self pluck it
the grace contrary to the lust that is stirring if it be pride and vain-glory in the applause of men think how ridiculous it were for a criminall to please himself in the esteem and honour his fellow-prisoners render him forgetting how guilty he is before his Judge If thou beginnest to be powred loosely out and as it were dissolved in frolick mirth and jovialty correct that vainnesse and gayety of spirit by the grave and sober thoughts of death and judgement and eâ—ernity Rule 6 If this avail not fall instantly to prayer and indeed all along the whole encounter with thy lusts Pray continually lift up thy heart to God with sighs and groans unutterable Oh that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down Tell him thy lusts are his enemies as well as thine tell him they are too strong for thee beg of him that he would interpose and make bare his arme and get himself a glorious name Awake Isa 51.9 awake put on strength O arme of the Lord awake as in the ancient dayes in the generations of old Art not thou it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon Intreat him of all love to pity thee even by his very bowels and not to let the enemy triumph over thee Tell him thou knowest not what to do but thy eyes are towards him Bemoan thy self before him and plead his glory with him and his truth and faithfulness Spread his own gracious promises in his eyes Psal 27.14 Isa 40.28 29 30 31. Psal 55.22 1 Pet. 5.7 Such Ejaculations or Meditations as these are mighty usefull Gods children find them so in the very paroxisme and assault But if the Temptation continue get into thy Closet and humble thy self greatly before thy God throw thy self at his feet tell him thou wilt not rise till he hath given thee a token for good no thou art resolved there to lye hanging on him and not to let him go untill he bless thee O how welcome is every honest heart to the father of Spirits when it comes on such an errand and in such a manner to the throne of grace God cannot chuse but melt in pity and tendernesse over his poor desolate ones when he sees the anguish of their souls How can I give thee up O Ephraim my bowels are troubled for thee Jer. 31.20 Isa 49.14 they will not give me leave to forget thee Is Ephraim my dear son I do earnestly remember him I wil surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Give not over wrestling like Jacob Gen. 32.26 27 28. till thou risest Israel one who hast power with God and prevailest And it is worth observing that the Lord takes pleasure to be called the mighty God of Jacob and the Lord God of Israel as if he reckoned it an honour that once the worme Jacob wrestled with his omnipotence and overcame him he seems to glory in his being conquered and chuseth that for his name and for his memoriall throughout generations which is an everlasting monument that a poor frail man got the day of him So much doth the effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous prevail Perhaps sometime it may be requisite to joyne secret fasting with thy prayer It may be the Devil that tempts thee is of that kind that will not go out but by prayer and fasting Mat. 17.21 Thus Daniel lay prostrate at Gods feet till a hand touched him and set him upon his knees and the voice said to him O Daniel greatly beloved c. Dan. cap. 10. vers 2 3 compared with 10 11. with 18 19. verses When thou hast done this Rise up and buckle on the shield of faith Rule 7 which is able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked one Ephes 6 16. Cloath thy soul with an heroick confidence in the power and faithfulnesse of thy God and in the name and majesty of the Lord of hosts bid battle to thy lusts and to all the powers of darknesse Prov. 7.16 Take heed of going out in thy own single strength for lust hath cast down many strong men wounded While thou art kâ—eping thine owne heart with all diligence forget not by faith to bring the great keeper of Israel in If any other man could have kept his own heart sure the man after Gods own heart could have done it Virg. Aeneid Si Pergama dextra Defendi possent etiam hac defensa fuissent But the matter of Vriah and Bathsheba stands on record to all posterity to the contrary For except the Lord keep the City the watchman waketh but in vain Psalm 127.1 Do not venture to grapple with the roaring Lyon but in the strength of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah who is also the Lamb of God and the great shepheard of Israel Isa 40.11 that carries his lambs in his bosome and whether should the pursued Lamb betake it self but into that shepheaâ—ds arms In time of trouble spirituall as well as other he will hide thee in the secret of his Tabernacle in his pavilion will he hide thee and set thee as upon a rocke Psal 27.5 He never fails the eyes of them that look up to him nor makes his people ashamed of their hope What time thou art afraid trust in him His name is a strong tower Cast thy care upon him and expect the same pity from thy God which the men of Iabesh-Gilead found from Saul when Nabash the barbarous Ammonite would have put out their right eyes To morrow ere the Sun be hot ye shall have help 1 Sam. 11.9 If the King of Israels bowels yerned over those poor men shall not the bowels of the God of Israel over those that fear him Yes upon his honour truth and faithfulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serpens hebr he will not suffer that cruell Nahash to allude to the signification of the word that old Serpent to have his will upon them if he doth not come to day he will to morrow ere the Sun be hot Lift up your heads therefore O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in Who is this King of glory The LORD strong and mighty the LORD mighty in battle Psal 24.7 8. Thus was Joseph rescued from the Archers that shot at him and sorely grieved him His bow abode in strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the arms of the mighty God of Jacob Gen. 49.23 24. Vse 1 Information I come at length to the Use We are to learn hence That our souls are not as they came out of the father of Spirits hands they appear as it were wrong risen in the world and begin to tread awry the very first steps they measure on the stage of Earth All the symptomes of degeneracy are upon them The best of men that ever yet blest the earth with their Residence upon it except that Son of man who was only so by the mothers side being by the Fathers
banner thou servest Upon thy good behaviour and address in Arms depends much of the renown and honour of Christianity A cowardly Souldidier is the reproach of his Commanders Thou hast a noble General O Christian that hath done and finished perfectly what ever concerns thy Redemption from the powers of darkness To him that over cometh will he give to sit on his throne even as he overcame and is set downe on his fathers throne Rev. 3.23 Do valiantly and worthily Follow thy victorious Leader let all that know thee see that Religion is no mean and feeble thing that the School of Christ breeds the excellent of the earth that the Divine life is the most powerfull principle in the world that the Spirit of God in thee and his grace 〈◊〉 stronger then all thy lusts and corruptions Not he that talks mâ—st or professeth most but he that acts and lives most as a Christian shall be the man whom the King delights to honour 3. The lusts of the flesh are thy greatest enemies as well as Gods they warre against thy soul 1 Pet. 2.11 To resist them feebly is to do not only the work of the Lord but of thy Soul negligently 4ly It is easie vanquishing at first in comparison a fire newly kindled is soon quenched and a young thorn or bramble easily pulled up The fierce Lyon may be tamed when a whelp but if thou stay a little there will be no dealing with a Lust any more than with 〈◊〉 salvage Beast of prey Grace will lose and corruption get strength continually by delaying Fifthly If thou resistest the victory is thine Iames 4.7 And 〈◊〉 my Text Walke c. and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the fâ—â—sh Thoâ— caust never be conquered if thou wilt not yield Stand but 〈…〉 thou art invincible while thou art unwilling all the Devilâ— in hell cannot force thee to sin Temptation puts on it's strength as the will is Cease but to love the sin and the temptation is answered Indeed if thou chusest to be a slave thou shalt be one Nothing but thy owne choice can undo thee Sixthly Consider what thou dost if thou fulfillest the lusts of the flesh 1 Sam. 15 23. Heb. 6.6 thou provokest thy Heavenly Father rebellest against him and Rebellion is as witchcraft and stubbornesse as idolatry Thou crucifiest Jesus Christ afresh and puttest him to open shame Is this thy love and thanks to thy Lord to whom thou art so infinitely beholding Canst thou find in thy heart to put thy Spear again in his side Hath he not suffered yet enough Is his bloody passion nothing must he bleed again Ah monster of ingratitude ah perfidious Traytor as thou art thus to requite thy Master Again thou grievest thy Comforter and is that wisely done Who shall comfort thee if he depart from thee grieved Or is it ingenuous thus unworthily to treat that noble Guest to affront Gods sacred Spirit to his very face and in despight and mockery of him to side with his Enemy the flesh Is this thy kindnesse to thy best Friend thy faithfull Counsellour thy infallible Guide thy Minister and Oracle thy sweet and only Comforter What need I add that thou breakest thy peace woundest thy conscience forfeitest the losse of Gods countenance and makest a gap in the divine protection for all evill to rush in at 7ly And lastly Consider the invaluable benefit of resisting of not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh in two great instances First Unutterable joy and pleasure will be shed abroad in thy Soul as often as thou gettest the day I know no greater triumph then that of a Christian when he is more then conquerour through Christ that loves him O the peace the joy and holy glorying in the Lord and in the power of his might that a good man is even ravisht and caught up into the third Heavens with when the Lord covers his head in the day of Battell and lifts it up above his spiritual enemies To vanquish ones self is a nobler exploit than to subdue a City Pro. 16 32. Nay a vaster Conquest then if one could with that great Macedonian Captain atchieve the empty title of the vanquisher of the world 2. Every Conquest will encrease thy strength and dexterity against the next assault So that when the vanquisht lust recruits it's forces thou wilt be able to outvie thy self and become more dextrous every time Nay the mortifying of one earthly member like the cutting off a limb from the naturall body will make the whole body of sin tremble all the rest of thy Lusts will fare the worse and by consent languish So that every victory over any one corruption weakens that and all the rest and breaks the way for future Conquests How Ministers or Christian Friends may and ought to apply themselves to Sick Persons for their Good and the discharge of their own Conscience JOB 33.33 24. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down into the pit I have found a ransom THese words are part of Elihu's discourse uttered by way of Reprehension and Conviction to Job and by way of Vindication and Apology for God in his dealings with men and although he premiseth this that God giveth no account of his matters ver 13. yet he doth ex abundanti give an account for God and makes a defence or gives a rationale of Gods proceedings with men c. where he shews that it is not mans torment or ruine that God desires but his reformation and amendment and that it may appear how sincerely and fervently he desires it he shews that there are several ways and means which God useth which are most powerful and likely to produce it 1. He speaks to men in dreams ver 15 c. 2. When that will not do by afflictions ver 19 c. 3. To make those afflictions more intelligible and more effectual he sends a messenger c. this is the business of the Text if there be with him c. wherein you may observe two parts 1. A supposition ver 23. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter c. 2. A position ver 24. Then he is gracious to him c. the words may be called the sick mans cordial or his restorative wherein you may observe 1. The patient expressed in the word him 2. The disease his danger and misery he is going down to the pit 3. The Physitian who is described 1. Ab officio by his Office a messenger 2. Ab opere by his work an interpreter 3. A praestantid a rare man one of a thousand multis è millibus unus 4. The Physick to shew unto a man his uprightness 5. The cure then he is gracious c. where are considerable 1. The quality of it the kind of the cure deliver him from going down to the pit i. e. from
6.10 31.1 Prov. 31.15.26 Titâ—s 2.3 4. and pressing Divine Precept upon his heart she gave also a portion of instruction as well as of food to her servants and Maidens Ancient Matrons are commanded also by the Apostle to teach younger women the works of sobriety and obedience For this matter Abraham was commended by God himself Gen. 18.19 as a pattern to all posterity I know him saies God that hee will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement c. And therefore God was pleased to reveal secrets to him To conclude It is good to edge your Precepts and Instructions with some notable remembrances of the great day as that holy and learned Mr. Bolton did to his children upon his death-bed for speaking of the instructions that hee had given them in the time of his sickness Mr. Boltons Life p. 33. printed with his works 4 to Anno 1639. and before hee said hee hoped they would remember it and verily beleeved that none of them durst think to meet him at that great tribunal in an unregenerate state 4. Set a narrow guard upon the first sproutings of sin in their conversations Crush Vipers in the egge Exercise your hazle-rods upon the Serpents heads when they first creep out of their holes being chill and feeble in the beginning of the Spring Psal 101.8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the Land saies David You must set about this work betimes check every evil and unsavoury word at the first hearing Watch the beginnings that first bubblings of corruption in them A man may pull off a tender bud with ease but if hee let it grow to a branch it will cost him some pains It is observed by experienced Naturalists that a Common bringing forth nothing but fern may bee made very good ground if when the weed comes up tender and green it be often cut down you will in three or four times discourage the root and make it dye away It may prove so through Divine Blessing as to the shootings up of original corruption if thou be diligent and constant at first Cant. 2.15 Take us the Foxes nay the little Foxes that spoil the Vines this is the way to destroy their race as well as to preserve your tender Grapes David smote Goliah in the forehead hee smites the Devil and sin in the forehead qui initio tentationis vincit that falls upon and overcomes tentation at first Stella in Loc. It is a saying of Salvian Cum primum homo peccare incipit aternum sibi-accendit ignem When one fir st begins to sin Sâ—lv de Gâ—b Dei l. 4. p. 116. then hee kindles the eternal fire Oh that you would then begin to cast water upon the first kindlings of sin in your little ones Cut off the occasions of sin by prudent interposition It is strange to see what excuses and palliations for sin what collusions in speech little children will use Before thou canst teach them to speak plain English the Devil and a corrupt heart will teach them to speak plain lyes While their tongues do yet falter much in pronunciation they 'l falter more in double speaking What great need is there then to put a curb and bridle upon thy childs tongue as well as thine own Undermine their fallacies by discreet examinations Psal 39.1 and sagacious questions If this work be not set to betimes possibly in process of years they may prove too cunning to be catch unless thou season them quickly with the awe of Gods judgements and the danger of sin Teach their conscience to blush as well as their cheeks that they may from an inwrought principle eschew the evil and do the good Aelian de animal l. 6. c. 47. Else they may too soon prove like the Hares in Aelian that by leaping this way and that way when they come nigh their muse do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confound their footsteps to prevent discovery If thou suffer childe or a young servant to go on in sin unregarded untaught unchid and think 't is too little to minde at first that sinful folly will be thy scourge in the end God many times whips an aged Parent by that childe which was unwhipt at first 1 King 1.6 Adonisâ—h had well nigh broken the design of David about Solomons being set in the Throne whom his Father had never displeased by saying why hast thou done so that is never checkt him for his faults The means to take away the root and foundation of evil customes and habits Hieron ad Gaud. p. 101. is to fall a weeding in the spring of thy childes Life Aegre reprehendas quod sinis consuescere Reproofs will go down untowardly when children come once to their teens when their years come up to double numbers 5. Preserve them from evil society David not onely hated sin in general Psal 101.7 but especially hee detested to have it become an inmate in his house Hee that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house hee that telleth lies shall not tarry my sight That so the evil example and pitch-like society of wicked persons might not cleave to and corrupt his neer Relations Children are like the Polypus in Aelian Ael Var. hist that turns into colour of that rock or weed in the Sea that lies nearest Imitation is natural to children Associates and companions are the patterns of their imitation Wherefore Plutarch in his tract about the education of children advising some Graecian Boies to be brought up with them gives this precepâ— Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 6. that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of vertuous manners and behaviours lest children should contract some vice from ill society For according to the Proverb Hee that lives with a lame man will learn to limp Nay one greater than Plutarch tells us that with a furious man wee should not go lest we learn his waies Prov. 22.24 25. Children especially may be dangerously infected by lewd and corrupâ— company Many children of godly Parents have had their manners fouled and vitiâ—ted extreamly by frequent and familiar converse with the naughty children of wicked neighbours 6. In the next place let seasonable and prudent rebukes be administred according to the nature and quality of their offences Begin gently use all perswasive motives to draw and allure thâ—m if possible to the waies of God tell them of the rewards of glory of the sweet society in Heaven Endeavour to satisfie thâ—ir hearts that God is able to fill their souls with such joyes as are not to be found in the creatures Jude 22. Of some having compassion making a difference Butt if this will not do then begin to mix some more severe expressions of thy holy anger against sin As there is a concatenation in vertues so in passions Love and anger
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to interpret all things in the worst sense Id. in Rhet. l. 2. c. 12. and so possibly to be too quick and ready upon easie suggestions to think of and deal hardly with their Inferiors Bee careful to use both your ears and hearken to both parties in matters of complaint But if upon deliberate and mature conviction nothing less will prevail Follow Gods command herein Prov. 29.17 and thy Son shall give rest unto thy soul In all these cases there lies a great point of prudence to let them know that thou hast yet greater corrections for them if they mend not That the fear and terrour of what thou hast yet reserved may work them to a compliance They that shew the utmost of their rigour and power in such acts at once despoil themselves of that authority and awe which otherwise they might ingenerate in their hearts But take heed of all violent and passionate corrections A Heathen could say to his servant Caederem te nisi irascerer I would beat thee were I not angry Hee that smites when his passion boils Seneca de ird l. 1. c. 15. is too too subject to transcend the limits of moderation vehement anger makes the hands to tremble that such are not able to strike aright Take heed lest thou make thy childe or thy servant to become vile in thine own eyes by too many stripes Deut. 25.3 Such persons plant quicksets in the hearts of their children that may grow up too fast to prick their own hands yea their hearts another day 10. If the fore-mentioned means through divine blessing prove effectual then praise and encourage them when they come on though yet but a little Ingenuous yea rugged tempers are sometimes wrought upon by moderate and prudent Euge's It 's spoken of God himself Psa 103.9 Rom. 13.3 Mat. 25.21 that hee will not alwaies chide nor keep his anger for ever As Magistrates so Parents must be sometimes praisers of them that do well Our Lord comes in sometimes with Well done good and faithful servant So must you when they are towardly and dutiful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 call up their spirits by commendation Laudibus excitandum est ingenium Hier. ad Lat. p. 55. There is a notable vertue in praise especially as to generous spirits to excite and prick them forward to duty and that principally when divers together according as deserts vary are unequally praised it stirs up a vertuous emulation Onely take heed of exceeding too much for little vessels can bear no great sails pride and arrogancy are many times nurst up by too exuberant and lavish expressions and sometimes an unmannerly familiarity appears 11. Do they flourish and thrive in duty and obedience and begin to take in precepts freely and kindly then win them on further by rewards according to their several capacities and the qualitie of thine own estate God is pleased most graciously to draw and allure us on in the waies of holiness by the proposal of reward Hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 Hieron Tom. p. 100. I remember that Jerom as to the green years of Pacatula wishes her Father to use these means proponantur ei crustula mulsa praemia quicquid gustu suave est quod vernat in floribus quod rutilat in gemmis quod blanditur in puppis acceptura festinet c. Psalmos mercede decantet give her sweet-meats flowers jewels babies to entice her to learn the Psalms As to years of further growth such rewards as become them may be more proper In some cases these have proved great spurs and incitations at least to the outward work of Religion in younger ones 1 Sam. 2.19 Hannah that good woman brought up a little Coat every year to her Son Samuel when hee was in the service of the Lord at the Tabernacle in Shiloh under Eli. And you know the Father of the Prodigal in the Parable when his Son returned home to lead a new life he killed a fatted Calf for him put the best Robe upon his back a Ring upon his hand and Shooes upon his feet 12. In the last place be exceeding conscientious and cautelous in disposing them abroad Luk. 15.22 when either their education or profession requires it As to the Schools when young and tender chuse out such Guides and Masters as may edifie them and imprint something more of God upon their hearts It is a great fault in many that take up any neighbour-school where there are prophane and wicked children such as have learnt of their Parents to swear and take Gods Name in vain Many times little youths gather a great deal of filth and soil and pollution in such places that sticks by them many years after It is a good work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prohibit and keep them off from all illiberal and sordid speeches and spectacles Arist Pol. l. 7. c. 17. There was it seems a great crew of naughty children at Bethel in the daies of Elijah that mockt the Prophet a place that was a Seminary and Nursery for young ones in knowledge 2 King 2.23 2 King 2.3 Oh how sad is it for children that have been diligently taught at home in the fear of God to unlearn all in wicked schools Have a great eye to this and especially if they be such as are designed for Academical learning that they be placed under godly Tutors at the University or if for Trades or other Mechanical Mysteries that you chuse out the blessed shadow of a godly Master and Mistress that may rivet and clench the nail that thou hast knockt in Great will be thy comfort in this if thou soughtest more a pious family than a great and rich Trade A family wherein ships go to Heaven and a Trade is driven to Canaan But especially in the grand concernment of Marriage that they may match into a godly family in whose veins the blood of the Covenant doth run An Heiresse of the Divine Promises is a greater match than an Empress of the whole world Hee that hath but one foot of Land in Mount Zion is richer than hee that holds a Scepter over the round Globe I come now to the second branch of this Question and that is Quest 2. By what means wee may attain our desires in reference to a good work in the hearts of those that are our equals whether of consanguinity affinity or neighbourhood Ans As to this I shall onely propose two particular Rules which I cannot now handle largely 1. Be diligent in private conference and admonition as the providence of God shall administer seasonable occasions 1 Tim. 4.13 Heb. 10.25 Give attendance to Exhortation Exhorting one another Lay before them the weighty and momentous matters of eternity and another world Such things will make deep wounds to be cured in time by the hand of Heaven Be short and nervous and lead them off from carnal
beleeve it Thâ—se things considered I dare boldly tell thee that thou canst not love in sincerity but together therewith thou wilt be under a holy rapture of Admiration and together with thy love thy Admiration will be alwaâ—es increasing Cant. 2.3 2. Sweet and refreshing delighting 'T is a delighting rejoycing love love saith Aquinas est complacentia amantis in amato is the rest and satisfaction of the soul in the Object loved the nature of love lies much in delight Thou canst not Christian love thy Lord but thou wilt finde thy heart even ravished with delight in him as being one in whom the fulness of the God head dwells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 or personally non per efficaciâ—m solum â—upassistentiam sed per Unionem Hypostaticum or not vertually or only in a way of external help and assistance and being also one that had such an Unction of the Spirit upon him Cap. 〈…〉 that hath fully fitted him for the delight of thy soul And hence it is that wee finde the Spouse in the Book of Canticles so often letting forth her heart in holy delight to her Beloved as is manifest by her many loving compellations and several other expressions Hee shall lye all night betwixt my breasts Cant. 1.13 too large and many to be mentioned here and therefore I refer you to the Book it self 3. Ingenious gratitude thankfulness 'T is a grateful and thankful love as that which is begotten in the soul by the sense of Christs unspeakable goodness and condescension and which is also ever after fed and maintained thereby Now the condescension of Christ lies in three things 1. In his voluntary undertaking the work of Reconciliation and Mediation with God for persons so unworthy Rom. 5.8 Heb. 2.16 Hee took not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham it was the cause of sinners which this great Lord undertook to plead 2 In his unwearied diligence and invincible patience in fulfilling the severe Law of Redemption which hee had submitted to Though the injury that was done him by man was so great and manifest and the terrour of the Lord against him also so severe and unspeakable yet hee opened not his mouth but was dumb even as a Lamb at the slaughter and as a Sheep under the hands of the Shearers Isa 53.7 Mat. 11.30 Rom. 10.8 9 10. Isa 1.16.17 18 3. In being willing to communicate the benefits purchased thereby to sinful and rebellious men upon such easie Terms bidding us do nothing else but turn to God by Repentance and Self-denial and beleeve in himself and then what ever our sins had been all the advantages merited by his death should be made over to us Now when all these are considered as by every soul that sincerely loves him more or less they are do they not sweetly affect with thankfulness as well as love Christian canst thou look upon such a Redeemer without some sense of an obligation laid upon thy soul thereby wilt thou think one single and separate affection enough for him or rather will not thy heart empty it self into the bosome of the Lord with love and thankfulness boâ—h at once and each of them contending which shall out-do the other 4. Supporting hope and confidence 'T is a hoping and confiding love 'T is not a languishing affection but that which brings life into the soul from the fulness of that Christ it feeds upon 1 Ioh. 4 17. Perfect love saith the Apostle casteth out fear There will not be so much as the shadow of fear upon the soul when this affection is ripened into perfect fruition And in the mean time as the degrees of it do increase so is the soul heightened in its hopes and tramples upon its former jealousies fears and discouragements And to this sense some interpret those words Rom. 8.38 39. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ c. As if they were the exultation of Faith upon the view of Loves Conquest and victorious Triumph over all its enemies Love gives confidence of access to Christ and unto God by him and this confidence lies in the soul as a cordial against all its faintings and despoâ—dencies not that there may not be a sinking of spirits and a swooning away for a time but love will restore the soul again and knowing Christ to be good Cant. 6 1â— 13. as well as all-sufficient for its condition it will recover life and spirits again and nor suffer it utterly to faint under its own sad apprehensions And this is the third Character Take now all these four qualifications of sincere love and try your selves by them 4. Character If our love be sincere it 's an affection which respecteth not a naked Christ but Christ as Mediatour Or it is a hearty desire of and complacency in Christ in all his offices as King and Priest and Prophet And of such moment is the right knowledge of this Character that Christian I must desire thee principally to study it and pass a judgement upon thy self thereby For what-ever fondness and sudden flashings of love thou mayest finde within thee they wil not so clearly tell thee what thou art as the knowledge of thy self by this mâ—rk Take it for a clear Truth That if thou lovest not Christ as thy Sovâ—raign Lord if thy heart be not knit to him as thy High Priest with God if â—hâ—◠〈…〉 â—ot affectionately entertained him as thy Master and Teacher In a word if thou art not consecrated unto God by Christ if thou art not a loyal subject and a willing Disciple love in sincerity doth not dwell in thee Thou art still an enemy and wilt so be judged 'T is not fondness of expression nor any outward complement that men put upon Christ which reacheth the New Testament notion of love to Christ but when as loyal subjects Ioh. 14.15.21 15.8 10.21.23 24. 1 Iohn 5.3 Luk. 19.27 Heb. 10.28 Ioh. 14.23 24. and willing disciples wee are alwaies doing the Things that are grateful and are obedient to him This is love And hence it is that in so many places our Lord puts us upon trying our love by our obedience by keeping his words and Commandments And speaks of Libertines Infidels the carnally wise Rebels and Apostates as enemies and haters of him what-ever their pretences are to the contrary And verily so essential is this to sincere love that unless you understand it you will be able to give but a lame account of most of the Scripture-Characters thereof as if I had time I could easily demonstrate because they do all presuppose it If thou wouldst know therefore whether this Grace be in thee in truth take thy heart Christian to Christ in every office and try it by such Interrogatories as may result from the consideration of them and this will tell thee thy case distinctly Begin first with Christ as High Priest for this did lay the foundation of the
together with his person hee offers Heaven and Earth for a Dowry Rom. 8.17 All things are his by purchase and thou shalt bee a Copartner or Coheir with him when thou art espoused to him 4ly 1 Cor. 3.22 23. He will manifest the highest Indulgence and Tenderness towards thee Not all thy cross walkings if through temptations it shall so fall out shall put him upon any more then a moment any departure from thee Isa 54.7 8. for hee hath resolved that his faithfulness towards thee shall never fail Isa 89.33 and therefore when thou seemest almost lost and ready to despond hee will return to thee again and the more time he hath lost by absence the more full will his heart bee of ravishing love and affections to thee 5ly Hee will Turn all to thy good neither thy sins Cant. 6.3 though many and great nor thy miseries though overwhelming and discouraging no nor lastly shall death it self Rom. 8.28 38. bee ever able to make a divorce between thee and him but serve as a passage to thee when thy work is done into the Bridechamber of thy Lord and now tell mee Phil. 1.21 hast not thou Reason to love him 4. Consider but thy case while this Virgin affection to thy Saviour is wanting 1. Thou multipliest thy whoredomes and thy abominations continually for what are thy Intensive willings of other things but so many acts of spiritual adultery and base prostitutions of thy soul to thy dishonour and disadvantage while other things usurp the room of Christ 2. Thou art a treacherous Hypocrite and deceiver forasmuch as thou pretendest to the eye of the world to bee Christs and yet art nothing less than his 3. You lay a barr in against your selves and the acceptance of all your duties when faith works by love then is obedience illustrious and meet for a gracious acceptaotin that obedience which owes no part of it self to love is worth little and brings in no more Gal. 5.6 then it is worth 4. You make bonds for your selves in death Iob 27.6 and lay up terrible reprâ—oches in the Consciences against the day of Judgement 5. You make your damnation necessary there being no Congruity to any of the Divine Attributes much less to the offices of Christ that that man should ever bee saved who never had any sincere affection to him These are some of the Considerations which may bee of use to them that have no spark of love yet kindled in their hearts There are a few of the other kinde which may provoke to get this love Inflamed where it is such are these Consider 1. The love of Christ to thee was a growing Increasing love I do not mean in respect of the habit but in the outward demonstration thereof The neerer hee was to his death the more exuberant in love and when hee rose again his heart did overflow with tender indulgence as appears by the meltings of his bowels towards Mary and over Peter and much more may wee beleeve him now to be full of them now that hee is at the Right hand of God 2. There is more lovelyness in Christ than ever thou canst finde out or fathome when wee have let out our affections to the utmost there will still bee more than wee can finde affection for our love to eternity will have something of admiration mixed with it 3. It 's all you can return to him it 's all hee looks for at our hands that which lies in love and which flowes from it is the whole that is required to compleat Christianity 4. The more you love him the more lovely you are unto him Then hath Christ the highest complacency in us when our hearts are under the greatest Raptures of love to him Beatus est qui intelligit quid sit amare Jesum contemnere scipsum propter Jesum A Kempis de imitatione Christi l. 2. c. 7. 5. It is the honour of a man to love Christ superlatively It is the sweetest part of our lives and that which Christ values us more by than by any thing else It 's Heaven on Earth 6. According to the measure of your love so will all the rest of your services and graces be i. e. either more or less better or worse Love is like the Master wheel in an Engine making the whole soul to move faster or slower These are the considerations of the last kind will some say oh but what shall wee do to get this blessed affection into our souls which was the third thing proposed And in order thereto I offer these Directions 1. Direction Bee well acquainted with the nature of this great duty The great mistake of the world lies in this That is thought to be love which is not and thence men and women grow bold and confident and value themselves more than they ought I have given in my best assistance so far as the nature of the first case would permit to prevent mistakes in this matter before and therefore I will not do it over again Only remember if you would not miscarry that it is not a Naked Christ but a Christ advanced by incomparable Personal Excellencies and cloathed with his offices of King and Priest and Prophet that is the Christ to bee loved and you cannot well miscarry This is that damning mistake of the world they love Christ but not as dignified by God with any of his offices 2. Direction Bee much in the study of your selves what you were originally and what you are since become through your own miscarriage wilfulness and folly Take your souls to the glass of the Law and go from one precept to another and when you have done there go to the Gospel And be sure you do not deal sleightly but understand throughly how much you have offended And when you have well studied the number and quality of your sins then consider the justice and holiness of the Eternal God which you shall understand by the same Law and Gospel where they speak the Divine Terrour against offending-sinners but more specially shall yee know is by going to the Cross of Christ and wisely and seriously considering the horrour of that punishment which Christ there indured for wee never know as wee ought the evil of sin and our misery thereby until wee know what hee indured to make an Expiation for it Do this and do it faithfully They that never knew themselves they are most certainly without love to Christ And it is enough to prove it because unless this foundation be first laid they can see no sufficient reason for it 3. Direction Get a true Conviction concerning thy own ultimate end and happiness Where it lies viz. not in the objects of sense but in the Beatifical vision of God possesse thy soul by Scripture light Mat. 16.26 of the grand importance of securing thy Interest therein while you think your happiness lyes any where else than in God it will be
unto mee c. 5. They whom wee discern to stand in need of present succour though they be meer strangers whom wee never saw or knew before Hereof wee have a worthy pattern set before us in the good Samaritan Luk. 10.33 c 6. They who are in prison or sick or any otherwaies restrained from making their wants known unto others Matth. 25.36 7. They of whose piety poverty and necessity credible testimony is brought unto us though wee see them not our selves Thus many of the Christian Gentiles Act. 24.17 Rom. 15.25 26 sent relief to the Churches at Jerusalem upon the Apostles making known their wants In these and other like cases we ought to extend our charity according to the necessity of those whom wee relieve and our own ability And not think it enough to give a few scraps of bread and meat or some half-pennies or pence to common beggars at our doors or in the streets This kinde of Alms savoureth more of vain outward oftentation than of true inward compassion And it more beseems proud Pharisees than humble Christians A charitable Christian ordinarily giveth more to one whose distressed case hee knows or is credibly made known unto him than these Pharisees do to many beggars at many times Quest But you 'l say do yee then utterly condemn all giving to common beggars as unlawful Ans For answer to this Question wee must distinguish of common beggars some are strong and lusty able to work and yet are so lazie that they will not work but would live by the sweat of other mens brows Others again are weak and impotent unable to work through age sickness lameness blindness or the like These latter are fit objects of charity and therefore ought to be relieved But the former sort of Beggars namely the strong and lusty who are able to work but will not through laziness are no fit objects of charity and therefore it is no work of charity to relieve such For 1. Their trade of life is no warrantable calling It is a disorderly walking which is expresly taxed by the Apostle for saith hee When wee were with you this wee commanded you that if any would not work neither should hee eat 2 Thes 3.10 11. For wee hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly working not at all It cannot be said of those As the Lord hath called every one so let him walk or let every man abide in the same calling wherein hee was called 1 Cor. 7.17 20. God hath called none to such a trade 2. They are as drones in an hive of Bees they live of the labours of others but bring in nothing to the stock as all the other Bees do They are as barren Trees which receive sap from the earth but yeeld no fruit Telluâ—is inutile pondus unprofitable burthens of the earth whose sad doom yee may read Luke 13.7 3. Many of them are of no particular Church nor of any civil society but out of all Government in Church and State In this and the former respect they may justly bee stiled Children of Belial Deut. 13.13 without yoak 4. They with-hold and in a manner rob the state wherein they dwell of their labour and pains The State or Kingdome is as a body all that dwell therein are as so many members now nature teacheth every member to do somewhat for the benefit of the whole These doing nothing thereto sin against the light of nature Qui laâ—giuntur indignis ea quae dignis conferri debebant tria committunt absurda 1. Nam ipsi jacturam faciunt 2. Et in bonos contumeliosi sunt 3. Et malos roborant mat ria vitiorum sâ—pâ—â—ditata 5. They who are truly poor shall by this means be neglected and scanted whilest these lazy drones devour that which of right belongeth unto them 6. They are a great scandal and shame to the Government of the Nation wherein they are For their course of life implieth that no good provision is made for the poor nor order taken to set such as are able to work and to relieve such as are impotent Now it is a great sin to be a shame to ones own Country 7. Their kinde of life is sensual and brutish for as brutes they spend all their daies in seeking food for their bodies From hence it followeth that they who relieve such make themselves accessary to the fore-mentioned sins There are some allega ions made for relieving such but they are undue allegations and may easily be answered The chiefest of them is this Luk. 6.30 1. Christ commandeth to give to every man that asketh thee Ans To this I answer that that Precept is to be taken in reference to a false Position of the Pharisees which was this that their Country-men and friends only were their neighbours whom by the Law they were bound to love That this was their opinion is evident by this their gloss on the Law Thou shalt love thy neighbour Mat. 5.43 and hate thine enemy And by the Parable which Christ produceth to demonstrate to the Lawyer who was his neighbour In opposition to that false doctrine Christ commands to give not to friends only but to every man Luk. 10.29 30 c. So as the scope of that precept is to take away respect of persons in Alms-giving that wee should not restrain this duty of Charity to Country men kindred and friends but extend it also to strangers enemies and to every one that being in need crave it of us 2. A second Allegation is That many beggars may perish if they be not relieved Ans In case of necessity they may and must be relieved either at doors in streets or other like places where their necessity is manifested Necessity as wee speak hath no Law It dispences with ordinary Rules Instance that which Christ produced concerning David Hee entred into the house of God and did eat the shew-bread Matth. 12.4 which was not lawful I have done with the Question allotted to mee give mee leave to add a few words for the more profitable pressing this most necessary but much neglected duty of Charity I shall dispatch my intendment herein 1. By shewing you by what means you may obtain this Grace 2. Giving you some Motives to quicken you up to a conscionable performance of the works of it The means are these 1. Meditation seriously meditate 1. Of the Necessity of it which ariseth from the Lords express charge and command unto which wee are bound to yeeld obedience It is often commanded both in the Old and New Testament That I may not be tedious I shall give you but two or three proofs Deu. 15.11 A place I often mentioned for the excellency and exceeding pertinency of it to this purpose Saith the Lord to his people there The poor shall never cease out of the Land Therefore I command thee saying thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy
space of time some three or four years after that his resolution of setting a tenth apart for such purposes he thrived not he found no increase nor came forward in the world as formerly hee had done yet was hee not thereby discouraged nor did hee forbear to bee bountiful as opportunity was offered and the necessity of poor people required it But hee gave still with chearfulness and comfort out of love to God conceiving that God in wisedome and goodness prospered him not thereby to try his sincerity to him and his Charity to others yea and that hee himself might thereby have experience of his love unto God his Faith Patience and Constancy But then hee adds from that time forward God abundantly advanced his estate so that hee found experimentally all those gracious promises of God true Psa 113.9 of his blessing of him that disperseth and dispenseth to the poor Prov. 19.17 and of the repayment of that with interest that is so lent to the Lord. And from mine own experience I can tell you of another yet living who hath often acknowledged that though hee had great trading yet found hee no increase in his stock but instead of going forward hee went backward in the world Whereupon hee promised unto God to be more careful in sanctifying the Lords Day and dedicated unto him a Tenth of his encrease for charitable uses and then hee so thrived in his estate that hee gave over his Calling and ever since liveth upon his Rents Many other instances could I give you of Gods extraordinary blessing on those who have consecrated a tenth of their estate unto God for charitable uses but these may suffice Having thus done with the means on our part to be performed for attaining unto this Grace of Charity Come wee now to the Motives to quicken us up to a conscionable performance of the works of it I shall touch only upon these four 1. The Excellency of the duty 2. The Piety which it containeth in it 3. The Profit which ariseth from it 4. The Dammage which followeth upon the neglect thereof 1. The first Motive or Inducement to Charity may be taken from the Excellency thereof I suppose that all will grant that the greatest excellency that a creature can attain unto is to be like his Creator That excellency wherein man was at first created is thus set out Gen. 1.26 27. God created man in his own Image that is in his own likeness And that excellency wherewith wee shall be glorified in Heaven is set out by our likeness to Christ for it is said Phil. 1.21 Our bodies shall then bee fashioned like unto his glorious body yea in the whole man when hee shall appear 1 John 3.2 then wee shall bee like him Now while wee live on earth there is nothing wherein wee can shew our selves more like unto God than in shewing mercy and in succouring such as stand in need When God sets himself to proclaim his Name hee most insisteth upon his mercifulness and goodness Exod. 34.6 Christ himself doth press this Motive to enforce this duty thus Luk. 6.36 Bee yee merciful as your Father is merciful The excellency of Charity doth herein further appear that Christ hath set the poor in his own room insomuch as they who relieve the poor do therein relieve Christ himself So much doâ—h Christ acknowledge where hee saith to such as succoured the poor Mat. 25.40 Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren yee have done it unto mee Is it not an excellent thing to relieve Christ They then that relieve the poor do an excellent work As it is a great aggravation of persecuting the true Professors of the Faith because therein they persecute Christ himself as is implied under this divine voice that affrighted Saul while hee was breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord Act. 9.1 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee So it is a great commendation of true Charity that Christ himself is relieved thereby II. Another Motive is the Piety which in and by performing this duty of Alms-giving is manifested Piety I say to God For pure Religion and undefiled before God James 1.27 is this to visit the Fatherlesâ— and Widdows in their affliction Here hee puts two particulars for all kinds of Charity And by this phrase Pure Religion before God is this hee intends four things 1. That it is but a meer shew of Religion that is without charity 2. That true Religion w ll make men charitable 3. That Charity will prove men to be truly Religious 4. That works of Charity are as acceptable to God as duties of Religion Phil. 4.18 For God accounts Charity an odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing unto him The poor and needy are to God as the Altars of burnt-offerings and incense were under the Law Those things which were laid on them and offered up were given to the Lord and as a gift accepted by him Even so are Alms given to the poor the poor are the Altar Alms the Sacrifice Now who would not dispose so of that which hee hath as God may account it given to him and answerably accept it On this very ground doth the Apostle incite the Hebrews to this duty in this manner Heb. 13.16 To do good and to communicate forget not for with such Sacrifices God is well pleased Thus wee see how works of Charity are not only useful and profitable to man but also acceptable and well-pleasing to God which consideration addeth much life to the duty here pressed Omnes expetimus utilitatem ad eamque ropimur nec facere aliter ullo modo possumus Cicer. Offic. 3. III. A third Motive is the manifold profit wherewith it is rewarded Profit and advantage is the Motives which for the most part spurs men on to labour and take pains to rise early and sit up late to venture goods life and all they have Witness the pains travels watchings and adventures of labourers work-men trades-men Farmers Merchants Mariners c. yet that profit which they aim at is but earthly and temporary and their hope of attaining it uncertain Surely works of Charity give an assured hope of far greater and better profit than earth can afford In general it is promised That if wee cast our bread upon the waters wee shall finde it after many daies that is Faecundus est ager pauperum citò reddit donantibus fructum Aug. Serm. de Divite Mat. 10.42 If wee give Alms to the poor where all wee do may seem to be cast away as if it were thrown into the Sea yet in due time will it return to us with advantage And lest any should be discouraged from doing works of Charity our Saviour assureth us That whosoever giveth but a cup of cold water which is one of the least acts of Charity wee can perform shall
in no wise lose kis reward If in special it be demanded what profit is there of Charity I answer as the Apostle did of Circumcision much every way Yea Rom. 3.12 I may say of Charity as the Apostle doth of Piety 1 Tim. 4.8 It is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come In this life is promised 1. Sufficiency Hee that giveth to the poor shall not lack that is Pâ—ov 28.27 hee shall be secured from want and penury God will not suffer him to be brought to penury who hath been charitable to the poor 2. Not only sufficiency but likewise abundance For saith the Wise-man Honour the Lord with thy substance Pâ—ov 3.9 10. by giving freely and chearfully to charitable and pious uses So shall thy barns bee filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new Wine which is an hyperbolical expression implying plenty and abundance 3. Good success in what hee enterprizeth According to that of Moses Deut. 15.10 Thou shalt surely give him because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto 4. Deliverance out of trouble For saith the Psalmist Psal 41.1 Blessed is hee that considereth the poor the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble 5. Protection against enemies as it followeth in the next verse Vers 2. Thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies 6. Succour in sickness as the Prophet goes on Vers 3 The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing that is the Lord will comfort and support him in his sickness and at length restore his strength again Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness that is thou wilt give him ease and rest as they do to sick men that make their beds 7. To pass by other particulars Blessedness which comprizeth under it all manner of Commodities is promised to the charitable person Prov. 22.9 And in Psal 41.2 It is said Hee shall bee blessed upon the earth yea and at the resurrection of the just Luk. 14.14 8. This promise is extended to his postetity for his seed shall bee blessed Psal 37.26 These and other like promises of temporal spiritual and eternal blessings being made by the Lord God of Truth may with much confidence be rested upon For Gods words are deeds his promises performances Mat. 25.34 In the life to come merciful men shall inherit the Kingdome prepared for them from the foundation of the world There are among others two Metaphors often used by the Holy Ghost in setting our Alms-giving which do much amplifie the commodity thence arising One is taken from lending The other from sowing 1. Alms-giving is set forth in Scripture by lending yea to such a lending whereby wee have not only the principal restored but with great increase And whereas such as put forth their mony unto men can expect but six in the hundred If wee in obedience to the command of God shall freely part with our mony to the use of the poor for their relief wee shall receive an hundred for six yea an hundred for one Mark 10.30 and eternal life to boot And wee need not to doubt of the payment for though the poor be never so unable yet wee have an all-sufficient Surety even God himself who hath undertaken to pay whatsoever is thus put forth Prov. 19.17 according to that of the Wise-man Hee that hath pitty upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord and that which hee hath given will hee pay him again Where you have Gods counter-bond to save you harmless in which hee both acknowledgeth the debt and promiseth payment And what better security can any man desire than a bond under Gods own hand The consideration whereof should mee-thinks make us willing to embrace any opportunity of putting out our mony to this great advantage 2. As for the other Metaphor of sowing it is in Scripture applied to Alms-giving Psal 112.9 under this phrase Hee hath dispersed As the Husbandman disperseth his seed which hee soweth in the earth so doth the Alms-giver his Alms therefore this is added by way of exposition Hee hath given to the poor The Apostle also applieth unto Alms-giving this proverbial speech Hee which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly 2 Cor. 9.6 and hee which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Now what is it that ordinarily bringeth forth a greater increase than sowing seed in fertile ground It is said of Isaac that hee sowed in the Land Gen. 26.12 and received in the same year an hundred-fold And Christ saith that good ground beareth fruit some an hundred-fold some sixty-fold Mat. 13.8 some thirty-fold Now Alms-giving is one of those things that shall receive an hundred-fold and shall inherit everlasting life If therefore profit and advantage may be a Motive to stir us up unto any thing surely it should be a Motive to incite us unto liberality in Alms-giving to be bountiful in contributing to the relief of the poor For it is a most certain truth that giving to the poor is the suâ—est and safest way of getting For though Husband-men may sometimes lose the benefit of their seed sowen through mill-dews or unseasonable weather and such as put their mony to use may come short of their principal yet hee who with an honest and sincere heart giveth to the poor shall in no wise lose his reward For as the Wise-man speaketh There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth Prov. 11.24 intimating unto us that this scattering is the best way of encreasing And indeed so it is for hath not our Saviour promised Luk. 6.35 That if wee give it shall bee given unto us good measure pressed down and shaken together Here God gives us as it were a bill of his hand and enters into bond and becomes Surety with the poor that what wee give shall be repayed with advantage This is a Paradox to worldly men that giving should bee the surest and safest way of getting and encreasing yet nothing more clearly laid down in the Scripture and found to be true by the experience of all Gods people 4. The fourth Motive and Inducement is the dammage which may ensue upon the neglect of Alms-giving Though it argue a kinde of servile disposition to be moved with fear of loss or pain to a duty yet of that disposition are many and in that respect this may be added as an Inducement to the duty The dammage that may arise upon the neglect of Charity when it ought to be shewed is in the kinde thereof as large as the fore-mentioned benefits of performing the duty in the kinde of it For neglect of the duty doth not only cause a forfeiture of all the forementioned benefits arising from the performance thereof but also pulleth upon the neglectors head many evils Where the Wise-man saith The merciful man
applying Christ in the promised grace of pardon and power in reference to it and thou hast heard it and known it in this case though affliction seem to search out iniquity yet it shall not be found but when affliction starts some sin which thou didst wink at or slightly passe over then thou wilt find trouble and sorrow indeed Direct 6 6. Because there is much malignity in this distemper let me here also add in reference to the same Cause and the sixth this Preventive Follow on the work of mortification close there is a combate between flesh and Spirit be sure you take the right side if sin be it which imbitters thy life and gives a sting to every affliction disarme affliction and kill that which will kill thee Es 27.9 the design of the Lord in affliction is mortification now if thou joynest thy hand in the same work God is ever with thee in the same way and not against thee but in case thou connivest at hidest shelterest some known corruption then thou canst hardly apprehend God but as thine Enemy coming against thee As it was with the City of Abell 2 Sam. 20. they were terrified at the approach of Joab and David's Army Oh! saith the woman upon the wall art thou come to destroy the Inheritance of the Lord no saith Joab but there 's a traitour Sheba harboured here c. 'T is he that put the City into fear and danger and made Joab seem their Enemy when his head was delivered all was quiet now when thou insistest on the businesse of mortification thou wilt joy when thou fallest into triâ—ulation as it was with Jael Judg. 4. having done execution upon Sisera come saith she to Baruc c. Welcome my Lords I know whom you persue here he is dead at your feet behold the nayle in his temple O! saith one visited with the stroak of death I have been long getting down this body of death and now God will do all my work at once be not slack in this work and afflictions will be more joyous than grievous 7. Yet again to come to the root of this malignity and in order to Direct 7 the advancing of the work of mortification endeavour after mortified affections to the World these are the suckers that draw away thy strength from God and the fewel and foment and strength of all that corruption that must be mortified Aversion from God with an immoderate clinging and cleaving to the creature is the whole corruption of Nature Affliction is the reducing thee to God and the ungluing disengaging and divorcing thee from a carnal worldly interest therefore minus gaudebis minus dolebis the lesse thou joyest the lesse thou ruest the lesse thou layest a World-interest near thy heart the lesse that affliction which is the parting work will go to thy heart therefore let all creature-comforts and advantages be loose about thee as thy cloathes which thou mayest easily lay aside and not as thy skin which cannot be pulled off without great torture affliction endangers nothing but that which is outward therefore let not thy excessive respect to that which is without thee make thy affliction an inward terrour If thou countest the World of no value thou wilt be able without inward perplexity and fear to passe through all places of danger and plunder as the Travellour when he carries but a small matter which he knows if he looses it will not at all undoe him Besides If thou lovest the World the love of the Father is not in thee and this will be a desperate venomous sting to thy Soul in thy affliction if thou wouldst not have the World thy plague and thy poyson in the enjoying thy wrack and thy terrour in the loosing comply with the Word and Spirit of Grace in the application of a Christ crucified for the crucifying and mortifying of thy affections unto every earthly interest 8. In reference to the eighth cause unacquaintednesse with affliction Direct 8 live in the meditation and expectation of the Crosse be much in the knowledge of the necessity nature and design of afflictions 1. Necessity 1 Pet. 1.6 If need be you must be in heaviness for a time In respect of the terms of the Covenant which lye in this deny your self and take up your Cross c. And in respect of our disposition we cannot be without them to wean us from the World to imbitter the creature to us to conform us to a crucified Saviour and make us partakers of his holiness 2. The nature and design of Afflictions They are fire not to consume our gold but to purge away our dross they are not revenging Judgments but fatherly medicinal Corrections not judicial Poyson but remedial Physick c. Therefore 1 Pet. 4.12 Think not strange be not strangers as the word imports to the fiery greatest tryal and thou wilt not be dismayed when it comes Even Poyson may be habituated and made innocent If a stranger come in unexpected into our house grim and armed with Instruments of mischief we know not whence he is nor what he comes for it will startle and appale us But if we be acquainted with him and his design and expect him we are quiet and composed to entertain him So when Affliction comes we can say This is the Cup my Father gives me who I am sure means me no hurt this is but what I looked for every day c. Enure we therefore our selves to the Cross and make it familiar conversing with it in our meditation and expectation Seest thou one afflicted with the loss of a Wife another of a Husband another of a Child another of Estate another begging bread in Prison or distress c. bear part of his burden in sympathy and pity and readiness to succour him and put thy self in his or her case supposing thou wert so and so it will do thee no hurt what shouldst thou do And so God will make thy burden light Psal 41.1 So thou wilt be prepared to entertain and meet the burden and it shall not fall upon thee and upon thy spirit to crush and sink thee c. Think often and think not amiss have no hard conceits of affliction and it shall not be hard upon thee Take this Course and then as for the malice of Satan in accusing and tormenting and the seeming severity of the Lord in withholding and withdrawing thou shalt not need to trouble thy self for Satan is a restrained and conquered enemy and cannot hurt thee and God is reconciled and will not hurt thee He may try thee by intercepting the sweetness of fruition He will never curse thee by intermitting or breaking the firmness of the Union and if he hide his face for a moment lament after him and he will visit thee with everlasting kindness of his compassion which change not though there may be a change as to what thou feelest Thus much for the Preventives to prepare for double afflictions upon
to take upon him to speak unto the Lord. This Example of Abraham I shall endeavour to draw forth for our Practise and Imitation He who is made to us a Pattern of Faith may be to us a Pattern of true Worship and such apprehensions or conceptions Abraham had of God in speaking to him Such conceptions of God we are to have in our Prayers and performances to him For which end I shall lay down this General Proposition Doct. That such as speak to God or speak of God such as draw near to God or have to do with God in any part of Divine Worship must manage all their performances with right apprehensions and due conceptions of God The truth of this General Proposition I shall endeavour to manifest and make clear by laying down Four particular Propositions which must give evidence to it The First Proposition is this That we cannot have any true right apprehensions or conceptions of God except we have a true knowledge of him Such as have not known God have slighted him Who is the Lord saith Pharaoh that I should obey him I know not the Lord Exod. 5.2 Such as know not God nor desire to know him are so far from drawing near to God that they drive him as far from them as they can they say unto the Almighty Depart from us who desire not the knowledge of his wayes Job 21.14 What Counsel Eliphaz gave Job whom he supposed to be a greater stranger to God than indeed he was may be an useful instruction to us Job 22.21 Acquaint thy self with God To know God and to be known of God is our highest priviledge Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace the reason why any are real enemies to God is because they know not God and the reason why many think God is an enemy to them is because they are not acquainted with God so intimately as they should Acquaint thy self with God saith he and thereby Good shall come unto thee But what Good and how shall this Good come It is partly exprest v. 22 23 24 25. but more fully v. 26 27. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty and shalt lift up thy face to God Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shall pay thy vows So that except we know God aright and have some acquaintance with â—im we cannot delight our selves in God we cannot make our prayer to him nor lift up our face unto him The Second Proposition is That we cannot know any thing savingly of God further than he is pleased to manifest and make known himself to us No man can make known God but God himself Moses who had seen as much of Gods glory as any man when he desired a further manifestation of Gods glory in a higher measure or degree than formerly he had seen he goes to God himself for it Exod. 33.18 I beseech thee shew me thy Glory The great Promise Christ maketh to them that Love him and keep his Commandments is the manifestation of himself to them by Himself Joh. 14.21 I will manifest my self to them for none else can A Disciple puts a Question to him about it vers 22. Lord how is it that thou milt manifest thy self to us and not to the World We have a clear Answer to this Luke 10.21 this very Doctrine which is so much matter of indignation to the wise and prudent of the World is matter of rejoycing and exaltation to the Spirit of Christ and he said I thank thee O Father that thou hast hid and thou hast revealed For so it seemed good in thy sight Hence is that of our Saviour John 17.25 O righteous Father the World hath not known thee but these have known The Third Proposition is That the clearest manifestations of God to us and such as can beget in us right apprehensions and due conceptions of him are made out to us In and By Jesus Christ Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Therefore no man ever did or can apprehend any thing of God truly that is upon a saving account but in and by Jesus Christ The Divine Essence or Godhead no man hath seen or can see in it self 1 Tim. 6.16 Something of this Eternal Godhead is manifested in the works of Creation Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of God viz. his Eternal Power and Godhead are clearly seen in the things that are made But yet this knowledge of God in the Creature could not bear down the vain Imaginâ—tions or Idolatrous conception of God in mens hearts as appears vers 21.23 Much of the Eternal Godhead is manifested in the works of Providence God doth great things past finding out and wonders without number Yet loe he goeth by us and we see him not he passeth on also but we perceive him not Job 9.10 11. God is Invisible in himself and Incomprehensible in his works Job made it his work to trace God in his works Job 23.8 9. Sometimes God was working forward or before him sometimes backward or behind him Sometimes on his right-hand sometimes at his left hand Job follows him up and down if he might apprehend him and the reason and designe of God in all his works but he could not perceive him God hid himself from him Much more of the Eternal Godhead was manifested in his most righteous and holy Law But the manifestations of God here affrighted them that saw it the People cry out Let not the Lord speak any more to us lest we dye and Moses himself said I exceedingly fear so terrible was the sight of God there Heb. 12.21 Hence it will follow that the clearest sweetest most comfortable manifestations of God to us and such as can beget in us right apprehensions and conceptions of God are made out to us only in Jesus Christ who is the Image of the Invisible God Coloss 1.15 In whom God hath made such discoveries of himself as can no where be seen but in Christ He is the expresse Image or Character of his Fathers Person Heb. 1.3 The exact resemblance of all his Fathers excellencies in their utmost perfections therefore when Philip desired him to shew them of the Father to give them a sight to satisfaction John 14.9 10. He that hath seen me saith Christ to him hath seen the Father Believe it Philip I am in the Father and the Father is in me In the works of Crearion God is a God above us In his works of Providence a God without us In the Law a God against us In himself a God Invisible to us Only in Christ he is Emmanuel God manifested in our Flesh God in us God with us God for us Hence follows the Fourth Proposition That the manifestations of God to us in Christ are those which alone can beget those due apprehensions and right Conceptions of God with which we must
Aegypt be our trust the end of that trust will be our confusion Isa 30.2 3. Might we build the Nest of our trust on the Sons of men Reason would bid us pitch on the topmost branches of the tallest Cedars I mean those earthly Gods the Princes of this World But alas these though styled Gods must dye like men Psal 82.6 yea like other men Their breath is in their nostrils they soon return to their dust from whence they sprang and then all their thoughts and with them our hopes on them perish Psal 146.4 4. Not in any thing clad in mortal flesh He that presumes to make flesh his Arm will be sure at a long run to find the Father of Spirits his Foe Thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his Arm Jer. 17.5 And thus we have dispatcht the third General IV. What are those sure and stable grounds on which Saints may firmly and securely build their trust on God Sol. There is nothing which the eye of Faith or Reason can discover in God but the arm of Trust may safely lean on But more particularly 1. Gods Almighty Arm and Power The Lord hath an Arm an out-stretched (n) 1 King 8.42 Arm An Hand an Omnipotent Hand An Hand that spans the (o) Isa 40.12 Heavens that stretcheth them out as a Curtain and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in On this Almighty Arm may Believers (p) Isa 51.5 trust The Lord is the strong and mighty God Psal 24.8 That created the World with a (q) Psa 33.9 word and can as easily speak or look it into its first Nothing He is a wonder-working God Exod. 15.11 Elshaddai Gen. 17.1 Able to do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far more exceeding (r) Eph. 3.10 abundantly than we can ask or think His vast power far exceeds our Wants Prayers Thoughts all that we can need beg imagine We want much can ask great things can think greater Our Imaginations exceed our Expressions Yet Gods power far exceeds both (Å¿) Psa 81.10 Open we our mouths never so wide his open hand can more than fill them Gods power then is a most firm Basis whereon to fix our trust Trust ye in the Lord Jehovah for in the Lord Jehovah is (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Petra saeculorum Everlasting strength Creature props are not able to bear the weight and stress of an Immortal soul They are sandy foundations apt to sink and crumble under us But an Almighty God is a Rock A Rock of Ages on which he that builds his confidence though the Winds blow the rain descends and the Storms beat upon him yet shall he not u Mat. 7.25 fall On this Power of God Abraham built his transcendent w Rom. 4.21 faith and David his impregnable trust 2 Sam. 22.2 3. 2. Gods infinite and free Goodness Mercy and Bounty The Lord is good to all and his tender x Psa 1 5.9 Mercies are over all his Works With the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous Redemption His Bowels are as tender as his Arm is strong He is no less willing than able to relieve Therefore let Israel hope in the Lord. It is the Psalmists y Psa 130 7. Inference Like as a Father pitieâ—h his Children so the Lord z Psa 103.13 pitieth them that fear him Thâ—t Father that sees his child in want and pities not and pitying if able relieves not forfeits the name of Father and may write himself not Man but Monster It is enough for our heavenly Father that he a Mat. 6.32 knows we have need of any thing The Lord is all that to his people yea and infinitely more than that which Isis Mammosa was to the Aegyptians A God full of Dugs and whilst he hath a breast let not Saints fear the want of Milk The Character that the Heathens Idolatrously gave their Jupiter may far more truly indeed only be ascribed to our Jehovah He alone is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Optimus Maximus The best as well as the greatest of Beeings Goodness is Gods darling Atribute It is that which he looks on as his glory I beseech thee saith Moses shew me thy b Exod. 33.18 glory Moses thy Prayer is heard and it shall be answered But what saies God in answer to this Request See Ver. 19. I will make all my goodness pass before thee The thing requested was a view of Gods glory The thing promised was a discovery of Gods goodness Which hints unto us that however all the Attributes of God are in themselves glorious yet the Lord glorieth most in the manifestation of his goodness So then though we have nothing to plead or prevaile with God as in or from our selves yet there is an Orator in his own bosome that will certainly and effectually intercede for our Relief and that is his goodness This was that that boyed up David this was the Cordial that kept him from fainting c Psal 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living 3. Gods many choice exceeding great and precious Promises These are the flagons that Faith keeps by her the Apples she hâ—th hoarded up in store to revive and quicken in a day of swooning Who will not trust the Word the Promise the Protest of the King of Kings God hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Never in no wise in no case whatever I do I will not do this whatever shift I make Heb. 13.5 The Greek here hâ—th five Negatives and may thus be rendred I will not not leave thee neither will I not not forsake thee Five times as one observes is this precious Promise renewed that we may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of its Consolations that we may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of its glory Leave us God may to our thinking but really he doth not will not Or if he leaves us for a time a small moment yet he will not forsake us utterly Desert he may but not disinherit forsake us it may be in regard of Vision not of Union Change his dispensation not his disposition e Isa 44 2. Dost thou pass through the waters Thy God hath promised to be with thee He was so with Noah and the Israelites in the red Sea and in Jordan Dost thou walk through the fire Warm'd thou mayst be thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee The three Children were living Monuments of this truth God sent his Angel and delivered his Servants that f Dan. 3.28 trusted in him The Lord hath graciously engaged to create upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and g Isa 4.5 6. smoak by day for her protection and the shining of a flaming fire by night
the Providence of God ring the changes of mens Estates all the world over Now exalted and lifted up within a while deprest and cast down Now honourable eftsoon abased the rich becoming poor Naomi becoming Mara Hills levelled into Valleys and great Mountains becoming Plains That spoke of the wheel which is now aloft as that Captive King told his Conquerour is quickly turn'd to the ground and brought low The best earthly estate is in it self a tottering estate No o Psal 30 6 7. Summis negatum est stare diu mountain so strong but may soon be moved What we call substance Faith knows is but a shadow and hath no continuance There is no assurance in any earthly inheritance How soon doth God sequester it from us or us from it These Externals cannot be held with all our care nor kept with all our policy and power The best of earthly excellencies may soon be taken from us Jobs p Job 19 9. Crown quickly falls off from Jobs head Not only is all flesh grass but all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field Isa 48.6 Not only is man of a brittle Constitution in nature but all the perfections which he hath be they either Moral or Civil accomplishments on this side grace are brittle too Reason Scripture Experience abundantly attest this truth The q 1 Cor. 7.30 fashion of this world saith the Apostle passeth away As fashions in the world alter and change every day so doth the fashion of this World Creature-comforts are not so properly Possessions as r Quod miraris pompa est Ostenduntur istae res non possidentur dum placent transcunt Sen. Epist 110. Pageants which whilst they please us pass away from us in a moment Those we have here are running banquets delicate and served in with state but soon over 5. Faith makes yet a farther discovery and finds that these Creature-comforts are false deceitful lying Vanities Which appears 1. In the report they make of themselves and of their own worth If you look upon the bill of the creature it puts down not only an hundred for fifty but a million for a mite Like the Title pages of some empty Pamphlets more in them than in the whole Book 2. In the Promises which they make to us It promises that in the enjoyment thereof we shall be happy whereas we are both poor and miserable in the fullest possession of the Creature unless God himself be our portion It promises to ease us of our cares yet it doth but multiply them like drink to a dropsie-man so far from slaking that it enflames the thirst Riches are not food but fuel to our desires and are so far from satisfying that they but widen the throat They do not allay our appetite as bread doth when received and digested but enflame it as oyl doth when cast into the fire It promiseth to protect us but performes no more than the great tree doth from a soaking and lasting storm It promises to continue with us though Father and Mother forsake yet it will not whereas it usually proves like Absoloms Mule then apt to go from under us when we most need it Thus the Creatures are deceitful i. e. They are objectively deceitfull through the deceitfulness of our hearts and lusts we are deceived about them if not by them They frustrate our expectation when our hopes of advantage by them are at the highest seldom or never make good to the enjoyer what they promised to the expectant Like Ionah's Gourd when most needed then they wither Like Hesters invitation of Haman to a Banquet with the King which fill'd his bladder with windy hopes but soon after ended in his Ruine 6. And lastly Faith knows that Creature-comforts are Å¿ Isa 55.2 unsatisfying Vanities This the Philosopher saw by the dim eye of Nature concluding That the World being Orbicular of a round figure could never fill up the Corners of an heart which is Triangular The Câ—eature were a God to us if it could do this to us Kindle thirstings it may but quench none Câ—n beget a thousand fears and cares but quiet none Here the eye is not * Eccle. 1.8 satisfied with seeing nor the ear with hearing The soul still crying out Give give It is God alone satisfies Psal 36.8 9. It is only a God in Christ that can give the soul rest Mat. 11.29 God would not rest from his works of creation till man was formed Man cannot rest from his longing desires till God be enjoyed and then and not till then can an holy David sing a Lullaby to his soul t Psal 116.7 Return unto thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Faith having thus exprest her judgment concerning the true Nature and worth of Creature-comforts concludes her work in three resolves 1. In the midst of these my enjoyments I must take heed that my heart sits loose from them These handsome Pictures must be only hang'd on the wall not glued to it Though riches encrease I may not must not set my heart on them Thus the Psalmist Psal 62.10 Use them I may love them I may not 1 Joh. 2.15 16. My affections may perchance pitch but must not fix on these things below Col. 3.2 Look upon them I must with an holy indifferency and use them as if I used them not * 1 Cor. 7.31 possess them as if I possessed them not The zeal of my Spirit must be for Heaven and heavenly things My soul must press hard only after God as Davids did Psa 63.1 8. 2. Though I have all these comforts yet I may not must not inordinately immoderately carnally delight and rejoyce in them Thus the Apostle enjoyns 1 Cor. 7.29 It remains that both they that have wives be as if they had none and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this World as not abusing it As we are apt to underdo to do too little in heavenly things so we are apt to overdo or to do too much in worldly things Our two great faylings are viz. That we do but make use as it were of those things we should enjoy and that we enjoy those things we should only make use of Oh the Divine Art of holy moderation in the use of our sweetest worldly enjoyments is known and practiced by few 3. And lastly As I may not over-love them nor inordinately delight in them saith Faith so least of all may I put the least trust or confidence in them I must not in the least lean upon them Not say to Gold to sine gold Thou art my confidence Job 21.24 i. e. My soul may not securely rest and rely on gold or golden enjoyments as if these could stand by me when all friends fail as if these would not see us want any thing nor suffer us to be wronged as long as they last
distractio negligens a negligent distraction When a man hath an intention to pray and express his desires to God but he prays carelesly and doth not guard his thoughts so that sometimes he wanders and sometime recovers himself again and then straies again and is in and out off and on with God as a Spaniel roveth up and down and is still crossing the waies sometimes losing the company he goes with and then retiring to them again I cannot say this man prayeth not at all or that God doth not hear him but he will have little comfort in his Prayers yea if he be serious they will minister more matter of grief to him than comfort and therefore he ought to be more earnest and sedulous in resisting this infirmity that he may be assured of audience Otherwise if his heart be not affected with it in time by degrees all those motions and dispositions of heart that are necessary to prayer will be eaten out and lost 3. There is distractio voluntaria a voluntary distraction when men mind no more than the task or work wrought and only go round in a track of accustomed duties without considering with what heart they perform them this is such a vanity of mind as turneth the whole prayer into sin Secondly The causes of this roving and impertinent intrusion of vain thoughts 1. Sathan is one cause who doth Maxime insidiari orationibus as Cassian speaketh lye in wait to hinder the Prayers of the Saints when ever we minister before the Lord he is at our right hand ready to resist us Zech. 3.1 And therefore the Apostle James when he biddeth us draw nigh to God biddeth us also to resist the devil Jam. 4.7 8. Implying thereby That there is no drawing nigh to God without resisting Sathan When a Tale is told and you are going about the Affairs of the World he doth not trouble you for these things do not trouble him or do any prejudice to his Kingdom But when you are going to God and that in a warm lively affectionate manner he will be sure to disturbe you seeking to abate the edge of your affections or divert your minds Formal Prayers patterd over do him no harm but when you seriously set your selves to call upon God he saith within himself This man will pray for Gods Glory and then I am at a losse for the coming of Christs Kingdom and then mine goeth to wrack That Gods Will may be done upon earth as it is in heaven and that minds me of my old fall and my business is to cross the Will of God he will pray for dayly bread and that strengtheneth dependance for Pardon and Comfort and then I lose ground for the devils are the * Eph. 6 12. Rulers of the darkness of this World He will pray to be kept from sin and temptation and that is against me Thus Sathan is afraid of the Prayers of the Saints he is concerned in every request you make to God and therefore he will hinder or cheat you of your Prayers if you will needs be praying he will carry away your heâ—rts Now much he can do if you be not watchful he can present Objects to the senses which stirs up thoughts yea pursue his temptations and cast in one fiery dart after another therefore we had need-stand upon our guard 2. The natural levity of our spirits man is a restless creature we have much a doe to stay our hearts for any space of time in one state much more in holy things from which we are naturally averse Rom. 7.21 When I would do good evil is present with me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh consider this natural feebleness of mind whereby we are unable to keep long to any Imployment but are light fethery tossed up and down like a dryed leaf before the wind or as an empty Vessel upon the waves 't is so with us in most businesses especially in those which are Sacred the Apostle biddeth us pray without ceasing and we cannot do it whilest we pray he is a stranger to God and his own heart who finds it not daily this is an incurable vanity though we often repent of yet 't is not amended a misery that God would leave upon our natures to humble us while we are in the World and that we may long for Heaven the Angels and blessed Spirits there are not troubled with those things in Heaven there is no complaining of wandring thoughts there God is all in all they that are there have but one Object to fill their understandings one Object to give contentment to their desires their hearts cleave to God inseparably by a perfect love but here we are cumbred with much serving and much work begets a multitude of thoughts in us Psal 94.11 The Lord knows the thoughts of men that they are but vanity When we have summed up all the traverses reasonings and discourses of the mind we may write at the bottom this as the total sum here is nothing but vanity 3. Another cause is practical Atheism we have little sense of things that are unseen and lye within the vail in the World of spirits things that are seen have a great force upon us offer it now to the Governour saith the Prophet Mal. 1.8 God is a far off both from our sight and apprehension senses bind attention if you speak to a man your thoughts are setled and you think of nothing else but in speaking to God you have not like attention because you see him not Exod. 32.1 Make us gods to go before us Aye that we would have a visible God whom we may see and hear but the true God being a Spirit and an invisible Power all the service that we do him is a task performed more out of custome than affection in a slight perfunctory way 4. Strong and unmortified lusts which being rooted in us and having the Soul at most command will trouble us and distract us when we go about any duty each man hath a mind and can spend it unweariedly as he is inclined either to Covetousness Ambition or Sensuality for where the treasure is there will the heart be Matth. 6.20 set but the Covetous man about the World the Voluptuous man about his pleasures and the ambitious man about his honours and preferments and will they suffer their thoughts to be taken off surely no but set either of these about holy things and presently these lusts will be interposing Ezek. 33.31 their heart goeth after their Covetousness the sins to which a man is most addicted will ingross the thoughts so that this is one sign by which a man may know his reigning sin that which interrupts him most in holy duties for when all other lusts are kept out Sathan will be sure to set the darling sin a work to plead for him if a man be addicted to the World so will his musings be if to mirth and good chear and vain sports his thoughts will be taken up
withdraws his grace we lose our life and seriousness as meteors hang in the air as long as the heat of the Sun is great but when the Sun is gone down they fall as long as the love of God and the work of his Grace is powerful in us we are kept in a lively heavenly frame but as that abateth the Soul swerveth and returneth to vanity and sin We read Acts 16.14 15. that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia so that she attended to the things that were spoken of Paul attention there beareth somewhat a larger sense then we now consider it in namely a deep regard to the doctrine of life yet this Sense of fixedness of spirit cannot be excluded go to God then pray him to keep thy heart together he that hath set bounds to the Sea and can bind up the waves in a heap and stop the Sun in its flight certainly he can fasten and establish thy heart and keep it from running out 2. Meditate on the greatness of him before whom we are 't is of great consequence in duties to consider whom we take to be our party with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 in the Word God is the party that speaketh to us thou shalt be as my mouth Jer. 15.16 as if God spake by us 2 Cor. 5.20 't is God speaketh and the Heathen King of Moab shewed such reverence that when Ehud said I have a message to thee from God he arose out of his seat Judg. 3.20 so in prayer you have to do with God you do as really minister before him as the Angels that abide in his presence Oh if you could see him that is invisible you would have more reverence * Omnino nos oportet orationis tempore curiam intrare caelestem illam utique curiam in quâ rex regum sedet in stellato solio circumdante eum innumerabili ineffabili beatorum spirituum exercitu ubi ipse qui viderit quia majorem numerum non invenit millia ait millium ministrabant ei decies centena millium assistebant ei quanta ergo cum reverentiâ quanto timore quanta illuc humilitate accedere debet è palude sua procedeus repens ranuncula vilis quam tremebundus quam supplex quam denique humilis sollicitus toto intentus animo majesti gloria in praesentia Angelorum in consilio justorum congregatione assistere poterit vilis homuncio Bernard de quatuor modis orandi A man that is praying or worshipping should behave himself as if he were in Heaven immediatly before God in the middest of all the blessed Angels those ten thousand times ten thousand that stand before God Oh with what reverence with what fear should a poor worm creep into his presence think then of that glorious all-seeing God with whom thou canst converse in thoughts as freely as with men in words he knoweth all that is in thy heart and seeth thee thorough and thorough if you had spoken al those things you have thought upon you would be odious to men if all your blasphemy uncleanness worldly projects were known to those that joyn with us should we be able to hold up our heads for blushing and doth not the Lord see all this could we believe his inspection of the heart there would be a greater awe upon us 3. Mortifie those lusts that are apt to withdraw our minds he that indulgeth any one vile affection will never be able to pray aright every duty will give you experience what corruption to resist what thoughts are we haunted and pestered with when we come to God God requireth Prayer that we may be weary of our lusts and that the trouble that we find from them in holy Exercises may exasperate our Souls against them we are angry with an Importunate beggar that will not be satisfied with any reasonable terms but is alwaies obtruding upon us every experience in this kind should give us an advantage to free our hearts from this disturbance the whole work of Grace tendeth to Prayer and the great Exercise and Imployment of the Spiritual life is watching unto Prayer Ephes 6.18 and that Prayer be not interrupted 1 Pet. 3.2 4. Before the duty there must be an actual preparation or a solemn discharge of all Impediments that we may not bring the World along with us put off thy shoos off thy feet saith God to Moses for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground surely we should put off our carnal distractions when we go about holy duties Gird up the loines of your minds saith the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1.13 an allusion to long garments worn in that Country 't is dangerous to come to Prayer with a loose heart My heart is fixed saith David O God my heart is fixed Psal 57.7 that is fitted prepared bended to Gods Worship the Soul must be set put into a dexterous ready posture Claudatur contra adversarium pectus soli Deo pateat ne ad se hostem Dei accedere tempore orationis patiatur Cyp. lib. De Oratione Domini There must be a resolved shutting of the heart against Gods enemy lest he insinuate with us and withdraw our minds 5. Be severe to your purpose and see that you regard nothing but what the duty leadeth you unto 't is the Devils policy to cheâ—t us of the present duty by an unseasonable interposition Sathan beginneth with us in good things that he may draw us to worse what is unseasonable is naught watch against the first diversion how plausible soever 't is an intruding thought that breaketh a rank in this case say as the Spouse Cant. 3. I charge you that you awake not my Beloved till he please such a rigid severity should you use against the starting of the heart if Sathan should at first cast in a thought of blasphemy that would make thee quake and shake therefore he beginneth with plausible thoughts but be careful to observe the first straglings * Est praeterea optimum ad attendendum remedium si imagines rerum irruentes non solum non advertas non excutias non examines sed ita te habeas quasi eas non aspicere digneris nam ipsum ad vertere examinare istas cogitationes evagari est jam adversarius aliquid à nobis extorsit c. Jacobus Alvarez yea be not diverted by thy very strivings against diversions and therefore do not dispute with suggestions but despise them nor stand examining temptations but reject them as blind Bartimeus regarded not the rebukes of the People but cryed the more after Christ or as Travellers do not stand beating back the Dogs that bark at them but hold on their course this is to be religiously obstinate and severe to our purpose Sathan contemned hath the less advantage against you when he is writing images upon the fancy do not vouchsafe to look upon them A Cryer in the Court that is often commanding silence
17. If we suffer with him we shall be glorified together Luke 24.26 Christus prius ipse bibit potionem quam suis paravit Bern. parv Serm. Luth. in Exod. cap. 15. This way Christ entr'd into glory Ought not Jesus to have suffered these things and so to have entred into glory now if we will enter with him we must follow after him how by taking up his Cross Christ like a good Physitian first tasted the medicine that he gave his Patient The Cross of Christ sweetens our sufferings in the bitterness of them as that piece of wood sweetned the waters of Marah being cast into them Therefore John wrote to the Saints as partakers together of a great priviledge Rev. 1.9 vers 3. when he said Companion in tribulation and in the Kingdoâ— and patience of Jesus Christ Then never hope to go another way than the Captain of our salvation hath led us for if we baulk his track we are lost Aug. in Psa 52. must we not then give thanks for affliction that conforms us to our head VIII The Crosse is a Christians banner his honour and the special favour of the Lord towards him therefore be thankful for it Let not this seem a riddle or paradox Phil. 1. â— I have you saith the Apostle in my heart for as much as in my bonds and in the defence of the Gospel ye are all partakers of my grace where by grace many understand a special act of Gods favour to him and them wherewith they were to account themselves highly graced Hence he saith again a little after vers 29. Utrumque ostendit dei donum quia utrumque dicit esse donatum Aug. Velasquez in locum Phil. 2. 1 Pet. 4.14 to you it 's given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake This he accounts a peculiar gift of God to them whereof but few in comparison do partake Hence saith one upon that place it is a most noble yea and almost divine thing to suffer for the Lord Jesus For the Lord gave Christ himself on this very account a name above every name Mark what the Apostle Peter saith If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are you for the Spirit of God and of glory resteth on you Which words must be understood emphatically the highest manifestation and operation of the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit per He emphaticum Gods Spirit manifesteth it self variously in several subjects but in sufferers for Christ the very Spirit and quintessence of glory seems to be extracted and poured on thee Upon all these accounts and many more such we are to thank God for crosses and corrections because the good of them doth flow from Gods goodnesse not from their nature When the Horseleech by the Physicians direction sucks our blood and thereby performs a cure the Horseleech is not to be thanked but the Physician for his application So the Lord can make the bloody persecutors of his people to be instruments of good to his people no thanks to them but to him for it How shall a Christian bring his heart to this holy and heavenly Quere 5 frame so as in every thing to give thanks Hearken to these few directions and lay them up in your hearts Ans and draw them out in your constant practise I. Pray earnestly for the Spirit of God Canticum novum vetus homo male concordant Aug. without that Spirit thou canst never pray or praise God duely because not spiritually none can sanctifie the Lord God in his heart which is the first Principle of this work but he whose heart the Lord God hath sanctified The Holy Spirit breathing in a man makes him a living Organ tuned to and sounding out his praise Psal 33.1 Praise is comely for the upright but as uncomely in a carnal mouth as a Jewel in a swine snowt Non musica cordulâ— sed cór Non clamans sed amans cantat in aure dei 1 Cor. 14.15 I will sing with the Spirit The pompous dresses and melodious quires of magnificats without the Spirit of God breathing among them is but as a sounding brass and a tinckliâ—g cymbal For indeed without the Spirit of God in men they neither can not will remember the Lords mercyes nor consider them nor value them nor be affected with them nor blaze the praise of them The dead saith David do not praise thee dead hearts produce dead works it is the Spirit that quickens II. Labour to get a continual quick sight and sense of sin this will make thee sensibâ—e of every mercy and thankful for it So the provocation and merit of sin is nothing but curses death and wrath being due to it that yet thou shouldest be so tenderly spared and instead of miseries shouldest enjoy blessings how shouldest thou be affected with this Gen. 32.10 per Psalmos 1 Tim. 1.12 ad 17. Invitat ad magna qui gratantè◠accipit modica Cassiod Anima immersa sanguini Christi aurea reddiâ—ur ut manus in aurum liquefactum injecta deauratur Chrysost Psal 111.9 as Mephibosheth was with David's kindnesse to him an humble broken heart is the most thankful heart this was most eminent in the most eminent Saints 1 Jacob 2 David 3 Paul c. He that knows he hath forfeited all knows he deserves nothing but the reward of that forfeiture which is wrath and he that deserves nothing thanks God for every thing even for the least drop and crumb III. Behold every mercy coming to thee in the stream of Christs blood and through the Covenant of Grace this gives the mercy both an estimate and a relish this doth both sanctifie it and sweeten it and sublimate it a crust of brown bread coming thus is better then a purse full of gold another way as that Kings kisse to one friend was said to be better gold than a cup of gold which he gave another friend He sent redemption to his people he remembred his Covenant for ever holy and reverend is his name The deliverance there was in David's account and that truly the more thank worthy as being upon a covenant account for thus every mercy is a token of the Lords favour to his favourite it is that which makes common mercies to become special mercies Non tam beneficium sed ratio beneficii attendâ—nâ—a est Carnal men so they enjoy mercies they mind not which way they come in so they can but have them but a child of God knows that every thing that comes through Christs hands is the better for it and tastes the sweeter by far IV. Look on thy mercies as answers to thy Prayers and bless the Lord for them on that account for that 's double mercy 1. That God hath inclined and directed thine heart to beg such a mercy for this is a special act of the Spirit of adoption Rom. 8.26 27. 2. That he
hath answer'd such Prayers for this is a sign he accepts thee in Christ Many blessings come in unasked for and unlooked for yet these require thankfulnesse But when the Lord is inquired of for the things we have and doth grant them to us this is a blessing upon his own institution and a seal to his promise hear David Psa 66.16 17. Come near saith he and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul I cryed to the Lord and he was extolled with my tongue as if he had said this was a signal favour for the Lord to graunt what I petitioned him for and therefore deserves a special acknowledgement For this Hanna calls her son Samuel i. e. asked of God 1 Sam. 1.20 Gen. 29.33 and Leah calleth her second son Simeon i. e. hearing because God heard her Prayer for him And Rachel called her son Nepthali i. e. wrestling Gen. 39.8 because she wrestled for him now as Samuels should be Lemuels i. e. dedicated to God so all our mercies we get by Prayer should be the more solemnly dedicated to the Lord by thanksgiving and such a frame of a thankful heart is a spiritual frame V. When any of Gods dealings do either draw us or drive us nearer to God this is a special mercy When we consider that well we cannot but be greatly affected with it and will be accordingly thankful for the mercy or the dispensation is thereby the more merciful mercies are drawing cords afflictions are whipcords to drive us by both we are brought nearer to God thank him If the chief Shepherd hunt us together and keep us from stragling and bring us under command this is a mercy to Christs sheep If the Lord hedg up our wayes with thorns that we cannot find our lovers Hos 2.6 vers 8 9. this is a mercy And if the Lord recover his mercies from us that in the want of them we may know he was the Founder and Fountain of them this is a mercy When Absolom burnt Joab's corn it was to make Joab who before that kept off come to him Amos 4 6 to v. 12. So all the angry dispensations of God towards his children are that they return to him That storm that sinks and splits some ships drives others faster into the Haven So do the troubles of this World make a true Christians voiage toward Heaven the speedier VI. That Soul that is truely and spiritually thankful will so order his whole conversation that God may have the glory of it This the Psalmist who was well skild in this Art seems to point at often Who so offereth praise glorifieth me Psal 50.23 and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God We cannot better glorifie God than by a well-ordered conversation this is in every thing to give thanks indeed So likewise in praise the Lord Psa 106.1 2 3. Hallelujah O give thanks to the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever There is 1. The Doxology 2. Invitation 3. The Reason that we should and why we should give thanks alwaies But who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord who can shew forth all his praise i. e. it is impossible for any man in the world to do this great duty aright and as he should Blessed are they that keep judgment that do righteousness at all times As if he had said This indeed is a vast duty but yet he makes the best essay towards it that sets himself constantly to serve God and keep his Commandments Now this no man can do neither perfectly but only by the merits and in the strength of Christ he making it the desire of his soul to serve the Lord it is accepted though endeavours fall short and therefore is pronounced blessed James 1.25 For to be a doer of the work by Evangelical obedience makes him blessed in his deed labour then to bless the Lord not only in words but in deed and you shall be blessed VII If we would offer thanks to the Lord acceptably Let us do it in the name of the Lord Jesus Thus are we directed by the Spirit of God Ephes 5.20 Per eundem est decursus beneficiorum recursus Rev. 8.3 4. Heb. 13.15 1. Because all mercy comes to us by him 2. Because nothing is accepted but in him 3. Because it is one part of his Priestly Office to receive the Prayers and Praises of the Saints in his golden Censer upon the golden Altar with much incense By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Alluding to that of the Prophet Hos 14.2 who calls it The calves of our lips that through Christs propitiatory Sacrifice our Eucharistical Sacrifices are accepted and that we must offer these under the Gospel continually jugiter Juge sacrificium Alluding to the dayly Sacrifice now this must needs sanctifie our service because the Altar sanctifies the Gift and therefore mention is made of a golden Altar in this case Is it the Will of God in Christ Jesus that in every thing we give thanks Use Then this serves to condemn the horrid ingratitude of Christians 1. Those that in nothing will give thanks at no time for no mercy these are swine that devour all that drops from the Tree of Gods bounty and never look up whence it cometh These are worse than the Oxe and Ass that know their Owners and Masters cribs Isa 1. Per rarò grati homines reperiuntur Cicero These are meer Heathens who though they profess they know God yet do not glorifie him as God nor are thankeful These are like Buckets that run greedily down into the Well when they are empty with open mouth but when they be ful they turn their hinder part upon the Well that filled them Thus do unthankful men call greedily for mercies and when God hath filled them they turn the back and not the face 2. Another kind of unthankful men is that sort who having received mercies from God arrogate the honour of them to themselves Let Papists and Pelagians old and new who attribute more to free will than to grace which the one makes the root of merits the other gives the casting of the scale in mans conversion to it let these see how by such Principles they can acquit themselves from the crime of Sacrilegious ingratitude for they rob God of his glory and then let them hear not me but Saint Austine thundring against them O Lord Soliloq cap. 15. Qui de bono suo ô Domine gloriam sibi quaerit non tibi hic sur est latro similis diabolo c. Hab. 1.15 16. Dan. 4.30 he that assumes the glory of any good he hath to himself and ascribes it not to thee that man is a thief and a robber and like the devil who
the screech-owl to be heard instead of the voice of the Turtle It is the Lords mercies we are not consumed For what priviledge or Patent have we to be secured and indempnified above others How long ago had Divine Justice made short work with us if Divine Patience had not been stretched to long suffering if Mercy had not held back the hand of Gods Vengeance as the Angel caught Abrahams Knife when it was lifted up to kill his Son For surely methinks Mercy and Justice have been long wrestling and the Lord hath said long of England as he said of Ephraim How shall I give up England how shall I make thee as Admah and Zeboim as Sodom and Gomorrah Now consider this all ye that forget the Lords benefits lest he come not only as a Moth to you as he seems to do already in your Trade in your Health in your Food but as a Lion to teare and go away Wherefore would you value your mercies consider others miseries would you thank God for them consider your abuse and unworthiness of them would you continue and encrease them Haud quicquam ita proprie terris representat caelestis habitationis statum sicut alacritaâ— deum laudautium Bern. Ser. 1. in Cant. be thankeful for them would you taste sweetness in them get a sanctified use of them would you honour God in every condition make a holy improvement of every dispensation would you be Christians indeed In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Turn your hearts and tongues to it here and you shall be chosen into the Quire of Angels to perform it for ever in Heaven How may we get rid of Spiritual Sloth and know when our activity in duty is from the Spirit of God Psal 119.37 part ult Quicken me in thy way THis Psalm shines and shews it self among the rest Sicut inter ignes Luna minores A Star in the Firmament of the Psalms of the first and greatest magnitude this will readily appear if you consider either I. The manner it is composed in oâ— II. The matter it is composed of 1. The manner it is composed in is very elegant 2. The matter it is composed of is very excellent I. The manner it is composed in is very elegant full of art rule method Theological matter in a Logical manner a Spiritual Alphabet framed and formed according to the Hebrew Alphabet II. The matter it is composed of is very excellent full of rare sublimities deep mysteries gratious activities yea glorious extasies The Psalm is made up of three things 1. Praâ—ers 2. Praises 3. Protestations 1. Prayers to God 2. Praises of God 3. Protestations unto God My Text belongs unto the first and may fitly be stiled David's Letany where you have 1. His Libera Domine Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity 2. His exaudi Domine Quicken me in thy way In this these three parts are considerable 1. The Act Quicken 2. The Subject Me. 3. The Object thy way In the prosecution of which Scripture I shall do these three things 1. Explicate the Terms 2. Deduce a Corollary 3. Resolve the Cases I. For Explication Quicken There is a two-fold quickening 1. Proper and moral 2. Improper and metaphorical 1. Proper and moral which is two-fold 1. Total 2. Partial 1. Total Which is the raising a dead body to natural life thus was Lazarus raised Hist Ang. lib. 5. cap. 13. John 11.43 44. So was Drithelme of Northamberland raised if credit may be given to Bede 2. Partial which is the restoring a body declined and decaied with sicknesse or sorrow to Spirits and vigorous energies So was David whose body by grief and sorrow was made a meer Skeleton Psal 31.10 17. Hezekiah by sicknesse brought so low that he was become spiritlesse yet he was raised up again upon which he composes that rare Hymne or Canticle of praise to God Isai 38.10 II. Improper and metaphorical which is likewise two-fold 1. Total 2. Gradual I. Total which is the raising of a Soul stark dead in sin to Spiritual Life Ephes 1.2 and you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins II. Gradual which is the raising of a dull and drousie Soul from sloth and sluggishnesse to high yea highest degrees of vivacity and activity for this you have David praying here and in Psal 143.11 Quicken me O Lord for thy Names sake In this description it will be very necessary to explain sloth and activity 1. Spiritual Sloth is threefold 1. Resolving Sloth 2. Delaying Sloth 3. Disturbing Sloth 1. Resolving Sloth is when a Soul is setled upon it's lees and resolves to lie still and never to stir in that momentous concernment of its own eternal Salvation Solomon excellently deciphers this Prov. 26.14 As the door turns upon his hinges so doth the slothful upon his bed as the door turns upon the hinges and never stirs from his place so the slothful turns upon the bed of security and never turns from his purpose Jer. 44.16 17. they were resolved to worship the Queen of Heaven come life come death Such was the Souldiers resolution who had on his Target God and the Devil pictured under God si tu non vìs under the Devil iste rogitat 2. Delaying Sloth when a person doth intend to look after Soul-concernments but not yet they will borrow day a little time Much like that sluggard Prov. 6.10 Yet a little sleep a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleep When the sluggard is cal'd to arise in the morning he resolves to do it only intreats one little one short nap more and then he will arise So when some are called to awaken arise and walk with God in his way in the morning of their age they crave one short nap more first and then they will do it give them leave to get such an estate to obtain such an honour to match such a child to satisfie such a lust and then will they be for God Such a sluggard was Austin a little longer O Lord a little longer presently presenly Matth. 25.10 Paululum paululum modo modo hoc erat sine modo Aug. lib. confess Plutarch in Moral the five foolish Virgins resolved to have oyl in their lamps and vessels only they would take a nod Oh how dangerous is delaying Sloth the Virgins deferring provokes Christ to denying Archias being merry at supper had a letter sent him that concern'd his life and though desired to read it puts it up into his pocket saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I 'l mind serious things to-morrow but he lived not unto the morrow to mind those serious things Such another sluggard was the rich man Luke 12.20 Stulte hac nocte Tolle moras semper nocuit differre paratis Lucan Alexander being asked how he came to conquer the World replied Nunquam differre volens if you will overcome more than Alexander did not
only the World but also Sathan and your own flesh the worst and strongest enemy of all you must carefully lay hold on every lock of opprotunity and expeditiously improve the same 3. Disturbing Sloth is when a person doth intend and endeavour to walk in Gods way but Sloth as rust hinders the wheels of his Soul from coming to and running in the way of God The Torpedo if it touch but any part of the angle that a man holds in his hand Plin. nat hist lib. 32. cap. 1. corpus torpescere facit it benums and stupifies all the members that they cannot stir or strive Such malignant influence hath Sloth upon the Soul the chariots of Saints Souls should drive as Jehu's heartily and furiously 2 Kings 9.20 and not as Pharaoh's chariots heavily and faintly Exod. 14.25 all the agility of the Soul and all the ability of the body are required in Gods way and about Gods work whatsoever comes short of this is Sloth as whatsoever comes short of Virtue is Vice 2. Activity in duty is a victorious conquest over the Great Goliah Sloth and riding triumph in the way work and worship of God activity is a David's dancing before the Ark with all his might there are three things which concur and contribute to complete this activity in duty 1. Tota anìmà intentio Bas in reg 2. Inexplebilis cupiditas agendi Brev. resp 259. 3. Assiduitas in actione 1. A streining and stretching of the soul to the utmost peg and highest pin a putting of it upon the tenter-hooks in service 2. An unsatiable and unsatisfiable desire or longing for the effecting and accomplishing of a duty 3. A constant and continual waiting and working until the duty be perfected these three were exactly in Archimedes the Geometrician he was drawing his Mathematical lines when Marcellus entred the gates of Syracuse yea when the Souldiers entred his Study that he never minded them there was the intention of his mind when the Souldiers pul'd him by the sleeve he cries out let me alone to finish my Scheme there was his inexpleble desire of perfecting it when the Souldiers drew their swords to run him thorow he yet plyed his businesse there was his assiduity in his action here was Hoc age indeed Oh what a shame would it be for us Christians if a Heathen in his way should outgo and outdo us in Gods way I shall commend two Texts of Scripture to you which do most lively obumbrate tepidity and fervidity Rom. 12.11 12. Not slothful in businesse fervent in spirit serving the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In festinatione non lenti here festina lentè is out of doors We must flie as upon the wings of the wind our heart must be like the Primum Mobile to wheel and whirl us about with a most rapid motion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assidue operam navaâ—â—s fervent in spirit boyling or burning hot all on fire and flame serving the Lord continuing instant in Prayer strenuously and stedfastly wrastling with God as Jacob did who as a Prince had power with God Hos 12.3 this is that Ultimum virium which is expected and only respected of God God accounts nothing else Prayer but this Isa 64.7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Ea fide fiduâ—ia ut Dei manus teneat A Lap. in Loc. i. e. with that Faith and fortitude to hold Gods hands as Moses Jacob and others did the Cock is a rare Emblem of this activity who raises and rowses himself claps his wings and then crows with all his might Heb. 6.11 12. We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence vers 12. That you be not slothful not of a slow pace to want fire yea and feet too that not run in Gods way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non curro Segnis quasi se ignis sine igne Non amo nimium diligentes was the saying of a Heathen but God will never say so because we can never be too diligent and devout in his service and surely if Jacob did serve Laban toto conatu Gen. 31.6 with all my power have I served your Father then much more should we with all our industry and endeavour serve our Father Thy way by way of Emphasis in opposition to and exaltation of above all other waies There is a fourfold way 1. Via Mundi the way of the World and that is spinosa thorny 2. Via Carnis the way of the Flesh and that is insidiosa treacherous 3. Via Satanae the way of the Devil and that is tenebricosa darksome 4. Via Domini the way of God and that is gratiosa gracious This way is twofold 1. Via velata a concealed way and that is of his Privy Counsels 2. Via revelata a revealed way and that is of his publick Commands 1. Via beneplaciti of his Privy Counsels Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his Judgments and his waies past finding out He that shall go about to seek and search for that way must return a Non est inventa and shall prove himself a true Ignoramus ver 34. For who hath known the mind of the Lord And who hath been his Counsellor the best of mortals were never honoured with that title to be one of Gods Privy Councellors 2. Via signi of his publick and common road of Commandments Psal 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way Who walk in the way of the Lord v. 27. Make me to understand the way of thy Precepts Isa 2.3 He will teach Sions Scholars of his waies and they will walk in his paths Isa 30.21 Thine ears shall hear a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk ye in it We must not be so impudent as to desire to walk in the way of his Privy Councils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. dial 1 nor so imprudent as not to walk in the waies of his publick Commands The secret things belong to the Lord our God But those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever that they may do all the works of this Law Deut. 29.29 Having thus planed my way to the Text or rather explained the way in my Text I proceed to the deduction of a Corollary or Conclusion from the words which is the second thing I premised and promised Every Saint is very apt to be a slug in the way and work of God Doct. Quicken me saies one of the chiefest and choicest of Saints in thy way and it is as much as if he should say in plain terms Ah Lord I am a dull Jade and have often need of thy Spur thy Spirit This Prayer of David seems proof enough to this point but if you desire farther confirmation I shall produce an argument instar omnium that none shall dare to deny nor be able to
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more venatorum persequentium feram Aret. Ignatius Epist ad Rom. James 5 17. Eye Paul how industriously and indefatigably he pursues even as a Beagle his chase with full cry and all celerity Phil. 3.10 ad 15. Observe Ignatius how he goes to the beasts to be devoured as if he had gone to a Bridal to be married Lastly Slight not the Martyrs in Q. Maries daies who went to the fire as if they had been going to a bonefire En amote hoc parum est amem validius Aug lib. de Med. c. 18. Seest thou this woman saith our Saviour to Simon of Mary Magdalen with what activity and affection she hath washed and wiped my feet her tears being the water her hair the towel let it provoke thee to more diligence and devotion Luk. 7.44 45. Examples are pricking and provoking goads to quicken us fires to light our candles by to heat our bodies with 8. Keep quickning company As bad company is water to quench so good company is oyl to quicken fervour Bonus comes pro vehiculo As Iron sharpens Iron soone gracious heart sets an edge upon another Prov. 27.17 Holy Companions are bellows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to blow up and make burn the graces that lye in embers 2 Tim. 1.16 The gracious affections of Saints are called beds of spices Cant. 6.2 Holy conference of holy company is the rubbing and chafing those spices to make them sent and send forth their perfumes Alexander where ever he came perfumed the Room with his presence so does every believer with his speeches David who desires quicknings picks out quickning company I am a companion of all them rich or poor that fear thee and of them that keep thy precepts Psal 119.63 Paul is pressed in spirit by the company and conference of Silas and Timotheus Acts 18.5 the two Disciples hearts burn'd within them in their journy to Emans by that sweet discourse they had with Christ Luke 4.32 9. Consider quickning considerations they that are apt to faint and tire in a journey carry about their bottles of water to quicken their spirits let these ten considerations be such bottles to you when you tire in the journey of a duty 1. Consider how odious and abominable Sloth is to man or God the Romans judged sloth and idlenesse worthy of the greatest contempt Asinus ad lyram Asinus ad tibiam Zon. Annal l. 2. Peir 87. d. l. 3. cap. 16. Enerves animos odisse virtus solet Val. Max. lib. 2. cap. 7. are Proverbs of the greatest derision and disgrace how contemptibly does Jacob speak of Issachar a strong Asse couching down between two burthens Gen. 49.14 15. yea God himself refuses the first-born of an Asse in Sacrifice Exod. 13.13 Bellarmin gives this reason because it was animal tardigradum a slow paced and sluggish creature which God hates God being a pure act loves pure activity Oh what thunder-claps and cracks of threatnings may you hear from the Mount Ebal of his Word able to make the most sluggish Caligula to creep under his bed for shelter Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Jer. 48.10 Cursed be the deceiver that hath in his flock a male and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing Mal. 1.14 God threatens to remove the candlestick from the Church of Ephesus because she was grown remisse in her first love Rev. 2.5 6. he terrifies the Church of Laodicea with the menace of spuing her out of his mouth for her lukewarmnesse the servant who had not returned Cent per Cent for his talent is called wicked and slothful servant and cast into the darkest dungeon Matth. 25.26.30 how would this consideration well considered on cause all slothful servants ears to tingle and their hearts to tremble II. Consider sloth exposes you to all manner of sin especially these two desperate and dangerous ones 1. Sordid Apostacy 2. Spiritual Adultery I. Sordid Apostacy Sloth in the Soul is like Green Sicknesse in the body of a Virgin which makes her not only fall from her colour strength stomach to wholsom food but also to long and lust after trash and trumpery coales soot ashes the Galathians because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without mind and metal do therefore prove Apostates beginning in the Spirit ending in the flesh Gal. 3.1 3. * Tepiditas si â—allum obduxerit siet Apostasia Greg. Moral lib. 22. cap. 5. falling off from fervor will turn to falling away to folly The slothful man will not bring his hand to his mouth Prov. 19.24 it is expounded of a slothful Minister who will not bring voci suae vitam suam his works to his words though this be an undoubted truth of lazy and slothful Ministers yet the Provetb holds true of all sluggards tendency to falling away in their hand from their mouth i. e. from what they have formerly professed Consider how great and grievous a sin Apostacy is it was the first sin that ever was committed it was the sin of the Devils for which they were cast out of Heaven and cast down into Hell Heb. 10.38 if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him a metaphor taken from a sluggish Jade who finding the load come heavy draws back again the backslider in heart much more in hand from Gods way shall be fil'd with his own waies Prov. 14.14 i. e. he hath run away from his Captain Colours Cause and he shall have Marshal Law for it it will be worth my pains and your patience to give an instance what severe Martial Law God hath executed on all Runnagadoes and Revolters 1. Ministers Judas who revolted from his Master and Ministrie turning from being a guard to his Saviour to be a guide to the Souldiers Acts 1.17 afterward hanged himself his bowels burst out of his belly and so he took his proper and peculiar place in Hell vers 18.25 John Speiser Preacher at Ainsborough in Germany Scâ—lt annal 118. who preached so profitably and powerfully that the common strumpets left the Brothel-houses then tolerated and betook themselves to a better course Anno. 1523. yet afterwards revolting to the Papists he perished miserably Joseph Antiq. l. 1. c. 12. Ut condimentum sit aliis Aug. lib. 16. de Civ Dei c. 30. 2. People Remember Lots wife Luke 17.32 who turning back to Sodom was turned into a pillar of salt to season us that we may be preserved from the stinking sin of Apostacy Lucian a great Professor in the daies of Trajan but revolting was torn in pieces and devoured of Dogs The Emperour Julian the Apostate was wounded with an arrow none knowing from whence in his War against the Persians who throwing his blood up to Heaven died scornfully crying Vicisti Galilaee vicisti II. Spiritual Adultery Bodily sloth exposes to corporal Adultery Quaritur Aegisthus Davids instance clears it sufficiently 2 Sam. 11.2 Spiritual sloth exposes to Spiritual Adultery Rom.
the creature and drive such a Trade in the Shop that they quite break in their Trading for Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Farm and Oxen have kept millions from Christ These do not make Religion their business but make the world their business and what will all be at death but as a dream or fancy Hab. 2.13 The people shall labour in the fire and weary themselves for very vanity 2. Branch Hence see how hard it is to be saved 'T is not so Branch 2 easie as some apprehend Religion must be our business 'T is not enough to have a smack of Religion a touch and away Canis ad nilum but we must make it our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our businesse How many precepts have we to obey how many tentations to resist how many graces to treasure up Religion is the work of our whole lives and all little enough Lord then how hard is it to be saved Where will the sinner appear What will become of the Gallants of our times who make sin their business Quibus cura est ut vesles bene oleant ut digiteÌ„ annulis radirent ut crines calamistro rotentur Hier. whose whole imployment is to indulge and pamper the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All their care is as Hierom speaks to crisp their hair to sparkle their Diamonds instead of steeping their souls in brinish rears they bathe themselves in perfumed waters and ride to Hell upon the back of pleasure Vse 2. Let us deal impartially with our own souls and put Vse 2 our selves upon a strict triall Triall before the Lord whether we make Religion our business And for our better progress herein I shall lay down ten Signs and Characters of a man that makes Religion his business and by these as by a Gospel-Touchstone we may try our selves 1. He who makes Religion his business doth not place his Religion Character 1 only in externals Rom. 2.28 He is not a Jew who is one outwardly Religion doth not stand only in forms and shadows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is to give God leaves instead of fruit 'T is often seen that the pomp of worship destroys the purity as the paint of the Glass hinders the light And 't is no untruth to say that formality may as well damn as prophaneness A superstitious Pharisee may as well be in Hell as a drunken Epicure A Christians main work lies with his heart He that makes Religion his business gives God the Vitals he worships him in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 In stilling the spirits are strongest The good Christian distils out the spirits for God Aaron must offer the fat upon the Altar Lev. 3.14 He shall offer an offering made by fire the fat that covereth the inwards Vers 16. All the fat is the Lords If Aaron had offered the skin instead of the fat it would not have been accepted Externall devotion alone is offering the skin and they that give God only the skin of duty shall carry away only the shell of comfort Character 2 2 Character He who makes Religion his business avoids every thing that may be a remora and hindrance to him in his work A wicked man cares not whether the matter of Religion goes forward or backward he stands in the way of tentation and as if sin did not come fast enough he draws it as with a Cart-rope Isa 5.18 Isa 5.18 But he who makes Religion his business flies from tentation and while he is running the heavenly race layes aside every weight of sin which doth so easily beset him Heb 12.1 A man may as well miss of Heaven by loytering in the way as by losing the way 1 Sam. 21.8 The Kings business required hast so the business of Religion requires hast therefore the good Christian is carefull that he be not taken off the work and so be taken tardy in it Character 3 3 Character He who makes Religion his business hath a care to preserve conscience inviolable and had rather offend all the world than offend his conscience 2 Tim. 1.3 I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience Much of Religion lies in conscience Faith is a precious jewell but conscience is the Cabinet where this jewell must be kept O faelix conscientiae Paradisus bonorum operum virgultis consita variisque virtutum floribus purpurata Aug. ad fratr â—n eremo Tom. 10. 1 Tim. 3.9 Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience Love is a beautifull flower but this flower must grow in the garden of a pure conscience 1 Tim. 1.5 Charity out of a pure conscience So sacred a thing is conscience that without this all Religion drops in pieces He who makes Religion his business labours to get conscience regulated by Scripture as the Watch is set by the Dial and having done this he keeps his conscience as his eye that no dust of sin fall into it 4 Character He who makes Religion his business Religion Character 4 hath an influence upon all his civill actions 1. Religion hath an influence upon his eating and drinking he holds the golden bridle of temperance he eatâ— sparingly The godly man feeds not to please the sensuall appetite but that he may as Chrysostome saith by the strength he receives from the creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the more fit for the chearfull discharge of spirituaâ—l services He makes not his food fuell for lust but help to duty Epicures dig their own grave with their teeth they feed without fear Jude vers 12. Irregulares gulares Sinners fear not lest their Table should be a snare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Psal 69.22 they fear not the process of justice while the Wine is in the Cup they fear not the hand writing on the Wall But the godly man being regulated by Religion puts a Knife to his throat Prov. 23.2 that he may cut the throat of intemperance 2. He that makes Religion his business Religion hath an influence upon his recreation The strings of the Viol must sometimes be slackned lest they break Neque semper arcum tendit Apollo God affords his people generous delights the Scripture allows the use of the Bow 2 Sam. 1.18 But we are apt to offend most in lawfull things more are killed with Wine than with poyson Religion sits Moderatour in the soul The man influenced by Religion dares not make play an occupation 't is oyl to quicken him in Gods service not a Sea to ingulph him He who is devoted to Religion puts bounds to the Olympian sports he knows where to make his stops and periods he sets up an Herculis Columna on which he writes non ultra no further than this 3. He that makes Religion his businesse Religion hath an influence upon his buying and selling The wicked get a livelihood often by cozening sometimes they embase commodities Amos 8.6 They sell the refuse of the Wheat They would pick out
the best grains of Corn and then sell the rest sometimes they falsifie their weights Hos 12.7 He is a Merchant the ballances of deceit are in his hand But he who makes Religion his businesse is regulated by it in the Shop he is just in his dealings he dares not hold the Book of God in one hand and false weights in the other he is faithfull to his neighbour and makes as much reckoning of the ten Commandements as of his Creed 4. Religion hath an influence upon his marrying He labours to graft upon a religious stock he is not so ambitious of parentage as piety nor is his care so much to espouse dowry as virtue * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys In a word he seeks for a meet help one that may help him up the hill to Heaven this is marrying in the Lord. That marriage indeed is honourable a Heb. 13.6 when the husband is joyned to one who is the Temple of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 Here is the man that makes Religion his businesse who in all his civill transactions is steered and influenced by Religion Religion is the universall ingredient 5. He who makes Religion his businesse is good in his calling and relation relative grace doth much grace Religion I shall suspect his goodnesse who herein is excentricall some will pray Character 5 and discourse well but it appears they never made Religion their businesse but took it up rather for ostentation than as an occupation because they are defective in relative duties they are bad husbands bad children c. If one should draw a picture and leave out the eye it would much eclipse and take from the beauty of the picture to fail in a relation stains the honour of profession He who makes Religion his businesse is like a Star shining in the proper orbe and station wherein God hath set him Character 6 6. He who makes Religion his businesse hath a care of his company he dares not twist into a cord of friend ship with sinners Psal 26.4 I have not sat with vain persons Diamonds will not cement with rubbish 'T is dangerous to intermingle with the wicked least their breath prove infectious Sin is very catching Psal 106.35 36. They were mingled among the heathen and learned their works and served their Idols which were a snare unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epictetus if you mingle bright and rusty armour together the rusty will not be made bright but the bright will be made rusty He who makes Religion his businesse likes not to be near them whose nearnesse sets him further off from God and whose imbraces like those of the Spider are to suck out the precious life The godly man ingrafts into the communion of Saints and hereby as the Siens he partakes of the sap and virtue of their grace he who makes it his businesse to get to Heaven associates only with those who may make him better or whom he may make better Character 7 7. He who makes Religion his businesse keeps his spirituall watch alwayes by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. He watcheth his eye Job 31.1 I have made a covenant with mine eyes When Dinah was gadding she was defiled Gen. 34.1 When the eye is gadding by impure glances the heart is defiled 2. He who makes Religion his businesse watcheth his thoughts least they should turn to froth Jer. 4.24 How long shall vain thoughts lodg within thee What a world of sinne is minted in the phancie a child of God sets a spy over his thoughts he summons them in and captivates them to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 3. He who makes Religion his businesse watcheth his passions passion is like gunpowder which the Devill setting on fire blowes up the soul Jonah in a passion quarrels with the Almighty Jonah 4.1 9. He who is devoted to Religion watcheth his passions least the tyde growing high reason should be carried down the stream and be drowned in it 4. He who makes Religion his businesse watcheth his duties Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray First he doth watch in prayer the heart is subject to remisnesse if it be not dead in sinne it will be dead in prayer a Christian watcheth least he should abate his fervour in duty he knows if the strings of his spirituall Violl slacken Col. 3.16 he cannot make melody in his heart to the Lord. Secondly he doth watch after prayer as a man is most carefull of himself when he comes out of an hot bath the pores being then most open and subject to cold so a Christian is most carefull when he comes from an Ordinance least his heart should decoy him into sinne therefore when he hath prayed he sets a watch he deals with his heart as the Jews dealt with Christs sepulchre Matth. 27.66 They made the sepulchre sure sealing the stone and setting a watch A good Christian having been at the word and Sacrament that sealing Ordinance after the sealing he sets a watch 5. He who makes Religion his businesse watcheth his temptations Temptation is the scout the Devill sends out to discover our forces 't is the train he layes to blow up our grace Satan ever lies at the catch he hath his depths Rev. 2.24 his methods Ephes 4.14 his devices 2 Cor. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is continually fishing for our souls and if Satan be angling we had need be wâ—â—ching He who makes Religion his businesse is full of holy excubation he lies sentinell and with the Prophet stands upon his watch-tower Hab. 2.1 Solomon saith of a virtuous woman her candle goes not out by night Prov. 31.18 the good Christian keeps his watch-Candle alwayes burning 8. He who makes Religion his businesse every day casts up his Character 8 accounts to see how things go in his soul Solomon saith know the state of thy flock Prov. 27.23 a man that makes Religion his work Lam. 3.40 Seneca is carefull to know the state of his soul before the Lord brings him to a tryall he brings himself to a tryall he had rather use the looking-glasse of the word to see his own heart than put on the broad spectacles of censure to see anothers fault he playes the Critick upon himself he searcheth what sinne is in his heart unrepented of and having found it out he labours by his tears as by the water of jealousie Numb 5.22 to make the thigh of sinne to rot He searcheth whether he have grace or no and he tryes whether it be genuine or spurious he is as much afraid of painted holinesse as he is of going to a painted Heaven He traverseth things in his soul and will never leave till that question whether he be in the faith be put out of question Here is the man making Religion his businesse 2 Cor. 13.5 he is loath to be a spirituall bankrupt therefore is still calling himself to account and wherein he comes short he gets
Christ to be his surety Character 9 9. He who makes Religion his businesse will be religious whatever it cost him He is a resolved man Psal 116.109 I have sworn I will keep thy righteous judgments There are some who will be rich 1 Tim. 6.9 and there are some who will be godly 2 Tim. 3.12 He that makes Religion his businesse will not as Luther saith be put off with other things he can want health riches friends but he cannot want Christ or grace he will be godly let the times be what they will they shall not take him off the work of Religion he will follow Christ upon the water the flouds of persecution cannot drown his zeal he doth not say There is a Lyon in the way he will wrastle with difficulties march in the face of death The Christians of the Primitive Church cryed out to the Persecutor Vre tunde divelle Idola tua non adorabimus Tertul. Hew us in pieces burn us we will never worship your Idols these were in good earnest for Heaven There is a great deal of difference between them who go to sea for pleasure and those mariners who are to go a voyage to the East Indies The first upon the least storm retreat back to shore but they who are imbarqued for a voyage hold on their course though the sea be rough and stormy and will venture their lives in hope of the golden harvest at the Indies Hypocrites seem religious when things are serene and calm but they will not sayl in a storm Those only who make Religion their businesse will hold out their voyage to Heaven in the midst of tempests and death-threatning dangers Character 10 10. He that makes Religion his businesse lives every day as his last day he prayes in the morning as if he were to die at night he lives as if he were presently to be called to Gods barr he walks soberly Tit. 2.14 righteously godly he girds his loyns trims his lamp sets his house in order that when death comes for him with an Habeas Corpus he may have nothing to doe but to die Behold here the man who makes Religion his businesse Vse 3. Let me perswade all you whose consciences may smite you Vse 3 for former neglects now set upon the work Exhortation make Religion your businesse contend tanquam pro aris focis bestir your selves in this as in a matter of life and death Quest. Quest But how must we do to make Religion our businesse Answer Answ That you may be serious in this work Rules for making Religion our business I shall lay down severall Rules for your help and direction herein 1. If you would make Religion your businesse possesse your Rule 1 selves with this maxim That Religion is the end of your Creation God never sent men into the world only to eat and drink and put on fine cloathes but the end of their creation is to honour him 1 Pet. 4.11 That God in all things may be glorified Should the body only be tended and looked after this were to trim the scabbard instead of the blade it were to invert and frustrate the very end of our being 2. If you would make Religion your businesse get a change of heart Rule 2 wrought breathe after a principle of holinesse he cannot make Religion his businesse who hath no Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can the body move without a principle of life Christian get thy heart spiritualized by grace an earthly heart will no more trade in Heaven than a mill-stone will ascend or a Serpent fly in the ayre the heart must be divinely touched with the Spirit as the needle with the loadstone ere it can cleave to God and follow him fully Numb 14.24 never expect the practise to be holy till first there be an holy principle 3. If you would make Religion your businesse set your selves alwayes Rule 3 under the eye of God The Masters eye makes the servant work Gods eye will quicken our devotion Psal 16.8 Interest animis nostris cogitationibus mediis intervenit Seneca I have set the Lord alwayes before me If we leave off work or loyter in our work God sees he hath a casement opens into our breasts this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostom calls it this eye of God that never sleeps would make us active in the sphaere of duty if indeed Gods eye were at any time off us we might slacken our pace in Religion but he is ever looking on Psal 139.9 if we take the wings of the morning we cannot fly from his presence and he who is now the spectatour will be the Judge O how would this consideration of Gods omniciency keep us from being truants in Religion how would it infuse a spirit of activity and gallantry into us making us put forward with all our might in the race to Heaven 4. If you would make Religion your businesse think often of Rule 4 the shortnesse of time Cito pede praterit aetas Ovid. Phocylides this life is but a vapour Jam. 4.9 a shadow 1 Chron. 29.15 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as nothing Psal 39.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are wheeling apace out of the world and there 's no work to be done for our souls in the grave Eccles 9.2 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device in the grave whether thou goest Now is the time of life now is the day of grace you know not how soon these two Suns may set The shorter our life the swifter should be our pace Rule 5 5. If you would make Religion your businesse get an understanding heart weigh things seriously in the ballance of reason and judgment Think of the infinite importance of this businesse our eternall misery or happinesse depends upon it other things are but for convenience this is of necessity if this work be not done we are undone if we do not the work which believers are doing we must do the work which Devils are doing and if God give us a serious heart to lay out our selves in the businesse of Religion our income will be greater than our expence Religion is a good Trade if it be well followed it will quit the cost 't is working in silver 1 Pet. 1.9 Receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls God will shortly take us from the working-house to the Throne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost and will set upon our head a fresh Garland made of the flowers of Paradise Rule 6 6. If you would make Religion your businesse implore the help of Gods Spirit All we can do is but lost labour unlesse the Spirit excite and accelerate Beg a gale from Heaven Cant. 4. ult Awake O North-wind Cant. 6.12 and come thou South blow upon my Garden c. If the Spirit joyn with our Chariot then we move to Heaven swiftly as
the Roe upon the mountains or as the Charets of Aminadab Now having laid down the Rules let me for a conclusion presse all Christians to this great duty of making Religion their businesse and I will use but two weighty considerations Motive 1 1. The sweetnesse that is in Religion all her pathes are pleasantnesse Prov. 3.17 The way of Religion is strowed with Roses in regard of that inward peace God gives Psal 19 11. In keeping thy precepts there is great reward This is such a labour as hath delight in it as while the mother tends her child and sometimes beyond her strength too yet finds a secret delight in it so while a Christian is serving God there 's that inward contentment and delight infused and he meets with such transfigurations of soul that he thinks himself half in Heaven 'T was Christs meat and drink to do his Fathers will Joh. 4.34 Religion was St Pauls recreation Rom. 7.22 Though I should not speak of wages the vails God gives us in this life is enough to make us in love with his service 2. The second and last consideration is That millions of persons Motive 2 have miscarried to eternity for want of making Religion their businesse they have done something in Religion but not to purpose they have begun but have made too many stops and pawses they have been lukewarm and neutrall in the businesse they have served God as if they served him not they have sinned fervently but prayed faintly Religion hath been a thing only by the bye they have served God by fits and starts but have not made Religion their businesse therefore have miscarried to all eternity If you could see a wickedmans Tombstone in Hell you might read this Inscription upon it Here lies one in the hellish flames for not making Religion his businesse How many Ships have suffered shipwrack notwithstanding all their glorious names of the Hope the Safe-guard the Triumph so how many souls notwithstanding their glorious title of Saintship have suffered shipwrack in Hell for ever because they have not made Religion their businesse Whether well composed Religious Vowes do not exceedingly promote Religion PSAL. 116. ver 12 and 14. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards mee I will pay my vowes unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people DAvid was no Popish votary nor were the Vowes he is now about to pay like the Vowes of Popish and superstitious votaries either in the Matter of them or in the Object of them nor in the Manner or End of them and I hope you who read these lines are as the greatest part of my Auditors were farre enough from liking of such Vowes in others and from lying under the ensnaring tye of any such Vow your selves Since then there is such unlikenesse hoped from you justifie the unlikenesse and disparity between my discourse and theirs whose businesse is either to state and maintain Monkish vowes or to state and overthrow them the one the work of Popish the other the work of Protestant writers In the Words which I have chosen we have a fit occasion to state our own case by David 's who was mindfull of his debt to the Lord and the more carefull to discharge it because it was due by vow Two things noted will be a Key to open the words so farre as we at present are concerned in them 1. That the summe of all our Religion is our rendring to the Lord. I might so define Religion and with these qualifications that it be done in right and due Manner in Right and proper Matter it would amount to a definition of the True Religion All the Religions which men have in the vanity and blindnesse of their mindes superstitiously and idolatrously adhaered to have been nothing else but their Rendring to their supposed Gods according to their apprehensions and erroneous thoughts and the Rendring to the true God in a true and right manner is the summe of true Religion This Notion is consonant to the Scriptures Thus Matth. 22. v. 21. Mat. 22.21 Give unto God the things that are God's as true loyalty is a giving to Caesar the things that are Caesars so true Piety is the giving to God the things that are God's Matth. 21.41 And so in that Parable of the vineyard let out to husbandmen All we owe to God is expressed by the rendring the fruit of the vineyard particular Acts of Religion are so expressed too in the * Psal 56.12 Hos 14.2 2 Chro. 34.25 Scriptures Let this then be the import of David's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what shall I render to the Lord In what things and by what means shall I promote Religion in the exercise thereof How shall I shew my self duely Religious toward him who hath been constantly and abundantly munificent in his benefits towards me The second thing to be noted is this that David so ordered his vowes that he could pay them and in paying them did so render to the Lord as that Religion was promoted and furthered He had so engaged himself by vow that he could say I will pay And his vowes were such as were a fit Answer to that enquiry What shall I render to the Lord David had very well composed his vow it lay within his compasse he could perform it and in performing he paid Tribute and did homage to the Lord in keeping his vow he gave unto the Lord. Now put these two notes together and they are resolved into this Doctrinall position Vowes so made as we can say we will pay them Doctr. and so made that in paying them we render to the Lord do much advance and promote Religion Or in the words of that Case of Conscience now to be stated Wâ—ll composed vowes do much promote Religion Who so doth engage himself by a well ordered vow doth set his Religion in the whole or in some particular part of it in very good forwardnesse Religion is a gainer by this bargain well made the Bond is to God but Religion receives the interesse at least Well composed vowes are Religion's engines able to move the weightier burthens and loads and fit to be onely employed in them In handling farther this Case we must enquire 1. What a Vow is that we may know of what we speak 2. Whether a Vow may lawfully be made by us 3. When it is well composed for Religion's advantage 4. How much it furthereth Religion 5. Whence this influence of a Vow upon Religious persons 6. What proper use to make of the Position Generall 1 A Vow is a voluntary and deliberate Promise made unto God in an extraordinary case Est promissio Religiosa sanctè facta Deo Szegedin loc com It is a Religious promise made unto God in a holy manner so a Modern writer defines it It is a * Est Sancta Religiosá promissio Deo consulto spontè factá ad aliquid faciendum vel omittendum
man yet wantest thou one thing sincerity wouldst thou have Heaven too why then didst thou all things for the praise of men thou hast thy reward and art over-paid Mat. 7.23 depart from me you that work iniquity 2. Frustrating of hopes great hopes hopes of glory and Heaven and escaping eternall misery oIb 8.13 all these hopes must perish to the hypocrite perish like a ship at the very mouth of the haven perish whiles they are crying Lord Lord perish into everlasting horrour and eternall dispair 3. Full detection and manifesting of them in the sight and face of all the world Luk. 12.2 for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed nor hid that shall not be known the vizor will be then taken off which was feigned sanctity and the face will appear which was indeed double iniquity and for going about to cousin God and the world and his own soul the miserable hypocrite will be left to eternall intollerable confusion To be detested and derided by God Angels and Saints to be insulted on by the devils and damned to all eternity 4. And in Hell the hypocrite shall be beaten with many stripes for he knew his Masters will Luk. 12.47 and pretended he was doing of it and yet did it not Shall he that judged others to Hell lye lower in Hell and have more of Hell than those condemned by him shall it be worse with a proud Pharisee than with a Publicane nay a damned Publicane Mat. 24.51 is Hell the portion of Hypocrites are they the freeholders and all others but tennants and inmates with them or else if there be a worse place in Hell must it be theirs it must be so for the nearer Heaven the more of Hell and that will be the Hell of Hell to all aeternity Surely then hypocrisie is a dangerous thing there is exceeding danger of and danger by this leaven of the Phasees which is hypocrisie Vse I shall commend but one Use to be made of this Doctrine at this time and it is the beware in the Text. To stirre and provoke you to put forth your utmost care diligence and circumspection to beware of this leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie Here I could shew you how much you are concerned to beware of the Pharisees leaven in doctrinals to beware of Doctrines advancing any thing in man or of man doctrines that are derived from any other fountain than the pure Word of God as traditions Enthusiasmes impulses besides or against the Word doctrines of will-worship superstition voluntary humility c. doctrines ascribing too much to and laying too much stresse on externals in worship not instituted by Christ doctrines of rigid imposition of things indifferent doctrines that have a tendency to blind obedience and implicite faith Whoever reads the New Testament may soon discern such were their doctrines and this is the leaven of the Pharisees in doctrinals and truly you had need to take care of this for doctrines and principles have no small influence on conversation and practice But I shall choose rather to prosecute this Use by endeavouring to give an Answer and resolution to two Questions which together constitute a great and weighty Case of Conscience Quest How may we discover and find out this subtill close evil of hypocrisie and convince our own and others souls that we are guilty of it and under the danger of it I must here first premise some general Cautions and then produce some particular evidences and discoveries of it I shall not meddle at all with grosse hypocrisie which is usually known both to the Hypocrite himself and frequently apparent to others too Some mens sins are open beforehand going before to judgement 1 Tim. 5.24 and some men they follow after But I shall labour to trace out and unkennel that latent close and deep Hypocrisie formally self-deceiving Hypocrisie whereby the Hypocrite may cousin others and himself too Here 1. I must premise these Cautions and Negations 1. That hic labor hoc opus my task is very hard my work difficult Caution 1 nice and curious that it is very difficult to find out the hypocrisie of ones own heart much more to convince others of the hypocrisie in theirs for the heart of man is deceitfull above all things Ier. 17 9. And hence the most serious inquisitive jealous and heart-searching Christians have used to call God in to their help in this work Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my reins Psal 139.23 24. c. Search my heart and try my reins examine whether there be any way of wickednesse in me 2. That as difficult as it is yet it is possible and feasible for we Caution 2 are not commanded impossibilities when we are required to search and try our wayes and turn unto the Lord Lam. 3.40 2 Cor. 13.5 1 Ioh. 3.19 to examine our hearts and to prove our selves whether we be in the faith whether our own hearts condemn us not David Hezekiah Job and Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 these all examined their own hearts and attained thereby to a knowledge and sense of their own sincerity And we are not directed to absurdities when we are cautioned to beware of men to take heed of those that come in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves And we are not herein bid to make Brick without straw for the spirit of a man which is in him knoweth the things of a man 1 Cor. 2.11 and as face answereth to face in a glasse Prov. 27.19 so doth the heart of man to man Nay we have a far greater help viz. the Spirit of God which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God One of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit in the primitive Church 1 Cor. 2.10 11. and very necessary for those times in which Satan was very busie and the Canon of Scripture not compleated was the gift of discerning of spirits 1 Cor. 12.10 some think that by vertue of this gift Peter discerned Ananias and Saphira their hypocrisie Acts 5. and afterwards Simon Magus his too which Philip could not do as not having that gift or such a measure of it but indeed there was no need of any extraordinary gift to discern Simon Magus by Acts 8. to any man that had reason and but common illumination Simon Magus his hypocrisie might easily and clearly appear in that motion of his Sell me this gift Who but an hypocrite could have thought it had been to be sold and who but an hypocrite would have offered money for it It was easie to conclude him in the gall of bitternesse and the bond of iniquity And the Ministers of the Gospel have authority calling and commission and therefore gifts to detect and bewray the guiles and wiles the depths and deceits and snares of Satan much more the workings and turnings of mens deceitfull hearts and the Word of God which is the
would have the influence of the Ordinances to be lasting these we shall comprize in four particulars First Take heed you perform not holy duties negligently a heartlesse formal negligent attendance on the Ordinances will be so farre from procuring a durable blessing that it will fix a curse upon you Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the work of tht Lord negligently see Mal. 1.8 14. If you invert the Apostles advice 1 Cor. 7. and deal with the things of God as you should do with those of the world If you pray as though you prayed not and hear as though you heard not and use the Ordinances as though you did not use them they will be no otherwise effectual than if there were no efficacy in them it will continue on you as though it continued not like that of the Sun in a Winter day which thaws the earth a little at noon but so as it is harder frozen up the next night Therefore let your hearts be ingaged in every holy duty Jer. 30.21 Who is this that ingaged his heart to approach unto me You must hear as for life Deut. 32.46 47. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you this day c. For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life c. you must wrestle in prayer your hearts in this duty should be as it were in a conflict in an agony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Apostles word Rom. 15.13 Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me Your prayers should be such as the other Apostle describes James 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much the word rendred effectual fervent is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one possessed with a spirit and acted by it If the word here used look that way then suitable to the matter to which it is applied it imports a possession in a good sense And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be a prayer full of the holy Ghost wherein that blessed Spirit is operative exerting its force and energy Such a prayer as shews the soul to be possessed of the holy Spirit and acted by it so as all the powers of that soul are set a work and put upon motion towards God effectually Such a prayer availes much procures great advantages and of long continuance Generally in all holy Ordinances your souls should stretch out themselves to reach the Lord they should spring up to him in acts of love and desire and claspe about him with delight and complacence and lay hold on him with a humble and filial confidence and stir up themselves to lay hold on him We do all fade as a leafe saith the Church Isa 64.6 both their persons and their righteousnesse did so and the reason thereof follows ver 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee Secondly Beware of the world meddle not with it more than needs must and when it is needfull ingage not therein but with fear caution and vigilance Carry your selves amongst worldly objects and employments as though you were amongst cheats and thieves they have the art to pick your heart slily and to rob them of that which is more precious than Gold when you little think of it Let not your minds and hearts plunge themselves in the world nothing sooner nothing oftner extinguisheth divine influences than this puddle The cares and delights and employments of the world when they are immoderate or unseasonable they choak the Word Matth. 13.22 they stifle the issue of holy Ordinances so as it becomes like the untimely birth of a woman When your hearts are warmed in holy duties you should be as cautious and wary how you venture into the world as you are of going into the frosty aire when you are all in a sweat What is kindled by the Word or Prayer c. how quickly is it puft out by the world when you rush into it unwarily it requires as much care to keep it in as to keep a Candle in when you would carry it through the open aire in a rainy blustring night The further you are above the world the longer may you retain any spirituall impressions Geographers write of some Mountains whose tops are above the middle Region of the Air and there lines and figures being drawn in the dust have been found say they in the same form and order untouched undefaced a long time after and the reason is because they are above those winds and showres and storms which soon wear out and efface any such draughts in this lower Region The lower your minds and hearts and conversations are the more in the hurry of this boysterous world the lesse will any thing that is heavenly and spiritual abide upon them Let the soul be brought into never so good order by the help of holy duties yet a little unwary ingaging in earthly businesse will ruffle disturb and quite discompose it When your souls are by the power of the Ordinance set on motion towards Christ and Heaven if you would hold on in a continued course you must beware of worldlinesse and keep free as much as may be from earthly incumbrances and intanglements Let us lay aside every weight and the sinne which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us Heb. 12.1 Let us persevere and hold out in that gracious and heavenly course which the Gospel hath put us on but that this may be done one great impediment must be removed The sin that doth so easily beset us must be shaken off Now that sin as some Expositors conceive is worldlinesse and it is probable for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being a circumstance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we render it literally is the sin that hath goodly circumstances And no sin sets off it self with more goodly circumstances than worldlinesse no sinne hath more specious pleas and pretences to excuse vindicate and justifie it self No sin hath more fig leaves to cover its nakednesse and to shrowd it from discovery and conviction than worldlinesse This must be shaken off it is the great defacer of heavenly impressions the chief interrupter of holy motions if you would hold on when the impetus which is imprest on you by any Ordinance hath set you a going beware of the world beware of worldlinesse Thirdly Take heed of any inordinacy in affection inclination or design Such inordinacies give the heart a strong bias holy duties check it but a little give it but as it were a small rub when this is once past over it will hold on in that course to which it is most sweyed The Mnistery of John Baptist had some influence upon Herod He heard John gladly and did many things Mark 6.20 but sensuality being predominant those better inclinations