will never be quiet untill repentance be renewed and God appears to be pacified Thirdly If we have hearts spiritually soft and tender this will appear by the respectiveness of our hearts to the word of God And there are ten Properties of a tender heart in relation to the Word of God 1. It sets up the Word as a Light and Rule So Psal 119. 105. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths ver 133. Order my steps in thy Word 2. It studies the Word and meditates therein to understand the mind of God concerning it Psal 119. 15. I meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways ver 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy Word 3. It layes up and gives special heed unto what God saith in his Word 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed Psal 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid within my heart that I might not sin against thee Prov. 7. 1. My son keep my words and lay up my commands with thee ver 3. Bind them upon thy fingers write them upon the table of thine heart 4. It stands in awe of the Word Psal 119. 161. My heart stands in awe of thy Word 5. It is led and guided by the Word Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel Psal 73. 24. Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors Psal 119. 24. My sheep hear my voice and follow me Joh. 10. 17. 6. It keeps close to the Word in all matters of faith and practice receives all and admits no more will not go without it and dares not strive against it 7. It conformes itself unto the Word Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it even to the end Psal 119. 33. All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient Exod. 24 7. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes Psal 119. 5. He will teach us his wayes and we will walk in his paths Isa 2. 3. Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine whereto ye were delivered Rom. 6. 17. Moulded cast 8. It is quickly reduced wrought upon and recovered by the Word As in Davids case when Nathan said Thou art the man 2 Sam. 12. 7. David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord ver 13. So Judges 2. 2. Ye have not obeyed my voice why have you done this ver 4. And it came to passe when the Angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel that the people lift up their voice and wept ver 5. And they called the name of that place weepers Bochim and they sacrificed there unto the Lord. 9. It will often review and try itself by the Word lest it hath sinned or lest it should sin against God Psal 77. 6. I communed with my own heart and my spirit made diligent search Psal 119 59. I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies 10. It desires and endeavours to comply with all the Word of God and to fulfill all the will of God and to walk according to it in all things I have lived in all good Conscience unto this day Act. 23. 1. We trust we have a good conscience Heb. 13. 18. I have respect unto all thy commandements Psal 119. 6. Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandements and Ordinances before the Lord blameless Luke 1. 6. Fourthly If we have hearts Spiritually soft and tender this will appear by By our sensibleness in cases of Gods honour or dishonour our sensibleness and choice behaviour in the cases of Gods honour and dishonour This I think is one of the fullest discoveries of a soft and tender heart and therefore I will insist the more upon it by shewing unto you 1. The several wayes how God is honoured 2. The several expressions of a tender heart in relation unto Gods honour 3. The several wayes of Gods dishonour 4. The several affections and workings of a tender heart in the case of Gods dishonour First The several wayes of Gods being honoured God may be and is honoured How God is honoured As â—â— his Name and Attribuâ—es 1. As to his glorious Name and Attributes Deut. 28. 58. That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God When we do acknowledge and admire and exalt God in his holiness and goodness and mercifulness and Omnipoâ—ency and wisdom and greatness and authority and justice and faithfulness c. Exod. 15. 11. Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like thee glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Job 9. 4. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth Ver. 7. Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquiâ—y transgressions and sins and that will by no means clear the guilty Deuter. 7. 9. Know that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandements to a thousand generations 2. As to his worship and service Psal 29. 2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name or as it is in the Hebrew the honour of his Name worship the As to his Worship Lord in the beauty of holiness When we set up the true worship of God and serve him only and worship him only in Spirit and in truth and keep faithful unto it now we do honour and glorifie our God Thou hast not honoured me with thy sacrifices Isa 43. 23. The place where God is worshipped is called the place where his honour dwelleth 3. As to his Word and truths when they are magnified believed and embraced At his Word and upheld and obeyed when they have liberty and prosperity and success of efficacy 4. As to his works of Providence whether merciful respecting the good As to his Works of his people or judicial respecting the punishment of his adversaries in both which very much of God is to be seen and admired and blessed Secondly Now a soft and tender heart is exceedingly affected with Gods honour How the tender heart is affected in case of Gods honor and glory and with all the wayes publick and private for the honouring of God Such a person will take much pains to recover and restore the honour of God as you may see in Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah and Josiah to restore the true worship of God such a person will be at much cost to promote the honour of God 1 Chron. 29. 3. Because I have set my affection to the house of my God I have of mine one proper goods of gold and silver which I have given to the house of my God over and above all that I have prepared for thy holy house even three thousand talents of gold of the
are the very ingredients of his promises the promises are nothing else but the good will and purpose of God transcribed and copied out for us 3. Who is faithful Hebr. 11. 11. Sarah judged him faithful who had promised and what is it for God to be faithful in his promises but in his own good time to do what he speaks and to give what he promiseth to give Faithful is he who hath called you who will also do it saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5. 24. Mark to do what he promiseth this was to be faithful 4. God hath promised all of them to all his people in Covenant to all that are God hâ—th promised all of them to all his people brought into Christ to all who have chosen him for their God and give up their hearts and lives unto him to all who can call him Father and are become his children as the blessings promised are distributed into greater and lesser some are spiritual some are corporal so the heirs of blessings some of them are stronger some are weaker but this makes no difference as to the claim and title the weakest Believer in Christ the weakest childe of God is an heir of all the spiritual blessings which God hath promised Use 2 Hath God promised all spiritual blessings as well as temporal unto all his people in Covenant then you who are the people of God Mark what concerns you Mark what conceâ—ns you under the sense of your wants under the sense of any spiritual wants Do not complain any longer and do not charge God foolishly and do not give up your conditions as desperate do not say there is no help nor hope and do not hearken to what Satan saith nor to what your perplexed hearts do say but regard and mark what God saith in his promises He saith that he will give grace and glory and he will give all the matters of Justification and of Sanctification and therefore do you take that course for the enjoyment of them which God directs you unto and likewise encourages you unto Quest What course is that What course we should take for this enjoyment of sâ—iâ—itual bâ—essiâ—â— Pray for spiritual blessings Sol. It is this First You must humbly pray unto him to give unto you all those spiritual blessings which you do need and which he hath promised Object Pray unto him will you say if he hath promised to give them what need we to pray for them Sol. Yes promises on Gods part and prayers on our part are not contradistinct but subordinate therefore remember 1. Though God promiseth to give all these spiritual blessings yet he expresly calls for prayer from us unto himself to bestow them on us Ezek. 36. 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them Jer. 29. 11. I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end Ver. 12. Then shall you call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you Ver. 13. And ye shall seek me and finde me when ye shall search for me with all your hearts 2. As he calls for prayer so he adds a new engagement of promise to give even spiritnal blessings upon prayer Luke 11. 13. Your heavenly Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Secondly You must act faith you must believe on his Word and trust on Act faith him as a faithful God to performe c. Psal 62. 8. Trust in him at all times ye people poure out your hearts before him God is a refuge for us Selab Isa 26. 4. Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Isa 57. 2. I will cry unto God most High unto God which performs all things for me Hebr. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Jam. 1. 6. But let him ask in faith O Sirs this is one of the greatest reasons why notwithstanding your many tears and prayers you have so small portion in spiritual blessings because you do not trust on God for them you do not believe that he will deal with you according to his Word you do not give him the glory of an all-sufficient and faithful God still you are questioning him and reasoning against him But will he make good his Word of promise and can he do this or that the Lord humble our hearts for this we think not of it as a sin or else but a small sin but indeed it is an exceedingly provoking sin and an eternal dishonour to the God of truth and mercy thus by our unbelief to charge a lye or a doubtfulnesse upon him Object But have we not reason to doubt what he will do when we are so unworthy Sol. No our unworthinesse is no sufficient reason to question the goodnesse and faithfulnesse of Gods promise because 1. He never indents with us upon terms of our worthinesse 2. He professeth that he doth us good not for our sakes but for his own sake Thirdly If need be you must wait upon God for the performance of those spiritual Wait upon God for performance blessings promised unto you Isa 36. 18. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted that he may have mercy upon you for the Lord is a God of judgement he knows what and when is best blessed are all they that wait for him Three things 〈◊〉 to enable you to wait c. 1. Any spiritual blessing is worth a waiting for the least of them being of more worth and more consequence to the soul than a whole world 2. God will oft times try your hearts whether indeed you would be thus blessed or can be satisfied and give over without enjoyment 3. The promise of them is very sure God who cannot lye hath promised Tit. 1. 2. He will not fail you in these spiritual blessings though many times he doth deny you some temporal desires Vse 3 Are spiritual blessings and mercies promised by God to all that are in Covenant with him in what a case then are all obstinate and perverse sinners who will The sad condition of Impenitent â—â—nners hold fast their sins and walk in their own ways and hate to be reformed and will not be brought into the bond of the Covenant with God if there were no other misery for them but this that they shall not partake of spiritual blessings this were misery sufficient You read of those in Luke 14. who excused themselves and refused to come to the Supper prepared Christ saih of them ver 24. None of those men shall taste of my Supper truly this was judgement and punishment enough never to partake of any benefit or good by Christ In like manner this is
repentance David after the pardon of his great sins then saith he Psal 51. 13. will I teach Transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee 3. A forgiving compassion bearing much and forgiving much as God for Christ sake hath forgiven them Sixthly True peace and joy which flow only from forgiving mercy Luke True peace and joy 7. 48. Thy sins are forgiven Ver. 50. Thy faith hath saved thee go in peace Rom. 5. 11. We also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement There is a two-fold peace in a sinner 1. One ariseth from stupidity and depends upon an ignorant and seared conscience as a sick man is quiet while he sleeps 2. Another ariseth from faith which seals to the goodness and truth of the promise and causeth the soul to rest in that good and faithful Word that God for Christs sake will indeed forgive their great sins a peace that follows faith is a right peace and a right testimony that sin is forgiven 1 John 3. 21. If our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God So there is a two-fold joy 1. Of presumption which is ungrounded and rash irrational and irreligious a joy that a mans sins are pardoned and yet no Word of God hath said it only his own heart saith it and with that joy there is at the same time conjoined sinful sensual joy in some lust or other 2. Of the Holy Ghost a joy which comes frâ—â— the Holy Ghost and depends likewise upon faith in Christ By whom we do receive the atonement this joy doth exceedingly enlarge the heart to God and fills it with special complacencies and delights in God and sweet communions with him c. such a peace in conscience and such a joy in God are the very fruits of his grace and love and mercy SECT IV. Vse 3 THE next Use shall be of Caution that we take heed lest we abuse and pervert this gracious promise of God touching the forgiveness of great sins Caution Abuse not this gracious mercy either by continuing under the guilt of former transgressions or by adding new guilt in the commission of more great iniquities O say some wild Atheists God is such a merciful God that he will forgive any sin yea the greatest sins adulteries and idolatries and drunkenness and blasphemers and therefore we will continue in these sins we will not be curbed and restrained but will take our delights and give over our selves unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness Ephes 4. 19. To prevent such presumptions and desperate inferences in all that hear of Gods Six antidotes against presumption great mercifulness to pardon great transgressions give me favour to lay down fix Conclusions or Antidotes First Such presumptuous inferences are expresly contrary to the goodness and Such inferences are contrary to Gods goodness intention of Gods great mercy Psal 130. 4. There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared He doth not say There is forgiveness with thee that we may therefore boldly go on in sin but that we may fear to sin any more Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance Rom. 6. 1. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid q. d. Thou dost utterly mâ—stake and pervert the aime and intention of Gods mercy in sparing of thee and forbearance to punish and destroy thee alas it is not that thou shouldest therefore continue in sin but that thou shouldest repent of sin Beloved there is no Attribute of God which can be an encouragement to sin but every one of them is a strong reason to tuâ—n us from sin he is holy and of purer eyes than to behold sin therefore we should not sin he is just and righteous to recompâ—â—ce the sinner according to his ways therefore we should not sin he is mighty in Power and of great Might able to make good and to execute all the judgement which he hath threatned sinners with therefore we should not sin he in much patience bears with us and forbears to deal with us according to our sins therefore we should not sin and he is merciful and gracious ready to forgive therefore we should not sin not therefore we will continue in our sins not therefore we will multiply and adde sin to sin Secondly As God is merciful in pardoning great sinners so God is just in condemning God is just as well as merciful great sins and as he hath and will glorifie his mercy in forgiving and saving some great sinners so he hath and will glorifie his justice in judging and damning some other great sinners therefore do not presume to go on in great sins because God hath promised to forgive great sins Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious Ver. 7. Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Here you see his mercy declared that he will forgive the great sins of some persons but then read on and you shall finde his justice that he will punish the great sins of others And that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the childrens children unto the third and to the fourth generation You read that some of the Corinthians were justified and pardoned who had been guilty of adultery and Sodomy 1 Cor. 6. 9. And so you read of others that were damned for those sins Jude ver 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them in like manner giving themselves over unto fornication and going after strange flesh are see forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Thirdly There was never any great sinner whom God pardoned nor is there Never was any great sinner pardoned but he repented any great sinner whom God doth promise to pardon but he hath repented and he must repent of his great sins 1. Consider the great sinners whom God hath pardoned as they were great sinners so they were great penitents David was guilty of great sins but he repented of them all he repented of his murder and he repented of his adultery and he repented of his pride in numbring the people Manasses was an exceeding great sinner hardly any the like 2 Chron. 33. from ver 1. to ver 11. but he repented of his great sins he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers Ver. 12. And prayed unto him and he was intreated of him Ver. 13. And he reformed all again for he pulled down and put away all his Idolatry Ver. 15. And he did set up the true worship of God again and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel Ver. 16 c. 2. Consider the great sinners whom God doth promise to pardon certainly you shall find that promise to pass upon terms of
Jacob and he will teach us of his wayes Isa 2. 3. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Psal 119 33. But many people they have no desire to hear the Word nor any heart to be taught by the Word Nay they think the Word is much beholding to them if they will vouchsafe him an hours time to come and hear have these men tender hearts to please God who care not at all to know the mind of God Secondly They will not walk according to the rules and prescriptions of it but They will not walk according to it esteem of them as burthens which they would cast off and as cords which they would break asunder Psal 2. 3. or as superfluous niceties and preciseness which they need not to regard Their wills are absolutely incomplying with the will of God and condemning the will of God and perking up above the will of God Can any rational man imagine that such persons have soft and tender hearts to fear the Lord to obey his voice whose heart will not yield to his Word nor submit at all unto it Object But will some say Are there any such men Sol. 1. There have been such amongst those to whom the Word hath come Jer. 44. 16. As for the word which thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee And ver 4. I sent unto you all my Prophets saying O do not this abominable thing that I hate ver 5. But they harkned not nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness to burn incense to other gods ver 17. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouthes c. Zach. 7. 9. Thus speaketh the Lord of Hâ—sts Execute true judgement and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother ver 10. and oppress not the widow or the fatherless the stranger nor the poor and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart ver 11. But they refused to hearken and pulled away their shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear Secondly And there are such amongst our selves who will not conform unto the will of God nor obey his Word The Lord saith swear not at all Matth. 5. 34. but they will swear by their faith and by their troth and by the creatures c. The Lord commands every man everywhere to repent Acts 17. 30. but they will not leave their sins he that was proud is proud still and he that was filthy is filthy still and he that was drunken is drunken still The Lord commands us to keep the Sabbath day holy Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy but men will not hearken to the Lord in this they will have their delights and will sell their wares and will have their pastimes and meetings on that day c. The Lord commands Parents to teach and instruct their children and to bring them up in the nurture of the Lord and Governours of Families to set up his worship and fear in their houses but men will not do this c. The Lord commands us all to walk strictly and circumspectly Ephes 5. 15. and according to the rule Gal. 6. 16. But we will not be bound up to the straight path of life we will allow our selves such a loosnesse of Opinion and such a loosness of speaking and such a loosness of walking which the Lord doth not only not allow but expresly forbids and condems in his Word assuredly this is farre from the frame of tender and soft hearts Thirdly They do slight and mock at the threatnings of the Word and misuse They slight the threatnings of the Word the Messengers of the Lord Isa 21. 11. Watchman what of the night watchman what of the night Jer. 23. 23. What is the burden of the Lord Chap. 5. 12. They have belyed the Lord and said It is not he neither shall evill come upon us neither shall we see sword nor famine Jer. 6. 10. Behold the Word of the Lord is a reproach unto them 2 Chron. 36. 16. But they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets Acts 2. 13. Others mocking said These men are full of new wine Unquestionably such men as these are far from softness and tenderness of heart which when any have it they do fear the Word of the Lord and do tremble at his threatnings Nevertheless we do find it among our selves that many persons do slight and mock at the reproofs and threatnings of the Word and do misuse the Messengers of God when reproving their sins and applying those threatnings which God himself hath denounced against them for their sinnings As like Solomons fool they do make a mock of sin so like those hardned Jews they do make but a mock of Gods threatnings for their sins despise and laugh at them whereas they should humble their hearts under them and repent of their sins that so they may avoid that wrath which God threatens them for their sinnings Fourthly They will not be brought under the obedience of it let the Lord do what he will Hose 6. 5. I have hewed them by the Prophets I have slain them by They will not be obedient to the Word the words of my mouth and thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth ver 7. But they like men have transgressed the Covenant there have they dealt treacherously against me Zeph. 3. 5. Every morning doth he bring his judgement to light he faileth not but the unjust knoweth no shame ver 6. I have cut off the Nations their Towers are desolate I made their streets waste that none passe by their Cities are destroyed so that there is no man that there is no inhabitant ver 7. I said Surely thou wilt fear me thou wilt receive instruction so their dwellings should not be cut off howsoever I punished them but they rose early and corrupted all their doings Thirdly By untowardlinesse and untractablenesse of their hearts under all the mercies By untractablenesse under mercies of God and all the merciful dealings of God Beloved that man is certainly under the dominion of hardness of heart and without all softness and tendernesse on whom no mercies of God will work why nothing will work if mercy will not work Now there are six choice merciful dealings of God which yet work not to any purpose on the hearts of many men viz. 1. Gods merciful Providence 2. Gods merciful Treaties 3. Gods merciful Strivings 4. Gods merciful Waitings 5. Gods merciful Warnings 6 Gods merciful Repentings First Gods merciful Providence in manifold nay in daily fruits of preservation His merciful Providences and deliverance of goodness and blessings the Lord it is who gives us life and all things that pertain to life he feeds our bellies and clothes our backs and maintains our health and multiplies our seed sowen and makes us to prosper and thrive
men destitute of the Spirit though we be civil and courteous and friendly and helpful if we be born of the Spirit c. Gal. 4. 29. as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Here is Ishmael born after the flesh i. e. an ungodly and wicked wretch and here is Isaac born after the Spirit i. e. according to the promise of the Spirit and according to the powerful and gracious renewing of the Spirit and presently he is persecuted by Ishmael That must needs be good which Nero persecutes so he must needs be good he must needs have the Spirit of God against whom all the scoffings and mockings and reproaches and persecutions of the wicked are raised Fourthly They that have the Spirit do walk in the Spirit and after the Spirit you read those expressions Gal. 5. 25. and Rom. 8. 4. We walk not afâ—er Such walk in the Spirit the flesh but after the Spirit Now as to walk after the flesh is to set anâ— order the course of our life after our corrupt reason and wills and affections following them as our guides so to walk after the Spirit is to dispose and order our conversation according to the rules and motions of the Spirit so to lead our lives and move on in our courses as the the Spirit of God doth teach us in the Word and stirs us up inwardly to follow Thus doth every one who hath the Spirit of God he walks after the Spirit his conversation is in heaven Phil. 3. 20. His course of life is the course of new obedience that newness of life which the Word sets forth He walks not as the men of this world walk nor according to his own lusts in the times of his ignorance but before God in Holiness and Righteousness for by the Spirit he is sanctified to obedience 1 Pet. 1. 2. 1. He prayes with David Psal 119. 133. Order my steps in thy Word Ephes 5. 10. Proving what is acceptabe to the Lord. 2. For the paths Psal 119. 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way Ver. 8. I will walk in thy statutes Isa 26. 7. The way of the just is uprightnesse 3. For the end so as to advaace the Kingdom and advance the Gospel a living unto the Lord. Fifthly They that have the Spirit are spiritual worshippers The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth for the Father seeketh Such are spiritual worshipers such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth John 4. 23. 24. So Paul in Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son Phil 3. 3. We are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit Beloved take these two things for certain truths viz. 1. Carnal men are but carnal worshippers a form of worship satisfies them bodily service outward performance Isa 29. 13. This people draw near me with Carnal men are carnal worshipers their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their heart farre from me c. Jer. 12. 2. Thou art near in their mouth and farre from their reins 2. But spiritual men or men of the spirit are spiritual worshippers they do worship God in spirit Object But you will say What is it to worship God in spirit Sol. I answer to worship God in spirit is First To have our inward man taken up imployed and acting in all those Religious duties which we do owe and which we do present unto him As when What it is to worship God in Spirit we draw near to him in prayer for power to repent to believe to obey c. not only our mouthes do pray but our very hearts also do pray and our prayers are the lifting up of our hearts Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Psal 25. 1. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens Lam. 3. 41. And the very desires of our souls Isa 26. 8. The desire of our soul is to thy name And when you come to him in confession of sins not only your lips do acknowledge them and condemn you for them but your very hearts are ashamed of them and bewail them and judge them And so when you come to hear the Word a bodily presence doth not satisfie you but your hearts do come with your bodies and your hearts do hear and your hearts are ready to receive the Word with gladness and fear Secondly To have an edge upon our hearts in the services of God a kind of heavenly vigor and strenuousnesse so that our souls do come in to it with all the actual strength which they have for the present Indeed a Christan hath sometimes a stronger and quicker keeness of spirit than he hath at other times but still he puts forth as least in his desires and endeavours what power he hath in his communion with God As he seeks God with his mouth so he seeks him with his whole heart Psal 119. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee he doth not serve the Lord with a cold formal indifferent spirit but as the Apostle speaks Rom. 12. 11. He is fervent in spirit serving the Lord He prayes and hears fervently and repents fervently and believes fervently 'T is true that he falls very short yet what he doth to the Lord he doth the same in good earnest it is his work and his business and if he finds it otherwise with himseâ—f if he finds a dulness and deadness upon his spirit this troubles him and he strives to shake it off by stirring up himself as the phrase is Isa 64. 7. and that of 2 Tim. 1. 6. and by awaking of his heart and graces I my self will awake saith David Psal 108. 2. and beseeching of the Lord to quicken and to enlarge his heart I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart Psal 119. 32. Sixthly They who have the Spirit of God are most pleased and delighted in Such delight in spiritual ministrations spiritual and vigorous ministrations which deal most with their spirits and do in a spiritual power most reach their hearts and spiritual condition Beloved this you shall find in experience that a profane heart cannot endure but alwayes hates and despiseth a spiritual and searching Ministry A formal heart hath most satisfaction in a formal Ministry A gracious heart is alwayes best pleased with a spiritual and powerful Ministry with that Ministry which doth come in power and in the demonstration of the Spirit and makes it self manifest unto the consciences of men which is quick in operation and piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. and which is mighty
obedience is still accepted that which God principally looks at in our services of him is our Sincerity is ever accepted heart My son give me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. and the uprightness of our hearts his eyes are upon the truth and he is a God that takes pleasure in uprightness 1 Chron. 23. 19. A man is sincere in obedience when 1. He intends the glorifying of God Who are sincere in obedience in what he doth 2ly When he serves God with a willing heart 3ly When he puts out all the present strength and might of his soule in doing the will of God Now although this person falls very short of perfection in his works of obedience and many failings accompany his duties yet God passes by them and God is the Father of such as are upright takes no notice of them will not reject but will accept of them and of his weak services And there are three Demonstrations of this 1. God whom he serves with his spirit is his Father and of a very merciful and gracious nature Psal 103. 13. Like as a Father pities his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Mal. 3. 17. I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him 2. He hath made many indulgent promises to him Isa 30. 19. He will be God hath made many promises to such very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall hear it he will answer thee Chap. 56. 7. Even them will I bring to my holy Mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer their burnt-offerings and their sacrifice shall be accepted upon mine Altar c. 3. Jesus Christ bears away all the iniquities of our holy offerings and by his Christ bears away all the iniquities of such merits procures the acceptance of all our services Rev. 8. 3. He is that Angel that stood at the Altar having a golden censer who had much incense given unto him that he should offer it with prayers of all Saints upon the golden Altar which is before the Throne Ver. 4. And the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand Now this is a singular Encouragement unto us to hold on stedfast in our walking in Gods statutes never to be weary in well doing For our labour is not in vain in the Lord not any work of obedience is lost not a Prayer not a tear not any one work performed with sincerity of heart but it is graciously accepted Fifthly There is no safety in going back from walking in Gods stautes and there is no hazard in going forward and holding on unto No safety in going back â—â—e end First There is no safety in going back from walking in Gods statutes For â—â—â—s only is the path of life and the path of salvation he that turns from it â—â—â—iseth his own soul he is lost he is out of protection out of blessings out 〈◊〉 promised good and shall be sure to meet with curse and wrath and â—â—â—â—ction â—â—condly There is no hazard in going forward and holding out un to the 〈◊〉 end You cannot hazard 1. Your souls by it for he that keepeth the Commandement keepeth No hazard in going forward his soule 2. The recompence you expect by it for he that continues to the end shall be saved 3. Your safety by it for God is a Sun and a Shield unto them that walk uprightly Psal 84. 11. The Lord is with you whiles you are with him 2 Chron. 15. 2. 4. Your honour by it Those that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. 5. Any outwardly blessing by it For Prov. 3. 23. The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked but he blesseth the habitation of the just Prov. 28. 10. The upright shall have good things in possession And ver 20. A faithful man shall abound with blessings There is no death but life no curse but blessing no danger but safety no loss but gain in walking in c. Sixthly Though we meet with many oppositions in the stedfast walking Many higher encouragements yet you have higher and greater encouragements to the certainty of that way There are four things which do shew that the walking on in Gods statutes is the true way to heaven 1. The holiness of it 2. The warrantableness of it 3. The aim of the traveller 4. The universal opposition made against it by Satan by all ungodly men and by the remaining corruptions in every mans heart it is the opposed and discouraged way Nevertheless you have higher and greater Encouragements to hold on your walking in the way of Gods statutes e. g. 1. The excellency of the way itself it is the way of God and the way It s an excellent way of life and the way of holinesse the way of Christ the way of peace and rest 2. The company of travellers The best men that ever were upon earth did The company of travellers chuse this way to walk in Enoch walked with God so did Noah and so did Abraham and so did all the excellent Kings mentioned in Scripture David Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Josiah and so did all the faithful Prophets of God and so did Christ and all the faithful Disciples and so do all the Saints of God who are the excellent on earth and so did all the souls which are now glorified in heaven should not this encourage you to hold on your course in walking in Gods statutes all that are now in heaven have gone on in this course and all that shall come to heaven do so It is the path of the just still the living walk in it The delight of God 3. The delight of God The Lord himself loves you and owns you and takes pleasure in you approves of you and commends you there was no King like Josiah c. Seest thou my servant job c. Psal 147. 11. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him And 149 4. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people And Prov 11. 20. Such as are uprigh in their way are his delight 4. The promise of God O how many and how choice and how sweet The promise of God Isa 41. 10. Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismaid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Ver. 11. Behold all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing and they that strive with thee shall perish Rev. 3. 8. Thou hast a little strength and hast kept my word Ver. 9. Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee 5. The actual comforts encouragings and refreshings from the Lord Acts Actual