Creatures onely are the object of Predestination 2. In respect of the End Providence directs all things as well to natural as supernatural ends but Predestination onely directs reasonable Creatures to their supernatural ends The Lord hath not onely decreed in general that he will save some which believe and condemn those which continue in infidelity but he hath determined whom and how many he will bring to holinesse and life eternal for the praise of his Grace and how many he will leave to themselves and punish for sin for the praise of his Justice The ancient Fathers call that Verse Rom. 8. 30. the golden chain of our salvation The parts of Predestination are two Election and Reprobation This Doctrine of Election is profitable to be taught in the Church of God for it sets forth the profound depth of the Lords love the glory and riches of his grace and mercy ascribing the whole praise of our Vocation Justification Adoption and Glorification to the Mercy of God it holds forth the wonderful Wisdom of God Rom. 11. 33. It sets out his Power and Soveraignty Rom. 9. 20. The word Election signifieth 1. The chusing or taking of one into some office 1 Sam. 10. 24. Luke 6. 13. and 17. 12. either in the Common-weale Psal. 78. 70. or Church Iohn 6. 70. 2. The making choise of a Nation to be Gods peculiar people upon whom passing by others he will bestow his Laws Ordinances and singular pledges of his love Dâ—ut 4. 37. and 7. 7. and 10. 15. and 32. 8. Rom. 11. 5. 25. 3. It is put for the Elect themselves as Rom. 11. 7. 4. It notes Electionem salutem the eternal Decree of God separating some men to holinesse and glory for the praise of his rich grace Ephes. 1. 4. 11. 2 Tim. 1. 9. 1 Tit. 1. 2. Particularis completa electio neminem spectat nisi morientem say the Arminians 5. It is taken for the execution of Gods eternal Decree or the separation of certain men in time by effectual vocation Luke 18. 7. Col. 2. 12. Apoc. 17. 14. Election is the Decree of Gods good pleasure according to Counsel whereby he hath from eternity chosen and determined with himself to call some men to faith in Christ to justifie adopt sanctifie and give them eternal life for the praise of his incomprehensible grace and rich mercy Or it is an action of God ordaining some men out of his meer good will and pleasure to eternal life which is to be had by faith in Christ for the manifestation of his grace and mercy Or it is an unchangeable Decree of God whereby he hath out of his own Free-will in Christ appointed some Angels and men to holinesse and happinesse for the praise of the glory of his Grace 1. A Decree of God in Christ Ephes. 1. 4. and 3. 11. Christ is first elected as the Head we as the Members 2. Of certain Angels and men they are called elect Angels Iacob have I loved Moses his name was written in the book of Life Rev. 13. 20. and 8. 17. It is unchangeable Zach. 6. 1 2 4. It is to the Means as well as the End Ephes. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 1 2. a Decree founded on Gods free-will Ephes. 1. 11. 1. The general nature of it it is an action of God ordaining 2. The impulsive Cause of his meer good will Ephes. 1. 6. Rom. 9. 16 18. There can be no other reason given when men have wearied themselves out in disputes but onely Gods will Even so Father because it pleaseth thee Matth. 11. God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy Gods meer free will makes us differ in naturals thou art a man and not a Toad how much rather must it make us differ in supernaturals To flie to a scientia media or a congrua motio divina or to the preparation and use of Free-will is to wander and to say any thing in man makes a difference 3. The Object of Election whether man absolutely considered or respectively as good by Creation miserable by sin Some make homo condendus man to be made the object of Election some man made but not fallen some man made and fallen But these opinions may be reconciled for those who hold homo Condendus or massa pura to be the object do extend Election further then the latter do even to comprehend in it a decree to make man and to permit him to fall but as for that actual Election and Separation Austin Calvin Beza Rivet hold it to be from the corrupted Masse and so doth B. Carleton and others of which opinion these reasons may be given 1. We are chosen that we might be holy and unblameable this supposeth that we were considered in Election as sinners Ezek. 16. 6. 9. Election is of God that sheweth mercy and we are called vessels of mercy mercy presupposeth misery 2. We are elected in Christ as our head and he is a Mediator and Saviour which presupposeth sin he came to save sinners Mat. 20. 16. the means of salvation are given to few few are holy the effect of Election Matth. 7. 13. 3. Man simply considered is the object of Predestination in respect of the preordination of the end but man corrupted if we respect the ordination of the means which tend to that end or man absolutely in respect of the supreme or last end not in respect of this or that subordinate end 4. The end of Election is two-fold 1. near and immediate eternal life 2. farther off and ultimate the glory of his Name Ephes. 1. 3 4 5 6. 5. The means to bring about these ends Christs merits apprehended by faith Consider also the adjuncts of this Decree the eternity immutability and certainty of it There is a certain and determinate number of the Elect which cannot be diminished or augmented Christ prayed to his Father that the Faith of his Elect might not faile Iohn 17. 16 20. It is impossible they should be deceived Mat. 24. 24. The Papists think that the certainty of immutable Election begets in a man carnal security and prophannesse but Peter thinks far otherwise 2 Peter 1. 10. God was not moved by any thing outwardly to choose us to eternal life but it was onely the meer will of God Some of the Papists say God did choose man to eternal life upon the foresight of his good works and his perseverance in them The Lutherans say for faith foreseen not because of any dignity in faith but for Christ apprehended by it Object If God should not predestinate for some thing in us he is an accepter of persons for all were alike Iudas was no more opposite then Peter why then should one be elected and not another Ans. 1. This makes the Doctrine of Election such a depth that God loveth Iacob and hateth Esau in the Angels some are elected and some fallen 2. To accept of persons is then when we prefer one
Testament is the Word of God CHAP. II. What GOD is IN him consider First His Nature Secondly His Works In his Nature two things are considerable First His Essence Secondly The Distinction of Persons in that Essence 1. Of Gods Essence God is an Infinite Essence which is of Himself and gives being to all other things Or thus He is a Spirit in and of himself Infinite in Being Glory Blessednâ—sse and Perfection All-sufficient Eternal Unchangeable Incomprehensibâ—â— every where Present Almighty Knowing all things most Wise most Holy most Just most Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth So the Assembly in their larger Catechism Some things have their being wholly in another as accidents whitenesse in the Wall Wisdom in the minde 2. Some things have a being by themselves not inhering in another as substances which are of two sorts 1. Bodily Substances which have dimensions length breadth and thicknesse possessing a place by commensuration of parts 2. Spiritual freed from dimensions and from all circumscription of place God is not an accident that is the most weak and imperfect being nearest to a not being and most easily reduced into nothing as if the grasse and flower fade then the colour and fashion of it cometh soon to nothing God is not in any other thing but all things are in him God is a Spirit a being void of all Dimensions Circumscriptions and Divisiblenesse of parts Other Spirits are compounded of Substance and Accidents at least and exist in a place by limitation of Essence by which they are here and not there but God is an Essence altogether simple and immaterial utterly free from all manner of composition any way in whom are no qualities nor any limitation of Essence He is a Spiritual Simple and Immaterial Essence His Essence is substantial an Essence which hath a being in it self not in another simply and wholly Immateriall He is one most Pure and meer Act but Incomprehensible goes quite beyond our knowledge so that we cannot comprehend his Essence nor know it as it is He only perfectly knows himself but he may be known in some sort 1. By his Names 2. By his Attributes The word God is attributed First Properly to him who is essentially God Isa. 42. 8. â— Cor. 8. 6. and either personally commonly without a determination of a certain person Iohn 4. 24. Or singularly to some one person by a Synecdoche Iohn 3. 16. Acts 26. 28. 1 Tim. 3 16. Secondly Improperly to those which by nature are not God 1 Cor. 8. 5. Gal. 4. 8. and that Nâ—me is given to these either from Gods Ordination for the Dignity and Excellency of their Office as to Angels Psal. 8. 6. to Magistrates Psal. 82. 6. to Moses Exod. 4 16. or from their own unjust usurpation as to the Devil who is called the god of the world 2 Cor. 4. 9. or from the erroneous perswasion of men as to Idols 1 Cor. 8. 4 5. For the ten Hebrew Names of God having handled them in another place I shall say but liâ—tle of them here The Name Iehovah Iah Ehejeh signifie Gods Perfect Absolute and simple Being of and by himself 2. Such a Being as giveth Being to other things and upon whom they depend 3. Such a God as is true and constant in his Promises ready to make good whatsoever he hath spoken His Names El Elohim Schaddai Adonai signifie a God All-sufficient in himself strong and powerful able to blesse protect and punish The Jews in pronouncing or writing the Names of God were reverent even to superstition D Fulk against Martin In the New Testament Gods most frequent Names are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Lord. The Title of Lord so often given to Christ in the New Testament doth answer to the Title of Iehovah in the Old Testament Some Reverend Divines conceive the Apostles did purposely use the Title of Lord that they might not offend the Jews with the frequent pronouncing of the word Iehovah Compare Deut. 6. 13. with Mat. 4. 10. Deut. 6. 5. with Mat. 22. 37. D. Cheynels Divine Tri-unity He is also called the Father of lights Iam. 1. 17. The Essential Names of God are 1. Proper which agree to no Creature not Analogically 2. Common which are applied to others but agree to God principally by way of excellency as God King and Good The Name of God is used five wayes in Scripture First Essentially for God himself Isa. 30. 27. Secondly For the Power and Efficacy which comes from God Psal. 118. 10 11 12. Thirdly For the Command and Authority of God 1 Sam. 17. 45. Fourthly Passively for those actions whereby he is acknowledged by us Mat. 18. 19. that is nothing but worshipping and calling upon the Father Son and holy Ghost for assistance Lastly For that Word whereby he is distinguished from creatures and by which we are to have our thoughts directed about him 2. God may be known by his Attributes and essential Properties of which some shew 1. What he is in himself 2. What he is to us They are called Attributes because they are rather said to be attributed to God that we might by them better conceive what he is then to be in him in such a way They are that one most pure Essence diversly apprehended of us as it is diversly made known unto us Isa. 43. 25. 1 Iohn 4. 16. or they are those divine Perfections whereby he makes himself known unto us They are called Properties because they are peculiar to his Majesty and are so in him as they are not in any creature Some do distinguish of Gods Attributes and Properties Attributes are those which belong to the Essence and Properties to the Persons themselves A Property in God is an essential Attribute in him whereby his Nature is known in it self and is distinguished from all other things Some Rules are to be observed in attributing these to God First They are all Essential to God for in him is no accident at all whatsoever is in God the same is God Gods wisdom is himself and his Power is himself God punishing the wicked is the justice of God God compassionating the miserable is the mercy of God All these are also one in him his Mercy is his Justice and his Justice is his Mercy and each are his Essence only they differ in our apprehension and in regard of their different objects and effects Secondly They are all Absolute Properties in God and so distinguished from those respective Properties whereby every Person in the Trinity hath his own subsistence Thirdly They are all equal to all the three Persons and alike affirmed of all The Father Eternal most Holy Almighty Merciful so is the Sonne and Holy Ghost Fourthly These Attributes are altogether in God alone and that in the highest degree and measure yea above all degree and measure they are Eternal and
duties 2. In waiting to wait Gods time in fulfilling the promises Hab. 2. 3. 3. In suffering when we quietly submit to the will of God in bearing our own burthen Levit. 10. 3. A Christian in these suffering times way write this as his Motto Sit miser qui miser esse potest Let him be miserable that can be miserable 2 Cor. 4. 8 9. and 6. 10. 8. God is Holy the holy one Isa. 40. 25. Hosea 11. 9. Hab. 3. 3. Job 6. 10. he is called The holy one of Israel above thirty times see Isa. 41. 20. 43. 14. that is Israels most eminently and incommunicable one or his God The holy one of Iacob Isa. 49. 23. Holy is his name Luke 1. 49. I the Lord am holy and Be you holy as I am holy Psal. 99. Isa. 6. 3. it is three times repeated Holy holy holy or The holy one the holy one the holy one the Lord of Hosts so Rev. 4. 8. where according to some Greek Copies it is nine times that is thrice three times repeated As Isa. 6. the Angels ascribe holinesse to him so do the Saints in heaven Rev. 6. 10. and the godly on earth Exod. 15. 11. 1 Sam. 2. 2. All the persons of the Trinity are holy God the Father is called The holy one of Israel Christ is holy Dan. 9. 24. Psal. 16. 10. The Spirit is the Spirit of holinesse Holinesse in the general nature of it is the moral goodnesse of a thing Holinesse in man is that vertue whereby he giveth and yieldeth himself to God in doing all for and to him in regard of which the actions he doth are acceptable to God Holinesse in the creature is a conformity to the holinesse in God in respect of the principle rule pattern and parts of holinesse Gods holinesse is that excellency of his nature by which he gives himself as I may say unto himself doing all for himself and in all and by all and above all aiming at his own pleasure and glory or it is the absolute purity of his nature and his abhorring of evil Exod. 34. 30. Revel 15. 4. he is holy without iniquity Psal. 5. 5 6. and 145. 17. 1 Sam. 2. 2. Hab 1. 13. Zeph. 3. 5. the Lord is said to swear by his Holinesse Psalm 89. 35. Amos 4. 2. that is by himself Holinesse is in God essentially and originally 1 Sam. 2. 2. he is the Author of all holinesse he is called Holinesse it self Isa. 63. 15. all the holinesse in Saints or Angels comes from God and is a quality in the creature He is holy of himself men and Angels are sanctified by him his holinesse is a substance in men it is an accident The essence of many Angels continues though their holinesse be lost most men never had holinesse and the man would remain though his holinesse were lost 2. Holinesse is in him without measure in the highest degree mans may be limited it is in him immutable and infinite like himself and cannot be lessened or augmented 3. He is holy formally and subjectively holinesse is a conformity to the will of God how holy then must he needs be when his nature and will are all one 4. Objectively he is the object of all holinesse for there is no holinesse but what hath him for the object 5. Exemplarly Be ye holy as I am holy so Christ bids us learn of him for he was meek and humble He as Mediator was impeccable he was God and man in one person actus est suppositi He discovers unholinesse in the best of the Creatures Iob 15. 15. and cannot be tempted with sin Iames 1 13. or take pleasure in that which is evil either in persons or actions Hab. 1. 13. God is holy in heaven holy in earth holy in hell it self holy in glorifying Angels holy in justifying men holy in punishing devils holy in his Nature Word Works Glorious in holinesse Exod. 15. Reasons of Gods Holinesse 1. This is the foundation of all his other excellencies for if he were not thus taken up with himself he could not be perfect in wisdom power justice mercy neither could he carry himself to the creature as were fit if he did not first carry himself to himself as were fit If a King do not duly regard himself in his Royal authority he can never duly govern his subjects 2. Else he could not be perfectly happy whatsoever thing looks to somewhat without it self to make it be well and contented and enjoy it self that is but imperfectly happy because not happy without another That alone is capable of perfect blessednesse which hath all things in and of it self without respect to any other thing by which it enjoys it self God is holy in these particulars 1. In his will whatsoever God wils is holy whether it be his secret will and purpose or his revealed will and word 2. In all his works Ephes. 1. He hath predestinated us to be holy this is the end of all his graces to make us like himself this is likewise the end of his Ordinances his Word and Sacraments are to make us holy so his works of justice Christs death 3. In his Laws and Commandments Psal. 19. his Commandments are just and right and require holinesse of heart not suffering the least sinful motion Thou shalt not covet 4. What ever relates to him is holy 1. The place of his habitation Psal. 11. 4. 20. 6. 1 Cor. 3. 7. 2. His Attendants 1. The Angels Luke 9. 26. Mat. 25. 31. 2. His people Lev. 10. 1. Dan. 12. 7. 3. All his Services are holy 2 Chron. 35. 30. Psal. 29. 1. Holinesse is the beauty of all Gods attributes without which his wisdom would be subtilty his justice cruelty his Soveraignty Tyranny his mercy foolish pity This distinguisheth him from all Heathen gods which were wicked holinesse distinguisheth between Angels and Devils Heaven and Hell Holinesse is the working of God to his own end in all things suitable to his nature When the Saints in heaven glorifie God for his chiefest excellency it is thus Holy holy holy We finde not in the Scripture any of Gods Attributes thrice repeated Wise wise wise or Almighty almighty almighty but Holy holy holy because the excellency of God consists chiefly in that Master Burrh Iac. Seed The Holinesse of God is an universal Attribute something of holinesse runs through all the Attributes his power is holy Isa. 52. 10. his truth Psal. 109. 4. his mercy Acts 13 34. it is unchangeable he is so holy that he cannot be tempted to evil Iames 1. 13. He is the principle and patern of all holinesse in the Creature 1. The principle Levit. 20. 8. and 21. 8 15. he conveys holinesse by Ordinances and Sabbaths Deut. 7. 6. and afflictions Isaiah 27. 9. see 1 Thessalon 5. 23. and 1. 1. 2. The patern of holinesse 1 Pet. 1. 11. the more any have been holy the more they have eyed the
Reasons 1. This wisdome looks only to the things that are inferiour and false goods and so carry a man further from God the chiefest good 2. Such wisdome inableth a man better to devise and contrive sinful enterprizes so that he can finde out means fit and apt to bring to passe any evil design or intention which is within him 3. It knows how if need be to hide and conceal sin and cover it with fair pretences and shifts and to excuse and defend it 4. It causeth him in whom it is to be more regarded by others they listen to his counsel and are ready to take and follow it The understanding of divine truths revealed in Scripture may be found in a greater measure in some hypocrites then some true Saints because of their greater natural abilities more ample instruction and better education We know saith Paul that all men have knowledge He that knows his masters will and doth it not saith our Saviour To him that knows how to do well and doth it not saith Iames. Thus the Pharisees bragged of the knowledge of the Law upbraiding the people with ignorance Those that shall alledge prophesying in the name of Christ had a large measure of knowledge St Paul yeeldeth to the Jews that they had a form of knowledge out of the Law But the difference between the knowledge of a godly and wicked man stands chiefly in these things 1. In the matter of this knowledge the true Christian is ready to know all truths that God doth offer to his knowledge submitting his reason and understanding wholly to God and not detaining any part of the truth in unrighteousnesse not willingly winking or refusing to know but the hypocrite refuseth knowledge in some things and will wink with his eyes as the Pharisees would not understand that Christ was the Messiah and of the mockers Peter saith Of this they are willingly ignorant 2. The hypocrite is most studious and inquisitive into the niceties of the Scripture and of Religion as I may term them matters of doubtfull disputation speculative points But the true Christian is solid in his knowledge cares to know nothing but Christ and him crucified the substantial and essential points of Christian Religion concerning Faith Love and a good Conscience which tend to practise Secondly In the manner the knowledge of the hypocrite is confused of the true Christian is distinct The knowledge of the one is only literal the others is a spiritual knowledge A wicked man may have apprehensions of the truths of the Gospel as great and good the other hath an application of them as good to him Thirdly In the Effects of it 1. The Christian applies his knowledge to himself to discover his own wayes and to rectifice and teach himself but the hypocrite only to teach and instruct others and to censure or only to talk and discourse with applause 2. The Christian man fals to practise his knowledge he hears and does the hypocrite only talketh and though he know how to do well doth it not building upon the sand Lastly The hypocrites knowledge puffs him up 1 Cor. 8. 2. and makes him despise those which do know lesse then himself These people which know not the Law are accursed thou art altogether born in sin and dost thou teach us but the true knowledge of the sanctified man humbleth him Motives to Gospel-knowledge Consider first the necessity of it no knowledge no grace Iohn 6. 44 45. Ephes. 4. 24. Col. 3. 12. 1. Humility comes by it Isa. 31. 18. 2. Strength to bear afflictions Heb. 10. 36. No knowledge no duty our service must be reasonable God regards not blinde obedience 1 Chron. 8. 9. Ioh. 4. 22. without knowledge the heart is not good Secondly The possibility of it God hath appointed the Ministery for this very end Acts 26. 18. Observe how the promises runne Psal. 19. 7. Ier. 31. 34. Isa. 35. 18. Thirdly The dignity of it it is a noble study the excellency of the knowledge of Christ it is the highest wisdome to know God in Christ 1 Cor. 1. 20. 1. In the matter of it onely the Bible teacheth this knowledge 2. The way God alone must teach you you must see God by his own light The Jews were honoured above all other Nations for their knowledge of the true God 3. It is very profitable 1. It hath a healing vertue heals the understanding 2. Makes every one spiritually wise that hath it 3. Will keep the mans soul from every evil way Prov. 2. 4. The Devil much opposeth it he would have the Bible burnt or corrupted Mercy A godly man must be a merciful man 2 Sam. 22. 25 26. Our Saviour imitating or alluding to these words of David saith Matth. 5. Blessed are the mercifull St Paul bids the Colossians As the elect of God holy and beloved to put on humblenesse of minde and bowels of mercy You see what apparel we must wear if we will approve our selves to be chosen and beloved of God that is what vertues we must get and practise as constantly as we put on our cloathes to keep our bodies warm and decent one is bowels of mercy tender mercies Mioah 6. 8. I will have mercy and not sacrifice God prefers it before all Sacrifices Isa. 32. 8. See 2 Cor. 8. 2. 3. 7. Queen Anne of Bullen besides the ordinary of a hundred Crowns and other apparel which she gave weekly a year before she was crowned both to men and women gave also wonderful much prime alms to widows and other poor housholders continually till she was apprehended and she sent her Subalmner to the Towns about where she lay that the Parishioners should make a Bill of all the poor housholders in the Parish and some Towns received seven eight or ten pound to buy Kine withall according as the number of the poor in the Towns were She also maintained many learned men in Cambridge She carried ever about her a certain little purse out of the which she was wont daily to scatter abroad some alms to the needy thinking no day well spent wherein some man had not fared the better by some benefit at her hands Mr Fox himself was so zealous in his love to the poor that he was in a holy manner cruel to himself to give the very cloathes off his back rather then the naked should not be cloathed My Lord Harrington gave the tenth of his allowance to the poor and other good uses his allowance being 1000lb lb per annum Master Whateley did the like as Master Schudder relates in his life he was both very bountifull himself and did much stirre up others to that duty in his preaching The like did Mr. Iohn Underwood of All-Hallows in Bread street Every year when he made up his Books and had summed up his debts and gains he would constantly reserve the tenths and write himself So much debtor to God The better tenth of his estate he gave
wisdome he doth nothing rashly but knows how to order all things for the best his will is a wise and holy will the rule it self Good is the word of the Lord said Hezekiah when ill tidings came 3. His will is good to thee All the wayes of God are mercy and truth he aims at the good of his even when he corrects them 4. Consider that this God which hath laid this upon thee affords thee all the good things thou enjoyest thou hast one crosse and perhaps ten thousand mercies all these come from the same hand Iob 2. 10. 5. This God beares with thee every day else what will become of thee II. From our selves We have reason to stoop to Gods will even when he pleaseth to correct us because 1. We have provoked him by our sins to strike us and have deserved farre more evil then we suffer 2. We cannot ease or any way deliver our selves from miserie by murmuring This is 1. A worthy service a childe that quietly bears the stripes which his Father sometimes laies upon him pleaseth his Father as much as he that readily goes about the things he is bidden Christ himself learnt obedience by sufferings The principall part of his merit stood in that he submitted himself to be made of no reputation and became obedient even to the death of the Crosse. 2. It is a most profitable dutie turning evil into good and making evils easie to bear and procuring a safe and speedy issue out of evil 3. From the grace of patience it self 1. The necessity of it thou canst not live without it we cannot perform a duty mortifie a lust bring forth fruit without patience the good ground brings forth fruit with patience 2. The excellency of this grace it makes thee most like to God it is a great part of his Image to Christ he was patient to death 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. it will make one enjoy himself in the worst times Luk. 21. 19. it will be helpful to all graces and duties make thee an amiable Christian it will strengthen thy faith subdue thy flesh in thee bridle thy tongue Magna praecipua virtus est patientia quam pariter vulgi voces publicae Philosophi oratores summis laudibus celebrant Lactant. l. 5. de Iustitia 4. From the things we suffer the right consideration of the nature of Afflictions 1. Afflictions whether upon the Soul State Friends Name are no evidences at all of Gods displeasure for they are the lot of all Gods people his dearest servants Prov. 3. 12. Iob 7. 17 18. Heb. 8. 6 7. 8. 2. God really intends his peoples good and doth them a great deal of good by afflictions Heb. 12. 6 7. 1. Hereby Christ makes all his people conformable to himself Rom. 8. 28. 2. He purgeth out the reliques of corruption takes down our pride self-love love of the world 3. He exerciseth abundance of grace in his people 1 Pet. 1. 7. 4. Makes them grow in grace more heavenly-minded 3. God will uphold thee in afflictions 1 Cor. 10. 13. 4. We shall have a most seasonable and merciful deliverance out of afflictions Psal. 34. 19. and God will do his people good according to their afflictions leave in them an excellent frame of spirit Iob and David were rare men after afflictions God makes the hearts of his people more holy and chearful after most of all do they finde the fruit of their afflictions when they come to heaven for though that be given of free-grace yet God rewards them proportionably to their good services and afflictions 2 Cor. 4. 17. If we suffer with Christ we shall reign with him Means to get patience First The frequent Meditation of the former Motives studie those Arguments Secondly Get faith study to know thy interest in Christ 1. Know the nature of the Covenant how fully and freely Christ offers grace to thee 2. Give thy consent that Christ should be a Saviour to thee that he should sanctifie thee as well as pardon thy sinne Faith is an assent to the truth and consent to the goodnesse of it that Christ should be my Saviour Psal. 112. 7. Peace Peace in the general notion and nature of it is the correspondency or harmony of one thing to another working in its proper place to the common end the good of the whole It is a kinde of sweet divine and heavenly concent harmony or beauty of things subordinate one to another D. Gauden If the world be a Ring peace is the Diamond of it The Hebrews use it often for all prosperity of soul and body they use Shalom in their letters and say ordinarily Peace be to this house that is All happinesse attend you It was Henry the 7th usual Preface in his Treaties That when Christ came into the world Peace was sung and when he went out of the world Peace was bequeathed Sir Francis Bacon The Apostolical Benediction is Grace and Peace More properly it signifies Concord Unity and Reconciliation Firm and stable peace is and must be the fruit of righteousnesse Heb. 7. 1 2. first King of Righteousnesse then of Peace Isa. 48. 18. Jam. 3. 18. Righteousnesse is the qualification of the person to whom God will grant peace it takes away all the matter which provokes God to wrath No peace is to be had without Christ Isa. 48. ult all peace by him 1. With God Rom. 5. 1. 2. In our own consciences 3. With all the cereatures Ezek. 34. 25. Hos. 2. Perseverance All agree that perseverance is necessary to the end that one may be saved Mat. 10. 22. The negative may be gathered from the affirmative That no man therefore shall be saved which shall not continue to the end Heb. 3. 14. But all do not agree what is the ground of perseverance and to whom it belongs Reasons and Grounds of the Perseverance of Gods people 1. The eternal love of God Psal. 103. 17. Iohn 13. 1. he loves his people with an everlasting love Rom. 8. 38 39. See Iohn 10. 28 29 30. 11. 29. 2. The Covenant that is betwixt God and them is a stable and everlasting Covenant Ier. 31. 31. 32. 40. Hosea 2. 19. 2 Samuel 23. 5. the Covenant made at first with the Angels and Adam might be broken but this cannot Christ is the Surety of it 3. The Union between Christ and the faithfull is indissoluble Iohn 14. 19. 1 Iohn 5. 11. 4. The Intercession of Christ for them Heb. 7. 25. Luke 22. 31. Iohn 17. 11 20. God the Father hears him alwaies Iohn 11. 42. Object Though Christ have purchased the Spirit and bestowed it upon us yet we may cast off the Spirit Answ. We have the witnesse of the Father Isa. 59. 21. and of Christ Ioh. 14. 16. that the holy Ghost shall never depart from us St Augustine hath observed out of the Exposition of the Lords Prayer made by Cyprian that almost in every
God with Flute and Harp they think is moral and binds in respect of the thing it self and warrants in respect of the manner Musick say they is a natural help to devotion which doth not further it by any mystical signification but by a proper and natural operation and therefore is not a typical Ceremony Nature it self and God have fitted it to accompany a holy Song Paul bids us edifie our selves in Psalms and a Psalme is a Song upon an instrument Not only Dr Ames opposeth it but Aquinas Rivet Zanchius Zepperus Altingius and others dislike of Organs and such like Musick in Churches and they do generally rather hinder edification CHAP. IV. Of Prayer IT is a calling upon God in the name of Christ with the heart and sometimes with the voice according to his will for our selves and others Or It is a calling upon God in the name of Christ with Petitions and Thanksgivings joyned with confessions of sinne and deprecations of punishment Or thus Prayer is a lifting up of the heart to God our Father in the name and mediation of Christ through the Spirit whereby we desire the good things he hath promised in his Word and according to his will First It is a lifting up of the heart to God by way of desire and this is represented by those natural gestures of lifting up the hands and eyes to heaven See Lam. 3. 41. Psal. 25. 1. To thee O Lord do I lift up my soul. Which phrase implieth 1. That the soul is sluggish and pressing downward for sensible helps 2. It denotes confidence a heavenly temper It is not your eyes voice or bodies lifted up but your hearts and spirits thy heart in prayer must be with God in heaven thy heart must beleeve lay hold on the promise To pray then is a difficult duty how hard is it to call off the heart from other things to get it united in prayer to seek the Lord with our whole hearts if there be distraction lazinesse or deadnesse we cannot say With my whole heart have I sought thee Secondly The object of prayer is only God Rom. 10. 14. faith and calling upon God are linked together as none but God is the object of faith so neither of prayer as it is the property of God to hear our prayers Psal. 65. 1 2. so invocation is a worship proper to him alone therefore the Papists prayers to Saints Angels and the Virgin Mary are sinful since prayer is a divine religious worship and so may be given to none but God himself All worship is prerogative and a flower Of his rich Crown from whom lies no appeal At the last hour Therefore we dare not from his Garland steal To make a Posie for inferiour power Herberts Poems the Church To pray to one supposeth in him two things 1. Omniscience knowledge of all hearts of all our wants desires and groanings 2. Omnipotence power in his own hand to help and these are peculiar to God alone Psal. 65. 2. 1 Kings 8. 39. M. Lyf Princip of faith and a good consc c. 42. Therefore our Saviour when he informs us how we should pray he bids us say Our Father Luk. 11. 2. Rom. 8. We cry Abba Father it is a familiar intercourse between God and the soul. Thirdly All our prayers must be made in the name of Christ Iohn 14. 13. 16. 23 24. Themistocles when the King was displeased brought his Sonne in his arms there is no immediate fellowship with God As God and man are at variance Christ is Medium reconciliationis as reconciled he is Medium communionis Ephes. 3. 12. The Father is the ultimate object of our faith and hope Christ the intermediate by whom we come to God Iohn 15. 16. The Priest only in the Law burnt incense to God Exod. 30. Revel 5. 3. See chap. 8. 3. by the incense our prayers are shadowed out and figured Psal. 141. 2. the Sacrifice was to be brought to the Priest and to be offered by his hands Levit. 17. 3 4. We must pray to the Father through the Son by the holy Ghost Deus oratur à nobis Deus orat in nobis Deus orat pro nobis Some say the prayers of Gods people are not only to be directed unto God but Christ as Mediator Luke 11. 5. Mat. 15. Iesus thou Sonne of David not Son of God afterwards she cries Lord help me all the Petitions in the Canticles they say are directed to Christ as the Churches husband They give these reasons for their opinion 1. We ought to beleeve in Christ as Mediator Ioh. 14. 1. See Rom. 3. 25. therefore we ought to pray unto him as Mediator The worship of all the reasonable creatures is appointed to him Heb. 1. 6. 8. The Saints have directed their prayers to him 1. Before his Incarnation Abraham Gen. 18. Iacob Gen. 32. 24. 2. In the dayes of his flesh the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 22. the thief on the Crosse. 3. Since his Ascension into heaven Acts 7. 51. There is a double Object of worship 1. Materiale whole Christ God man in one Person Heb. 1. 6. 2. Formale the God head of Christ when we pray to him we pray to his Person but the ultimate and proper object of our prayers is the Divine Nature 1. In all our duties we are to take in the whole object of faith Iohn 14. 1. 2. This is the right way of honouring the Father according to the plot of the Gospel Iohn 14. 13. 5. 23. 3. This is the onely way to come to the Father to obtain any mercy of him Iohn 14. 6. 6. 57. 4. This answers the grand design of the Gospel that each Person of the Trinity may be glorified with a distinct glory In him onely we are accepted 1 Pet. 2. 5. We need no other Mediators nor Intercessours They who pray to God without a Mediator as Pagans or in the name of any other Mediator but Christ as Papists pray not aright We bear a natural reverence to God we must honour Christ also Iohn 5. 23. put up our requests into Christs hand that he may commend them to his Father and look for all supplies of grace to be dispensed in and through him Ephes. 2. 18. and 3. 12. Rom. 5. 2. In which three places the word rendred Accesse is one and the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It properly signifies a manuduction or leading by the hand The Israelites under the Law were tied to pray either in the Tabernacle and Temple Deut. 12. 5 14. Psal. 99. 6. or else towards the same 2 Chron. 7. 38. 1 Kings 8. 44 48. Psal. 138. 2. Dan. 6. 10. yet now all such distinction and difference of place being but ceremonial is abolished For that one place of prayer and Sacrifice was a type of Christ Jesus the alone Altar and the praying in or towards the same did figure out thus much that only in the mediation of Jesus Christ
in us and the full accomplishment of happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven One Reverend Divine now with God saith The duties required more particularly may be referred to two heads Some respect the Essence and Nature of God some the Authority and Dominion of God even as Subjects owe some things to their Prince in regard of his Person some things in regard of his Power of Government so do we the Creatures to our King and Creator The former may fitly be tearmed duties of dependance because they do naturally flow from that total dependance upon God the first being which must needs be found in all secondary beings and because they be certain necessary acknowledgements of our such dependance The latter may be termed Duties of Conformity because in and by them we do conform our selves unto the Will and Authority of God and by both become perfectly subject unto him Duties of dependance in general are those by which we exercise all the powers of our souls upon God principally and above all other things so far as his excellent Nature is fit to be their object for seeing He is the most excellent of all things and doth please to make known unto us his excellencies we should labour to be wholly united to him that is so excellent Duties of Conformity in general are all those by which we order the powers of our souls toward other things according to his good will and pleasure made manifest unto us Our duty concerning God is to know him and his will to believe in him according to his Promises to remember him alwaies and to esteem him above all things to trust wholly upon him to love desire fear and delight in him above all other things and with all our hearts Our duty in respect of good things Spiritual and Temporal is to exercise our wils affections thoughts speeches much more on Spiritual good things then Temporal and to keep them very moderate towards earthly benefits Our duty concerning sin is to hate it fly from it grieve for it be ashamed of it and angry with it more then any natural evil thing The particular duties here required are 1. Perfect knowledge of God in Christ which is a conceiving and apprehending of him to be such a one as he hath revealed himself in his Word and Works specially in the Covenant of Grace and that for measure and degree fully We cannot comprehend God as he is in himself but as he hath manifested himself we ought to know him for knowledge is the guide of the affections the beginning of grace the ground of Worship When we know God as he hath manifested himself then do we come to believe desire fear and love him and trust in him as he requireth We cannot have God our God till we come to know him in Christ therefore it is promised to all the godly in the new Covenant they shall all know me 2. Acknowledgement which is an effectual and affectionate perswasion of the heart not onely that God is but that he is the onely Lord Eternal and Almighty most Wise most Holy most Righteous most Gracious and Merciful most Faithful and True the Creator Governour and Preserver of all things the Supreme Soveraign Judge of all the world and peculiarly the God and Saviour of his people that he hath chosen unto himself and with whom he hath entred Covenant of his free mercy in Jesus Christ. 3. Estimation which is a most high prizing of God according to his Worth and Dignity as the chief Good and our onely all-sufficient portion The estimation we have of any thing must be correspondent to the goodness of it But God is good above measure and our estimation of him should know no measure 4. Faith which is a lively motion of the heart whereby the soul doth invincibly cleave and stick unto God in Christ and unto the word of his Covenant as containing the chief good of man To believe is not barely to assent to the thing which is propounded to be believed for the authority of the speakers who cannot lie as the assenter is perswaded but to adhere to the Word of Truth as certain good and sweet both simply and in comparison Two things are required in Faith Something true and good to be believed and a firm certain assent and adherence to it Thus we are commanded to believe in God through Jesus Christ neither doth Faith respect the Promises Narrations and Prophecies of the Word onely but the Commandments and Threatnings also Psal. 119. 66. 2 Chron. 34. 19 21 27. Ioh. 3. 5. By Faith we possess the Lord as our own and hold fast unto him in whom all help and comfort is to be found 5. Confidence or Affiance whereby we trust lean rely or stay upon the Grace of God in Christ Jesus with assured security in the way of his Commandments for pardon of sin deliverance from all evil and the supply of all good Temporal and Spiritual according to his faithful and never-failing promise This is ever joyned with the true knowledge of God and in nature is of great affinity or rather all one with justifying Faith Who so reposeth all his confidence in God he taketh him in so doing for his God We are to trust in God for the giving and maintaining of all our good both temporal and eternal leaning on him for all defence and deliverance from evils spiritual yea and corporal casting all our care on him having no confidence in the flesh no duty is more frequently pressed in Scripture then this of confidence in God Hope in God is an inseparable companion of Trust which is an assured quiet expectation of what good promised is not yet accomplished grounded upon the free and undeserved kindness and grace of the Lord in Christ Jesus Psal. 119. 166. Heb. 11. 1. Lam. 3. 24. Rom. 15. 4. Hope is commanded in many passages of Scripture commended by many promises Psal. 27. 14. 31. 14. 34. 8. Lam. 3. 26. Psal. 37. 7. 131. 3. 130. 5. Mic. 7. 7. Isa. 8. 17. Psal. 119. 43. Isa. 30. 18. Psal. 146. 5. 40. 4. 84. 12. Isa. 6. 8. Psal. 147. 11. Psal. 33. 18 19. Psal. 31. 24. 33. 20. Psal. 35. 21. 37. 9. 34. Psal. 9. 18. Isa. 49. 23. 40. 31. 6. Love of God in Christ which is a spiritual motion in the reasonable part presupposing Knowledge and Affiance whereby the soul goeth forth to embrace and possess God as the chief Good and with most pure earnest and constant affection to maintain communion with him Love is an affection of union it knits to the thing beloved and would not want the possession of it Love we see makes man and woman one and so doth couple us to God The body is carried by weight into his proper place so is the soul by love which is the weight of the soul unto its proper object Many promises are made to them that love
the Lord Psal. 91. 14. 145. 20. Psal 63. 8. 1 Iohn 4. 7. Iohn 16. 27. 1 Iohn 4. 16. Iohn 14. 23. 16. 27. Rom. 8. 28. Psal. 145. 20. Deut. 30. 19 20. 1 Corin. 2. 9. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Iames 1. 12. 2. 5. God is the proper Object of Love He is the chief good absolute allsufficient the rest and stay of the minde beyond which nothing can be desired in whom incredible joy and comfort is to be found and possessed for evermore God by Covenant is our God our Father our Husband He hath loved us and we ought to love him again His love to us is free and of meer grace our love to him is debt many waâ—es due from us and deserved by him Adam was to love God his Creator and happiness but Christians must love God as he is become their God in Christ in whom they are knit unto him The object of Charity is God in Christ God is to be loved in Christ in whom he is well pleased and greatly delighted in us Love of God must be most fervent and abundant more for degree and measure then to our selves or all creatures yea it must be with the whole power of our souls it is the summe of the Law Matth. 10 37. Luke 14. 26. 7. Fear which is a retiring or flying back from a thing if good because it is too high and excellent above the reach and without the extent of our power and condition if evil because it is hard to be escaped The fear of God is an affection of heart arising from the apprehension of Gods infinite Majesty and absolute Soveraignty both by Creation and Covenant whereby we are drawn to behave our selves more reverently dutifully uprightly respectively before him then before the greatest Monarch in the world and stand prepared to walk before him in holy manner shunning his displeasure and avoiding whatsoever might procure it God is to be feared in respect of his incomprehensible greatness absolute Soveraignty as Lord and Father and exact righteousness whereby he judgeth every man without respect of persons great Power and tender Mercies whereby he is ready to pardon them that humble themselves and intreat his favour God is absolutely called Fear Isa 8. 12 13. as unto whom all fear and dread is due Thus Iacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac Gen. 32. 42 53. Reverence differs from simple fear which respecteth a thing as evil and so we are not bound to have it working but when we have occasion to conceive of God as angry and doth look to things as excellent and therefore must move so often as we have occasion to conceive of his Excellency Heb. 12. 28. 8. Humility when rightly discerning the infinite distance and difference that is betwixt God and us acknowledging his unspeakable Excellency and our most vile baseness in comparison of him his riches of Grace and our poverty his Power and our weakness his free undeserved Mercy and our misery we submit our selves to the good pleasure of his will wholly depend upon his Grace and ascribe every blessing we receive to his meer favour every good thing in us or that is done by us to his free goodness 9. Patience which is a full purpose of heart arising from the acknowledgement of Gods Wisdome Majesty Power Goodness Providence and Mercy with all quietness and without any pining reluctation or fainting revolting or tempting of God though the senses and appetite cannot but feel a repugnancy to sustain any evil that He will inflict upon us 10. Joy whereby the soul doth receive comfort and content in a good thing and is moved to embrace and possess the same And because God is the chief good therefore ought the soul to be moved with more vehement and fervent motions of gladness for his Love Favour Good Will and excellent Glory then for any or all other things whatsoever What we make our chiefest Joy that is our God for the heart resteth principally in that with which it is most delighted Iob 31. 25. It appears evidently by Gods Word that as a Father would have his children to live cheerfully so would God and therefore doth he so much call upon them to rejoyce Psal. 60. 19. 68. 3. Psal. 33. 1. 149. 1 2. 11. Zeal or fervour of will whereby the soul is moved and carried towards God with the strongest hottest and most fiery inclinations willing his Grace Favour and Glory infinitely above all things because it is the highest of all things that are to be loved willed desired or cared for and detesting loathing abhorring whatsoever tendeth to his dishonour Examples of thiâ— zeal we have in Moses Phineas Lot Elias David Iohn the Baptist and Christ himself In Ieremy Paul Peter and many others 12. An earnest and constant desire of Gods presence in Heaven Cant. 8 14. Phil. 1. 23. Rev. 22. 20. Each thing by nature doth covet perfection in its kinde and what nature hath taught every thing in its proper kind that Grace hath taught Christians in the best kinde viz. to desire perfect communion with God in whose presence is fulness of joy for evermore It cannot be that God should be known to be good clearly distinctly certainly and not be desired And if we know God to be the chiefest of all good things we cannot but set our affections upon him and covet above all things in the world to dwell in his presence Hitherto of those particular duties whereby we take God to be our God in minde will and affections now let us hear what be the effects of these 1. Meditation which is a staying of the minde in the serious thought and consideration of Gods Power Goodness Grace Mercy Love and Wisdome shining in the Word and Works of God specially in Jesus Christ the brightness of his glory with an holy delight and admiration at that most perfect and Divine Excellency which casteth forth the comfortable beams thereof upon the soul of him that so thinketh upon them Each particular duty before mentioned calleth for meditation knowledge is not gotten without meditation meditation kindleth love and love carrieth the thoughts after it Reverence is not raised without meditation and being raised keepeth the heart within compass that it doth not straggle up and down The glory of God as it shineth in Jesus Christ is most amiable and delightsome that if once it be truly discerned we shall take great pleasure to behold and view it What actual sight is to the eye that thought is to the mind Glorious pleasant objects draw the eye after them and what is apprehended to be Divine Excellent Pleasant Beautiful and Comfortable that will take up the mind If all thoughts affect and profit according to the nature of the object about which they are exercised then seeing God is the best most excellent most glorious object the minde that is most serious in the meditation of his Grace Power and Love in
determine the matter that is to refer themselves to Gods providence in this case and to make him their umpire is not this an abuse of him Wherefore in such coined doubts God must not be made a determiner unless we will be bold to draw him into the participation of our folly But of true and real doubts existent in nature there are also two kinds for 1. Some are trivial and of no weight 2. Some are of weight and moment I shall propound the opinion of a reverend Divine seeing the thing is much controverted and leave it to the wise to judge To put trifling and toyish differences sportful and ludicrous controversies unto Gods determination saith he is surely to abase and abuse him seeing a lot is an implicite invocation as I said where a man would abhor it to profaness to make such a prayer in word as any heart would in a trifling thing there it were also profaness to make it an act or by signes to signifie it as it is done in a lot But in differences that either of themselves or in regard of the consequents of them be of moment and weight there a lot may and must be used that peace may be setled amongst men none having to finde fault with the division unless he will be so bold and wicked as to finde fault with God So in the division of the Land of Canaan of the Priests Offices of the work of fighting and victualling the Camp a lot was used as also in the choice of an Apostle in Iudas room and of the tythe Lambe in the fold For because infinite heart-burnings and quarrels might have grown betwixt the Priest and people for Tythe Lambs if either the one should have taken or the other have given which he would and that the order of their yeaning could not certainly be known therefore that also was a matter of great weight in regard of the consequents thereof for the constant and universal order and course of tything though for the particular difference betwixt some one or other Lamb the matter was not great So the due occasion of using a lot is a real difference of some moment about the divisions of something to be divided betwixt such or such that may seem to have reason to challenge each what would best content and satisfie himself The manner of using a lot upon such occasions follows and that must be thus 1. With a reverent careful observation of Gods providence in the event of the thing and disposing of the controversie so as a mans heart may say within it self Thou Lord hast done this or that not by the wit and skill or will of any man but the hidden work of thine own providence without any such thing coming betwixt and thou hast manifested to me thy good pleasure that things should be distributed thus or thus 2. It must be used with a quiet submission of our will to Gods will so manifested giving up our selves to be ruled by that hand and providence without murmuring For seeing the disposition of a lot is of God therefore we cannot grudge at the falling of it out so or so but that we shall seem to pick a quarrel with God Hitherto of the right use of such holy actions as come to be used in and with our common affairs It follows to shew how we must order our selves in our common affairs so far forth as in them we have to do with God or any of those things by which he makes himself known to us This is double 1. Inward 2. Outward The inward also is double in regard of 1. Gods Actions 2. Our Actions That which respecteth Gods Actions is also double 1. To see him in them 2. To make a good use of them The first thing we are bound unto for the sanctifying of Gods Name is to see him in all his actions that is to take notice of him as the Authour of them informing our selves that he hath wrought them as David doth Psal. 8. 3. 118. 23. Psal. 44. 1 2 3. Psal. 18. 47 48. Iob 1. 21. Ioseph Gen. 45. 7 8. Psal. 46. 8. All things that are done in all the world natural supernatural common special of mercy of justice good bad of what kinde soever must in some sense even the bad so far as they be actions and means of good be ascribed to God and man must speedily take notice of Gods providence and working in them and say The Lord hath done this or that be it never so small or trifling for his providence extendeth to every motion of every creature seeing in him we live move and have our being 2. The second thing we are bound to in regard of Gods Actions is to make a good use of them by building up our selves thereby in the knowledge of God and in all holy affections of love fear confidence toward him and of hatred of sin love of righteousness and the like as when the people saw that great miracle wrought by the Lord by the hand of Eliah they cried out The Lord is God the Lord is God 1 King 18. 39. So David saith Psal. 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplication So David having said Psal. 33. 6 7. that God hath made all things addeth Let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him for he spake and they were created So the Lord himself saith Jer. 5. 22. Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea When we see Gods Works we must see in them the clear demonstration of his Wisdome Power Justice Mercy and other holy Attributes that we may grow in knowledge of him and love and fear and other vertues Now this is a general use to be made of all but there are two special works which he useth to do to mankinde works of Mercy and Justice which require two special uses 1. A thankful receiving of the works of mercy 2. A patient and penitent bearing of corrections Thankful receiving of mercies is so to taste and feel the goodness of God in them that we provoke our selves by them to serve and obey him with more cheerfulness willingness and readiness Each benefit and blessing we enjoy must cause us to be more careful of pleasing him that gave us all those benefits and should make us renew in our minds such thoughts as these It is God which feedeth me preserveth me O why should not I respect honour love serve him Lord I will give my self to thee I will obey thee thou deservest it The duty of thankfulness is required in the first Commandment the improving of all good things to the increase of this thankfulness is a special sanctifying of Gods Name required in this Commandment Psal. 116. 12. Psal. 118. 19. He meaneth there that he will apply himself to the practice of
of each Church are bound unlesse they have some very just cause to come in due season to the Congregations and attentively and reverently to joyn with them and continue so doing till the end and that not only in the Morning but also in the Evening Secondly The Churches are then to make collections for the use and behalf of the poor and other acts of mercy as the Apostle appointed them to do in Corinth 1 Cor. 16. 1 2 3. and as he saith He had ordained in all Churches These are publick duties The private are some with reference to the publick to prepare for it and make use of it before and after fitting our hearts to hear by prayer and meditation and the like and by praying and meditation applying that to our selves which we have heard as the Bereans examined the Doctrine of Paul some again without such reference as all holy exercises of singing of Psalms prayer meditation reading together with actions of mercy in laying aside as God hath blessed us for the use of the poor and in visiting and relieving the sick comfortlesse needy and the like all which are acts as well of holinesse toward God as of mercy toward men Especially we must know that it is our duty to meditate upon the great works of our Creation and Redemption and our eternal rest in heaven seeing the Sabbath is given us as a memorial of the two former and an assurance of the later that being the excellent rest our entring into which this holy rest doth point at and help unto We must not onely keep the Sabbath in the Church-meetings and solemn Assemblies though it be specially appointed for the publick worship but at home in our houses Levit. 23. 3. We must awake with God in the morning begin with him rise early spend not much time in dressing of our selves that day it is the Sabbath of the Lord have holy thoughts while we are dressing our selves pray to the Lord to pardon all our sins and to put us into a holy frame and yet finish all this so soon that we may be with the first in the publick Assembly We may after the first Sermon eat and drink but for spiritual ends and purposes that our bodies being refreshed we may be the fitter to serve God but must take heed of spending too much time or feeding too liberally which may cause drousinesse We must then season all with heavenly discourse Luke 4. from v. 1. to 25. We must not speak our own words After the publick worship is ended we must call our Families together and repeat what we have heard and catechize them in the principles of Religion Heb. 2. 1 3. the fourth Commandment sing Psalmes and pray At night we should blesse God for the mercies of the day lie down with a great deal of soul-refreshment sleeping in the bosom of Jesus Christ. And this is the matter of the duties to be performed the manner is to consecrate the same as a delight unto God with comfort and joy serving him on that day as we do with comfort and cheerfulnesse follow our common businesse on the week dayes as the Prophet Isaiah chap. 58. 13. expresly requireth And call the Sabbath a delight Call that is make or count an Hebrew phrase often used in Isaiah Sabbath Some by it understand the extraordinary Sabbath or day of Fast because in the beginning of the Chapter there is an expostulation about it Levit. 16. 31. but the Lord is now speaking of an entire reformation My holy day the Sabbath agree not so properly to an arbitrary Sabbath A delight LXX thy delicate things i. one of the choisest priviledges God hath given thee These are common duties The duty of Superiours specially is to look to their Inferiours and at least to keep them from prophanation of the Sabbath and so farre as their authority will bear to drive them at least to the outward celebration of it by resting and by joyning in the publick exercises of religion as the good Nehemiah did cause the people to sanctifie the Sabbath in his time and forbad Merchants to bring wares to Ierusalem on that day and as we see in the very words of the Commandment the Governour is appointed to rest and not himself alone but his whole Family There is 1. No liberty granted more to the Superiour then to the Inferiour but all of what state or condition soever must sanctifie the Lords day 2. Every Superiour standeth charged before God not onely for himself but for all those which the Lord hath put under his government that both he and all they sanctifie the Lords Sabbath or day of rest Ford on Command 4. This delight is spiritual in God as the proper object and in the Ordinances as the onely means to lead us unto God Iob 27. 10. Psalm 43. 4. Cantic 2. 3. Isa. 56. 7. Reasons 1. Because the duties of that day are higher we have then all the means of Communion with God 1. We have them in a more raised solemn way without any interruption there is then a double Institution not only of the worship but the time 2. It s a spiritual Feast a day of Gods appointment our recompence as well as our duty Neh. 2. 26. Ordinances are fodinae gratiae Isa. 12. 3. 3. This day we come to remember the highest favours of God to the creature to contemplate the works of Creation Gods rest and of Redemption Christs rest 1 Pet. 4. 1. and our own eternal rest Heb. 4. 9. the Sabbaths of the faithful are the suburbs of heaven Heb. 12. 23. the Lords Supper is heaven in a map Luke 14. 15. Mat. 26. 29. 4. Many of the duties of the day are but spiritual recreations meditation is the solace of the minde in the contemplation of Gods works Psa. 104. 34. Singing of Psalms is a vent for spiritual mirth Iam. 5. Eph. 5. 18 19. then God should be solemnly praised Ps. 92. 1 2. 5. It is the temper of the people of God to delight in his solemn worship Psa. 2. 1 Cor. 2. 12. Male concordat canticum novum vetus homo Aug. Psal. 84. 1 10. Psal. 122. 1. 6. Delight in the Sabbath is the best way to discharge the duties 1. With comfort delight sweetens all how will men toil at their sport Neh. 11. 8. 2. With profit Isa. 64. 5. God will not send them away sad which come into his presence with joy Means to delight in the Sabbath 1. Labour after the assurance of the pardon of your sins 2. Solemnly prepare for the duties of the Sabbath 3. Wean the heart from temporal pleasures Psal. 26. 8. 119. 37. 4. Esteem the Sabbath a priviledge that after six dayes of labour God should appoint us a day of rest he might have taken all our time 5. Treasure up the experience of former Sabbaths Psal. 63. begin 6. In case of deadnesse plead with your souls as David doth Psal. 42. Shall I go