such Secrets that they must not be spoken of again Or as if it were a shame to speak of that which will save us VI. Shut up the Sabbath-Evening with Repetition Singing of Psalms and Prayer Beg that God would bless the Word you have heard but I hope your Practice herein will prevent my farther speaking Could we but thus spend a Sabbath we might be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day Rev. 1.10 our Souls might be nourished and comforted And this Sabbath which we now keep would be an earnest of that everlasting Sabbath which we shall Celebrate in Heaven EXOD. XX. 8 Remember to keep the Sabbath-day Holy Vse I. See here a Christians Duty To keep the Sabbath-Day Holy 1. The whole Sabbath is to be Dedicated to God It is not said Keep a part of the Sabbath holy but the whole day must be religiously observed If God hath given us Six Days and taken but One to himself shall we grudge him any part of that Day It were Sacriledge The Jews kept a whole Day to the Lord and we are not to abridge or curtail the Sabbath saith St. Austin more than the Jews did The very Heathens by the Light of Nature did set apart a whole Day in the Honour of their False Gods And Scaevola their High Priest did affirm That the wilful Transgression of that Day could have no Expiation or Pardon Whoever do rob any part of the Sabbath for servile Work or Recreation Scaevola the High Priest of the Heathenish Gods shall rise up in Judgment against such Christians and condemn them And they who say that to keep a whole Sabbath is too Iudaical let them show where God hath made any Abatement of the Time of Worship where he hath said You shall keep but a Part of the Sabbath And if they cannot show that it argues much Boldness to go to rob God of his Due That a whole Day be design'd and set apart for God's special Worship is a perpetual Statute while the Church remains upon the Earth saith Pet. Martyr Of this Opinion also were Theodoret Austin Iraeneus and the Chief of the Fathers 2. As the whole Sabbath is to be Dedicated to God so it must be kept Holy You see the manner of sanctifying the Lord's Day by Reading Meditation Prayer hearing of the Word and by Singing of Psalms to make Melody to the Lord. Now besides what I have said for the keeping this Day holy let me make a short Comment or Paraphrase on that Scripture Isa. 58.13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thy own ways nor finding thy own pleasure nor speaking thy own words Here is a Description of the right sanctifying a Sabbath 1. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath That may be understood either Literally or Principally First Literally If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath that is If thou withdrawest thy Foot from taking long Walks or Journeys on the Sabbath-day So the Jewish Doctors expound it Or Secondly Spiritually If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath that is If thou turn away thy Affections the Feet of thy Soul from enclining to any worldly Business 2. From doing thy Pleasure on my holy Day That is Thou must not do that which may please the Carnal Part as Sports and Pastimes This is to do the Devil's Work on God's Day 3. And call the Sabbath a Delight Call it a Delight that is esteem it so Tho the Sabbath be not a Day for Carnal Pleasure yet holy Pleasure is not forbidden The Soul must take pleasure in the Duties of a Sabbath The Saints of old counted the Sabbath a Delight The Jews called the Sabbath Dies Lucis A Day of Light The Lord's Day on which the Sun of Righteousness shines is both a Day of Light and Delight This is the Day of sweet Intercourse between God and the Soul On this Day a Christian makes his Sallies out to Heaven his Soul is lifted above the Earth and can this be without Delight The higher the Bird flies the sweeter it sings On a Sabbath the Soul acts its Love to God and where the Love is there is the Delight On this Day a Believers Heart is melted q. d. quickned enlarged in Holy Duties and how can all this be and not a secret Delight go along with it On a Sabbath a gracious Soul can say as Cant. 2.3 I sat under his shadow with great delight and his Fruit was sweet to my taste How can a Spiritual Heart chuse but call the Sabbath a Delight Is it not delightful to a Queen to be putting on her Wedding Robes in which she shall meet the King her Bridegroom When we are about Sabbath-Exercises we are dressing our selves and putting on our Wedding-Robes in which we are to meet our Heavenly Bridegroom the Lord Jesus And is not this delightful On the Sabbath God makes a Feast of fat things he Feasts the Ear with his Word and the Heart with his Grace Well then may we call the Sabbath a Delight and to find this holy Delight is to be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day 4. The Holy of the Lord honourable In the Hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorious To call the Sabbath Honourable is not to be understood so much of an outward Honour given to it by wearing richer Apparel or having better Diet on this Day as the Jewish Doctors corruptly gloss This is the chief Honour some give to this Day But thou shalt call the Sabbath Honourable that is meant of the Honour of the Heart that we give to this Day reverencing it and esteeming it the Queen of Days We are to count the Sabbath Honourable because God hath honoured it All the Persons in the Trinity have honoured it God the Father blessed it God the Son rose upon it God the Holy Ghost descended on this Day Acts 2.1 And indeed this Day is to be honoured of all good Christians and had in high Veneration It is a Day of Renown On this Day a Golden Scepter of Mercy is held forth The Christian Sabbath is the very Crepusculum and Dawning of the Heavenly Sabbath It is honourable because this Day God comes down to us and visits us To have the King of Heaven present in a special manner in our Assemblies makes the Sabbath-day honourable Besides the Work that is done on this Day makes it honourable The Six Days are fill'd up with-servile Work which makes them lose much of their Glory but on this Day Sacred Work is done The Soul is employed wholly about the Worship of God it is Praying Hearing Meditating it is doing Angels Work Praising and Blessing of God Again The Day is Honourable by vertue of a Divine Institution Silver is of it self valuable but when the Royal Stamp is put upon it it is honourable
they cast their Crowns before the Throne they lay all their Honour at his Feet Thus they shew humble Adoration to the Eteral Essence Study God's Eternity it will make us adore where we cannot Fathom 2. Think of the Soul's Eternity As God is Eternal so he hath made us Eternal We are never-dying Creatures we are shortly entring upon an Eternal State either of Happiness or Misery Have serious thoughts of this Say O my Soul which of these two Eternities is like to be thy Portion I must shortly depart hence and whither then shall I go to which of these Eternities either of Glory or Misery The serious Meditation of the Eternal State we are to pass into would work strongly with us 1. Thoughts of Eternal Torment a good Antidote against Sin Sin tempts with its Pleasure but when we think of Eternity it may cool the intemperate Heat of Lust Shall I for the Pleasure of Sin for a Season endure eternal Pain Sin like those Locusts Rev. 9.7 seems to have on its Head a Crown like Gold but it hath in it a Tail like a Scorpion Verse 10. And a Sting in its Tail and this Sting can never be plucked out Shall I venture eternal Wrath is Sin committed so sweet as lying in Hell for ever is bitter This would make us flye from Sin as Moses from the Serpent 2. The serious Thoughts of Eternal Happiness would very much take us off from these Worldly Things we should not esteem much of them What are these Sublunary Things to Eternity they are quickly gone they salute us and take their Farewel But I am to enter upon an Everlasting Estate I hope to live with Him who is Eternal what is the World to me They who stand upon the top of the Alps the great Cities of Campania seem as small things in their eyes so he who hath his Thoughts fixed on his Eternal Estate after this Life all these things seem as nothing in his eye What is the Glory of this World how poor and contemptible compar'd with an Eternal Weight of Glory Aeternis inhianti in fastidio suns transito Bern. 3. To conclude The serious Thoughts of an Eternal Estate either of Happiness or Misery would have a powerful Influence upon whatsoever we take in hand Every Work we do promotes either a blessed or cursed Eternity every good Action sets us a step nearer to an Eternity of Happiness every bad Action sets us a step nearer to an Eternity of Misery O what Influence would the Thoughts of Eternity have upon our Religious Duties it would make us do them with all our Might A Duty well performed lifts a Christian higher towards Heaven and sets a Christian a step nearer to a blessed Eternity GOD's Vnchangeableness THE next Attribute is God's Unchangeableness Mal. 3.6 I am Iehovah I change not 1. God is unchangeable in his Nature 2. In his Decree 1st Unchangeable in his Nature 1. There is no Eclipse of his Brightness 2. No Period put to his Being 1. No Eclipse of his Brightness His Essence shines with a fixed Lustre Iam. 1.17 With whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning Psal. 102.27 Thou art the same All created Things are full of Vicissitude 1. Princes and Emperours are subject to Mutation Sehostris an Aegyptian Prince having subdued divers Kings in War made them draw like Horses in his Chariot as if he intended to turn them to Grass as God did King Nebuchadnezzar The Crown hath many Successors 2. Kingdoms have their Ecclipses and Convulsions What is become of the Glory of Athens the Pomp of Troy Iam seges est ubi Troja fuit Kingdoms tho' they have a Head of Gold yet Feet of Clay 3. The Heavens change Psal. 102.25 26. As a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed The Matter of the Elements as it is more pure so more firm and sollid the Heavens are the most ancient Records where God hath written his Glory with a Sun-beam yet these shall change though I do not think they shall be destroyed as to their substance yet they shall be changed as to their qualities They shall meâ—t with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3.12 and so be more refin'd and purifi'd Thus the Heavens shall be changed but not He who dwells in Heaven With him is no Variableness or Shadow of Turning 4. The best Saints have their Eclipses and Changes look upon a Christian in his Spiritual Estate and he is full of Variation though the Seed of Grace doth not dye yet the Beauty and Activity of it doth often wither A Christian hath his Aguish Fits in Religion sometimes his Faith is at an high Tide sometimeâ— low Ebâ— somtimes his Love flames and at another time like Fire hid in the Embers and he hath lost his first Love How strong was David's Grace at one time 2 Sam. 22.3 The God of my rock in him will I trust At another time I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul What Christian can say he doth not find a Change in his Graces that the Bow of his Faith doth never unbend the Strings of his Viol do never slacken Sure we shall never meet with such Christians till we meet them in Heaven But God is without any Shadow of Turning 5. The Angels were subject to Change they were created Holy but Mutable Jud. 6. The angels which kept not their first estate Those Morning-stars of Heaven were falling Stars But God's Glory shines with a fixed Brightness In God there is nothing looks like a Change no better or worse no better in him because then he were not perfect nor worse in him for then he should cease to be perfect He is immutably Holy immutably Good There is no Shadow of Change in him Object Christ who is God assumed the Humane Nature here was a Change Resp. If indeed the Divine Nature had been converted into the Humane or the Humane into the Divine here had been a Change but not so The Humane Nature was distinct from the Divine therefore there was no Change As suppose a Cloud cover the Sun this makes no Change in the Body of the Sun so though the Divine Nature be covered with the Humane this makes no Change in the Divine Nature 2d There is no Period put to his Being 1 Tim. 1.16 Who only hath immortality The Godhead cannot die 1. An Infinite Essence cannot be changed into a Finite but God is Infinite 2. He is Eternal Ergo he is not Mortal to be Eternal and Mortal is a Contradiction Use 1. See here the Excellency of the Divine Nature in its Immutability this is the Glory of Godhead Mutableness denotes Weakness it is not so in God he is the same Yesterday and to Day and for ever Heb. 13.8 Men are fickle and mutable like Ruében Unstable as water Gen. 49.4 They go in changeable Colours 1. They are changeable in their Principles sometimes Protestant sometimes Papist if their Faces altered as fast as their Opinions
not he like to to be well cured that throws himself into Hell for ease 3. Sin produceth all Temporal Evil. Lam. 1.8 Ierusalem hath grievously sinned ergo she is removed It is the Trogan Horse it hath Sword and Famine and Pestilence in the Belly of it Sin is a Coal that not only blacks but burns Sin creates all our Troubles it puts Gravel into our Bread Wormword in our Cup. Sin rots the Name consumes the Estate buries Relations Sin shoots the flying Roll of God's Curses into a Family and Kingdom Zach. 5.4 It is reported of Phocas having built a Wall of mighty strength about his City there was a voice heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sin is within the City and that will throw down the Wall 4. Sin unrepented of brings final damnation The canker that breeds in the Rose is the cause of its perishing and corruptions that breed in Mens Souls are the cause of their damning Sin without Repentance brings the second death Rev. 20.14 that is mors sine morte Bern. a death always dying Sins pleasure will turn to sorrow at last like the Book the Prophet did eat Ezek. 3.3 sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly Sin brings the wrath of God and what Buckets or Engines can quench that Fire Mark 9.44 Where the worm never dies and the fire is not quenched Use 1. See how deadly an evil sin is how strange is it that any one should love it Psal. 4.3 How long will ye love vanity Hos. 3.1 Who look to other Gods and love Flagons and Wine Sin is a Dish Men cannot forbear though it make them sick who would pour Rose-water into a Kennel what pity is it so sweet an affection as Love should be poured upon so filthy a thing as sin Sin brings a sting in the Conscience a curse in the Estate yet Men love it A sinner is the greatest Self-denier for his sin he will deny himself a part in Heaven Use 2. Do any thing rather then sin O hate sin there is more evil in the least sin then in the greatest bodily Evils that can befall us The Ermyn rather chooseth to die then defileth her beautiful skin There is more evil in a drop of sin then in a Sea of Affliction Affliction is but like a rent in a Coat Sin a prick at the Heart In Affliction there is aliquid boni some good In this Lion there is some Hony to be found Psal. 119.71 It is good for me that I was afflicted Utile est animae si in hac area mundi flagellis trituretur corpus Aug. Affliction is God's Flail to thrash off our Husks not to consume but refine There is no good in sin it is the spirit and quintissence of Evil. Sin is worse then Hell for the pains of Hell only are a burden to the Creature but sin is a burden to God Amos 2.13 I am pressed under your iniquities as a Cart is pressed under the sheaves Use ult Is Sin so great an Evil then how thankful should you be to God if he hath taken away your sin Zach. 3.3 I have caused thy iniquity to pass from thee If you had a Disease on your Body Plague or Dropsie how thankful would you be to have it taken away much more to have sin taken away God takes away the guilt of sin by pardoning grace and the power of sin by mortifying grace O be thankful that this sickness is not unto death That God hath changed your Nature and by grafting you into Christ made you partake of the sweetness of that Olive that sin though it live doth not reign but the elder serves the younger the elder of sin serves the younger of grace ADAM's SIN Quest. XI WHat was the Sin whereby our first Parents fell from the Estate wherein they were created Resp. The Sin was their eating of the forbidden Fruit Gen. 3.6 She took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also to her husband Here is implied 1. That our first Parents fell from their State of Innocency 2. The Sin by which they fell Eating the forbidden Fruit. 1. Our first Parents fell from their glorious State of Innocency Eccles. 7.29 God made man upright but they have sought out many inventions Adam was perfectly Holy he had Rectitude of Mind and Liberty of Will to good but his head aked till he had invented his own and our Death he sought out many Inventions 1. Adam's Fall was voluntary he had à Posse non Peccare a Power not to Fall Free-will was a sufficient Shield to repel Temptation the Devil could not have forced him unless he had given his Consent Satan was only a Suitor to woe not a King to compel but Adam gave away his own Power and suffer'd himself to be decoy'd into Sin Like a young Gallant who at one throw looseth a fair Lordship Adam had a fair Lordship he was Lord of the World Gen. 1.28 Have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth But he lost all at one throw As soon as he had sinned he forfeited Paradise 2. Adam's Fall was sudden he did not long continue in his Royal Majesty Quest. How long did Adam continue in Paradise before he fell Resp. Tostatus saith he fell the next day Pererius saith he fell the eighth day after his Creation But the most probable and received Opinion is That Adam fell the very same day in which he was created So Irenaeus Cyril Epiphanius and many others The Reasons which incline me to believe so are 1. It is said Satan was a murderer ab initio from the beginning Joh. 8.44 Now whom did he murder Not the blessed Angel he could not reach them nor the cursed Angels for they had before destroyed themselves How then was Satan a Murderer from the beginning As soon as Satan fell he began to tempt Mankind to Sin this was a Murdering Temptation By which it appears Adam did not stay long in Paradise soon after his Creation the Devil set upon him and murdered him by his Temptation 2 Argument to prove that Adam fell the same day he was created Adam had not yet eaten of the Tree of Life Ver. 22 23. And now least he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat the Lord sent him forth of the garden This Tree of Life being one of the choicest Fruits in the Garden and being placed in the midst of Paradise it is very like Adam would have eaten of this Tree of Life one of the first had not the Serpent beguiled him with the Tree of Knowledge So that hence I conclude Adam fell the very day of his Creation because he had not yet tasted the Tree of Life that Tree that was most in his Eye and had such delicious Fruit growing upon it 3 Argument from Psal. 49.12 Man being in honour abideth not The Rabbins read it thus Adam being in Honour
we prefer Gods glory before our own Credit Fama pari passu ambulat cum Vita Credit is a Jewel highly valued like precious Ointment it casts a fragrant smell but Gods glory must be dearer then Credit and Applause We must be willing to have our Credit trampled upon if Gods glory may be raised higher Acts 5.41 The Apostles rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were graced so far as to be disgraced for Christ. 2. Do we prefer Gods glory before our Relations Relations are near they are of our Flesh and Bone but Gods glory must be dearer Luke 14.26 If any Man come after me and hate not Father and Mother he cannot be my Disciple Here odium in suos is Pietas in Deum If my Friends saith Ierome should perswade me to deny Christ if my Wife should hang about my Neck if my Mother should show me her Breasts that gave me suck I would trample upon all and fly to Christ. 3. We must prefer Gods glory before estate gold is but shining dust Gods glory must weigh heavier If it comes to this I cannot keep my place of Profit but Gods glory will be eclipsed here I must rather suffer in my Estate then Gods glory should suffer Heb. 10 34. 4. We must prefer Gods Glory before our life Rev. 12.11 They loved not their own lives to the Death Ignatius called his Fetters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Spiritual Jewels he wore them as a Chain of Pearl Gordius the Martyr said it is to my Loss if you bate me any thing of my Sufferings This Argues grace Crescent and elevated in an high Degree Who but a Soul inflamed in love to God can set God highest in the Throne and prefer him above all private Concerns II. The second thing in the Petition is the Matter of it Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie Give us this day our dayly Bread The sum of this Petition is that God will give us such a Competency in these outward things as he sees most expedient for us it is much like that Prayer of Agur Prov. 30.8 Feed me with Food convenient for me give me a Viaticum a Bait by the way enough to bear my Charges till I come to Heaven and it sufficeth Let me explain the Words Give us this day our dayly Bread Give hence note that the good things of this life are the gifts of God He is the Donor of all our Blessings Give us not only Faith is the gift of God but Food not only dayly Grace is from God but daily Bread every good thing comes from God Iam. 1.17 Every good Gift is from above and comes down from the Father of Lights Wisdom is the gift of God Isa. 28.26 His God doth instruct him to Discretion Riches are the gift of God 2 Chron. 1.12 I will give thee riches Peace is the gift of God Psal. 147.14 He makes peace in thy borders Health which is the cream of Life is the gift of God Ier. 30.17 I will restore health to thee Rain is the gift of God Iob 5.10 Who giveth rain on the earth all comes from God He makes the Corn to grow and the Herbs to flourish VSE I. See our own poverty and indigence we live all upon alms and upon free gift Give us this day All we have is from the hand of Gods Royal Bounty We have nothing but what God gives us out of his Storehouse we cannot have one bit of Bread but from God The Devil perswaded our first Parents that by disobeying God they should be as Gods Gen. 3.5 but we may now see what goodly Gods we are that we have not a bit of bread to put in our mouths unless God give it us Here is an humbling Consideration Br. 2. Is all a gift then we are to seek every Mercy from God by Prayer Give us this day The Tree of Mercy will not drop its Fruit unless shaken by the hand of Prayer Whatever we have if it doth not come in the way of Prayer it doth not come in the way of Love 't is given as Israels Quails in anger If every thing be a gift we do not deserve it we are not fit for it unless we ask for this alms and must we go to God for every Mercy How wicked are they who instead of going to God for food when they want they go to the Devil they make a compact with him and if he will help them to a livelyhood they will give him their Souls Better starve than go to the Devil for provender I wish there be none in our Age guilty of this who when they are in want use indirect means for a livelyhood they consult with Witches who are the Devils Oracles the end of these will be fearful as that of Saul was whom the Lord is said to have killed because he asked counsel at a familiar spirit 3. If all be a Gift then it is not a Debt we cannot say to God as that Creditor said Matth. 18.28 Pay me what thou owest Who can make God a Debtor or do any Act that is obliging and meritorious Whatever we receive from God is a gift We can give nothing to God but what he hath given us 1 Chron. 29.14 All things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee David and his People offered to the building of Gods House Gold and Silver but they offered nothing but what God had given them Of thâ—ne own have we given thee If we love God God it is that hath given us an Heart to love him if we praise him he both gives us the Organ of the Tongue and puts it in Tune if we give Almes to others God hath given Almes to us first so that we may say We offer O Lord of thine own to thee Is all of Gift how absurd then is the Doctrine of Merit That was a proud speech of a Fryar that said Redde mihi Vitam Aeternam quam debes Give me Lord Eternal Life which thou owest me We cannot deserve a bit of Bread much less a Crown of Glory If all be a Gift then Merit is exploded and shut out of doors 4. If all be a Gift Give us this day then take notice of Gods goodness there 's nothing in us can deserve or requite Gods kindness yet such is the sweetness of his Nature he gives us rich Provision and feeds us with the finest of the Wheat Pindar saith it was an opinion of the People of Rhodes that Iupiter rained down Gold upon the City God hath rained down golden Mercies upon us he is upon the giving hand Observe three things in Gods giving 1. He is not weary of giving the springs of Mercy are ever running God did not only dispence Blessings in former Ages but he still gives gifts to us As the Sun not only inricheth the World with its Morning light but keeps Light for the Meridian The Honey-comb