sometimes wander out of the path in which we should perish if God did not reclaim us from our wandering Now it is his work to restore our souls that is to keep us from going on still in our By-paths therefore we may come and press it He is inclined to shew favour to those who confess their Errors and for the glory of his Grace and constant Love and sworn Covenant he will not be unmindful of us 3. He delights to guide us in our wanderings Luk. 15. 4 5. The good shepherd leaves the Ninety nine and seeks out the stray'd sheep upon the Hills and Mountains and brings it home upon his own shoulders rejoycing It 's a pleasing thing to Christ to be reducing strayed souls Ezek. 34. 4. He was angry with the under-shepherds and rebukes them because they discharged not their Duty the diseased have you not strengthned c. and he promiseth his own care ver 6. I will seek that which was lost 4. He will bear with our infirmities and if humbly sought to will take care of us We straggle sometimes out of weakness and out of Vanity of spirit and loose our selves through our own folly therefore Christ saith I will seek that which was lost Sometimes we are driven away by Wolves Christ will fetch us back again that we may not be meat for their mouth If sin be as a breach upon Conscience he will heal that wound and bind up the broken If we be weak ready to straggle he will confirm us and strengthen us more and more Having such a shepherd this should encourage us more to go to him V. Here 's Caution take heed not to run into infirmities as if it were matter of nothing why they must be Repented and it is part of wilfulness voluntarily and allowedly to do that which he must undo again and necessarily be repented of as David confesseth his Error Little sins allowed and customarily committed on the presumption of a Pardon they are not infirmities but are of a dangerous nature If you indulge iniquity you loose your Claim as those that are devoted to God you will hazard this if you indulge your straying humour and consider even infirmities may cost us dear for though they do not make void the Eternal Reward yet usually God reduceth us not by internal Grace but by some smart Providence as David Psal. 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray God will teach you your Duty by Briars and Thorns by sharp Affliction And where the distemper is more rooted in us if it be not an Act only but a kind of rooted Distemper then the dispensation of Gods Providence may be very sharp As Pauls Thorn in the Flesh when he was apt to be lifted up in Pride he prays thrice the Lord was Terrible to him possibly it was the Stone or Gout some wracking Pain 2 Cor. 12. Though he prays God would not release him but still keeps the pain and trouble upon him so our strayings will cost us dear To be sure they must cost us Repentance but they may cost us a great deal of sorrow in the World We should not incur the hazard of Gods Temporal Displeasure Again you have no Assurance and Command of the Time and Measure of the Spirits Assistance and therefore if you give way to little failings they may become grievous Enormities in the end and when you grieve the Spirit you do what lies in you to drive him from you and provoke him to suspend his Assistance the longer And therefore grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. FINIS Advertisement THere is lately Published Twenty select Sermons Preached by the late Reverend and Learned Divine Dr. Thomas Manton and since his Death Published by Dr. William Bates in Quarto Also Eighteen Sermons on the second Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians Containing the Description Rise Growth and Fall of Antichrist with Cautions and Arguments to establish Christians against the Apostacy of the Church of Rome By Dr. Tho. Manton Published likewise by Dr. Will. Bates Sold by I. Robinson and B. Aylmer in Octavo A. Funeral Sermon Preached upon the Death of the Reverend and Excellent Divine Dr. Tho. Manton who Deceased October 18 1677. By William Bates D. D. To which is now added the last Publick Sermon Dr. Manton Preached In Octavo All three Printed for Brabazon Aylmer at the three Pigeons against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil AN Alphabetical TABLE Directing the READER to the Principal Matters contained in the foregoing SERMONS A. ABle God able to perform his promise p. 548. Abhorrence of sin more then hatred p. 1008 Absolution of God dischargeth the Law Conscience and Satan p. 39 Abundance of Mercies in God p. 316 Acceptance of prayer before its answer p. 166 Acceptation of our services must be sought after p. 725 God Accepts no bodily service without that of the soul p. 1045 God Accepts the Heart when it is 1. Broken 2. Renewed 3. Purified by Faith 4. Acted by Love p. 1046 Account must be given to God shortly p. 572. 39. 457 Accomplishment of promises to be diligently observed p. 447 Acknowledgement of God in Afflictions p. 138 Acknowledgment of Mercy a great Duty Reasons Uses of it p. 445 446 They that acknowledg justice may expect Mercy p. 511 Acknowledge the benefit of all Afflictions due to Gods Spirit p. 465 Justice and Faithfulness of God in afflicting must be acknowledged p. 509 Acquittance from Sin and acquittance from Hypocrisie p. 61 Acted They that are acted by God act under him p. 223 Actions a better discovery of our Thoughts then Words p. 10 Action is the perfection of the habits of Grace p. 32 Action not only required but good principles p. 859 Acting in spiritual duties sits us for duty p. 160 Activity in duty a sign of the quickening Spirit p. 935 Actual consent to the Covenant required p. 707 Actual Grace necessary as well as habitual p. 313 Uses of actual grace 1. To Direct us in the exercise of Grace received 2. To excite the habits of Grace 3. To strengthen us in the operation 4. To fortifie against Temptations p. 779. Necessity of actual Grace on three Accounts p. 779. 242 Actual thinking of God an eminent duty at certain Seasons p. 1055 Adam Vide Man Admonition Impatience under it a sign of pride p. 521 Advantages that Spiritual Enemies have over us p. 76 Advantages by Gods first work of Grace upon us 1. Inclination towards what is good 2. Preparation of Heart to Holy Actions 3. Power to do good p. 241. 242. Taking up Religion upon the Account of Temporal Advantages reproued p. 342 Affections Twofold 1. Affections of aversation 2. Affections of choice and pursuit p. 2. 680. 1006 Affection to the Word necessary in order to our keeping it p. 10. 34. God delights in them p. 246 Affections easily bribed p. 450 Affections without knowledge not Good p.
in present delights and contentments The loss of God's favour carnal men know not how to value but the Saints prefer it above life the favour of God is better than life Psal. 63. 3. therefore if the Lord do but suspend the wonted manifestations of his grace and favour how are their hearts troubled Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal. 30. 7. A child of God that lives by his favour cannot brook his absence therefore when they lose the sweet sense of his favour and reconciliation with him O what a trouble is this to their souls Other men make no reckoning of it at all And so for sin common spirits value it only by the damage that it doth to their worldly interests when it costs them dear they may hang the head Jer. 2. 9. Now know what an evil and bitter thing it is to forsake the Lord. A worldly man may know something of the evil of sin in the effects of it but a child of God seeth into the nature of it they value it by the wrong by the offence that is done to God and so are humbled more for the evil in sin than for the evil after sin So for the wrath of God carnal men have gross thoughts of it and may howl upon their beds when their pleasant things are taken from them but God's children are humbled because their Father is angry they observe more the displeasure of God in afflicting Providences than others do and one spark of God's wrath lighting into their consciences O what sad effects doth it work more than all other straits whatsoever Thus they have a clearer understanding they see more into the dreadfulness of God's wrath into the evil of sin and they know how to prize and value his favour more than others 2. They have delicate and tender affections Grace that gives us a new heart doth also give us a soft heart Ezek. 36. 26. I will put a new heart into them what kind of heart a heart of flesh as the old heart that is taken out is a heart of stone A new soft heart doth sooner receive the impression of divine terror than another heart doth A stamp is more easily left upon wax or a soft thing than upon a stone Or thus a slave hath a thicker skin than one nobly born tenderly brought up therefore he is not so sensible of stripes A wicked man hath more cause to be troubled than a godly man but he is not a man of sense he hath a heart of stone and therefore is not so affected either with God's dealings with him or his dealings with God Look as the weight of the blows must not only be considered but the delicateness of the constitution so because their hearts are of a softer and more tender constitution being hearts of flesh and receptive of a deeper impression therefore their sorrows exceed the sorrows of other men Thirdly The good that they expect is exceeding great and their exercise is accordingly for after the rate of our comforts so are our afflictions Wicked men that have nothing to expect in the World to come but horrors and pains they wallow now in ease and plenty Luk. 16. 25. Son in thy life-time thou receivedst thy good things God will be behind-hand with none of his creatures those that do him common service have common blessings in a larger measure than his own people have they have their good things that is such as their hearts chuse and affect But now good men that expect another happiness they must be content to be harras'd and exercis'd that they may be fitted and prepared for the enjoyment of this happiness As the stones that were to be set in the Temple were to be hewn and squar'd so are they to be hewn squar'd and exercised with bitter and sharp things that they may be prepared for the more glory USE 1. Then carnal men are not fit to judg of the Saints when they report their experiences if it be with them above the rate of other men When afflicted consciences speak of their wounds or revived hearts of their comforts their joys are supernatural and so are their sorrows and therefore a natural man thinks all to be but fancy all those joys of the Spirit that they are but Fanatick delusions and he doth not understand the weight of their sorrows When a man is well to see to and hath health strength and wealth they marvel what should make such a man heavy all their care is to eat drink and be merry and therefore because they are not acquainted with the exercises of a feeling conscience they think all this trouble is but a little mopishness and melancholy Poor contrite sinners who are ready to weep out their hearts at their eyes can only understand such expressions as these My soul melteth away for heaviness There 's another manner of thing in trouble of conscience than the carnal world doth imagine and many that have all well about them great Estates much befriended and esteemed in the world yea for the best things yet when God hides his face poor souls how are they troubled If he do but let a spark of his wrath into conscience and hide his face from them it 's a greater burden to them than all the miseries of the world David was a man valiant that had a heart as the heart of a Lyon 2 Sam. 17. 10. He was a man cheerful called the sweet Singer of Israel 2 Sam. 23. 1. of a ruddy sanguine complexion and a great Master of Musick He was no fool but a man wise as the Angel of God and yet you see what a bitter sense he had of his spiritual condition And when a man so stout and valiant so cheerful so wise complains so heavily will you count this mopishness and foolish melancholy But alas men that never knew the weight of sin cannot otherwise conceive of it they were never acquainted with the infiniteness of God nor power of his anger and have not a due sense of Eternity therefore they think so slightly of these matters of the spiritual life USE 2. Be not too secure of spiritual joys We warn you often of security or falling asleep in temporal comforts and we must warn you of this kind of security also in spiritual All things change You may find David in this Psalm in a different posture of spirit sometimes rejoycing in the Word of God above all riches and at other times his soul melteth away for very heaviness God's own people are liable to great trouble of spirit therefore you should not be secure as to these spiritual enjoyments which come and go according to God's pleasure Men that build too much upon spiritual suavities or sensible consolations occasion a snare to their own souls partly as they are less watchful for the present like Mariners which have been at Sea when they get into the Haven take down their tackling and make merry and think never to see
ruine We have instances of a Council gathered against Christ Joh. 11. 47. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a Council and said What do we for this man doth many miracles They meet together and plot the ruine of Christ and his Kingdom and they were those that were of chief Authority in the place Another instance Acts 4. 27 28. For of a truth against thy holy Child Iesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done There is their agreement to put Christ to death In the Old Testament Pharaoh and his Nobles Exod. 1. 10. Come on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to pass that when there falleth out any war they joyn also unto our enemies and fight against us and so get them up out of the land And against Daniel the Princes of the Persian Empire consult how to intrap him in the matter of his God Dan. 6. 4 5 6 c. 2. For abusing the Throne of Judgment and Civil Courts of Judicature to the molestation of the Saints I shall cite but two places Psal. 94. 12. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee which frameth mischief by a Law It is no strange but yet no small temptation that the oppression of Gods people is marked with a pretence and colour of Law and publick Authority and the mischief should proceed from thence where it should be remedied namely from the Seat of Justice so Mat. 16. 17 18. Christ foretelleth they shall have enemies armed with Power and Publick Authority Beware of men for they will deliver you to the Councils and they shall scourge you in their synagogues and ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my sake Not only subordinate but supreme Governours may be drawn to condemn and oppress the godly In so plain a case more instances need not Reasons of it on Gods part and on the part of the Persecutors First On Gods part he permitteth it 1. To shew that he can carry on his work though Authority be against him and that his people do not subsist by outward force but the goodness of his Providence and so have the sole glory of their preservation When the Christian Religion came first abroad in the world not many noble nor many mighty were called the Powers of the world were against it and yet it held up the head and was dispersed far and near Falshoods need some outward interest to back them and the supports of a Secular arm but Gods Interest doth many times stand alone though God doth now and then make Kings nursing fathers and Queens nursing-mothers according to his promise Isa. 49. 23. Oftentimes the Church is destitute of all worldly props Mic. 5. 7. And the remnant of Iacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord as the showers upon the grass that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sons of men Yea the power of the world is against it and yet it subsists Thus it was in the primitive times there were only an handful of contemptible people that professed the Gospel yet it got ground daily not by force of arms or the power of the long sword but by Gods secret blessing Ambrose giveth the reason why God suffered it to be so Ne videretur authoritate traxisse aliquos veritatis ratio non pompae gratiâ praevaleret lest this new Religion should seem to be planted with power rather than by its own evidence and the authority of men should sway more with the world than the Truth of God There is a wonderful encrease without any human concurrence as the Lord saith The remnant of his people shall be as a dew from the Lord that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the sons of men Without mans consent or concurrence So that God alone hath the glory of their preservation 2. That the patience of his people may be put to the utmost probation When they are exercised with all kind of trials not only the hatred of the vulgar but the opposition of the Magistrate carried on under a form of Legal procedure In the primitive times sometimes the Christians were exposed to the hatred and fury of the people Lapidibus nos invadit inimicum vulgus At other times exposed to the injuries of Laws and persecutions carried on by authority against them There was an uproar at Ephesus against the Christians Acts 19. and there seemed to be a formal Process at Ierusalem Acts 4. This latter temptation seemeth to be the more sore and grievous because Gods Ordinance which is Magistracy is wrested to give countenance to malicious designs and because it cuts off all means of human help and so patience hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its perfect work James 1. 4. There are some glory in suffering the rage and evil word of the Vulgar for they are supposed not to make the wisest choice but when men of Wisdom and Power and such as are clothed with the Majesty of Gods Ordinance are set against us then is patience put to the utmost proof and whether we regard God or man most and who is the object of our fear those that have power of life and death temporal or him that hath power of life and death eternal 3. That his people may be weaned from fleshly dependencies and doting upon Civil Powers and so be driven to depend upon him alone Psal. 94. 20 21 22. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee which establish mischief by a Law they gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous and condemn the innocent blood But the Lord is my defence and my God is the rock of my refuge There would not be such use of faith and dependance upon God if our danger were not great It is harder to trust in God with means than without means We are beaten out when outward helps fail otherwise we are apt to neglect God and then a world of mischief ensueth When the Emperor of the Romans began to favour the Christians poyson was said to be poured into the Church and in the sun-shine of worldly countenance like green timber they began to warp and cleave asunder and what Religion got in breadth it lost in strength and vigour Gods people never live up to the beauty and majesty of their Principles so much as when they are forced immediately to live upon God and depend upon him for their safety 4. That their testimony and witness-bearing to Gods truths may be the more publick and authentick in the view of the world This testimony is either to them for their conviction and conversion Mat. 24. 14. And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all Nations or against them Mark 10.
cease not to love and pity them though it were long of their fear they did not enjoy the like liberty themselves Thirdly As to the continuance of this Separation It was made upon good grounds and it is still to be continued upon the same grounds The Roman Church is not grown better but worse and that which was before but meer practice and custom is since established by Law and Canon and they have ratified and owned their errors in the Council of Trent And now Antichrist is more discovered and God hath multiplied and reformed the Churches and blessed them with his gifts and graces and the conversion of many souls surely we should not now grow weary of our Profession as if Novelty only led us to make this opposition If we shall think so slightly of all the truths of God and blood of the Martyrs and all this a-do to bring things to this pass that Christ may gain ground and we should tamely give up our cause at last as some have done implicitely and others shrink and let the Papists carry it quietly it is such wickedness as will be the brand and eternal infamy of this generation If Hagar the bond woman that hath been cast out should return again and vaunt it over Sarah the lawful wife the mischiefs that would follow are unspeakable God permitted it to be so for a while in Queen Maries days and what precious blood was shed during that time we all know and shall we again return to the Garlick and Onions of Egypt as being weary of the distractions of the Wilderness and expose the Interest of Christ meerly for our temporal good which we cannot be secured of neither Therefore since this Separation was not unjust without cause nor unnecessary without sufficient cause and since it was carried on with so much meekness and Christian lenity and since Rome is not grown better but worse rather surely we have no reason to be stumbled at for our departure from that Apostatical Church In short This Separation was not culpable it came not from error of mind they went out from us but they were not of us 1 Joh. 2. 19. Not from corruption in manners These are those that separate themselves sensual not having the spirit Jude v. 19. Not from strife and contention like those Separations at Corinth where one was of Paul another of Apollo c. 1 Cor. 1. 12. Not from pride and censoriousness like those that said Stand further off I am holier than thou Isa. 65. 5. Not from coldness and tergiversation as those that forsook the assembling of themselves together because they were in danger of this kind of Christianity Heb. 10. 25. but from Conscience and this not so much from the Christians as from the Errors of Christians from the corruptions rather than the corrupted there is no reason we should be frighted with this suggestion But now because that Separation is good or evil according to the causes of it let us a little consider the state of Rome when God first summoned his people to come out of this Spiritual Babylon and if it be the same still there is no cause to retract the change The state of it may be considered either as to its Government Doctrine or Worship the Tyranny of their Discipline and Government the Heresie of their Doctrine and the Idolatry of their Worship And if our fathers could not and if we cannot have communion with them without partaking of their sin it is certain the Separation was and is still justifiable First As to their Government Three things are matter of just offence to the Reformed Churches 1. The Universality or vast Extent and Largeness of that Dominion and Empire which they arrogate 2. The Supremacy and absolute Authority which they challenge 3. The Infallibility which they pretend unto And if there were nothing else but a requiring a submission to these things so false so contrary to the tenor and interest of Christianity this were ground enough of Separation 1. The Universality of Headship over all other Churches this the people of God neither could nor ought to endure Suppose the Roman Church were sound in Faith in Manners in Discipline yet being but a particular Church that it should challenge such a right to it self in giving Laws to all other Churches at its own pleasure and that every particular Society which doth not depend upon her beck in all things should be excluded from hope of salvation or not counted a fellow-Church in the communion of the Christian Faith this is a thing that cannot be endured That the Pope as to the extent of his Government and Administration should be Universal Bishop whose Empire should reach far and near throughout the world as far as the Church of Christ reacheth this as to matter of fact is impossible as to matter of right is sacrilegious As to matter of fact it is impossible because of the variety of Governments and different Interests under covert of which the particular Churches of Christ find shelter and protection in all the places of their dispersion and therefore to establish such an Empire that shall be so pernicious to the Churches of Christ which are harboured abroad it is very grievous and partly by reason of the multitude and diversity of those things that belong to Governments which is a Power too great for any created understanding to wield As to matter of right it is sacrilegious for Christ never instituted any such Universal Vicar as necessary to the unity of his Church But here was one Lord Jesus and one God and one Faith but never in union under one Pope And therefore we see in Temporal Government God hath distributed it into many hands because he would not subject the whole world into one as neither able to manage the affairs thereof or brook the Majesty of so large an Empire with that meekness and moderation as becomes a creature It is too much for meer man to bear Now Religious concernments are more difficult than Civil by reason of the imperfection of light about them and it would easily degenerate into superstition and idolatry therefore certainly none but a God is able to be head of the Church 2. The Authority of making Laws consider it either as to matter or form the matter about which it is exercised or the authority it self their intollerable boldness and proud ambition is discovered in either As to the matter about which this Power is exercised for temporal things God hath committed them to the care of the Magistrate and it is an intrusion of his right for the Pope to take upon himself to interpose in Civil things to dispose of States and Kingdoms a power which Christ refused Man who made me a judg over you Luk. 12. 14. As to matter of Religion some things are in their own nature good and some evil some things of a middle nature and indifferent As to the first God hath established them by his Laws as
grace to them is an argument why he will give more grace to them Two things will be here discussed 1. The necessity of the efficacious assistance of grace that we may walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing 2. How acceptable a frame of heart it is when we are once brought to delight in the ways of God Doct. 1. For the first That God from first to last doth make us to go in the path of his Commandments David was a renewed man a man that had gotten his heart into a good frame for he owneth his delight in the paths of Gods Commandments yet he begs for new strength and quickning Make me to go Lead or walk me Sept. First That at first conversion God maketh us go in the path of his Commandments that 's clear by Scripture for it is said Ephes. 2. 10. That we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them When we are renewed we are as it were created over again there is a power given us that we had not before to do this work Clearly the Apostle doth not speak there of the first Creation the end of our first Creation was to serve God but he speaks of supernatural renovation for he saith We are created in Christ Iesus There was a twofold Creation at first Ex nihilo ex inhabili materia either that which God created out of nothing or if out of pre-existent matter yet such as was wholly unfit and indisposed for those things that were to be made of it Now this latter suits with us We are created in Christ Iesus to good works that is we were altogether indisposed before to that which is good We have our natural powers but they are wholly vitiously inclined till the Lord worketh on us and infuseth a principle of new life till then we cannot do any thing that is spiritually good But when the Lord createth us anew he furnisheth us with an inward power and ability to do good What David prays for Make me to go in the way of thy commandments God promiseth Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes God puts his spirit a new principle of grace When the Gospel is proposed to a man his will must be determined by something either by an object or a quality not by the proposal meerly of the object without for the Scripture shews there must be some work upon the heart some Divine quality infused within to incline and bend us to what is good Well then first there must be an infusion of the principles of grace In sinning there the mischief began with an act Adam sinned and that infected his nature But in grace the method is contrary the principle must be before the action God first sanctifieth our natures and then we act holily and this difference there is between acquired and infused habits Acquired habits follow action for frequent acts beget an habit as often swimming makes us expert in swimming and much writing expert in writing but gracious habits are infused and so preceed the act as a wheel runs round not to make it self round but because it is round Indeed there is a farther radication of grace by frequent acts as the means which God blesseth Now by this first work of grace we have three advantages 1. An inclination and tendency towards what is good As all natures imply a propensity to those things which agree to such a nature As sparks fly upward and a stone moves downward it 's their natural propensity so in the new nature there 's a new bent and tendency of heart which is to live unto God Gal. 2. 19. there 's an inclination towards God and holy things and therefore the Apostle presseth them by virtue of this grace received to act according to the tendency of the new nature Rom. 6. 13. Yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead that 's his argument As soon as the life of grace is infused the soul bends towards God 2. A preparation of heart for holy actions There is a principle that will carry them to it These Vessels are fitted and prepared for their Master's use and are prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 2. 21. they are fitted and rigged for all holy actions and employments Eph. 2. 10. Created unto good works which God hath prepared that we should walk in them He hath prepared them for us and us to them There is a sutableness in the new nature to what God requireth As every creature is furnished with power and faculties sutable to those operations that belong to them so when the Lord infuseth the principles of grace and works upon the heart we are suited to every good work so that we need not new faculties but new operations of grace to excite and move us A ship that 's rigged and fitted with sails ready for a voyage needs a Pilot to guide and steer it so we need influences of grace Therefore when the Spirit is shed upon us afterwards it is in another manner than upon the unregenerate The unregenerate are objects of grace but the renewed are instruments of grace he works upon the one but he works by the other 3. There is a power and an ability to do good works when we are renewed if otherwise one of God's most precious gifts would be in vain if we were altogether without strength That 's the description of carnal nature Rom. 5. 6. We were without strength therefore there is a power which must be improved not rested in Gal. 5. 25. If ye live in the spirit walk in the spirit There is an operation that accompanieth every life and if there be a life of grace there will be a walking And Col. 2. 6. As ye have received Christ so walk in him Grace received must not lye idle but be put forth into act Thus God creates and infuseth such divine qualities as may give us a tendency and preparation of heart and strength to do that which may be pleasing to him Secondly He vouchsafeth his quickning actuating assisting grace for the improving these principles infused that their operations may be carried forth with more success Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes God gives not only life but the constant motion of that life Natural things do not act without his daily Providential influence and therefore it is said Prov. 20. 12. God gives the hearing ear and the seeing eye not only doth give the eye and ear the faculty but the act of hearing and act of seeing he concurs to that and therefore God concurs by his actual assistance sometimes in a more liberal and plentiful manner by the freer aids and assistances of his grace and sometimes more sparingly according to his own pleasure He doth not only give us the habits of grace he worketh all
him according to his declared Will We continually depend upon him every moment In him we live and move and have our being Acts 17. 28. and surely Dependance should beget Observance and therefore Men should be loth to break with God or carefull to reconcile themselves to him on whom they depend every Moment Acts 12. 20. Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon but they came with one accord to him and having made Blastus the Kings Chamberlain their Friend desired peace because their Country was nourished by the Kings Country Therefore it is extreame Unthankfulness Stupidity and Brutishness for them to carry themselves so unthankfully towards God who giveth them Life and Being and all things The Bruites themselves who have no capacity to know God as the first Cause of all Being yet take notice of the next hand from whence they receive their Supplies Isa. 1. 3. The Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib and in their kind express their Gratitude to such as feed them and make much of them but Wicked men take no notice of the God who hath made them and kept them at the expence and care of his Providence and hath been beneficial to them all their days but as they slight their Law-giver so they requite their great Benefactour with unkindness and Provocation 4. It is a disowning of his Propriety in them as if they were not his own and God had not power to doe with his own as he pleaseth The Creature is absolutely at God's dispose not onely as he hath a Jurisdiction over us as our Law-giver and King over his Subjects but as a Proprietary and Owner over his Goods A Prince hath a more absolute Power over his Lands and Goods then over his Subjects God is not onely a Ruler but an owner as he made us out of nothing and bought us when worse then nothing and still keepeth us from returning into our original nothing and shall those who are absolutely his own withdraw themselves from him and live according to their own Will and speak and doe what they list what is this but a plain denyal of God's Propriety and Lordship over us as those Psalm 12. 4. Who have said With our Tongues will we prevaile our Lips are our own who is Lord over us surely it should strike us with horrour to think that any Creatures should thus take upon them Sin robbeth God of his Propriety in the Creatures If we consider his natural Right Sin is such an Injury and Wrong to God as Theft and Robbery if we consider our own Covenant as we voluntarily acknowledge God's Propriety in us so it is Adultery breach of Marriage Vow and with respect to the devoting and consecrating our selves to him so it is Sacriledge 3. It is a contempt of God's glorious Majesty What else shall we make of a plain contest with him or a flat contradiction of his holy Will for whilst we make our depraved Will the Rule and Guide of our Actions against his holy Will we plainly contend with him whose Will shall stand his or ours and so justle him out of the Throne and pluck the Crown off his Head and the Scepter out of his Hands and usurpe his Authority and so slight the Eternal Power of this glorious King as if he were not able to avenge the wrong done to his Majesty and we could make good our party against him 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to Iealousie are we stronger then he Isa. 45. 9. Woe to him that striveth with his maker let the Potsherd strive with the Potsherds of the Earth surely they that strive with their Maker will find God too hard for them Now all these and many more Considerations should make a Serious Christian sensible when he considereth how God is dishonoured in the World 2. Their Punishment This relateth to the Sanction by Penalties and Rewards They that forsake the Law have quite devested themselves of all Hope and cast off all dread of Him The Law offereth Death or Life to the Transgressors and Observers of it Deut. 30. 15. Behold I have set before you Good and Life Death and Evil. Now this is as little believed as the Precept is obeyed and thence cometh all their Boldness in sinning and Coldness in Duty 1. God allureth us to Obedience by Promises of this World and the next which if they were believed Men would be more forward and ready to comply with his Will As to the Promises of the next World he hath told us of Eternal Life Surely God meaneth as he speaketh in his Word he will make good his Word to the Obedient but the Sinner thinketh not so and therefore is loth to undergoe the Difficulties of Obedience because he hath so little Sense and Certainty of fulfilling the Promise The Apostle telleth us Heb. 11. 6. That without Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently serve him implying that if the Fundamental Truths of God's Being and Bounty were believed we could not be so careless as we are not so barren and unfruitfull as we are but Unbelief lyeth at the botton of all our Carelesness 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. They that know what a Reward is prepared for the Righteous cannot but be serious and diligent themselves and pity others and be troubled at their neglect Oh what a good God they deprive themselves off and throw away their Souls for a Trifle But because the Lord knoweth how apt we are to be led by things present to Sense that work strongly upon our Apprehensions and that things absent and future lie in another World and wanting the help of Sense to convey them to our Minds make little impression upon our Hearts therefore God draws us to our Duty by present Benefits Even Carnal Nature is apt to be pleased with these kind of Mercies Protection Provision and worldly Comforts Psal. 119. This I had because I kept thy Precepts Matth. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable to all things having the promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come But alas the naughty Heart cannot depend on God for the Effects of his common Goodness Men distrust Providence and therefore take their own Course which is a grief and trouble to a gracious Heart to see they cannot depend on God for things of a present Accomplishment 2. The other part of the Sanction are his Threatnings and Punishments Now in what a direfull Condition are all the deserters of God's Law besides the loss of Heaven there is Eternal fire which is the portion of the Wicked
being near of kin to him she comes in a cunning manner under pretence to worship him and propounds a general question to him she does not at first propose the particular but says in general I have a certain thing to request of thee And what was her Request That one of my sons may sit on thy right hand and the other on the left in thy kingdom Saith Christ To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father Mark out of this Story you learn how apt Christ's own Disciples are to dote upon worldly honor and greatness The sons of Zebedee Iames and Iohn those two worthy Disciples employ their mother to Christ in such a message they were dreaming of earthly Kingdoms and worldly honor that should be shared between them notwithstanding Christ taught them rather to prepare for Crosses in this world Do but reflect the light of this upon your own hearts Do we think we are better than those Apostles And that it is an easie thing to shut the love of the world and the honor thereof out of our hearts since they were so inchanted with the witchery of it therefore Christ tells them ver 22. Alas poor Creatures ye know not what ye ask can you pledge me in my Cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with We know not what we do when we are hunting after high places in the world we are to pledge Christ in his bitter Cup before our advancement come Nay to prove this is not only the bare worldlings disease but it is very incident to the choicest of God's people for after Christ had suffer'd and rose again the Apostles were not dispossess'd of this humor but still did dream of worldly ease and honor therefore they come to Christ with this question Acts 1. 6. Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel meaning in the Iewish sense break the Roman yoke and give them power and dominion over the Nations hoping for a great share to themselves when this work was done Thus you see humane weakness and the love of worldly honor bewrays itself in Christ's own Disciples One instance more in Ier. 45. 5. of Baruch Seekest thou great things for thy self seek them not Baruch he was Ieremiah's Scribe had written his Prophesie and believed it that dreadful Roll written it over yet he was seeking some great thing for himself The best are apt to think they shall shift well enough for themselves in the world therefore saith Ieremiah for thou to have thoughts of honor and credit and a peaceful and prosperous Estate when all is going to rack and ruine never dream upon such a matter Now judge whether there be not great cause that God should bring his people to such a condition that they should carry their life in their hands from day to day that he might cure them of this distemper 4. That they may value Eternal Life the more which they would not do if they had a stable condition here in the world After death there will be a life out of all danger and a life that is not in our hands but in the hands of God none can take that life from us which God keepeth in Heaven Now that they might look after this life and value and prize it the more they are expos'd to hazards and dangers here The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. 19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable When they find the present life incumbred with so many sorrows and expos'd to so many dangers then they conclude surely there 's a better and safer estate for the people of God elsewhere in Heaven God's people cannot be of all men most miserable there is another life they have hopes in Christ and for other things therefore they long for it and look for it Heb. 13. 14. Here we have no abiding city but we seek one to come All things are liable to uncertainties and apparent troubles that we might look after that estate where the sheep of Christ shall be safely lodg'd in their eternal fold now God by their condition doth as it were say to them as Micah 2. 10. Arise this is not your rest Your stable comforts your everlasting enjoyments are not here here all our comforts are in our hands ready to deliver them up from day to day 5. God doth by his righteous Providence cause it to be so that his People carry their life in their hands to try their affections to him and his Word When we sail with a full stream of Prosperity we may be of God's side and party upon foreign and accidental reasons now God will see if we love Christ for his own sake and his ways as they are his ways when separated from any temporal interest yea when expos'd to scorn disgrace and trouble It is easie to be good when it costs us nothing and the wind blows in our backs rather than in our faces the state of affairs is for us rather than against us Halcyon times and times of rest are times of breeding the Church but stormy times are times of trying the Church 1 Pet. 4. 12. Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing hapned unto you God will put us into his Furnace there will a fiery trial come to see if we have the same affection to truth when it is safe to own it and when it is dangerous to own it when it is hated and maligned in the world Few Professors can abide God's trial Zech. 13. 9. I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined and will try them as gold is tried When two parts fall away there 's a third part refined and tried by trials When the generality proves dross or chaff or stubble in the Furnace there are some good metal preserved and shine brighter for trial as their zeal is increas'd and their grace kept more lively and their faith and dependance upon a continual exercise God will try whether we can live upon invisible supports and go on chearfully in the performance of our duty in the midst of all difficulty without these outward encouragements They are proved that they may be improved 6. God doth cause such things to befal his People to shew his power both in their preservation and in over-ruling all those cross Providences for their good 1 His power in their preservation when they have no temporal interests to back them God will shew he can preserve his People Psal. 97. 1. The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoice let the multitude of isles be glad thereof It is well that the Lord reigns else how could his People stand The Lord reigns and the multitude of Isles they have a share in the joy and benefit One
glorified it and will glorifie it again There was the innocent inclination of his humane Nature Father save me from this hour and the over-ruling sense of his duty or the obligation of his office But for this cause came I to this hour We are often tossed and tumbled between inclinations of Nature and Conscience of Duty but in a gracious heart it prevaileth above the desire of our own comfort and satisfaction the Soul is cast for any course that God shall see fittest for his Glory Nature would be rid of trouble but Grace submitteth all interests to Gods Honour that should be dearer to us than any thing else were it not selfishness and want of zeal that would be our greatest interest SERMON CXXXIV PSAL. CXIX VER 122. Be Surety for thy Servant for good let not the proud oppress me USE It informeth us what reason there is to pray and wait with submission to the will of God God will answer us according to our trouble not always according to our will He is wiser than we for he knoweth that our own will would undo us If things were in our own hands we would never see an ill day and in this mixt estate that would not be good for us But all Weathers are necessary to make the Earth fruitful Rain as well as Sun-shine We must not mistake the use and efficacy of prayer We are not as Sovereigns to govern the World at our pleasure but as Supplicants humbly to submit our desires to the supream Being Not to command as Dictators and obtrude any module upon God but to sollicite as servants Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion Psal. 51. 18. If we would have things done at our pleasure we should be the Judges and God only would have the place of the Executioner Our wills would be the supream and chief reason of all things But this God cannot endure therefore beg him to do good but according to his own good pleasure 1. Let us submit to God for the mercy it self in what kind we shall have it whether temporal spiritual or eternal If God see ease good for us we shall have it if deliverance good for us we shall have it Psal. 128. 2. or give us strength in our souls or hasten our Glory We should be as a Die in the hand of Providence to be cast high or low as God pleaseth 1 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 2. Let us submit for the time Though Jesus loved Lazarus yet he abode still two days in the same place when he heard he was sick Iohn 11. 6. It is not for want of love if he doth not help us presently nor want of power Christ may dearly love us yet delay to help us even in extremity till a fit time come wherein his Glory may shine forth and the mercy be more conspicuous He doth not sleight us though he doth delay us he will chuse that time which maketh most for his own Glory Submit to Gods dispensations and in due time you shall see a reason of them 3. Let us submit for the way and means We know not what God is a doing Iohn 13. 6 7. Then cometh he to Simon Peter and Peter saith unto him Lord dost thou wash my feet Iesus answered and said unto him What I do thou knowest not but thou shalt know hereafter No wonder we are much in the dark if we consider first that the Worker of these works is Wonderful in counsel and excellent in working Isai. 28. 29. infinitely beyond Politicians whose projects and purposes are often hidden from us therefore much more his Secondly That the ways of his working are very strange and imperceptible for he maketh things out of nothing Rom. 4. 17. And calleth those things that be not as though they were one contrary out of another as light out of darkness 2 Cor. 4. 6. meat out of the Eater Enemies catched in their own Snare Thirdly That his end in working is not to satisfie our sense and curiosity Isai. 48. 7. They are created now and not from the beginning even before the day when thou heardest them not lest thou shouldest say Behold I knew them Isai. 42. 16. I will bring the blind by a way they know not I will lead them in paths that they have not known He chuseth such a way as may leave enemies to harden their hearts Mic. 4. 12. But they know not the houghts of the Lord neither understand they his counsel for he shall gather them as the Sheaves into the Floor Secondly I now come to the literal explanation and there we have I. The evil deprecated Oppress me II. The persons likely to inflict it The proud I. The evil deprecated Let not the proud oppress me The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them not calumniate me The Septuagint take this word for oppression or violent injustice and therein are followed by St. Luke Chap. 3. 14. Chap. 19. 8. Doctr. Oppression is a very grievous evil and often deprecated by the people of God 1. I shall shew you what oppression is It is an abuse of power to unjust and uncharitable actions That it is an abuse of power appeareth by the object of it who are those that are usually oppressed that is either the poor and needy Deut. 24. 14. Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy whether he be of thy brethren or of thy strangers within thy Gates the fatherless and the widow are mentioned Ier. 7. 6. Ye shall not oppress the stranger the fatherless and the widow the stranger Zach. 7. 10. And oppress not the widow nor the fatherless the stranger nor the poor and Exod. 22. 21 22 23. Thou shalt neither vex a stranger nor oppress him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless Child if thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all to me I will surely hear their cry 2. The Subject or Agent by whom 't is practised The proud the mighty rich great man at least comparatively in regard of the wronged party Eccl. 4. 1. And on the side of their oppressours there was power but the oppressed had no comforter Job 35. 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressours they make the oppressed cry and by reason of the arm of the mighty Secondly The base and mean when they get power into their hands to oppress the rich noble and honourable Isai. 3. 5. And the people shall be oppressed every one by another and every one by his neighbour the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable It is commonly more insolent and cruel and contemptuous and despightful Prov. 28. 3. A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain that leaveth no food When men do unjust and uncharitable actions as when men bear it proudly or insolently towards them throwing them out of
God restored in us Ephes. 4. 24. The new man is created to restore in some measure those abilities we lost in Adam God never yet gave man a liberty to be free from the obligation of the Moral Law He would not pardon any sin against it without satisfaction made by Christ and believed and pleaded by sinful man Christ merited and God restored the Spirit of sanctification that men might keep it He will not spare his own Children when they transgress against it by heinous and scandalous sins as to temporal punishments Prov. 11. 31. The righteous man shall be recompenced upon Earth much more the wicked and the sinner Psal. 30. 31. David and Eli both smarted for their sins No man hath interest in Christ unless he return to the obedience of this Law 1 Cor. 9. 21. To them that are without Law as without Law being not without Law to God but under the Law to Christ that I might gain them that are without Law Rom. 8. 1 2. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit For the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death No interest in mercy else Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule peace and mercy be upon them We cannot have full Communion with God till we perfectly obey it Ephes. 5. 27. That he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but it should be holy and without blemish 2. The great priviledg of the Covenant of Grace is To be taught Gods Statutes or to have a real impress of them upon the heart and mind which is the way of Divine teaching Heb. 8. 10. For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those days saith the Lord I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people He will cure us of our wickedness weakness and carelesness and inable us to keep his Law 't is Gods undertaking to do so and that out of free Grace and favour for he is not indebted to us 't is to give us knowledge of them and power to keep them Much of the Law natural cannot be severed from it and that is the reason why the Heathens have the Law written upon their hearts Rom. 2. 15. But the writing is very imperfect both as to knowledge and power to keep it God will imprint them more perfectly this is the true Notion of the Law By the mind is meant understanding by the heart the rational appetite In the mind is the directive counsel in the will the imperial and commanding power There is the prime mover of all humane actions he giveth an apprehensive and perceptive power whereby we apprehend things more clearly and effectually desire and affect spiritual delights Use 1. Is to refute the claim of them that would plead mercy but would still go on in their own ways blessing themselves in their sins Till our hearts and minds are suited to Gods Law by a permanent tincture of holiness we are not fit Subjects to ask mercy and the promises of the Covenant 2. If we would have this effect we must go to God who alone can work upon the immortal Soul to reform mould or alter it a new man or Angel cannot do it they may by sense and fancy teach him many things but to make these lively impressions must be the work of the Spirit SERMON CXXXVII PSAL. CXIX VER 125. I am thy Servant give me understanding that I may know thy Testimonies IN this Verse he repeateth his Plea and Request also In the former Verse he mentioneth the relation of a servant and prayeth Teach me thy Statutes And here again First Asserteth his relation to God I am thy servant and Secondly Reneweth his Request Give me understanding Thirdly The fruit and effect of the Grant That I may know thy Testimonies or Then I shall know This repetition hath its use this repeating his relation to God sheweth That where the Conscience of our Dedication to God and our endeavours to serve him is clear and sincere we should not easily quit our claim Deal with thy Servant in mercy yea Lord I am thy servant I have my failings but Lord 't is in my heart to serve thee I can and will avow it as long as I live Our defects and disallowed failings do not deprive us of the title of being Gods Servants we may take comfort in it and assert our interest in the promises as long as we delight to do his will And though unbelief opposeth our claim we must remove it in the face of all objections Christ puts Peter to a threefold assertion of his love to him Iohn 21. 'T is supposed we do not lye in these redoubled professions of our respect and service to God Secondly This renewing his Request sheweth his earnestness to encrease in spiritual understanding Savoury and powerful knowledge of Divine things is in itself so excellent a benefit and our necessity of it is so great that we cannot enough pray for it Only observe that in the former Verse the Notion was Statutes here Testimonies Statutes are that part of Gods Word which we should obey Testimonies that part which we should believe viz. the promises But this may be too critical the words being taken in this Psalm in a greater latitude Doctr. That 't is a good Plea when we want any mercy spiritual or temporal to be able to plead that we are Gods servants I. That there are a sort of people that in a peculiar manner are Gods servants II. These may plead it when they want any mercy spiritual or temporal I. That some are in a peculiar manner Gods Servants The Saints of God are so called 't was Moses's honour They sung the Song of Moses the servant of the Lord. So Ios. 1. 1. Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord. So Paul asserts it of himself Acts 27. 23. The God whose I am and whom I serve Here is a true description of a Christian Man he is Gods and serveth God he is Gods by special appropriation and communion with God He serveth God that is walketh answerable to his relation and is ever about Gods work Elsewhere he describeth himself by his service Rom. 1. 9. My God whom I serve in my spirit 1 Tim. 1. 3. God whom I serve with a pure conscience But to know who in a peculiar manner are Gods servants we must distinguish 1. God is served actively and passively by necessity of Nature or voluntary choice Passively by necessity of Nature all Creatures even the inanimate are his servants Psal. 119. 91. They continue this day according to thine ordinances for all are thy servants But actively to serve him out of
seriously not upon example barely or tradition or fear or constraint or some base respects or sinister ends or some sudden pang or motion but after serious and due deliberation out of judgment rightly informed and affection thereon grounded do engage themselves to perform humble service to God without limiting or power of revocation give up themselves wholly to follow his directions 2. Gods servants have work to do none of them must be idle Matth. 20. 6. Why stand ye here all the day idle Luke 1. 74 75. That we may serve him in holiness and righteousness all our days Phil. 2. 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Acts 24. 16. Herein do I exercise my self to keep a good conscience void of offence We must not put hands in bosome having so much work to do Many presume of being Gods Servants but it is only in the Notion they do nothing for him 3. This service must not be done grudgingly but heartily Isai. 56. 6. And the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord to serve him to love the name of the Lord and be his servants Deut. 10. 12. To love the Lord thy God and serve him God will not be served but out of love not by necessity and constraint We must yield obedientiam Servi but not servilent we are delivered from a slavish spirit Rom. 8. 15. We have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear Gods service must be gone about with ready affection and good-will The respect which we shew to God is called service in regard of our strict obligation to it but obedience in regard of our readiness of mind to perform it Secondly Not sleightly but with reverence and zeal Mal. 1. 6. If I be a master where is my fear Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling and Phil. 2. 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling and Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service God will not be put off with any thing by the by 't is a lessening of his Majesty I am a great King Thirdly It must be done constantly not by fits He that is Gods servant never ceaseth from his work their feasting walking sitting sleeping waking hungry thirsty hearing or praying 't is all for God He that doth any of these things merely for himself to gratifie the flesh doth not act as Gods servant Acts 26. 16. Serve God instantly day and night Fourthly Orderly All things in Gods service must be regarded according to their weight Rom. 14. 18. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men that is the main things not in contests about Ceremonies if others carry these matters beyond their weight let not us 't is not a pin to chuse what party a man is of if he doth not mind righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost as if a servant should provide Sauce for his Master and neglect to provide Meat 4. Our great end and scope must be to please God They are true servants that make it their business to please their master Isai. 56. 6. They chuse the things that please me and take hold of my Covenant John 8. 29. The father hath not left me alone for I do always the things that please him 1 Thess. 4. 1. I exhort you all by the Lord Iesus Christ that as you have received of us how to walk and please God so ye would abound more and more and 1 Iohn 3. 22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and do the things which please him So Heb. 11. 5. Enoch had this testimony that he pleased God The property of a servant is not to please himself They that set themselves to please God observe his will in all things There is a great pleasing in the world but few make it their business to please God All Inferiours please their Superiours on whom they depend and shall not we please God who is infinitely greater than man and on whom we depend every moment for all that we enjoy Use. Are we Gods servants We all say so but we speak out of Conviction of Conscience rather than out of inclination of heart not what de facto is but what de jure should be and 't is well that we come so far as to owne Gods right Professio ipsa saith Hilary habet Conscientiae necessitatem non habet Confessionis veritatem 1. If it be so then God is our chiefest good and highest Lord whom we study to please and gratifie 'T is certain that is our master which hath the greatest part in us and power and influence over us Matth. 6. 24. No man can serve two masters Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Rom. 16. 18. They serve not our Lord Iesus Christ but their own belly Phil. 3. 19. Whose God is their belly 'T was a speech of Luther Venter in omni Religione est potentissimum Idolum It doth all with men Where the belly is served Christ is neglected So far as his service will comply with the interest of the belly or a quiet pleasureful life so far they can be zealous their Religion must feed them and maintain them or else they care not for it Iohn 6. 26. they followed Christ for the Loaves mind Religion for outward advantages When our interest and Christs service go contrary-ways we can dispense with our Duty to God for the sake of this 'T is clear to be servants is to want a power and right to dispose of our selves our actions and employments While any other thing hath an interest in us to dispose of us we are not Gods servants but that thing that hath such a power with us is our Master 2. A Servant is chiefly known by obedience Rom. 6. 16. To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey Luke 12. 47 48. And that servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will c. Men may talk high for God know much but whom do we ordinarily obey When the Flesh bids us go we go come we come If pride bids us display the pomp of wit in our Duties or to hang out the Ensigns of our vanity we yield straight If lust bid us pamper the flesh we presently obey if covetousness bid take the wedge of Gold we do it But when a man knoweth any thing to be the mind of God and prepareth his heart to do it he is one of Gods Servants 3. A Servant of God is one that the sight of Gods will is reason enough to him 1 Thess. 5. 18. This is the will of God The will of God must be the prime and prevalent Motive with a Christian they are servants not to do their own will but his whose
they can bear the open dishonouring and blaspheming of God This is the true sense but because the heart is deceitful First Be sure your Cause be good your Adversaries evil that ye may say Psal. 74. 22. Arise O Lord plead thine own Cause 'T is not for your sins but your sins but your righteousness the hatred is not against the body Indeed they pretend some little faults 'T is as if a Leper should hate a man because he hath some pimples in his face Something they would lay to their charge Secondly That we use all means with God and Men to reclaim them praying for them Matth. 6. 44. Pray for them that despightfully use you Mourning for their sins Ier. 23. 19. My soul shall weep in secret for your pride Heaping Coals of fire upon their heads by all acts of kindness condescending to them as far as possibly we can Rom. 12. 18. These arts become his Kingdome that is not to be planted by force but consent them that would have the zeal of God not of a party Thirdly Be sure your principle be zeal for Gods Glory not a desire to establish your own interest and to see revenge on a party that differeth from you Luke 9. 54 55. You know not what spirit you are of Religious affections overset us and fleshly zeal puts on a holy spiritual Guise and Mask and we think 't is for the honour of Christ. Fourthly Not against particular persons but the opposite faction to godliness In general destroy all the enemies of Christ c. Secondly For the manner How We must seek to God first with submission not prescribing to God nor making a snare to our selves We that have short and revengeful Spirits cannot judge aright of Gods patience which is infinite out of fleshliness and affection to our own ease And so our times Iohn 7. 6. your time is always ready if none of these be yet we are limited Creatures and great is the wisdom of God and his power admirable it doth not belong to us to guide the affairs of the world Psal. 78. 41. We must not prescribe opportunity to him fixing times Besides that it argueth a spirit too much addicted to and eying of temporal happiness It doth much unsettle us and harden others The Devil maketh advantage of our disappointment Therefore not only when it seemeth seasonable to us we may seek to him for deliverance Once more there are other things concurr besides the enemies ripeness for Judgment preparing his peoples hearts fitting those instruments for his work therefore all is left to Gods will and let him take his time Use of all is to teach us how to behave our selves in these times with patience and yet with hope and waiting 'T is the time of Iacob's trouble but there will be a time of deliverance Ier. 30. 7. With patience God will have a time to chastise his people We must bear it patiently it will make Crosses sit easie they may be greater and longer than our joys Psal. 90. 15. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen evil Secondly With hope let us expect it Certainly it will not exceed the time limited by God That time is not long Isai. 13. 22. Her time is near to come and her days shall not be prolonged Ezek. 12. 21. to 28. And the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man what is that Proverb that ye have in the land of Israel saying The days are prolonged and every vision faileth Tell them therefore Thus saith the Lord I will make this Proverb to cease and they shall no more use it as a Proverb in Israel but say unto them The days are at hand and the effect of every vision for there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel for I am the Lord. I will speak and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass it shall be no more prolonged Faith should see it as present approaching and then let us wait his leisure minding God in prayer SERMON CXXXIX PSAL. CXIX VER 127. Therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold IN the Words we have I. A Note of inference Therefore II. The Duty inferred I love thy Commandments III. The degree of that love Above Gold amplified by the repetition with some advantage in the expression Yea above fine Gold III. Gold by a Senechdoche is put for all worldly things the comforts and profits of this life as in many other places as Psal. 19. 10. More to be desired are they than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey Comb. The two Bastard Goods with which the World is inchanted are pleasure and profit Old people are all for profit young people are all for pleasure Now both these truly so called are found in the Word of God So in Prov. 8. 10 11. Receive my instruction and not silver and knowledge rather than choise gold for Wisdom is better than Rubies and all the things that are to be desired are not to be compared to it So Prov. 8. 19. My fruit is better than gold yea than fine gold and my revenues than choise silver So Prov. 3. 14. For the merchandise thereof is better than gold and the gain thereof than fine gold So Prov. 16. 16. How much better is it to get Wisdom than Gold and to get Understanding rather to be chosen than silver This Comparison is used so often for two Reasons 1. Because it is more prized in the World All things that have a goodness in them have a certain Bait suitable to the several Appetites of men but in most mens opinions Gold seemeth chiefly to be desired partly for its beauty but chiefly for its use it being the great instrument of Commerce that doth all things in the world The corruption of mans heart addeth a greater price to it and therefore is the thirst of it so unsatisfied Now the Word and that wisdom and godliness which it teacheth is far above Gold and fine Gold 2. Because it is the usual temptation to draw off men from the love and study and obedience of the Word Babylon's abominations are offered to the world in a golden Cup Rev. 17. 4. And the Woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with Gold and precious Stones and Pearls having a golden Cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication Preferments are the Baits of that black Religion True Christianity consists in sound Graces Pseudo-Christianity in pomp and state and worldly advantages and the Apostle telleth us 1 Tim. 6. 10. That the love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have erred from the faith Therefore doth the spirit of God so often compare spiritual things to Gold and here David preferreth his love to the Word before Worldlings love to
Christianity He that would please God had need of a tender Conscience that he may wholly frame himself to do the will of God and not only take care to be right for the main of his course but that every particular action should be orderly and regular for the man of God does not beg Grace here to chuse a right path but that his steps may be ordered This is the strictness of Christianity that a man should make conscience of every step that every action should be under the power of Grace and fall within the rules of the Word It needs to be so Why Because the Word of God is not only a general rule to shew us our path but a particular direction to order our steps Psal. 119. 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path to my feet as well as my path Every action or step of ours is morally considered in its own tendency either a step to Heaven or Hell if good a step to Heaven if evil a step to Hell therefore we had need make Conscience of our steps Besides if we do not make Conscience of our steps we shall not make Conscience of our way for he that is not faithful in a little will not be faithful in much Every wry step is so far out of the way and the more we persist in it the more we wander Therefore see what is required of Christians 1 Pet. 1. 15. Be holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every Creak and Turning of your lives In all manner of conversation A man that would approve himself to God must be good in all Conditions in all his businesses affairs all the Ages of his life young or old in actions civil sacred If his Condition be prosperous or adverse when in adversity or prosperity he must carry himself as a Christian he ought still to approve himself to be a hater of sin and a lover of what God loves In all his affairs not only in his religious actions but in his civil and common actions Godliness is not a Holy-day-Suit but an Apparel that is of constant wearing and therefore a Christian is to shew himself a Christian in all things though especially in those things which are solemn and most weighty a Christian in his prayers a Christian in his business in his recreation in his meals a Christian in the disposal of himself and condition a Christian in all his converses I lay this for a foundation Certainly here are steps spoken of the Holy Man would have them ordered and that by the strictness of Christianity so that no one particular action must allowedly be sinful You see what need there is of direction Careless and slight spirits that only look upon Christianity in the lump they think that truths are few and easie and that the art of holy living is soon learned and they do not see a need of this ordering our ways and to be willing to please God in all things But those that count the least sin to be a very heavy burthen a greater evil than the greatest temporal loss that make it their business to approve themselves to God in all things they put their hands unto will be earnest and importunate with him for his Grace 2. The necessity of the word of God Whoever will please God in all things and will purge his own soul and his life from sin must take the Word of God for his rule and direction Our lives are not to be framed according to our own fancies but Gods Word where the genuine holiness is recommended to us and which is the only proper means to work the heart to it I shall prove that the Word of God is the great Rule both to warn us of our dangers and to instruct us in our Duties and so it is the great means to sanctifie the heart I say it is the great Rule to warn us of our dangers Psal. 19. 11. Moreover by them is thy servant warned This discovers temptations inconveniences snares which otherwise we should never discern There are many dangers that wait for us on every side So Psal. 17. 4. Concerning the works of men by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer It is the only proper means to keep us from the paths of the destroyer Alas otherwise if we do not strictly consult with his Statute and Rule we shall cry up a Confederacy with those that cry up a Confederacy against God we shall embrace the temptation which opportunity offers if he follow the guidance of his deceived and deceiving heart And the Word of God doth only discover our Duties to us Prov. 6. 23. For the Commandment is a lamp and the Law is light and reproofs of instruction are the way of life Mark what ever condition we are in whether in the night or whether in the day whether in this or that condition here we have a lamp and light here 's that which will shew us what God requires of us in every state and condition Now as this is the only Rule so it is the only appointed means with which God will associate the operation of his Grace for the converting and curing of the souls of men For when God had stated a Rule for the Creature it is fit the knowledge of that might be a means of sanctification so the Word is commended to us Iohn 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth If the Holy Ghost will sanctifie if he will beget not an Apocryphal and Bastardly Holiness that may be by the institutions of men and rules men prescribe but a genuine true holiness which is acceptable to God put them into a capacity to serve love and enjoy God Psal. 119. 9. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way By taking heed thereto according to thy Word A young man that is in the heat of his lusts and in the ruff of his sin is impetuously carried away how shall he do to break this boysterous violence and bring his heart into some competent way of obedience to God Why the Word of God is the only means the Lord interposeth by his Word and blesseth his Word Let a man read Seneca Plato Plutarch all the Philosophers he will have but cold and faint respects to holiness and to better things until he come to be exercised in the Word of God Man is not a Vessel that comes newly out of the Potters Shop but he hath a smatch of the old infusion of sin and he cannot have this taste and tang put out but by the Word of God sanctifying his heart and breaking the power of his lusts Psal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul. We are out of joynt unfit to please and serve God now how shall a man do to get his soul set in joynt again that he may be in a capacity to serve and enjoy God Why this restores the soul to a capacity
powerful to Convert from one Religion to another from one state to another 1. From one Religion to another have any of the nations changed their gods Ier. 2. 11. there needs much ado to bring men from a false Religion wherein they have been brought up how vain and foolish soever it be yet this power the Word hath Though the Doctrine of a Crucified Christ were so distastful partly as now drawing men from their old Temples and Altars and Ceremonies wherein they were educated especially as incredible offering Life by one that died and partly as contrary to the carnal Gust as requiring Duties distastful to flesh and blood and ingaging in Troubles and Persecutions yet it prevailed 2. Converting men from a state of Nature to a state of Grace so that they are as it were born To bring men to hate what they naturally love and love what we naturally hate 't is hard to alter the nature of things Isa. 11. 6. To quicken the Dead to purifie the Unclean confirm the Weak to meeken the Proud and Passionate Oh who would not reverence such a Word such a Law and Doctrine as can do all this yet this and much more hath the Word done 3. It s Authority Eccl. 8. 3 4. Where the word of a King is there is power or Authority to back it how is it where God's is We reckon not of the words of a private Person though never so wise Eccl. 9. 14 15 16. The poor mans wisdom is despised and his words are not heard Where the command of a King cometh it cometh with Authority for he hath power to back it and to avenge himself on whosoever shall contradict it but wise counsel where there is no Authority to enforce it is little regarded but now with God is Soveraign Majesty and in his Word wherein Sentence is pronounced concerning every Person and Action according to which Judgment doth proceed and will be executed 2. Reason is taken from the matter of the Word 't is direction about our Everlasting concernments Deut. 32. 46 47. Set your hearts unto all the things which I command you this day for it is not a vain thing it is your life In a matter of Life and death a man cannot be too exact and nice yea in the obedience or disobedience of the Word Life or Death Eternal is concerned yea in every action morally considered the Word telleth you what is the Merit of it and what will be the Event or an evil or a good estate Man would fain know his destiny whether happy or miserable here you may know whether you shall live for ever with God Man in his Laws doth not Threaten or Promise beyond his Power his Power reacheth to mens outward Estate and no further and is only limited to the bounds of the present Life therefore the sanction of their Laws are never extended beyond the Promises or Threats of present and outward Good to give or take away mens Liberty Wealth Estate Life at most But God Threatneth everlasting Fire Matth. 25. 41. Promiseth an Inheritance Immortal 1 Pet. 1. 4. As God commandeth inward Holiness Righteousness Love so Eternal Rewards and Eternal Penalties things that concern us more nearly than Estates Liberties Peace yea our Lives themselves 3. Reason Because of the profit of standing in Awe of the Word 1. It fortifieth us and preserveth us in such Temptations as arise from the Fear of Man where there is a Reverence and Awfulness of Gods Word the greater Awe overcometh the less In such a Temptation a Man may miscarry two ways by Distrust of God and Disobedience to him The one is the Cause of the other Now that we may not distrust him 't is good to set Fear against Fear God against the Creature Ier. 1. 8. Be not afraid of their face for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord. His powerful Protection should incourage us against their wrathful disposition Isa. 51. 12 13. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die and the son of man that shall be as grass and forgettest the Lord thy Maker The Immortal and Almighty God is able to bear us out a due sense of the Power of the Almighty checketh the Fear of Men. Or by Disobedience we dishonour him certainly a gracious heart feareth more to offend God than to fall into any Temporal inconvenience Isa. 8. 12 13. Neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid but sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and dread 1 Pet. 3. 14 15. But if ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrour but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts But let him be your Fear and your Dread Be afraid to offend so Holy a Majesty the Countenance of Princes is very awful unto Men but the Fear of Gods Wrath should overcome the fear of Mans Displeasure even of the Greatest Heb. 11. 27. He feared not the wrath of the king because he saw him that was invisible 2. It maketh a man sincere When a Man standeth in Awe of the Word he obeyeth in Presence and Absence Phil. 2. 12. and avoideth secret as well as open Sins Gen. 39. 9. Sins of Thought as well as in Deed. Heart-sins which the Laws of Men cannot take hold of but the Fear of God is in stead of all Laws 2 Cor. 1. 12. Conscience is to them more than shame of men Something without keepeth back wickedmen but something within the Godly Abners question was not good how shall I hold up my face to thy brother Ioah 2 Sam. 2. 22. he should have said how shall I hold up my face to the Lord thy God Though an upright man might do wickedly uncontrouled of man and no body seeth him or punisheth him yet Reverence of God and his Word restraineth him 3. It maketh a man punctual and exact when afraid to do any thing contrary to Gods revealed Will 't is Universal and 't is Powerful 'T is Universal the Soul that maketh Conscience of the Word is more thorough in Obedience there will be failings but for the main his Heart is sound with God and lesser failings are retracted by Repentance Psal. 141. 1 2. And Powerful stand in Awe and sin not Psal. 4. 4. this will cause us to stop in an evil Course on the remembrance of our Duty as Davids Heart smote him when he cut off the Lap of Sauls Garment Some think the Text then verified my heart standeth in Awe of thy Word a Commandment was in his way Use. I. Is to shew us what frame of Spirit they are under who despise the Word 1. All do so who Deliberately and Voluntarily prefer their own Will before the Will of God 2 Sam. 12. 9. Wherefore hast thou sinned in despising the commandment They obeyed their own inclination whatever the Word saith to the contrary Despising the commandment is the root of all Sin as Formality of wilful
sweetness in it to Confer together of holy things Rom. 1. 12. That I may be comforted by the mutual faith of you and me Holy discourse doth refresh more than vain and foolish jesting 't is a far sweeter thing to talk of the Word of God and those spiritual and heavenly things which are contained therein than to spend the time in vain and foolish jesting or discoursing about meer Worldly matters should any thing be more delightful to a Christian than Christ and Heaven and the Promises of the World to come and the way that leadeth thither and should it be burdensom to talk of these things which we profess to be our only hope and joy certainly our Relish and Appetite is mightily depraved if we think so judge our-selves in a Prison when we are in good Company who remember God and when they invite you to remember him with them will you frown upon the motion because 't is some check and interruption to your Carnal Vanity 4. The well ordering of our Words is a great point of Christianity and argueth a good degree of Grace He that bridleth his tongue is a perfect man Iam. 3. 2. Death and Life are in the power of the Tongue saith Solomon Prov. 18. 21. upon the good or ill use of it a mans safety doth depend Not only temporal safety but eternal Matth. 12. 37. By thy words shalt thou be justified and by thy words shalt thou be condemned These Evidences are brought into Judgment therefore it concerneth us to see what our Discourses are as well as our actions Solomon often describeth the righteous by his good Tongue Prov. 10. 13. The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom And Prov. 12. 18. The tongue of the wise is health Use. I. Is Reproof It reproveth us for being so dumb and tongue-tyed in holy things We can speak liberally of any subject only we are dumb in spiritual matters which concern our Edification we shew so little Grace in our Conferences because we have so little grace in our hearts Alas many that profess Religion their talk is little different from other mens as if they were ashamed to speak of God or had nothing to say of him and for him I do not alwayes bind you to talk of religious things but sometimes it bindeth Now when is it your Tongues speak of the Word in a serious and affectionate manner Can you love God and never put in a word for him Can you see or hear God dishonoured and suffer your mouths to be sealed up with a sinfull â—…nce that you should not have a word to speak in the cause of God Use. II. Is to Exhort us to be frequent and serious in our discourses of God and spiritual heavenly things For means to help us 1. Divine Illumination to teach others the way of God requireth that we our selves should be taught of God then it cometh the warmer and fresher when we speak not by here-say only but experience as heart answereth to heart so the renewed heart in him that heareth to the renewed heart in him that speaketh and we shew others what God by his illuminating grace hath first shewed us it savoureth of that Spirit that worketh in both he will easily kindle others who is once on fire himself The word passeth through others as water through an empty Trunk without feeling they may speak very good things but they do but personate and act a part but when we have been in the deep waters and God hath bound up our wounds we can more feelingly speak to others 2. A sight of the excellency of the Word and a value and esteem thereof the reason in the Text for all thy Commandments are righteousness We are apt to speak oftenest of those things which we most affect Did not your Souls grow out of relish with these Holy Spiritual and Excellent things your speeches about them would be more frequent lively serious and savoury for we cannot conceal our Affections Our coldness in speaking to others of these spiritual and heavenly things cometh from want of this perswasion that all his commandments are righteousness For they who are perswaded of the excellency of the Word will be talking of the sweetness of its Promises continually 3. A Stock of Spiritual Knowledge Matth. 12. 35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things Every man entertaineth his Guests with such Provisions as he hath 'T is the Word which enableth us to edifie our selves and others with holy Conference the more store the more we have to bring forth upon all occasions Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another A plentiful measure of Gospel Knowledge enableth us to direct and instruct others there all Wisdom is made plain things revealed which cannot be found else-where that which may by long search be found else-where is made ready to our hands and brought down to the meanest Capacity The Heart is the Fountain from whence the Tongue doth run and flow and when the Heart is well furnished the Tongue will be employed and exercised 4. Zeal for the Glory of God and Love to others Souls we should communicate to others what we have learned our selves David would not reserve his knowledge to himself Teach me and my tongue shall speak of thy word Fire turneth all about it into Fire Mules and all Creatures of a Bastard Race do not Procreate Davids Maschil Psal. 32. Title is to instruct others True good is diffusive in itself our Candle enlightened should enlighten others When Philip was called he inviteth Nathaniel to come to Christ Iohn 1. 45. Andrew calleth Simon True Grace sheweth itself in Zeal to promote the Kingdom of Christ and the good of our Neighbours Souls and the new Nature seeketh to multiply the kind and such as are brought to Christ will be careful to invite others 5. Wisdom is necessary Col. 4. 6. Let your speech be alwayes with grace seasoned with salt that you may know how to answer every man that is seasoned with the salt of Holy and Divine Wisdom that it may be savoury and acceptable to the Hearers and both Delight and Edifie Without this Holy Skil and Wisdom how often is Conference turned into Jangling or meer Babling 6. Watchfulness and heed otherwise Corruption will break out in Pride in a vain ostentation of parts Passion in some heat of Words Worldliness and Sensuality in diverting from Holy Conference to that which is Carnal and Worldly Discontent in some unseemly Expressions of Gods dealings with us Indiscretion and Folly in a multitude of impertinent Talk Psal. 141. 3. Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips The Tongue must be watched as well as the Heart all Watching will be to little purpose unless God bridle and direct our Tongue that nothing break out to his Dishonour There must be a constant Guard that nothing
their riches denying them the liberty of their service because 't is in the power of their hands or taking advantage of their low Condition to run over them or making an advantage of their necessity and want of skill Hos. 12. 7. He is a merchant the ballance of deceit is in his hand he loveth to oppress or prejudice their testimony to the truth by our credit and esteem in the Church rendering them so weak or wicked factious or foolish as not to be regarded 2. This is a grievous evil it is so in it self and may be specially aggravated as to Cases First 'T is grievous in it self as 't is so odious to God as being a perversion of the end of his Providence Those that excel in any quality are appointed for the protection and support of the weak and indigent God gave them their Wealth and Parts and Power and Credit and Greatness to the end they might comfort counsel defend and do good to those that want these things Now when they make no other use of their power than Lions and Bears do to mischief others by it they do evil because 't is in the power of their hands Mic. 2. 1. Power if men have not a great tenderness of Conscience and fear of God is an unweildy wilful thing degenerates into oppression Isai. 10. 14 15. There was none that moved the wing or opened the mouth or peeped Shall the Axe boast it self against him that heweth therewith or shall the Saw magnifie it self against him that shaketh it as if the Rod should shake it self against them that lift it up or as if the Staff should lift up it self as if it were no Wood. Therefore he went on to oppress and tyrannize in the world because none durst to oppose him Power needs much ballance to temper and allay it Secondly 'T is so offensive to his people and burthensome to them Eccl. 7. 7. Oppression keth a wise man mad it shaketh and discomposeth those of the best temper makes them pray and weep and cry before the Lord Eccl. 4. 1. So I returned and considered all the oppressions under the Sun and beheld the tears of such as are oppressed When you lay such heavy loads upon them that they are not able to bear it but cry to God to right them Thirdly The evil it self Oppression 'T is not only theft but murther These expressions we have Isai. 3. 14 15. Ye have eaten up the Vineyard The spoil of the poor is in your houses What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor that is Cause them by your hard usage to pine away So Mic. 3. 1 2 3. And I said Hear I pray you O Heads of Iacob and ye Princes of the house of Israel Is it not for you to know Iudgment who hate the good and love the evil who pluck off their skin and their flesh from off their bones Who also eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin from off them and they break their bones and chop them in pieces as for the Pot and as flesh within the Caldron 'T is in Gods account humane Butchery and Murder beyond simple Slaughter as they make them dye a lingering death 2. 'T is especially aggravated if they be Gods Servants oppressed for Religion Psal. 12. 5. For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy Now will I arise saith the Lord I will set them in safety from him that puffeth at him The proud Persecutor doth little think of the Godly that any power he hath can do any thing to help him therefore mocketh at all his hopes therefore when God hath exercised the Godly for a while he will arise c. I say the sin is aggravated by the innocency the holiness the usefulness of the party oppressed when fitted to glorifie God and do service to the Publick and disabled to the prejudice of both 3. 'T is the highest impiety to fetch power and advantage from any Ordinance of God to commit it Iohn 19. 10 11. Then said Pilate unto him Speakest thou not unto me Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and have power to release thee Iesus answered Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin Courts of Justice that should be Sanctuaries and places of refuge to opprest innocency they make Slaughter Houses and Shops of Cruelty When pretexts of Laws and Justice are used to colour the oppression and persecution of innocent useful persons this makes it more odious in the sight of God Use 1. O pity the oppressed Iob 6. 14. To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty The men of Keilah thought of delivering up David because they feared not God 1 Sam. 23. 11 12. But men have no fear of God but too much fear of men When God is angry God will suffer none to help Psal. 88. 18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me and mine acquaintance into darkness Job 12. 5. He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease Sensuality will make us forget the afflictions of others Amos 6. 4 5 6. They lye upon Beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their Couches and eat the lambs out of the flock and Calves out of the midst of the Stall that chant to the sound of the viol and invent to themselves instruments of musick like David that drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the chief ointments but they are not grieved for the afflictions of Ioseph Scruples of Conscience through difference in Religion Iohn 4. 9. How is it that thou being a Iew askest water of me Therefore we should pity others we have Gods example 2 Cor. 7. 6. God that comforteth those that are cast down Use 2. Keep from oppression let us be far from this sin Samuel professeth his innocency 1 Sam. 12. 3 4. Behold here I am witness against me before the Lord and his Anointed Whose Ox have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received a bribe to blind mine eyes therewith And they said Thou hast not defrauded nor oppressed us Motives 1. God will right the wrongs of the oppressed Prov. 22. 22 23. Rob not the poor because he is poor neither oppress the afflicted in the Gate for the Lord will plead their Cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them Prov. 23. 11. For their Redeemer is mighty he shall plead their Cause with thee It belongeth to him as supream Judge and mighty Potentate Eccl. 5. 8. If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Iudgment and Iustice in a Province marvel not at the matter for he that is
to plead and standeth to judge his people He will bring matters under a Review and will powerfully shew himself against their Oppressors To this pleading Iob alludeth when he saith Iob 23. 6. Will he plead against me with his great power if he should use his Almighty and Invincible power against me he would easily ruine me So Ezek. 38. 22. I will plead against him with Pestilence and with Blood against Gog and Magog that is the Sythians Turks and Tartars So that you see that God's pleading is not by speaking or by Word of Mouth but by the Veugeance of his Providence against those that wrong his people So against Babylon Ier. 51. 36. Thus saith the Lord Behold I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee But that this is a mixt act of Patron and Judge see Micah 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and execute Iudgment for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his Righteousness When Gods People provoke him to anger by their sins he casteth them into Troubles and then their Adversaries are Chief and their Cause is much darkned and obscured all this while God is pleading against them but it is not the Enemies Quarrel but his own Vindication of abused Mercy and Goodness but when once the controversie is taken up between God and them by their Submission and clearing his Justice and imploring his Mercy then God will plead their Cause and take their part against the instruments of his Vengeance and clear their righteous cause who only sought their own ends in afflicting them when God hath exercised their Humility and Patience he will thus do and how I pray you will he plead for them the Text saith there by executing Judgment for them that is by putting his sentence in Execution and then will restore to them their wonted priviledges and own them in the publick view of all and make manifest they are his he will bring them forth to the Light and they shall see his Righteousness 3. The Effect of God's pleading which is the clearing of God's people and the convincing of their Adversaries which God doth partly by the Eminency and Notableness of the Providences whereby he delivereth his people and the markes of his Favour put upon them Nehem. 6. 16. And it came to pass that when all our Enemies heard thereof and all the Heathen that were about us saw these things they were much cast down in their own eyes for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God Their own Judgments were convinced of their folly in opposing the Iews the extraordinary success shewed the hand of God was in it by such incredible and remarkable occurrences doth God bring about their deliverance So Micah 7. 10. When God shall plead her cause then she that is mine enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which said unto me where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be trodden dâ—…wil as the mire of the streets Those who mocked her Faith should be confounded at the sight of her Deliverance Thus God delights to make the happiness of his people Conspicuous So Rev. 3. 9. Behold I will make them which are of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Iews and are not but do lie behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee He will make their Enemies to know that he hath loved them and ask them forgiveness for the wrongs and outrages done to them Partly by the Convictions of his Spirit undeceiving the World and reproving them for the hatred and malice against his People Ioh. 16. 8. The Comforter when he is come shall reprove the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Iudgment The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Comfort but Convince or Reprove put them to silence so as they shall not in Reason gainsay The Object the World the Unconverted if not the Reprobate The things whereof Convinced of Sin and Righteousness and Judgment of the Truth of Christs Person and Doctrine This was spoken for the Comfort of the Disciples who were to go abroad and beat the Devil out of his Territories by the Doctrine of the Cross that were weak men destitute of all Worldly sufficiencies and Props and Aids Their Master suffered as a seducer their Doctrine cross to mens carnal Interests for them in this manner to venture upon the raging World was a heavy discouraging thing Now the Spirit should come and convince the opposing World so far that some terrified before brought to Evangelical Repentance Acts 2. 37. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart soon desire to share in their great Priviledge Acts 8. 18 19. And when Simon saw that through laying on the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was given he offered them money saying Give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost but he was yet in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Some almost perswaded Acts 26. 28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian. Some forced to magnifie them who did not joyn with them Acts 5. 13. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them but the people magnified them Some would have worshipped them being yet Pagans Acts 14. 11 13. And when the people saw what Paul had done they lift up their voices saying in the speech of Lycaonia the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men Then the Priests of Iupiter which was before their City brought Oxen and Garlands to the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people Others bridled that were afraid to meddle with them Acts 5. 34 35. Then stood there up one in the Council a Pharisee named Gamaliel a Doctor of Law had in reputation among all the people and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space and said unto them Ye men of Israel take heed to your selves what ye intend to do as touching these men That Christ that Messias that Righteous Person one able to Vanquish the Devil thus without any visible force and with mere Spiritual Weapons by this conviction of the Spirit did the Lord subdue the World to the owning and receiving Christs Kingdom at least not go on in an high hand to oppose it God cleared Christ as righteous and Lord. II. The Necessity of this pleading 1. Because the People of God are often in such a Condition that none will plead their Cause unless the Lord plead it and therefore we are driven to him as our Judge and Patron God's design is not to gain the World by Pomp and Force but by spiritual Evidence and Power and therefore as to Externals it is often worse with his People than with others for the World is upon their Tryal and
therefore though God will give sufficient means of Conviction yet not always such evident marks of his Favour to the best Cause in Temporal things as that mere sense shall lead them to embrace it No he will onely set a good Cause a-foot and then suffer it to be exposed to the hatred of the World and sometimes to be over-born as to any Temporal Interest it can get that the mere Evidence and Love of Truth may gain men and not any secular motives All the countenance and owning God will give to it is by infusing Courage and Constancy to his Servants to suffer for it and so they overcome by the blood of the Lamb and not loving their Lives to the Death Rev. 12. 11. he speaketh of such a time when the Church seemeth weakest like a poor woman Travelling and her Enemies seem strongest like a great Red Dragon ready to devour the Child assoon as born Now though at such a time the Church is overcoming and the Devil and his Instruments are but pulling down their own Throne and establishing Christs while they are shedding the Blood of his Saints Yet none of this appeareth and is visibly to be seen Though suffering be a sealing and ratifying of the Truth yet to the Worlds eye it seemeth a suppressing and over-bearing of it Therefore few will own such a despised hated persecuted way and the difficulty is the greater when there is much of Gods Truth owned by the persecuting side and the contest is not about the main of Christianity but some lesser Truths and so the opposition is more disguised then certainly it may be said Isa. 59. 4. None calleth for Iustice nor any pleadeth for Truth all half Friends are discouraged therefore nothing is left the people of God but their Prayers Lord plead my cause David in the Text appealeth to Gods Judgment when he was deserted by men burdened by prejudices oppressed by mans wrong Judgment So often Gods People are not able to defend themselves and few in the World will own them or be Advocates for them then God will take their cause in hand In the Civil Law if a man could not get an Advocate metu adversarii the Judge was to appoint him one to plead for him So God taketh notice of his Peoples Condition Ier. 30. 13. There is none to plead thy cause that thou mayst be bound up Often among men none can or dareth undertake the defence and patronage of oppressed Right 2. Though we have a good Cause and hopeful Instruments yet we cannot plead it with any effect till God shew himself from heaven Nay though the Cause be never so right and just and Instruments and Means hopeful yet it requireth God's power to keep it a-foot For the justice of the Cause must not be relyed on nor probable means rested in but God must have the Trust of the Cause and the Glory of maintaining it otherwise by our own ill managing or by some secret and unseen opposition it will Miscarry Psal. 9. 4. Thou â—…st maintained my right and my cause thou satest in the Throne judging right This is a work wherein God will be seen while it is in agitation or under decision God will have the Trust and when it is over he will have all the Glory III. What Hopes or Grounds there are to expect that God will plead the Cause of his People 1. He can 2. He will Infinite Power and infinite Justice can do it 1. He can The Lord is able he that pleadeth our Cause hath infinite Power Prov. 23. 11. Their Redeemer is mighty he shall plead their cause with thee It is easie to bear down a few afflicted Creatures that have no strength or heart to oppose being in bonds and under oppression but there is a mighty God who when he pleadeth any ones cause he will do it to the purpose really and effectually delivering them for whom he pleadeth Ier. 50. 34. Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hosts is his name he will throughly plead their Cause that he may give rest to the land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon 2. He will Considering 1. Their Relation to God 2. God's Relation to them and to the whole World 1. Because of their Relation to him the Dominus the Lord whom they had chosen was to be their Patronus they that have put themselves under Gods Protection and are faithful to him keeping close to his Word he will plead their cause and manage it as his own Isa. 51. 22. Thus saith thy Lord the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people Behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling even the dregs of the cup of my fary thou shalt no more drink it again He being their Soveraign Lord had undertaken to protect his Servants he counteth the wrongs done to them done to himself Acts 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Especially since molested for his Truth 2. Because of his Relation to them he is the Supream Potentate and the righteous Judge of the World and so bound by his office to defend the weak and innocent when oppressed Psal. 146. 7. He executeth judgment for the opppressed those that should maintain Right upon Earth and punish Wrongs are often prevaricators but the Judge of all the Earth will do Right he is an impartial Judge and will maintain the cause of his People Prov. 22. 22 23. Rob not the poor because he is poor neither oppress the afflicted in the gate For the Lord will plead their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them Though no Relation to him yet if poor if afflicted if destitute of humane help the Lord taketh himself to be the Patron of all such much more his People Use. I. To rebuke our Fears and Mis-giving of Heart When we see the best men go to the Walls and to be made objects of Scorn and Spight we are apt to say as the Church doth in the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 40. 27. My way is â—…id from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from my God that is in effect that God doth wholly neglect them and will not plead their Cause Oh no! he knoweth what strife there is between us and our Adversaries and how good our Cause is and how much he is concerned in it onely we must wait his leisure and bear his Indignation until he plead True submission to God ought to prescribe no day to him but referr all to his Will Use. II. Let us commit our Cause to the Lord as the expression is Iob 5. 8. I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause who is the Friend and Advocate of the Afflicted and hath promised to be so and to keep us from the hand of the wicked and the mouth of the wicked from their hand and violence so far as it shall be for his Glory Isa. 49. 25. I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I