did when he prayeth for pardon unto Israel lest Gods Name should be blasphemed Numb 14.15 16 17. So Ioshua did when Israel turned their backs before their enemies what wilt thou do unto thy great Name Josh. 7.9 So Solomon in his prayer at the dedication of the Temple Heare thou in heaven thy dwelling place and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for that all the people 〈◊〉 the earth may know thy Name 1 Kings 8.43 So David in his for Israel and for the performance of Gods promise to the seed of David Do as thou hast said let it even be established that thy Name may bee magnified for ever 1 Chron. 17.23 24. So Asa O Lord thou art our God let not man prevail against thee 2 Chron. 14.11 So Iehosaphat Art not thou God in heaven and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the Heathen and in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand tâ—ne c. 2 Chron. 20.6 So Hezekiah when he spread the blasphemies of Sennacherib before the Lord O Lord our God save us from his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thâ—u art the Lord even thou onely Isa. 37.20 So the Church of God in the time of distresse Help us O God of our salvation for the glory of thy Name and deliver and purge away our sinnes for thy Names sake wherefore should the Heathen say where is their God Psal. 79.9 10. As every creature of God was made for his glory Prov. 16.4 Rom. 11.36 so every Attribute of God doth work and put forth it selfe for his glory If he shew mercy it is to shew the riches of his glory Rom. 9.23 Eph. 1.11 12. If he execute justice it is to make his power known Rom. 9.17.22 2 Thes. 1.9 When he putteth forth his power and doth terrible things it is to make his Name known Isa. â—4 1 2 3. If he engage his truth and make his promises Yea and Amen it is for his own glory and that his Name may be magnified in doing what he hath said 2 Cor. 1.20 2 Sam. 7.25 26. â—xod 3.14 15. Exod. 12.41 Iosh. 11.45 Whensoever therefore we pray unto God and therein implore his mercy on us his justice on his enemies his truth to be fulfilled his power wisedome or any other Attribute to be manifested towards his people the highest and most prevailing medium we can use is the glory of his own Name Gods ultimate end in working must needs be our strongest argument in praying because therein it appears that we seek his interest in our petitions as well and above our own This serveth first to encourage us unto prayer because God doth not onely hear and answer prayers which is a sufficient motive unto his servants to call upon him O thou that hearest prayers unto thee shall all flesh come Psal. 65.2.66.20.86.5 6 7.102.17 but because he oftentimes exceedeth the modesty the ignorance the fearfulnesse of our Requests by giving unto us more then wee ask When poore men make requests unto us we usually answer them as the Eccho doth the voyce the answer cuts off halfe the petition The Hypocrite in the Apostle Iam. 2.15 16. when he saw a brother or sister naked or destitute of daily food would bid him be warmed or filled but in the mean time give him nothing that was needfull and so did rather mock then answer their requests We shall seldom finde amongst men Iaels cuâ—tesie Iudg. 5.25 giving milk to those that ask water except it be as hers was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munus cum hamo an entangling benefit the better to introduce a mischief there are not many Naamans among us that when you beg of them one Talent will force you to take two 2 Kings 5.23 But Gods answer to our prayers is like a multiplying glasse which renders the request much greater in the answer then it was in the prayer As when we cast a stone into the water though 〈◊〉 be but little in it selfe yet the circles which come from it spread wider and wider till it fill the whole pond so our petitions though very weak as they come from us and craving but some one or other good thing yet finding way to the fountain of life and unsearchable treasure of mercy which is in Christ are usually answered with many and more spreading benefits The Trumpet exceedingly strengâ—hneth the voyce which passeth through it it goes in at a narrow passage and the voyce is but a silent breath as it comes from the mouth but it goes out wider with a doubled and multiplyed vigour So our prayers usually go up narrow to God but they come down with enlarged answers from him againe As the root is but of one colour when the flower which groweth out of it is beautified with variety Now this should be a great encouragement unto us to call upon God with sincerity of heart because he multiplyeth to pardon because we know not the numbers of his salvation Psal. 71.15 we cannot count the summe of his thoughts towards us Psal. 139.17 18. If there were any man so wealthy that it were all one with him to give pounds or pence and who usually when he were asked silver would give gold every indigent and necessitous person would wait upon this mans mercy Now it is as easie with God to give Talents as farthings as easie to over answer prayers as to answer them at all It is as easie to the Sunne â—o fill a vaste Palace as a little closet with light as easie to the Seâ— to fill a channell as a bucket with water He can satisfie with goodnesse and answer with wonderfull and terrible things Psal. 65.4.5 Oh who would not make requests unto such a God whose usuall answer unto prayer is Be it unto thee as thou wilt Matth. 15.28 Nay who answers us beyond our own wils and thoughts Ephes. 3.20 and measureth forth mercy by the greatnesse of his own grace and not the narrownesse of our desires The shekell belonging to the sanctuary was as many learned men think in weight double to the common shekell which was used in civill matters To note unto us that as God expects from us double the care in things belonging unto him above what wee use in the things of the world so he usually measureth back double unto us againe good measure pressed down shaken together and running over into our bosomes When the man sick of the palsie was carried unto Christ to bee healed Christ did beyond the expectation of those that brought him for he not only cured him of his disease but of his sinne gave him not onely health of body but peace of conscience first Be of good chear thy sinnes be forgiven thee and then Arise take up thy bed and go to thy house Matth. 9.2.6 The Thief on the Crosse besought Christ to remember him when he came into his kingdom but Christ
be firme stable constant unmovable in the Truth and in the work of the Lord as an house built upon a rock To stand fast and be rooted in the truth that wee may hold the profession thereof without wavering not being carried about with every winde of doctrine but knowing whom and what we have believed 1 Cor. 16.13 Eph. 4.14 Col. 2.7 Heb. 10.23 to stand fast and be rooted in the Love of God that we may be strengthned with might in his service and may with purpose of heart cleave unto him being established by his grace Eph. 3.17 Col. 1.11 Heb. 12.28.13 9. In the Civill Law till a tree hath taken root it doth not belong to the soile on which it is planted It is not enough to be in the Church except like the Cedar of Lebanon we cast forth our roots and are so planted that we flourish in the Courts of our God and bring fruit in our old age Psal. 92.12 13 14. Thirdly He promised that the Church should spread forth her branches and fill the earth and grow into a great compasse and extent and should send forth her boughs unto the Sea and her branches unto the River Psa. 80.9 10 11. Dan. 2.35 That his Church should be a universall Church over the whole world that as the whole world in regard of sinne lieth in mischiefe 1 Ioh 5.19 so the whole world should have Christ for its propitiation through faith 1 Ioh. 2.2 Totus in maligno propter zizania Christus propitiatio propter Triticum By one spirit we All are baptised into one Body 1 Cor. 12.13 and that one Body made up of all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 even of all Nations kindreds people tongues Revel 7.9 no difference of persons neither Greek nor Iew neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian bond nor free but Christ All and in All Col. 3.11 no difference of places All that in every place call upon the name of Lord Jesus both theirs and ours 1 Cor. 1.2 no difference of Times Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13.8 And as this is his promise so we should endeavour 1. To grow our selves in knowledge and grace to let our profiting appeare unto all men to abound in the work of the Lord to let our graces from the heart like leven from the middle of the lump spred abroad and finde their way to all the parts and powers of soule and body that the whole man may be filled with the fulnesse of God and grow up unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4.13.15 16. Phil. 3.12 13. 2 Pet. 3.18 Heb. 6.1 2. To labour and endeavour the growth and progresse of the Gospell in others This is the nature of grace to manifest it selfe and by that meanes to allure and gather others to its own quality It is set forth in Scripture by the names of light which shines abroad of oyntment and perfume which cannot be hid of leaven and salt which deriveth its own nature and rellish upon a whole lump Therefore the holy Ghost was given in Tongues fiery tongues and a rushing winde all which have a quality of selfe-manifestation and notifying themselves unto others There is an excellent place to this purpose in the Apostle Eph. 4.15 16. But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ. From whom the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the Body unto the edifiing of it selfe in love Where the Apostle sheweth the manner of spirituall increase in the mysticall Body of Christ by the proportion of the growth of members in the naturall Body And first there must be a fellowship between the Head and Members which in the mysticall Body is here twofold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Growing into him and receiving from him Looking in this work of growth upon Christ first as the end of that growth unto which it drives secondly as the fountaine from whence it proceeds That by growing we may have a more intimate and strong communion with him by that vertue which we receive from him So here are two necessarie requisites unto this duty of endeavouring the encrease of the Body to have Christ for our end unto which wee work and for our fountaine out of which we derive our ability of working Every true member of Christ is intent and vigilent upon the interest and honour of Christ and it belongs unto the honour of Christ to have a perfect body The Church is hi◠fulnesse he esteemes himselfe maimed and incomplete if that should be finally deficient in any thing requisite to the integrall perfection of it and hence it is that every true Christian puts forth the uttermost of his endeavours in his place to carry on the encrease of his Masters Body As every true-hearted Souldier that loves his Generall is exceeding desirous and to his power endeavours that every company and Regiment under his Generalls command may bee in all the offices and members of it compleat Againe every member of Christ being unto him united doth from him receive of his fulnesse grace for grace and so worketh unto the same ends as the head doth And as the water which first riseth out of the fountaine doth not stand still there where it began but goeth forward till it grow into a great River so those who are joyned unto Christ as a Fountaine doe by reason of that vitall Communion which they have with the Fountain carry on the growth of the whole Body and the more vigorous the life of Christ is in any part the more actively doth that part work towards the edification of the whole 2. Here is further required a fellowship and mutuall Communion of the members of the Body within and amongst themselves unto which is first presupposed the Organicall and harmonious Constitution and compacture of the Body into one out of which ariseth the forme and beauty the strength and firmnesse the order and fitnesse that is in it unto those works that are proper to it intimated in those two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly joyned together and compacted It is a metaphor drawn from Carpenters and other Artificers who by severall joynts do so coaptate and fit the parts of their work unto one another that being put together and fastned there may one whole structure or body grow out of them in that body this accurate fitnesse intimatenesse of the parts with one another produceth an excellent strength a beautifull order and a readie serviceablenesse of each part to the other of all to the whole So Ierusalem is said to be a City compacted within it self Psa. 122.3 as the Ark a Type of the Church had the ribs
Repentance before they can bring honour to the Author or comfort to the enjoyer of them When Christ overcometh Satan he taketh from him all his armour and divideth the spoiles Luk. 11.21 How doth he divide the spoiles surely he maketh use of that wit wealth power learning wisedome interests which Satan used against Christs Kingdome as instruments and orâ—â—ments unto the Gospel As when a Magazine in warre is taken the Generall makes use of those armes which were provided against him for his owne service And as sinne doth thus corrupt blessings so on the other side Repentance doth sweeten Judgements and can turne afflictions into matter of comfort As skarlet puls out the teeth of a Serpent so this takes away the sting of a Judgement As wine draweth a nourishing vertue from the flesh of Vipers as hot birds can feed upon Iron and purge their bodies with swallowing of stones so repentance though it should not remove a Judgement yet it can feed upon it and fetch meat out of the Eater and out of the strong sweetnesse There are two Evils in Afflictions Their thorne in the flesh as they are matter of paine and their snare to the Conscience as they are matter of Temptation As there are two things in a chain or fetter the heavinesse whereby it loads and the hardnesse whereby it gaules Now as a prisoner though he cannot make his chain lighter then it is yet by lining it with wooll or other soft things he can prevent the galling so Repentance though it take not away the paine of Affliction from the flesh yet by meekning and humbling the soule with silence and quietnesse to bear the indignation of the Lord and accept of the punishment of sin it removeth the temptation and malignitie of it from the Conscience And thus as Protagoras by his naturall dexteritie ordered the burden which he was to bear with more ease and advantage so Pietie makes Judgements by spirituall prudence more easie to be born and the light yoke of Christ as bladders in a deep water bears up the spirit of men from sinking and lightneth every other burthen And therefore as he in Plutarch said of the Scythians that though they had no musick nor Vines amongst them yet they had Gods so what ever other things may be wanting to a people yet if God be their God they are not destitute of any happinesse Yea as those Roses are usually sweetest which grow nearest unto stinking weeds so the comforts of Gods Spirit are strongest when a man is otherwise perplexed with the greater difficulties It was promised unto Iosiah that he should die in peace 2 Chron. 34.28 and yet we find that he was slaine in warre Chap. 35.24 His weeping and humiliation altered the very nature of trouble and made warre to be peace unto him Now for the Use and Application of this point This serveth first to instruct us how to deprecate Calamities when God shaketh his Rod over us There is nothing in all the world that God is angry with but sinne for all other things are his owne workes in the goodnesse of which he wrested with singular complacency and delight Sinne is that against which Gods arrowes are directed and as the arrow sticks in the Butt unto which the marke is fastned so the judgements which are shot at sinne must needs light upon us unto whom sinne cleaveth The way then to divert the arrow is to remove the marke It is true God doth sometimes bring afflictions without respect to the provocations of sin upon his best servants As if a man should shape out of a masse of gold some excellent vessell though the gold be never so pure yet it must passe through the fire and the hammer again But it is certain too that no affliction comes in Anger but with respect to sinne And the Anger of God is the bitterest thing in any Calamitie Now for diversion of this there is no way but to get sinne removed Take the bark from a tree and the sap can never find way to the boughs Sinne is the Vehiculum which carries shame and sorrow to the soule Take away that and a Judgement hath no Commission You may find an Error in it if you be not the same men that you were when it issued forth for God shootes no arrows to hurt the body of his Sonne It is true Iob complaines that Gods arrowes did stick in him Iob 6.4 But these were not for destruction but for triall as men shoot bullets against armour of proof not to hurt it but to praise it Iob in this case was brought forth not as a malefactor to suffer but as a Champion to triumph Let a man take what course he can to keep off Gods judgements and hide himselfe in the closest protection that humane power or policy can contrive so long as he keepes his sinne with him Gods arrows will get through at one joynt or other A naked man with Innocency is better armed then Goliah in brasse or Iron We are apt in our distresses to howl and repine to gnaw our tongues and teare our flesh in the anguish of our sufferings Like the silly Hart which runs mourning and bleeding but never thinks of getting out the fatall dart which sticks in his side We look upward to see whether help will drop into our mouthes and wee look downward to see whether humane succours will availe us But we looke not inward to finde out the plague of our own hearts that wee may bee rid of that And till this be done sinne doth as naturally draw and sucke judgements to it as the Loadstone doth iron or Turpentine fire Indefatigable have beene the paines of this High Court to make up the breaches that threaten us and to heale the Land Whence comes it that our distractions remaine unremoved Certainely our leakes are not stopped our sinnes are not thrown away wee labour at the pump to get the water out but we doe not take care to cure the passage at which it enters in wee are old bottles still and God will not put new wine into old bottles If men would spend their murmurings and reproaches rather upon their sinnes then upon their physicians the worke would bee sooner done When the Temple of God was to be new built and a publick restitution of the face of things unto glory and splendor was in agitation the Prophets call upon Gods people in speciall then to repent Impenitency puts obstructions to Gods mercy and to all noble enterprises So long as our lives are as bad as before how can wee expect that our condition should bee better in that case mercies themselves become no mercies as in the case of Repentance judgements would bee no judgements If we turne from our evill wayes God hath engaged himselfe by a solemne promise that he will doe us no harme Ier. 2â— 6 Otherwise to busie our selves in outward Ceremonies of
his Title is so good that he will never yeeld to a Composition hee will have all the heart or none 4. We should therefore be exhorted in time of trouble especially to set about this great worke to fall foule upon our sinnes to complaine against them to God as the Achans that trouble Israel as the corrupters and betrayers of our peace to set our selves in Gods eye and not to dare to lie unto his holy Spirit by falsenesse or hypocrisie as if wee could reserve any one sin unmortified which he should not know of But being in his sight to whom all things are naked and open to deale in all sincerity and to hate sin even as he hates it There are five notable duties which these three words Omnem tolle iniquitatem do lead us unto 1. Sense of sin as of an heavie burden as the Prophet David calls it Psal. 38.5 Such sense our Saviour requires in true penitents Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden Mat. 11.28 To conceive them heavier then a Milstone Luke 17.2 Then the weight of a Mountain Luk. 23.30 O what apprehension had S. Peters converts of sin when they felt the nails wherewith they had crucified Christ sticking fast in their own hearts and piercing their spirits with torment and horror Acts 2.37 Oh what apprehensions had the poor Iaylor of his sins when he came as a prisoner before his owne prisoners springing in with monstrous amazement consternation of spirit beseeching them to tell him What he should do Acts 16.23.30 Consider it in its Nature an universall bruise and sicknesse like those diseases which Physicians say are Corruptio totius substantiae from head to foot Isa. 1.5 6. And who doth not feel such an Universall languor to be an heavie burden for a man that must needs labour to have weights hung at his hands that must needs walk to have clogs fastened to his feet how can he choose but cry out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me Rom. 7.24 Consider it in the Curse that belongs unto it· A Roll written within and without with curses Look outward and behold a curse in the Creature Vanitie Emptinesse Vexation Disappointment every creature armed with a sting to revenge its Makers quarrell Look inward behold a curse in the conscience accusing witnessing condemning haling to the tribunall of vengeance first defiling with the allowance after terrifying with the remembrance of sin Look upward and behold a curse in the heavens the wrath of God revealed from thence upon all unrighteousnesse Looke downward and behold a curse in the earth Death ready to put a period to all the pleasures of sinne and like a trap-doore to let downe into Hell where nothing of sinne will remaine but the worm and the fire Look into the Scripture and see the curse there described an everlasting banishment from the glory of Gods presence an everlasting destruction by the glory of his power 2 Thes. 1.9 The Lord shewing the jealousie of his Iustice the unsearchablenesse of his severity the unconceiveablenesse of his strength the bottomless guilt and malignity of sin in the everlasting destruction of ungodly men and in the everlasting preserving of them to feele that destruction Who knoweth the power of thy anger saith Moses Even according to thy feare so is thy wrath It is impossible for the most trembling consciences or the most jealous fears of a guilty heart to looke beyond the wrath of God or to conceive more of it then indeed it is As in peace of conscience the mercy of God is revealed unto beleevers from faith to faith so in anguish of conscience the wrath of God is revealed from fear to fear A timorous man can fancy vast and terrible fears fire sword tempests wracks furnaces scalding lead boyling pitch running bell metall and being kept alive in all these to feele their torment But these come farre short of the wrath of God for first there are bounds set to the hurting power of a creature the fire can burn but it cannot drown the Serpent can sting but he cannot teare in pieces 2. The fears of the heart are bounded within those narrow apprehensions which it self can frame of the hurts which may be done But the wrath of God proceeds from an Infinite Justice and is executed by an omnipotent and unbounded power comprising all the terror of all other Creatures as the Sun doth all other light eminently and excessively in it It burns and drowns and tears and stings and bruises and consumes and can make nature feel much more then reason is able to comprehend O if we could lay these things seriously to heart and yet these are but lowe expressions of that which cannot be expressed and cometh as short of the truth it self as the picture of the Sun in a table doth of the greatnesse and brightnesse of it in its own Orbe should we not finde it necessary to cry out Take away all iniquitie this sicknesse out of my soul this sword this nayle this poysoned arrow out of my heart this Dagger of Ehud out of my belly this milstone this mountain from off my back these stings and terrors these flames and Furies out of my Conscience Lord my wounds stinke my lips quiver my knees tremble my belly rots I am feeble and broken and roar and languish thy wrath lyes hard upon me and thy waves go over my head O if we had but a view of sin as it is in its native foulnesse and did feel but a touch of that fury that God is readie to powre out upon it this would stain all the pride of man and soure all the pleasures of sin and make a man as fearfull to meddle with it as a guilty woman with the bitter water which caused the Curse Most true was that which Luther spake in this point If a man could perfectly see his own evils the sight thereof would be a perfect hell unto him and this God will bring wicked men unto Reprove them and set their sins in order before them Psal. 50.21 Make them take a view of their own hearts and lives fuller of sins then the Firmament of stars or a furnace of sparks O Consider this you that forget me saith the Lord lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you The second dutie is Confession for he that cries to have sin taken away acknowledgeth that it lyes upon him A full Confession not of many but of All sins either actually committed or habitually comprised in our body of sin As he in the Comoedian said that he had invited two guests to dinner Philocrates and Philocrates a single Man but a double Eater So in examination of our selves we shall every one finde sins enough in himself to denominate him a double and a â—â—eble sinner A free Confession not as Pharaohs extorted upon the wrack nor as that of Iudas
leaven that defile our Passeovers and urge God to passe away and depart from us these the obstructions between his sacred Majesty and you and between both and the happinesse of the Kingdome Think seriously what wayes may be most effectual to purge out this leaven out of the Land The principall sacrificing knife which kils and mortifies sin is the Word of God and the knowledge of it It would have been a great unhappinesse to the Common-wealth of Learning if Caliguâ—a 〈◊〉 as he endevoured deprived the world of the writings of Homer Virgil and Livy But O! what an Aegyptian calamity is it to have in this Sun-shine of the Gospel thousands of persons and families as I doubt not but upon inquirie it would appear without the writings of the Prophets and Apostles A Christian souldier without his sword a Christian builder without his rule and square a Christian calling without the instruments and ballances of the Sanctuary belonging to it O therefore that every Parish had an indowment â—it for a learned laborious and worthy Pastor and Pastors worthy of such endowments that provision were made that every family might have a Bible in it and if by Law it might possibly be procured the exercises of Religion therewithall this would be the surest Magazine to secure the happinesse of a Kingdome that all reproachfull titles which the devill useth as scarcrows and whiâ—lers to keep back company from pressing in upon Christs Kingdome were by Law proscribed That scandalous sins were by the awfulnesse and severity of Discipline more blasted and brought to shame That the Lords house were more frequented and his day more sanctified and his Ordinances more reverenced and his Ministers which teach the good knowledge of the Lord more encouraged then ever heretofore In one word that all the severall fountains of the Common-wealth were settled in a sound and flourishing constitution That in every place we might see Piety the Elme to every other Vine the supporter to every other profession Learning adorned with Piety and Law administred with Piety and Counsels managed with Piety and Trade regulated with Pietie and the Plow followed with Pietie That when Ministers fight against sin with the sword of Gods Word you who are the Nobles and Gentry of the Land would second them and frown upon it too a frown of yours may sometimes do as much service to Christ as a Sermon of ours And he cannot but take it very unkindly from you if you will not bestow your countenance on him who bestowed his blood on you That you would let the strictnesse of your lives and the pietie of your examples put wickednes out of countenance and make it appear as indeed it is a base and a sordid thing If we would thus sadly set our selves against the sins of the Land no power no malice no policies should stand between us and Gods mercies Religion would flourish and peace would settle and trade would revive and the hearts of men would be re-united and the Church be as a City compacted and this Nation would continue to be as it hath been like the Garden of Eden a mirrour of prosperity and happinesse to other people and God would prevent us in the second part of our Petition with the blessing of goodnesse as soon as ever iniquity were removed he would do us good which is the second thing here directed to pray for Receive us graciously In the originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take good to wit to bestow upon us so Taking is sometimes used for Giving He received gifts for men so in the Psalm he gave gifts to men so in the Apostle and it is not improbable that the Prophet here secretly leadeth us to Christ the Mediatour who first receiveth gifts from his Father and then poureth them forth upon his Church Act. 2.23 The meaning then is Lord when thou hast pardoned weakned mortified sin go on with thy mercy and being in Christ graciously reconciled unto us give further evidence of thy Fatherly affection by bestowing portions upon us They shall not be cast away upon unthankfull persons we will render the Calves of our lips they shal not be bestowed upon those that need them not or that know where else to provide themselves It is true we have gone to the Assyrian we have taken our horses instead of our prayers and gone about to finde out good we have been so foolish as to think that the Idols which have been beholden to our hands for any shape that is in them could be instead of hands and of God unto us to help us in our need but now we know that men of high degree are but a lie that horses are but a vanity that an Idol is nothing and therefore can give nothing That power belongeth unto thee none else can do it That mercy belongeth unto thee none else will do it therefore since in thee only the fatherlesse find mercy be thou pleased to do us good We will consider the words first absolutely as a single prayer by themselves Secondly relatively in their connexion and with respect to the scope of the place From the former consideration we observe That all the good we have is from God he only must be sought unto for it we have none in our selves I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good Rom. 7.18 we can neither think nor speak nor do it And missing it in our selves it is all in vaine to seek for it in things below our selves They can provide for our back and belly and yet not that neither without God the root out of which the fruits of the earth do grow is above in heaven the Genealogy of Corn and Wine is resolved into God Hose 2.22 But if you go to your Lands or Houses or Teasuries for physick for a sick soul or a guilty conscience they will all return an Ignoramus to that enquiry salvation doth not grow in the furrows of the field neither are there in the earth to be found any Mines or harvests of Grace or Comfort In God alone is the fountain of life he that only is good he only doth good when we have wearied our selvs with having recourse to second causes here at last like the wandering Dove we must arrive for rest Many will say who will shew us any good Do thou lift up the light of thy countenance upon us Psal. 4.6 From him alone comes every go O gift Iam. 1.17 whether Temporall it is his blessing that maketh the creature able to comfort us The woman touched the hem of Christs garment but the vertue went not out of the garment but out of Christ Luk. 8.44 or whether Spirituall sanctified faculties sanctified habits sanctified motions glorious relations in Predestination Adoption and Christian Liberty excellent gifts heavenly comforts all and onely from him And that without change and alteration he doth not do
private ends to make it a cloake to policy a varnish to rotten wood silver drosse to a broken Potsheard O then when we weep and seperate our selves let us not think to mock God with empty ceremonies of Repentance let us not assemble our selves only to flatter away the rod from our back and to get peace and security to our owne persons and then let the favour of God the power of his Grace the comforts of his Spirit be as unregarded as before as if we fasted and prayed onely for our backs and bellies not for our Consciences or conversations for be we well assured he who doth not aske the things which he ought shall not obtain the things which he asks such a prayer begs nothing but a deniall We have now many fasts together prayed for making up our breaches for reparing our ruines for composing our distractions for reducing this Kingdom unto an happy constitution for a right understanding between the King and his great Councell These prayers we have not found yet return like Noahs Dove with an Olive branch a gracious answer unto us again What 's the reason Where 's the obstruction Is not he a God that heareth prayers Is it not his Title Doth he not glory in it Certainly mercies stop not at God but at us We are not straitned in him but in our own bowels If there come but a little light into a room the defect is not in the Sun but in the narrowness of the window if a vessell fill but slowly the fault is not any emptiness in the Fountain but the smallness of the pipe If mercies ripen slowly or stop at any time in the way it is not because they are unwilling to come to us but because we are unfit to enjoy them Our prayers doubtless in many of us have not been words taken from him but from our own carnal dictates We would fain have things well in our Country but have we hitherto looked after our consciences The destractions without us have they driven us to consider the distempers within or to desire the things above The unsetledness of peace in the Kingdom hath it awakened us to secure our peace with God We would fain have better times but have we yet laboured for better hearts we would fain have a right understanding between the King and his great Councel but have we yet sadly set about it to have a more clear and sweet Communion between us and our God we long to see more good laws but are we yet come to the care of good lives Every one cries out Who will shew us any good but how few think on the light of Gods countenance Hence hence Beloved is the miscarriage of all our Prayers If we would seek gods Kingdom we are promised other things by way of overplus and Accession as he that buyeth a Treasury of Jewels hath the Cabinet into the Bargain But when we place our Kingdom in outward comforts and let our daily bread shut out all the other five petitions out of our prayers no wonder if the promises of this life which are annexed unto Godliness do not answer those prayers wherein godliness is neglected It were preposterous to begin the building of an house at the Roof and not at the Foundation Piety is the foundation of prosperity If you would have your cheldrin like plants like polished stones your Garners ful your Cattel plenteous no complaining in your streets If you would have the King happy and the Church happy and the State happy and peace and prosperity flourish again Let our chief prayer be Lord make us a happy people by being our God Give us thy self thy grace thy favour give us renewed hearts and reformed lives let not our sins confute and outcry and belie our prayers and pray them back again without an Answer And when we seek thee and thy Christ above all we know that with him thou wilt freely give us all other things The spiritual good things which we beg wil either remove or shelter and defend us from the outward evil things which we suffer Secondly this serveth for an instruction unto us touching a sanctified use of Gods judgments or threatnings when we learn obedience as Christ did by the things which we suffer Hebr. 5.8 when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we are chastened and taught together Psal. 94.12 when sufferings do quicken spiritual desires and the more troubles we find in our way the more love we have to our Country when we can say all this is come upon us and yet we have not forgotten thee Psal. 44.17 18. when we can serve God as wel in plowing and breaking the clods as in treading out the Corn Hos. 10.11 When with Ionah we can delight in him even in the Whales belly and suffer not our love of him to be quenched with all the waters of the Sea When we can truly say to him Lord love me and then do what thou wilt unto me let me feel thy râ—d rather then forfeit thine affection when we can look through the Anger of his chastisements unto the Beauty of his Commands and to the sweetness of his loving countenance as by a Rain bow we see the beautiful Image of the Suns-light in the middst of a dark and waterish Cloud when by how much the Flesh is the fuller of pain by so much prayers are fuller of spirit by how much the heavier are our earthly sufferings by so much the stronger are our heavenly desires when God threatneth punishments and we pray for grace this is a sanctified use of Gods judgments And this we should all be exhorted unto in the times of distraction to make it the principal argument of our prayers and study of our lives to obtain spiritual good things and the less comfort we find in the world to be the more importunate for the comforts of God that by them we may incourage our selves as David did in his calamity at Ziglag 1 Sam. 30.6 when the City Shechem was beaten down to the ground then the men and women fled to the strong Tower and shut that upon them Iudg. 9.51 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous fly to it and are safe Prov. 18.18 Herein we shall more honour God when we set him up in our hearts as our fear and treasure and mourne more towards him then for the miseries we feel and suspire more after him then all the outward contentment which we want Herein we shall more exercise Repentance for it is worldly sorrow which droopeth under the pain of the flesh but godly sorrow is most of all affected with the Anger of God Herein we shall more prevail with God the more heavenly the matters of our prayer are the more prevalent they must needs be with an Heavenly Father we have five spiritual petitions unto one for bread the more sutable our prayers are to Gods wil the more easie access
healed all the diseases of his soul and redeemed his life from destruction or from hel as the Chaldee rendreth it and crowned him with loving kindnesse and tender mercies turning away his anger and revealing those mercies which are from everlasting in election unto everlasting in salvation removing his sins from him as far as the East is from the West then a man will call upon his soule over and over againe and summon every faculty within him invite every creature without him to blesse the Lord and to ingeminate praises unto his holy name Psal. 103.1.4.20.22 And as David there begins the Psalme with Blesse the Lord O my soul and ends it with blesse the Lord O my soul so the Apostle making mention of the like mercy of God unto him and of the exceeding abundant grace of Christ in setting forth him who was a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious as a patterne unto all that should beleeve on him unto eternall life begins this meditation with praises I thank Christ Iesus our Lord and ends it with praises unto the King eternall immortall invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1.12.17 It is impossible that soule should be truly thankfull unto God which hath no apprehensions of him but as an enemie ready to call in or at the least to curse all those outward benefits which in that little interim and respite of time between the curse pronounced in the Law and executed in death he vouchsafeth to bestow And impenitent sinners can have no true notion of God but such And therefore all the verball thanks which such men seem to render unto God for blessings are but like the musick at a Funerall or the Trumpet before a Judge which gives no comfortable sound to the mourning wife or to the guilty prisoner III. Vt medium Impetrandi As an Argument and motive to prevail with God in prayer For the Church here Praies for pardon for grace for healing not onely with an eye to its own benefit but unto Gods honour Lord when thou hast heard and answered us then we shall glorifie thee Psa. 50.15 I shall praise thee saith David for then hast heard me and art become my salvation Psal. 118.21 It is true if God condemne us he will therein shew forth his owne glory 2 Thes. 1.9 as he did upon Pharaoh Rom 9.17 In which sence the strong and terrible ones are said to glorifie him Isay. 25.3 Because his power in their destruction is made the more conspicuous But we should not therein concurre unto the glorifying of him The grave cannot praise him they that goe downe into the pit cannot celebrate his name Ps. 30.9 88 10 11. The living the living they shall praise thee Isa. 38.19 This is a frequent argument with David whereby to prevail for mercy because else God would lose the praise which by this meanes he should render to his name Psal. 6.4.5.118.17 c. God indeede is All-sufficient to himself and no goodnes of ours can extend unto him Iob 22.2 35 7. Yet as Parents delight to use the labour of their children in things which are no way beneficiall unto themselves so God is pleased to use us as instruments for setting forth his glory though his glory stand in no neede of us though we cannot adde one Cubit thereunto He hath made all men in usuâ— profundarum cogitationum suarum unto the uses of his unsearchable Councells He hath made all things for himselfe yea even the wicked for the day of evill Prov. 16.4 Yet he is pleased to esteeme some men meete for uses which others are not 2 Tim. 2.21 and to set apart some for himselfe and for those uses Psal. 4.3 Isay. 43.21 God by his wisedome ordereth and draweth the blind and brute motions of the worst creatures unto his own honour as the huntsman doth the rage of the dog to his pleasure or the Marriner the blowing of the winde unto his voyage or the Artist the heate of the fire unto his worke or the Phisician the bloudthirstinesse of the Leech unto a cure But godly men are fitted to bring actually glory unto him to glorify him doingly 1 Cor. 10 3â— 31. Ephe. 1.11 12. And this is that which God chiefly takes pleasure in Our Saviour bids his disciples cast their net into the Sea and when they had drawn their net he bids them bring of the fish which they had then caught and yet we finde that there was a fire of coales and fish laid thereon and bread provided on the land before Iohn 21.6 9 10. Thereby teaching us that he did not use their industrie for any neede that he had of it but because he would honour them so far as to let them honour him with their obedience And therefore even then when God tells his people that he needed not their services yet he calls upon them for thanksgiving Psal. 50.9 14. This then is a strong argument to be used in praier for pardon for grace for any spirituall mercie Lord if I perish I shall not praise thee I shall not be meete for my Masters uses Thy glory will onely be forced out of me with blowes like fire out of a flint or water out of a rock But thou delightest to see thy poore Servants operate towards thy glory to see them not forced by power but by love to shew forth thy praises And this we shall never doe till sinne be pardoned God can bring light out of light as the light of the Starres out of the light of the Sun and he can bring light out of darkenes as he did at first but in the one case there is a meetnes for such an use in the other not Now we are not meete Subjects for God to reap honor from till sinne be pardoned till grace be conferred Then we shall give him the praise of his mercy in pittying such grievous sinners and the praise of his power and wisedome in healing such mortall diseases and the praise of his glorious and free grace in sending Salvation to those that did not inquire after it and the praise of his patience in forbearing us so long and waiting that he might be gracious and the praise of his wonderfull providence in causing all things to worke together for our good and the praise of his justice by taking part with him against our own sinnes and joyning with his grace to revenge the bloud of Christ upon them A potsheard is good enough to hold fire but nothing but a sound and pure vessell is meete to put wine or any rich depositumn into IV. Vt principium operandi As a principle of Emendation of life and of new Obedience Lord take away iniquity and receive us into favour then will we be thankfull unto thee and that shall produce amendment of life Ashur shall not save us neither will we ride upon horses c. A thankefull apprehension of the
conversion unto him our greatest businesse And I doe verily believe that England must never thinke of outliving or breaking thorow this anger of God this criticall judgement that is upon it so as to returne to that cold and formall complexion that Laodicean temper that she was in before till she have so publickly and generally repented of all those civill disorders which removed the bounds and brought dissipation upon publick justice and of all those Ecclesiasticall disorders whch let in corruptions in doctrine superstions in worship abuses in Government discountenancing of the power of godlinesse in the most zealous Professors of it as that our Reformation may be as conspicuous as our disorders have beene and it may appeare to all the world that God hath washed away the filth and purged the blood of England from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Iudgement and by the Spirit of burning Secondly That Gods love is the true ground of removing Judgements in mercie from a people Let all Humane counsells be never so deep and armies never so active and cares never so vigilant and Instruments never so unanimous if Gods love come not in nothing of all these can doe a Nation any good at all Those that are most interested in Gods love shall certainly be most secured against his Judgements Hither our eyes our prayers our thoughts must be directed Lord love us delight in us choose us for thy selfe and then though Counsells and treasures and armies and men and horses and all second causes faile us though Sathan rage and hell threaten and the foundations of the earth be shaken though neither the Vine nor the Olive nor the figg-tree nor the field nor the pastures nor the heards nor the stay yeeld any supplies yet we will rejoyce in the Lord and glory in the God of our Salvation sinne shall be healed anger shall be removed nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. THE FIFTH SERMON HOSEA Chap. 14. ver 5.6 7. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his reâ—ts as Lebanon 6. His branches shall spread and his beautie shall be as the Olive Tree and his smell as Lebanon 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall returne They shall revive as the Corne and grow as the Vine the sent thereof shall bee as the wine of Lebanon c. IN these verses is contained â—ods answer unto the second part of Israels petition wherein they desired him to doe them good or to receive them graciously And here God promiseth them severall singular blessings set forth by severall metaphorâ— and similitudes all answering to the name of Ephraim and the ancient promises made unto him Deu. 33.13 17. c. opposite to the many contrary courses threatned in the former parts of the Prophecy under metaphors of a contary importance Here is the dew of grace contrary to the morning cloud the earthly dew that passeth away Cap. 13.3 Lillies Olives Vines Spices contrary to the Judgments of Nettles Thornes Thistles chap. 9 16.10.8 Spreading roots contrary unto dry roots chap. 9.16 A fruitfull vine bringing forth excellent wine contrary to an empty Vine bringing fruit only to it selfe that is so sowre and usavory as is not worth the gathering chap. 10.1 Corne growing instead of corne taken quite away chap. 2.9 instead of no staulk no bud no meale chap. 8.7 Fruit promised in stead of no fruit threatned chap. 9.16 Wine promised in opposition to the failing of wine Chap. 9.2.2.9 Sweet wine opposite to sowre drinke Chap. 4.18 Safe dwelling in stead of no dwelling Chap. 9.3 Branches growing and spreading instead of branches consumed Chap. 11.6 Green trees instead of Dry springs Chap. 13.15 And all these fruits the fruits as of Lebanon which was of all other parts of that Country the most fertill Mountaine full of various kindes of the most excellent Trees Cedars Cypresse Olive and divers others affording rich gummes and balsomes full also of all kinds of the most medicinall and aromatick herbs sending forth a most fragrant odour whereby all harmfull and venemous Creatures were driven from harboring there And in the Vallies of that Mountaine were most rich grounds for Pasture Corne and Vineyards as the Learned in their descriptions of the holy Land have observed The Originall of all these blessings is the heavenly dew of Gods grace and favour alluding to that abundance of dew which fell on that Mouniaine descending upon the Church as upon a garden bringing forth Lillies as upon a Forrest strengthning the Cedars as upon a Vineyard spreading abroad the branches as upon an Olive yard making the trees thereof green and fruitfull and as on a rich field receiving the Corne. Here is spirituall beautie the beautie of the Lillie exceeding that of Solomon in all his glory spirituall stabilitie the rootes of the Cedars and other goodly trees in that mountaine spirituall odors and spices of Lebanon spirituall fruitfulnesse and that of all sorts and kinds for the comfort of life The fruit of the field bread to strengthen the fruit of the Olive trees oyle to refresh the fruit of the Vineyard wine to make glad the heart of man Psal. 104.15 Wee esteeme him a very rich man and most excellently accommodated who hath gardens for pleasure and fields for corne and pasture and woods for fuell for structure for defence for beautie and delight and Vineyards for wine and oyle and all other conveniencies both for the necessities and delights of a plentifull life Thus is the church here set forth unto us as such a wealthy man furnished with the unsearchable riches of Christ with all kinde of blessings both for sanctity and safety as the Apostle praiseth God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ viz. Election to eternall life adoption to the condition of sonnes and to a glorious inheritance redemption from misery unto blessednesse remission of sinnes knowledge of his will holinesse and unblameablenesse of life and the seale of the Holy Spirit of Promise as we find them particularly enumerated Ephe. 1.3 13. The words thus opened doe first afford us one generall Observation in that God singleth out so many excellent good things by name in relation to that generall petition Doe us good That God many times answereth prayer abundantly beyond the petitions of his people They prayed at large only for good leaving it as it becommeth us who know not alwayes what is good for our selves to his holy will and wisedome in what manner and measure to doe good unto them And he answers them in particular with all kinde of good things As in the former petition they prayed in generall for the forgivenesse of sinne and God in particular promiseth the healing of their Rebellions which was the greatest of their sinnes God many times answers the