this signe and testimony of the blood which shewes that it is true it is a linely hope for he that hath a liuely hope hee purifies himselfe 1 Ioh. 3. But some man may say This testimony of a mans owne spirit may deceiue him I answer it cannot because though it be called the testimony of our owne spirit yet it is a spirit enlightned it is a spirit sanctified with the Spirit of Christ and then that Rule is true 1 Ioh 3. If our owne heart condemne not that is if the heart of a man enlightned if the heart of a man with which the Holy Ghost ioynes if the heart of a man sanctified doe not condemne him if hee haue the testimony of this Spirit he shall be saued he needs not doubt it he hath boldnesse towards GOD then againe hee must consider this worke the testimony of the Spirit the water and the blood and these three agree in one it is not the testimony of the Spirit alone but it is the testimony of the water ioyned with it if it were but the testimony of one indeed the ground were not good but they all agree in one and therefore if thou haue one sure to thee it is enough These are the things which goe before and accompany it Now followes the testimony of Gods spirit which we shall see described besides the places I named to you Eph. 1. Wherein after you beleeued you were sealed with the spirit of promise My beloued when a man hath beleeued and tooke lesus Christ secondly when hee hath washed and purified himselfe that is hee hath gone about this worke and so his owne spirit gathers a testimony hence that he is in a good estate after he hath thus beleeued then saith he comes the Holy Ghost and seales the same things vnto you that is the LORD leaues a man alone a while as it were to champ vpon the bridle as I may say he lets a man alone to some doubts and feares that so hee may purge himselfe the more carefully but after a time when a man hath put to his seale that God is true then the LORD seales him againe with the spirit of promise that is the LORD sends the spirit into his heart and that spirit giues witnesse to him and when he hath put to his seale that GOD is true then the LORD puts to his seale and assures him that hee hath receiued him to mercy You will say What is this seale or witnesse of the Spirit My beloued it is a thing that wee cannot expresse it is a certaine diuine impression of light a certaine vnexpressible assurance that we are the sonnes of God a certaine secret manifestation that God hath receiued vs and put away our sinnes I say it is such a thing that no man knowes but they that haue it you shall finde it expressed by all these places of Scripture Reu. 3. If any man will open to mee I will come in and sup with him that is when the Lord enters into a kinde of familiarity with a man when he vouchsafes him so much fauour as to come and suppe and dine with him as it were and to dwell with him and so Reâ— 2. 17. To him that ouercommeth will I giue of the hidden Mannah I will giue a white stone with a new name written in it tâ—at no man knowes but he that hath it that is there shall bee a secret priuy token as it were of my loue giuen him a secret marke of it that there is no man in the world knowes besides So Ioh. 14. 21. If any man loue mee and keepe my Commandements I will shew my selfe to him that is hee shall haue an extraordinary manifestation of my selfe hee shall haue such an expression of loue and peace that shall fill his heart with peace and ioy such a thing that no man knowes but himselfe Beloued this is the testimony of the Spirit I confesse it is a wondrous thing and if there were not some Christians that did feele it and know it you might beleeue there were no such thing that it were but a fancie or enthusiasme but beloued it is certaine there are a generation of men that know what this seale of the Lord is indeed you must remember this to distinguish it from all fancies and delusions this Spirit comes after you haue the water and the blood after you are beleeuers after you haue purged your selues and therefore if any man haue such flashes of light and ioy that witnesse that hee hath receiued the promise and that he is in the Couenant and for all this he haue not the things that goe before it now thou maist take it for a delusion I will come and sup with him but with whom with him that first openeth to me If thou open thy heart to the Lord whensoeuer hee knocks and comes to thee And so To him that ouercomes I will giue of the hidden Mannah If thou be one that art able to ouercome temptations and vnruly affections sinfull lusts thou maist conclude it is a true testimony that thou arâ— not deceiued but if thou be one that art ouercome with euery base lust with euery temptation thou art deceiued if thou art perswaded thou art in a good estate this is not the witnesse of the Spirit for it is to him that ouercomes So againe to him that loues me and keepes my CommandemeÌ„ts c. Now if thou be one that breaks the CoÌ„mandements of God that find'st not that holy fire in thy brest that find'st not thy heart affectioned to him and yet thou hast tâ—ese great flashes of assurance and tâ—inkst thy state good beloued you deceiue your selues whose case soeuer it is the Lord hath not shewed himselfe to thee bâ—t it is a delusion a fancy and therefore I say consider it and this is the consequent of it that he that hath it is able to pray So I will conclude all he is able to cry Abba Father If thou haue such an assurance of a good estate and yet art not able to pray thou art deceiued likewise for that is the property of the Spirit it makes a man cry to God and call him Father You will say Is this such a matter euery man can pray Beloued it is another thing then the world iâ—agines it to be he that hath this spirit is mighty in prayer he is able to wrestle with God as Iacob did by the spirit of Adoption hee had power with God as it is said there and he is able to preuaile with the Lord and why because he can speake to him as to a Father he can continue in prayer and watch ther euntâ— with all perseuerance he can speake to him as one that he is well acquainted with he can not only speake remissâ—ly but he can cry Abba Father that shewes feruency in his prayer there is no man in the world that is able to doe it besides We see a description of other men
thus when thou lookest vpon God in his greatnes First art thou able to say I haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me That is Canst thou see the emptinesse and vanitie of thy owne knowledge Canst thou learne not to murmur against God in any of his wayes Canst thou learne to captivate and bring vnder thy thoughts to the wayes of Gods providence Canst thou doe as Iob did saying I haue heretofore taken exceptions and murmured and was discontented and wondered at the wayes of God and the workes of his hands I haue done this once or twice but now I will doe so no more Iob knew God as well as we know him but when God spake out of the whirle-winde and made knowne his greatnes to him this was the fruit of it to Iob though he had spoken once or twice that is before that time yet now he would doe it no more Canst thou be content to see the Lord going all the wayes that he doth setting vp evill men and putting downe good men causing the Churches to wither and the enemies to prosper Canst thou see all this and yet sanctifie him in thine heart Art thou able to say that he is holy in all his wayes and in this to see the greatnesse of God and thy owne folly and weakenes Canst thou say that thou art but dust and ashes and to say it in good earnest Canst thou looke on thy selfe as on a vile Creature as Peter did saying Goe from me for I am a sinfull man Then I will beleeue that thou hast seene God in his greatnes I will beleeue that thou hast seene him in his All-sufficiency that he hath represented himselfe by his spirit into thy soule in some measure when thou seest these effects in thy soule when thou seest thy ignorance and thy vilenes when thou seest what an emptie Creature thou art sure this is another thing by which thou mayst judge whether thou hast experience whether thou hast practised this doctrine that we haue delivered of the All-sufficiencie of God and of the emptines of the Creature Moreover if God be All-sufficient why are we then so readie to knock at other mens dores Why are we then so readie to goe to the Creature to seeke helpe and comfort and counsell from it and to knocke so little at his doore by prayer and seeking to him for if he be All-sufficient thou shouldst be abundant in prayer thou wouldst take little time to looke to others thy chiefe busines would be to looke to him not onely in praying to him but in serving him and pleasing him We knocke at his doore as well by the duties of obedience as by prayer and seeking to him if thou thinkest him to be All-sufficient why dost thou not doe this Againe if thou thinke him to be All-sufficient why art thou not content to be at his immediate finding Put the case he deprive thee of all things else and doe with thee as Parents doe with their Children who giue them not a penny in their purse but tell them they will provide for them why art thou not content that God should doe so What if he strip thee of all thy wealth of thy libertie of thy friends so that thou canst looke for nothing but immediately at his hands to feede thee as he feeds the Ravens and the Lyons if he be All-sufficient why dost thou not trust in him in such a case and rest vpon him Againe lastly if thou thinkest God to be All-sufficient why dost thou not when thou hast any service or dutie to doe either belonging to God or man why dost thou not resolue vpon the doing of it without looking to the consequence whatsoever it be For my Beloved if he be All-sufficient then all our care should be nothing but to doe our dutie and to leaue the successe to him A servant that thinkes his Maister is able and willing to giue him wages and provide for him sufficiently at the end of the day or the yeare or the end of his service he will be carefull to doe his worke without looking to his wages without making provision for himselfe and so if thou beleeue God to be All-sufficient thou wilt seeke no more but to finde out what thy dutie is what rule thou oughtest to walke by what service thou owest to man in such a case how to keepe a good conscience in such a businesse in such a straight in such a difficultie thou wilt set thy wits a-worke to finde out this but when thy wit is over-running thy dutie and thou lookest to the consequence if I doe this and this this will befall me that is a signe thou thinkest not God to be All-sufficient thou thinkest thy Maister cannot provide for thee but thou thinkest I shall be poore when I haue done his service and therefore I will provide for my selfe I shall want comforts I shall haue enemies come in vpon me if thy Maister be a Sunne a Shield and a Buckler and an exceeding great reward and thou beleevest him to be so thou wouldst finde out onely thy dutie and it is no matter what the consequence is So you see the three men did we haue resolved that we will not worship thine Image and whereas you tell vs of casting vs into a burning fiery Fornace that we care not for God is able to deliver vs they did see Gods All-sufficiencie and therefore they did the dutie Certainely Belovid in any difficult case no man will doe his dutie except he be perswaded that God is All-sufficient Those three men would never haue refused to worship the Idoll except they could haue said and thought in their hearts God is able to deliver vs out of thy hands O King This they sayd and resolved to doe And so Daniell resolved to doe his dutie and not to goe a steppe out of the path besides the Rule Well he shall be cast into the Lyons denne yet he keepes his resolution firme it was enough for him to doe his dutie for the consequence of it he left it to God for he knew he was All-sufficient You see God watched over them and delivered them all And so likewise in refusing to eate of the Kings meate Daniell would not pollute himselfe it was not lawfull for him being a Iew it might haue cost him life for ought he knew if he had looked on the his consequence but he resolved to doe it Sayth the Text he resolved in his heart to doe it committed it to God And we see in all these three cases God shewed himselfe sufficient So he doth when we looke to our dutie sincerely and faithfully when we doe it and looke not to the consequence he is then All-sufficient and will shew himselfe to be so And the like we see in the case of Mordecai he thought it was a sinne to bow to Hamman who was an Amalekite he would not doe it Well but they shall all be destroyed he and all the Iewes He tels Hester
Esay 33. 14. when they are troubled they are not able to pray indeed they may haue formes of prayer that they may vse in times of peace but beloued let any great trouble come vpon them let them be put to it and then you shall finde they are not able to doe it but they runne away from God as fast as they can at that time they are not able to come and say Thou art my Father I beseech thee heare me I beseech thee pitty me and forgiue me no but they tremble at Gods presence as the Thiefe doth at the presence of the Iudge the sinners in Sion are afraid in that day when God comes at the day of visitation the sinners in Sion are afraid c. for who shall dwell with deuâ—ouring fire That is they tremble at such a day when the day of death comes when God begins to shew himselfe to them in the fiercenesse of his wrath when he begins to come neere them in the day of visitation then they fly from him as one would fly from deuouring fire they fly not to him as one would fly to a mercifull Father that is ready to heare them and helpe them but they fly from him as fast as they can as one would fly from euerlasting burniâ—g The like place you haue Iob 27. 8 9 10. For what hope hath the Hypocrite when hee hath heaped vp riches when God shall come and pull away his soule Will God heare his prayer when he cryes c. Will he call vpon God at all times A wicked man may make some shew of prayer to God in time of health and in time of peace but at that time saith he when he hath spent his time in gathering vp riches in heaping vp them and GOD comes vpon him suddenly and shall pull away his soule he teares and rends it from him for so the word signifies in the Originall that is he is not willing to resigne it into Gods haÌ„ds as the righteous man doth but he is busie about his wealth and God surprizeth him and rends his soule from him What will he doe in this case What will he pray saith Iob No hee giues two reasons He hath â—o delight in the Lord he neuerloued the Lord there is no such loue betweene the Lord and him as there is betweene the Father and the Childe betweene the Hâ—sband and the Wife he neuer had the spirit of a son he cannot pray for he delights not in God But he doth pray sometimes Yea for some fit he may be in some extremity he may cry as a Thiefe at the Barre may cry to the Iudge as he doth sometimes exceeding hard not because he loues the Iudge but it is a cry that comes from extremity and it is but in extremity and by that the falsenesse and hypocrisie of them is known So an Hypocrite may cry in the time of extremity but it is a cry it is not a prayer and it is but in the time of extremity it is not at all times that he doth it hee is not able to doe it for the Lord is a stranger to hiâ— he lookes vpon the Lord as vpon a terrible Iudge and therefore if you would know whether you haue the spirit of the Sonne As first thou shalt know it by that which went before and as secondly thou shalt know it by that which goes together with it the testimony of the blood the testimony of the water and of thine owne spirit So thou maist know it thirdly by this by the Consequents it makes thee able to pray and in the time of extremity it makes thee able to goe to God as to a Father when another flyes away from him as from euerlasting burnings So much shall serue for this time FINIS THE THIRTEENTH SERMON GENESIS 17. 2. And Iwill make my Couenant betweene mee and thee And I will multiply thee exceedingly THE point which we were in handling was this How a man may know whether he be in the Couenant or no I told you there are 3. waies to know it Let a man consider how Abraham came into the Couenant Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse If thou beleeue then thou art within the Couenant but it must be a faith that workes by loue if it bee a faith which workes not it is but a dead faith and if it doe worke yet if it worke not by loue the Lord regardâ—th it not it is true it is faith that layes hold vpon the Couenant but it works by loue faith is the point of the Compasse that fastens vpon the Couenant but loue is the other part that goes about that doth all the businesse it is that which keepes the Commandements it is that which quickens vs to euery good worke The second way to know whether wee be in the Couenant or no is to consider whether we haue taken the promised seede for in him shall all the nations of the world be blessed How shall wee know that If we haue the Spirit of the Sonne that is knowne by the Spirit it selfe the Spirit beares witnesse the witnesse of the Spirit as I told you it is knowne by that which goes before it by that which accompanies it and that which followes after This is the point that we were in handling and wee were broken off in the middest of it wee will recall it a little and deliuer it somewhat more distinctly to you than wee could doe then for haste First I say whosoeuer hath the Spirit of the Sonne he must haue before it the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. You haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but you haue receiued the spirit of Adoption As if hee should say there are none but first they receiue the spirit of bondage for there is no man can come to Christ except the Law be his Schoolemaster and the Law is not effectuall without the spirit of bondage neither the Law in the threatnings nor the iudgements which are the executioners of those threatnings you may heare the Law opened vnto you a hundred and a hundred times that is the particular sinnes of which a man is guilty described yea the particular iudgements yea the LORD may follow you with afflictions and crosses yet except there be a spirit of bondage to worke together with these it will neuer molifie an obdurate heart And therefore my beloâ—ed you must make this account if you haue neuer been affrighted with the terrour of God if you haue neuer bin put into any feare by this spirit of bondage be assuted that you haue not yet the spirit of Adoption If men would haue looked to the brazen Serpent without being stung of the fiery Serpents God would haue spared the spirit of bondage but beloued who doth it who is able to doe it Wee bee all in a dead sleepe and except we be wakned with the terrours of the Almighty there is no man would
of men is empty glory the applause of men that pleased him before he lookes now vpon it as a bubble blowne with the breath of men an empty thing hee esteemes it a thing that quickly liues and dyes and vanisheth hee seekes no more after it And so for the lusts of the flesh when a man before thought it the only life for a man to satisfie the flesh and the desires of it now hee beginnes to looke on it after another manner he begins to see the filthinesse and the bitâ—ernesse of those sinnes he beginnes to see that fleshly lusts fight against the soule as enemies hee lookes vpon them as things more bitâ—er then death more sharpe then a two-edged Sword Now when GOD hath enlightned a man thus and hath written his Lawe in his heart and hath taught him that hee iudgeth so of his sinnes and lusts now his sinnes and lusts are dissolued in him his heart is circumcised now they are cut off now the building of Satan is pulled downe and yet beloued this is but one part of this Couenant There is not onely this but likewise there followes this further when Christ hath written his Law in the heart that man hath not onely his heart weaned from all the finfull lusts that before he delighted in but there followes a wondrous forwardnesse and propensnesse to the Law of God to keepe it there is a wondrous desire to grow in grace to doe the duties of new obedience that by his good will hee would liue in another Element But in doing the duties and vsing the meanes by which he may receiue strength to doe them beloued when that Law is out of the heart when wee looke vpon the letter of the Law there is no such matter but when it is put into the heart when it is written within there is an inward disposition and proâ—enesse put into the heart If you looke vpon the Law without Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God and shalt feare him c. it is a hard Law who can keepe it but when thou hast it put into thy heart that is the grace of loue for that is to put the Law into the heart when there is such a habit planted in the heart a habit of feare and of euery good grace then there is a great pronenesse and aptnesse in a man and willingnesse to keepe the Law and therefore in that place 1. Tim. 1. 9. The Law is not giuen to the righteous they are a Law to them selues Beloued if thou fiâ—dest this to bee thy case that thou needest not the Law to set thee on with terrours and the threatnings of it but thou art now a Law to to thy selfe that is thou findest in thy selfe such an inward aptenesse and propensnesse to keepe the Law of God that if thou were put to thy choise if there were no necessity laid vpon thee if there were no threatning no Hell yet thou delightest in God and desirest exceedingly to haue communion with him there is nothing seemes to be so beautifull as Grace as the Image of God renewed in thy soule I say this will bee thy disposition and this is for a man to be a Law to himselfe for you know this common nature is betweene the Image of the old Adam and the Image of the new betweene the flesh and the spirit betweene those lusts that remaine in thee when thou art vnder the Couenant of Workes and betweene this Couenant of Grace and feruency in well doing I say common nature is betweene these two as a Bowle betweene two byasses Now the LORD when he comes to write his Law in the heart he doth not only knocke off the old by as of sinfull lusts that carried him out but he sets a new by as vpon thy soule that bowes and bends thee to the waies of God that still there is a strong inclination that carries thee on that way besides the Commandement that thou dost not euery thing as of necessity a man before this time it may be prayed it may be he was constant in prayer he would not let a morning or an euening goe without it it may be he would doe euery other duty but hee did it as a taske as a man that dares not omit it there is a naturall conscience in him that will be vpon him if hee doe he feares God will become his enemy hee shall taste of fearefull Iudgements if hee neglect it all this while he doth it out of feare but one that hath the Law written in his heart that is a Law to himselfe that hath a new byas put vpon his heart I say it still bends and inclines him to it he cannot doe otherwise hee longs after it exceedingly he is exceeding forward to it the inward inclination of his minde stands to iâ— This is the third way whereby you may know whether you be in the Coâ—enant or no if you finde that Christ hath thus taught you and hath written his Law in your hearts if you bee thus enlightned with knowledge that both the lusts of the former ignorance are dissolued and likewise there comes in the roome of them a wondrous pronenesse and propensenesse to well donig when there is a certaine connaturalnesse betweene good duties and thy heart when thou canst say indeed as Pâ—ul I delight in the Law of God in the inward man and if I might haue my desire if GOD would giue me my wish as hee did to Salomon that which I would desire aboue all things in the world is that I may haue a greater measure of the Spirit that my sinfull lusts may bee more and more mortified that I may excell more in grace and holinesse that his Image may be more renewed in mee and that it may shine more bright in all the parts of it I say when â—hou findest this be assured thou art in the Coâ—enant So much beloued for that point I will adde a second which is this from this difference whereas this is one of the differences betweene the old Coâ—enant and the new the Old Testament was made with the Iewes onely it was shut vp within the compasse of that Nation the New Coâ—enant is enlarged to the Gentiles there is now an open doore for them to come in there are now better promises more knowledge a larger effusion of the Spirit both for intention and for the extent of it it is to many more and beloued were it not for this Coâ—enant all you now that heare this Couenant of Grace preached vnto you and haue heard it often you had neuer heard it but this benefit you haue by the New Testament that now this good newes is come to your eares Beloued this God brings home to the Gentiles and they haue their seuerall times and this is the season that GOD hath brought it home to you euen when you heare these promises of Grace made And what vse should you make of it surely this Take heede of refusing the acceptable time
himselfe that an impure heart and an vndefiled inheritance will not stand together and because he hopes for it in good earnest it is not a false hope it is not a dead hope therefore he sets himselfe on worke indeede to purifie himselfe he that hath that hope purifieth himselfe he cleanseth himselfe Who ever therefore doth not purifie himselfe it is an argumeÌ„t that his hope is dead which he hath of being saved it is but the hope of an hypocrite a hope that will stand him in no steede for it brings forth no endevour that is the second thing I must be briefe in this because this is not the poynt I intend but that which followes The third expression here vsed is he that sacrificeth and he that sacrificeth not This is but a Synecdoche where one particular is put for all other kindes of holy duties But the meaning is this you shall know a man by this in which of the two conditions he is he whose heart is vpright with God he dares not omit any holy ordinance he dares not omit any sacrifice he dares not performe forme them in a slight and negligent manner He againe whose heart is false sacrificeth not that is either he omits the dutie or else he omits the substance and life of the dutie You know in Iam. 2. 10. he sayth there he that abideth in all that keepes all the Commandements and yet fayles in one he is guiltie of all and so you may say of the ordinances he that keepes them he that observeth them but yet fayles in one it is argumeÌ„t enough that he makes not Conscience of any You shall finde this true that whosoever he is that sacrificeth not that is he that prayes not constantly he that heares not he that reades not the Scriptures he that sanctifieth not Gods Sabbaths he that partaketh not of the Sacraments c. he that vseth not holy Conference and fasting and prayer in its season such a man is in an evill condition It is given here as a note of an evill man he sacrificeth not But you will say to me may not a man whose heart is vnsound keepe a constant course in sacrificing to the Lord that is in praying to the Lord May he not keepe those ordinances constantly Beloved I answer He may keepe them constantly that is he may doe the outside of the dutie he may performe the dutie in a formall manner and many times men are deceived with this it is an vsuall case nothing more vsuall in the Church of God for a man to content himselfe with a perfunctory ordinary performance a customary performance of good duties But herein Sathan deceiues men as we deceiue children when we take from them gold and silver that is truely precious and giue them Counters things that haue no worth in them onely they haue a good glosse vpon them which quiets them because they be children because they cannot put a difference betweene things of show and things of true worth for even thus Sathan vsually quiets the Consciences of men with these bare formes of pietie because they are not able to discerne not able to distinguish betweene the precious duties and the right performance of them and betweene the formall and emptie performance which hath an outward splendour and glittering shew of performance but in truth he cozens and deceiues men with it therefore I say a man may doe these duties he may be constant in prayer from day to day he may be constant in hearing and performing all the ordinances of God in sacrificing as the Wiseman speakes here yet for all this not be one of these good men according to this note because he doth not performe them in a holy and spirituall manner You will say to me how shall I know that You shall know it thus when the ordinances of God are spiritually performed when holy duties are performed in a holy manner you shall finde these effects in them First They are a fire to heate the heart as in Iere. 23. my word is as fire Againe They quicken the heart when it is dead heavie and dull and indisposed to any good dutie they raise and quicken it Againe They build vs vp we are gâ—iners by them wee grow more rich both in grace and knowledge Iude. 20. verse Edifie your selues in your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost As if he should say that will edifie you and you know what Christ sayes take heede how you heare for to him that hath more shall be given that is he that heares as he ought to heare every time that he heares he growes something more rich he gaines some more saving knowledge some greater degree of saving grace Againe The ordinances of God heale the soule They heale the distempers of it they compose it and put it into a good frame of grace as in Iob 15. 3. 4. sayth Eliphas there to Iob dost thou dispute with words not comely c. with talke that is not profitable surely sayth he thou restrainest prayer from the Almightie As if he should say Iob if thou diddest pray thou wouldest not fall into these distempered speeches as thou dost thy heart would not be so disordered thou wouldest not be so passionate and froward as thou art therefore surely thou restrainest prayer Whence I gather that duties performed as they should be compose the heart and heale those dâ—stempers Againe They make the heart fruitfull and therefore they are compared to raine that fals vpon the earth and comes not in vaine Againe They teach vs to distiâ—guish betweene good and evill to divide the flesh and the spirit still a man sees somwhat more then he did in his owne heart he sees the good that is in it and the corruption that is in it Lastly They cleanse the heart yea the heart of a young man where lusts are strong where the staine is deepe and will not out without Fullers sope David Psal. 119. 9. sayth that the Word clenseth the heart c. Wherewith shall a young man clense his heart c. Now then examine thy selfe whether thou so performest these ordinances and holy duties that God commands thee that thou finde these effects of them If thou dost then thou art one that sacrificeth if otherwise then thou art one that sacrificeth not and therefore consider whether thy heart be warmed by them If they be to thee as painted fire such as hath no heate thou dost not sacrifice it is but an outward forme consider if they quicken thy heart or if it be as dead and as backward and as indisposed to good duties and as prone to things that are evill after thou hast performed them as before if so though thou seeme to sacrifice yet thou art of the number of those that sacrifice not dost thou finde it doth not divide the flesh and the spirit that it is as a â—word without an edge that it is as
makes himselfe a prey to the wrath of men And therefore the prudent at such a time shall keepe silence sayth Isaâ— And there is a time wherein if a man doe not speake he makes himselfe a prey to the wrath of God And not to hit vpon a right season in such an action of speaking and shewing himselfe or not doing it it brings miserie either from God or man There is a time for a man to giue and to spend and a time againe for him to spare and gather if he misse of this time if he will not giue when he ought if he spare when he ought to giue it brings a miserie vpon him he shall be a looser by it In all particular actions oftentimes God opens a doore to vs of advantage to our selues to our children to those that depend vpon vs if it be taken You haue the opportunitie if you stay till it be shut vp againe there is a miserie that followes it it is a thing that concernes your owne safetie but these are but lesser matters Beloved there are times of greater Consequence then these There is a time when God offers grace to a man Now to refuse it to misse of that time it causeth the miserie to be great yea to be eternall vpon him Luk. 19. 42. Oh Ierusalem if thou haddest knowne the things belonging to thy peace in this thy day but now they are hid from thine eyes As if he should say This is the time Ierusalem when if thou wilt take the offer thou maiest if thou didst know thy time if God would reveale it to thee thou shouldest be safe enough thou mightest escape this miserie but God hath hid it that thou seest not this time therefore thou and thy children shall perish The time of a mans health and of his peace of his life quiet and rest is the time of making sure his Election a time of growing in grace and knowledge and of growing rich in good workes He whose eyes God opens to see this time he makes vse of it he layes out those talents he hath to such a purpose but when God hides it from a man it is his vndoing an evill time the time of death comes suddenly vpon him as a snare on the fowle The time of youth the time of education is the seede-time of our life after he whom God hath inlightned to see this time and to consider it he is not negligent iâ— it he layes vp the ground and foundation of his future liâ—e in it Such like times there be You shall see an example of them in Saul and in the people of Israell Saul had a time to make sure the Kingdome to himselfe and the Kingdome of heaven to himselfe but because he lost his time God would giue him no more he had opportunitie no longer but it was cut off from him You know he lost the Kingdome by not staying the time that Samuel appointed him he stayed to the very point of the time but he stayed it not out The seaventh day Samuel came according to his promise but he thought he would not haue come because he stayed so late but this was the losse of the Kingdome to him God intimates thus much to him there that if he had discerned his time he might haue saved his Kingdome but because he did not see it that miserie came vpon him he lost the Kingdome from himselfe and from his posteritie for ever The Iewes likewise there was a time when God would haue received them and averted that fearefull Iudgement that came vpon the whole Nation when they were carried away captiue but when they had passed that time we see God is resolved to destroy them there is no more hope for them Iere. 11. 14. Thâ—u shalt not pray for this people I will not heare their cry in the day of their trouble Thou shalt not pray for them thou shalt not lift vp a cry a prayer for them It is twice repeated because the Lord was resolved the time was past and they saw it not therefore their miserie was great But you will say to me to conclude with that How shall a man doe to know that time to know the time and the season that God hath allotted to every action since it is of so much moment and the missing of it brings so much miserie vpon men Beloved I will run through some directions very briefly Consider what the cause is that men misse of their time and you shall finde by that the meanes how to finde it out The cause why men misse it is First Inability to discerne man himselfe knowes it not and no man else can tell it him So then it is in Gods owne power to reveale it Therefore to find out this time let a man doe these two things to haue abilitie to discerne the times First let him not leane to his owne wisedome but trust in God that is let him goe and aske counsell of God Even as David did Shall I goe vp to Hebron or shall I not So in all such doubtfull Cases goe to God shall I doe such a thing or shall I not Shall I doe it in such a season or shall I sâ—ay another We see what Salomon sayth Prov. 3. 5. Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and leane not to thine owne wisedome in all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy way The meâ—ning is this let a man in his heart rest vpon God and trust in him and say thus to him Lord I confesse I know not the times I know not whether this be a fit season or another Lord I leane on thee I beseech thee discover the times to me When the heart indeede rests on him there is a promise trust in the Lord with all thine heart that is trust in him in good earnest and he shall direct thy way That is there shall be a secret guidance from his spirit that shall pitch thee vpon a right time There shall a secret thought come in thy heart which shall be as if a man stood behinde thee that shall whisper to thee and say this is the way this is the time turne this way and not that So God directs vs if we trust in him and rest on him If we goe to him and pray him and beseech him to guide vs. Secondly it is not enough onely to pray to him but there is another thing added to it to walke in his wayes not to steppe out of his wayes but to keepe the CoÌ„mandements when we haue any businesse to doe goe to the straight path step not out to any inordinate course but keepe the Commandements and the Commandements will keepe thee This you shall finde Eccles. 8. 5. He that keepes the Commandement shall know no evill thing and the heart of the wise shall know the time and the Iudgement for to every purpose there is a time and a Iudgement You see though it be very hard