Love to the world is spiritual Adultery and thence incoherent with the Love of God The jealousie of God will not admit of any corrival in the bent of the heart but Oh! how doth love to this world run a whoring after other Lovers so Ezek. 16.17 18 38. and 23.5 11. and Aholah played the harlot when she mas mine c. The like James 4.4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendsh p of the world is enmity with God Which implies that love to and friendship with this whorish world is spiritual Adultery and so hatred against God O! how soon are those that love the world killed by its adulterous imbraces hence 6 Love to the world is a deliberate contrived lust and so habitual enmity and rebellion against God Acts of lust which arise from suddain passions though violent may consist with the love of God but a deliberate Bent of heart towards the world as our supreme interest cannot The single act of a gross sin arising from some prevalent Temptation speaketh not such an inveterate bitter root of enmity against God as predominant love to the world James 4.4 whosoever therefore will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God Oh! how much of contempt rebellion and enmity against God is there in friendship and love to the world 7 Love to the world forms our profession into a subservience unto our worldly interest and so makes Religion to stoop unto yea truckle under lust Now what can be more inconsistent with the Love of God than this This was the case of the carnal Jews Ezech. 33.31 With their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness They shew much love in profession but O how little have they of sincere affection and why because their avaricious hearts made the whole of their profession to conform to their worldly interest Thus also it was with unbelieving Jews in our Lords time John 5.42 But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you I know you There lies a great emphase in that you you who profess so much and yet have so little love in you They had much love to God in their mouth but none in their heart this appeareth by v. 43 44. where our Lord tells them in plain terms that their worldly honour and interest was the only measure of their profession This also was the measure of Judas's Religion John 12.5 6. where he pretends much love to the poor but really intends nothing but the gratifying his avaricious humor The like Hos 10.11 Ephraim loveth to tread out the Corn c. because there was profit liberty and pleasure in that but Ephaim loved not plowing work because that brought her under a yoke and brought in no advantage to her Love to the world brings us under subjection to it and so takes us off from the service of God What we inordinately love and cleave unto we are soon overcome by Now subjection to the world and subjection to God are inconsistent Mat. 6.24 8 Love to the world is the root of all sin and therefore what more inconsistent with the love of God To love God is to hate evil Psal 97.10 therefore to love evil either in the cause or effect is to hate God Now love to the world has not only a love for but also a causal influence on all sin And that 1 As it exposeth men to the violent incursion and assaults of every tentation so 1 Tim. 6.9 But they that will be rich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that have their wills biassed with a violent bent or vehement weight of carnal love towards riches This Solomon expresseth Prov. 28.22 By hasting to be rich What befalls such why saith Paul such fall into tentation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction and then he gives the reason and cause of it v. 10. For the love of money is the root of all evil c. i. e. There is no sin but may call the love of money Father whence Philo calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Metropolis of evil 2 Love to the world is the cause of all sin in that it blinds and darkens the mind which opens the door to all sin It is an observation of the prudent moralist (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch that every lover is blind about that he loves which he himself interprets of love to lower goods And oh how true is this of those that love the world what a black veil of darkness is there on their minds as to what they love hence Paul calls such mens love 1 Tim. 6.9 foolish lusts They are indeed foolish not only eventually but causally as they make men fools and sots 3 Love to the world stifles all convictions breaks all chains and bars of restraining grace and so opens a more effectual door to all sin We find a prodigious example hereof in Balaam Numb 22.22 40. where you see at large how his predominant love to the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 stifled all those powerful convictions of and resolutions against sin he lay under 4 Love to the world is the disease and death of the soul and therefore the life of sin 1 Tim. 5.6 she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 5 Love to the world (u) Amor est quidam ingressus animi in rem amatam quae si fuerit ipso amante ignobilior polluit Dignitatem ejus Jansen August pollutes our whole Being Animal passions defile the soul inordinate lustings after things lawful pollute the most of professors more or less 6 Love to the world puts the whole soul yea world into Wars Confusion and Disorders so James 4.1 From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your Members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of your pleasures i. e. by a Metonymie from your lusts after pleasures and superfluous things that war in your members Hence note that all extern wars and confusions come from the wars and confusions of intern lust in the heart Now all intern wars and disorders are inconsistent with the love of God which is peaceable and orderly In these regards love to the world impedes and hinders the love of God 9 Love to the world is inconsistent with the love of God in that it causeth Apostasie from God The Conversion of the heart to the Creature always implies its Aversion from God He that cannot part with the World will soon part with God The world draws Men from God at Pleasure because it doth engross your best Time Thoughts Affections and Strength in its service How many professors by being bewitched with love to the World have lost many hopeful blossomes and beginnings of love to God How little do Spiritual Suavities savour with Carnal Hearts Yea do not the Flesh-pleasing sweets of this World make all
shall keep the way of the Lord. This then is undeniable if the Word is to be believed received as our Rule and obedience to be yielded thereunto And the Heathens taught a necessity of instructing youth betimes The reason of this consequence from Family reading and instructions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin dialog cum Tryph 173. Scriptura sacra est 1 DEI cathedra ex qua ad nos loquitur 2 Dei Schola in qua nos erudit informat 3 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritualis rerum medicarum officina 4 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 armamentarium in quo â—unit armat nos contra omnis generis hostes 5 Dei manus qua nos per semitas fidei justitiae ducit ad vitam aeternam Gerhar loc com Tom. 1. p. 141. to Family praying is evident we need to beg of God the illumination of his Spirit the opening of the eyes of every one in the Family the blessing of God upon our endeavours without which it will be to no saving benefit and vvill be more manifest if vve consider and lay together these things following First Whose Word it is that is to be read in the Family together the Word of the eternal blessed glorious God And doth this call for and require preceding Prayer no more than if you were to read the Book of some mortal man The Word of God is that out of which God speaketh to us it is that by which he doth instruct us and inform us in the highest and weightiest concernments of our Souls it is that from which we must fetch remedies for the cure of our spiritual maladies it is that from whence we must have weapons of defence against our spiritual enemies that do assault our Souls and be directed in the paths of life and is not Prayer together needful then that God would prepare all their hearts to receive and obey what shall be read to them of the mind of God Is all the Family so serious and so sensible of the Glory Holiness and Majesty of that God that speaketh to them in his Word that Prayer is not needful that they may be so And if it be needful should it not first be done And when it hath been read and the threatnings commands and promises of the glorious God been heard and your sins discovered and God's wrath against them and duties enjoined and precious priviledges opened and promises of a faithful God both great and precious promises made to such as do repent believe and turn to God with all their hearts unfeignedly have you not all need together to fall down upon your knees to beg and cry and call to God for pardon of those sins that by this Word you are convinced you are guilty of and to lament them before the Lord and that when your duty is discovered you might have all hearts to practise and obey and that you might unfeignedly repent and turn to God that so you may apply those promises to your selves and be partaker of those priviledges From this then there is great reason when you read together you should also pray together Scripturis sacris incumbat Christianus fidelis ibi inveniet condigna fidei spectacula spectabit mundum in delictis suis Piocum praemia Impiorum supplicia religione superatas feras in mansuetudinem câ—nversas intuâ—bitur animas ab ipsa morte revocatas in his omnibus jam majus videbit spectaculum diabolum illum qui totum triumpharet mundum sub pedibus Christi jacentem quà m hoc decorum spectaculum fratres quam jucundum quam necessarium Cyprian 416. Secondly Consider what great and deep mysterious things are contained in the Word of God which you are to read together and there vvill appear a necessity of praying together also Is there not in this Word the Doctrine concerning God how he might be known loved obeyed worshipped and delighted in concerning Christ God-man a mystery that the Angels wonder at and no man fully understands or can express and fully unfold concerning the Offices of Christ Prophet Priest and King the example and the life of Christ the miracles of Christ the temptations of Christ the sufferings of Christ his death the victories of Christ the Resurrection Ascension and Intercession of Christ and his coming to Judgment Is there not in the Scripture the Doctrine of the Trinity of the misery of man by sin and his remedy by Christ of the Covenant of Grace the Conditions of this Covenant and the Seals thereof the many precious glorious priviledges that we have by Christ reconciliation with God justification sanctification and adoption the several graces to be got and duties to be done and of mens everlasting state in Heaven or Hell are these and such like contained in the Word of God that you ought to read daily in your houses and yet do not you see the need of Prayer before and after your reading of it Weigh them well and you will Thirdly Consider how much all the Family are concerned to know and understand these things so necessary to Salvation If they are ignorant of them they are undone If they know not God how shall they love him Invisa possunt amari incognita nequaquam Things unseen may be loved but things unknown cannot We might love an unseen God and an unseen Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 But not an unknown God If they in your Family know not Christ how shall they believe on him and yet they must perish and be damned if they do not They must for ever lose God and Christ and Heaven and their Souls if they do not repent believe and be converted and yet when that Book is read Petit se doceri divinitus ut doctrinam rectè intelligat ex antithesi verò monet omnium hominum mentes esse coecas nec intelligere doctrinam quamdiu non illuminantur à Spiritu sancto monet igiâ—ur quasi velamen esse obductum oculis nostrae mentis vel volumen legis seu doctrinae clausum convolutum esse ut legi intelligi non possit nisi spiritu detrahente velamen oculis nostris evolvente volumen ut oculis nostris subjiciatur ideóque assiduè petendum esse significat ut hic dâ—ctor mittatur in corda nostra qui ea illuminet sapientia coelesti imbuat Moller in Psal 119.18 by which they should understand the nature of true saving Grace is not Prayer needful especially when many have the Bible and read it yet do not understand the things that do concern their peace Fourthly Consider further The blindness of their minds and their inability without the teachings of God's Spirit to know and understand these things and yet is not Prayer needful Fifthly Consider yet further The backwardness of their hearts to hearken to these weighty necessary truths of God and their unwillingness naturally to learn shews Prayer to be necessary that God would make them able
to us all if God had spared him her or them if your house had been consumed by flames and God had turned you all out of doors before morning would you not have said It would have been a mercy if God had safely preserved us and our dwellings and caused us to rest and sleep and rise in safety Why Sirs will you not acknowledg mercies to be mercies till God hath taken them away from you and if you do should you not give the praise daily unto God Was it not God himself that watched over you while you did sleep and could not did not watch your selves When you all did sleep you knew not where you were nor what dangers you were exposed unto nor how you might prevent them but God then was good unto you and should you not conjunctly acknowledg this when you do wake and rise and see that God hath kept you and do enjoy the comfort and the benefit of his watchful Providence over you Psal 127.1 Except the Lord keep the City the Watchman waketh but in vain 2. for so he giveth his beloved sleep And as you have had many Family mercies in the night to bless God for in the morning so you have many Family mercies in the day to give thanks to God for at night before you go to bed If you see not cause to acknowledg God's goodness towards you you are blind if you do and have not hearts you are worse Methinks you should not quietly sleep till you have been together on your knees least God should say this Family that hath not acknowledged my mercy to them this day nor given me the glory of those benefits of which to them I gave the comfort shall never see the light of another day nor have the mercies of one day more to bless me for When sleep doth close their eyes so shall death too they shall live no longer and rise no more this night they shall go to their beds and the day or two after shall be carried to their graves I wonder Sirs that you do not dream of an angry God because thus slighted by you I wonder that you do not dream of some sore judgment or other that might overtake you before the Sun doth rise What if God should say unto you when you are laid down in your beds THIS NIGHT your Souls shall be required of you you that went to bed before you had given me the praise of the mercies that I had given unto you all the day and before you had prayed for my protection over you in the night and should send some suddain sickness to make you feel that he is offended with you for this neglect might not God say shall I keep and preserve that Family till the morning that would not so much as ask me so to do and if I do will not acknowledg it to be a mercy or a kindness to them Take heed though God be patient do not provoke him Reason 2. You should pray to God daily in your Families because there are sins committed every day in your Families 2. 2. Ad candem à defectibus nostris excitamur Do you indeed sin together and will you not pray together what if you should be damned all together Doth not every member of your Family commit many sins every day How great is the number then of all when considered or put together What! so many sins every day under your roof within your walls committed against the glorious blessed God and not one Prayer one sin should be lamented with a thousand tears but you have not one tear shed by one and another by another in Prayer together for a thousand sins Is this to repent daily when you do not confess them daily Would you have God to pardon all the sins of your Family say would you or no If you would not God might justly let you go to your Graves and Hell too with the guilt of sin upon your Souls If you would is not pardon worth asking for Would you have it and not beg it at the hands of God would not all judg that man worthy of death that being justly condemned might yet have life for asking for and will not How do you how can you quietly go to your beds and sleep with the guilt of so many sins upon your Souls and have not prayed to have them blotted out What do you take to make you sleep What is your pillow made of that your heads can rest upon it under the weight and load of so much guilt Is indeed your bed so soft or your heart so hard that you can rest and sleep when to all the sins of commission in the day you add this sin of omission in the evening Lay to heart your daily Family sins and you will feel a reason why you should pray to God in your Families daily Reason 3. 3. You should pray in your Families daily unto God 3. Ad eandem plerisque tum cerporaelium tum spiritualium bonorum indigentiis premimur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indiget vir viro sed omnes Deo etiam Hercules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Od. lib. 8. Omne bonum Dei donum because you have many daily Family wants which none can supply but God God wants not your Prayers but you and yours want God's mercies and if you will have them should you not pray for them Can you supply your Families wants If they want health can you give it them If they want bread can you give it them except God first give it unto you Why then did Christ direct us to pray Give us this day our daily bread If they want grace can you work it in them or do you not care though they die without it Is not God the giver of every good gift Jam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights Mercies are above and good things are from above and prayer is a means appointed by God to fetch them down Jam. 1.5 If any man want wisdom let him ask it of God Do you think you do not want wisdom to discharge your duties to God and man that you do not want wisdom to manage your family for their temporal spiritual and eternal good If you think so you are fools and if you think you want it not by those very thoughts you may discern your want of it If you think you have enough it is plain that you have none and should you not ask it of God if you would have it If you and yours want health in your Family should you not ask it of God Can you live without dependance upon God or can you say you have no need of God's help to supply your wants then you speak contradictions for to be under wants and not to be dependent beings is a contradiction to think you do not live in dependence upon God is to think you are
after all mouldred to dust by death and rottenness but there neither deformity pains nor death shall be their fear nor exercise Our Souls shall quit their prisons clouds and chains our apprehensions shall be clear 1 Cor. 13.12 and Consciences full of peace and joy Oh what an harmony and concord shall there be betwixt God's will and ours what purity order warmth and vigour shall there be in our affections and what subserviency and due prostrations in our passions yea what comfort and constancy shall there be in full and grateful exercises in the whole man No Jars and Discords shall spoil the Melody of our Spheres our Holiness shall need no Crutch but reach the fulness of a perfect stature no broken-winded nor imperfect praises there the pulse of perfect Souls shall know no intermissions nor unequal motions but keep one constant rate of work and joy And what a change of state as well as persons shall we meet with there Phil. 1.23 A vale of tears quit for Rivers of eternal pleasures an element of joys succeeds our bitter Cups our rights can never be invaded there nothing can stain the comforts of that world no blots nor wounds are there contracted nor endured no troubles in that Israel there are no pauses of astonishment through surprisals of afflictions death smites no corners there Providence makes no storms there lies that Ark wherein no vile or wicked Cham shall dwell the glory of that place it knows no eclipse nor cloud no dim discoveries or flat notes shall be the exercise or entertainment of that state How sprightly are the Airs and descants of their Hallelujahs No worm on Conscience or carkass there there Charity knows no breach no male-administrations in that Kingdom nor bad constructions of God's providence or of the Actions of his servants there there are no cuts from Friends nor gripes from Enemies no frailties to report nor Enemies to report them no falls in Israel to grate upon these holy hearts nor fears to be their painful exercises there are no wrinkles on the brows of God nor frowns upon the face of Majesty nor one dejected look amongst those blessed Myriads of Saints and Angels their Ark hath neither shake nor cover nor any startling strokes to terrifie its attendants Souls once arrived at this harbour are entertained with perfection in a morning-blush and everlasting youthfulness Oh who can draw these Breasts of Consolation dry These upper Springs they run clear and freely and all the Fountains of the great Deep shall there be broken up to overflow the Banks of Paradise with everlasting joys and satisfaction With what a torrent shall these clear and pleasant Rivers run Should I attempt a full description of this joyful state I might far sooner set Rhetorick upon the wrack and contract the Character of being one that quaintly did attempt to play the fool and was eloquently mad than think to escape that censure Job 38.2 Who is this that darkneth counsel by words without knowledge Oh it must be Vision and Fruition and not the Flourishes of expression that must reach the excellent perfections of that state 1 Cor. 2 9. See Psal 16.11 And now shall we fear to leave this world and die What! shall we be undone by being happy Is it the misery of man to be with God like him and dear and near unto him What is this state and theatre of woes and sorrows that we are so loth to quit it Methinks I see the Angels overmatcht with strange astonishment at our reluctancies to be gone and our averseness to desert our Dotages and Prisons It might in reason be expected from us that no exercise of our patience should be so sore and pinching as this that we must stay from Heaven so long and shall we after all raise such a false report about the Land of Promise by our averseness to be gone thereto as to insinuate into the thoughts of others that either the trifles of this mortal Life or the pains and terrors of our passage to the Land of Rest are much beyond the Recompences and Reparations that we shall meet with there View then the difference and be free to go Prop. 3. Death is an enemy which Christ hath conquered and God hath given us the victory through Christ 1 Cor. 15.54 57. Heb. 2.14.15 Oh what an emancipation hath Christ here wrought That Christ hath conquered it 't is clear in Acts 2.24 That Prophesie is now accomplisht Hos 13.14 with Rom. 1.4 And blessed are the consequences of this Victory to us John 6.39 40. Why should we fear this King of Terrors who gives his stroke but has no sting the stab is deep but the captivity short for vve shall have our lives again which are hid with Christ in God till Christ appear Col. 3.3 4. And Soul death is escaped for when we are absent from the body we shall be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.8 Sin bound us over to eternal death by Law and here vvas the strength and sting of Death but this Sentence is reversed through the Law of the Spirit of Life Rom. 8.1 4. And Death it self can neither come from nor end in any want of Love in God to us And how triumphantly doth the Apostle speak when animated with this Meditation Rom. 8.32 39. What an allay is it amidst our pangs and fears of death to think upon those Confidences Encouragements and Consolations before and in and after the shakes and conflicts yea and execution of a dying hour vvhich God allovvs intends and is resolved to give us then 'T is novv consistent vvith the dearest love to die and introductive of the best delights and state and therefore vve have little cause to fear it seeing vve shall be gainers by it 't is but a Moment's blovv and that shall be healed again 1 Pet. 1.3 4. He that is true to his baptismal covenant hath novv the title and shall have the honour and advantages of this victory if God be served and sought and loved as our great end and happiness Psal 73.25.26 if we be freely for Christ Joh. 6.37 faithful to him Rev. 2.10.3.10 Heb. 5.9 and fruitful in him Joh. 15.1.10 2 Pet. 1.5.10 if vve live in the spirit and vvalk by it Gal. 5.25 Rom. 8.9.17 and sovv to it Gal. 6.8 and if vve heartily and prevailingly ansvver the claims and ends of the Gospel of the grace of God Tit. 2.11 15. What need vve perplex our selves vvith fears as if vve served a rigid or unfaithful Master Oh let not our unvoluntary vveakness and surprisals discourage us for God is merciful his goodness is exceeding great and our High priest is sensible of our vveaknesses and true to all our interest Heb. 7.25 9 24. Heb. 2.14 18 4.14.16 And novv having thus prepared the vvay by these preliminary Propositions vvhat novv remains for us to do but to take these follovving Directions vvhich vvill come something closer to the case in hand Direct 1. See that
and therefore the Blessing is null and moreover what the meaning of this Providence is that my Brother should come forth against me in this hostile manner I knovv not Wherefore I humbly beg thy Blessing and the confirmation of that Title vvhich hath so great an error in it Thus God brought an old reckoning to his remembrance in an evil day and set it on his conscience and put him to repent and mourn for he wept and made supplication to the Angel Hos 12.4 He came not off so easily but was fain to vvrestle hard all night to lose his rest and to struggle and sweat and pray and vveep and shed many a tear and to go halting aftervvard upon his Thigh unto his dying day Take heed therefore of old Reckonings undischarged look back and consider hovv it hath been and omit not a day vvithout revievving your Actions and Repentings I say as duly as the day determineth let not the Sun go dovvn upon any guilt contracted that so your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and exercise your self to have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and men and this vvill the better prepare you for the coming of Jesus Christ both by Death and Judgment Fifthly Be much in the exercise of Goodness Mercy and works of Liberality towards Christ in his needy Members according to your opportunity and power For though you shall be saved by your Faith yet you shall be judged according to your Works And it greatly concerneth us to be laborious in that Service upon vvhich the judgment shall pass at Christ's appearance Mat. 25.35 36. Call your self therefore to an account what you have done in this way for Christ as how you have fed cloathed visited relieved him in his Members here on earth And if this were more considered such as profess to Christ would be more active for him in ought wherein they might be more serviceable to him but when we see but little activity in the exercise of this Grace we may well fear there is but little Oil in the Vessel for rich anointings will make men agile and ready for every good work inasmuch as the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and they that hope for eternal Life when Christ shall come by Death and Judgment must seek for Glory Honour and Immortality not only in well-doing but in continuance in it Beware of Omissions and among others of this great duty The Judgment will reach unto all sins In the Narrative of his Life and Death and to omissions in a special manner Mat. 25.37 38. For which that learned and holy Vsher was humbled upon his death-bed The Nobleman hath put a Pound into your hand saying Occupy till I come yea he hath given you many Pounds in a literal sense with which you must trade as well as with the Talents of your Parts and Gifts of Grace And I know you would be glad to find Mercy with Onesiphorus in the day of Christ Remember therefore Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Mat. 5.7 But He shall have judgment without mercy who hath shewed no mercy whereas mercy rejoyceth against judgment A merciful man is so far from fearing judgment at Christ's coming that he rather rejoyceth at the thoughts of it Sixthly Exercise diligence and faithfulness in your particular Calling For when Christ speaketh of his Coming saith he Be ye ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh What followeth Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his houshold to give them meat in due season Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Mat. 24.44 45 46. When Christ was speaking to this Point saith Peter Lord speakest thou this Parable to us or even unto all Luke 12.41 Truly Christ spake it unto all though in a special manner to such as Peter for Christ will have an account how every one of us have managed our particular Callings But they that are Stewards in the House of God which is his Church have a very great account to give and it is required of them in a special manner that a man be found faithful and of all Christ's servants his Stewards have most to answer for that if a dispensation of the Gospel and the care of souls were not committed to them he that understandeth the weight of Stewardship would dread to undertake it but a necessity is laid upon them and wo unto them if they Preach not the Gospel It is said of Calvin that when Nature began to decline in him Melch. Adam in vit Calv. and the symptoms of a dying man appeared on him he would be diligent at his Studies from which his friends disswading him saith he Nunquid me Dominus inveniet otiosum Shall my Master find me idle Let such therefore and all be diligent and faithful in their respective place and employments And indeed every man is a Steward more or less You know what the Master saith of the slothful Servant Take him and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Such slothful servants shall be under the tribute of eternal pains Prov. 12.24 when the good and faithful Servant shall be made ruler over many things and enter into the joy of his Lord Mat. 25.23 Would you stand before Christ at his coming Oh dread Idleness and unfaithfulness in your Callings as you desire to be sound of him in peace at his appearance Fill up your days with Duty and give your time to him who gave it to you Paul was a great lover of Christ and his Appearance and who more abundant in his Labours for him For he had the Conscience of his indefatigable industry and fidelity in his work for his Master Saith he I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith 2 Tim 4.7 8. He meaneth especially his military faith and oath in fighting a good fight for Christ And wherefore do we hear him groaning so earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with his house which is from Heaven It was because he laboured ambitiously that whether present or absent he might be accepted of him For saith he We must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one might receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5 2. with 9.10 Lastly That I might not multiply particulars let me add what Christ hath joined together Sobriety Watchfulness and Prayer Luk. 21 34.36 And therefore take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this Life and that Day come upon you unawares Gird up therefore the loins of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought
carelessness without an Epithete bare sloath without any thing to aggravate it ordinarily doth the Soul more hurt than all the Devils in hell yea than all its other sins Shake off this and then you will be more than Conquerors over all other difficulties shake off this and there is but one sin that I can think of at present that you 'l be in danger of and that 's spiritual pride You 'l thrive so fast in all grace you 'l grow up into so much communion with God that unless God sometimes withdraw to keep you humble you will have a very Heaven upon Earth Imped 4. The love of any sin whatsoever the love of God and the love of any Sin can no more mix together than Iron and Clay every Sin strikes at the being of God (i) Deicidium The very best of Saints may possibly fall into the very worst of pardonable Sins but the least of Saints get above the love of the least of Sins we are ready to question Gods love unto us as Dalilah did Sampson's love to her if he do not gratifie us in all we have a mind to but how could Dalilah pretend love to Sampson while she comply'd with his mortal enemy against him how can you pretend to love God while you hide Sin his enemy in your hearts as it was with the grand-child of Athaliah (k) 2 King 11.1 2 c. stoln from among those that were slain and hidden though unable at present to disturb her e're long procures her ruine so any Sin as it were stoln from the other Sins to be preserv'd from Mortification will certainly procure the ruine of that Soul that hides it can you hide your Sin from the search of the Word and forbear your Sin while under the smart of affliction and seem to fall out with Sin when under gripes of Conscience and return to Sin as soon as the storm is over never pretend to love God God sees through your pretences and abhors your hypocrisie (l) Job 34.21 22. His eyes are upon the ways of man and he seeth all his goings there 's no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Come Sirs let me deal plainly with you you are shameful strangers to your own heart if you do not know which is your darling Sin or Sins and you are Traytors to your own Souls if you do not endeavour a through Mortification and you are wilful Rebels against God if you do in the least indulge it never boggle at the Psalmist's counsel (m) Psal 97.10 ye that love the Lord hate evil Imped 5. Inordinate love of things lawful and in some respect here 's our greatest danger here persons have Scripture to plead for their love to several persons and things that it is a duty to bestow some love upon them and the meer stones are not so plainly set as easily to discern the utmost bounds of what is lawful and the first step into what is sinful and here having some plausible pretences for the parcelling out of their love they plead not guilty though they love not God with all their hearts souls and minds whereas they should consider that the best of the world is not for enjoyment but use not our end but means conducing to our chief end Here 's our sin and our misery our foolish transplacing of end and means Men make it their end to eat and drink and get estates and injoy their delights and what respect they have to God I know not whether to call love or Service they shew it but as means to flatter God to gratifie them in their pitiful ends Having warned you of some of the chief Impediments I shall propose some means to engage your hearts in love to God which you may confidently expect to be effectual through the operation of the Holy Ghost and you may likewise expect the operation of the Spirit in the use of such means The means are either Directing Promoting or Conserving Means to attain love to God 1. Directing and that is Spiritual Knowledge this is beyond what can be spoken in its commendation A clear and distinct knowledge of the love and loveliness of God in the amazing yet ravishing methods of its manifestations and the clear understanding of the heavenly priviledge of having our hearts inflam'd with love to God this will do I would fain perswade you to try I am not able to say how much to direct you in this case plainly get and exercise this twofold knowledge 1. The knowledge of Spiritual things did we but perfectly know the Nature of the most contemptible insect nay did we but know the Nature of Atoms this would lead us to admire and love God but then to know those things that no graceless person in the world cares for the knowledge of e. g. the inward workings of Original Sin and how to undermine it the powerful workings of the Spirit of grace and how to improve it what are the joys of the Holy Ghost and how to obtain them would not such things insinuate the love of God into you add then 2. The knowledge of ordinary things in a Spiritual manner so as to make the knowledge of Natural things serve Heavenly designs Thus Christ in all the Metaphors in all the Parables he used To value no knowledge any further than it is reducible to such an use this would lead us into the loving of God Thus I name but one directing means promoting means are various not but that Spiritual knowledge doth singularly promote the love of God but it 's proper work lyes in directing The several things I shall name for inward means your way of managing must make them so 1. Self-denyal this is so necessary that no other grace can supply the want of it It is among the graces of the Soul as among the members of the Body one member may supply the want of another the defect of the Lungs may be supplied by other parts The want of prudence may be supplied with Gospel-simplicity which looks like quite another thing but nothing can supply our want of love to God nor can any thing supply our want of Self-denyal in order to our loving of God We can never have n Fo◠fotidissimus suo 〈◊〉 horribilissimum stercus vermis nequis simus Bonavent stimul Amor. p 153. too low thoughts of ourselves provided we do not neglect our duty and let go our hold of Christ Those very things that not only we may love but we must love 't is our duty to love them and our sin not to love them yet all these must be denyed when they dare to stand in competition with our love to God o Luk. 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Christ would have us count what Religion will cost us
sufficient for the Salvation of them in their circumstances yet there is a vast difference between the abilities of several persons and therefore men are not to take their measures for their enquiries after Spiritual things merely by the necessariness of the things themselves but likewise by the abilities God hath given them So that upon the whole the better means and advantages in any kind men have for the gaining of knowledge so much the more knowledge is required to be in them Rule 4. By how much the more use men have for their knowledge and by how much the more good they may do with it so much the more knowledge will be expected of them That knowledge which might do well in a private Christian yet is not ordinarily sufficient for a Minister That which would be much in the one might be but little in the other And that which might do well in a Child would not be sufficient in a Parent or Master of a Family They that are to instruct others in the knowledge of God ought themselves to be more abounding in it Prop. 2. Men should in their seeking knowledge first study those truths which are most confessedly necessary to Salvation and before those which are apparently less necessary and so Principles before Controversies things essential before such as are only Circumstantial And indeed by how much the nearer any truth is to the foundation so much the more they should labour after the knowledge of it as for instance men should acquaint themselves 1. With the Being and Attributes of God as the foundation of all service yeilded to him and expectations of rewards from him Psal 14.4 Heb. 11.6 He that knows not God to be holy how can he know that God requires holiness and then how can he himself be holy how can a man trust God if he know him not to be wise powerful faithful or love him if he know him not to be good or fear him if he know him not to be just and it will easily follow that he who knows not God as he can never worship him while he lives so he can never expect that he should save him when he dies 2. With the Doctrine of the Trinity three Persons in the Godhead the Father Son and Spirit John 1.5 7. John 14.16 John 15.26 each Person having his proper part in the Salvation of sinners The Father as the Original and Fountain of it the Son as the Manager and the Holy Ghost as the Applier 3. With their own natural state and condition their being by nature in a state of sin and misery as having sin'd against this Holy Righteous Eph. 2.1 2 3. John 16.8 Powerful God and thereby exposed themselves to his wrath and curse They that would be delivered from the curse must know themselves to be obnoxious to it They that would not perish must know themselves to be in danger of it Men are not like to enjoy God's favour unless they know that they have lost it 4. With the Doctrine of a Redeemer and that both 1. As to the Person Who he is That the Lord Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God the Second Person of the Trinity is the Redeemer of sinners Math. 20.28 and the only one Act. 4.12 That God hath not left all mankind to perish in their sin and misery but hath out of his abundant Mercy and free Grace found out a ransom for them a Saviour to deliver them and that the Lord Jesus Christ is he and none besides him so that it is in vain to seek for Salvation in any else seeing he alone hath the words of Eternal life John 6.6.8 He that knows nothing of a Saviour knows nothing savingly nor can any man partake of Redemption without some knowledge of the Redeemer They can never come to God that know not by whom to come 2. And as to the way of his working that Redemption 1. That he did in order to the Salvation of sinners John 1.14 and 3.13 take the nature of man upon him was both God and Man in one person and still continues so to be He had those natures united in himself which he was to reconcile to each other 2. That not only he was able as being God fit as being man Rom. 3.24 25 26. Rom. 5.10 1 Tim. 2.6 to satisfie Divine justice for the injury sin had done it but that by his obedience and death he did it to the full He that knows God to be infinitely just and himself to be a sinner had need know something of a Sacrifice for sin or he can never have any well-grounded hopes of escaping the hands of such a God 3. That Christ being raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven sits at the Father's right hand Rom. 8.34 Mark 16.19 and by his intercession there is now making application of the redemption he wrought on Earth He ever lives to make intercession Heb. 7.25 Men would be in an ill condition if redemption were wrought and there were none to apply it if Christ had died for them and left them to intercede for themselves 5. Men should acquaint themselves with the Doctrine of Justification by Christ that sinners must be justified by the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus imputed to them if ever they be justified at all He is the Lord their Righteousness Jer. 23.6 They are accepted in the beloved Eph. 1.6 Found in Christ not having their own Righteousness c. but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9 All their own Righteousness inherent in them and wrought by them even after regeneration and by the help of the Spirit of grace being finite imperfect short of the Law and due to it 6. With the way of their being made partakers of this Righteousness that it should be received by Faith alone as the means God hath appointed for their being interested in it God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 and therefore they that are justified must be justified by Faith Rom. 5.1 All the holiness any Saint could ever arrive unto in this life would never entitle him to Christ's Righteousness if faith were wanting 7. With the nature properties and fruit of that faith that it must be an effectual lively Faith not only an assent of their minds to the truth of the Scripture Jam. 2.17 John 1.12 but the consent of their hearts to the terms of the Covenant a receiving whole Christ with an eye to all rhe good things he offers there and for all those holy ends and purposes for which he is propounded to them In a word they are to look upon Faith as the Principle of their Obedience and walking with God according to that rule of Righteousness God hath given them 8. With the Doctrine of sanctification that God is wont to fit and frame mens hearts at first to the duties of
Duties of the Covenant a Badge of the profession and a Bond to engage us to the Duties which that Profession calls for As the Apostle speaks of Circumcision That whosoever is circumcised is a debtor to the whole Law Gal. 5.3 binds himself to the observances of Moses So a Christian by being baptized becomes a Debtor not to the Flesh to live after the flesh c. Rom. 8.12 And 't is called an Answer towards God 1 Pet. 3.21 the answer supposes the demands of the Covenant and so 't is an undertaking faithfully to perform the Conditions required of us a Vow or an Obligation whereby we reckon our selves bound to dye unto Sin and to live unto Righteousness through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.11 It bindeth us chiefly to the Duties that belong to our entrance as the Lord's Supper doth more directly to the Duties which belong to our progress it bindeth us to a true belief of the Gospel or an acceptance of Christ and consent to the Covenant of Grace to renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh and to give up our selves unto God and therefore the Baptismal Covenant by which we are initiated into Christianity is exprest by our being Baptized in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 which implies a giving up our selves to them in their distinct personal Relations To the Father that we may return to him and obey him as our rightful Lord that we may love him and depend upon him as the Fountain of all our good and all-sufficient happiness and prefer his favour before all the sensual pleasures of the World We are Baptized in the Name of Christ that we may believe in him accept him as our Saviour and Redeemer expecting to be saved by his Merits Righteousness and Intercession from the Wrath of God and Guilt of Sin and eternal Death To the Holy Ghost as our Guide Sanctifier and Comforter that he may free us from Sin change us into the image and likeness of Christ and lead us into all truth and godliness and comfort us with the sense of our present interest in God's love and the hopes of future glory Eighthly These visible confirming Ordinances give us great advantages above the Word and bare proposal of the Covenant 1. As these sealing Signs are an expression of God's earnest and sincere respect to our Salvation God hath opened his mind in his Word concerning his love and good will to Sinners in Christ and he hath also added his Seal that the Charter of his Grace might be more valid and authentick It argueth the goodness and communicativeness of God to give notice in his Word but his solicitousness and anxious care for our good to give visible assurance in the Sacraments as being willing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over and above to satisfie the Heirs of Promise If a man be more than ordinarily cautious to make all sure it is a sign his heart is upon the thing Surely 't is a great condescension that God would dispose his grace into a Covenant-form but 't is a further condescension that he would add Seals which needed not on his part but he added them to give us the more strong consolation Nudum pactum a naked Promise is not so valid and authentick as when Articles of Agreement are put into a formal Instrument and Deed of Law and that sign'd and seal'd and interchangeably delivered this breeds more confidence and security on both sides God's Word certifieth us of his good will but when he is pleased to make a formal Indenture of it and to sign it and seal it it doth breed more assurance in our minds that his Promises are made with a real intent to perform them and bindeth us the more firmly to God when besides our naked Promise there is a kind of Vow and Oath on our part solemnly entered into by Baptism 2. There is this Advantage in the Sacraments above the Word that they are a closer Application The Word speaks to all promisâ—uously as inviting the Sacraments to every one in particular as obliging By the Word none are excluded from the Grace offered upon God's terms Go preach the Gospel to every Creature but by the Sacraments every one is expresly admonished of his Duty The Object revealed in the Word is like the Brazen Serpent which without difference was exposed to the Eye of all that whosoever looked upon it might be healed but the same Object offered in the Sacraments is like the blood sprinkled on the Door-posts that every man might be assured that his Family should be in safety Now the reason of this difference is because things propounded in the Word are like a Treaty between God and us or an offer and a debating of matters till the parties do agree But Sacraments are not of use till both sides have agreed upon the Conditions of the Covenant In Adults at least the Word conduceth to the making of the Covenant but Sacraments suppose it made therefore the Word universally propoundeth that which in the Seals is particularly applied Now those things do not affect us so much which are spoken indifferently to all as those that are particularly applied to our selves because they stir us up to a more accurate care and endeavour to fulfil the Duty incumbent upon us The Conditions are propounded in the Word Repent and believe and I will pardon and give thee eternal life But the Sacraments suppose an Actual consent that thou hast done or undertaken so to do and then God comes and saith Take this as an undoubted pledge that thou shalt have what I have promised which doth more encrease our Hope and perswade our Duty 3. By these Sealing Signs we are solemnly invested into a right to the things promised as when we are put in possession of what we have bargained for by due formalities of Law This is my Body that is our solemn Investiture into the Priviledges purchased by Christ's Crucified Body A Believer receiveth Christ in the Word John 1.12 and he receiveth Christ in the Lord's Supper What 's the difference There his right is solemnly owned and confirmed in the way which God hath appointed As soon as a man consents to a Bargain he hath an Interest in the thing bargained for but the right is made more explicite when 't is delivered to him by some formalities of Law as an House by a Key a Field by a Turf or Twig in such delivery we say This Key is my House this Turf or Twig is my Field So are we put in possession of Christ by these words This is my Body Every peninent and believing Sinner hath a right to Christ and Pardon but his solemn Enfeoffment is by the Sacraments Repent and be Baptized every one of you for the Remission of Sins or as it is Acts 22.14 Arise and be Baptized for the washing away of thy Sins God gave Abraham the Land of Promise by word of mouth but Gen. 13. he bids him go
through the Land and view it and build an Altar and offer Sacrifice there then was he actually invested in the Gift God gave Israel a grant of Canaan but the Clusters of Eschol were as it were the Livery and Seisin of it Though the Gift be sufficiently made over by the Promise yet 't is further ratified and more solemnly conveyed and delivered by the Sacraments 4. This is one Advantage more That the great Mysteries of godliness are laid before our Eyes in some visible Rites and so have greater force to excite the mind to serious Consideration When God will condescend to give us help against our Infirmities it must be by the Senses by which all knowledg comes into the Soul Now Feeling Smelling Tasting seem not so fit for this as being more gross and conducing to the welfare of the Body but Seeing and Hearing convey Objects to the Understanding and therefore are called the Senses of Discipline and Learning Now the Covenant is made by words which strike the Ear but the Seals by visible things set it before our Eyes and as the Apostle saith Christ is Crucified among us and evidently set forth Gal. 3.1 The sight doth in a more lively manner stir up the mind than the bare Hearing Washing from Sin doth fitly represent to us and raise thoughts in us about the Sanctification of the Spirit and so in a lively manner excite us to expect this benefit Vse Let us not be slight in the use and improvement of Baptism for itimplieth a solemn covenanting with God that we may obtain Remission of Sins and eternal Life John the Baptist calleth it Mark 1.4 The Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins Therefore let us reflect upon our selves We are all Baptized but what are we the better have we the more confidence of the pardon of our Sins and a greater sense of our Covenant-Vow to dye unto Sin and live unto God we cannot have the former without the latter both must be regarded by us Volateranus reporteth of Lucian that scoffing Atheist that when he revolted from the Profession of Christianity he scoffed at his Baptism saying Se nihil ex eo consecutum quam quod nomen ipsius esset corruptum ex Lucio Lucianus factum That he got nothing by his Baptism but a syllable to his Name it being changed from Lucius to Lucianus Alas what do most get by their Baptism but a Name It should not be so with you you may have great advantage by it if you improve it to the ends for which it was appointed To quicken you consider 1. Baptism is a perpetual Bond upon us obliging us to Repentance and an holy life Rom. 6.4 therefore the Scripture often reasoneth from it as Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to Sin live any longer therein He argueth not ab impossibili but ab incongruo not from what is impossible but what will misbecome our renewed estate which we profess to enter into by Baptism which is a Vowed Death to Sin and a Bond wherewith we bind our Souls to New Obedience So elsewhere Col. 3.1 Ye are risen with Christ in the import and signification of Baptism therefore seek the things which are above And again Ye are dead therefore mortifie c. verse 3 5. Once more verse 8 9. Put off all these seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds And in many other places the Apostle argueth from the Baptismal Ingagement to the effect intended and signified thereby 2. The Improvement of Baptism is the best Preparation for the Lord's Supper John 13.8 If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me That washing had a spiritual meaning and presently after it the Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood was instituted to the participation of which this spiritual washing was necessary In the Supposition If I wash thee not is implied Baptism in the Commination thou hast no part with me is implied the Lord's Supper which Christ was then about to institute In foro Ecclesiae before the Church none but Baptized Persons have a right to the Lord's Table in foro Coeli before God none but those who have the fruit of Baptism have right to the benefits thereof they that are sanctified by the Spirit of Christ have only right to the Benefits purchased by his Blood Our Lord would mind his Disciples of this before he would admit them to his Table 3. If we improve it not our Baptism will be a Witness to sollicite Vengeance against us as the Gospel it self is preached either for a Witness to us Matth. 24.14 or for a Witness against us if we obey it not Mark 14.9 So Baptism instead of being a Witness to us will be a Witness against us if we mind it not and in the Judgment we shall fare no better than the Heathen for all the difference between us is that they are uncircumcised in flesh and we in heart Jer. 9.25 26. they are not washed in Water and we are not cleansed from our sins I remember a passage in Victor Vticensis concerning one Elpidophorus who had revolted from Catholicism to the Vandal Arrians the Deacon who had Baptized him shewed him the Stole or Linnen Clothes in which he was Baptized saying Hae te accusabunt cum Majestas venerit Judicantis c. O Elpidophorus these shall be a Witness against thee to all eternity for thy just perdition when the Judge cometh what wilt thou do Wretch when the people of God shall be admitted to the Joys of Heaven and thy self thrust out c. If we have been Baptized and lived directly contrary to our Baptismal Vow as if we were in Covenant with the Devil the World and the Flesh rather than with Father Son and Holy Ghost what will become of us in the Judgment But how shall we improve it First We must personally and solemnly own the Covenant made with God in Infancy every one of us should chuse the Lord for our Soveraign Lord and Portion and Christ Jesus for our Redeemer and Saviour and the Holy Ghost for our Guide Sanctifier and Comforter Every one must personally thus engage himself to God 't is not enough that Christ engage for us as the common surety of all the Elect Heb. 7.22 Something he did for us and in our Names but every one must take a Bond upon himself before he can have the benefit of it You must yield up your selves to the Lord 2 Chron. 30.8 'T is not enough that the Church ingage for us as a visible Political Body or a Community and Society of men who are in visible Covenant with God and Christ Ezek. 16.8 Thou entredst into Covenant with me and becamest mine meaning it of the Body of the Church but every individual person must also enter into Covenant with God and become his Ezek. 20.37 I will cause you to pass under the Rod and I will bring you into the Bond of the Covenant Where there is an Allusion
the pouring out his blood for you now your magnificent feasts were not so fitted for such a Commemoration for they rather would have tended to have clog'd your spirits made them dull and stupid and far less apt to have contemplated such Divine and Heavenly things as those now named are And therefore that this Supper is so mean as it is it is far better than if it were so great and royal as you conceive There are others are well enough satisfied with the wisdom of their Lord and in the nature of the things appointed for the remembrance of him which yet may be and ought to be inquisitive as to the reason of them Which I shall reduce to these 4 Questions 1. Why did the Lord appoint bread rather than any other kind of food 2. Why must it be broken bread 3. Why must it be taken and eaten 4. Why wine as well as bread and why Wine rather than any other drink 1. To the first I say he appointed bread as most apt to signifie the thing thereby to be presented to our Faith and that is himself as he is bread of life to our Souls for so he calleth himself Joh. 6.33 The bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven and giveth life unto the world And 35. Jesus said I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger This is evident that man's natural life doth not more depend on the vertue of the bread that perisheth than the Soul's life of Grace and Glory depends on that vertue that proceedeth from a suffering Jesus I live saith the Apostle Paul yet not I but Christ liveth in me all that life of Faith all the indwellings of Grace in our hearts comes from and is maintained by the vertues and influences of Jesus Christ this bread of life and so likewise doth our eternal life depend on him as he likewise tells us v. 27. Labour for the meat that endureth to eternal life which the Son of man shall give you this meat is the Lord himself who by his sufferings made our peace and purchased the life of grace and glory for us And indeed no other meat as bread could so aptly set forth this Mystery because no food is so suitable to man's nature none for a constancy so pleasant none so strengthning a man can better subsist with bread without other meats than with any other meats without bread thereby the Mystery of conveighing Soul-lâ—fe to the sinner is excellently set forth for as there is other meat for the body besides bread so there is another way of giving life to the Soul besides that of a Saviour and that is an exact obedience to the Law of God but alas the sinner through the weakness of the flesh can never digest that strong meat and so cannot live by it But for a poor weak infirm sinner to be maintained in a life of grace and acceptance with an offended God in and by a Saviour is a way of living so suitable to a sinner that Men and Angels could never have thought of one so suitable and therefore nothing as bread was so fit to set forth this Mystery 2. But why must it be broken bread Christ himself acquaints us with the mystical reason thereof in the verse of the Text it is to set forth the breaking of the body of Christ by breaking his body must be taken to comprehend all the sufferings of his Humane nature as united with the Divine as all his soul-sufferings of which there are 3 Phrases used by the Evangelists very emphatically as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which all signifie those dolors of mind he underwent through the dereliction of God and likewise all other sufferings of his body which are by Isaiah set forth with great variety of Phrase speaking of Christ he saith He was despised and rejected of men Isaiah 53. a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and v. 4. He hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows and v. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed and v. 7. he was oppressed and he was afflicted Now all these sufferings were consummated in his Crucifixion 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree These are those sufferings that made that one sacrifice of himself by which he put away sin and hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 9.26 Heb. 10.14 Upon this account it is that the bread of this Supper must be broken before it be taken and eaten the broken bread that is the sign and Christ's sufferings that is the mystery signified by it as I have shewed 3. Why must this broken bread be taken and eaten This is not without its Mystery for thereby is meant that these Breakin gs Bruisings Woundings of Christ's Soul and Body was not for any sin of his own for he was a lamb without spot 1 Pet. 1.19 but it was for our sins and for our benefit Our dear Jesus sows in tears and we reap the harvest of his tears in joy he by the meritorious extraction of his bloody sweat and agony in the Garden by his tremendious dolors of Soul and Body on the Cross prepares a Cordial and perfects it by his death which prepared Cordial we by Faith drink up and from a state of sin and death revive he offered himself as good wheat to be ground by the law and justice of God that thereby he might be made bread of life for us by Faith to feed on that we may live for ever So that Christ's breaking and giving the bread in this Sacrament to his Church doth mystically declare that the sole intentions of all his sufferings was for us and therefore he saith this is the bread that was broken for you and likewise taking and eating it doth further signifie that we do profess to believe in him for life and do rely wholly on him for acceptance with God and for the salvation of our souls 4. But why did he add wine also to this supper and commanded us to drink thereof in remembrance of him I Answer this addition was for a very good reason for thereby a further mystery of our Salvation by his bloody death is explained 1. As first if you consider that man's natural life is not maintained by eating only except he drink also for we may dye as well by thirst as by hunger Christ therefore by giving us his blood to drink which is signified by the Cup as well as his body to eat doth thereby declare that his suffering of Death for us is every way compleat and sufficient for the spiritual and eternal life of our souls So that as he that hath bread and drink wants nothing for the sustaining his natural life so he that hath by Faith an interest in a broken bleeding Christ wants nothing to the upholding the Soul in a state of
such a prayer as this O that the Lord would lengthen this triumphant day and the (c) Jos 10.12 Lord heard his voice The tribes beyond Jordan in a (d) 2 Chr. 5 23. battel with the Hagarites Jehoshaphat in a sore strait (e) 18.31 at Ramoth Gilead Sampson ready to perish at Lehi (f) Judg. 15.18 16 28. with thirst and when blind exposed to contempt in the Temple of Dagon David near (g) 1 Sam. 30.6 stoning at Ziglag and when flying from Absalom in the ascent of (h) 2 Sam. 15.31 Mount Olivet Elisha at Dothan compast with a Syrian host (i) 2 King 6.17 Lord open the young man's eyes In the midst of lawful and laborious callings Boaz to the reapers (k) Ruth 2.4 the Lord be with you we may pray that our Oxen (l) Psal 129.8 may be strong to labour no breaking in or going out nor no complaining in our streets It sanctifies the plow as Jerom said of the fields of Bethlehem quocunque te verteris Psal 144.14 ad Marcellum p. 129 T. 1. arator stivam teneus Alleluja decantat c. The tillers of the field and the dressers of vineyards sang David's psalms it keeps the shop and inclines the hearts of customers it bars the doors it quenches fire it blesseth thy children (m) Psal 147.13 within thee it preserves thy going out and coming in (n) 128.1 Jacob found it to rest upon his children going a journey (a) Gen. 43.14 to Egypt it closes the eyes with (b) Psal 3.5.4 8. sweet sleep it (c) Job 3â— 10 Psal 139.18 given Songs in the night and wakens the soul in the arms of mercy It sits at the helm when a (d) Psal 107.28 Jon. 1.6 storm rises at sea it gives strength to Anchors in roads and prosperous gales to the venturous Merchant When in the palace at dinner Nehemiah presents the cup to his prince he presents also a Michtam a golden (e) Neh 3.4 2 Chro. 34 27 Luke 17.5 Gen. 49.18 2 Chron. 2 4. Act. 7 60. prayer to the King of Heaven at the reading of the law Josiah was heard as to some secret cries to Heaven At a holy conference in a journey the Disciples occasionally pray Lord increase our faith Jacob on his dying pillow predicting future events to his children falls into a holy rapture I have wait ed for thy salvation O Lord. At sacred death in martyrdom Zechariah cries out the Lord look upon it and require it and Stephen under a showr of stones melts in prayers for the stony hearts that slung them Lord lay not this sin unto their chage and our blessed Saviour in his greatest agonies makes a tender hearted prayer Father forgive them they know not what they do Luke 23 34. 1 Sam. 1.17 and lastly in the distresses of others Eli puts a sudden petition for Hannah the God of Israel grant thee thy petition In these and many like cases the holy word stores us with patterns for ejaculation in all extremities which I cannot now digest and improve only in a few words lets take a view of the usefulness of such a sudden flight of the soul to Heaven 1. It helps us to a speedy preparative for all duties Lam. 3 4â— with such an ejaculation le ts lift our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens 2. It is a guard against secret sins in the first risings and the first assaults of temptation 3. It suffers not divine mercies to slip by unobserved in a wakeful Christian and proves a fruitful mother of gratitude and praise 4. It sanctifies all our worldly imployments 1 Tim 4. â— 5. it fastens the stakes in the hedge of divine protection and turns every thing to a blessing 5. It s a Saints buckler against sudden accidents a present antidote against frights and evil tidings It s good at all occasions and consecrates to us not only our meals but every gasp of air c. 6. It s a sweet companion that the severest enemies can't abridge us of Outward ordinances and closet duties they may cut off the little (a) Ezr. 9 8. nail in the holy place they may pluck out But no labyrinth no prison not the worst of company can hinder this coelo restat iter in the very face of adversaries we may lift our souls to God No more of this le ts briefly conclude with some uses Vse Vse Cant. 4 12. To convince such of their dangerous state that neglect sacred duties that have no heart-communion that draw no water out of this sealed fountain But all they do is in publick only it 's a suspicious token of hypocrisie since the kernel and soul of religion lies so much in the heart and closet mark the phrase in the text how it varies thy Father that is in secret be sees in secret God's eye is open upon thee in the closet and if thy eye be open upon his thou mayst see a glorious beauty The excellency of grace lies in making conscience of secret sins and secret duties 2. To examine such as perform secret duty but not from a sincere principle like Amaziah 2 Chron. 25.2 that prays but not with a perfect heart like Ahab they mourn but with Crocodile tears such as do it only because they find precept or example for it and therefore to quiet conscience will into secret but converse only in the shell and trunk of a duty that rest in the naked performance but matter not whether they tast of the sweet streams that flow in from heaven in the golden pipe of an ordinance what account can such render that go into their closets but like Domitian to catch flies only Sueton. in Domit. c. 3. and when the doors are shut to the world their hearts are shut to heaven and communion with God He that sees in secret beholds the evil frame of such a heart and will one day openly punish it 3. To excite and awaken all to this excellent duty and to manage it in an excellent manner Would ye live delightfully would ye translate heaven to earth then keep up communion in secret prayer to know him to discern his face to behold the lustre of his eye that shines in secret Remember the glorious person that meets in your closets all the world yields not such a glittering beauty as a gracious person sees when he is in a happy frame at secret prayer Shut your eyes when ye come out for all other objects are but vile and fordid and not worth the glances of a noble soul O the sweetness the hidden manna that the soul tasts when in lively communion with God! Psal 31.19 Part of that which is laid up for Saints in glory let us a little relish our spirits with it 1. Consider what amorous agonies the soul delights to conflict with in serret fears that raise confidence humility that exalts tremblings that embolden bright clouds
Charon's Boat whom they imagined was Ferry-man of Hell of Radamunthus the Judg of Tantalus thirsting in the midst of waters of the Stygian and other Infernal Lakes of Cerberus a Dog with three heads Porter in Hell and give descriptions of the place of torments Spelunca alta fuit vastóque immanis hiatu Scrupea tuta Lacu nigro nemorúmque tenebris Quam super haud ullae poteraut impunè volantes Tendere iter pennis talis sese halitus atris Faucibus effundens supera ad convexa ferebat Vnde locum Graij dixerunt nomine Avernum Virg. Aeneid 6 There was a deep Cave with a mighty Gulf With black Lakes moted and a horrid Grove O're which not safely swiftest wings could move Such were the vapours from these foul jaws came This place the Graecians did Avernus name And as they set forth the eternity of their hellish torments so they did acknowledg the variety of them to be more than could be expressed Non mihi si linguae centum sint oráque centum Ferrea vox omnes scelerum comprendere formas Omnia poenarum percurrere nomina possem Virg. Aeneid 6. Had I an hundred mouths as many tongues A voice of Iron to these add brazen Lungs Their crimes and tortures ne're could be displaid Take the Testimony of another that you may see what a common received opinion this was among the Heathen of misery of many in Hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod Theogon The sense take thus God Mighty ones in chains of darkness bound And cast them down to Hell which under ground So deep and black so far remote doth lye As th' earth is distant from the Starry skie Yet bear with me once more Another of them brings in God threatning the disobedient with Hell torments where he useth the same vvord for Hell as the Apostle doth 2 Pet. 2.4 describing Hell to be a place far remote from Heaven a great gulf or deep pit whose gates are of Iron and whose pavement is of Brass a place of utter darkness in sense so near the former that I shall not need any further to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Iliad 8. All these testimonies of the Heathens and there are many more do plainly manifest that the Light of Nature doth discover a place of punishment where wicked men after this life shall be sorely tormented I might bring as many of them also that by the Light of Nature did determine of a place of happiness for good men in another world but that I would not be too tedious in this point The use of these and how they make to our present business in hand will appear in the following Positions Position 3. Nemo sibi nascitur Non nobis solùm nati sumus sed ortus nostri partem patria paâ—tem parentes vindicant partem amici atque quae in terris gignuntur ad usum hominum omnia creantur homines autem hominum causa generantur ut ipsi inter se alii aliis prodesse possent In hoc naturam debemus ducem sequi communes utiliâ—ates in medium afferre mutatione officiorum dando accipiendo tum artibus tum opera tum facultatibus devincire hominum inter homines societatem Cicero de Offio lib. 1. Quae est melior in hominum genere natura quam eorum qui se natos ad homines juvandos tutandos conservandos arbitrantur Cicero Tuscul Quaest lib. 1. As the Light of Nature tells us all this so also it doth dictate to us that no man is born for himself to mind only his own good and to escape evil and punishment himself but to our utmost power in the places and societies of which we are heads or members to endeavour the good of that Society and every member thereof He that will help no other who should help him or with what reason can he expect it He that is so selfish is unprofitable to any Society and good for nothing Man being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nature hath inclined him to a sociable life not only for his own but also for the good of others which whoso doth neglect sins against that Society Come then you Parents and Masters of Families see now why I alledged before what the Light of Nature doth dictate concerning the Soul's immortality and the state of Souls in another world even that you may do your utmost to save the precious Souls in your houses from this place of torment and to help them to prepare for an everlasting state The Law of Charity firmly binds you to it If your children were fallen into a pit would not nature tell you you are to help them out If any of your house were falling into the fire would not nature tell you you should prevent it if you can or snatch them out with haste and speed Doth nature tell you as hath been shewed that there is a place of torment where sinful Souls must suffer and do you see any in your houses in danger of falling into it and will you sit still and do nothing to endeavour to prevent their everlasting misery If they were sick or had drunk down poyson doth not nature tell you you should use means for their recovery to prevent their death And doth not nature tell you that their Souls are more precious than their Bodies and more to be regarded It doth Certainly it doth Are not their Souls sick and diseased and poisoned with the venom of sin and doth not nature tell you there is charity to be shewn to their Souls as well as to their Bodies and much more Certainly these are the dictates of nature if I suppose you have not one spark of grace the light of reason will tell you all this Position 4. All these things being suggested by the Light of Nature let me add that Reason tells you that for you to pray with them in your Family rendeth to their good and the neglect there if to their detriment and damage Let reason be heard and it will dictate to you that conjunct Prayer with them is a likely means for the good of their souls Will it not tell thee that to pray to God for them and to bring them to pray with thee may be for their benefit to escape the misery of another world and obtain happiness in the life to come Enter into thine own heart and debate this with thy self and judg impartially as thou wouldst do if thou wast a dying man and then tell me if the light that is within thee doth not prompt thee to all this Prayer is a part of natural worship which is due to God from all and would it not tend to the profit of their Souls to give God his due And shouldst not thou that art a Parent or a Master whom nature hath set over them and committed them to
delightful and hath its sweetness in it Q. 21 Have I not sinned indeed hath not my heart been in my sins are not my sins really sins And shall I not now pray indeed shall not my heart be in duty and my Prayers be really Prayers What! real sinning and counterfeit praying and is not counterfeit praying real sinning Awake o my Soul unto thy work Q. 22 Are not my wants real wants Do I not want grace indeed or at least really want more of it And should not my Prayers be as real as my wants Q. 23 Would I have God to put me off with seeming mercy Should I then put God off with seeming duty Q. 24 Are not my temptations real temptations and strong and powerful And should not then my Prayers be so too Q. 25 Am I not real and lively in my worldly business am I not in good earnest in my Shop in the Market and at the Exchange And should I not be so in the matters of another world in the business of my Soul Thus take some of these Questions lay them warm unto your hearts and propose them to your selves in the fear of God and they will heat you when you are cold and quicken you when you are dull if God set them home upon your hearts that you shall manage your Family Prayers to your spiritual benefit which was the third part of my work to direct you in The fourth follows Question 4. With what considerations may Masters of Families be urged to the constant performance of Family Prayer Notwithstanding it be a certain duty to pray in your Families yet I doubt when death shall come to drag you out of your houses it will find some of you guilty of neglecting of it to your dying day but yet I hope some may be Prevailed with What! have you neglected it and will you all do so still God forbid When you sin you act like men but when you go on in sin you act like Devils * Humanum est errare perseverare diabolicum I shall propound a few considerations to urge you to it and I intreat you in the name of the great eternal God before whom you and I must shortly stand and be judged to weigh them seriously and if you find there is no reason in them throw them by and look for and enquire after better but if there be resolve in the fear of God to buckle to your duty It is time †fecimus nos Haec juvenes esto desisti nempe nec ulira Fovisti errorem breve sit quod turpiter cudâ—s Quaedam cum prima resecen ur crimina barba Juven Sat. 8. it is high time to reform Did you sin when you were young and will you go on in riper years What do you come to Sermons for to hear what Ministers can say upon such a Question to discern their parts or to mend your own hearts and lives Do you come to hear that you may hear So you may and go to Hell when you have done or do you come to hear that you may practise and obey so you must if you are men for Heaven I charge you therefore here before the Lord and by Jesus Christ that shall shortly judge both you and me that your Families be no longer prayerless Families If I put you upon work that God doth not require from you then tell me so when you and I shall meet and stand at God's Judgment Bar But if it be no more than what you owe to God neglect it at your peril Sirs the day is coming and it hastens when you will you must be serious If thou diest within a week or two within a day or two or whenever thou shalt leave this world if the next hour after thou art not of this mind * Res ipsa fidem dictis dabit Serò sapiunt â—hâ—yges that thou shouldst have prayed in thy Family then say I did needlesly call thee to it but if thou shalt then see it was thy duty thou shalt also see when it is too late that thou didst befool thy self and make thy self guilty before God in thy neglecting of it Be wise therefore before it be too late and mind this work while thou hast time and opportunity To this purpose press your backward hearts with these things following MOTIVE I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Consider The Souls that live in your Families are precious and immortal Souls The Soul of the meanest Servant in your house is more precious than all the silks and wares in your Shop than all the Gold in your bags yea than all the riches in the world Mat. 16.26 And as they be of great worth so they be immortal too that must be damned or saved for ever And are these the Souls that you do not pray with that you thus neglect and slight must they live for ever and will not you call them to pray with you that they may live happily for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phocylid MOTIVE II. Quomodo ed nos pertinet in Ecclesia loqui vobis sâ—c ad vos pertinet in dâ—mibus vâ—stris agere ut bonam rationem reddatis de his qui vebis sunt subditi Aug. in Psal 50. Cum diserta mentio fiat librorum servorum ex eo câ—lligitur à parentibus patribus-familias exigi ut non ipsi solùm sabbatum sanctificent sed etiam à filiis servis curae ac fides su e commissis illud sanctificari curent Gerhar loc com de decalog Damnati seipsos omnésque sceleris socios assiduis execrationibus devovebunt parentem filius matrem filia execrabitur 2. These precious and immortal Souls in your Families are committed to your charge and care You Masters of Families have a charge of Souls as well as Ministers When you have a child born and continued to you there is one immortal Soul that God intrusts you with to bring up for him and Heaven When you take a Servant into your Family there is another Soul committed to your care Do you question this Study well the meaning of the fourth Commandment and you shall see that this is true And is it so And shall not the blood of those that go to Hell out of your Families through your neglect be required at your hands Have you done your duty when a Servant that hath served you seven years and you make him free can truly say My Master taught me my trade but he taught me not to serve God he often called me up unto my work but he never called me to Prayer Are you not afraid that your very Children and Servants will rise up in judgment against you and accuse you at the Bar of God Lord my Father saith the Son no nor my Master saith the Servant never prayed with us and we both Children and Servants being so brought up and having such Examples before us did not mind thy service neither Lord we are jastly condemned but
shouldest sometime sustain some loss in thy outward estate if it be made up with the favour of God and true peace of Conscience in the way of duty and with the real advantage of thy own Soul and the Souls of all thy Family Canst thou be willing to lose nothing for the gaining of Heaven or hadst thou rather that thou and they should lose God and Christ and Glory and Souls and all Surely when you come to cast up your accounts what you have got and what you have lost your gains will prove your loss 10. If God should bring back some from the Grave and Hell and set them in this world again dost thou think that they would so follow the World and run up and down after money that they would say they could find no time to pray that they might escape that dreadful place of Torment they had been in If some of those that have been in Hell but a Moneth or two were now in thy circumstances dost thou think they would not let their work stand still or rise the sooner and sit up the later or would deny themselves much of their eating time and sleeping time that they might have time to pray Lord let us not go down to Hell again O let us not return to the place which we have found to be so restless and so dreadful And shouldst not thou be as much and often and as earnest with thy Family that neither thou nor any of thine be cast into it I durst not let this pass though I am sensible I have taken up too much room without endeavouring to remove this hindrance that lyes in the way to keep many Families from their knees in Holy Prayer I beg for the Lord's sake and for your Soul's sake that you would watch against it and resolve against it and that your worldly Interest shall no longer keep you from Family Prayer In the close then of all that hath been said Let me in the Name of God exhort you all to the practice of Family Prayer You have heard it proved to be your duty you have been directed how you might manage it for the good of all in your houses you have had motives to press you to the performance of it your pretences and excuses brought against it have been manifested to be frivolous and vain What say you Sirs Will you resolve upon it here in the presence of the Lord or will you still neglect it Shall I lose all my labour or shall it be in vain that I have preached and you have heard this Doctrine I tell you to your faces it shall not be in vain the word of the blessed God shall convince you and reform you or condemn you What come we hither for but faithfully to shew you your duty and earnestly to perswade you to obey Do Ministers study for you when you are sleeping in your beds and declare the mind and will of God in the Congregation and will you cast all our counsel behind your back I hope you will be wiser for your own everlasting happiness Say then Are you convinced in this point that it is your duty If not view over again what hath been said and seriously consider it and let me beg this at your hands that you would think of all Now as you would do if you were with an awakened Conscience upon your dying bed or if you were standing at God's Judgment barr and when this question is put to you whether you ought to pray in your Families Let Conscience say Yes or No according as its verdict and dictate shall be at Death and Judgment and then I am perswaded you will say you are convinced you ought to do it And are you indeed What! and yet go on in the omission of it Will you so sin against your Consciences will you dare so to do You Parents for God's sake consider in what a condition you have brought your Children into the world are they not by nature enemies to God dead in sin children of wrath unfit for Heaven Such Parents are like the Ostrich You negligent Parents read Job 39.13 to 19. and Lam 4.3 Look your faces in that Glass Do you not blush Look that you are so like to such a foolish bird Struthio-camelus derâ—linquit ova sua in terra crudelis in prolem nihil praestupiditate oblivione crudelitate filiis suis timet Vales. Phil. Sac. Sicut haec avis non curat sua ova ita insipientes non curant instrui liberos in pietate Franzius The Ostrich if it thrust her neck or head into any shrub or bush and get that hidden thinks her self safe and that no man seeth her Plin. Nat. Hist Such fools are these ungodly Parents that if they get their heads under their roofs remember not that God seeth their great neglect there and in danger of damnation and will you not so much as pray daily with them that they may be delivered out of this condition and be saved from damnation is it nothing to you whether your Children are damned or saved is it nothing to you whether they live with the blessed glorious God or with cursed Devils and damned Souls have you no pity nor compassion for them that are flesh of your flesh where are the earnings of your hearts where are the workings of your bowels if their bodies were a dying would you not pray by their bed sides that they may be preserved from â—he grave and will you not that their Souls might be saved from Helâ— Dare you not be guilty of the murder of their bodies and dare you of their Souls do not the Laws of men justly hang those that do the one and will not the Laws of God righteously damn them that do the other You Fathers and you Mothers can you look upon your Graceless Christless Children and not pity them and weep over them and call them to you to come and pray with you have you not a word to say to God for them in their hearing will you not call them to this duty and let them be eye-witnesses of the tears that you should shed in lamenting their sinful state and misery thereby and ear-witnesses of the requests you put up to God for their conversion and how might this work upon their hearts if they were But what shall I say to you Fathers and to you Mothers that do neglect your duty which God requireth for the good of your Children the Father doth not pray the Mother doth not perswade him nor intreat him so to do and by the negligence of both the Children are ungodly Are they more wicked or you more cruel They are full of Impiety and you are full of cruelty both Father and Mother because it is so much long of you that they are so bad Crudelis Mater magis an puer Improbus ille Improbus ille puer crudelis tu quoque mater Virg. Eclog. 8. Appendatur hoc Crudelis pater es per te
keep out Jealousie that bane of marriage comfort will keep the thoughts fixt and the heart chaste for it is not the Having an Husband or Wife but the Loving of them that preserves from Adultery This will prevent or soon quiet those storms within doors as we see the Mother that dearly loves her Child though it cry all night and disturb her quiet yet Love to it makes them very good friends in the morning If Love be eclipsed for a day or an hour between husband and wife they are (c) Mr. Baxter's Direct p. 520. like a bone out of joynt there is no ease nor order nor work well done till it be restored again 3. Mutual Fidelity especially to the Marriage-bed and also in each others secrets And this is directed 1 Cor. 7.2 Let every man have his Own wife and let every woman have her Own husband By which Rule the thoughts desires and actions of each of them are confin'd to their (d) Choose whether Adam thou wilt imitate the Old or the New the one hath but one Wife the other hath but one Church Hierome cited by Gataker own lawful yoke-fellow as the dearest sweetest and best Object in the world and this by vertue of the Covenant of their God The least Aberration herein if it be not speedily and sincerely mortified will strangely get ground and fester in the Soul and never rest till it come to plain Adultery (e) See of this largely and excellently Lud. Viv. de Christ foemin p. 699. And then the Comfort of their lives the quiet of their consciences and the credit of their families lye bleeding and without true Repentance their eternal happiness shipwrack't Yea this virtually dissolves the Bond of marriage and if the (f) Deut. 22.22 Divine Law were executed brings the offender to a severe Death And though some greater Shame and other Inconveniences do follow the unfaithfulness of the Wife yet man and wife being One flesh and equal power granted to them over the bodies of each other the guilt of this sin is equal unless the wisdom and strength of the man do make his fault the greater And therefore all possible care must be used to avoid all occasions and incentives of wandring desires from home and the rather because he or she that is not content with one will not be content with more for sin is boundless and nothing but Grace and the Grave can limit the desires of the Heart The same Faithfulness is necessary in the wise concealment of each others secrets whether Natural Moral or Civil unless in such cases wherein a superior Obligation doth release them For there cannot be a more unnatural treachery than when Husband or Wife the nearest of Friends make one another obnoxious to shame or harm Bad when it is done by Inadvertence worse when in their Passion worst of all when it is through ill will and malice 4. Mutual Helpfulness Hence they are called Yokefollows And of the Woman it was said at her Creation that she should be an (g) Gen 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Help meet for him which may be rendred an Help like him for they should be both of them Helps to each other There are Three Yokes which they must joyntly carry 1. The Yoke of Cares This all people must expect to bear in a married condition and for the most part that of Labour also And these lying always on one shoulder will overload but when some help comes in the husband takes care without the wife takes care within the husband travels abroad the wife is busie at home then the burden is easier To this end it behoves the Wife to read often the last Chapter of Proverbs and the husband the rest of that Book for their quickning hereunto 2. The Yoke of Crosses and troubles For such as are married though they expect nothing but pleasure yet (h) 1 Cor. 7.28 must have trouble in the flesh losses in their estates afflictions in their children crosses both from friends and enemies Now every man and woman should chuse such yoke-fellows as may be Friends as well as Relations and may comfort support and advise each other with all faithfulness and sympathy 3. The Yoke of Jesus Christ For they should (i) 1 Pet. 3.7 live as heirs together of the Grace of Life And it is the highest end of their Relation to promote one the others everlasting happiness The Knowledg of the husband must help the wife and the Zeal of the wife must help the husband When (k) Cael. Rhodig l. 28. the Sun shines the Moon absconds when that is set this appears When the husband is at home then it is his work to instruct and pray with his Family and sanctifie the Sabbath but in his absence the wife is his stated Deputy and must look to it And both must study both in Prudence and Conscience to be of One mind incouraging reproving or correcting their Inferiors lest their Authority be weakened their spirits distempered and their indeavours frustrateâ— 5. Mutual Patience c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quomodo probabit homo animam suam si pâ—ssit tolerare uxorem malam Buxt ex Miphcah Happen This Grace we are bound to exercise towards all men how much more to such near and dear Relations Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away with all malice And be kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another as God doth for Christ's sake forgive us Eph. 4.31 32. Innumerable are the l Occasions that may minister Contention in the daily affairs wherein they are concerned and Satan is ever ready to blow the coal and they have corrupt and froward Natures and therefore there is a flat necessity of this blessed Grace Alas a civil War within doors is the most intolerable The soul the body the worship of God the affairs the Family are all disordered by it No good can come of it passion reforms nothing but (m) Magis vâ—remur prudâ—ntes quam i acundos plus cogit qu etum imperium quam vehemens imperiosior concitatione quies Lu. Viv. de Christ Foem p. 729. patience may the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God The married Couple therefore must study and pray for a meek and quiet spirit mortifie pride learn self-denial and sometimes wisely (n) Thus Albuâ— us lived with his Terentiana 25 years and P. Rubrius Celer with his Ennia 44 years without a quarrel So Mr. Smith in his Sermons tels of a cholerick couple that kept the peace by each keeping silence when the other was angry withdraw till the storm be over and hold their peace to keep the peace They must consider as Holy Mr. Bolton saith that two Angels are not met together but too sinful children of Adam from whom little can be expected but weakness and waiwardness They must reckon the greatest worth and honour to be first in Overtures of Peace
there any thing of dishonesty in what I have been perswading you to Is it a dishonest thing to pray in your Families to instruct them in the things of God to be holy diligent and faithful What harm is there in all this Would it do you or yours any injury Would it hinder either your profit or pleasure Can godliness which hath the promise of this life and that which is to come undo you Should that which pleaseth God displease you Is it an unpleasant thing to see the beauty of holiness in your Family and to have yours serving God and you faithfully Is it an unpleasant thing to have God's commendation and peace and to have good hopes that all yours are God's and shall be delivered from the wrath to come and be heirs of a Crown of glory If you talk of pleasure no pleasure like them that are in duty and at the end of duty Well now What have you to say against your duty You cry pish this is the way to be a slave a mope a fool Is it true indeed that to be enlarged for God in ones place is a slavery how come such to be so full of peace and joy Is that the state of slaves no body is about to debar you of moderate liberty and recreation But will you call nothing liberty and recreation but that which exposes you and yours to ruine But if you take this course you shall be poor if you and your Servants may not lye cheat break Sabbaths you shall never be able to live How then come so many honest men that would not do any of all these things for a world to live so well Were Abraham Joshua David Cornelius all such poor men If diligence honesty and holiness undo men what will make them I hope you will not say that cursing lying fraud idleness sensuality and carelesness are better ways of thriving Well once more what have you yet to say against what I have been perswading you to Will you now without delay bewail your former neglect and in good earnest set to your work like a man that in some measure knows the power of divine precepts the worth of souls and the greatness of that charge that lyeth upon you O that there were in you such a heart O that all Masters of Families were resolved for that which humanity reason interest reputation and their comfort call for as well as the law of God and men oblige them to What blessed Families then should we have What noble Corporations what glorious Cities Might not Jehovah-Shammah be written then upon our Gates and holiness to the Lord upon every door O when shall it once be Now in hopes that some honest hearts are affected with what hath been spoken and are desirous to engage with all their might in their duties I shall briefly add a few Helps for the better performance of their duty First Get a heart inflamed with love to God This will make you much more concerned for his honour than your own this will cause you to promote his interest with vigor and remove whatsoever may be prejudicial to it love will break thorow difficulties and make duty easie love will engage you body soul estate head tongue hand heart all for God then you can't live without prayer and instructing your Servants If the love of God dwell in you I never fear the disputing your duty Secondly Get a deep sense of the worth of souls upon your spirits Remember he that made them values them highly he that bought them and paid dearly for them judged them worth his heart-blood they that are wise believe that their utmost care for them is not too much their loss is an irreparable loss and if they are saved and secured all losses are tolerable light inconsiderable A due sense of the worth of a soul would make you wonderful careful to prevent its miscarriage greatly solicitous to make sure its happiness Thirdly Beg of God a spirit of wisdom and government that you may know how to go in and out before your house like a man of prudence and Religion 1 Kings 3.9 Jam. 1.17 You know whence every good and perfect gift comes and if any man lack wisdom they must ask of him that is ready to answer such requests who will give liberally and not upbraid Beg of God the gift and grace of prayer and utterance beg experience and knowledg and use and improve fruitfully what talent God hath given you already Hierocles A wise man instructed of God is a Priest of God and the only man fit to do his work Fourthly Study the Scriptures much Attend upon a conscientious powerful Ministry and read some practical Books there you will find the most excellent precepts there you will meet with the most commendable presidents there you have the most powerful motives to your duty the most successful helps In a word there you will meet with the assistance of God's Spirit Psal 119.11 by them you will be kept from any unrighteous thing Fifthly Do as you would be done by remember what measure you mete to another Mat. 7.12 shall be measured to you again I believe David would scarce have been so ready to pass such a sentence as he did if he had well considered who was at the bar and it 's likely a less punishment than burning might have been pronounced against Tamar if Judah had remembred who was the Father of her Child Sixthly Take heed of pride selfishness and sensuality These are the great make-bates these make the world so full of confusion and trouble from hence come war and fightings Jam 4.1 this brings such disorder misery and sorrow unto Kingdoms Cities Houses if instead of these we had humility publick-spiritedness Prov. 3.10 temperance the world would be quickly well mended with us Seventhly Think much upon your account Death Judgment Heaven Hell and Eternity I had almost said believe this truly and think of it frequently and be unfaithful if you can I am perswaded that every wilful omission of a known duty and commission of known sin hath much of atheism and unbelief in it it is but yet a little while and Master and Servant must be equal death knows no difference the worms and rottenness will seize as soon on the one as the other and this might a little teach us humanity and moderation Consider that account that must be given of our opportunities of service and every talent we are intrusted with Suppose God's Messenger were just ready to knock at your door and you were surely to appear before God before to morrow morning what meekness diligence faithfulness would you then exercise and how hardly brought to do any thing to hazard God's displeasure how full of good counsel to every body why Luke 16.2 Heb. 9.27 Job 31.14 how knowest thou O man but this hour may be thy last This was that which did not a little prevail with Job to do his
to take up a Reproach against a man's Neighbour I answer It is a defective manner of expression and therefore is diversly supplied but especially and most reasonably two ways and accordingly a man may be guilty of taking up a reproach against his Neighbour two ways 1. When he takes it up into his mouth The Hebrew word is often so used As Exod. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain Not take it that is not lift it up upon thy Tongue or not take it into thy Mouth So Isa 14.4 Thou shalt take up this Proverb against the King of Babylon that is thou shalt take it up into thy lips thou shalt utter and publish it Thus Ezek. 26.17 They shall take up a lamentation for thee which is explained in the following words and say to thee how art thou destroyed And therefore elsewhere the word Lips or mouth is added as Psal 16.4 Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer nor take up their names into my lips Psal 50.16 What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant into thy mouth And this phrase of taking up may possibly respect the scituation of the Mouth above the Heart which according to the Opinion of the Hebrews is the seat of the Understanding As if he had said If there should rise in thy heart any evil thought or device against thy Brother let it die there let it never come up into thy mouth Now in this respect a man may be guilty of this sin of taking up a reproach against his Neighbour two ways 1. When he is the Author and first raiser of a reproach Such as Sanballat was Neh. 6.8 There are no such things as thou sayest but thou feignest them of thy own heart 2. When a man is the Spreader or Promoter of it Suppose it comes from another Fountain if thou art the Conduit-pipe by whom it is conveyed to others thou art guilty of it Lev. 19.16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a Tale-bearer among thy people 2. When a man takes it into his Ear So some expound these words thou shalt not receive not admit not endure a reproach against thy Neighbour You know the Receiver of stoln goods is as obnoxious to the Law as he that takes them away So then a man may be guilty of this sin not only by speaking but also by the hearing of a reproach against his Neighbour and so he may be three ways 1. When a man quietly permits it and gives no check to it This is certain the great Law of Charity commands me not only to do no hurt to my Neighbour but also to suffer no hurt to be done to him which it lyes in my power to prevent or remove If another set his house on fire I must lend my help to quench it I must pull my Neighbour's Ox out of the Pit though another man hath cast him in and consequently when the good name of my Neighbour is invaded by another if I patiently bear the reproach I make my self guilty 2. When a man hears a reproach against his Neighbour greedily and with delight It is a sin and that of no small size for a man to take pleasure in the sins of others and therefore the Apostle makes it an aggravation of sin Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but also have pleasure in them that do them 1 Cor. 13.6 Charity rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth Consider I beseech you the commonness of this sin if a reproach be fastned upon one who is a man's Enemy or of another Party men commonly hear such reproaches with delight not considering that this is not only a blemish to his own Party but also a blot to Christianity a reproach to the Protestant Religion a sin against God and against the Gospel a scandal to men and these things should rather call for tears than laughter and approbation And therefore when a man seems to approve another man's reproach and encourage the reproacher he involves himself in the guilt of it It is the saying of a very Learned Man upon the Proverbs That it is not easie to know whether is a greater sinner or whether is the greater plague to a Commonwealth he that spreads a reproach or he that willingly receives it 3. When a man easily believes a reproach It is said indeed 1 Cor. 13.7 Charity believeth all things but the object of this belief is the good of my Neighbour and not his evil Charity readily believes well concerning its Neighbour where there is the least colour or foundation for it but it is slow to believe evil concerning him and when a man is prone to believe evil concerning another man it is a great sign of an uncharitable disposition the reason is because men do most readily believe those things which comply with their own desires and inclinations as in Wars and differing Factions every man is apt to believe good tidings concerning his own Party Good men are the least suspitious and slowest to believe evil of others of which you have a remarkable instance in Gedaliah when Johanan told him of Ismael's design to murther him it is said he believed him not Jer. 40.14 And when it was pressed upon him a second time and Johanan offered to punish the Conspirator and to prevent the Execution of the Treason he said Thou shalt not do this thing for thou speakest falsly concerning Ismael verse 16. You may observe how backward fond Parents are to believe any ill report concerning their Children and whence doth this proceed even from an inordinate love and kindness to them and therefore on the contrary men's credulity unto evil reports concerning their Neighbours doth proceed from want of love and affection to them So much for the Explication 2. The Proof of the Doctrine shall consist in the representation of the sinfulness and injury of this practice of censuring back-biting and reproaching of others And that I may more effectually disswade and affright my self and you from it I shall discover to you how pregnant a sin this is There is a complication of injuries in it It is injurious First to God Secondly to your selves Thirdly to the Party censured or reproached Fourthly to other men 1. To God and Christ in divers particulars 1. It is an invasion of God's Prerogative You know how dangerous a Crime this is when it is committed against an Earthly Prince nor can you in reason think it less criminal and hazardous when it is committed against him who accepteth not the persons of Princes and who is greater than the Kings of the Earth And therefore observe how severely God rebukes this sin in the Epistle to the Romans Chap. 14. when men did censure and Reproach one another either for the Observation of dayes and meats as guilty of Superstition or for
with the horror and darkness of thy miserable estate dwell not too long at the gates of hell lest the devil pull thee in but wind thy self up again by renewed acts of faith and fly for refuge unto the hope that is set before thee Heb. 6.18 And all the way thou goest admire the infinite grace and love of God to thee in delivering thee from so great a death My brethren there 's no entring into the maze and labyrinth of sin without this clew in your hands Solitary considerations of sin if we dwell too long upon them will work too violently therefore we should make frequent transitions from sin to free grace from the Law to the Gospel from our miserable and wretched selves to our merciful and mighty Redeemer But you 'l say how can this be to pass from one contrary passion to another who can make such transitions The Schools tell us it must be per magnum conatum by some great endeavour that is a strain beyond ordinary and such endeavours we must put forth counting it as much our duty to rejoyce in mercy as to mourn for sin and we cannot do both at once though there be a connexion of divine Graces as well as moral vertues yet this implies rather a successive continuation than any simultaneousness at least as to the intense actings of different graces 't is true where there is one grace there is every grace that is in semine in the seed or root of it and it may be also as to some weaker latent actual influences yet those particular graces which upon different distinct considerations do work contrary passions in us they cannot be both intensely acted at the same time sed per vices intervalla there is a time to mourn and a time to rejoyce a time to fear and a time to hope particular graces do take their turns in the soul and act sutably unto the present occasion 2. Direction against despair for unbelievers convinced of sin but unacquainted with Christ and free Grace The distraction fear and amazement of spirit that seizes upon such is unexpressible till God break in upon them and begin with them speaking peace to them man can do little yet means must be used I shall name a few things 1. Look upon this conviction of sin thou lyest under rather as a mercy than a judgement as a token for good in as much as God hath given thee timely notice of thy danger and fair warning to flee from the wrath to come 2. Look upon thy self now in a far greater capacity for grace and pardon than ever heretofore 3. Set thy self with all seriousness to study the doctrine of free grace in Christ never more need than now meditate much upon the great goodness of God and his excellent loving kindness Psal 31.19 Psal 36.6 Intense thoughts of sin and slight perfunctory thoughts of mercy drive us to despair 4. Be perswaded to come to Christ under all thy fears Hast thou been as a Dove of the valley mourning on the mountains for thy iniquity Ezek. 7.16 come down from those mountains those solitary places and go weeping to the Lord Jer. 50.4 Bemoan thy self at the feet of Christ he will hear thee Jer. 31.18 19. tell God all thou hast to say of thy miserable condition complaining to thy self and to men signifies little it heightens thy fear but God sympathizes with thee Jer. 31.20 put thy self into his hands he will lead thee ver 9. refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 there will be a lifting up Job 22.29 what ever the issue be thou canst be no worse than thou art in thy own judgement to sin is mors animae but to despair is descendere in infernum sin is death and despair is hell cry out of the belly of that hell to Christ and see if he do not bring thee forth But alas those who are under a spirit of bondage and fear have a thousand objections against this I have been pressing them to I shall go over some of these and answer them as I go they come to Christ they 'l tell us They cannot come Tell the Lord then thou art willing to come but canst not be perswaded to come as thou canst canst thou not go into thy chamber into thy closet and shut thy door and throw thy self down in the dust before the Lord this is coming and this thou canst do I am sure do it then and call upon the name of the Lord. But Object 2 I cannot pray Answ It may be not now at this time but how canst thou tell what thou maist do at such a time when in obedience to an Ordinance of God thou hast put thy self into a praying posture in that very hour it may be given and hath been I am perswaded to thousands of God's children he will prepare thy heart Psal 10.17 if thou canst not utter thy mind as thou wouldest pray as thou canst and if thou hast nothing to say if no one savoury expression drops from thee it may be it is because the inward sense thou hast of sin is too big for utterance it may be so sometimes and 't is best when it is so and then out of the abundance of thy heart weep and mourn out thy inward meaning Lacrymae pondera vocis hahent groan and sigh and look wishfully towards heaven and believe that God sees thee when thou hast no sight of him this is prayer But Object 3 I have lived hitherto as without God in the world neglecting prayer altogether I am a mere stranger unto Christ and will he hear such a one as I who come upon this pinch just when necessity drives me certainly no he will tell me to my face as well he may he knows me not and bid me go to those empty creatures I formerly trusted in Answ Don't you take upon you to personate Christ in his dealings with sinners his thoughts are not as your thoughts what if you would do thus and thus if you were in Christs stead does it therefore follow that he must do so too O no as the heavens are higher than the earth so are his thoughts above thy thoughts Isa 55.8 9. do you think and say what you will Christ will act like himself and do that for thee that never entred into thy heart to conceive of his wayes are unsearchable and past our finding out his love passeth knowledge thou dost not know thou canst not tell before-hand what infinite rich grace is able to do for thee O come then and make a tryal and know for thy further encouragement that poor humble sinners are alwayes welcome to Christ but never more welcome than at their first coming Luke 15.22 c. There are two jubilees kept in heaven one at the conversion of a sinner here on earth Luke 15.7 the other at his glorification in heaven Jude 24. Christ does then present us to glory with exceeding joy how glad is Christ
whose person is of infinite dignity that thence may arise an equivalency of merit in his sufferings as may prove satisfactory to God's infinite justice and because no mere man being a finite creature hath this dignity and God cannot suffer because this would argue weakness and infirmity which is infinitely removed from him therefore it is requisite that the person who can satisfie should be God-man that as in one nature he may be capable of suffering so the other nature may put a vertue and efficacy upon it and such a person was Jesus Christ 3. That Jesus Christ hath done that which is sufficient to satisfie God's justice for the sins of men is evident from his Death and other sufferings which we have upon record in the Gospel which sufferings were not for himself he being an innocent person and it would have argued injustice in God had he permitted such sufferings to have been laid on his body especially had he himself inflicted such dreadful inward sufferings on his Soul were it not that he stood in the room of sinners and endured all these sufferings for their sins that he might give satisfaction to his justice hereby 4. That Christ's sufferings have given to God satisfaction and that he hath accepted of this satisfaction in the behalf of sinners is evident from the Compact and Covenant which he made with Christ that if he would offer up this sacrifice of himself he would be well pleased and sinners should hereby be justified from his sending his Son into the world for this very end and anointing him to the office of High-Priest that he might first make satisfaction and then Intercession for the people from his owning him when here raising him when dead receiving him to glory when raised which he would not have done had not he accepted his satisfaction from his Covenant he hath through him made with man and promises therein of remission of sins through his blood which he would never have made had not Christ's death given him satisfaction Moreover all those places of Scripture which speak of Christ's death as a sacrifice as a ransom as a punishment which he endured that sinners might be and whereby believers are actually reconciled unto God do clearly and abundantly prove that Christ hath given satisfaction to God's justice and which God is well pleased withal 5. That all sinners must know and believe this Doctrine of Christ's satisfaction that they may attain remission of sins is evident because God never did never will forgive any sin without respect unto it this way of remission is the chief thing which he hath revealed in the Scriptures In the Old Testament it was shadowed under the sacrifices for sin which were offered in the New Testament it is the end of the Revelation of Christ this being the chief design of his sufferings and death to give satisfaction to God's justice in order to the forgiveness of man's sin And they that are ignorant hereof or do not believe this do not know nor believe in Jesus Christ and him crucified and therefore cannot obtain forgiveness by his death 2. Sinners must know and believe the doctrine of Justification by Christ's Righteousness that they may attain remission of sins 1. They must know the nature of Justification it self that it doth consist in the remission of our sins and the acceptation of our Persons as perfectly Righteous in God's sight they must know that they have no Righteousness of their own to present God withal because guilty of sin and the least guilt is inconsistent with a perfect Righteousness and therefore if they were as some are really Holy yet that they could not be accepted as perfectly Righteous in God's sight upon the account of a perfect Righteousness of their own which none here do attain unto much less when they are naturally void and empty of all good and real Holiness and polluted all over with Sin 3. They must know that the Righteousness of Christ is perfect and was intended for them and held forth to them which they must submit unto and accept of if they would be justified in God's sight 4. That the Righteousness of Christ is made theirs by Faith God imputing it and accounting it unto believers as if it were their own and they had wrought it out in their own persons This way of Justification by Christ all must know and be perswaded of that would obtain Justification which doth include forgiveness of sin 2. Some things must be done and practised by sinners that they may attain this blessedness of forgiveness 1. They must get conviction of sin 2. They must make confession of sin 3. They must by Faith make Application of Jesus Christ 4. They must forsake sin 5. They must make Supplication and earnest Prayer unto God for pardoning Mercy 6. They must forgive others 1. Sinners would you attain the blessedness of forgiveness Labour to get conviction of sin get conviction of your Original sin the guilt of Adam's first sin in which you are involv'd your present emptiness of all Spiritual good and the Universal depravation of all the powers and faculties of your Souls with inherent pollution which renders you opposite unto all real good and naturally prone unto nothing but evil get conviction of your actual sins of all your hainous breaches of God's Law whether the first or second Table of it whether sins against God more immediately his Nature his Worship his Name his Day or against your Neighbour whether relative sins or sins against the life or chastity or estate or good name of any and get conviction that all inordinate motions that have not the consent of the will and much more inordinate affections which are influenced by it are sinful and provoking unto God Get also convictions of your more hainous disobedience to the Gospel what an aggravation it is of all your other sins that you have repented of none when you have so much need and have been so often called hereunto what an affront is it unto God a disparagement unto Christ that you have neglected your Salvation by him and have been guilty of unbelief in not receiving yea refusing Christ so able and willing to save you and when you have had such frequent and earnest as well as gracious and free tenders of him Get conviction of the guilt of your sins and what an Obligation you are under hereby to undergo eternal Destruction in the flames of Hell fire for it and let this awaken you out of your security let the thoughts of this pierce and wound your consciences and make you cry out with those Sinners which were convinced by Peter's Sermon Acts 2.37 When they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Get conviction also of the horrid baseness and ungratefulness of sin as it dishonours and displeases that God by whom you were at first created are continually
whilst that you continue in your rebellions and wage War still against Heaven by going on still in your trespasses 5. Make your Supplication unto God and be earnest in Prayer unto him that he would forgive you your sins it is against God that your sins have been committed and it is God's Prerogative to remit and pardon and though he pardon freely for his Name 's sake yet he will be enquired after and sought unto for his high favour Isa 43.25 26. I even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins Put me in remembrance c. If you would have pardon you must ask it if you would find God's favour you must seek it if you desire the door of Mercy to be opened unto you you must knock at the door by earnest Prayer Mat. 7.7 Hence are David's earnest cryes in Prayer for pardoning Mercy in so many of his Psalms especially Psal 51. in the first verse Have Mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my transgressions v. 9. Hide thy face from my sins and blot out mine iniquities v. 14. Deliver me from Blood-guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation c. Be earnest in Prayer at the Throne of Grace for this blessedness of forgiveness wrestle with God by importunate Supplications fill your mouths with Arguments plead the gracious disposition of God the multitude of his tender Mercies and the riches of his free Grace plead the Glory of his Name which would greatly be advanced and admired if your great sins might be pardoned plead the merits of Christ and Satisfaction given to his justice by his Son together with his Intercession for you at his right hand plead the promises of the Covenant of Grace and his faithfulness which doth engage him to fulfil them humble believing fervent Prayer will prevail for forgiveness 6. Forgive others if you would that God should forgive you Mat. 6.11 Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors v. 14 15. For if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses If you do not forgive the hundred Pence of smaller offences unto your fellow-servants you will be called to an account and imprisoned in Hell and there tormented for the ten thousand Talents of hainous transgressions which you have committed against your Lord Mat. 18. at the latter end of that Chap. If you bear hatred and malice and revenge in your hearts against others whatever their offences their wrongs or injuries have been you put your selves out of capacity of obtaining pardoning Mercy Do not say I forgive such a one who hath wronged me but I will never forget him for this is a deceit of your hearts whereby you seek to stop the mouth of your consciences that they may not trouble you by these Scriptures for if you do not forget injuries so as to carry it towards such Persons as if they had not wronged you so as to love them cordially and to be ready to shew kindness unto them you do not forgive them and so you cannot be forgiven by God If then you would be pardoned by God you must from the heart forgive others receive the Exhortation of the Apostle Eph. 4.31 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice And be kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Thus I have finished my Answer unto the two Queries wherein doth appear the blessedness of forgiveness and how this blessedness may be attained and now give me leave to borrow a little room for some Application Application I might speak much here by way of comfort unto pardoned Persons but the most that I have already spoken yea all that I have spoken under the first Query may be turned into a Use of comfort to your selves and therefore referring you thither I shall pass you by and bend my speech only unto you that are unpardoned too many of whom are to be found in every Assembly and therefore I cannot think that this Assembly is free I shall take leave to chide you in a Use of Reproof endeavour to awaken you in a Use of Terror and in the conclusion press you to endeavour after this blessedness of forgiveness in an Use of Exhortation Vse 1. For Reproof Is there such blessedness in forgiveness Whence is it then that so many of you neglect this blessedness in the neglect of your pardon Are not all of you sinners Have not all of you need of forgiveness Will not your own Consciences tell you that forgiveness is a great priviledg And have not Ministers often told you of this priviledg and the way of attaining it Hath not God by them held forth a pardon to you and used many arguments with you that you would accept it Whence is it then that so many of you slight and undervalue it as if it were of no worth Whence is it that so many of you are without pardon when profered when none of you are without sins often committed and those highly aggravated and whereby your Souls are so greatly endangered May not Robbers and Murderers and other notorious Malefactors rise up in judgment against you that are without a pardon When such Persons are apprehended found guilty and condemned though but unto a temporal death they will make all friends and use all means to escape and O! how welcome is a pardon to them And yet though you are all guilty of sin and condemned for it unto eternal death and a pardon is purchased proclaimed and profered unto you there are too many of you that slight and neglect it that have no earnest desire after it and hitherto have not been perswaded by any arguments to make use of the means which God hath appointed with any diligence for the obtaining of it Who is there that to any purpose doth look after a pardon Who do diligently hear for it earnestly pray for it Who do make full and free confession of sin that you may attain remission of it Who do prize Christ and by Faith make application of him that they may have a pardon by him Who do forsake sin which God absolutely requires of all to whom he doth forgive sin Who do when injur'd heartily forgive others as they desire God would forgive them Sinners will not many of your consciences accuse you of unpardoned guilt unto which you have added the neglect of forgiveness And is not your sin hereby doubled and most highly aggravated and the guilt of it fastned upon you Vse 2. Let me tell you by way of Terror for your awakening that God is displeased with all workers of iniquity but he is most highly displeased with you that slight his mercy
Your sins are inexcusable your condemnation is unavoidable and your punishment hereafter in Hell will be most dreadful and intolerable Possibly now you are careless and secure sin is sweet and conscience is quiet you are at ease and conscience asleep but will this ease and sleep always continue Is there not a time coming when you shall be awakened If you are not awakened under God's Word may not God awaken you under his Rod If you are not awakened under God's threatnings will you not awake when he cometh to execution If you are secure in the midst of outward peace and prosperity can you be secure in the midst of trouble and adversity Think what you will do when death doth approach Think what a dreadful aspect unpardoned sin will have when you are brought down unto the sides of the pit to the brink and border of eternity and when you are summoned to make your appearance before the highest Majesty O the horrour that then will seize you O the fearfulness that then will surprise you To have the black guilt of drunkenness or swearing of uncleanness or deceiving or any other iniquity to stare you then in the face O how dismal will it be and affrighting And think with what rage and fury your consciences will then reflect upon your fore-past sins especially your neglect of a pardon then unattainable and how tormenting will this be unto you You may then cry out Lord have mercy on us Christ have mercy on us But will God then hear you who have refused to hearken unto him Will Christ regard you who have neglected refused and shut the door of your hearts against him all your days But sinners what will you do at the day of judgment when the Lord Jesus shall come in flaming fire to take vengeance upon you for unpardoned sins That great day will certainly come and it will quickly be here Time runs away swiftly and it will quickly be run out yet a little while and the Angel will lift up his hand and cry with a loud voice and swear by him that liveth for ever and ever that time shall be no longer Rev. 10.5 6. Then the mystery will be finished the prophesie accomplished and the whole frame of this visible world dissolved the Sun then and the Moon will be darkened and the Stars will fall unto the earth as the fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind and the heavens themselves then shall be rolled together as a great scroll and so pass away with a great noise the earth and all the elements shall be on fire and consume away on that day when the Lord Jesus Christ shall appear from Heaven with Millions of mighty Angels in power and brightness of majesty and then you must come out of your graves and will stand trembling before Christ's great Tribunal and none of you will be able to hide your selves under any Rock or Mountain from his angry face Then then you will fully know what a priviledg it is to be pardoned when you see where pardoned persons are placed when you see them gathered to the right hand of the great Judg and there acquitted openly owned graciously and crowned by him with honour and glory and invited by him to take possession of those eternal habitations of rest and joy in his Kingdom prepared for them by his Father But O the tearings of spirit and heart-vexing tormenting grief which you will have that no place is found for you amongst them that through your neglect of pardoning mercy you have forfeited and eternally lost a share in eternal glory and not only so but have by sin also plunged your selves into a bottomless gulf of endless misery Think how dreadful the irreversible sentence of condemnation will be unto you Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Alas Alas sinners what will you do no thought can conceive what your horror will be when you come to reap the bitter fruit of all your unpardoned sins It is the punishment of Hell Sinners which the guilt of sin unremoved doth oblige you to undergo And therefore I am sent this day to forewarn you and in the name of my Master to foretel you that if you do not now sue out for and obtain this forgiveness of sin your sin hereafter will bring eternal ruine and destruction of soul and body in Hell Without a pardon profaneness will be your ruine Some of you it may be can swear and curse and blaspheme the Name of God hereafter God will swear in his wrath that you shall not enter into his rest and you shall be banished out of Christ's presence with a curse Depart from me ye cursed c. Those tongues which have been so liberal of oaths and blasphemies must be tormented in flames of fire without one drop of water to cool them Without a pardon drunkenness will be your ruine you that have so often enflamed your selves with wine and strong drink God will enflame you with the wine of his vengeance he will make you to drink the dregs of his wrath which is at the bottom of the cup of his indignation Without a pardon uncleanness will be your ruine your pleasures are empty and of short continuance but your pains will be full hereafter and they will abide for ever Without a pardon unrighteousness will be your ruine your unrighteous gains one day will prove your unspeakable loss and God will be the avenger of all such upon you as have been wronged and defrauded by you Without a pardon your neglect of Christ and Salvation will be your ruine and if you persevere in this neglect it is impossible that you should escape Sinners think seriously and think frequently of your unpardoned iniquities and withal think of the dreadful punishment they will bring upon you think of your eternal damnation unto the most exquisite torments of Hell and then drink on swear on and scoff your fill be unholy and profane unjust and unclean if you think good but know that for all these sins God will bring you to judgment know that these iniquities unpardoned will be your ruine Should I tell you of one that were condemned for some vile fact to be slay'd alive or burnt alive or sawn asunder or dragg'd to pieces with wild horses or starv'd with hunger and cold or any other ways cruelly tortured to death but that he might escape all this misery if he would accept of a pardon ready provided for him and withal leave off such vile facts for the future you would count him worse than mad should he neglect his pardon and expose himself to ruine and misery through his carelesness and obstinacy And yet though you are condemned for sin to far worse torment and misery that which is more dreadful than ten thousand painful deaths and all this mischief and punishment may be avoided and escaped if you will accept of the pardon
you lay foundations right and deep How can it be imagined much less expected that unprepared and estranged Souls from God and Christ should face the challenges and terrors or escape the dangers of a dying day vvhat can support the confidence of that man vvho is dispirited by the deserved rebuke buffettings of an exasperated because a guilty conscience for conscience is the mouth of God and speaks his mind and vvhat speaks othervvise in point of charge or censure is rather ignorance than conscience and by his order and commission and in his name and Majesty vvhips the careless soul It is impossible to still the cryes of guilt and vvrath It is far more easie for us to charm and stupifie the man than truely cure him He that is negligent of the main affair is like to bear the smartings of his ovvn voluntary vvounds and the more voluntary our negligence appears to be to our awakened consciences when startled by gripes and fears of death the less cause will there be for help and pity All fears arising from an unconverted state have God to back and sharpen them because they are truly grounded on God's professed resolution and legal comminations to bring those fears on them by vvhom they are deserved So that our only vvay to cure and quell these fears is to remove their Cause by giving up our selves to God the Father to knovv him love him and live to him and to delight our selves in God's Image Presence and Favour in his Son Jesus Christ more than in all the treasures and delights of lovver things to knovv the Lord that bought us and to serve him in righteousness peace and joy in the holy Ghost vvith confidence to commit our selves to his tendred conduct government and protection and entertain him vvith all sutableness of apprehension affection and conversation to all his excellencies offices and appearances to ansvver all his kindnesses cost and care with all such faithful fruitful chearful conversations as God Christ determined and designed in man's Redemption Eph. 1.4 Yea to be ruled assisted and refreshed by vvhat the Spirit of Grace and Holiness and Wisdom hath done for us and is sent from the Father and the Son to perfect and compleat in us to live the Life of Faith and Holiness and endeavour to spend our daies in the delightful hopes and fore-tasts of and ripenings for and hasting to or hastning as the vvord imports * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 3.12 your everlasting state of Joys and Glory to make the unseen vvorld the exercise poise and spring of your most vehement desires most vigorous pursuit and most inviolable satisfaction and in a vvord to vvalk in all due conscience of your trust and charge to God the Father Son and Holy Spirit to others and your selves in all things to think and speak and do as in the sight of God relation to him and special interest and delight in him and not through ignorance enmity and sloth to let the Devil Flesh or World mortifie your delight in God your motions tovvards affections to and resolutions for God And hearken not to those discouraging thoughts and jealousies of God and Christ vvhich your grand enemy the Prince of lies and darkness is ready to abuse you vvith Where hath God told you that the vvilling thoughtful painful Soul though much distemper'd and imperfect shall be rejected by him For vvhen the Son protests so solemnly against rejecting such as come he speaks his Father's heart Jo. 6.37 40. And I profess vvhen I most seriously consider the terms tenour of the covenant of Grace I am much confirmed in this that all grounded jealousies suspitions discouragements as to our hopes of everlasting happiness can only fix upon our voluntary rejecting of God and Christ and holiness and Heaven And though many things may humble us and ought to do it yet nothing can implead our Title to the purchased possession nor our comfortable hopes at death vvhen once our vvills are sixt on Christ and vvell resolved for him and prevail upon our lives for vvalking vvorthy of our great Vocation We have no impossible conditions imposed on us especially if vve consider Gospel-assistances indulgence and encouragements for vvhen vve knovv our vvay as God hath shevved it us in Christ and have our hearts inclined and fixt for God vve are but to exert vvhat strength and povver vve have to serve and please our God and proportionably to our abilities and advantages to vvait upon God for more according to his instituted vvays and methods Improvements are but required to be proportionable to our Talents and he that brought ten Talents to his Lord had more than one or tvvo at first to make improvement of I do indeed believe the Lavv * By the Law of the Nature I â— ean God's revealed will as Ruler objectively signified in the nature of things within us and without us concerning our Duty and Rewards or Punishments and this Law is written upon and discovered by our own capacity constitution our relations to God and others and our fâ—rniture and advantages from what we are encompâ—ssed and intrusted with in the whole firme of Nature of Nature yet in force though novv incorporated into the Lavv of Christ and that the Decalogue is yet in force to bind and rule us and never look to see its abrogation proved till they that hold this abrogation can demonstrate that the Father lost his Right Throne of Government by the appearance of his Son and that Christ acted not as his Fathers Delegate and for his Glory and that Grace vvas not designed and directed to the reparation of declined Religion in the vvorld but that God was so prodigal of his Pardon and Indulgence as to grow regardless of his Government But yet that Law is one thing and this Covenant another thing For the Covenant of Grace respected those distempers perplexities disadvantages and supposed them and was suited to them in its Tenders and Provisions for which it did design Relief And now our terms of Life are not so strict as those on vvhich God dealt vvith healthful sound and innocent Adam for novv sincere and prevalent Faith and Love and Holiness shall reach those Consolations after Death vvhich once viz. antecedently to Christ's undertaking and compleating satisfaction they could not do and therefore if your insincerity and fundamental unpreparedness for your change be that which starts and feeds your fears labour to be sincere and faithful in Covenant-making and Covenant-keeping and you may be sure of this that Death will lose its sting and victory and thereupon its fearful looks when Sin hath lost its Throne and when God and Christ have got your hearts and life-to come concernments influence and rule your purposes projects and pursuits It is with relation to our manifold temptations wants and weaknesses and all despondencies and discouragements consequent thereupon that Christ hath undertaken to be our great High
which Christ hath provided and in the Gospel is profered unto you and withal break off your sins by repentance yet no words or arguments will perswade you to use the means of prevention but still you live in the neglect of pardon and so great salvation and are secure however great your danger be O the folly and strange madness of unconverted sinners O the unspeakable sottishness and senslesness they are under Although we make it appear to their consciences that their condition is unutterably miserable they are not moved except it be with choler against the Minister that warns them of the sword of God's vengeance which hangeth over them and they champ at the Bridle that would hold them from running to their destruction But O that you would rather turn your anger against your sins and say this iniquity will be my ruine and that sin without pardon will be my damnation Vse 3. Therefore in the next place let me exhort all of you that lye under the guilt of sin that you would labour after this blessedness of forgiveness O that you would pity your own souls think what provision you have made for them think whither they are like to go upon their separation from your bodies and what you will do at the last day when Christ cometh to judg and punish unpardoned sinners think how you will be able to dwell with devouring fire to inhabit everlasting burnings Methinks you should take up such thoughts as these and argue thus with your selves What! Shall I undo my self for a filthy lust Shall I lose my Soul to gain a little uncertain earthly riches Shall I forfeit a Crown of Glory for the empty honour of this world Shall I cast my self into everlasting horrour and pain for a little vain fading carnal delight and pleasure Can I be contented to be tormented for ever in Hell to satisfie the desires of my flesh on earth and that when they will never be satisfied Shall I hugg a viper in my bosom that will kill me Harbour lusts in my heart that will slay me Shall I dishonour God and damn my own soul to gratifie the Devil my enemy and please my flesh which will soon be turned into dirt and rottenness and withal throw away the hopes of a glorious resurrection for my body hereby Away then ye foolish filthy lusts I 'le no more hearken to you or be entangled or enslaved by you Be gone thou deluding tempting Devil I 'le lend my ear no longer to thy lying suggestions nor yield any more to thy beguiling and bewitching temptations farewel thou glozing flattering world with all thy charmes and allurements thy gold is but dross thy wine mixt with water thy honour but wind and vanity thy delights are bitter-sweets such as will end in death and ruine I 'le choose another portion and look after a better blessedness than thou canst give me even the blessedness of forgiveness which will bring me unto eternal blessedness Methinks you should take no sleep nor rest and find no comfort in house or trade or friends or any thing until the anger of God be appeased your sins all pardoned and so your souls set in safety from all that ruine unto which they are exposed by unpardoned iniquity The absolute necessity of forgiveness should quicken you to look after it you have not so much need of food to remove your hunger as you have need of mercy to remove your guilt you have not so much need of clothes to cover your bodies as you have need of righteousness to cover your iniquities Better be starv'd than damn'd better be hang'd than burn'd better be exposed to the misery of the weather and any bodily distemper than to be exposed unto the storms and strokes of God's vengeance and the eternal ruine of body and soul in Hell which there is no possibility of escaping without a pardon And that which may encourage you to seek after forgiveness is the attainableness of it and that by the vilest and most guilty amongst you others have obtained pardoning mercy that have been found as guilty Manasseh was pardoned who was so hainous a transgressor Paul who was so Zealous a Persecutor Mary Magdalen who was possessed with seven Devils the Corinthians some of whom were Idolaters Adulterers effeminate abusers of themselves with mankind Theeves Covetous Extortioners Drunkards Revilers yet they were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus some of them who had imbrued their hands in Christ's Blood had the guilt of their sins washed away by it There is Mercy enough in God to give a pardon for the greatest Transgression there is merit enough in Christ to purchase a pardon and prevalency in his Intercession to procure it whatever your offences have been the invitation unto Christ for Remission and Salvation is General none are excluded but such as exclude themselves the promises are full Crimson sins such as are of the deepest dye God promiseth to make as Wool and the promises are free the acceptation of a pardon by Faith makes it yours without any price or merit on your part We Ministers have a commission to preach Remission of sins in the Name of Christ and to declare to you the glad tidings of Salvation yea we have instructions as Embassadors in the Name of God and Christ to beseech you that you would be reconciled that you would accept of forgiveness 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God Give me leave to press this Argument upon you the great God of Heaven and Earth so glorious in Holiness and Righteousness is so infinitely Merciful and Gracious as to beseech you that you would be reconciled although you are so infinitely inferiour unto him He condescends to intreat you not that you would shew kindness unto him but that you would shew kindness to your selves and accept of the greatest kindness at his hands of Forgiveness and Reconciliation God might command and upon once the least refusal he might execute his vengeance upon you but although some of you have stopped your Ears so long refused his gracious prosfer so often though you have abused his kindness trampled upon his Patience slighted his invitations despised his threatnings disregarded his promises and turning all his rich Grace into wantonness do continue still in your disobedience yet the Lord doth again make suit unto you stretcheth forth his hands unto you however disobedient and gain-saying you have been and by me doth intreat you that you would be reconciled Need we use intreaties with condemned Malefactors to accept of a pardon if we had commission to preach pardoning Mercy unto Devils would they need intreaties to accept would they be fooled out of such a gracious prosfer by any as you hitherto have been by them Sinners I beseech you in the name of the great and glorious Jehovah and the Lord Jesus Christ your