The Things of the World the Men of the World 1. The Things of the World All Conditions of Life become a Snare to us Prosperity Adversity Pro. 30. 8 9. Give me neither Poverty nor Riches feed we with Food convenient for me c. Lest I be full and deny thee c. Either Condition hath its Snares A Garment too short will not cover our Nakedness and too long proves Lacinia â—raependâ—ns ready to trip up our Heels and therefore both the one and the other Condition are very dangerous Many carry themselves well in one Condition but quite miscarry in another As â—â—phraim was as a Cake not turned baked on the one side Hos. 7. 8. quite Dough on the other Or as 't is said of Ioab 1 King 2. 28. He turned â—fter Adonijah thâ— he turned not after Absalom Some miscarry in Adversity others in Prosperity â—ndeed more under Prosperity Diseases which grow out of Fulness are more rife than those which grow out of Want and fat and fertile Soils are most ranck of Weeds God's Children most miscarry when all things are prosperous and flow in upon them when they have lived in Plenty David was not foiled while he wandred up and down in the Wilderness but when he walked upon the Tarras of his Pallace in Ierusalem then he fell to Lust and Blood The unsoundness of a Vessel is not seen when it is empty but when fill'd with Water then we see whether it be stanch or leaky or no. But the other Condition is not without its Snares neither In Adversity we are apt to be impatient as well as in Prosperity to be forgetful of God and therefore we had need learn how to go up Hill and down Hill to know how to abound and how to be abased Phil. 4. 12. Look as the Wind doth rise from all Corners so do Temptations When we are kept low and bare or in Danger then we are full of worldly Fears Distrusts Cares grow base Pusillanimous and have not the Spirit and Generosity of a Christian in a high Condition we are Proud Secure forgetful of Changes Vain Wanton and press towards Heaven less and grow dead to good Things 2. As from the Things of the World so from the Men of the World We are apt to be poisoned by their bad Example and easily catch a Sickness one from another Good Men may receive a taint Isa. 6. 5. I am a Man of unclean Lips and I dwell in the midst of a People of unclean Lips Open Excesses do soon manifest their own Odiousness I confess a Man that runs into open Excess we are not so much in danger of being inticed by him to the like Practice but we learn of one another secretly to be cold careless and less mortified I say tho we are not carried into inordinate Practices and gross Wickednesses by the Example of others yet we learn to be cold in the Profession of Godliness formal less stirring in the way of Holiness and sometimes ensnared by their Counsels the Flood and Torrent of Evil Examples and Counsels is so great that it carrieth away Men. Gal. 2. 13. Barnabas also was carried away with their Dissimulation And the Wills of Men is one of our Snares 1 Pet. 4. 2. And besides we are in danger to be terrified by their Frowns and act unseemly Isa. 8. 13. Fear not their Fear nor be afraid out of the fear of Men we are apt to miscarry in our Duty to God Well then we need to go to God to be delivered from the Evil of the World that we may not be infected nor terrified by the Men of the World or which is the more usual Temptation corrupted by the Things of the World The World doth secretly and slighâ—ly insinuate with us and therefore keep us from Evil. Now how comes the World to be Evil In two things when both our Care and our Delight is lessened towards Heavenly Things 1. When our Care is lessened when we are not so serious so frequent in Communion with God as we were wont to be as Martha that was cumbred about many things but Mary had chosen the better part Luke 10. 42. When you begin to lessen your Cares of Duty and Hagar thrusts Sarah out of Doors when the Son of the Bond-Woman begins to mock at the Son of the Free-Woman when Religion begins to be looked upon but as Mopishness to be so nice precise and so careful to maintain constant Commerce with God and begin to have lessening Thoughts of God and Religion goes to the Walls So 2. When our Delight is less in heavenly things when we have lost our favour of the Word and Ordinances and Sabbaths and they are not so sweet as before 1 Joh. 2. 16. If any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him When the Love of the World hath made you weary of the Love of God when your Heart goes a whoring from God the chief Good As when the Affections are scattered a Man is tempted to look upon other Objects the Wife of the Bosom is defrauded of her Right So God is defrauded by an over-delight in the Creature the World intercepts your Delight Psal. 73. 27 28. Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee But it is good for me to draw nigh to God When our Delight in Communion with God is lessened by Delight in the Creature 't is Spiritual Adultery Now when worldly Objects are so continually with us solliciting our Affections and drawing us away from God Oh! what need have the best of us to pray Lord keep us from Evil The Soul doth easily receive a taint from the Objects to which we are accustomed therefore they which live in the World had need to take heed of a worldly Spirit The continual Presence of the Object doth secretly intice the Heart as long Suits prevail at length and green Wood kindles by long lying in the Fire Insensibly is the Heart drawn away from God and you shall find less favour in Holy Things 3 dly We had need to pray earnestly Lord keep us from Evil because we are in danger of that other Enemy the Flesh. There is not only an Evil without us as the Devil and the World but an Evil within us An Evil Heart of Vnbelief in departing from the Living God Heb. 3. 12. An Evil Heart that is full of urgings and sollicitations to Sin There are not only Snares and Temptations in the World but there is a flexibleness in the Party tempted Jam. 1. 14. Every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his own Lusts the Fire burns in our own Hearts Satan doth but blow up the Flame there is bad Liquor in the Vessel Satan doth but only give it vent and set it abroach with violence We carry sinning Natures about with us therefore Lord Deliver us from Evil. The Evil of the World would do no more hurt
5. 2. Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thine Heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy Words be few Remember you have to do with a great God and do not babble things over impertinently in his Ears It is a Truth evident by the Light of Nature Paucis verbis rem divinam facito Platinus If you be to worship God a needless Prolixity doth not become Addresses to him But because this Text may be abused I shall endeavour to clear it a little further There are two Extremes the slight and careless Spirit and Babling 1. There is the slight and careless Spirit who doth the Work of an Age in a Breath and is all for Starts and sudden Pangs which pass away like a Flash of Lightning in a dark Room whose good Thoughts are gone as soon as they rush into the Heart A poor barren and slight Spirit which is not under the Influence and Power of that Celestial Love which keeps the Soul in converse with God cannot endure to be any while with God Alas we need Stroke upon Stroke to fasten any thing upon the Heart We are like green Wood that will not presently take Fire until it lie long there and be throughly and well warmed so until we have gone far in the Duty we can hardly get any warmth of Heart They which are short in Prayer had need of much habitual preparation of Heart The Babler is another Extreme who thinks the Commendation of a Duty is to be long in it and affects to say much rather than well whereas serious and short Speech makes the best Prayer Prov. 10. 19. In the multitude of Words there wanteth not Sin Either to God or Men 't is true but especially when affected So they do but beat the Air rather than pray to God These then are the two Extremes Shortness out of Barrenness or Slightness or Length out of Affectation â—â—d we must carefully avoid these Christ would 〈◊〉 justify that Shortness which comes from Slightness and Barrenness of Heart nor on the other side indulge the Affectation of Length in Prayer Therefore let us a little see I. What is the Sin II. Give you the Force of our Lord's Reasons here urged or how conclusive our Saviour's Arguments are against this Practice What is the Sin That 's necessary to be known for all Repetitions are not vain nor is all Length in Prayer to be accounted Babling First For Repetitions 1. When they express Fervency and Zeal they may be used And so we read Christ prayed over the same Prayer thrice Mat 26. 44. O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me And another Evangelist sheweth that he did this out of special Fervency of Spirit Luk. 22. 44. Being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly And so we read of the Prophet Daniel chap. 9. 17 18 19. O our God hear the Prayer of thy Servant O my God incline thine Ear and hear O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do defer not for thine own sake O my God All this was out of vehemency he goes over again and again the same Request When we use many Words of the same kind and signification and it be out of vehemency and fervency of Spirit it is not forbidden 2. This Repetition is not to be disproved when there is a special Emphasis and spiritual Elegancy in it as Psal. 136. you have it twenty six times repeated For his Mercy endureth for ever because there was a speciâ—â—â—eason in it his purpose there being to sheâ—â—â— Unweariedness and the unexhausted Riches of God's free Grace that notwithstanding all the former Experiences they had had God is where he was at first We waste by giving our Drop is soon spent but God is not wasted by bestowing but hath the same Mercy to do good to his Creatures as before Tho he had done all those Wonders for them yet his Mercy was as ready to do good to them still All along God saved and blessed his People For his Mercy endureth for ever But as there are Repetitions which have their Use so there are useless Tautologies and vain Repetitions And such they are when they neither come from the Heart nor go to the Heart when they come not from the abundance of the Heart but rather the emptiness of the Heart because we know not how to inlarge our selves to God therefore fall upon idle and useless Repetitions of the same Words and Requests As a Man that hath small Skill in Musick doth only play over the same Note so when Men have not a full spiritual Abundance they waste themselves in Prayer in these idle Repetitions And then they go not to the Heart they do not conduce to warm the Affections A vain clamorous ingeminating the same thing without Faith and without Wisdom meerly to fill up the Tale of Words or to wear out a little time in a religious Exercise that 's it which is here condemned under the notion of vain Repetitions Secondly For the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or much speaking Every long Prayer is not forbidden for our Lord Jesus himself centinued all Night in Prayer Luke 6. 12. And in extraordinary Duties of fasting Length seems to be very necessary Esther 4. 16. They fasted and prayed together for three days and nights without eating any Bread And Solomon pray'd long at the Dedication of the Temple But that which is forbidden is when Men speak Words without need and without Affection a needless lengthening out of Prayer and that upon a Conceit that it is more acceptable to God 1. In the General Prayer should be short as all Examples of Scripture teach us and the Lord's Prayer you see how concise and short it is for presently upon this our Lord teacheth his Disciples to pray For Prayer is a spending rather then a feeding Duty Those which affect long speaking many times run into this they make it a feeding Duty for they mingle Exhortations with Prayer which is a great Abuse A Man can bear up under the hearing of the Word for an Hour or two better than half an Hour in Prayer with that necessary Vigor of Spirit which God hath required Therefore the general Rule is Let your Words be concise but full of Affection Look as in vast and great Bodies the Spirits are more diffused and scattered and therefore they are more unactive than those which are of a smaller Compass so in a long Prayer there may be more of Words but less of Life 2. The Affectation of Prolixity is naught usually it comes from some evil Ground either from Pride and Ostentation of Gifts Thus we read the Pharisees were taxed for making long Prayers Mat. 23. 14. that under the colour of them they might devour Widow's Houses that is be credited and trusted with the Management of their Estates Or else it may come from Superstition such
And all baptized Persons are baptized in the Name of the Son and Holy-Ghost as well as in the Name of the Father But usually Christian Worship is terminated upon God the Father as being chief in the Mystery of Redemption and so it is said Eph. 2. 18. Through him by one Spirit we have access to the Father We come to him through Christ as the meritorious Cause who hath procured Leave for us and by the Spirit as the efficient Cause who gives us an Heart to come and to the Father as the ultimate Object of Christian Worship Christ procureth us Leave to come and the Spirit gives us a Heart to come So that by the Spirit through Christ we have access to God So that now you may see what is meant by the Father Our Father But now let me distinguish again God is a Father to Mankind either 1. In a more general consideration and respect by Creation or 2. In a more special regard by Adoption First By Creation God is a Father At first he gave a Being to all Things but to Men and Angels he gave Reason Iohn 1. 4. And this Life was the Light of Man Other Things had Life but Man had such a Life as was Light and so by his original Constitution he became to be the Son of God To establish the Relation of a Father there must be a Communication of Life and Likeness A Painter that makes an Image or Picture like himself he is not the Father of it for tho there be Likeness yet no Life The Sun in propriety of Speech is not the Father of Frogs and putrid Creatures which are quickned by its heat tho there be Life yet there is no Likeness We keep this Relation for univocal Generations and rational Creatures Thus by Creation the Angels are said to be the Sons of God Iob 38. 7. When he was laying the Foundations of the Earth the Sons of God shouted for Ioy that is the Angels And thus Adam also was called the Son of God Luke 3. ult Thus by our first Creation and with respect to that all Men are the Sons of God Children of God And mark it in respect of God's continual concurrence to our Being tho we have deformed our selves and are not the same that we were when we were first created yet still in regard of some sorry Remains of God's Image and the Light of Reason all are Sons of God and God in a general Sence is a Father to us Yea more a Father than our natural Parents are For our Parents they concur to our Being but instrumentally God originally We had our Being under God from our Parents He hath the greatest hand and stroke in forming us in the Belly and making us to be what we are Which appeareth by this Parents they know not what the Child will be Male or Female beautiful or deformed they cannot tell the Number of Bones Muscles Veines Arteries and cannot restore any of these in case they should be lost and spoil'd So that he that framed us in the Womb and wonderfully fashioned us in the secret Parts he is our Father Psal. 139. 14. As the Writing is rather the Work of the Pen-man than of the Pen so we are rather the Workmanship of God than of our Parents They are but Instruments God is the Author and Fountain of that Life and Being which we still have And again consider The better Part of Man is of his immediate Creation and in this respect he is called the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 19. They do not run in the Channel of carnal Generation or fleshly Descent but they are immediatly created by God And it is said Eccles. 12. 7. The Spirit returneth to God which gave it Well then you see how in a general Sence and with what good reason God may be called Our Father Those which we call Fathers they are but subordinate Instruments the most we have from them is our Corruption our being depraved but our Substance and the Frame and Fashion of it our Being and all that 's good in it that 's from the Lord. Now this is some Advantage in Prayer to look upon God as our Father by virtue of Creation that we can come to him as the Work of his Hands and beseech him that he will not destroy us and suffer us to perish Isa. 64. 8. But now O Lord thou art our Father we are the Clay and thou our Potter and we are all the Work of thine Hand There is a general Mercy that God hath for all his Creatures and therefore as he gave us rational Souls and fashioned us in the Womb we may come to him and say Lord thou art our Potter and we thy Clay do us good forsake us not What Advantage have we in Prayer from this common Interest or general Respect of God's being a Father by virtue of Creation 1. This common Relation binds us to pray to him All things which God hath made by a secret Instinct they are carried to God for their Supply Psal. 145. 15. The Eyes of all Things look up to thee In their way they pray to him and moan to him for their Supplies even very Beasts young Ravens and Fowls of the Air. But much more is this Man's Duty as we have Reason and can clearly own the first Cause And therefore upon these natural Grounds the Apostle reasons with them why they should seek after God Acts 14. 17. 2. As this common Relation binds us to pray so it draweth common Benefits after it Mat. 6. 25 26. Is not the Life more than Meat and the Body than Raiment Behold the Fowls of the Air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into Barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them Christ saith where God hath given a Life he will give Food and where he gives a Body he will give Raiment according to his good pleasure He doth not cast off the Care of any living Creature he hath made as long as he will preserve it for his Glory Beasts have their Food and Provision much more Men which are capable of knowing and enjoying God 3. It giveth us Confidence in the Power of God He which made us out of nothing is able to keep preserve and supply us when all things fail and in the midst of all Dangers Saints are able to make use of this common Relation And therefore it is said 1 Pet. 4. 19. That we should commit our Souls unto him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator The Apostle speaks of such Times when they carried their Lives in their hands from day to day They did not know how soon they should be haled before Tribunals and cast into Prisons Remember you have a Creator which made you out of nothing and he can keep and preserve Life when you have nothing Thus this common Relation is not to be forgotten as he gives us our outward Life and Being Psal. 124. 8. Our Help is in the Name of
with God in Prayer that he might be glorified then we shall count it as great a Blessing when he is glorified as when we are saved Prayer makes way for the increase of our Esteem and engages us to observe the return When we have asked it of God we will be affected with it then When we see all his Works praise him what a Comfort will this be to the Soul Bless the Lord O my Soul Psal. 103. ult But Secondly Let me shew the Necessity of dealing with God about it The Necessity will appear both in respect of Persons and Things when we beg that God's Name may be Hallowed we beg Dispositions of Heart and Occasions First The Necessity will appear in respect of Persons both as to our Selves and Others First In respect of our Selves There is a great Necessity that we should deal with God about the Hallowing of his Name because we need Direction Quickning Sincerity Submission to God Humility and Holiness To instance in these six Things 1. We need Direction The Habits of Grace are God's Gifts and the Exercise of Grace is another thing to actuate quicken guide and direct it 2 Thess. 3. 5. The Lord direct your Hearts to the love of God And so in Prayer and in honouring of God In Prayer We know not how or what to pray for as we ought Tho we have Grace yet we need Direction A Ship that is well rigg'd yet needs a skilful Pilot. Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our Infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought How much are we to seek to give God his due Honour Of our selves we cannot so much as think a good Thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. There is an utter insufficiency in us to meditate of God and conceive aright of his Excellency and give him the Honour which is due to him None of us but needs daily to go to God that we may be taught how to hallow and sanctify his Name 2. We need Quickning being so backward to this Duty All the Lepers could beg Help and but one returned to give God the Glory There is much dulness and deadness of Heart as to the praising of God and glorifying of God Self-Love will put us upon other Things but it is Grace must quicken us to glorify him and praise him When we go to God for our selves our Necessities will sharpen our Affections and put a shrill Accent upon our Prayers But now when we beg of God for God then there is a greater Restraint upon us And therefore David saith Psal. 51. 15. Open thou my Lips and my Mouth shall shew forth thy Praise We need God to open our Mouths that is enlarge our Hearts and quicken our Affections How apt are we to turn the back upon the Mercy-Seat Ezek. 46. 9. If a Man came in at the North Gate he was to go out at the South Gate but never at the same Door why That he might not turn his Back upon the Mercy-Seat When we have prayed we are apt to forget that God which hath blessed as and therefore that our Hearts might be inlarged and quickned we need to go to God 3. We need Vprightness and Sincerity that we may mind the Glory of God This is not a Work of Nature but Grace Phil. 2. 21. All Men seek their own not the Things which are Iesus Christ's There is the Fruit and Effect of Nature it puts Men upon seeking their own Things worldly Ease Profit and Pleasure every Creature naturally seeks its own Welfare But to make the Glory of God our great Aim and Pursuit it is â—raâ—e puts upon that Water ascends no higher than it descends so Nature cannot rise beyond it self The Stream cannot rise above the Founâ—ain and above the Principle A Man that hath nothing but Nature he cannot unfeignedly seek the Things which are of God The Old-Man with the deceitful Lusts that 's the natural Man The upright Heart that unfeignedly seeks God needs Grace from above Without Influence from God our Actions cannot have a tendency to God We shall prefer our Interest before God's Glory if we have no higher Principle than what our Hearts could furnish us with 4. We must go to God for Submission Now there is a double Submission required which if we have not we shall find it marvellously difficult to glorify God One as to the choice of Instruments another as to the Way and Means by which God will bring about his own Glory 1. As to the Choice of Instruments There is in us an Envy and wicked Emulation O how hard a matter is it to rejoice in the Gifts and Graces and Services of others and be content with the Dispensation when God will cast us by as unworthy and use others for the glorifying of his Name Therefore that we may refer the Choice of Instruments to God we need go to him and say Lord hallowed be thy Name do it which way and by whom thou pleasest We are troubled if others glorify God and not we or more than we if they be more holy more useful or more serious Self will not yield to this Now by putting up this Prayer to God we refer it to him to chuse the Instrument whom he will employ It was a commendable Modesty and Self-denial in Iohn Baptist which is described John 3. 13. He must increase I must decrease When we are contented to be abased and obscured provided Christ may be honoured and exalted and be content with such a Dispensation tho with our Loss and Decrease Many are of a private Station and straitned in Gifts and can have no publick Instrumentality for God now these need to pray Hallowed be thy Name that they may rejoyce when God useth others whom he hath furnished with greater Abilities 2. A Submission for the Way that we may submit to those unpleasing Means and Circumstances of his Providence that God will take up and make use of for the glorifying of his holy Name Many times we must be content not only to be active Instruments but passive Objects of God's Glory And therefore iâ— God will glorify himself by our Poverty or our Disgrace our Pain and Sickness we must be content Therefore we need to deal with God seriously about this Matter that we may submit to the Lord's Will as Jesus Christ did Iohn 12. 27 28. Save me from this Hour but for this cause came I unto this Hour Father glorify thy Name And there was a Voice from Heaven that said I have glorified it and will glorify it again Put me to Shame Suffering to endure the Cross the Curse so thou mayest be gloriâ—ied This was the humble Submission of Christ Jesus and such a Submission should be in us The Martyrs were â—â—ntented to bâ— bound to the Stake if that way God will use them to his glory Phil. 1. 20. saith Paul So Christ shall be magnified in my Body whether it be by Life or by Death If
holy Name God can turn the Hearts of Men this way and that way according as he pleaseth Prov. 21. 1. The King's Heart is in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of Water he turneth it whithersoever he will As a Man can dispose of a Water-Course turn it hither and thither as the Necessities of his Field or Garden require So can God draw out the Hearts and Respects of Men. Surely there would not be so many Disorders in the World if we did often reflect upon 〈◊〉 Attribute or did deal with God about his Power over the Spirits of Men. We are wrathful and think nothing but the Confusion of Men would serve the Turn and there is no Riddance of our Burthen but by the Destruction of those who stand in our way Whereas the Conversion of Men a Change of their Spirits and Hearts would be a better Cure and bring more Honour to God and Safety with it The truth is we look more to Men than to God and that is the Reason why we pitch rather upon the Destruction than the Conversion of others Destruction that may be executed by the Creature but Conversion that is a Power to order and regulate the Spirits of Men which God hath reserved in his own hands One Angel could destroy above an Hundred and Eighty Thousand in Sennacherib's Camp in one Night but all the Angels with their united Strength cannot draw in one Heart to God But now the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who is too hard for him O did we often reflect upon this we would be dealing with God about this Matter that he would work upon the Spirits of Men. If there be a wicked Ruler or an obstinate Child or Servant c. that he would sanctify himself upon them and change their Hearts 2. You discover much Love to God when as you would not dishonour him your selves so you are careful others may not dishonour him Praise him all ye Ends of the Earth Psal. 98. 4. 100. 1. You would have all the World own him Private Spirits that would impale and enclose Religion that they may shine alone they do not love God but themselves their own Credit and their own Profit Would to God all the Lord's People were Prophets Numb 11. 29. That was a free and noble Speech God is resembled to the Sun because it is He that must shine alone but the Church is compared to the Moon and Stars where all may shine but every Star in its own glory True Christians would have all to be as they are unless it be with respect to their Bonds and Incumbrances 3. You discover Love to others you would have them glorify God The Angels they rejoice when a Sinner is converted they have a great Love to Souls Luke 15. 7. And so do Christians the more spiritual they are the more they come near to the blessed Spirits above and the more affected they are with the good done to others and with their Conversion Saith Paul Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the Flesh Such a Zeal and entire Affection he had to the Souls of others that he could lay all his personal Happiness at Christ's feet And thus you see what need we have to deal seriously with God in this Business if indeed we make this our Aim Especially those which are in publick Relations as Paul was which had an Office put upon him to procure the Salvation of others how will their Hearts run out upon it Secondly It is needful we should deal with God about the sanctifying of his Name as in regard of Persons so of Things and Events God hath the disposal of all Events in his own hands There are many Things which concern the Glory of God that are out of our Reach and are wholly in God's hands and therefore it discovers our Love to his Glory and our Submission to his wise and powerful Government of all Affairs when we deal with God about it and refer the Matter to his disposal and say Lord hallowed be thy Name take the Work into thy own hands We discover our Love to his Glory because we make it a part of our Request that all these Events may conduce to the glory of his Majesty As Ioshua when Israel fell before their Enemies Iosh. 7. 9. Lord what wilt thou do for thy great Name There was his Trouble And Moses Numb 14. 15 16. What will the Nations say round about Because the Lord was not able to bring this People into the Land which he sware unto them therefore he hath slain them in the Wilderness It goeth near to the Heart of God's Children when they see any thing that will tend to God's Reproach But that is not all it is not enough we discover that but also our Submission to his wise and powerful Government when we refer the Matter to his disposal and can see that he can work out his own Ends out of all the Confusions which happen there out of Sins Errors Wars Blood Psal. 76. 10. The Wrath of Man shall praise thee the Remainder of Wrath shalt thou restrain In the Septuagint it is the Wrath of Man shall keep Holy-Day to thee shall increase a Festival for thee God many times gets up in the World upon Satan's Shoulders When Matters are ravell'd and disordered he can find out the right End of the Thread and how to disentangle us again and when we have spoil'd a Business he can dispose it for good and make an Advantage of those things which seem to obscure the Glory of his Name By the way both these must go together our Love to his Glory and our Submission to his Providence Our Love to his Glory for we should not be altogether wretchless and careless how Things go and yet not carking because of the Wisdom and Power of his Providence The truth is we should be more sollicitous about Duties than Events The Glory of Events belongeth to God himself and we are not to take his Work out of his hand but mind him in it Look as some would lern their School-fellows Lesson better than their own so we would have Things carried thus and thus And so by murmuring we tax Providence rather than adore it and we eclipse the Glory of God Yet we must be sensible of the Reproaches cast upon God and must pray the Lord to vindicate and right his Name to take the Way and Means into his own hands Thus you have seen the Necessity of putting up such a Request to God Hallowed be thy Name Vse 1. Is for Information It informs us That whatever we bestow upon God we have it from God at first 1 Chron. 29. 11. Of thine own have we given thee The King of all the Earth we cannot pay him any Tribute but out of his own Exchequer When we are best affected to God's Interest and pray for God's Concernments we must beg the
thou the Walls of thy Jerusalem But how cometh David who was in the depth of private Humiliation so suddenly to fall upon the Case of the Church There was a special Reason for annexing this Request to his own private Complaints and Confessions The Reasons will occasion so many Observations 1. Because of the Offence Scandal and Mischief done to the Church by his Fall and to make amends he prayeth the more earnestly Let not Zion fare the worse for my sake From thence observe That the Sins of particular Persons oft bring a Mischief upon the whole Community David had made a Breach in the Walls of God's Protection and left them naked and more in danger of Judgment Therefore do good c. 2. David was not only a private Member but a Prince and their Sins have a more universal Influence The Sins of Magistrates draw down Judgments on their People all smart for their Miscarriages Hezckiaâ— â—s Pride cost Israel dear 2 Chron. 32. 25. Wrath was upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem It did not stay upon his Person As a great Oak cannnot fall but all the Shrubs about it suffer Loss But 3. David having some comfortable Assurance of the Pardon of his Sins doth now seek Mercy for the Church From thence observe That we are never fit to pray for the Publick till we have made our Peace with God As the Priests under the Law offered Sacrifice first for their own Sins and then for the Peoples Heb. 7. 27. 4. Because being brought by such a solemn but sad occasion into God's presence he could not but have some thoughts of Zion And from thence observe That we should never come to God upon any private occasion but we should remember the Publick We are to pray in Love as well as Faith Christ hath not taught us to say My Father but Our Father to shew that we should take in the Interests and Concernments of the whole Body that there may be a Spirit of Communion breathing in our Prayers David doth not only say Have mercy upon me according to thy Loving-kindness but Do good unto Zion in thy good pleasure Every living Member will be careful for the Body Members should be careful one for another much more for the whole Is any Member pained or grieved all suffer If the Toe be trod upon the Tongue complaineth you have hurt me but now much more when all is concerned Therefore we should not altogether seek our own Things but wrestle with God for the Publick 1. This reproveth divers sorts of People Some are Enemies to the Publick Welfare as Vipers eat out the Dam's Belly especially Enemies to Zion Down with it down with it even to the Ground What Monsters hath this Age brought forth Others are indifferent and careless which goeth up Christ or Antichrist they only mind the Matters of their own Interest and Concernment All seek their own Things As to the Publick Interest of the Church let all go how it will Let me tell you To be selfish is a sort of Self-Excommunication you cast your selves out of the Bundle of Life And to be sensless 't is an implicit renouncing the Body Others there are that are gracious but full of discontent at some Passages of Providence and these seem to have lost their publick Affections 'T is a sad Symptom when a praying People are discouraged from praying for Publick Welfare God is very tender of the Prayers of his People he is loth they should be lost and sorry they cannot be granted We may sin in ceasing to pray 'T is a sad Judgment when the Hearts of God's People are taken off from praying Again Those that pray too coldly for the Publick not as those that would do their Work There is a great Decay of the Spirit of Prayer which is also a sad Presage But now to shew you II. What we should pray for for Zion 1. The Dilatation or Enlargement of it throughout the World The more ample God's Heritage is the more is his Glory known Prov. 14. 28. In the Multitude of the People is the King's Honour and the Glory of a Shepherd lieth in the Number of his Flock So Christ's Kingdom the more it is enlarged the more Honour God hath Psal. 67. 2. That thy Way may be known among the Heathen and thy Saving-Health among all Nations Especially when the Fulness of the Gentiles is brought in Psal. 54. 2. and when the Jews are brought in Hos. 3. 5. To be instrumental to enlarge Christ's Kingdom 't is an Honour to us to draw on Christ's triumphant Chariot let us be sure to have an hand in it These Prayers if sincere are never in vain if they profit not others they promote the Kingdom of God in our selves 2. The Preservation and Defence of the Churches already planted frustrating the Plots and Power of the Enemies That God would be a Wall of Fire round about them Zech. 2. 5. Qui comminus arccat eminus terreat When at the weakest God can protect them bridling by his secret Power the Rage of Adversaries or defeating their Attempts 3. For Comfort and Deliverance in Afflictions We should pity the distressed Church as before That God would redeem them out of all their Troubles Every true Member of the Church hath Life Christ and that Life giveth Feeling and that Feeling Affection and Sympathy to rejoice and mourn They that mourn for Zion rejoice with her Isa. 66. 10. Rejoice ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her rejoice for Ioy with her all ye that mourn for her 4. For the Furniture of the Church a Supply of all Good internal and external 1. Internal That God would bless them with Ordinances enrich them with Graces preserve Truth and Unity and continue his Presence with them his Ordinances that they may enjoy them in Purity that the Word Seals and Censures may be rightly administred till the Lord come These are Things pertaining to the Kingdom of God concerning which Christ spake to the Disciples Acts 1. 3. These are to be kept till Christ's appearing â— Tim. 6. 14. 'T is an Honour to God and of great Profit to the Church and a rejoycing to God's People to see them pure and unmixed Tho absent in the Flesh yet I am with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order Col. 2. 5. And then that God would enrich them with his Presence Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you always even unto the end of the World 'T is God that giveth the Increase Paul may plant and Apollos water but God giveth the Increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. for Conviction Conversion Confirmation 'T was not the Ark nor Mercy-Seat covered with Cherubims but the Answer from between the Cherubims given immediately by God that manifested his Presence It is not the Sound of the Gospel or outward Ministry but the Work of his Spirit Psal. 84. 2. My Soul yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my
the Covenant of Grace Christ hath taken a Token from us and left a Token with us He hath taken humane Flesh carried our Nature to Heaven that he might be mindful of us and hath left the Spirit with us Now there will be a longing looking and waiting for this Day of Solemn Espousals And as he is Lord so he is Jesus a Saviour With what melting Wishes doth the Captive long for a Saviour and Redeemer Now we look for a Saviour from Heaven Christ is a Saviour now but not a perfect Saviour to the uttermost never till then Therefore the Day of Judgment is called the Day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. There is something left that every Coming of Christ might bring some Benefit something of Misery left upon us to the last Day Here we have Enemies within and without Within mighty Lusts and therefore his Coming is like a Refiner's Fire Mal. 3. 2. and Fullers Sope. His first and second Coming we find oft in the Old Testament put together His Coming is to present us holy without spot and blemish Eph. 5. 27. Our present State is but a Convalescency a Recovery out of Sickness by degrees there is some Fruit of Sin left upon the Body until the Day of the general Resurrection that we may have new Matter of glorifying God just as we are entring into Heaven Therefore that every Coming of Christ might bring us a new Benefit the Body is to die the old Adam is not quite abolished until God be All in All. And so for Enemies without us Here we dwell among wicked Men whose Sins are a Grievance to us and whose Injuries are a very great Molestation and Trouble We live here like Lot in Sodom His righteous Soul was vexed with their ungodly Deeds their filthy Conversation But then there will be a perfect Separation between the Sheep and the Goats Here we are exposed to many Persecutions here Antichrist is but consuming there he shall totally and utterly be abolished II. If we respect the Persons desiring this Coming there is something in them to move them to it There is 1. The Spirit of Christ. 2. Certain Graces which do necessarily issue themselves into this Work 3. Certain Experiences they have which put thâ—m upon this longing 1. There 's the Spirit of Christ The Spirit and the Bride saith Come Rev. 22. 17. The Holy-Ghost breedeth this Desire in the Church Nature saith It is good to be here but this is a Disposition above Nature the Spirit in the Bride The Flesh and corrupt Nature saith Depart but the Spirit saith Come The great Work of the Spirit is to bring us and Christ together he comes from the Father and the Son to bring us to the Father by the Son All he doth is to bring Christ and the Spouse together therefore he enkindleth in the Hearts of God's People a strong and earnest desire of his Coming 2. There are Graces planted in us Faith Hope Love Zeal Faith that is the ground of this Desire Christ saith he comes quickly and this provokes and draws up the Desire to believe Christ will be as good as his Word Iohn 14. 2 3. I go to my Father and will come again to receive you to my self Christ hath ever been plain-hearted with us he saith I come and the Church saith Amen in a way of Faith Even so come If Christ had gone away in discontent and with a Threatning in his Mouth that we should never have seen his Face more then we could have had but cold Hopes and faint Desires but he parted in Love and left a Promise with us The Church and the believing Soul saith I have his Word for it He hath ever been punctual hitherto and kept his Word to a tittle and hath said I will come again This upholdeth the Hearts of Believers during his Absence For they reason thus What need had Christ to flatter or deceive us or promise more than he will perform Would we flatter a Worm that we can easily crush He can strike us dead if we do not please him He hath been true in all things and we have ever found him plain-hearted Then there is Hope planted in the Saints Hope is Faith's Handmaid it looks for that which we believe Faith determines the Certainty of the Thing then Hope looks for it This Grace was made on purpose that we might reach out to Heaven and see if our Beloved be coming that we might expect our full and future Happiness God not only provides a glorious Estate for us but Grace to expect it he works this Hope in us that we might look after it 1 Pet. 1. 3. He hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope Then there is Love in the Saints to Christ. This is an Affection of Union it desires to be with the Party beloved he desireth to be with us and we with him Love awakeneth earnest Longings O come come why is his Chariot so long a coming As a loving Wife stands upon the Shore as ready to welcome her expected Husband So doth Love in the Saints they desire to be with Christ therefore they long for the Kingdom of God coming to themselves out of Love Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. And upon the same ground they desire the general Resurrection of the Church Especially is this inflamed with the thoughts of Christ's Love to us He hath removed his bodily Presence from us yet he cannot be satisfied until he and we meet again John 14. 3. I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also And John 17. 24. And that you may be there with me to behold my Glory Christ is not satisfied in his glorious Estate until we be with him till he hath our Company and we be beatified with the sight of him Before his coming in the Flesh he delighted to be with the Saints before the World was Prov. 8. 31. And when the World was made before his Incarnation he took pleasure to come and appear in the fashion of a Man and converse with his People in humane Shape In the Days of his Flesh he delighted to spend his Time and busy himself among them that are faithful And when he was to go from us he did assure us of returning and cannot be quiet until we be with him So reciprocally and according to our measure doth Love work in us we cannot be without Christ therefore we long to be with him Then Zeal is planted in the Saints and a Tenderness for his Glory It is not their Interest only which makes them desire his Coming but that the King may sit upon the Throne that Christ may reign in the most perfect manner that the Day of Manifestation may come that all Mists and Clouds which are upon his Person may vanish The Saints that love the Glory of God as well as their own Salvation nay above their own Salvation are longing
for that time when Christ shall be seen in all his Glory that he may be dishonoured no more that Sin and Opposition may have an end Here God haâ—h not his perfect Glory neither from us nor from the Wicked neither from Angels nor Devils Not his perfect Glory from us and therefore the Saints long for that time when Christ may be more admired in them it is the Comfort of their Souls that God is glorified in their Glory that there will a Time come when he shall be admired and glorified in their Glory and when they they shall praise him for evermore without weakness and distraction And then the Wicked that they may oppose and dishonour him no more that the whole Course of Justice may be seen in the History of the World which shall be produced at the Day of Judgment that his Power may be seen when Devils and all ungodly Men are trodden under foot and all Offences taken away and all opposite Powers are abolished First Christ would zealously affect us to the Glory of God Hallowed be thy Name then he would have us pray Thy Kingdom come That our Zeal for God's Glory might make us earnest and instant for his Kingdom Then 3. There are certain Experiences that we have here which set us a longing and groaning for this time Rom. 8. 23. We which have the First-fruits of the Spirit groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body When they have tasted of the Clusters of Canaan O they long to see the Land they long that Jesus the Captain of their Salvation the spiritual Ioshua may lead them into the good Land The Church hath here enjoyed Christ in her House I brought him into my Mother's House Cant. 3. 4. Now they would enjoy him in his own House have a more plentiful enjoyment of him Wherefore have we a taste but to long for a fuller Banquet Why doth God give out such a Pittance but to awaken our Desires to look for more Indeed these Beginnings are sweet and are a wonderful Mercy to hear Christ say in a Promise Come to me that you may have Life But when once they have embraced this they will be longing for another Call for the great Voice to say Come ye blessed of my Father c. When Christ biddeth them welcome into the Kingdom of Heaven to the Crown of Glory When we can get any Joy in the Holy-Ghost a little Peace of Conscience any sweet Experience of our being cleansed from Sin this is reviving and comfortable But why is this given but to set us a longing for the whole Harvest for this is but the First-fruits It is sweet now to find Pardon of Sin and any comfortable feeling of God's Love in the Conscience to have any Doubt resolved any Fear silenced and supprest to have a glimpse of the Light of God's Countenance a little Elevation of the Heart in Duty Now this draws on the Soul to long for more for we begin then to think what a sweet reviving will it be when we enjoy the Full of all these things If there be but one Promise now set home upon our Hearts tho here we haâ—e only the Right not Enjoiment if we have but our Right cleared up to a Promise it is very reviving God gives us this Experience that we may long to enjoy the thing promised the full Possession of it When you have gone away feasted with Loves at the Lord's Table thou hast said One Hours Communion with God is better than all the World If thy Heart was melted a little in Duty if it was affected with godly Sorrow for Sin it hath yielded thee more Comfort than all the Mirth and Musick which fond Worldlings chear themselves withal than all their Jollity Now this is but given as a Foretaste as a Prelibation and to awaken our Desires after more In the Lord's Supper many times we come and drink of that Cup which God hath tempered for us this is but a dark Presignification of the new Wine we shall drink in our Father's Kingdom Mat. 26. 29. and of those eternal Comforts we shall have there and those unmixed Joys in the presence of Christ. Therefore because of the Tastes they have had and those Beginnings of Glory their Hearts will be more enlarged and drawn out to look for more and long for that happy time when all this shall be accomplished III. There may be Arguments taken and drawn from the Coming it self that they long for his Coming Wherefore doth Christ come what are the Ends of it It is to manifest his Love to the Saints mainly as to punish his Enemies and glorify his Justice 1. I 'll mention the first to gather the Saints together to draw all his scattered People into one holy Body and Communion Psal. 50. 5. Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice Now they are scattered up and down as God hath Service for them to do one here another there they are spread in several Places where they are like two or three Berries in the uppermost top of the Bough That Psalm is generally acknowledged to be spoken of the Day of Judgment then they are gathered to meet in one great Assembly the Psalmist speaks of the great Congregation of the Righteous where the Sinners shall not stand Psal. 1. 5. At that great Day when Christ comes all the Saints shall make but one Assembly and one Congregation As the Wicked shall be bundled together and the Tares cast into unquenchable Fire so all the Saints shall be gathered together into one great Assembly and this glads their Hearts Therefore we are not feasted to the full because we have not all our Company all the Guests do not meet together until the Day the Son of God comes to bless the Elect. 2. He comes to proclaim our Pardon and to pronounce the Sentence of our Acquittance juridically in Court as Judg upon the Throne Our Pardon is past and seal'd as to Conscience then he will blot out all our Sins therefore it is said Acts 3. 19. That your Iniquities may be blotted out when the Times of refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord. He comes then to comfort and refresh the Souls of the Saints by proclaiming their Pardon in the Ears of all the World To whomsoever the Throne of Christ is terrible it should not be terrible to the Saints If he comes as a Judg to them he comes to acquit them upon the Throne he means no trouble to them 3. He comes to crown us Certainly there is a longing for this Day and Coming for what is his Work He comes to crown the Saints 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Iudg shall give me at that Day Then he comes to put the Crown of Righteousness upon our Heads and invest us with all the Fruits of
his Purchase then the godly Christian comes to have his Crown 1 Pet. 5. 4. When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away He that hath been careful to honour God in his Relation then the great Shepherd comes to put the Crown of Glory which fades not away upon his Head Are the Children of God always in this Frame as to desire his Coming Many tremble at the thoughts of it and can have no comfort for want of Assurance of God's Love and many times the Saints do not feel such Inclinations and such ardent and strong Desires I answer 1. The meanest Saint hath some Inclination this way he cannot but desire Christ should come into his Heart and bless him in turning him from his Sins and that he should come to Judgment since Comfort and Reward is more naturally embraced than Duty Whoever is begotten to God is begotten to a lively Hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. his Heart is carried this way tho not with so much Strength and lively Motions as others are Yet I grant 2. Sometimes there may be a Drowsiness and Indisposition when their Lamps are not burning when they are grown careless and fallen asleep as the wise Virgins slept as well as the foolish by a sluggish Security And the Saints may find themselves indisposed possibly by the remission of their Watchfulness they may contract an Indisposition yet there is a Spirit stirring this way which begins with the new Birth and still continues tho it doth not always alike put forth it self A Wife desires her Husband 's coming home yet it may be all is not in such good Order Now all Christians desire the coming of Christ but they are not so watchful therefore are not so lively Security brings Deadness until God awakens them by some sharp Affliction The Needle that is touched with the Loadstone yet may a little be discomposed and turned aside but it settles again This is the right Posture and Frame of a gracious Soul to be thus earnestly bent and carried out after the coming of Christ. 3. I answer again The Church doth really and heartily desire this Coming tho they may tremble at some Circumstances of it When we think of this great Day and of the Book that shall be opened and the impartial Proceedings there is some degree of Bondage still left in the Saints that doth a little weaken their Confidence and Boldness 1 Iohn 4. 18. we are told Perfect Love casteth out Fear because Fear hath Torment Until our Graces are perfect there is something of Fear APPLICATION Vse 1. To reprove those that do not desire the coming of Christ but put off the thoughts of it why Because it casts a damp upon their fleshly rejoycing Which put far away the Day of the Lord the evil Day it is so to them Amos 6. 3. They wish it would never come and would be glad in their Hearts to hear such News why For Christ's coming is their Torment and Burthen they look upon it as a Vengeance and an evil Day therefore are loth to entertain the thought of it Saith Austin Canst thou pray that the Kingdom of God may come when thou art afraid the Kingdom of God should come A carnal Man cannot say the Lord's Prayer without being afraid they tremble at the remembrance of it they are afraid it should be true and afraid to be heard if it might go by their Voice Christ should never come The Voice of corrupt Nature is Depart from us And what can the Almighty do for them Job 22. 17. Or if they do desire it it is but in a slight formal manner as those in the Prophet that would see the Day of the Lord yet they could not bear it Amos 5. 18. Wo unto you that desire the Day of the Lord to what end is it for you The Day of the Lord is Darkness and not Light They little consider what they are doing and what is their Danger when they are making such a Prayer to God Thy Kingdom come Vse 2. For Trial. How are you affected towards the Coming of Christ Are you carried out with such an Inclination and Bent of Heart as the Day of your Perfection and the Day of your solemn Enjoyment of God Is the Bent of your Heart carried out to things to come If there be looking then there would 1. Be a preparing A Man that expects and desires the coming of a great Person to his House will make all things ready is careful to furnish himself When all is sluttish and nasty and nothing of Provision do you look for your Guest What have you done as to the Day of Christ's Coming Have you judged your selves 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judg our selves we should not be judged Have you ever seriously passed Sentence upon your selves according to the Law that you may be found in Christ. Rom. 8. 1. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ. That you may have Christ's Righteousness to bear you out in that Day against Christ's Judgment Are you so as you would be found in him Do you live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Strict walking is a preparing and providing for this Day you do but provide for Terror when you give way to Sin 2 Pet. 3. 10 11. The Day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night therefore what manner of Persons should ye be in all holy Conversation and Godliness looking for and hasting unto the coming of the Day of God We should be trimming up our Lamps 2. What kind of Entertainment do you give to Christ now Do you entertain him for the present into your Hearts in his Ordinances A Woman that never cares to hear from her Husband doth she long for his Coming O be careful now to get Christ into your Hearts 3. What doth this Expectation produce what revivings in the fore-thoughts of it Iohn 8. 56. Abraham rejoyced to see my Day and he saw it and was glad He means the Day of his Incarnation the Day of his Abode in the World Abraham foresaw by the Eagle-Eye of his Faith through all Mists Clouds Vails and Ceremonies he got a sight of Christ's Day and it did him good at Heart Do the Apprehensions of it make your Hearts spring and leap within you for joy What Groanings Longings what dealing with God about it doth it produce Rom. 8. 19. For the earnest Expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God What Support and Strength doth it give you against the Burthens and Sorrows of this present Life to remember Christ will come Vse 3. To press us to this sweet Affection and Disposition of the Saints I might mention the Profit of it this longing looking and waiting for the coming of Christ it will make us heavenly in our Conversation Christ is there where should we converse most but where Christ is And it makes us faithful in
Kindness do maintain a Friendship between Man and Man so do these renewed Acts of Love and of God's Care and Kindness over us maintain a Friendship between God and us 2. It engageth us to a constant Dependance upon God and Communion with him It is Dependance which maintains the Commerce between Heaven and Earth Now if we did keep the Stock our selves God and we should soon grow Strangers When the Prodigal had his Portion in his own hands he goes out of his Father's House Luke 15. The Throne of Grace would lie neglected and unfrequented if we did not stand in need of daily Receivings when would the Lord hear from us And therefore to oblige us to a constant Dependance God will keep the Grace in his own hands that ever we may have something to drive us to himself some Necessities upon us for the Throne of Grace is for a Time of Need Heb. 4. 16. 3. This is that which keeps us humble and that upon several Considerations All we have 't is by Gift and then what can we be proud of Not only the Habits of Grace themselves but also those actual Incitements which are necessary to draw them forth into Act. So that of all our Excellencies we may say Alas 't is but borrowed and if we be proud of them we are but proud we are more in Debt than others when most enlarged and most assisted it is from God We would laugh if a Groom should be proud of his Master's Horse and his Master's Cloak Shall we usurp that Honour that is due to God What hast thou that thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 4. 7. And then we have it from Hand to Mouth That which we have received will not bear us out unless God come in with new Influences of Grace We should soon grow proud if God did not direct us and give out the renewed Evidences of his Love day after day And we should not acknowledg our Benefactor if God should do all at once therefore he lesseneth and weakneth our Corruptions by degrees and by the renewed Influences of his Grace And by this means we are made sensible of the Mutability of our own Nature God left Hezekiah to try him that he might know all that was in his Heart 2 Chron. 32. 31. God hath so dispensed Grace that he will be going and coming as to actual Influence therefore sometimes he will leave us that he may discover a Man to himself Tho we have Grace planted in our Hearts and are renewed yet if God leave us how weak and foolish are we We are renewed but not fully recovered of that Maim and Bruise we got by the Fall of Adam and we cannot do as we will If God withdraw his Quickning his Strength secret Corruption will break forth and our Indisposition to holy Things will soon appear 4. Then it is for the Honor of the Lord's Grace It doth abundantly provide for the Glory of Grace that from first to last we are indebted to God not only for those permanent and fixed Habits which constitute the New Creature but for those daily Supplies without which the Motions of the Spirit are at a stand And this is that which makes the Saints still to put the Crown upon Grace's Head When the Servants gave an Account of improving of their Talents saith one of them Luke 19. 16. Lord thy Pound hath gained ten Pounds He doth not say My Industry but Thy Pound So Paul Gal. 2. 20. I live yea but he interposeth presently Yet not I but Christ liveth in me They are ever ascribing all to God because they see they can do nothing without him When we come to Heaven 't is a Question which we shall admire most Grace or Glory the Glory of that Estate into which we are brought or else Grace which was the Foundation of it O when we see all that was done and suffered for God it was from God Of thine own have we given thee How will the Soul admire the Riches of his glorious Grace We have not only traded with his Money but by his Direction and when our Stock was imbezell'd he supplied us at every turn For these Ends the Lord still keeps Grace in his own hands that we can do nothing to any purpose unless he be pleased to concur by the Influences and Quicknings of his own Spirit VSE The Use shall only be in these two Branches 1. In doing any good Work let us do all things in him as well as to him Let us not only make this our Scope that we may do it to God but let us make his Grace our Principle Otherwise when we go to work for God without God it will befall us as it did Sampson that thought to go out and shake himself as in former time but his Locks were cut and his Strength gone Men that have had former Experiences think to find a like Vigor of Affection a like Raisedness of Spirit a like Savoriness of Expression but if they take not God along with them they find their Strength is gone their Affections dead that all their Spirits are dry and sapless and that they do not go forth with such Life and Power as formerly Therefore when ever you go about a good Work say as David I will go forth in the Strength of God 2. It directs us in ascribing the Honour of what we have done It is dangerous to assume Divine Honour to our selves or accept it from others but we must give the Lord the Glory whose Concurrence doth all the Work Remember we have received all from God and God must have all the Glory and Honour If others should ascribe it to us we are not to take it To conceal and receive stollen Goods brings us within the Compass of Theft as well as to steal them our selves So when others would ascribe any thing to us still let the Lord have the Glory of every Work and Business The third Point Doct. 3. We are not only to look to this that his Will be done but to the Manner how it is done It is not for the Honour of his Majesty to be put off with any thing we must serve him with all our Mind and Strength Mal. 1. 14. When ye brought that which was torn and lame and sick should I accept this of your Hands saith the Lord. I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts and my Name is dreadful among the Heathen We are to aim at the highest manner of serving God There is an ardent Desire in the Saints to be perfect If by any means they would attain to the Resurrection of the Dead Phil. 3. 11. That is that happy and sinless State they shall enjoy hereafter The Manner is more considerable than the Work it self A Man may sin in doing good but he cannot sin in doing well therefore the Manner is that which is mainly stood upon in Scripture God doth not only look that we pray but it must be â—ervent effectual
come in this he doth to prove them to see whether they will look only to outward likelyhood and probabilities or rest themselves upon God's Promise and Alsufficiency or else by Fulness and outward Prosperity to see if they will forget him I confess I do not remember where this is called a trial in Scripture unless there be somewhat in that place Deut. 8. 16. He fed thee with Manna in the Wilderness that he might humble thee and that he might prove thee to do thee good at thy latter End Possibly the trial there might lie in this because they had but from hand to mouth or because it was not that Meat which their Lusts craved but that which God saw fit for them But however though Prosperity be not called so yet certainly it is in it self a trial Prov. 30. 9. Give me not Riches lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord Lust in us makes it to be a Temptation and the Godly have been often foiled by it and they need learn how to abound as well as how to be abased Phil. 4. 12. They need learn how to avoid the Snares of a prosperous Condition David it was a trial to him while he was wandring in the Wilderness he had such tenderness that his Heart smote him when he cut off the Lap of Saul's Garment while he was chased like a Partridg upon the Mountains wandring up and down from Forrest to Forrest But when he was walking at ease upon the Tarras of his Pallace in Ierusalem then he falls into Blood and Uncleanness And therefore his Estate was a trial and he lieth in it notwithstanding all his former tenderness of Heart until he was roused up by Nathan the Prophet And certainly as to the Wicked it is a very great Temptation judicially inflicted disposed of to them by God's Judgment they are plagued by worldly Felicity and it is part of their Curse that they shall be written in the Earth Jer. 17. 13. And suitable to this purpose God saith Ier. 6. 21. Behold I will lay stumbling-blocks before this People and the Fathers and the Sons together shall fall upon them How doth God lay stumbling-blocks If Men will find the Sin God may with justice enough find the Occasion he will give them some outward Condition that is a Snare to them As we may try a Servant whom we have just cause to suspect by laying something in the way that his filching Humor may be discovered without any breach of Justice so the Wicked that harden their Hearts against God God may give them their Hearts desire and worldly Happiness and so it may cause them to stumble 2. God trieth us also by withdrawing his Grace as in 2 Chron. 32. 31. God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his Heart It is needful sometimes that we should see our Weakness as well as our Strength and how unable we are to stand without Grace that we may be sensible whence we stand and which without Temptation could not so well be 3. God trys us by permitting the Temptations of Satan and his Instruments for surely these Things do not befal us without a Providence Job 12. 16. The Deceived and the Deceiver are his his Creatures and nothing can be done or suffered in this kind without God's Providence See it in Christ's Instance Mat. 4. 1. It is said He was led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil that is led by the Good and Holy Spirit to be tempted by the Evil Spirit So 2 Sam. 24. 1. compared with 1 Chron. 21. 1. God moved David and Satan provoked David to number the People that is God did let loose Satan upon David to accomplish the Righteous Ends of his Providence And many of those Arrows which are shot at us though they come immediatly from Satan's Bow yet they are taken out of God's Quiver God as a just Judg may give us up to Satan as his Minister and Executioner Well then this is one way of God's tempting permitting of Satan to tempt And as Satan so his Instruments God trys us by them Deut. 13. 1 2 3. If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreams thou shalt not hearken unto him Why For the Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your Heart and with all your Soul God proveth When there are delusions abroad and Errors broached it is that the approved may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11. 19. God letteth loose these Winds of Error and Delusion that the solid Grain may be distinguished from the light Chaff And that he may discover his own People and whether we have received Truths upon Evidence or taken them up only upon Hearsay All these ways may God be said to tempt Now concerning this take these Rules 1. God's tempting is not to inform himself but to discover his Creatures to themselves and others Not to inform himself for he knows our Thoughts afar off Psal. 139. 2. that is he knows not only the Conclusion and Event and management of things near but he knows the very remote preparation aforehand he knows what kind of Thoughts we will have and workings of Spirit As a Man that is up in the Air may see a River in its Rise and Fountain and Course and Fall of it seeth it all at once whereas another which stands by the Banks can only see the Water as it passeth by God seeth all things in their Fountain and Cause as well as in their Issue and Event he seeth all things together therefore it 's not for his own Information But the meaning is therefore doth God try us that what is known to him and yet unknown to our selves that that which lodgeth and lyeth hid in our Heart may be discovered to us That we may not be conceited of more than we have and that the evil which before lay hid and was unseen may be cured when it is discovered And on the other side that Grace may not lye sleeping in a dead and unactive Habit but be drawn out into act and view for his Glory and Praise 2. God's tempting is always good and for good his tempting is either in Mercy or in Judgment In Mercy and so when he tryeth the Graces of his People or when he means more especially to discover the failings of his People it is all Good When he tries the Graces of his People there is no doubt of that When God hath furnished a Man with Grace that he may without any Impeachment of his Goodness put him upon Trial and use Creatures for that end for which he hath fitted them as a Man which hath made and bought a thing may prove it and try the strength of it Or when the intent of the Dispensation is to try their Weakness that 's good also and for good as when a Man tries a leaky-Vessel with an intent to make
wicked Wretch takes advantage against David and rails at him yet David forgives him when restored to his Crown He shall not die 2 Sam. 19. 23. Nay he sware to him So his Estate When a Debtor is not able to pay and yet submits So Paul bids Philemon to forgive the Wrongs of Onesimus Put it on my Score Philem. Vers. 18. that is for my sake forgive this Wrong 3. We must be ready to perform all Offices of Love to them Luke 6. 27. Love your Enemies do good to them which hate you Mark do not only forbear to execute your Wrath and Revenge upon them but do good to them yea tho they be Enemies upon a religious ground tho Religion be made a Party in the Quarrel and so engage us to the greater Fury when that which should bridle our Passions is the Fuel of them Pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Mat. 5. 44. Miriam when she had wronged Moses yet he falls a praying for her Numb 12. 13. that the Lord would forgive the Sin and heal her For the Reasons why those that would rightly pray to be forgiven of God must forgive others It should be so it will be so there is a Congruency and a Necessity 1. The Congruency it should be so It is fit that he that beggeth Mercy should shew Mercy it is exceedingly congruous For this is a general Rule That we should do as we would be done unto and therefore if we need Mercy from God we should shew Mercy to others and without it we can never pray in Faith He that doth not exercise Love can never pray in Faith why His own revengeful Disposition will still prejudice his Mind and make him conclude against the Audience of his Prayers for certainly we muse on others as we use our selves And that 's one reason of our Unbelief why we are so hardly brought to believe all that tender Mercy which is in God because 't is so irksom to us to forgive seven times a day we are apt to frame our Conclusions according to the Dispositions of our own Heart Can we think God will forgive when we our selves will not forgive A Man 's own Prayers will be confuted What is more equal than to do as we would be done unto And therefore it is but equal if he entreat Mercy for himself he should shew it unto others Look as the Centurion reasoned of God's Power from the Command that he had over his Souldiers Mat. 8. 9. I am a Man under Authority and I say to one Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh Those things we are accustomed to they are apt to run in our Minds when we come to think of God Now he that kept his Souldiers under Discipline that if he said Go they go he reasons thus of God Surely God hath Power to chase away Diseases So accordingly should we reason of God's Mercy according to the Mercy that we find in our selves Therefore it is very notable that when Christ had spoken of forgiving our Brethren not only seven times but seventy times seven the Disciples said unto the Lord Increase our Faith Luke 17. 5. How dotâ— this come in In the 4 th Verse Christ had spoken that they should forgive not only seven times but seventy times seven and they do not say Lord increase our Charity but our Faith implying that we cannot have such large thoughts of God when our own Hearts are so straitned by Revenge and our private Passions 2. In point of Necessity as it should be so so it will be so for God's Mercy will have an Influence upon us to make us merciful All God's Actions to us imprint their stamp in us his Election of us makes us to choose him and his ways his Love to us makes us love him again who hath loved us first so his forgiving of us makes us to forgive our Brethren There is an answerable Impression left upon the Soul to every act of God why for a true Believer is God's Image The new Man is created after God Eph. 4. 24. and therefore he acts as God Certainly if there be such a Disposition in our Heavenly Father it will be in us if we have an Interest in him Look as a Child hath Part for Part and Limb for Limb answerable to his Father tho not so big in Stature and Bulk so hath a Child of God which is created after God he hath all the Divine Perfections in some measure in his Soul And this Consideration is of more force because the New-Creature cannot be maimed and defective in every Part but is entire lacking nothing And therefore if God forgive others certainly the Godly will be inclinable to forgive too Vse 1. Here 's a ground of Tryal whether we are pardoned or no. Is our revengeful Disposition that is so natural and so pleasing to us mortified That 's one Trial or Evidence whether we are forgiven of God can we freely from the Heart forgive others Object But it may be objected against this Do you place so much in this property of forgiving others It doth not agree only to pardoned Sinners because we see some Carnal Men are of a weak and stupid Spirit not sensible of Injuries And on the other side many of God's Children find it hard to obtain to the perfect Oblivion of Injuries that is required of them Answ. As to the first part I answer We do not speak of this Disposition as proceeding from an easy Temper but as it proceedeth from Grace when in Conscience towards God and out of a Sense of his Love to us in Christ our Hearts being tendered and melted towards others to shew them such Mercy as we our selves have received from the Lord that 's the Evidence And again we do not press to judg by this Evidence single and alone but in Conjunction with others when they are humbly Penitent and confessing their Sins and turn to the Lord which is the great Evangelical Condition Job 33. 27. If any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not Then will he restore light to him When a Man is soundly touched with remorse and seeth the folly of his former Courses and asketh Pardon of God then is God gracious to him But this is that we say that this Disposition of Pardon in Conjunction with the great Evangelical Condition of Faith and Repentance it helpeth to make the Evidence more clear 2. As to the other part of the Objection which was this it will be a great weakening of the Confidence of God's Children who cannot get such a perfect Oblivion of Injuries they have received but find their Minds working too much this way I answer As long as we live in the World there will be Flesh and Spirit Corruption as well as Grace there will be an intermixture of the Operations of each Carnal Nature is prone to Revenge but Grace prevaileth and inclineth to a Pardon
Well then if this be the prevalent Inclination of the Soul and that which we strive by all good Means to cherish in us this meek Disposition passing by of Wrongs we receive by others then we may take Comfort by this Evidence tho there be some reluctancies and regrudgings of the old-Nature Vse 2. To press us to this ready Inclination to forgive Wrongs and Injuries We are not so perfect but we all need it from one another There will be mutual Offences while we are in the World especially in a time when Religious Differences are on Foot therefore it concerns us to look after this Disposition of forgiving others as we would be forgiven of God Human Society cannot well be upheld without this mutual Forbearance and Forgiving Now imitate your Heavenly Father No Man can wrong us so much as we daily trespass against him and yet God pardoneth us He doth not only pardon the lesser Failings some Venial Errors and Sins of Incogitancy and sudden Surreption which creep upon us we know not how but he pardons the greatest Sins tho they be as Scarlet Isa. 1. 18. Those that are of a Crimson hue God can wash them out in the Blood of Christ. And mark what is it then that you will stand upon Is it the greatness of the Offence God pardons great Sins Or is it the baseness of those that injure you this is the Circumstance When we have received wrong from those which are our Inferiors that owe us more Reverence and Respect What are we to God Notwithstanding the baseness of those which affront him daily all Men to him are but as the drop of the Bucket and the small Dust of the Ballance Isa. 40. 15. yet God pardons them And then again cast in the consideration of God's Omnipotency He is able to right himself of the wrongs done to him and no Man can call him to an account Many times it is not in our Power He can cast Body and Soul into Hell Mat. 10. 28. God is thus offended and by sawcy Dust that is ready to fly in his Face inconsiderable Man and yet the Lord pardons and this he doth freely Luke 7. 42. He frankly forgave them both And he pardons fully as if it were never committed Mich. 7. 19. He casts all our Sins into the Depths of the Sea Then he pardons frequently His Free Gift is of many Offences unto Iustification Rom. 5. 16. And he multiplies to pardon Isa. 55. 7. And mark he pardons too in some sence before they Repent there 's a Purpose he provided Christ before we were born And he gives us Grace to repent or else we could never humble our selves at his Feet the offended God he gives them the Grace whereby they shall acknowledg the Offence Christ prayed for his Persecutors when they had no sense of the Injury they had done him they were converted by that Prayer afterwards Luke 23. 34. Father forgive them for they know not what they do therefore certainly much more when they repent and submit Oh therefore let us not be drawn hardly to this Duty or at least we should not upon every petty Offence cherish Hatred and Rancor against our Brethren But here are certain Cases that would come into debate First Case Whether it be consistent with this Temper forgiving of others to seek reparation of wrongs in a way of Justice and pursue Men at Law for Offences they have committed against us Answer Yes For 1. Certainly one Law doth not cross another By the Law of Charity the Law of Iustice is not made void A Magistrate tho he be a Christian and bound to forgive others is not bound up from executing his Office against publick Offenders Nor yet are private Men tyed from having recourse to the Magistrate for restoration to their Right or reparation of their Wrong For to demand ones Right is not contrary to Love nor to seek to amend and humble the Party Nocent by the Magistrates Authority who is the Minister of God for Good Rom. 13. 4. And that others may hear and fear Deut. 19. 20. And the Party damnified may for the future live in Peace Forgiving is an Act of private Jurisdiction The Offence as far as it is private to us it may be forgiven but there are many such Offences as are not only an Offence to us but to the Publick Order and that must be left to the Process of the Law 2. Whosoever useth this Remedy must look to his own Heart that he be not acted with private Revenge nor with a Spirit of Rigor or Rankor against the Party offending but that he be carried out with Zeal to Justice with pity to the Person that he and others may not be hardned in Sin For this is the general Law of Christ That all things should be done in Love 1 Cor. 16. 14. Therefore when we are acted by our private Passion and secret desires of Revenge we abuse God's Ordinance of Magistracy and make it to Lacquey upon our Lusts. And therefore there must be a taking heed to the frame of our own Hearts that they be upright in these things Tho it seem hard to Flesh and Blood yet remember Flesh and Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Grace must frame your Hearts to the Obedience of God's Will 3. These Remedies from Authority must be in weighty Cases and in matters of moment and importance Their contending in Law one with another about the smallest matters is that which the Apostle taxeth 1 Cor. 6. 7. Not upon every trifling occasion It must be after other means are tryed and used as the help of Friends to compound the matter for Charity tryeth all things 1 Cor. 13. 4. And the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6. 5. Is there none to judg between you that is none to decide and arbitrate the difference for the refuge to Authority should be our last Remedy And it must be too when the Party wronging is able to make Satisfaction otherwise it is Rigor and Inhumanity 2 Kings 4 1. As When the Creditors came to take the Sons of the Widow for Bondmen When you are rigorous with those that come to Poverty not by their own Default but by the discharge of their Duty brought Poverty upon themselves 't is contrary to Christianity Look as Physicians deal with Quick-Silver after many Distillations they make it useful in Medicines So after many preparations is this Course to be taken 2. Another Case Whether in forgiving Injuries we are bound to tarry for the Repentance of the Party The ground of doubting is because Christ saith Luke 17. 3. If thy Brother trespass against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgive him and because of God's Example who doth not forgive an obstinate Sinner but him that repents Certainly even before Repentance we are bound to lay aside Revenge and in many cases to go and reconcile our selves with others Saith our Saviour If thou hast ought against any one go reconcile