subdue our own Lusts but because we are negligent of that Work God is forced to lay on heavy Crosses Secondly Let me now deal with these Lusts in particular Pride Sensuality and Covetousness these are immediate Issues of corrupt Nature the Apostle calls them Lusts of the Flesh Lusts of the Eye and Pride of Life 1 st Sensuality or the Lust of the Flesh. Let me begin there because we live first by Sense before we live by Reason These Lusts are deeply rooted in the Heart of Man Other Sins defile a part Covetousness and Pride defile the Soul but sensual Lusts defile Soul and Body too they leave Guilt upon the Soul and Dishonour upon the Body By Gluttony and Drunkenness the Body which is God's Temple is only made a Strainer for Meats and Drinks to pass through and by Adultery it is made the Sink and Channel of Lust. In short that you may know what these Lusts of the Flesh are Sensuality is an inordinate desire of soft and delicate Living an intemperate use of Pleasures of what kind or sort soever an undue liberty of Diet Sports and other Appurtenances of Life There is allowed a due care of the Body to keep it serviceable and there is allowed a Delight in the Creature for he that created Water for our Necessity created Wine for our Comfort The Body must not be used too hardly that it may be serviceable to the Purposes of Grace But then what is this inordinate Desire this intemperate Use this undue Liberty How shall we trace and find out the Sin Different Natures and Tempers make Rules uncertain but the two general Bounds which God hath set to our Liberty in this kind are the Health of our Body and the Welfare of the Soul But when bodily Health is overturned and the Soul clogged and perverted then your Lusts have carried you too far 1. When bodily Health is overturned Too much care for the Body destroys it As the Romans were wont to have their Funerals at the Gates of Venus's Temple to shew that Lusts shorten Life When Health is destroyed or the Vigour of Nature is abated as too much Oil puts out the Lamp then you sin Hos. 4.11 it is said Whoredom and Wine and new Wine take away the Heart The Heart that is the generousness and sprightliness of Man When gallant and active Spirits are effeminated and brave Hopes are drowned and quenched in excess of Pleasures and we lose our masculine Agility and Vivacity all is melted away then we sin against the Bounds and Limits God hath set us Thus there is a Restraint that ariseth from the Body 2. When the Soul is clogged or unfitted for Duty or disposed for Sin 1. Then we are unfitted for Duty when there 's less aptitude for God's Service The Matter of carnal Pleasure is burdensome and gross it oppresseth the Soul that it cannot lift up it self to God and Divine Things because it is bowed down and humbled to Pleasures and the Heart is overcharged Luke 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be overcharged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life Men drive on heavily and Duty grows burthensome and irksome by turning out our Affections to present Contentments and Delights we cannot pray with that readiness The strength of our Delight should be reserved for Communion with God and for those chaste Pleasures that flow in his House and are to be had in his presence 2. When there is more aptitude for Sin Tit. 3.3 We our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers Lusts and Pleasures Lusts and Pleasures are fitly coupled and put together The Soul waxeth wanton when natural Desires are too far indulged If we do not watch over our Senses but the Heart grows wanton and libidinous and restraints of Grace grow weaker and carnal Motions are more urgent then Pleasure becomes a Snare Grace is disturbed and Nature is distempered and the Heart is more free for Sin Deny these Lusts of the Flesh do not indulge them suffer them not to grow wanton By way of Argument consider 1. Sensual Men have little of God's Spirit Iude v. 19. Sensual having not the Spirit The Spirit is a free Spirit and they are Slaves to their Lusts the Spirit is a pure Spirit and their Desires are unclean and gross the Spirit is active and they are heavy and muddy and of a Nature dull and slow Sensual Men quench the vigour of Nature much more the Efficacy and radiancy of the Graces of the Spirit The Spirit works intellectual Delights and they are all for Sensual They love Pleasures more than God 2 Tim. 3.4 Lovers of Pleasure more than lovers of God those dreggy Delights whereas the Comforts and Consolations of the Spirit are Masculine and they are got by Exercise Look as the manly Heat gotten by Exercise is better than that which is gotten by hovering over the Fire So the Comforts of the Spirit gained by much Communion with God by being instant and earnest in Prayer is better than that Delight which is gotten by hovering over the Creature Well then which will you chuse will you live at large and ease and wallow in earthly Delights and Contentments or would you be stirred up by the active Motion of the Spirit of God Would you dissolve your precious Hours and Spirits in Ease and Pleasure or else be employed in the solemn and grave Exercises of Religion Frogs delight in Fens and the worst Natures are most sensual they are not fit for any worthy Action or any great Exploit 2. It is the first thing you must do if you mean to do any thing in Religion to renounce Pleasure and therefore it is put in the first place the Lusts of the Flesh. It is below Reason to live in Pleasure therefore much more below Grace Alas you will do nothing if this be not done but will lie open to every Temptation If a carnal Motion arise that bids you neglect Duty or practise Sin you lie open to it therefore it is said Prov. 25.28 He that hath no rule over his own Spirit is like a City that is broken down and without Walls He that bridles not his Appetite is like a City whose Wall is broken down When a Town is dismantled it lies open for ever Comer so where the Appetite is unruly there is no room for the Spirit but for every Temptation Ezek. 47.11 But the miry Places thereof and the Marishes thereof shall not be healed they shall be given to Salt The Waters of the Sanctuary could not heal the miry Places which is an Emblem of a sensual Heart Pleasure brings a Brawn and Deadness upon the Conscience a Cloud upon the Understanding and a Damp upon the Affections Daniel that had the high Visions of God lived by Pulse he was a Man temperate Those that mortify Pleasure are of the clearest Understanding And Iohn the Baptist which had most eminent Revelations of the Mysteries of the
and so degenerate lest a Desire be turned into a Lust and its vehemency withdraw the Heart from God As we know natural Heat from Unnatural it is so temperately dispersed that the Constitution of Nature is not disturbed or oppressed by it but unnatural Heats oppress Nature So Desires as long as they do not disturb the Soul they are not hurtful but when they exceed their Bounds they are to be under the Coercion of Reason 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are lawful for me but I will not be brought under the Power of any He that will do all that he may will do more than he should It is good to keep at a distance from the Power of Sin not always to walk on the Brink lest we become Slaves to Lust. Secondly Take one Distinction more of these Lusts. It is intimated by the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.16 All that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and the Pride of Life This is the Sum and Contents of the corrupt World Let us see the meaning and then make some Observations on the Place All that is in the World You will say How can the Apostle speak thus There are Sun Moon and Stars and glorious Creatures in the World why doth the Apostle instance only in the Sink and Kennel of the World I answer The World is taken for the corrupt World all that is of Price all that is of Account with carnal Men all that takes up their Care and Thoughts is Lust and Vanity either the Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eyes or the Pride of Life He doth not speak of the natural World which is full of glorious Creatures but of the corrupt World which is opposite to the Kingdom of Christ that 's full of Lusts and Sins But let us see a little particularly what are the Contents of this World 1. The Lust of the Flesh. 2. The Lust of the Eyes 3. The Pride of Life 1. The Lust of the Flesh. Flesh is sometimes taken in a large sense for corrupt Nature for the whole Dunghil of Corruption that we brought with us into the World And the Lusts of the Flesh for the workings of this Corruption the reaking of this Dunghil whether in the Understanding by Thoughts or carnal Counsel or in the Will by carnal Desires so it is taken at large But here it is taken more strictly for the Corruptions of the sensual Appetite or for the immoderate Desire of soft and delicate Living and for Sensuality or the intemperate use of Pleasures Meats and Drinks and such things as gratify the Flesh. 2. The Lusts of the Eye some expound by Curiosity others by Wantonness Indeed the Eye is the usual Broker of Temptations the Eye lets out the Lust and lets in the Temptation all kind of Lusts make use of it But I suppose Covetousness is here intended or an inordinate desire of Profit When we look upon the Bravery of the World or upon Money or any thing that pleaseth this kind of Corruption the Eye seduceth the Heart as soon as we look upon a thing This is charged upon the Eye Eccl. 1.8 All things are full of labour Man cannot utter it the Eye is not satisfied with seeing Prov. 27.20 Hell and Destruction are never full so the Eyes of Man are never satisfied All strong Desires look out by the Eye especially insatiable Avarice 3. The next part of the corrupt World is Pride of Life so called because it cannot be kept in but is manifested in our Lives or rather because 't is a Sin of a diffusive Nature that spreads it self throughout the whole Life of Man Whereas other Sins are confined and limited he ascribeth an universal and unlimited influence to Pride The Lusts of the Flesh they are but for the Flesh to content the Body the Lusts of the Eye there he noteth the Instrument the Eye purveyeth for the Heart but Pride of Life there he ascribes an universal and unlimited Influence and calls it Pride of Life because it taints every Action it serves it self of every Enjoyment it mingles with other Lusts the whole Life is but Sphear enough for Pride to discover it self Other Vices destroy only their Contraries Covetousness destroys Liberality Drunkenness Sobriety but Pride destroyeth all it runs through all Enjoyments Wit Strength Beauty Riches Apparel Learning Grace There is nothing so low but it yields Fuel to Pride the Hair which is but an Excrement is often hung out as a Bush and Ensign of Vanity And there is nothing so high and sacred but Pride can abuse it like Misseltoe it groweth upon any Tree but most upon the Best Well then all worldly Lusts are reduced to these three Heads for he says All that is in the World Usually we understand by Worldliness nothing but Covetousness or an inordinate Desire of worldly Profit but the corrupt World is of a larger extent Pride is a worldly Lust and so is Sensuality or a love of Pleasure For look as the Ocean is but one yet several parts of it have divers Names so Worldliness is but one Sin yet having divers kinds it hath several Names Those that mind Honours are guilty of Worldly Lusts Pride of Life Those that mind Riches are guilty of Worldly Lusts the Lusts of the Eye Those that are voluptuous and mind Pleasure are still guilty of Worldly Lusts the Lusts of the Flesh. This is as one saith the World's Trinity the Roots of all other Sins against which we should bend the main Endeavours of our Souls You do nothing in Mortification till the Axe be laid to the Root of these Sins Sensuality Covetousness Pride 1. The Lusts of the Flesh viz. Sensuality or an inordinate desire of Pleasures It is the Happiness of Beasts to enjoy Pleasure with more Liberty than Man can and without Remorse of Conscience and therefore a Heathen could say He is not worthy the Name of a Man qui unum diem velit esse in voluptate that would spend one day in Pleasure Other Sins deprive us of the Image of God but the Lusts of the Flesh deprive us of our own Image they unman us of all Desires These bring most Shame because it is the lowest basest Act of Self-Love and the matter of them is gross and burthensom and they do emasculate and quench the Bravery of the Spirit and embase it and keep the Soul at the greatest distance from God and spiritual Employments How can they look after God and Heaven whose Hearts are sunk in their Bellies The Lusts of the Flesh quench the Vigor of Nature how much more do they hinder the powerful Operations of the Spirit Iude 19. Sensual not having the Spirit The Spirit is divine and active and raises the Soul to higher things but sensual Persons have no Radiancy of Graces nor Vigor of Gifts Nay in some sense this is at the bottom and is the Root of every Sin it is the Devil's Bait and the Sauce of
Labour and Charge the more Resistance the more Glory God's Children are glad that they may not serve God with that which cost them nothing as David professeth 2 Sam. 24.24 I will not offer a Burnt-offering unto the Lord my God of that which did cost me nothing Certainly Men are not zealous and their Hearts are not set upon the Ways of God when every slight Excuse will serve the turn and every little Profit draws them away and every petty Business doth hinder them and break off Communion with God and every slender Temptation doth interrupt and break off all their Purposes and Resolutions to Duty and Obedience be it Prayer Charity or Acts of Righteousness We must be resolute for Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing 3. To be zealous of good Works imports Diligence and Earnestness to advance Piety to the highest pitch when we are not contented with any low degrees of Obedience but would fain carry out a godly Conversation to the uttermost to do it with all our Heart Is he zealous that is contented with a little Charity with a little Worship only Sloth and Idleness will not stand with Zeal Rom. 12.11 Not slothful in Business fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Thus it will be when we are seething hot in Spirit as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies A large Affection cannot be contented with mean things and low degrees of Holiness nor lay a dead Child in the room of a living one This the Apostle calls being rich in good VVorks 1 Tim. 6.18 One or two Acts will not serve the turn Thus Dorcas is said to be full of good VVorks Acts 9.36 How full It is not an Allusion to the fulness of a Vessel that is full of Water or a Chest full of Clothes but to the fulness of a Tree loaden with Fruit James 3.17 Full of Mercy and good VVorks Those that are planted into this noble Vine Jesus Christ are full of good Works 4. To be zealous of good Works is to be constant to the End The Fire on the Altar never went out but it was always maintained and kept in so we must never let the Fire of Zeal go out Zeal is not like Fire in Straw Alas sudden Fervours are soon spent they are but Freewill-Pangs the Birth of an unrenewed Will but it is like Fire in Wood that casts a lasting Heat Gal. 4.18 It is good to be zealously affected always Not at first only for a Fit or Pang that doth not come from Sanctification therefore you should keep up your Fervour Watch against all Decays especially in Age. The Motions of Youth are very vehement for Youth is full of eager Spirits and seems to be all on fire but many times these Motions are not so sincere but the Actions of Age are more solid tho many times they want Vigour and Heat Therefore strive to keep up your Zeal Gal. 5.7 Ye did run well who did hinder you Carnal Men when their first Heats are spent give over they grow cold careless and indifferent in Matters of Religion But shall all these Heats and Desires of Reformation be in vain and shall we give over at length In worldly things we will not give over when we have been at great cost but shall all that is past in Religion be in vain Gal. 3.4 Have you suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain His meaning is It is not like to be in vain it will but tend to your greater Condemnation An Adulteress is punished more than an Harlot It is more Dishonour and Ingratitude to God to tire at length III. The Respect and Place of Zeal in good Works it is a Note of God's People and a Fruit of Christ's Death 1. It is a Note of God's People Vnumquodque operatur secundum suam formam There is in the New Creature a Propensity and Inclination to good Works As all Creatures are created with an inclination to their proper Operations such a willing tendency is there in the New Creature to those Actions which are Heavenly As Sparks fly upwards and a Stone moves downward so the New Creature is carried to Obedience and Holiness from a free Principle within The Nature of every thing is the Principle of its Motion Faith will discover it self therefore we read of God's fulfilling the VVork of Faith with Power 2 Thess. 1.11 Hope is called lively from the Effect 1 Pet. 1.3 He hath begotten us to a lively Hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the Dead Love constraineth 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us Good Works are a Note of the New Creature We are the Workmanship of God created in Christ Iesus unto good VVorks Ephes. 2.10 As an Artificer sets a Mark upon his Workmanship that he might know it so God sets a visible Mark upon his Servants he doth not make a new Creature for old Works Good Works are Christianae Fidei quasi testes Witnesses that you can bring to evidence the Truth and Power of Grace Luther saith Good VVorks are Faith incarnate that is Faith is manifested by them as the Son of God was manifested in the Flesh. They are Witnesses to the World to your selves and unto God that you are his They are Signs and Witnesses to the World This is the Badg by which God would have his peculiar Children known not by Pomp and worldly Splendor not by any outward Excellency Riches Greatness and Estate but by Zeal to good Works There are no barren Trees in Christ's Garden it is not for the Honour of God for our heavenly Father would be glorified in his Servants bringing forth much Fruit John 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much Fruit so shall ye be my Disciples God standeth much upon his Honour Now it is for the Honour of God that all which are planted and grafted into Christ should be full of good Works And they are Testimonies to our selves 2 Pet. 1.10 Give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Some Copies add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make your Calling and Election sure by good VVorks certainly it may be collected from the Context he bids them ver 5. add to their Faith Vertue to Vertue Knowledg c. and so they might come to make their Calling and Election sure Graces are not discerned by their Habits but by their Acts and Exercise Look as in a Tree the Sap and Life is hid but the Fruit and Apples do appear so Zeal of good Works is that which appears and so it manifests and clears up your Condition This is the great Note of Difference between us and the Prophane they are zealous for the Devil's Kingdom Factors for Hell Iohn 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father you will do They are known by their Works they are earnest for Satan zealous for the Devil follow Sin with earnestness and do Evil with both hands
a Religion to talk of but not to live by therefore they are cold and indifferent and when the Children of God offer a holy Violence to the Kingdom of Heaven they become a Matter of Scorn and Opposition to them And besides formal Men cannot endure to be outstripp'd and therefore malign what they will not imitate as those that are at the Bottom of the Hill fret at those that are at the Top and Men of a lazy and slow Pace envy them that are more zealous strict and holy but they have little Cause to envy them for Christ died to make us zealous of good Works 3. It informs us if we would expect any Benefit by Christ's Death we must be zealous of good Works and more warm in the Service of God A cold Christian will have but cold Comfort For whom did Christ die for those that are zealous of good Works Matth. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth Violence and the Violent take it by Force It is an Allusion to Exod. 19.23 24. where there was a Rail about the Mount of God that the People might not break through but when Iohn the Baptist began to discover the Grace of God and pointed to the Lamb of God then the Kingdom of God suffered Violence Men began to break through and press upon God there is a free Access to God and Men are earnest and will not be denied Entrance Matth. 5.20 Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no Case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven It is not cold Prayers and yawning Devotions and drowzy Wishes when Men are half asleep that will serve in this Case Heaven is gotten by Force and surprized by On-set and Storm it signifies breaking through the Rail and all Restraints that are set to keep us off from God Vse 2. To stir us up to this Zeal of good Works In a dead and drowzy Age we need an Alarum Knowledg hath now devoured Practice in these decaying times Seneca complains Men are altogether studious for filling their Brains not warming their Hearts And when once Men became more learned they were less good The World is altogether for storing the Head with Notions empty and airy Strains so that if Christ should come amongst us he would find few zealous but a Company of lazy Christians that live at a low cheap Rate of Christianity High-flown we are indeed in our Fancies in Notions and Pretences but low and flat in Practice and Conversation Usually thus it is in the time of the Church's Prosperity like a River it loseth in Depth what it gains in Breadth then it hath many Friends but their Love is not so strong nor so hot as at other times Salvian complains Multiplicatis fidei populis fides diminuta est crescentibus filiis mater aegrotat c. When Professors were multiplied their Faith was lessened and as a Mother grows the weaker the more Children she bears so doth Religion grow weaker and weaker when every one takes up a cold Profession they learn Formality one of another And he goes on Quantum copiae accessit tantum disciplinae recessit as a large Body is less active In audito genere processus recessus crescens simul decrescens When the Church increaseth in Multitude and decreaseth in Vigour and Strength it loseth in Spirit what it injoyeth in temporal Felicity Thus it often falls out with the Church of God that when Religion is fair many take up the Profession but alas it is but weak and spiritless without any Life and Vigor Therefore in such a drowzy Age and dead times we need Alarms and quickning Excitations to awaken our Zeal again for solid Piety for those good Works that are commended to us in the Scripture Therefore let us inquire what kind of Enforcements and Considerations are likely to be most operative to press us to this Zeal and Care of good Works 1. Consider how violent and earnest carnal Men are in the Ways of Sin and shall they serve Satan better than you serve God O consider you have a better Master better Work and better Wages their Master is the Devil their Work is the basest Drudgery being Slaves to their own Lusts and their Wages are sutable their Reward is everlasting Damnation and a Separation from the Presence of the Lord. How active are wicked Men for the Kingdom of Darkness How zealous and earnest to ruine themselves as if they could not be damned soon enough Isa. 5.19 They draw Iniquity with Cords of Vanity and sin as it were with a Cart-rope The meaning is they would sin though it cost them a great deal of Pains and Sorrow and though they could not sin at a cheap rate The Prophet doth not say they were drawn into Sin as into a Gin and Snare but they themselves did draw on Sin it is horrid Work yet they delight in it toiling and tiring themselves as Beasts at a Plough they were sinful though it cost them Sorrow and Pain There is no Corruption but it puts you to some Self-denial Luxury is costly and he that loves Wine and Oil saith Solomon will be poor Pride we say will endure the cold and Vain-glory will expose a Man to Danger and Ruine Worldliness incroacheth upon Pleasantness and the Comforts of Life a Worldling will rise early sit up late and eat the Bread of Sorrows Psal. 127.2 With what Earnestness and unwearied Diligence do carnal Men pursue after a few Trifles How do they lay out all their Wisdom and all their Sagacity about worldly things Luke 16.8 The Children of this World are wiser in their Generation than the Children of Light As Children are busy about Toys and Puppets so they cumber themselves about much Serving and all their Life is but Care and Disquiet and a constant Self-denial Psal. 39.6 Surely every Man walketh in a vain Shew surely they disquiet themselves in vain They make a great deal of Stir and Bustle and many times when all is got what is it A sorry Comfort and that which must be left on this side the Grave Thus wicked Men are active and restless in their way So for Idolatry with what Cost and Diligence do Men promote false Worship and compass Sea and Land to make a Proselyte they will give Rivers of Oil and thousands of Rams they do not stand at Pains and Cost God bids the Prophet look upon this Sight as indeed it is worthy of a Christian Consideration Ier. 7.17 18. Seest thou what they do in the Cities of Judah and in the Streets of Jerusalem The Children gather Wood and the Fathers kindle the Fire and the Women kneed the Dough to make Cakes to the Queen of Heaven and to pour out Drink-Offerings unto other Gods What a busy Diligence is here to promote their false Worship Fathers Children Husbands Wives they all put their helping Hands to the Work and find some Imployment or other Where will you have a Family
Field or Garden where the Senses being locked from all other Objects the Mind may fall more directly upon it self which otherwise in a Field or Garden would skip from Object to Object without pitching upon any seriously 4. The last Circumstance in the Text is the Time in the even-tide which is also a matter of an Arbitrary Concernment Time in it self is but an unactive Circumstance all Hours are alike to God he taketh no more pleasure in the Sixth or Ninth Hour than in the First Hour only you should prudently observe when your Spirit is most fresh and smart To some the Morning is quickest the Fancy being fittest to offer Spiritual and Heavenly Thoughts before it hath received any Images and Representations from Carnal Objects abroad Morning Thoughts are as it were the Virgin Thoughts of the Mind before they have been prostituted to these inferiour and baser Objects and so are more pure sublime and defecate and then the Soul like the Hind of the Morning with a swift and nimble readiness climbeth up to the Mountains of Myrrhe and Frankincense Cant. 4.6 Vntil the day break and the shadows flee away I will get me to the mountain of myrrhe and to the hill of frankincense and it tendeth much to season the whole day when we can talk with the Law in the Morning Prov. 6.22 When thou awakest it shall talk with thee To some the Evening seemeth fitter that when the gayishness and vanity of the Spirit hath been spent in business their Thoughts may be more serious and solemn with God and after the weights have been running down all day through their Imployments of the World they may wind them up again at Night in these Recesses and Exercises of Piety and Religion as David saies Psal. 25.1 Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul. To others the silence and stillness of the Night seemeth to be an help and because of the Curtain of Darkness that is drawn between them and the World they can the better entertain serious and solemn Thoughts of God David speaks every where in the Psalms of his Nocturnal Devotions Psal. 63 6. When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches The Expression is taken from the Custom of the Iews who divided the Night into so many Watches whilst others were Reposing their Bodies on their Beds David was Reposing his Soul in the Bosom of God and he gave the less Rest to his Eyes that he might give the more to his Soul So Psal. 119.148 Mine eyes prevent the night-watches that I might meditate in thy word Certainly in the Night when we are taken off from other business we have the greatest Command of our Thoughts and the Covert of Darkness that God hath stretched over the World begetteth a greater Awe and Reverence Therefore Mr. Greenham when he pressed any weighty Point and perceived any careless used to beg of them that if God by his Providence should suffer them to awake in the Night that they would but think of his words Certainly the Mind being by sleep emptied of other Cares like a Mill falleth upon it self and the Natural Awe and Terrour which is the Effect of Darkness helpeth to make the Thoughts more solemn and serious So that you see much may be said for the conveniency of either of these Seasons Evening or Morning or Night It is your Duty to be faithful to your own Souls and sometimes to take the advantage either of the Night or of the Day or of the Morning or of the Evening as best suits us David saith Psal. 119.97 Oh how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day So he describes his Blessed Man Psalm 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night That is sometimes in the Day and sometimes in the Night no time can come amiss to a prepared Spirit Isaac's Hour was in the Even-tide in the Evening he went out to meditate in which two things are notable 1. That he made Duty his Refreshment He had wrought all the Day and in the Evening he goeth to Recreate himself with God What a shame is it that what was his solace is our Burden If we had a Spiritual discerning we should soon see that there is no Delight to that of Duty and no Refreshment like that which we enjoy in the Exercises of Religion and in Communion with God The World's Delights are vain and dreggy they may provoke laughter but they cannot yield any pure solid and true Contentment It was Christs meat to do his Fathers Will Iohn 4.34 My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work It was sweeter to Iob then his appointed Food to hear Gods word Iob 23.12 I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food And David saith Psal. 119.54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage All the Comfort he had to drive away the sad and disconsolate Houâ—s of his Pilgrimage was to exercise himself in the Study and Meditation of Gods Word And it was Isaac's Evening-Comfort to go out and meditate Gracious Hearts must have Spiritual Delights the Word and Obedience and Prayer and Meditation As one said Aut hoc non est Evangelium aâ—t nos non sumus Christiani Either these Histories are not true or our Hearts are much unlike theirs Oh how sweet would it be if we could make Duty a Recreation and our Work our Pleasure that in the close of the Day this might be our Solace after the work of the Day to take a turn with God in the Mount and to walk in the Garden of Love and as David saith Psal. 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. Isaac went out at even-tide 2. That at the Evening his Spirit was still fresh and savoury this was the time not of necessity but choice Many spend their heat and strength in the World toyling all Day and in the Evening come and offer God a drowsie yawning Prayer when all the Vigour of their Spirits is wasted You should bring forth the best Wine at last never so engage in the World as to hinder a Duty It should be the Wisdom of Christians to guide their Affairs with such Judgment that Duties may not become a burden and a weariness Now a Soul incumbred with business cannot act with such delight and freedom as it ought Too often do we suffer the lean kine to devour the fat Mary hath cause to complain of Martha so much time is spent in the World that we have no heart or strength for Communion with God and usually when all are asleep and wearied out with the World then we call to Duty Oh remember in the Evening and Close of the Day your Affections should be quick and free for Spiritual things Isaac went out at evening-tide I shall sum up the intent
they be prevented 1 Thes. 5 19 20. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying Our spiritual vigour is soon quenched our spiritual strength soon abated our spiritual gust and delight soon lost if once we despise Ordinances Every Grace when it is wrought needeth support and increase There is something lacking to Faith and something lacking to Love and something lacking to Knowledge And if that which is lacking be not supplied we shall lose what is wrought in us For it fareth with a man going to Heaven as it doth wiâ—h a man rowing against the stream if he doth not go forward he goeth backward Surely they that are acquainted with the spiritual life cannot live without Ordinances Painted Fire needeth no fuel but true Fire will go out unless it be fed and maintained Where-ever there is life because of the depastion of the natural heat upon the natural moisture though the stomach be never so full for the present yet anon they will be hungry again So because of the constant Combate between the Flesh and the Spirit Divine Love and Carnal Concupiscence where-ever there is spiritual life there is a necessity it should be fed with new supplies of Grace ministred by the Ordinances An hungry Conscience must have satisfaction 4. Utility and Profit That maketh the Children of God value the Ordinances they get more here in one day than they get in the World in a thousand A man may moil in the World all the days of his life and what gets he Many times his labour for his pains Psal. 127.2 It is in vain for you to rise up early to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrows The Lord doth justly punish the painfulness of some who toil like Infidels in the use of means with a sad disappointment They work their hearts out and nothing cometh of it Whereas those who have God's blessing thrive insensibly and are very prosperous But put case they have the World at Will what will it profit them when they come to die Iob 27.8 What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul They have a sad bargain of it who have spent all their days in heaping up wealth and have hunted for that which they shall never waste Or if they wallow in sensual Felicity yet it must be left at length But now by the Ordinances men get God for their Portion And he is an Everlasting Portion they are a means to help us to the Fruition of God Prov. 8.34 35. Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my Gates waiting at the Posts of my doors for whoso findeth me findeth Life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. Spiritual Wisdom is more than all Worldly Riches and to find Christ is to find Life Now this is obtained by waiting at his Gates and at the Posts of his doors that is by a daily attendance upon the means of Grace 2. Point That God's People do not only value and esteem his Ordinances but they value and esteem them above all Worldly things We have given you some Reasons of their Respect to Ordinances simply Considered now Comparatively For it is not enough to constitute us Religious that we have some Respect for God his Ways and Ordinances when we have a greater Respect for other things to be a little for God and more for the World No it must be your great business to wait upon God and to redeem time for spiritual Uses counting an hour spent with him to be your sweetest time and the meanest Service about him to be your greatest preferment and to injoy his love is more than to injoy the greatest Treasures in the World Reasons I. Worldly things cannot give out so much of God to us as the Ordinances do and therefore they are incomparably better than any earthly things whatsoever 1. They give out more of God for the present than any earthly thing can We taste God in the Creatures they are sanctified to the Heirs of Promise 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving For it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer They are a Glass wherein to see our Creators Goodness and Wisdom and Power But the Creatures besides their Spiritual use have a natural use to maintain the present Life But the Ordinances have wholly a Spiritual use The Creatures and earthly Comforts which we injoy do not so immediately tend to the Glory of God Their immediate use is to Comfort man during his Pilgrimage and to inable him to serve God but Ultimately and Terminatively they tend to the Glory of God Though man be not to use them meerly for himself and to sacrifice them to his own Will and Pleasure or to satisfie his own fleshly Mind yet their natural use is for his Comfort and to inable him to serve God But there is more of God discovered in the Ordinances than in the Creatures and they do more immediately tend to God 2. These are the means of our Eternal Felicity Earthly things are given us as an Invitation Spiritual things as an Evidence Earthly things are not given us in the first place but as an Additional supply Mat. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Wisdom is good with an Inheritance Eccl. 7.11 Well then surely Ordinances if we have the effect of them are a more blessed evidence of Gods favour Psal. 65.4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Court we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house even of thy Holy Temple By this means God pursueth his Eternal Love and bringeth us to Eternal Glory and Blessedness One beam of the Light of Gods Countenance is more worth than all the World what then is the Eternal injoyment of God Now the Ordinances are a means to this end to bring us to the Everlasting Fruition of God Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee II. Reason God is not loved unless he be loved with a Transcendant Superlative Love And this must proportionably descend upon other things as they relate to God for every thing is good according to it's Vicinity and nearness to the chiefest good and last end There is a four-fold rank of good things The first is of that which is loved and desired only for it self and for no other and all other things for its sake So God only is good The second rank is of those things that are desired for themselves and the sake of some other thing also as Knowledge Grace and Vertue The third rank is of those good things which are meerly desired for some other goods sake as the supplies of the outward Life Estate and the like in order to service these may be desired The