Heresies of destruction as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 1. The Lord will by his counsel so guide all his Saints that they shall not live and dye in any of these Heresies As there are Devilish Works so there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devilish Doctrins or doctrins of Devils as the Scripture calls them 2 Tim. 4. 1. God will by the conduct of his grace guide his Elect that they shall not embrace these Doctrins VVant of truth will shut men out of Heaven as well as want of grace Heresie is a fruit of the Flesh as well as Drunkenness or VVitchcraft Gal. 5. 19 20 Truth is a piece of Gods Image as well as Holiness The grace of faith unites us to God but the Doctrin of faith strengthens this union so farre as any swerves from the truth hee swerves from God If that which yee have heard from the beginning shall remain in you yee also shall continue in 1 Joh. 2. 24. the Son and in the Father Eximia laus sanae Doctrinae saith Calvin VVe may from this text learn what an excellent thing sound Doctrin is in it we finde whatsoever appertains to the true injoyment of God and by it we are united both to the Father and the Son That Man of Sin is become the Antichrist not only because of false worship which he maintains but also because of the Corruption of the faith Truth is a piece of the furniture and riches of the Soul as well as Holiness A gospel-Gospel-spirit is a Spirit of a sound minde as well as a spirit of faith and love 2 Tim. 1. 7. Diseases in the head are mortal as well as Diseases in the heart Now when God promiseth to guide his people hee hath respect to this he will ingrave the truth in their mindes he will lead them in the way of truth and if at any time they turn aside to the error of the wicked his grace and his power shall recover them Secondly God will guide his people in matters 2 In matters of practise of practise his Eye shall be upon them to conduct them in the paths of righteousnesse As hee will teach them what to beleeve so hee will direct them what to practise He shall keep the feet of his Saints so Hannah 1 Sam. 2. 9. in her song of thanksgiving This promise as it refers to new obedience comprizeth these four particulars First God will let them see what is sinne and 1 God will make them know his will what is duty hee will shew them his way and make his paths plain before their face When others are in the dark they shall have the light of God upon their Tabernacles The secret of the Lord saith David is with them that fear him and hee will shew them his Covenant Psa 25. 14. God will cause them to understand and know the meaning of his Law his statutes shall not be to them a riddle or a sealed book but they shall be so plain that hee that runs may read them God will interpret the holy Commandement that they shall be able in all things necessary to salvation to understand the sense and meaning of it this is that which God promiseth 1 Joh. 2. 27. the anointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you God will so inlighten their minds by his Spirit that when they read the word or hear it preached they shall be able to say this is the mind of God Secondly God will give them a heart and a will 2 God will give them an heart to obey to embrace his Commandements to reject sinne and close with duty When others find their hearts rebelling against the Law they shall find their hearts ready to comply and yeeld obedience universally to it David often praies that God would incline his heart to his testimonies This God doth for every Saint he doth sweetly and yet powerfully bow the soul to a free spontaneous and ready obedience so that it chuseth the way of Gods statutes and cleaves to his testimonies This is the meaning of that gracious promise I Ezek. 36. 26 27 will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and yee shall keep my judgements and do them God doth not only lay his Commandements before a Beleevers face but writes them in his heart and then Jer. 31. 33. the Soul resolves never to depart from the obedience of them Gods Commandements at least some of them are grievous to an unbeleever but to one whom God guides every Commandement is sweet and precious he reads no Commandement but hee entertains it with that prayer of the Psalmist O that my Psal 119. 5. ways were directed to keep thy statutes This prayer God answers to every Soul that is led by him hee heals the Gangren of the corrupt will by removing the sowrnes that is upon it and by his enlarging grace enables it willingly to run the way of his Commandements so that the Beleever can say I delight to do thy Will O God yea thy Law is within my heart God bores the Ear and the Soul is no longer rebellious God orders the steps of his Saints and causeth them to delight in his way Thirdly God doth recover them from all their 3 God raiseth them when they fall falls The best of Beleevers have a spice of the Spiritual Falling-sickness they stumble and fall This promise of Divine guidance gives security of timely resurrection from such lapses It is upon Record in Scripture for the comfort of Beleevers that though Psal 37. 24. they fall they shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth them with his hand When they sink into misery God will lift them up and when they slip into sin God will restore them He will put the bones into their places when they are disjoynted and when iniquities prevail over them he will purge them away David fell through the power of temptation but God restored him Peter sunk down through his heedlesness but God lifted him up again Noah and Lot were overtaken and ensnared but God cut the cords of the Net and set them both free As oft as Corruption casts the Saints down so often doth the grace of God set them on their feet again Beleevers have as many Spiritual resurrections as they have Spiritual deaths they have as many Spiritual awakenings as they have Spiritual sleeps Fourthly God will give them perseverance to 4 God gives them perseverance hold out to the end This promise of guidance implyes perseverance Gods guidance would be insufficient if it did not comprehend this grace It is promised to the righteous That they shall hold on their Job 17. 9. way and to them that have clean hands that they shall grow stronger and stronger God furnisheth beleevers with daily supplies of strength for their daily journyings He gives
to our under standing The Holy Ghost is the Churches Interpreter he gave the Scriptures and he can reveal unto us the sense and meaning of the Scriptures He is called the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation because it is his work to make known to the Church the Spiritual Eph. 1. 17. sense of that word which God hath given to be the rule both of faith and manners Our Saviour when he was about to leave the world tells his Disciples That he would give them his Spirit to bee a guide in his absence He shall lead you saith he into Joh. 16. 13 14. all truth Now how the Holy Ghost should perform this work is laid down in the next Verse He shall take of mine and shew it unto you he shall so powerfully press the Doctrin of the Gospel upon their spirits that they should understand it to be Christs Doctrin It is by the effectual perswasions of the Spirit that wee beleeve the Divine authority of the word Secondly The Spirit of God is able to incline 2 The Spirit bows the heart to obey the Word Ezek. 36. 27. and move the heart to yeeld obedience to the Counsel of the Word It is Gods promise in the Covenant of Grace to his people that he will put his Spirit within them and cause them to walk in his Statutes and that they shall keep his Judgements and do them Did the Spirit only shew the Beleever the rule according to which God would have him walk and not enable him to a ready and cheerful endeavour to conform to it he would fall short of eternal life for man by Nature doth not only want light to see his way but a heart to walk in the way when it is discovered It is a good prayer which David makes to this purpose Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness Psal 119. 36. The Spirit of God sweetens the rule and renders it acceptable and grateful to the heart The heart of man needs not only Moral perswasion but the strength of effectual and determining Grace to engage it to obedience The heart is naturally imprisoned that it cannot move God-ward until it bee set at liberty the Holy Ghost therefore which God hath given to be a guide draws it and then it runs I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt Psal 119. 32. enlarge my heart Heart-enlargement is as necessary for the Christian Travellor as Heart-inlightning Draw us saith the Church and we will run after thee The Spirit of God draws no man to Heaven against his Cant. 1. 4. will but yet he must and doth over-power the Will and make it willing Trahe quodammodo invitam ut facias voluntariam as Bernard glosseth upon that text Bernard in Loc. The renewed Soul findes too often an indisposition in it self to follow Christ and therefore doth still desire the attractive power of the Spirit Thirdly The Spirit of God is able to preserve the 3 The Spirit preserves from fainting Soul from tiring in the way and herein it excels all other guides No guide can give the Travellour strength when he is weary but the Spirit of God can and doth give fresh strength unto all those whom he guides The Prophet David having had experience of this in himself writes it down for the comfort of others He restoreth my soul he leadeth me in the Psal 23. 3. paths of righteousness for his names sake The Spirit of God hath a restorative vertue as well as an inlightning vertue Historians tell us that the rod of Myrtle in the hand of Travellours preserves them from weariness I know not how true that is but I am sure the Spirit of God in the heart of the Spiritual Travellor doth give him fresh strength when he is weary They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they Isa 40. 31. shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint The way of the Lord could not bee strength to the upright if the Spirit did not increase strength to such as walk in those ways The Holy Ghost is not only a Guide to the Beleever but his viaticum upon which he feeds till he come to the end of his Journey The Spirit of God doth by those continual influences which he gives out to the Saints in their Pilgrimage put new life into their hearts that they cannot tire till they come to take up their lodging in Heaven He anoints their heads with the fresh oyl of his Grace whereby they are enabled to go from one measure of strength to another till they appear before God in Sion It s said of the people of God that they shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Psa 92. 14. Other trees have a time of bearing and a time of barrennesse but the trees that are planted in Gods house are never past bearing whence is it that the people of God dye bearing fruit but from the continuall influences of the Spirit of Grace If it be demanded how the holy Ghost preserves the Saints from fainting I answer briefly First He carries the divine promises open before them in his hand those great and precious promises as the Apostle By revealing the promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. calls them hee claps warm upon their hearts every morning and how can those tire so as to fall down who have such sovereign plasters upon their souls The promises of God are such water of life as that they will make the hearts of dying men live when Jonathan was faint hee did but dip the end of his rod in the hony comb and his Eyes were inlightned 1 Sam. 14. 27. The Spirit of God causeth the fainting travellors to dip their rods every day in the hony-comb of some promise and by such Cordialls recovers their decayed strength Secondly Hee gives them some glymses of the By giving some tasts of glory glory of that heavenly Country whither they are going Though the full meal of glory bee reserved till the saints come to heaven yet they have some litle tasts of it in this life The Scripture makes mention of the first fruits of the Spirit what are these but the foretasts Rom. 8. â—3 of eternall life they are some drops of that new wine which beleevers shall drink with Christ in the Kingdome of God they are as little bunches of grapes sent down from the celestiall Canaan The Spirit of God doth as it were cause them to peep into heaven and the least glimmerings of glory are sufficient to make the lame man leap as an Hart. The Apostles though they met with much affliction in the way to heaven yet they tell us they fainted not what was it that upheld them wee look not at the things 2 Cor. 4. 18. which are seen but at the things which are not seen The Spirit sometimes carries the Saints up to the top of
into vulgar Languages it is not only useful but of absolute necessity How can men follow the guidance of Gods counsel in the Scripture if they do not understand the Language of the Scripture All the Counsels of God in his Word will be Riddles and Parables to me if I do not understand the Language in which they are delivered If the Trumpat give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the 1 Cor. 14. 7 8. battel It is an Argument which the Apostle brings to prove the absurdity of worshipping God in a strange Tongue I may urge it with the same strength to the Point in hand Things without life giving sound whether Pipe or Harp except they give a distinction in the sounds how shall it be known what is piped or harped We are doubly engaged to God in that through the abilities he hath given to men the Divine guide does speak to us in a Language that wee can understand Fourthly What a happiness is it to Beleevers that the Spirit of God dwels in them It is one of the 4 The indwelling of the Spirit a rich privilege great privileges of the Saints that they are made an habitation of God through the Spirit When Jesus Christ left his Church in regard of his bodily presence hee promised to send the Spirit who should abide with it Joh. 14. 16 17. for ever He had purchased the Spirit as a Guide to his Church and he promiseth to pray the Father to make his purchase good The blessedness of this privilege appears in this amongst many other things because the Spirit with the Word is that heavenly Counsellor by which we are guided The direction of the Word would not be effectual without the teachings of the Spirit The Word shews us the way and the Spirit guides our feet in the way The Word is a Chrystal Glass which shews us our duty the Spirit gives us sight to see our duty and hearts to perform it The Word is the Christians Compass to instruct him which way to shape his course the Spirit is his Pilot which steers him in that course If God had not put his Spirit in our hearts as well as his VVord in our mouth wee should never have arrived at the fair havens of peace Fifthly It teacheth us that beleevers are very dear to God they are exceeding precious in his sight 5 True Beleevers are precious to God Severall Arguments may be given to confirm this conclusion All hee hath laid up for them all that hee laies out upon them testifieth how much the Lord delights in them This privilege of which I am speaking is a sufficient testimony of it Hee would not be so ready to guide them if hee did not respect them his Eye is upon them because his heart is upon them Because they have the affection of his soul therefore they have the protection of his hand They have been Elected in his eternall Counsells and therefore they are guided by his revealed Counsells Saith David know that the Lordhath separated him that is godly for himself Psa 4. 3. he speaks I conceive chiefly of Gods setting him a part for the Kingdome but yet there is a truth in it if wee carry it higher Beleevers are Jedidiahs they are Hephzibah's they are Gods darlings Gods delights upon all the glory shall be a defence Isa 4. 5. because they are glorious God becomes their guide Therefore doth hee guide them because hee loves them A ragged Saint is dearer to God than a glittring Emperour that wants grace Sixthly Observe from hence the safety and security 6 The safe estate of beleevers of true Beleevers They have many enemies but they have one guide that hath more strength than all their enemies He that is a guide to the Saints is a destroyer to them that would crush the saints The same Exo. 14. 19. 20. Pillar of Cloud which was a guide to Israel to shew them the way was a protection to them against the Egyptians It was both a guiding Pillar and a defensive Pillar It was a Pillar of fire to the Israelites but a cloud of darknesse to the Egyptians Gods guiding of his Saints speaks his protection Saints are better guarded and guided than the Princes of the earth they have hosts of men for their defence but the beleevers have the Lord of hosts for their Salvation Hee that meddles with Gods Saints assaults God himself He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye Zech. 2. 8. The apple of Gods Eye is the beleevers guide and the beleevers guard hee that toucheth him with an intention to hurt him smites at Gods Eye which is upon him And he that lifts up his hand against God shall find Gods destroying hand stretched out against him I will lye down in peace saith David and sleep quietly because Psa 4. 8. thou Lord only makest mee dwell in safety T is not a rich bed nor a band of Souldiers that causeth sweet sleep A galled conscience will work disturbance through all such fences The guard without the door will not quiet fightings within But he that can say God is my guide my guard may sleep quietly upon the top of a Mast It is the Beleevers portion to have God for his guide and because of this portion hee is secure whatever stirs are in the world God will either lead him through the storm or hee will guide him some other way to avoyd the storm or else if hee fall under it God will by the storm lead him to that place where neither storms nor tempests are nor shall be ingendred to eternity which is indeed the best guidance of all Thus I have dispatched the first use which was Information I go to the Second which is for Reproof Secondly These points which have been handle 2 Use Reprehension to those that make other guides minister occasion of sharp reprehension and sad mourning Is it the desire of the godly that God would guide them Is it the portion of the godly that God will guide them by his Counsell may wee not then sigh even to the breaking of our Loyns that there are so many that forsake this heavenly Pillar and create other guides and other Counsellors to themselves There are very few that desire to be guided by Gods Counsell there are very few indeed but they do reject Gods Counsell and that both in matters of Faith and matters of practise this is and shall be for a lamentation There are divers guides which men create to themselves First Some there are who make their own reason 1 Those that set up Reason for a guide their guide they will march under no other conduct than reason either in matters of faith or matters of practise they will beleeve nothing but what reason dictates they will not receive the gold of the Sanctuary unlesse it be touched by the blind Assay-master of reason All the mysteries of Religion must be
may 3 Caâ—ry your selves so that God may guide you have assurance of Gods guidance To this purpose there are divers Graces that I shall commend to you which are as so many holy dispositions that will give you security that Gods counsel shall be your guide First Take heed of looking with a pleasant countenance 1 Take heed of all sin on any sin God will with-draw both his Eye and his Hand from his own Children if he see their hearts hankering after any wickedness David saith of himself That if he regarded iniquity in his heart Psal 66. 18. God will not hear him If a Beleever regard iniquity in his heart God will not guide him When the people of Israel had grievously sinned against God he refuseth to go with them in that glorious manner hee had done before I will not go up in the midst of thee for thou Exod. 33. 3. art a stiff-necked people God will not bee a guide to Robbers nor a leader to Theeves Sin will drive God out of his own House and make him carry himself as a stranger to his own Children Be yee clean yee that Isa 52. 11 12 bear the vessels of the Lord for the Lord will go before you and the glory of Israel will be your rereward Gods presence with his people is an Argument why they should be holy and their holiness is to them a hopeful ground to beleeve that God will be present The holy God will not be a Convoy to his own people when he sees them walk in unholy ways Secondly Be humble in heart Proud men are 2 Be humble neither willing to be guided nor fit to be guided All promises of Divine direction are made to the lowly in heart The meek will he guide in judgement and the meek Psal 25. 9. will he teach his way Proud hearts are unmeet to bee guides to men and unworthy to be guided by God A proud heart is a thwarting and a scornful heart and a scornful heart will never bow to instruction All his Deut. 33. 3. Saints are in thy hand and they sate down at thy feet every one shall receive of thy words He that expects to have the guidance of Gods Hand must sit down at his feet Sitting at the feet is the posture of Humility and that is the Leatners posture A proud spirit is a resisting and a contradicting spirit and a contradicting spirit is not easily ductise Arrogancy of heart is compared to an Isa 48. 4. Iron Sinew it is not an easie matter to lead a man whose sinews are all of Iron Pride makes a man think himself fit to dictate to all and he that conceives himself able to give counsel will not easily incline to take counsel The Apostle tells us that God resisteth the proud Jam. 4. 6. they fight against God and God sets himself in array against them But he giveth grace to the humble he will give them quickning grace and supporting grace and guiding grace An obedient ear and a lowly heart shall never want the guidance of Divine grace Thirdly Depend on God for guidance A fiducial 3 Depend on God reliance on God doth exceedingly engage God I will set him on high because he hath known my name Psalm 91. 14. God loves to be trusted and to be depended upon An ingenuous man will not fail his friend when hee knows hee relies on him God never did never will cast off the care of those that do by faithful recumbency cast their care on him The Prophet David doth often plead with God for direction upon on this Argument In thee do I trust cause me to know Psal 143. 8. the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee A firm trusting in God shall bee recompenced with the wise guidance of God God will lift up the eye of his Care on that man that lifts up the eye of his Faith to him God takes it kindly when a Soul will commit it self to him Holy faith will engage both the heart and the hand of God for preservation and direction Fourthly Ask Gods advice in all your concernments 4 Do nothing without Gods advice He that desires to have God for his Counsellor must by Prayer go to him for counsel continually If we fondly lean to our own understanding God will leave us to our own understanding If we begin once to trust to the guidance of our own eyes God wil soon with draw his eye Hear what counsel Solomon gives to this purpose In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he Prov. 3 6 7. shall direct thy paths Be not wise in thine own eyes There are two things which deprive men of Gods direction The one is Trusting to their own wisdom the other is The neglect of asking wisdom from God Solomon labours to remove both these in this text He that is wise in his own eyes will never thank God for counsel if his matters succeed hee will sacrifice to his own prudence and not to God And hee that doth not by prayer seek for counsel will never much value counsel Abrahams Servant when he was to go totake a Wife for his Masters Son seeks to God for direction and God was intreated The prophane man that will not pray puts in a Caveat against himself but he that doth humbly sue to God hath a promise of audience If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God Jam. 1. 5. who giveth liberally to all men and upbraideth not and it shall be given him A Father can hardly deny to stretch out the hand to his Childe when he sees him on his knees begging Those that dare not adventure to take one step till they have consulted Heaven shall not go one step without Heavens direction Fifthly Endeavour to guide others in the way 5 Be a guide to others Job saith That he was eyes to the blinde and feet to the lame Job 29. 15. As he did cloath them that were naked with the fleece of his sheep so hee was careful to advise them that were ignorant by that knowledge God had given him God is well pleased to see his people in a regular way willing to be instructers to others God promiseth to water those that water others The liberal soul shall be made fat and Prov. 11. 25. he that watereth shall be watered also himself God will be a Sun to guide him that is willing to be a Star to guide others He that sets himself to reduce those that go astray may comfortably hope that God will preserve him from going astray Well To wind up all in one word Be intreated as you tender The Conclusion your own Souls and the honour of God to pray for this Divine guidance and to accept of it Pray that the unerring Word may be your rule and the infallible Spirit of God your guide in all your ways you are undone for ever if God do not
a guide to lead them in the way to true happinesse The Spirit of God Lorinus in Loc. Calvin in Loc. Isa 59. 21. Secondly The Spirit of God So some expound it of the spirit of Counsell and judgement The Spirit and the word must not be separated in this work of guiding These two are usually put together My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth They do not speak as the Oracles of God who divide between the Spirit of God and the word Those that boast of the Spirit and reject the word they set up their own vain imaginations instead of the Spirit of God By the word of God wee know the mind of the Spirit and by the work of the Spirit wee feel the efficacy of the word The word of God shews us the way and the Spirit of God leads us in that way which the word points out The Holy Ghost is called the Mind of God or which is the same the Mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. 16. because hee is the Churches interpreter to declare unto it the meaning of God in the word The work of divine guidance is attributed to the Spirit therefore Isa 63. 11. 12. 13 14. as well as to the word Where is hee that put his holy spirit within him That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm That led them through the deep as an horse in the Wildernesse that they should not stumble As a beast goeth down into the valley the spirit of the Lord caused him to rest God made Moses a guide to Israel but it was the Spirit of God that guided Moses It was the holy Ghost that instructed Moses to lead the people and it was the divine power of the Holy Ghost that over-ruled the people and made them willing to submit to his guidance The Apostle ascribes this Office to the Spirit As many as are led Rom. 8. 14. by the Spirit of God they are the sonns of God Jesus Christ purchased the Holy Ghost and sent him down from heaven after his own ascension to be the eternall guide of his Church and therefore he tels his sorrowing Disciples that when hee was come hee would lead them into all Truth The word is Gods Counsell Joh. 16. 13. to discover the path in which wee are to walk the Spirit is the Counsell of God that teacheth us how to walk in that path The Scripture is a Rule before Isa 30. 21. us to shew us where wee must go the Spirit is a word behind us to enable us to go according to the direction of that word The word of God is the compass by which wee are to shape our course the Spirit is the great Pilot that steers us in that course Wee have no eyes to see the word till the Spirit inlighten them wee have no ears to hear the word till the Spirit open them we have no hearts to obey the word till the Spirit bow and incline them Thirdly The wise providence of God I find 3 The providence of God some Expositors that do so understand the Text of that directing providence whereby the people of God are conducted while they are on earth The providence of God is often called the Eye of God or in the plurall number the Eyes of God because of the manifold workings of it By these watchfull eyes are the servants of God guided in all the revolutions and turnings of this world I will guide thee with my eye Psa 32. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word which is there translated guide is from the very same root with that which is in the Text rendred counsel The guidance of Gods counsel and the guidance of his providence are one and the same thing This Eye of God is never withdrawn from the righteous but is continually fixed upon them for their preservation and defence These eyes of providence run to and fro throughout the whole earth to take care of and to make speciall provision for all Gods Psa 34. 15. Elect. The actings of divine providence are not only for the supplying of the Saints in their necessities but for the preserving of them from wandrings and for the reducing of them when they do wander The Starre of providence is usefull for the guiding of the saints feet as well as the Starre of Scripture Thus I have opened the first particular what is comprehended in this expression Gods Counsel it refers to the word of God to the Spirit of God to the Providence of God Secondly Why the people of God do so passionately desire this divine guidance These prayers are Why the godly desire this guidance grounded upon very solid reasons I shall reduce them briefly to these three First They know they are lyable to wander and therefore want a guide It s said of the wicked that 1 They are apt to winder they love to wander Jer. 14. 10. they are never better pleased with themselves than when they walk in some path that is displeasing to God To provoke God is a pastime and sport to a gracelesse heart when they do evil then they rejoyce they have such a setled Jer. 11. 15. enmity in their hearts against the holy commandement that they delight in their walking contrary to it This cannot be spoken of any godly man Every true saint can heartily say Amen to that holy breathing of Psa 119. 10. David O let mee not wander from thy Commandements Godly men do with their minds serve the law of God even when with their flesh they serve the law of sin Rom. 7. ult But though they do not take pleasure in their wandrings yet they are apt to wander and that both in point of judgement and in point of practise The Psalmist doth ingenuously acknowledg that his feet Vers 2. were almost gone his steps had well nigh slipt Had not God come in to his assistance hee had both stumbled and fallen Beleevers have flesh in them as well as Rom. 7. 23. spirit they have a law in their members warring against the law of their Minds though they have sincerity of grace yet they have not perfection of grace though their hearts are set heavenward yet they have a clog of corruption that weighs them down towards the earth unruly and unbridled affections by their violent motions turn them too often out of the way It was the sad complaint of one which may be the complaint of every good man Libenter bonus esse vellem sed cogitationes meae non patiuntur The Apostle tels us the English of it by his own experience I find that when I would do good evil is present with mee Rom 7. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 1. 21. Our affections which are the wings of the soul are so blinded with that superfluity of naughtinesse which is in us that
they cannot make their way towards any good object with that speedy and direct course they desire David a man after Gods own Psa 119. ult heart had his swarvings deviations Eliah a holy prophet of God was sometimes found as a bird wandring from her nest what dost thou here Eliah Peter and Barnabas 1 King 19. 9. two stars of the first magnitude one of them at least an Apostle of Jesus Christ both of them Pillars in Gods Church were reprehended by Paul for not walking uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gâ—l 2. 14. the righteous man the father of the faithful was through carnall fear turned twice out of the way of God Noah an upright man in a perverse generation had his turnings a side hee beganne to be an Gen 9. 20. 21. husbandman and planted a vineyard and hee drunk of the wine and was drunken he was uncovered within his Tent. Beleevers though they be more then men yet they are still men and because they are men they may be over taken The Apostle supposeth this and therfore gives advice to such as stand how to recover them that are fallen Brethren if a man be overtaken Gal 6. 1. Opened in a fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meeknesse In this Text wee are taught these three lessons First The difference between the sins of the godly and the wicked The wicked man over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takes sinne the godly man is overtaken by sinne the wicked man runnes after sinne as men runne after a prey though sin runne from him yet will hee follow it the godly runne away from sinne as men do from their enemies they would be glad to flee out of the reach and out of the sight of it the wicked man prevents sinne the godly man is prevented by sinne Secondly It teacheth us that the best of saints being but frail men are liable to these sinful surprisals Quod cuiquam cuivis that which befalls one Saint may befall every Saint Thirdly It teacheth us that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Vos qui Spiritus virtute sustinemini Beza in Loc. by the power of Gods Spirit that any Saints are preserved from these falls The Apostle calls those that stand Spiritual men because it is by the strength of the Spirit that they are upheld True Beleevers have so much acquaintance with their own hearts that they know if a strong temptation assault them they shall miscarry if God leave them and therefore they have cause to be so earnest with God for his guidance And this the rather because 2 They know they are not able to be Guides to themselves 2 They cannot guide themselves or to preserve themselves from wandering Gods people are a Generation of Self-distrusters they dare adventure upon God without hesitancy in all Cases be they never so difficult they dare not depend upon themselves in any thing though never so facile and feasible they have read that text which Jer. 10. 23 tells them That the way of man is not in himself that it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps This they beleeve to be the Word of God and therefore dare not rest upon their own counsel They have studied Gods All-sufficiency and the experience they have of their own frailty causeth them to acknowledge Self-insufficiency for any Spiritual undertaking All Beleevers pray also that Prayer daily Domine libera me a meipso Lord deliver me from my self They know every man is vanity but of all vain men they beleeve themselves to be most vain They have learned from Solomon that He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool and their own Prov. 28. 26. experience is to them a Commentary on that text Of all Deceivers they have found their own hearts most deceitful and therefore dare not commit themselves to the guidance of such Traitors The people of God know that he that will be a Self-guider shall really prove a Self-destroyer the sense of Self-impotency makes them fly to God for the guidance of his Counsel And that especially because Thirdly They know and are perswaded that God 3 Gods Counsel is a sufficient guide is able sufficiently to guide them It is grown into a Theological Proverb They are well kept whom God keeps they shall be exactly guided whom the great God will please to guide Hold thou me up saith the Kingly Prophet and I shall be safe There is no safety Psa 119. 117 without Gods support and when God will put under his hand there is no fear of falling That you may see how fit the Counsel of God is for this work of Spiritual guidance it will be needful to say something particularly of the nature of the Word of God of the Spirit of God and of the Providence of God which I shewed you the Psalmist hath reference to in this expression of Gods Counsel First The Word of God is in every respect fit for The Word of God a fit guide this work of guiding the Children of Men while they are Sojourners in this world This will appear if the following properties of it be well studied As First It is a plain word The Papists that they may 1 It s plain have some colourable pretext for that Sacrilegious sin of forbidding the common people to read the Scriptures Censur Coloni ens p. 1117. Vid. Gerh. loc Com. de Script Sac. cap. 20. charge them with obscurity Omnia singula quae in Scriptur is comprehensa sunt tantis obvoluta sunt obscuritatibus ut ne Doctâ—ssimi quidem certam cognitionem inde colligere possint nisi eam aliunde mutuentur All and every thing contained in the Scriptures say they is so dark and obscure that they that are most learned cannot draw any certain Conclusions from thence unless they have assistance from some other hand they mean unless they be helped by unwritten traditions One of them Blasphemously enough calls the Holy Scriptures Nâ—sum Canis in oper Catech. p. 44. cereum A Nose of Wax which doth not give any certain knowledge but may be bowed to any Exposition according as he that interprets pleaseth Whatever these haâ—ers of the Word of God affirm it is very evident that the Scriptures are perspicuous and plain especially in those things which are of absolute necessity to be known and beleeved for Salvation Though some things are hard to be understood which therefore they 2 Pet. 3 16. that are unlearned and unstable wrest unto their own destruction as the Apostle speaks yet all things that are necessary to be done or beleeved for Salvation are so plain that he that runs may read them If any thing be more obscurely delivered in one place it is fairly interpreted in another place The Commandement saith Solomon Prov. 6. 23. is a Lamp and the
Bless God for this guidance of Divine guidance When you have any occasion to go to a Lawyer for Counsel you give him his Fee without asking VVhen you hire a guide to conduct you in the way you are willing to give him satisfaction God expects that his people should with thankfulness acknowledge his great kindness in laying his VVord before them in putting his Spirit within them in making his Providence subservient for their safe conduct David wisely and Psal 16. 7. graciously resolves upon this I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel my reins also instruct me in the night seasons God did not only give him his VVord to advise him but his Spirit to teach him The Holy Ghost did stamp such powerful impressions on his affections which he calls his reins that hee was effectually bowed to embrace the Counsels of the VVord VVhen the Wise Men that went to finde out Christ saw the Star the text saith they were exceeding Mat. 2. 10. glad had not that directing Star gone before them they had never found the Babe Jesus No doubt the Children of Israel lift up their hearts and glorified God when that pillar of Cloud and Fire was erected among them And should not the Beleevers heart rejoyce and leap for joy that hath as certain a guide to go before him as that was Let mee but hint some advantages which accrue to the people of God by reason of this guiding Counsell and they cannot but see cause of continuall thansgivings I shall but instance in three particulars First By vertue of this divine guidance you are 1 Hereby are wee preserved from sin preserved from those sinfull waies in which others walk to their everlasting ruine The Prophet David found this benefit Concerning the works of men by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer hereupon he praies in the very next words hold Psa 17. 4 5. up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Why is it that the Saints do not defile their precious Souls with those horrid blasphemies wherewith others are infected but because they are guided by the Counsell of God That you are not Drunkards Murtherers Covenant-breakers Idolaters Lyers is from hence because God is pleased continually to guide you That you do not swim down the stream with others in a corrupt age that you keep faith and a good conscience in a faithlesse and adulterous generation it is to be ascribed to this guidance of heaven That you do not deny Christ that bought you that you do not reject the Scriptures that you do nor forsake the Ordinances and Ministry as many do that you have not washed your hands in innocent blood and conspired against the life of the righteous it is because God hath led you by the Counsell of his word and spirit The best and holyest person in this assembly would have acted his part in the most horrid designs that others have been imployed in carrying on if God had left him to his own heart If you therefore account it a mercy that you have not stained your hearts and hands and consciences with the black and bloody guilt of the worst of sinnes bless the Lord who hath given you Counsell Secondly By means of this guidance you are kept safe from those dangers whereby others have been 2 Hereby are wee kept from danger overtaken It was by reason of the Pillar of Cloud that the people of God escaped the fury of Pharaoh Exo. 14. 20. and his host when they did pursue them with such impoysoned malice The Pillar came between the Camp of the Egyptians and the Camp of Israel so that the one came not neer the other all the night Gods guiding presence with beleevers is for protection as well as direction As God marcheth in the Vann of the Army to shew his people the way so his presence is in the â—ere to prevent their danger Thy righteousnesse shall go before thee saith the Prophet to the beleever and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward Isa 58. 8. The fiery darts of Devills would long since have gangren'd your flesh and the venom of their Arrows drunk up your spirits if God by his guiding presence had not stood by you for defence The same God that hath been a wall of fire for your protection hath been a wall of fire for your enemies destruction When Israel saw themselves on dry land and the Egyptians dead on the shore then they sung praises to God Exo. 15. 1. It is by vertue of the fiery Pillar that you have to this day escaped the rage of your Pursuers let the remembrance of it inflame your hearts into the highest praises 3 Hereby is our way sweetned Thirdly by means of this guidance the way of your pilgrimage hath been sweetned to you A good guide doth not only preserve the passenger from dangerous paths but by his discourse and company renders the journey comfortable Through Gods guiding presence that hath been with you in the way you have enjoyed sweet communion with him you have had many a daies comfortable converse with God you have hereby had opportunity to open your souls to him to lay your doubts fears temptations before his face God did not only direct the people of Israel by the Pillar of Cloud but hee did from thence reveal himself to them upon all occasions Hee spake to them saith David out of the fiery Pillar God in guiding Psa 99. 7. the Saints by his Counsell doth familiarly make himself known to them who is this that commeth out Cant. 8 5. of the Wildernesse leaning upon her beloved The phrase doth not only signify conduct but familiarity God by the guiding of his people gives them opportunity to see the boylings of his affection towards them and to unlock all their secrets unto him Hee tels them many a pleasant story whereby their drooping hearts are cheered and gives them leave to declare all their griefs whereby their souls are dis-burthened Now let mee again beseech you and charge you O yee holy ones of God by all the sinnes from which you have been preserved by all the dangers from which you have been delivered and by all the sweet comforts which you have received by the guiding Counsell of God to get your hearts fired into flames of holy praises Secondly Bee willing to submit to the guidance 2 Submit to this guidance of Gods Counsell Do not pull away the shoulder do not harden your hearts be not stiff-necked but where Gods bids you go thither resolve to go The Children of Israel did move when the Pillar of Cloud moved and they went which way soever it went and when the Pillar stood still then they pitched their Tents At the Commandement of the Lord they journeyed and at the Commandement of the Lord they pitched Num 9. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. their Tents
Heaven do him service with all the gladnesse of their hearts and cheerfull service is the best service Lift up therefore the hands which hang down and revive the Spirits that are overwhelmed Powre out no more tears for your deceased friends who are removed from a sea of trouble to a haven of rest where they are gloryfied with God and where they do actually glorify God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost in the highest perfection Comfort your selves and comfort one another with these words Having finished the Scripture Text I shall say something to the providentiall Text. The sad providence which hath occasioned this mournfull meeting preacheth many spirituall lessons to us all First God hath by death carried a young gentlewoman out of the world Strength and Beauty Youth and flourishing daies cannot priviledge any from the Grave This providence repeats in our ears that serious Counsell of the wiseman Remember thy Creator i◠the daies of thy Youth Eccle. 12. 1. If wee look into the Tombs wee shall find many cloysted up there whose bones were moystned with marrow and whose breasts were full of Milk The beauty of Rachel will not keep her from the dust The strength of Sampson will not preserve him from death The budding Flower falls to the earth as well as that which is withered The green Ear of Corn is nipt off as well as that which is ripe for the Sickle You that have your veins full of bloud must come to Golgotha as well as those whose Natural moysture decrepid Old Age hath dried up Secondly God hath removed a Gentlewoman of good rank and quality as to outward things It is not natural Parentage or Wealth that can put Death out of Commission Riches avail not in the day of death VVealthy Abraham is gone to the place of rottenness as well as Lazarus the Begger If a man would give a Coffin full of Gold to ransome himself from the Grave it would not be accepted There is neither Redemption nor Exchange of Prisoners in this VVar The rich mans Wealth is his strong City Prov. 10. 15. Death will storm this City and carry a way the Owner notwithstanding all his riches Neither the Guards of Princes nor the Revenues of their Crowns can keep off Death for one moment Death can enter the Kings Court as easily as the Beggars Cottage When God sends Death to attatch a Mortal Creature it esteems not Riches no not Gold nor all the forces of strength Thirdly God hath taken away a religious Gentlewoman Holiness and Piety do not deliver any from the Grave The first of Mortals that dyed was a righteous man The bloud of the righteous Abel Righteousness preserves from eternal Death not from the Temporal Grace in the Saints never dyes but the Saints dye notwithstanding all their graces Beleevers must be wrapt in the Winding-sheet as well as unbeleevers The godly must lye under the Hears-cloth as well as the wicked Abraham is dead and the Prophets are dead There is cause of mourning over dead Saints no cause of wondring Saints never live till they dye then they live for ever These are general Meditations More particularly In reference to this Gentlewoman I shall speak somewhat concerning her Life and something concerning her Death and that not so much for her sake as the benefit of others Concerning her Life these things are remarkable God vouchsafed her the blessing of godly and The Worshipful Joseph Brand Esq and Mrs. Thomasin Brand his religious Consort religious education Her worthy Parents were studious not only to provide wealth for her but their greatest care was that Christ might be formed in her And this did much redound to their comfort for she was as both of them have often expressed a dutiful and obedient Childe The care of Parents for the religious Education of their Children doth ordinarily return to a good account in this life When Parents teach Children to obey him that is the Father of Spirits God usually bows their hearts to be dutiful to their earthly Parents Shee was a respective and loving Wife to her Husband which made her deservedly accounted by him The desire of his eyes Shee was a helpe meet for him a suitable Yoke-fellow who walked with him hand in hand in the ways of God The contentment he had in the enjoyment of such a Companion doth much increase the sorrow of his heart for the loss of her Shee was of an humble and meek spirit The enjoyment of the things of this Life did not swell her heart Those that were acquainted with her can truly give this testimony of her That shee did not inordinately minde high things but could condescend to them of low estate A full Purse and an humble Heart do not always meet together Shee was no follower of the vain fashions of the VVorld Her Apparrel was decent and modest not gairish The Apostle gives this advice to VVomen To adorn themselves in modest apparrel with shamefastness and sobriety as becometh women professing godliness 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. This Gentlewoman did dress her self in this Scripture-glass Spotted faces and naked breasts are Arguments of light spirits and unmortified hearts God was pleased by his Grace to preserve this Gentlewoman in a wanton Age from these vanities Shee did labour to keep fast the faith that was once delivered to the Saints Though shee was but young having not fully compleated the twentieth year of her age yet was shee not one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks silly Women that are drawn away by the cunning craftiness of those that creep into Houses and lead many captive Shee was a lover of all the Ordinances of God and a frequenter of that instituted Ministry which God hath given testimony unto by the conversion of many souls God kept her by his Grace that shee did not tread upon the threshold of those infectious places where Errours and Blasphemies are usually broached Concerning her death I have not much to speak A good Life cannot but end in a blessed Death Her Sickness was not very long but it was very sharp Many tormenting pains were in her head which could not be removed till the last medicine of Death took them away In her Sickness shee was very frequent in Prayer for her self and did importunately desire help from the prayers of others I was daily praying with her by her own desire for divers days together and sometimes twice a day which gave me more opportunity to be acquainted with her estate Shee was for some time fearful of Death as not having that full Assurance shee longed for but at last God gave her the victory over those fears About two or three days before the Soul took its leave of the Body God was graciously pleased to give her in plenty of comfort Her sorrowful Husband and Parents coming into the Chamber shee brake forth into these expressions or to this effect Now hath God abundantly manifested his love to my Soul in Jesus Christ you are not able to conceive the joy I feel nor am I able to express it I am now sure that Jesus Christ is mine I know that my sins are forgiven me for his sake I am now both willing and desirous to dye that I may be with Christ This consolation cannot but be judged to be from the blessed Spirit of God because it was the fruit of Prayer and because it was given in after deep humblings and Spiritual Conflicts as also because it was followed with many self-abhorrings which are the genuine effects of Gospel-comfort VVhen shee mentioned these comforts shee did usually adde some such expression as this I am a very unworthy Creature but I hope I am not deceived One very considerable passage I cannot but acquaint you with Some days before her death her gracious Mother seeing the means used for her recovery to be in-effectual retired her self into her closet to pray for her Amongst other Petitions she was very importunate that God would give her pardon and peace Soon after returning into the room where shee lay shee found those very words in her mouth Pardon and Peace God hath sealed up to my Soul pardon and peace through Jesus Christ This was a very signal testimony that God had answered her request Thus she continued sometimes bewayling her sins with much sorrow sometimes sending up holy ejaculations to God as she was able That God would never fail her nor forsake her sometimes expressing her confidence of the love of God in such words as these I have the whole Armour of God upon me God hath given me the shield of faith the breast-plate of Righteousness the helmet of Salvation I have now overcome the fiery darts of Satan I do not in the least fear him or death Amongst other Petitions shee had frequently this in her mouth Guide mee Lord by thy counsel until thou bring me to glory That which now remains is To intreat all of us that are here present to resolve and endeavour to be guided both in matters of faith and obedience by the powerful counsel of Gods blessed VVord and Spirit that when our eyes are closed up by death we may be received in eternal glory FINIS