whether they be companions or temptations which do invite him to a contrary course of practise The words of the wise remain with him as nails fastened in the building Eccles 12.11 To hold him stedfast from swarving upon any occasion Thus much be spoken of this first particular viz. The removal or the pruning off and weeding out such superstuities as hinder these plants 2. The next thing to be done is to direct you to some such means and helps as may further the proficiency the growth and flourishing of these plants in the garden of God If you enquire how that may be done I answer By gaining and making good use of these things The Spirit of God the Vine-dressers pains the means and opportunities exercise and good society all which do much conduce hereto Make sure of a principle of life in these plants without which there can be no growth each plant must have a life in it each man a soul and each soul must have the spirit of God in it else all are dead and nothing can be expected from them This Spirit of God is a principle of life gain this Things grow and flourish according to the strength of life in them And as the Soul makes the body strong and active so doth the Spirit of God make our souls 2 Cor. 3.17 18. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty from the burdens and pressures which hinder proficiency viz. the Law in the curse of it and sin in the power of it c. But not at all to vice and licentiousness This Spirit is of such efficacy that it doth transform them that have it into the same likeness or likeness of Christ and of his Spirit that as silver set against the Sun becomes radiant and sendeth forth beams And Moses face shone by conversing with God Exod 34.30 So will it be here Here will be light and lustre a progress from grace to grace and from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 I. This Spirit insuseth life into every part and power of the Soul And as the Soul is in every part the blood is transmitted into every vein and sap into every branch Ap. So this Spirit doth immit and put in life and vigour and sap into every limme and branch and so makes the Tree to live this layes a good foundation and reareth the house which before was not this Spirit of God doth thus begin this work And as this Spirit of God thus infuseth life and layes the foundation c. and begins these trees and buildings so II. It supplies these trees with necessaries and makes each tree to flourish and increase in stature and fruitfulness It furnisheth the house also being built and becautifies every room Else when would this plant and house be useful all would be but empty naked and bare without this Addition But this Spirit puts on new Habits and Qualities in a person which answers the most exquisite Beauty of the choisest plants and the richest Furniture of most sumptuous Buildings III. This Spirit giveth power to the soul to make use of all it hath the Tree in Winter and the man asleep have habits but not the use of them and an unskilful man may have an instrument of Musick or for work but cannot use it so is it with him that wants the Spirit of God He hath a Soul and Body the powers of the one and parts of the other He may be a man of great Abilities for Learning Memory Elocution and other natural and acquired Excelcies but he can make use of none of all these to any purpose but to his owne ruine and destruction till he be indued with this life from above this good Spirit whilest he that hath it hath knowledge and power to make use of all to the best Ends and purposes IV. This Spirit giveth Essicacy to all the means of growth and proficiency a man may use industry about his plants but he cannot give Efficacy nor impart the desired Effect This makes the Word to be a word of grace to us which is able to build us up and to give us an Inheritance among them that are sanctified Acts 20.32 And it enliveneth our prayers with sighs groans which do pierce the Heavens and enter into the Eares of the Lord Almighty Quest Now if you enquire further how this Spirit may be gotten and obtained and being gotten how it may be kept continued withus I answer 1. Wait. 2. Pray 3. Obey 1. Wait for the Spirit of God in the preaching of the Word Mark that Acts 10.44 While Peter yet spake preaching the Word the holy Ghost fell on all the hearers to their conversion salvation This was an happy Sermon and they were happy Hearers Who knows when the Spirit of God like that good Angel John 5. will descend and so trouble or work upon these Water of his Word as to make it alike effectual to heal our Souls to convert cure comfort and strengthem us Those persons Gal. 3.2 5. Received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith preached 2. Pray for the Spirit If we once have but a tast of the Spirit we shall desire and pray for more for a greater measure of it then we had before as Solomon did for Wisdom 1 Kings 3.5 9. He prayes for an understanding or hearing heart to discern between good and bad in Judgement Mark this that wisdom encreaseth by hearing A hearing Heart is very like to become a wise and underderstanding heart and as Elisha did for Elijah's Spirit 2 Kings 2.9 He prayes for a double portion of Elijah's Spirit and you know how they sped for both Solomon and Elisha had their desire to the full their prayers granted with interest Prayer opens Gods Cabinet for thy self thy Friends and others To close this particular mark the practise precept promises and Comparisons used by our Saviour Luke 11.1 to 14. He himself prayes v. 1. Neverthelesse that he was so good so excellent that all fulness of the Spirit yea of the Godhead dwelt in him Col. 1.19 c. He teacheth his Disciples how to pray and prescribes them a Form of prayer to help them in the Duty v. 2.3 4. He presseth importunity in prayer by the comparison of the importunate Friend for Bread at Midnight who obtained because of his importunity v. 5 7 7 8. He promiseth successe to importunate Suitors v. 9 10 13. To the former comparison of the importunate Friend he now addeth another comparison from the natural affection of Parents to their Children v. 11.12 13. which he applyeth with a gracious promise in the end In both which Comparisons there is a strong Argument from the worser to the better from the weaker to the stronger For if the unwilling Friend will give for importunities sake And if Parents that are often wicked as well as weak and poor will give good gifts to their Children How much more will God who is so willing Esay 65.24 who is so great so good
are called the beast of the reeds Gegnar Ghajath Cannae i. Increpa feram Cannae Ar. Mon. Rebuke the beast of the reeds or the company of spear men the multitude of the bulls with the calves of the people Psalm 68.30 Till they submit c. and scatter the people that delight in war Which place is appliable to 1. An unruly Army ill set as Lambert was upon bad designs 2. Or a rude rout of vulgarity bent and resolved upon any vanity or folly You shall find them as unteachable and incorrigible as those Dragons amongst Reeds and Rushes in fertile soils and great plenty of all things Isa 35.7 Those Wild Bulls and Calves Commanders and common Soldiers here mentioned Ap. When multitndes Soldiers and others or both Conjunctim united together are set on mischief like those Idolaters Exod. 32.19 which cost three hundred mens lives in one day they will not only raise uproars and tumults as Demetrius with such assistance did at Ephesus about Diana Acts 19.24 But there is no Action so heathenish or foolish so barbarous or facinorous that they will not be ready to act remember what such did to our Saviour Mat. 27.20 And what such did in England Ian. 30. 1648. to King Charles the first such had need of rebuke till they submit themselves and till they be scattered by the hand of God and of lawful authority I am heartily forry that I must conclude this branch of this Use with an observation of my own experience which is this viz. That I have heard and read many Sermons of these our times In which if you do well view the subject of the discourse in the Text under hand you may perceive a Sword Bright and brandished drawn forth glittering and shining and you would think it would do marvellous or wonderful Execution but when it comes to the upshot if you observe it you shall find as well as I that the Time-serving Preacher hath learned the Art to make the point of this sword so blunt and the edge of it so dull that it shall neither pierce nor cut neither search nor hurt no nor give any wound at all in the sense of the Apostle Heb. 4.12 to them that stand in most need of such a scrutiny I am not ignorant that there are several kinds of preaching viz. That there is a soul-saving a self-pleasing and a time-serving or men-pleasing preaching 1. The last viz. The Tim-serving is best accepted He that can daub with untempered morter and make pillows for mens elbows that can cry peace peace when there is no peace and with lies make the heart of the righteous sad and streng then the hands of the wicked by promising them life Ezek. 13. The Apostle St Paul did not so Gal. 1.10 These are the men that are most accepted whilest they hate him that rebukes or reproves in the gate and abhor him that speaketh uprightly Amos 5.10 2. The second of these viz. The Selfpleasing-Preacher who doth improve all his Abilities Parts Learning Reading Pregnancy of wit or Elegancy of speech c. for oftentation more then edification to set forth himself such a man is a man of esteem Though the religious wise and judicious Auditors can say That he sought his own glory more then the Glory of God ☞ This St. Paul did not though as well able as any for saith he 1 Cor. 2.4 My speech and my preaching was not with entising words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power 3. But the first of these three viz. The Soul-saving Preacher is the only He that does the work heals the wound and effects the cure though he hath least thanks for his labour and is worst respected of all the rest ☞ Yet this is he that hath best studied and learned the Preachers charge and is most careful to observe the rule of God Ezek 3.17 Son of man I have made thee a Watchman unto the house of Israel he hath learned not to be afraid of mens faces nor dismaid at their words though they be among briars and thorns and dwell among Scorpions Ezek. 2.6 Jer. 1.7 Whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak This is his practise and for success and reward he waits upon God And if I may out of unfeigned love to you all and especially to all such as would gladly see the face of our late times of themselves and of their own souls in reference to the Times in a clear Crystal glass which will neither flatter you nor detract from any I would recommend the renowned Sermons preached lately before Honourable Assemblies and upon publick occasions by that truly Reverend Dr John Gauden Preacher at the Temple of whom without prejudice of any others whose learned labours I have also read I will only say in reference to our late Times as Solomons mother doth of the vertuous Wife and that with little variation of the words Many Preachers have done worthily but thou surmountest or excellest them all Prov. 31.30 You have heard the first branch of this Use of Information informing us how to make use of this sword by way of offence against our spiritual enemies viz. against Satan the sins of great men Errours and Heresies the unrighteousness of many and the unruliness of the Multitudes who are set on mischief 2. I do now descend to the second Branch of this use which doth inform how this sword is Defensive of our selves I. In the very subduing of the enemies this sword doth prove to be defensive of our selves 1. Gideon overcame the Midianites Judg. 7. 2. And David the Philistines 2 Sam. 5. 3. Jehoshaphat the Ammonites 2 Chrou 20. 4. Asa the Aethiopians 2 Cron. 14. 5. And the Isralites the Canaanites Num. 11.2.3 All which was done by the Word and Direction of the Lord and by the right use of this Sword of the Spirit as well as by the material Sword the very overthrow of their enemies did produce the safety and preservation of themselves So also when all the godly by the help of God and this sword of the Spirit which God hath directed us to make use of to that end I say when all godly men do overcome and conquer the flesh the devil and the worlds vanities Even in so doing they do defend themselves This is the first way in which this Sword doth prove defensive to us II. This sword is defensive in that it doth instruct and furnish every man for his own proper place calling and imployment of what degree soever This is a teaching sword 1. Joshua was made a wise and valiant Captain Josh 1. 2. Hushai was made a wise Counsellour and overmatched Achithophel by this 3. Solomon was made a wise King by this 1 King 6.3 4. And Timothy a wise Divine 1 Tim. 4.18 5. And the Husbandman is instructed by this Isa 28.23 This is a study for all For Kings Deut. 17.14 18 c. And all others Ap. Now the fitter any man is for his own
be overtaken in a fault c. Yea and bear ye one anothers burthens c. For if any man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceives himself We should be tender in such cases and moderate severity Salsedinem correptionis amor Christi temporet Dilectionem proximi Sal justitiae condiat Let the love of Christ and of our Neighbour temper and season the sharpness of Reproof and punishment for it may be our owne case and nothing should incline us to mercy more then proprii periculi cogitatio that we are in danger of the same non ignara mali c. could Dido say Virgil. ☞ And Note that they commonly are the most severe Judges of other mens faults that are most forgetfull of their own But it should not be so with us we must bear each others Burden by having compassion of our Brethrens failings and infirmities and doing our best to relieve and restore them 8. And lastly To encrease our love and thankfulnesse to God when we are restored recovered as David did when he had been near Hell c. Ps 116. per totum and Hezekiah Esay 38.9 to 21. when he was past all hope of Life and did chatter like the Crane or Swallow and had been in great bitternes yet then the Lord was ready to save him and therefore saith he I will sing my Songs to the stringed Instruments all the days of my life in the House of the Lord v. 20. He would praise the Lord both in publick and private for so great a mercy Thus the memory of Gods mercies should abide with us when the Act is over see Psalm 341 c. as the savour doth in the Box or Bottle when the Civet and hot Water are out or absent Thus the Best may have their Abatements their Troubles and Trials their Clouds and Eclipses in this Life And thus much be answered by way of Concession But now 2. As to the Thing objected I do answer for mitigation 1. To the first touching the stature of perfection c. You must know that all have not the same dimensions of Grace that none can attain to their full growth in this Life do you endeavour it and use the means and you are safe 2. To the second as to their fear of decay in Grace and want of love to it Consider that in Grace there is the newnesse of it at first and the worth of it alwayes Now in our first conversion we are most taken with the Excellency of Grace though we may prize it at as high a Valew and worth ever after As we are with Land and Jewels we are most taken with them at the first yet we valew them at as high a rate many years after The Schoolmen distinguish of Love Intensivè or Appretiativè Let your love to Grace set a valew upon it though the ardour of your Affections do not alwayes flame alike towards it 3. To the third touching the sense of Gods Favour c and the assurance of our own salvation You must consider That no man is alwayes alike either in Bodily health or spiritual Comforts we must expect vicissitudes and bear them And as to our assurance Be sure to secure the Certitudo Adhaerentiae though the Certitudo Evidentiae be absent The Assurance of evidence is haveable by strong Christians but all true Christians have the Assurance of Adherence They are sure they do cleave only to Christ and depend upon him for their salvation and upon no other Saint or Angel c. And to him they live and apply themselves in their Conversation This Assurance being secured the other will follow in Life or Death 4. To the fourth touching Satans Buffettings Temptations c. Neither look to be fully freed from them in this world the best have born them but Glory is coming that will free us from them all Rom. 16 20. Thus much in Answer by way of Mitigation Now thirdly I answer in the way of Consolation to weak Christians That nevertheless the fore-named Scruples Doubts and Fears c. which may be their great Affliction yet their comfort is and may be that they shall not fall away totally and finally from Grace and that upon these Grounds viz. 1. Election 2. Vocation 3. Gods covenant and Promises 4. Christs All-sufficiency and 5. the Seal of the Holy Ghost 1. Election of God is firm and sure an Act of Gods free Grace Hence all things work together for their good c. and who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect c. Rom. 8.28 to 35. For the gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 2. Vocation Our Calling is unto Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 5.10 By which God infuseth into the Elect a principle of Duration and continuance and hereupon it is called Radix insita a Root deeply fastened or setled in us Such have Root in themselves which the seed in the stony ground wanted Mat. 13.20 21. therefore dured or continued but a while Sermo insitus An ingraffed Word which as a graff turns the stock into its owne Nature a Metaphor from graffing c. James 1.21 Or an implanted Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which will grow up encrease and continue long with you Semen manens Immortale a seed remaining in us 1 John 3.9 and we are said to be born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.23 For as Psalm 119.89 We may all say For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in Heaven as David did Unctio manens An Anointing which abideth in men and teacheth them all things 1 John 2.20.27 the Word Spirit of God will safeguard you from false Teachers The Spirit that Anointed Christ for a King and Priest hath also anointed you to be such spiritually Revel 1.6 that you may be able to stand against false Teachers and from Christ as from a Spring or Fountain the Graces of Gods Spirit are communicated to us John 1 16 Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell ☞ This is no new Light to make men contemn their faithfull Godly Teachers Sed contra but a true Light to teach us to honour them and obey their godly Doctrine Spiritus inhabitans the Spirit of God dwelling in them 1 Cor. 3.16 6.19 A most desireable guest which infuseth and supporteth grace in us and will not suddenly change his habitation Let it be our care not to grieve him quench or resist his graces or motions c. but to please him in all things Fons aquaesalientis in vitam aeternam Joh. 4.14 A well of water springing up into everlasting life i.e. The grace and spirit of regeneration with the blessed fruits thereof with which their weary souls shall be so refreshed and they themselves so supplied and furnished with all good That they shall be satisfied as in the