that shine upon our Israelites in the night and darkness that inlightens solitudes full of heavenly company and tears brim-ful of joy and holy sighs like a cooling wind in harvest sweats of love and sick fits that are symptoms of health and holy faintings that are the soul's cordials a weariness to the flesh that is the healthful exercise of and vigor to the spirit and a continual motion that never tires it Geâ—s T. 2. K. K. 4. As Austin said of divine love illò feror quocunque feror pondus meum amor meus it 's the weight of my soul it carries me up and down in all that I speak and all that I act Quae major voluptas quam fastidium ipsius voluptatis Tertul. Eccl. 2.2 c. 7.6 4. Cant. 5.10.2.3 Rev. 2.7 1 Sam. 14.26 2. Its extasies and heavenly raptures which allure and draw the heart from earthly vanities when the soul shuts its eyes to worldly delights and says of laughter with Solomon it is mad and of mirth what dost thou can't warm its thoughts at the crackling of thorns under a pot nor be joyful in the house of fools 'T is the soul's pleasure to loath pleasure it self none so beautiful to him as Christ the chiefest of ten thousand no sweetness like that of the tree in the midst of the Wood the tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God he sits under it with great delight while it drops sweeter than hony into his closet 3. It s admirable prophesies Prayer stands upon mount Zion with a divining presaging spirit It foretells great things to the Churches joy and its enemies terror (f) 1 King 19.6 Elijah at prayer in Horeb receives answer of the ruine of the house of Ahab and bid to go and anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi King over Israel The two witnesses under the (g) Rev. 11. Romish defection have power to smite the earth with plagues as oft as they will consonant to what Tertullian said of old (h) de orat votum Christianorum confusio nationum the prayers of Christians confounded the nations and so it will shortly prove the doom of Babylon comes out of the Temple When the sanctuary is full of the smoak of the incense of prayer Rev. 15.7.8.16 1. the seven Angels come out with the seven last vials full of the wrath of God to pour them out upon the Anti-Christian world Prayer calculates and hastens the ruine of Rome When the spirit of prayer (a) Joel 2.21 32.3.1 2. is once poured out it brings deliverance to mount Zion and gathers the nations into the vally of Jehoshaphat unto judgment Let 's never be discouraged if prayer fall to work and awaken Christ in the ship (b) Luk. 8.24 of the Church her storms will cease in a halcyon calm 4. Its comforting evidences Secret prayer duly managed is a notable evidence of adoption pray to thy Father who is and sees in secret who knows the secrets of thy heart thy groanings are not hid from him Psal 44.21.38 9. None but a child of promise has this sweet freedom with God as a Father 5. Its rewards and revenues Nothing revives and chears the spirit so much as answers of love and mercy from Heaven As it feasts the conscience with the royal dainties of sincerity so it sets a lustre upon every mercy as being the child of prayer our closets influence upon our shops our ships our fields and all we enjoy that they smell of divine blessing as David said of precepts Psal 119.56 the soul may say this I have because I urged the promises Vse 4. To pity the miserable blind world that know not where true comfort Vse 4 joy and strength is to be found that see no beauty in the ways of God Gen. 27.27 and feel no sweetness in communion with him that find no pleasure in closets but play-houses which Tertullian call'd the Devil's Churches that cry out with Esau they have enough Alas what enough can be in the Creature Gen. 33.9 Tertul. de spect c. 25.26 unless of dunghils rattles and vanities Oh how ignorant of Heavenly treasures of that fountain of mercies whereof prayer drinks and resreshes the spirit of a Saint That know not that blessed enough whereof Jacob speaks Gen. 33.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mibi omnia that Ocean of all things to be found in God Now Europe's in flames and the ark in danger he cares not though the one be burnt and the other in ashes so he be safe But if his concerns catch fire he knows not to repair but (f) 1 Sam. 28.7 2 King 1.2 to Endor or Ekron Such have no acquaintance with no help from God no interest in the keeper of souls The world 's a deplorable hospital the great Lazar-house of sick lame and impotent persons as Gerson terms it Gers To. 2.76 6. that have no face nor heart to go to the physician of souls But ah most lamentable is the state of some prostitute wretches of our age that are I fear almost incurably gone with spiritual ulcers in their lungs and eating putrid cancers in their tongues that breath nothing but venom and openly spit out their rotten Atheistical jeers against the spirit of prayer and make a mock at communion with God That scoff at what God hath promised as one of the choicest tokens of his love to the Church Zech. 12.10 Joel 2.28 32. Rom. 10.13 Joh. 7.39 and symptoms of the glory of the latter times when God will turn such Ishmaels into the desert Amos 8.10 Job 30.31 and their drunken Songs shall expire in dreadful howlings Prophaner than many heathens that in the Primitive times had some reverence for Christian worship though they persecuted But those of this adulterous Romish age 2 Pet. 2.12 like brute beasts speak evil of what they are ignorant and are in danger to perish utterly in their own corruption pity such if there be yet hope and commend their condition to God's mercy and penitent sorrow that they may weep here where tears prick not in hell where they scauld and burn and swell that river of brimstone Gerson T. 2. 49. KK 3. In the mean time O ye that fear the Lord be diligent to observe and interpret messages after secret prayer for the life and joy of a Christian is improved by it God has declared himself graciously pleased with secret prayer Dan. 9.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vâ—lans in lassitudine so as to send an Angel that glorious creature to fly into Daniel's chamber and he weary with flying he moved so swiftly volans in lassitudine as the original text expresses it What a high expression is this that even Angels are represented weary with hasty flights to bring Saints their answers and of what great account does the Lord esteem his praying people that Angels are exprest to be tired in bringing tidings of mercy 6. Meditate on
then follows song and praise This streams from the sense of divine love and love is the fountain of thankfulness and of all spritely and vigorous services that prayer that does not end in chearful obedience is called by Cyprian â—e Orat. p. â—7 oratio sterilis and preces nudae barren and unfruitful naked and without ornament and so we may glance upon the expression of holy James the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 5.16 a working prayer within will be working without and demonstrate the labour of love 2. Obs The principal subject-matter of prayer the mark the white that the arrow of prayer is shot at the scope it aims at there 's usually some special sin unconquer'd some untamed corruption some defect some pressing strait that drives the soul to prayer and is the main burden of the spirit take notice how such a sin withers or such a grace flourishes or such a need supplied upon the opening our hearts in prayer Watch unto prayer Eph. 6.18 watch to perform it and then to expound the voice of the divine oracle and to know that ye are successful Cry to thy soul by vvay of holy soliloquy Watchman Isa 21.11 what of the night 3. Obs Ensuing providences Set a vigilant eye upon succeeding passages examine them as they pass before thee set a wakeful centinel at the posts of vvisdom His name is near his wondrous works declare His name of truth Psal 75 1. his glorious title of hearing prayers When prayer is gone up by the help of the spirit mark hovv all things work together for good Rom. 8.28 v. 27. Isa 58.9 11. and note the connexion there the working of things together follows the intercession of the Spirit for all Saints God is pleased often to speak so clearly by his vvorks as if he said here I am I will guide thee continually and thou shalt be like a watered garden whose waters fail not Secret promises animate prayer and open providences expound it Isa 45 4 11 19. Cyrus was promised to come against Babylon for the Churches sake But Israel must ask it of God and they had a vvord for it that they should not seek his face in vain Psal 107.19 20. and then follows Babylon's fall in the succeeding chapters When we cry unto the Lord in trouble he sends his vvord of command and heals us There 's a set time of mercy a time of life when Abraham had prayed for a son the Lord told him Gen. 15.2 18.10.14 Esth 4.16 6.1 Psal 3.4.5 Eliezer Gen. 24.15 at the time appointed I 'le return In a great extremity after the solemn fast of three days by the Jews in Shushan and the Queen in her Palace on the fourth day at night the King could not sleep and must hear the Chronicles of Persia read and then follows Haman's ruine Prayer has a strange vertue to give quiet sleep sometimes to a David and sometimes a waking pillow for the good of the Church When Jacob had done wrestling and the Angel gone at the springing of the morning then the good man saw the Angel of God's presence in the face of Esau Sometimes providence is not so quick Rev 6.11 the Martyr's prayer as to compleat answer is deferred for a season but long white robes are given to every one a triumphant frame of spirit and told they should wait but a little season till divine justice should work out the issue of prayer the thunder upon God's enemies comes out of the temple the judgments roar out of Zion Rev. 11.19 Joel 3.16 the place of divine audience but the means and methods and times of God's working are various such as we little forethink Submit all to his infinite wisdom prescribe not but observe the Embroidery of Providence its difficult to spell its characters sometimes but 't is rare employment (d) Isa 64.5 Psal 111 2â— Eccl. 3.11 2 Sam. 23.4 His vvorks are searcht into by such as delight in his providences for all things are beautiful in his season 4. Mark thy following communion vvith God Inward answers make the soul veget and lively like plants after the shining of the Sun upon rain lift up their heads and shoot forth their flowers A Saint in favour does all with delight Isa 61.3 Answer of prayer is like oil to the spirits and beauty for ashes The sackcloth of mournful fasting is turned to a wedding garment He grows more free and yet humbly familiar vvith heaven This is one I vvould wish you to pick acquaintance vvith that can come and have what (h) Joh. 16 23. Gen. 20.7 he vvill at Court. As the Lord once told a King by night that Abraham was a Prophet and vvould pray for him he vvas acquainted vvith the King of heaven O blessed person I hope there 's many such among you vvhose life is a continued prayer Psal 109.4 As David that gave himself to prayer Heb. But I prayer he 's all over prayer prays at rising prays at lying down prays as he walks he 's always ready for prayer like a prime favourit at Court that has the golden key to the privy stairs and can vvake his Prince by night Christians there are such whatever the besotted profane world dreams vvho are ready for spiritual ascents at all seasons besides the frequency of set communions His wings never vveary his willing spirit is flying continually and makes God the rock of his dwelling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into which he may upon all assaults have holy retirements Psal 71.3 But so much for the main Question with its branches There be many particular queries of some weight that may attend the princ pal subject and such I shall briefly reply to as Qu 1. What 's the proper time for secret prayer Ans Various providences different temperaments and frames of spirit motions from heaven opportunities dictate variously Some find it best at even others in the night when all is silent others at morning when the spirits are freshest I think with respect to others that conscientious prudence must guide in such cases when others are retired and the spirit in the best frame for communion Qu. 2. How often should we pray in secret Ans If we consult Scripture-president we find David at prayer in the morning our blessed Lord early before day in the morning Psal 5.3 Mark 1.35 Chrys in Psal 5. p. 542 Etim Mat. 14 23. Gen. 24.63 Psal 55.17 Dâ—n 6 10. Psal 119.164 Chrysostom advises 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. wash thy soul before thy body for as the face and hands are cleansed by water so is the soul by prayer At another time our Lord went to secret prayer in the even and Isaac went to prayer in the eventide David and Daniel pray'd three times a day and once 't is mentioned that David said seven times a day will I praise thee that is very often Such cases may happen that
doth God mean to give me such a command as never to any one else in this world He consults not his Wife Oh what will Sarah say He sticks not at what might expose Religion What will the Heathen say You may well suppose great struglings between Nature and Grace but God seemed to press upon him with this Question Whether dost thou love me or thy child most Abraham doth as it were answer Nay Lord if that be the question it shall soon be decided how and where thou pleasest Another instance we have in Moses (k) Exod. 3.13 and 33.15.18 if you will compare two or three Scriptures Moses at first he enquires of God as we do of a stranger what is his Name upon Gods further discovery he begs more of his special presence and upon God's granting of that his Love grows bold and he said I beseech thee shew me thy Glory upon his finding God propitious he begs that God would remove the cloud and shew him as much of his Glory as he was possibly able to bear the sight of Take one instance more and that is of Paul who thinking God might have more glory by saving of many than by saving of him was willing to quit the happiness of salvation for not the least Grace much less grace in the height of it could possibly choose a necessity of hating and blaspheming God which is the venom of Damnation but his Love to God is greater than his love to himself and so he 'l reckon himself happy without Glory provided God may be more glorified And thus I have produced three Examples of one before the Law one under the Law and one under the Gospel How will you receive it if I shall venture to say We have in some respect more cause to love God than any than all these Persons put together What singular gleams of warm Love from God they had more than we are in some respects exceeded by the noon-day light and heat of Gospel-love that we have more than they What love-visits God was pleased to give them are excelled by Christs as to them extraordinary presence among us What was to them a Banquet is to us our daily bread God opens the windowes of heaven to us God opens his very heart to us We may read more of the Love of God to us in one day than they could in their whole Life 2. Angels that unweariedly behold the face of God (l) Mat. 18.10 they refuse nothing that may evidence their love to God 'T is ordinarily the Devils work to be the Executioners of Gods wrath it is said (m) Psal 78.49 he cast upon them the fierceness of his anger wrath and indignation and trouble by sending evil Angels among them but the good Angels will not stick at it when God requires it (n) 2 King 19.35 The Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians 185000. But now we have more cause to love God than the Angels God hath expressed greater Love to us in Christ than he hath to them He took no hold of Angels c. (o) Heb. 2.16 not any one of them receiv'd so much as the pardon of any one sin God would not bear with them in so much as the least tittle So soon as they ceased to love God with a perfect love God hated them with a perfect hatred And for the blessed Angels (p) Heb. 1.14 are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation but none of the Saints are to minister to the Angels in any thing How should we love such a Master but I have a Pattern to commend to you above the Angels 3. Christ and oh that the mention of Christs Love to his Father might transport us though Christ did nothing but (q) Joh. 8.29 what pleased his Father Christ suffered every thing that might please him ( ) Phil. 2.8 Christ obeyed every Command endured every Threatning that it was possible to endure and that to the intensive extent of them yet God dealt more hardly with Christ than ever he doth with any of us (s) Isa 53.10 It pleased the Father to bruise him and to put him to grief whereas the Church in the midst of her Lamentations must acknowledge (t) Lam. 3.33 he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men yet Christ pray'd (u) Joh 17.23 that the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me Should not we then pray and strive to love God as near as it is possible as Christ loved him Christ had not one hard thought of Gods severe Justice no not when he endur'd what was equivalent to the eternal torments of the Damned and shall our love shrink at Gods fatherly Chastisements Christs love to God did not abate while God poured out his Wrath and shall ours abate under Medicinal Providences whatever our outward condition is in this World 't is better than Christ's Thus I have endeavoured to acquaint you what Abilities are requisite and how to attain them that you may love God c. How to improve and augment our love to God 4. How to improve and augment all our possible abilities to love God with all our Heart Soul Mind and Strength and for this I shall give you one general yet singular direction though I must inform direct and press several things under it and that is set your selves to love God Set upon it as you are able do for the engaging of your love to God as you would do for engaging your hearts in love to a person commended to you for marriage Here 's a person commended to you which you never saw nor before heard of All the report you can hear speaks a great suitableness in the person and consequently happiness in the match you thereupon entertain the motion and a treaty to see whether reports be true and affections feasible though at first you find no affection on either side yet if you meet with no discouragements you continue converse till by a more intimate acquaintance there ariseth a more endearedness of affection at length a non-such love becomes mutual Do something like this in spirituals I now solemnly bespeak your highest love for God Perhaps God and thy soul are yet strangers thou hast not yet met with him in his ordinances nor savingly heard of him by his spirit Don't slight the overture for from thy first entertainment of it thou wilt be infinitely happy Every thing of Religion is at first uncouth the work of mortification is harsh and the work of holâ—ness difficult but practice will facilitate them and make thee in love with them so the more thou acquaintest thy self with God the more thou canst not but love him especially considering that God is as importunate with thee for thy love as if his own happiness was concern'd whereas he is infinitely above receiving benefit
benefit of holiness the more holy you may be 2. Knowledge will be most useful for the Avoiding of sin The more knowledg you have of the nature of sin the abundance of it in your selves its offensiveness to God The more knowledg you have of the rule the exactness the purity the Spirituality and extent of the Law and so the better able you are to judge what sin is and what its consequences are the better you may escape it The clearer your knowledg and the stronger your convictions are of the evil of sin the more Arguments you are furnished with to perswade your hearts against it A good treasure of Spiritual knowledg will best help you to maintain your Spiritual warfare When you know not only your Leader and your weapons and your reward but your Enemies too and their stratagems and way of lighting you are like then to be most couragious in your combate 3. Knowledg will be greatly useful to you for your Profiting by ordinances The better you understand the nature and use and ends of them the more good you are like to get by them The more you know of the word the more you will still learn by it If the foundation of Spiritual knowledg be well laid Ordinances will more easily build you up Not only the work of Ministers would be more easie if their hearers were better Catechized there would not be such danger of missing the mark by shooting over peoples heads they would not lose so much labour nor spend so much strength in vain they should not need so much to study plainness and be inculcating principles and lisping out the first rudiments of Religion as to those that are but babes in knowledg But hearers likewise would receive the word with more profit they would more easily be brought down under convictions feel the power of Exhortations be quickned to duties yield to reproofs entertain admonitions and tast the sweetness of God's consolations and so more easily obtain the end of their hearing To conclude if your understandings were more enlightned your affections would either be sooner warmed or their heat be more regular if more truth were known more duty would be done if our doctrine were better understood our application would be more effectual 2. Spiritual knowledg is most delightful Prov. 24.13 14. The knowledg of wisdom is said to be to the soul as the hony and hony-comb to the taste The knowledg of truth which is the proper object of the understanding doth usually carry something of pleasure in it and the more excellency there appears in any truth the more delectable a thing it is to know it But there be no truths so excellent as Spiritual ones such as concern God and Christ and the mysteries of Salvation and therefore the knowledg of none is so delightful What high and refined delights doth the contemplation of God in all his holy attributes and excellencies afford to glorious Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect How do those Heavenly creatures despise the gross and faeculent pleasures of the sensual World And though Saints here upon Earth cannot rise so high in their delights because not so high in their knowledg yet they may find incomparably more pleasure in knowing the things of God even according to their present capacity than the greatest voluptuaries can in the enjoyment of the creature If a Philosopher can take more pleasure in the study of nature or a Mathematician in his demonstrations than a sensualist can in his feasts and treatments if lines and angles can do more for the mind of the one than meats and drinks for the palat of the other How far then do the delights a gracious soul finds in the study and search of Divine truths transcend both And this pleasure is yet more heightned by the Interest Saints have in the truths they know when they are not only excellent in themselves but of the greatest consequence to them To know God and that as their God to know Christ and that he is a Christ for them to know the Saints priviledges and that they belong to them to know the promises and that they have a share in them to know there is a Heaven a state of future glory and blessedness and that themselves are concerned in it this must needs be a delightful knowledg You can take some pleasure in seeing a rich country and pleasant seat and fine houses but much more if you see them as they that are to inherit them If a natural man may take some pleasure in the mere notion of divine truths how much more may he do it that is concerned in them 3. This knowledg doth greatly adorn and beautifie the Soul It is a considerable part of the soul's perfection Col. 3.10 The Image of God is said to consist as in righteousness and true holiness so likewise in knowledg How full of it was Adam in Paridise And how full of it are Angels in Heaven The more men know of God the more like they are to him and the more they resemble him the more beautiful and perfect they are You count a clear eye not only useful to the body but a piece of beauty in it Light in the mind is an ornament to the Soul as well as a help Saints in Heaven that are most perfect are most knowing and the fulness of their knowledg is a great part of their perfection 4. It is a most becoming thing most suitable to you as Christians suitable to your new nature your new state your Spiritual relations and Spiritual priviledges It ill becomes them who are called into Gods marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Who are the children of Light Eph. 5.8 and the children of him who is the Father of Lights Jam. 1.17 they that are said to be in the Light 1. Joh. 2.9 nay to be Light Eph. 5.8 yet to he without light An ignorant Saint is as great a Soloecism in Christianity as a Graceless Saint and that is such a Saint as is no Saint 5. Consider the mischief and danger of ignorance 1. It exposeth you to errors and delusions Math. 22.29 Who so apt to be misled as he that hath no eyes He that knows not which is the right way may easily be drawn into a wrong one He that walks in darkness knows not whither he goes Joh. 12.35 Affection is a good follower but a bad leader It is too blind to be a guide It embraces its object and yet knows it not It must be beholden to the eye of the mind light in the understanding or else all its motions will be but wandrings It will be sure to rove where it is not led It is an egregious paralogism of them that argue against the translation of the Scriptures into vulgar languages that that is the way to increase errors and divisions among Christians For that multitude of errors which is among us is not the effect of too much knowledg but too little as Mens losing
is the very spring upon which the holy conversation of the whole week is turned and moved And therefore it is observable that the Sabbath stands as it were betwixt the two Tables the last precept of the first Table and the Preface to the Second To shew us that it is the Bond of union between both Tables that without a severe sanctification of the Sabbath the Duties of both Tables will fall to the ground Whence in the Primitive times of Christianity the strict observation of the Sabbath was accounted the principall character of a true Saint And so it is even at this day there are such Christians for exemplary holiness as those which are taken notice of to make most conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath But so much for the second duty I come now to the Third Branch or Duty of Duties wherein sabbath-sanctification consists Sc. Honourable If thou call it or make it or keep it as an Honourable day Heb. Mecubbar which signifieth honourable or glorious The Duty implied is we must keep the Sabbath as the Honourable Glorious Day of Jehovah Truly glorious things are spoken of this Honourable Day The Jews were wont to call it the Queen of Days the week-days they called prophane days but the Sabbath after Gods example here they called Holy My Holy Day saith God it 's Gods peculiar One of ours now translated into his glorious rest honours it thus calling it The Map of heaven the golden spot of the week Vide Mr. Gee Swinnock in his good wish to the Lords day the market-day of the soul the day-break of eternal brightness the Queen of days the blessed amongst days the cream of time the Epitome of eternity Heaven in a glass the first-fruits of an everlasting and blessed Harvest and much more to that purpose The week-days are as it were the back-parts of the week made to carry burdens a meer Servant or Slave made to do the drudgery of the humane life The Sabbath is the face the seat of Majesty which God hath made to look upward and to contemplate the glory of the Heavens and of the maker thereof The week-days are like the Terrestrial Globe wherein are painted to us the Earth with the inferiour and more ignoble creatures The Sabbath is the Celestial Globe Heb. 12.22 23 24. wherein we have the prospect of Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and of an innumerable company of Angels of the general assembly and Church of the first-born and of God the Judge of all and of the spirits of just men made perfect and of Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant c. The beholding of these glorious visions truly beatifical are the work of a Sabbath Moreover to discover to you the glory of a Sabbath consider we another excellent passage in our quoted Author ut sup speaking of the Sabbath All the graces triumph in Thee All the Ordinances conspire to enrich Thee The Father ruleth Thee The Son rose upon Thee The Spirit hath overshadowed Thee Thus it is done to the Day which the Lord delighteth to honour on Thee light was created the Holy Ghost descended Life hath been restored Satan subdued the Grave Death and Hell conquered c. Much more might be added but rather The Question Question is When do we make the Sabbath or how may we make it to us an Honourable Glorious day Answer 1 Then we call the Sabbath Honourable when we make Honourable preparation for it To which purpose it is useful to mind seriously that word which stands as a watch-man at the door of the fourth Commandment Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy Remember It is like the Baptist the voice of one crying prepare ye the way of the Lord or that Eccl. 5.1 keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God c. It calls for solemn preparation for a Sabbath and the ordinances of a Sabbath a duty wofully neglected amongst Christians some little preparation people make for a Sacrament and it is to be feared there is more of superstition in it than Evangelical affection to the day consisting rather in a Ceremonial abstinence from meat and drinks than a serious separation of the heart and affections for communion with God But as to the Sabbath there is rarely any thing to separate between the drudgery of the week and the solemnities of the sabbath but a little sleep and that usually less than any other night is allowed people loading the Saturday-night with so many worldly affairs that the Lords-day-morning is too little to satisfie their sluggish indulgences of the flesh and there is not time either for closet or domestick devotion they cannot force themselves out of their bed time enough to join with the Congregation until half the publick worship be finished The Jews shall rise up against this generation and shall condemn them of whom it is reported they were so severe in their parascueves or preparations for the Sabbath which were precisely to begin at three of the clock in the afternoon Buxtorf that if the servants in the Family were cast behind in dispatching the servile labour of the Family the Master of the house though he were a Nobleman would not refuse to set his hand to the lowest drudgery that they might observe the punctual time of preparation this argued an honourable estimation of the Sabbath 2. Then we call it honourable when we give it honourable entertainment When we awaken our selves in such good time yet so as we may not indispose nature for the service of the day as David did Psal 108.2 awake my Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake right early I say to get up early in the morning Maâ—h 28.1 to meet our blessed Lord and Bridegroom coming from his Sepulchre to visit us That which is but fancied of the natural Sun its dancing upon Easter-day in the morning for joy of the Lords Resurrection I have known reallized by some excellent Christians whose hearts have not only leaped in them but themselves have hasted out of their beds and have leaped and skipped up and down in their chamber when the morning light of the Sabbath hath shined on them in remembrance of the Sun of Righteousness arising from the grave with healing under his wings Such extraordinary impulses and ravishments are not every Christians attainment and must not be imitated to the prejudice of the Body the spirit may be willing but the flesh is weak but certainly every Christian that hath the love of Christ shed abroad in his heart will be careful to abate himself somewhat of his wonted indulgences on that morning which was his redeemers Birth-day that he may have time to get on his wedding Garment by meditation Psal 2.7 reading and prayer that he may go forth to meet him whom his soul loveth in the publick solemnities of the Sabbath and bring him home with him into the chamber of her that conceived him
with most Spiritual profit I shall conclude all with two Corollaries 1. Content not your selves with the bare reading of Scripture but labour to find some spiritual increment and profit Get the Word transcribed into your hearts Psal 37.31 The Law of God is in his heart Never leave till you are assimilated into the Word Such as profit by reading of the Book of God are the best Christians alive they answer God's cost they credit Religion they save their Souls 2. You who have profited by reading the Holy Scriptures adore God's distinguishing grace Bless God that he hath not only brought the light to you but opened your eyes to see it that he hath unlocked his hid Treasure and enriched you with saving knowledge Some perish by not having Scripture and others by not improving it That God should pass by Millions in the World and the Lot of his Electing Love should fall upon you that the Scripture like the pillar of Cloud should have a dark-side to others but a light-side to you that to others it should be a dead letter but to you the Savour of Life that Christ should not only be revealed to you but in you Gal. 1.16 How should you be in an holy extasie of wonder and wish that you had hearts of Seraphims burning in love to God and the voices of Angels to make Heaven ring with God's Praises Object But some of the Godly may say they fear they do not profit by the Word they read Resp As in the body when there is a Lipothymy or Fainting of the vital Spirits Cordials are applied so let me apply a few Divine cordials to such as are ready to faint under the fear of non-proficiency 1. You may profit by reading the Word though you come short of others The ground which brought forth but thirty fold was good Ground Mat. 13.8 Say not you are Non-proficients because you do not go in Equipage with other eminent Saints those were counted strong men among David's Worthies though they did not attain to the honour of the first three 2 Sam. 23.19 2. You may profit by reading the Word though you are not of so quick apprehension Some impeach themselves of Non-proficiency because they are but slow of understanding When our blessed Saviour foretold his sufferings the Apostles themselves understood not and it was Hid from them Luke 9.45 The Author to the Hebrews speaks of some who were Segnes auribus dull of hearing Heb. 5.11 Yet they belonged to the Election Such as have weaker judgments may have stronger affections Leah was tender-eyed yet fruitful A Christian's intellectuals may be less quick and penetrating yet that little knowledg he hath of Scripture keeps him from Sin as a man that hath but weak sight yet it keeps him from falling into the water 3. You may profit by reading Scripture though you have not so excellent memories Many complain their memories leak Nec retinent patulae commissa sidelitèr (y) Hâ—â— aures Christian-art thou grieved thou canst remember no more then for thy comfort 1. Thou mayst have a good heart though thou hast not so good a memory 2. Though thou canst not remember all thou readest yet thou remembrest that which is most material and which thou hast most need of At a Feast we do not eat of every dish but we take so much as nourisheth 'T is with a Good Christian's memory as it is with a lamp though the lamp be not full of oyl yet it hath so much oyl as makes the lamp burn though thy memory be not full of Scripture yet thou retainest so much as makes thy love to God burn Then be of good comfort thou dost profit by what thou readest and take notice of that encouraging Scripture John 14.26 The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost he shall bring all things to your remembrance How we may make Melody in our Hearts to God in Singing of Psalms Serm. IX Ephes 5.19 Speaking to our selves in Psalms Hymns and spiritual Songs and making Melody in your Hearts to the Lord. IN the former part of this Chapter especially in the fourth Verse we have the Apostle checking carnal Mirth and accounting that a Sin which the Heathen Philosophers especially Aristotle in his Ethicks made a Vertue viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kind of jesting which they supposed was an ornament to their speech and a specimen of their ingenuity But in this Verse where the Text is we have the Apostle commending spiritual Mirth which he approves as a Duty which the Heathens especially in the primitive times accounted a Crime In the Verse going before the Text we have the Apostle condemning a Vice universally reputed so both by Christians and Heathens viz. Intemperance which doth usually frollick it in putidos sermones into foolish speeches fond gestures E vini 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oritur laetitia quaedam sed impura quae tuming stibus tum inputidis sermoniâ—us se prodit Bod. impure Songs wanton Sonnets as Bodius observes But here in the Text the Apostle teacheth us a more refined way of rejoycing viz. To tune the heart in Psalms to raise the heart in Hymns and to vent the heart in spiritual Songs nay to make the heart a Quire where spiritual Musick may be chanted In the Text we have five parts remarkable viz. 1. The Singers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians especially those who dwelt in the City of Ephesus Christians understand how to rejoyce in God their hearts can so set the Tune that God shall hear the Musick Zanchy well observes that the Apostle doth here make the Comparison between the Mirth which is made ex ubertate Vini from abundance of Wine and that which is made ex ubertate Spiritus from abundance of the Spirit The Drunkard's Song how toyish but the Saint's singing how triumphal how confused the one how sweet the other how empty the one even to the very Companions of their Cups and Mirth but how melodious the other even to the Lord himself And he gravely takes notice that gaudent pii sed garriunt ebrii Saints rejoyce but Intemperate persons drivel in their chat 2. The Song it self and here the Apostle runs division Cantio sacra est vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bod. Psalmi propriè ad locum Ethicum pertinent In Hymnis Dei beneficia facta miramur Qui vero concordiam consensum mundi contemplatur ille spirituali â—anticum canit Hier. diversifying Songs into three species which according to the descants of Learned men may be thus understoood And here Hierom gives us a dextrous Interpretation 1. Psalms saith he may belong to moral things what we ought to put in use and practise 2. Hymns may belong to sacred things what we ought to meditate on and to contemplate as the Power Wisdom Goodness and Majesty of
medicinable Let the thoughts of old sins stir up a commotion of anger and hatred We feel shiverings in our spirits and a motion in our blood at the very thought of a bitter Potion we have formerly taken why may we not do that spiritually which the very frame and constitution of our bodies doth naturally upon the calling a lothsom thing to mind The Romans sins were transient but the shame was renewed every time they reflected on them †Rom. 6.21 Whereof you are now ashamed they reacted a detestation instead of the pleasure so should the revivings of old sins in our memories be entertain'd with our sighs rather than our joy We should also manage the opportunity so as to promote some further degrees of our conversion * Psal 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies There is not the most hellish motion but we may strike some sparks from it to kindle our love to God renew our repentance raise our thankfulness or quicken our obedience Is it a blasphemous motion against God It gives you a just occasion thence to awe your heart into a deeper reverence of His Majesty Is it a lustful thought Open the floud-gates of your godly sorrow and groan for your original sin Is it a remembrance of your former sin Let it wind up your heart in the praises of him who delivered you from it Is it to tempt you from duty Endeavour to be more zealous in the performance of it Is it to set you at a distance from God Resolve to be a light shining the clearer in that darkness and let it excite you to a closer adherence to him Are they envious thoughts which steal upon you Let thankfulness be the product that you enjoy so much as you do and more than you deserve Let Satan's fiery darts enflame your love rather than your Lust and like a skilful Pilot make use of the violence of the winds and raging of the Sea to further you in your spiritual voyage This is to beat the Devil and our own hearts with their own weapons who will have little stomach to fight with those arms wherewith they see themselves wounded There is not a remembrance of the worst objects but may be improved to humility and thankfulness as St. Paul never thought of his old persecuting but he sank down in humiliation and mounted up in admirations of the riches of grace 4. Continue your resistance if they still importune thee and lay not down thy weapons till they wholly shrink from thee As the wise man speaks of a fool's words so I may not only of our blacker Eccl. 10.13 but our more acrial phancies The beginning of them is foolishness but if suffered to gather strength they may end in mischievous madness therefore if they do continue or reassume their arms we must continue and reassume our shield * Eph 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking up again Resistance makes the Devil and his imps fly but forbearance makes them impudent In a battel when one party faints and retreats it adds new spirits to the enemy that was almost broken before so will these motions be the more vigorous if they perceive we begin to flag That encouraging command Resist the Devil and he will flye from you †Jam 4.7 implies not only the beginning a fight but continuance in it till he doth fly We must not leave the field till they cease their importunity nor encrease their courage by our own cowardise 5. Joyn Supplication with your opposition Watch and pray are sometimes linkt together * Mat. 26 41. The diligence and multitude of our enemies should urge us to watch that we be not surpriz'd and our own weakness and proneness to presumption should make us pray that we may be powerfully assisted Be as frequent in solliciting God as they are in solliciting you as they knock at your heart for entrance so do you knock at heaven for assistance And take this for your comfort As the Devil takes their parts so Christ will take yours at his Father's Throne he that pray'd that the Devil might not winnow Peter's faith will intercede that your own heart may not winnow yours If the waves come upon you and you are ready to sink cry out with Peter Master I perish and you shall feel his hand raising you and the winds and waves rebuked into obedience by him The very motion of your hearts heaven-ward at such a time is a refusal of the thought that presseth upon you and will be so put upon your account When any of these buzzing flies discompose you or more violent hurricanes shake your minds cry out with David Psal 86.11 12. Vnite my heart to fear thy Name and a powerful word will soon silence these disturbing enemies and settle your souls in a calm and a praising posture 4. A fourth sort of directions is concerning good motions whether they spring naturally from a gracious principle or are peculiarly breath'd in by the spirit There are ordinary bubblings of grace in a renewed mind as there are of sins in an unregenerate heart for grace is as active a principle as any because 't is a participation of the divine nature But there are other thoughts darted in beyond the ordinary strain of thinking which like the beams of the Sun evidence both themselves and their original And as concerning these motions joyn'd together take these Directions in short 1. Welcom and entertain them As 't is our happiness as well as our duty to stifle evil motions so 't is our misery as well as our sin to extinguish heavenly Strange fire should be presently quench'd but that which descends from heaven upon the Altar of a holy soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polycarp Epist ad Phil. terms holy persons must be kept alive by quickning meditation When a holy thought lights suddenly upon you which hath no connexion with any antecedent business in your mind provided it be not unseasonable nor hinder you from any absolutely necessary duty either of religion or your calling receive it as a messenger from heaven and the rather because 't is a stranger You know not but you may entertain an Angel yea something greater than an Angel even the Holy Ghost Open all the powers of your souls like so many Organ-pipes to receive the breath of this Spirit when he blows upon you 'T is a sign of an agreeableness between the heart and heaven when we close with and preserve spiritual motions We need not stand long to examine them they are evident by their holiness sweetness and spirituality We may as easily discern them as we can exotick plants from those that grow naturally in our own soil or as a palate at the first taste can distinguish between a rich and generous wine and a rough water The thoughts instill'd by the Spirit of adoption are not violent tumultuous full
grain of mustard-seed it will remove mountains 't is not imaginable what great things a little grace will do when stirr'd up and acted the strength of God is in it out of the mouths of babes and sucklings he ordains strength Psal 8.12 The smallest degree of true grace is able to secure it self against the gates of hell at least so far as to prevent a total overthrow Nay let me say further though with submission I am perswaded that never any child of God fell before a temptation under the actual exercise of that measure of grace be it more or less that God hath given him to withstand it I do not Arminianize upon facienti quod in se est c. I speak not of the power of nature but true grace acted to the highest degree of attainment 't is that which does great things and hath the blessing he that is faithful in a little shall be ruler over much but if the good man slumber and sleep no wonder if the enemy break in upon him when we are putting forth our selves to the utmost in any conflicts with Satan God with the temptation will find out a way of escape that we may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 in that very hour it shall be given Mark 13.11 Mat. 10.19 when we seem to be surpriz'd and over-matched by a temptation God will come in with more strength and out of weakness we shall become strong Heb. 11.34 thus little David overcomes great Goliah with a sling and a stone the Devil himself flyes from the Children of God when they resist him in the strength of that grace they have to him that hath shall be given the weak shall be as David and David as God vel as the Angel of God Many times weak Christians don't put forth that strength which they have would they but lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Heb. 12.12 their spirits would return and their courage would increase and something might be done but alas they give way to their fears and despairing thoughts lye flat upon the ground and give up all for lost they don't attend to the actings of their hope whilest it goes by another name all is despair as good never a whit as never the better 't is to no purpose for them to do any thing they are past recovery undone for ever O my brethren don't give the Devil such an advantage against you but set your selves to act that grace you have be it never so little look among the ashes blow up the least sparks you see you don't know how soon it may break out into a flame and remember this that repeated acts of weak grace are equivalent to strong grace both as to thy success and God's acceptation who requires no more of thee than what is proportionable to that which he hath given to thee 7. Consider that all graces are joyn'd with their contraries in this state of imperfection here below no faith but is unequally yoked with some unbelief no hope without some despair and desponding that which is perfect is not yet come and that which is imperfect is not yet done away we are flesh as well as spirit and they two are contraries As there is some kind of hope in presumption so there may be some kind of despair in hope no degree of true Christian hope is consistent with the damning sin of final despair but some degrees of despondency and that which thou callest despair and which in a degree is so may be consistent with saving hope and so it holds true in all other graces from that mixture of corruption wherein the weakness of every grace doth lye yet grace is grace still hath all its essential parts and deserves not that nick-name which thou puttest upon it all dimness is not stark blindness every cloud doth not make mid-night what must you have all or none 't is indeed a sign of sincerity to covet all grace and as true a sign of humility and submission to the will of God thankfully to accept of a little owning those first fruits of the Spirit which in due time will be seconded with an after increase to thy plenary content and satisfaction our heavenly Father waters every plant of his own planting that it may bring forth more fruit therefore do not call every weak act of Hope despair do not call every fit of despair final despair what if the Sun be set must it never rise more if thou art cast down art thou utterly forsaken if mercy is at present gone out of thy sight must it be clean gone for ever these are but the breakings out of those peccant humours that will be predominant sometimes in the best of men By what hath been said we may answer those Objections which the Devil makes against our hope from the weakness of it I have but one thing more to add by way of direction to weak Believers who are never in more danger of being drawn into despair than when they are musing upon their sins examining and judging themselves by the Law charging themselves home with all that guilt that lyes upon them in order to their further humiliation in the sight of God then does the Devil many times strike in and suggest such frightful considerations to them that make them start back further than God would have them Therefore I shall now shew how we should prepare our selves for how we should order and manage our selves under a deep and serious consideration of our sins and unworthyness which we are called to and it is requisite the swelling temper of our proud hearts requiring it sometimes to set our selves apart for this work Zach. 12.12 The Direction is this Take down along with thee into the Valley of conviction contrition and self-abhorrency so much of a sense of Gods love and free grace in Christ as may keep thee from being overwhelm'd and from sinking into despair before you set out be sure you have some hold at least of the hemm of the garment of Christs righteousness you know not what foul weather what storms and tempests what thunder and lightning you may meet with before you return carry your cordial along with you though you never smell to it or tast it but in a fainting fit my meaning is you should take at least some general view of mercy before you take a strict particular view of sin usually they are the deepest and truest humiliations that are occasion'd by some previous sense of Gods love to us Ezek. 16.61 63. A man that is to go down into a deep pit he does not throw himself head-long into it or leap down at all adventures but fastens a rope at top upon a cross beam or some sure place and so lets himself down by degrees So let thy self down into the consideration of thy sin hanging upon Christ and when thou art gone so low that thou canst endure no longer but art ready to be overcome
and righteous judge the case is thine and mine infinitely more dreadful than between a malefactor and a magistrate my sins are innumerable the least is mortal God is judge and hell is the prison wrath horrour fire the worm and all endless that is the punishment the judge is and cannot be otherwise than most true and righteous what comfort can I think to find now from God absolute i. e. without relation to Christ behold instead of comfort a devouring flame and instead of joy a consuming fire I speak this because of abundance of our people they say God is merciful and they do their best they hope God will be their comfort and they serve him and all this while they think not of Jesus Christ we are all naturally Socinians those that never heard their names much less read their books live in their heretical and blasphemous principles O the amazing stupidity of the world called Christian that we can smile and laugh and hug our selves in deceiving comforts upon the brink of hell there can be nothing comfortable to us without the God of all comfort and no comfort can be to us from God but by the Lord Jesus and no Jesus to us without Faith we rejoyce in God saith the Apostle but how by Jesus Christ why by him we have received the attonement he hath made it by his blood and we receive it by Faith Rom. 5.11 he is the Salvation of God Luke 2.30 and the consolation of Israel verse 25. he is our comfort by being God's Salvation That the business of Christ in the world was to teach us no more humbling precepts than Plato or Moses and then to seal them with his death there is little comfort this comfort and joy is the affections 't is wrought by the blessed Spirit joy in or by the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 the fruit of the Spirit is joy Gal. 5.22 't is joy in the Father by the Mediator through the Comforter this tells that joy and comfort are noble and divine goods they are not little debonnaires or complacency with some facetious or gentle garb that is but thin and beggarly nor are they friends to a sowr face and cloudy countenance 't was inward comfort that made Stephen's face to shine as an Angel this joy is not a joy in the face and not in the heart as some did rejoyce who put on a good face under the strokes of an angry conscience and reproached Paul for a frantick 2 Cor. 5.13 Neither is this comfort a floating thing in the mouth when persons without good cause are prating their assurance and comfort it seems to argue too much froth and lightness res severa saith Seneca est verum gaudium the richest mines lye deep and the deepest rivers minimo labuntur sono make the least noise but it is marrow and fatness to the soul the joy of the Lord is your strength I cannot express the excellency of it the Text saith it is joy unspeakable and full of glory The sum is this a Christian that would live comfortably must live holily if he will live holily he must live so primarily by the faith of the Son of God and he must endeavour after such a degree of faith as to say Christ loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 that comfort in life and to and in death is the joy of Faith the victory of Faith the triumph of Faith all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 a special application of the righteousness of Christ to a man 's own soul there is the rise and origine of joy and comfort if the Scripture may take place Object I see an objection which it will not be unseasonable nor impertinent to refute viz. here is a noise of Faith Faith believing and the righteousness of another is the way to drive all good works out of the world Answ Answ The clean contrary is most true it is the only way to bring all good works and all comfort into the world a man not sanctified by Faith in Christ cannot do a good work but spoils it in the doing neither can he see a comfortable day while he is such this objection is hugely irrational a man may as well argue against marriage and say that marriage is the ready way to drive all lawful seed out of the world and bring in bastards it is the same case Rom. 7.4 or he might as well plead against the riseing of the Sun and say it was the way to drive all light out of the world and to bring in darkness 't is the same case 2 Cor. 4.6 he may as well say that eating of bread is the way to drive out all vigour and strength of the body out of the world the way to bring in starvedness it is still the same case Joh. 6.54 the truth is Children before marriage are spurious the world without the Sun is darkness and without eating no living so without union to and interest in Christ Jesus who is Jehovah our righteousness there is no holiness or comfort in the world To set up any thing for righteousness in the sight of God but the righteousness of Jesus that is the way indeed to drive the Doctrine of the Church of England and all the Reformed Churches with all their most eminent Doctrines out of the world nay to drive all good works and all comfort out of the world nay to drive the Gospel and Christ and Salvation by him out of the world if the Galatians that were professed believers received Paul as an Angel received the Spirit shall turn aside to their own works and make them concurrent with Christ though but as a less principal part which was their case then mark the issue the grace of the Father is frustrated the death of Christ is in vain frustra sine fructu Gal. 2.21 Christ is of none effect they are fallen from Grace Christ profits them nothing and all this Paul doth testifie with a great deal of vehemence and Solemnity once and again and with such Apostolical majesty as seldom occurs Behold I Paul testifie unto you Gal. 5.2 3 4. I suppose that no man that understands Paul will say that he disputes only against the ceremonial Law therefore I will leave it and conclude this with that 1 Joh. 5.12 he that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life and this is written to them that believe that they might know that they have eternal life and they that know it cannot altogether want this in my Text joy unspeakable and glorious The second thing in the question is supposed viz. that a Christian may have Faith that is saving in the end which is not comforting in the way I Answ 1. You must not so understand it as though saving Faith and comforting were two kinds of Faith nor secondly as if saving Faith in the close were in some believers altogether and always void of all light and comfort but how a
heart Psal 4.5 Out of these premisses we conclude that Christianity is a glorious thing which is the second particular 2. Particular or vindication which I call a Vindication of the Truth Religion is not a little formality in duties joyned with some morality in life but it consists in the new creature or Faith working by love Gal. 5.6 6.16 It consists in the exercise of Repentance self-loathing hatred of Sin as such for these are necessarily implied Faith actual in Jesus love to him obedience before him communion with God by him peace and comfort from him and well grounded hope of eternal life through him the smell of his garments Psal 45.8 the savour of his oyntment Cant. 1.3 the taste of his preciousness makes a Believer think he can never do enough for Jesus If his Holiness were as an Angel and his days as the days of Heaven yet all were too short too little for such a Saviour the love of Christ constrains him He is a debtor to the Spirit to live after the Spirit and what ever is not this in truth there is a difference in degrees is as you heard before but nature raised and varnished and modified with distinctions still it is but nature Wash and dress a Swine as you please 't is a Swine still The Fathers when the breaking out of Pelagianism made them more studious in the point of grace and more wary in their expressions have left us their judgment in this case you bring in a kind of doctrine saith Austin to the Pelagians that men do righteousness and please God without Faith in Christ by the Law of nature this is that for which the Church doth most of all detest you Hoc est undè vos maximè Christiana detestatur Ecclesia Lib. 4. Cap. 3. contr Again saith he far be it from us to think that true vertue should be in any man unless he were righteous and far be it from us to think that any man should be truly righteous unless he did live by Faith for the just shall live by Faith absit autem sit justus vere nisi vivat ex fide and again who would say that a man Diabolo mancipatus a slave to the Devil were a righteous man though he were Fabricius or Scipio To cloath the naked saith he is not sin as the fact is considered in it self but of such a work to glory and not in the Lord none but a wicked man but will grant this to be sin thus far Austin with more to the same purpose in the same place and upon this account he did correct some expressions Lib. 1. Cap. 3. Retract The whole Chapter is seasonable the sum this Austin had called the Muses Goddesses had highly advanced the liberal sciences now corrects it upon this reason viz. that many Godly men knew them not and many that did know them were ungodly the same he doth about Pythagoras his books in which saith he are Plures many errors iidemque capitales Especially this he recants that he formerly said the Philosophers who were not pious were yet shining in vertue no Faith in Christ no vertue 't is spectrum 't is but simulacrum but imago virtutis it is not vertue painted fire is not fire Hierom to the same purpose in Cap. 3. Galat. Paul saith he blameless did not live he was dead while blameless Paul the Christian was indeed alive Men speak of temperance and justice without Faith that cannot be none live without Christ sine quo omnis virtus est in vitio without Christ all vertue is accounted vice thus he 'T is most evident there dwelleth no vertue in the minds of ungodly men their wisdom is not heavenly but earthly not from the Father of lights but from the prince of darkness ac sic vitium quod putatur virtus and so that is a vice which is accounted vertue Non Deo serviunt sed diabolo they serve the devil not God Prosp Con. Coll. Cap. 28. tota vita infidelium est peccatum the whole life of unbelievers is sin idem sent 106. to the same purpose saith Fulgentius with others The Scripture is full and clear an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit The carnal mind cannot please God Rom. 8.7 1 Cor. 1.2.3 the Apostle doth raise his discourse to the highest strain Though I speak with the tongue of Angels which no man doth if I had all knowledge which no man hath if I could move mountains which no man can if I give all my goods to feed the poor the highest beneficence and my body to be burnt the greatest suffering yet if I have not love I am nothing he doth not say these things are nothing he doth not say knowledge is nothing or giving to the poor is nothing but I am nothing I have no profit I am a hollow tub an empty vessel I make a noise amongst men while I live and go to hell when I die And according to Scripture and Fathers the doctrine of our Church hath determinated in her thirteenth Article thus Works done before the grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasing to God forasmuch as they spring not from Faith in Jesus Christ yea rather for that they are not done as God hath commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the nature of sin and this is the judgment of the reformed Churches also Sirs be sure you get and exercise this Faith unfeigned in Jesus Christ and love sincere to him A fair deportment with great gifts and splendid performances without Christ is but a more gentile way to perdition everlasting 3. Resolution of the case I come now to the resolution of the practical case How a Christian may get that Faith by which he may live comfortably as well as die safely Where this I think fit to premise first he must not only get such a Faith but he must keep it in exercise for without this there is no living comfortably then this also I premise that to get and keep comfort or that a Christian may have comfort two things are necessary viz. proportion and propriety ex parte objecti it must be a good proportionable and then ex parte subjecti it must be mine it must be commensurate and adaequate to the soul and it must be the souls own tolle meum and tolle gaudium The comfort and sweetness of the Gospel lyes in pronouns as the common saying is as for instance suppose the conquests of Alexander and triumphs of Pompey nay all the world were thine there is propriety 't is thine but herein would be no comfort at all to thee because here is no proportion no sutableness to an immaterial vast and immortal soul on the other side Christ is proposed to thee and in him there is proportion for in him dwelleth all fulness he is an infinite spiritual and eternal good but what comfort is this without propriety unless he be thine
repent of their sins and accept of God's Son to come into and to keep in God's vvays vvhen they see vvhither those vvays have brought them There they vvill meet vvith all the Holy Martyrs so famous in their generations for their courage and constancy vvith all the Holy Prophets and Apostles the Pen-men of the Scriptures so famous in their time for the large and plentiful effusion of the Spirit of God upon them vvith all the good Kings and Princes and all the righteous persons vvhatever that have lived in all ages and generations of all kinreds Nations and Languages they shall then be gathered all into one body under Christ their head and joyn together in blessing and praising and singing Hallelujah's unto the Lord for ever 2. In Heaven pardoned persons will have the company of all the glorious Angels here the Angels guard them and are ministring Spirits unto them Heb. 1.14 Hereafter they will be their companions and there will be mutual and most sweet converse between them Some delight in the company of Nobles and the great ones which belong to the Courts of great Princes they shall have the company and conversation of the glorious Angels who are the Nobles of Heaven and Courtiers of the King of Kings How the Angels and Saints will converse together and communicate their minds one to another is too high for us to conceive and too difficult for us to determine but surely the converse will be very sweet and full of love and delight 3. In Heaven pardoned persons will have the company and fellowship of the glorious Spirit the Holy Ghost here they have his presence and powerful operations they feel now especially at some times his sweet breathings and powerful operations which do wonderfully enlighten them greatly quicken and inflame their hearts with divine love yea and fill their hearts with spiritual and heavenly joy But in Heaven they shall have a fuller sweeter more powerful and constant presence of the glorious Spirit they shall there be filled with the Holy Ghost as full as they can hold yea beyond their present capacity they shall be under the sweet breathings of the Spirit whereby the flame of divine love will be kept alive in them perpetually in the greatest height and heat of it and this shall abide to Eternity 4. In Heaven pardoned persons shall have the company of the Lord Jesus Christ in his glory Here they have heard of him there they shall see him here they see him with the eye of Faith there they shall see him eye to eye and face to face Austin did wish to have seen three things above all other things that were to be seen in the World Rome in its Glory Paul in the Pulpit and Christ in the flesh The righteous in Heaven will see that which is far beyond Austin's wish they will see Zion in its Glory Paul in his Glory and Christ in his Glory They will see Zion in its glory which will far exceed Rome in its greatest splendour when it was most illustrious for wealth and riches through the spoyls of so many conquered Kingdoms which were brought into it when it was most illustrious for stately houses and sumptuous buildings for wise and learned Men famous and valiant Captains and Souldiers The new Jerusalem Mount Zion which is above will out-shine Rome in glory more than the Sun doth out-shine the smallest Star in Heaven or the faint light of a Candle here upon earth They shall see Paul in his glory they shall hear him praising God with triumphant acclamations of joy which will be far more than to hear him preach in a state of weakness and infirmity but chiefly they shall see Christ in his glory the sight of Christ in his humiliation was nothing in comparison of a sight of him in his state of exaltation They shall see him then as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 Behold now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Christ was never seen on earth as he is his glory was shadowed his Divinity was vailed and his humanity was most evident to the view which had its infirmities but hereafter his humanity will appear to be lifted up into such glory as doth exceed all created glory of Men or Angels and his Divinity will be most illustrious to the view of the Saints at the sight of which they will be astonished with admiration and love and O how will they gaze and wonder at his marvellous beauty and shining excellency when they see him come down from Heaven attended by all the holy Angels and when they shall not only see him but meet with him be owned and welcomed by him and be taken to live with him 1 Thes 4.16 17. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. It was a great priviledg which the Apostles had to live with Christ when he was humbled and vilified here on earth what a priviledg then will it be which all the righteous shall have to live with Christ when he is glorified in Heaven and that not for a few years but for ever What a happiness will it be to see the glory which Christ had with the Father before the World was and not only to see it but to share in it 5. In Heaven pardoned persons shall have the company of the Father they have his gracious presence here on earth they shall have his glorious presence in Heaven there they shall have the immediate Beatifical vision of him and the full most blessed fruition of him The sight of God's back-parts the glimpses and glances of his eye at a distance the mediate enjoyment of him in and by Ordinances doth sometimes even transport them and strangely fill them with wonder and delight but O what Soul-ravishing admirations what transports and extasies of joy will they have when in Heaven they shall behold God's face be alwayes under the beams of the light of his countenance and have continual close intimate full enjoyment of him fellowship and communion with him and this to abide for ever and ever In Heaven they shall dwell with God and God will dwell with them Rev. 21.3 I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God This this will be happiness indeed to have God himself to dwell with them and manifest himself not only in his grace but in his glory unto them therefore it followeth v. 4. And