Workmanship a vail of darknesse for a season and who can behold him when he hides himself sayes Job and though he withdraw the Covering yet what am I Who can by searching find out God If I shall examine his way what rule shall I take to try it by If I measure by my shallow capacity or by my crooked way shall I have any just account of it will my Arm measure the Heavens as his doth If I examine it or try it by himself He is high as Heaven and unsearchable Therefore it becomes us to hearken to his Word and believe its sentence of his Work when reason cannot comprehend it One thing if it were deeply engraven on our hearts would be a principle of setling our spirits in all the mysteries and riddles of providence the knowledge and faith of his Soveraignty of his Highnesse and of his Wisdome should he give account of his Matters to us He is wise and knowes his Works but is he bound to make us know them His wayes are above our thoughts and wayes as Heaven above the Earth Is 55. And therefore O Grashopper in the Earth that dwells in Tabernacles of Clay do not presume to model his ways according to thy conceptions One thing is certain this is enough for Faith all his wayes are mercy and truth to these that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal 25. 10. And there is no Way or Path of God so far above our reach and unsearchable as his Mercy in pardoning sin and this is only the satisfying answer to all your objections and scruples in these ye do but vent your own thoughts but sayes the Lord my thoughts are above youâ— thoughts as Heaven above Earth Ye but speak of your own wayes but my wayes are far above yours they are not measured by your iniquity and therefore David subjoyns Psal 25. Verse 11. pardon my iniquity for it is great SERMON III. Deuter. 32. 4 5. He is the Rock his work is perfect for all his ways are Judgement a God of truth and without iniquity Just and Right is he 5. They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his Children they are a perverse and crooked generation ALL his wayes are Judgement both the wayes of his Commandments and the ways of his Providence both his Word which he hath given as a Lanthorn to mens paths and his Works among men And this were the blessednesse of men to be found both walking in his wayes and waiting on him in his wayes having respect to all his Commandments and respect to himself in all his Works We all know in general that he doth all well â—nd that all his Comandments are Holy and Just â—ay but our practice and affections belie our knowledge and for the most part we stand crosse in our humours and affections and conversation both to his Word and Providence and this is our misery Great peace have they that love thy Law VVhat peace then can keep that heart and mind that is dayly at variance with his Statuts and Judgements when the heart would wish such a Command were not when it is an eye sore to look upon it Blessed are the meek it is good for a man both quietly to wait and hope and keep silence How then must that spirit be miserable that stands crosse unto Gods Dispensations and would limit the Holy One Do not often our hearts say I do well to be angry why is it thus with me But who hath hardened himself against him and prospered his counsel must stand and you may vex your self and disquiet your soul in the mean time by impatience but you cannot by your thought add one cubit to your stature you may make your case worse nor Providence hath made it but you cannot make it better by so doing so that at length you must bow to him or be broken Oh then that this were engraven on our hearts with the point of a Diamond All his wayes are Judgement that ye might be overcome with the equity of his Command and Dispensation and your heart and tongue might not move against them It was enough of old with the Saints It is the Lord let him do what seems good in hâ—s eyes Gods Soveraignty alone pondered may stop our mouth but if ye withal consider it is perfect Equity that rules all it is Divinâ— Wisdome thaâ— is the square of his Works theâ— how ought we to stoop chearfully unto them One thing ye would remember his wayes and paths are Judgement and if ye judge aright of him ye must judge his Way and not his single Footsteps ye will not discern Equity and Judgement in one step or two but consider his Way joyn adversity with prosperity humbleing with exalting take along the Threed of his Providence and one part shall help you to understand another There is reason in all but the reason is not visible to us in so small parts of his Way and Work A God of Truth Strange it is that his Majesty is pleased to cloath himself with so many Titles and Names for us He considers what our necessity is and accordingly expresses his own Name I think nothing doth more hold forth the unbelief of men and Atheism of our hearts nor the many several Titles God takes in Scripture There is a necessity of a multitude of them to make us take up God because we staying upon a general notion of God rather frame in our imaginations an Idol then the true God As there is nothing doth more lively represent the unbelief of our hearts then the multitude of Promises Men that consider such frequent repetitions of one thing in Scripture so many diverse expressions of one God may retire into their own hearts and find the cause of it even the necessity of it But while we look so slightly on these we must judge it superfluous and vain Needed there any more to be said but I am your God I am God if our spirits were not so far degenerated unto Atheism and unbelief Certainly that word Jehovah holds forth more to Angels then all the inculcated Names and Titles of God to us because we are dull and slow of heart Therefore wonder at these two when ye read the Scriptures Gods Condescendency to us and our Atheism and Unbelief of him they are both mysteries and exceeding broad There is not a Name of God but it gives us a Name and that of reproach and dishonour so that for every one some evil may be written down and it is to this purpose Moses draws them out in length that in the Glasse of his glorious Name the people might behold their own ugly face This Name is clear He is a God of Truth not only a true God but Truth it self to note his Excellency and Eminency in it It is Christs Name I am the Truth the substantial Truth in whom all the Promises are Truth are Yea and Amen His Truth is his Faithfulnesse in performing his Promises
tree yet behold the wind of the Lord may arise that shall drive you away take your soul from these things and then whose shall they be If you will not fear temporal judgements yet I pray you fear eternal fear hell May not the Lord shake you off this tree of time and take you out of the land of the living to receive your portion There is not only an universal deadness of spirit on the land but a prophane spirit Iniquities abominable sins abound Every Congregation is overgrown with scandals and for you None may more justly complain we are all unclean sin is not in corners but men declare their sin as Sodom sin is come to the Maturity Defection and Apostacy is the temper of all Spirits and above all the general contempt and slighting of this glorious gospel is the iniquity of Scotland so that we wonder that the withered leaves yet stick to that the storm is not yet raised and we blown away Now you are like stones your hearts as Adamants and cannot be moved with his threatnings the voice of the Lords word doth not once move you you sin and are not afraid Nay but when Gods anger shall joyn with iniquity and the voice of his rod and displeasure roar this shall make the mountains to tremble the rocks to move and how much more shall it drive away a leaf You seem now mountains but when God shall plead you shall be like the chaff driven too and fro O how easy a matter shall it be to God to blow a man out of his dwelling place sin hath prepared you for it he needeth no more but blow by his Spirit or look upon you and you will not be You who now are lofty and proud and maintain your self against the word when you come to reckon with God and he entereth in judgement you shall not stand you will consume as before the moth your hearts will fail you Who may abide the day of his coming It will be so terrible and so much the more terrible that you never dreamed of it If the example of this people will not move you do but cast your eyes on Ireland who all do fade as a leaf and their iniquities have taken them away out of their own Land Shall not the seeing of the eye nor the hearing of the ear teach you What security do you promise to your selves Have not we sinned as much as they Were not they his people as we Certainly since God waiteth longer on you the stroak must be the greater provoked patience must turn fury If you would then prevent this peoples complaint go about such a serious acknowledgement of your sins search your wayes and turn again to the Lord. And let not every man sit down in a general notion of sin but unbowel it until you see uncleanness go up to the fountain head Original corruption go down to all the streams even the iniquity of holy things let every man be particular in the search of his own provocations personal and every one be publick in the general sins of the Land that you may confesse out of knowledge and sense we are all unclean c. SERMON XVIII Isai 64. 7. And there is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee c. THey go on in the Confession of their sins Many a man hath soon done with that A general notion of sin is the highest advancement in repentance that many attain to You may see here Sin and Judgement mixed in thorow other in their complaint They do not so fix their eyes upon their desolat estate of captivity as to forget their provocations Many a man would spend more affection and be more pathetick in the expression of his misery when it is pungent nor he can do when he speaketh of his sins We would observe from the nature of this confession something to be a patern of your repentance And it is this When the spirit convinceth and men are serious in repentance then the soul is more searching more universal more particular in acknowledgement of sins These are characters of the Spirits work First The Spirit discovereth unto men not only sin but the loathsomeness of sin its hainous nature how offensive it is to Gods holy eye Many of you know abundance of evil deeds and call them sins but you have never taken up sins ugly face never seen it in the glasse of the holy Law uncleannesse it self because you do not abhore your selves poor and low thoughts of God maketh mean and shallow thoughts of sin You would be as Job vile ch 40. 4. And abhore your selves in dust and ashes ch 42. 6. As Gods holiness grew great in your eyes Sins uncleanness would grow proportionably Is 6. 3. 5. And here your repentance halteth in the very entry But Secondly The Spirit discovereth not only the uncleanness of mens natures and leadeth them up to original corruption but the Spirit also leadeth men alongs all the streams not only these that break out but those who go under ground and have a more secret and subtil conveyance It concludeth not only open breaches of the command under filthiness but also all a mans own righteousness though never so refined it concludeth it also a defiled garment so that the Soul can look no where but see sin and uncleanness in its ornaments and duties And thus it appeareth before God without such a covering openeth up its Soul hideth not sin with the covering of duties but seeth a necessity of another covering for all Now therefore let the most part of you conclude that you have never yet gotteh your eyes open to see sin or confesse it because when you sit down to compt your sins there are many things that you call not sin you use not to reckon your praying and repentance among sins Nay because you have so much confidence in your repentance and confession you have never repented you must see a necessity of a covering of Christs righteousness above all Faith in Jesus must cover repentance and it self both with the glorious object of it But alas how soon are many at an end of confession some particular grosse actions may come in remembrance but no more Sum up al your confessions they have never yet pitched on the thousand part of your guiltiness no not in kinds let be in number But thirdly The Spirit convinceth spiritually and particularly both it convinceth of Spiritual sins as we said last of the iniquity of holy things and especially of the most substantial duties faith and prayer John 16. 8 9. there are not many of you have come this length to see your want of prayer No your own words do witness against you for you use to say I pray day and night I believe in God with all my heart Now therefore out of your own mouth shall you be condemned when the spirit convinceth you of Sin you will see no faith no prayer at the first
shining into the Soul that hath cleared them but their perpetual darknesse that blindeth them I say then in the Name of Jesus Christ that ye never knew the peace of God who knew not warr with God Ye know not love who have not known anger But this is the Souls true peace and tranquillity when it is once awakened to see its misery and danger How many Clouds overspread it what Tempests blow what Waves of Displeasure go over its head But when that peace which is made in the High Places breaketh thorow the Cloud with a Voice Son be of good comfort thy sins be forgiven thee when that Voice of the Spirit is uttered presently at its command the Wind and Waves obey the Soul is calmed as the Sea after a Storm It is not only untroubled but it is peaceable upon solid grounds because of the word which speaks peace in Christ The peace of the most of you is such as ye were born and Educated withal It is not a created peace a spoken peace the fruit of the lips and so no true peace Ye had not your peace from the word but ye brought it to the word Yâ— have no peace after trouble and so it is not the Lords peace The Christian may have peace in regard of his own Salvation and eternal things and in regard of all things that befalleth in â—ime The first is when the Conscience is sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus Christ and getteth a good answer to all the challenges and accusations of Conscience and of the Law and Justice 1 Pet. 3. 21. when the Spirit of God shines into the Soul with a new Light to discover these things that are freely given 1 Cor. 2. 12. And this is the Sealing of the Spirit after believing Eph. 1. 13. When a Soul hath put to its Seal by believing Gods word and hath acknowledged Gods Truth and Faithfulnesse in his word the Spirit Sealeth mutually the Believers Faith both by more Holinesse and the knowledge of it And how great peace is this when a Soul can look upon all its iniquities when they compasse about a man and outward trouble sharpeneth and setteth on edge inward challenges and yet the Soul will not fear it hath answers to them all in Christs Blood Psal 49. 5. This is a greater word then all the world can say Many mens fearlesnesse proceedeth from ignorance of sin their iniquities were never set in order before them but if once they compassed them about and wrath like a fiery wall compasse them about also so that there were no escaping Oh it would be more terrible then all the Armies of the world Ye would account little of a Kingdom ye would exchange it for such a word as David hath upon good grounds Now I say again the Soul that hath thus committed it self to him as a faithful keeper may have peace in all Estates and Conditions And this peace floweth from that other peace There is a peace which guards the heart and mind Phil. 4. 6 7. Opposed to carefulnesse and anxiety and this Paul is Examplar for I have learned in every estate therewith to be content to want and abound c. vers 11. The Soul of a Believer may be in an equal even Tenur and Disposition in all conditions It may possesse it self in patience Impatience and Anxiety makes a man not his own man he is not himself he injoys not himself he is a burden to himself and is his own tormenter But if Souls were stayed upon God certainly they would possesse themselves dwell securely within their own breasts We may find that the most part of men are exposed to all the floods and waves of the times They move inwardly as things are troubled outwardly Every thing addeth moment to their grief or joy Any Dispensation casteth the Ballance and either weights them down with discouragement or lifteth them up with vanity and lightnesse of mind But the Believers priviledge is to be unmoved in the midst of all the Tossings and Confusions of the times Psal 128. 1 2. Ye would be as Mount Zion if ye trusted in God No Dispensation should enter into the Soul to cast the Ballance upon you Ye might stand upon your Rock Jesus Christ and look about the Estates Persons Affairs and Minds of men as a troubled Sea fleeting tossed up and down and ye stand and not be moved or not greatly moved Ps 62. 2. And this is to be wise indeed If I would describe a wise man I would say he is one man beside him no man is one with himself but various inconstant changeable He is unwise who is unlike himself who changeth Persons according to Dispensations Wisdom is the stability of thy times and Faith is Wisdom it Establisheth as Mount Zion so as a man cometh out still one in prosperity not exalted in adversity not cast down in every Estate content and this is the man who is blessed indeed This werâ— wisdom to will the same thing and nill the same thing Semper idem velle atque idem nolle I need not saith Seneca add that exception that it be right which you desire for no one thing can universally and always please if it be not good and right So I say he were both wise and happy who had but one grief and one joy Should not a Believers mind be calm and â—erene seing the true Light hath shined it should be as the upper world where no blasts no storms or clouds are to ecclips the Sun or cloud it while our peace and tranquillity is borrowed from outward things certainly it must change But a Belâ—evers peace and tranquillity of mind having its rise from above from the unchangeable word of the Lord it needeth not to change according to the vicissitudes of Providence He needeth not to care before hand because there is one who careth for him And what needeth both to care He needeth not be disquieted or troubled after because it shall turn about to his good All things shall do so Rom. 8. 28. He needeth not be Anxious about future Events because he hath all his burden cast upon another by prayer and supplication VVhat needeth he then take a needlesse burden Prayer will do that which Care pretends and cannot do and that without trouble He needeth not be troubled when things are present for he cannot by his thought either add or diminish take away or prevent There is one good and necessary thing that his heart is upon and that cannot be taken from him And therefore all things else are indifferent and of small concernment to him Now what wanteth such a man of perfect peace who is reconciled to God and at peace within himself VVhen peace guardeth the Heart and Mind within compasseth it as a Castle or Garison to hold out all the vain Alarms of External things May not all the world be troubled about him VVhat though the Floods lift up their Voice if they come not into the
he is our kinsman nearest of blood to us Now you know â—he right of Redemption belonged to the kinsâ—an Lev. 25. 25. And therefore when the nearest kinsman â—ould not redeem Naomi and Ruths parcel of â—and Booz he did it as being next And â—uitable to this our Lord Jesus when others as â—ear could not and were not able He hath â—one it and taken Men and Angels to witnesse that he hath first Redeemed us that he miâ— Marry us as Eph. 5. That he hath purchâ—ed us to be his Wife And indeed the vâ— word imports this Goel a Redeemer â— Kinsman passing under one word So Iâ— I know that my redeemer or my kins-man live And because our Kins-man therefore nâ— interested in our Redemption For for end he became partaker of flash and blood with children that be might destroy our greatest enâ— Satan and redeem us Heb. 2. 14. And besiâ— he hath right to Redemption as the Churcâ— Husband because he must mediat between and all others none can reach her except please or prosecure a plea against her as in case of the Wifes making a vow if her â—band consented not it was void Num. â— But if he heard of it and held his peace it â— confirmed Now the Lord Jesus hath knâ— this Deplorable Estate we are Captives iâ— And he hath testified his utter dislike of binding over our selves to Death and reâ—ing our selves to Satan And therefore â— bondage in which we are detained is not â—firmed and ratified but he hath right remâ—ing to Redeem us from the hand of all our â—mies But then he alone hath Might â— Power to do it for God hath laid help on â— and made him able and mighty to save â— the uttermost It was not Gold or Silver â— Corruptible things Suppose the whole â—â— were turned into Gold or precious Stones â— must give person for person and one persoâ— quivalent to all his own Life his own Blâ— for us And the value of this was infinitely raised by thâ— stamp of his Divinity put upon it the King for the Servant one that knew no sin for sinners yea God for man This superads infinit Worth and makes it an over-ransom and over-purchase a ransom to buy our persons from Hell a purchase to redeem us to our Inheritance Heaven that we had lost and these two stiles it gets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now you see the great Difficulty is overcome and taken out of the way Christ being made a Curse hath purchased a redemption from the Curse of the Law Gal. 4. 13. But yet there is another poynt of vast distance I may say con trariety and enmity between us and him he is Holy and undefiled all fair and no spot in him We are wholly defiled and depraved by sin our Souls are become the habitation of Devils and a Cage of every unclean and hateful Bird In a word he hath not only our Enemies to overcome but our own hearts to conquer and our Enmity to take away This makes the widest separation from him Now he filled up much of the Distance with his taking our flesh and he removed the great Difficulty by dying in our flesh his Humiliation to be a Man brought him nearer us And his further Humiliation to be a Dying Crucified and Buried Man brought him yet a step nearer us But nearer he cannot come for lower he cannot be except he were a sinner which would marr the whole design and take away all the Comfort of his liknesse to us Therefore since he hath come so low down to us it is suitable we be raised up one step to meet him And so the Exaltation of sinners shall make up all the Distance and bring the two parties to that long since designed and long desired meeting Now for this end and purpose the Son undertakes the Redemption of his Church from sin and ungodliness al 's well as wrath And therefore you have that which is expressed as the Character of the redeemed in this Vers It is exponed as the great point or part of the Redemption it self by the Apostle Rom. 11. The Redeemer shall come to Sion to turn all ungodliness from Jacob. And so his end was not only to be partaker of our Nature but to make us partakers of the Divine Nature And therefore the Father out of his Love to this businesse he promiseth to send his Spirit to dwell in our hearts to make the Word sound in our Mouths and Ears and the Spirit to work in our hearts and this Exaltation of sinners to the participation of the Holy Spirit together with Christs Humiliation to partake of our Flesh makes up the full Distance and bringeth Christ and his Church to that holy patient Impatience and longing for the day when it shall be Solemnized in Heaven The Spirit within us sayes come and the bride sayes come even so come Lord Jesus And he waits for nothing but the Compleating and Adorning of all the rest that there may be one Jubilee for all and for ever Now I wish we could understand the Absolute and free Tenor of Gods Covenant There is much controversy speculative about the Condition of the Covenant about the Promises whither Absolute or Conditional And there is too much practical Debate in perplexed Consciences about this how to find something in themselvs to fit and fashion them for the Redemption But truely if we would not disjoyn and dismember the Truth of God but take it all intirely as one great design of Love and Metcy revealed to sinners and so conjoyn the Promises of the Covenant into one bundle we would certainly find that it hath the Voice of Jacob though it seem to have the Hand of Esau we find an absolute most free and inconditioned sense when there is a conditional strain and shadow of words in some places The truth is the turning of souls from ungodliness is not properly a Condition exacted from us as a Promise to be performed in us and the chiefest part of Christs Redemption And though some abuse the grace of God and turn it into wantonness and liberty Yet certainly this Doctrine that makes the greatest part of the glad news of the Gospel to be Redemption from sin and the pouring out of the Spirit is the greatest perswasive to a godly Conversation and the most deadly enemy to all ungodliness I thought to have spoken more of that third thing I proponed but take it in a word This was always proponed to the Church as the strongest Cordial it was given here as the greatest Consolation in all their long Captivity that this Redeemer was after wards to come whose Vertue was then living and present to the quickning and comforting of souls It was thought enough to uphold in a most desperat strait To us a child is born Isai 8. I wish we could take it so Certainly it was the Character of a Believer before Christs coming that he was one that was looking and waiting for the Salvation
particular antipathy against and refuse others But the Lord will not be so served As he will not share with the world and divide the Soul and service of man with Creatures so as Mâ—mmon should get part and he his part No if we choose the one we must refuse the other for so will he not suffer his Word and Commands to be divided There must be some universality in respect of the Gospel and the Law and a conjunction of these two or we cannot please him If Religion do not include the Gospel we are yet upon the old Covenant of Works according to which none can be justified If it do not include the Law in the Hands of a Mediator then we turn the Grace of god unto wantonness If it shut out Jesus Christ and have no use of him how can either we or our performances stand or be accepted before his holy eyes If it exclude the Law that Christ came to establish how can he be pleased with our religion Both of these offer an indignity to the Son of God The Sum then of Christian Religion is Believing and Sanctification of the spirit unto obedience that is the root and fountain this is the fruit and stream Justification of our persons and sanctification of our lives and hearts This is pure Religion and undefiled And therefore Isaiah sayes Wash you make you clean Cleanse in the only true fountain of Christs blood It is not your purifications of the Law your many washings with water and hysope It is not the blood of buls and goats can purge your consciences from dead works they do but purify your flesh but cannot wash your souls worse defiled This blood of Jâ—sus Christ is that clean water that he must sprinkle on you if you would be clean If you take any other water any other righteousness but his and wash thy self therewith suppose it be snow water that washeth cleanest thy most exact conversation yet he will plunge thee in the mire till thy own cloaths abhore thee Job 9. 30 31. Now when ye have washed your persons ye need not save to wash your feet sayes Christ your dayly conversation reform it in the vertue of that blood for we are not called to uncleanness but unto holiness And therefore Put away the evil of yoor doings c. God hath put away the guilt of your doings by Justification now put ye away the evil of your doings by Sanctification c. And if ye would know what Sanctification is Cease to do evil do not return to the old puddle to wallow in it Ye that are cleansed by this blood O! think how unbeseeming it is to you to defile your selves again with these things ye are cleansed from But now learn to do well ye are given up to Christ ye must be his Disciples and he will teach you Learn of me sayes Christ you need no other law almost but his example he is a visible and speaking law yet seek Judgement As ye ought to look on my example so especially ponder that word and rule of practice and behaviour that I have left behind me and given out as the law-giver of the redeemed have I redeemed you And should not I be the redeemmed and ransomed ones King Is there any society in the world wants a law order and government neither must ye who are delivered from bondage enfranchised and made free indeed Now ye should of all men most live by a law And when ye know that rule then apply it to your several vocations and callings let the Magistrat act according to it and every man according to it Religion consists not in a general notion but condescends to our particular practice to reform it You see then what we would presse upon your Consciences It is true religion that we would have you perswaded unto All men have some kind of Religion even Heathens who worship Idols but the true religion respects the true and living God Now what is it to worship the true and living God what is the service of him that may be called Religion indeed Should we be the prescrivers of it No certainly he must carve solely in that or else it cannot please him Therefore To the Law and to the Testemony if ye speak not according to this and worship not according to this word of God it is because there is no light into you Ye may have a religion before men pure and undefiled but if it be not so before God and the father I pray you to what purpose is it I am sure it is all lost labour nay it is labour with loss instead of gain O that ye were perswaded to look and search the Scriptures Think ye to have eternal life out of them and think ye to have eternal life by them who do not labour to know the way of it set down there Every on of you have a different model of religion according to your fancies and breedings according as your lusts will suffer you The rule that the most part walk by is the course and example of the world Is not this darknesse and grosse darkness Others model their duties according to their ability they will do all they can do with ease and without troubling themselves and they think God may be well pleased with that I pray you consider and hear the word of the Lord and Law of your God hath he set down here the rule and perfect patern of true Religion and will ye never so much own it as to examine yours according to it the scriptures are the touch-stone If you would not have a counterfeit Religion deceiving you in the end when ye have trusted to it I pray you try it by the word of God Oh that this principle were once sunk into your hearts I may not walk at randome if I please my self and satisfy my own will if that be not also Gods will I shall have neither gain nor comfort of it his will is manifested in his word I will search and find what God hath required of me for if I be not certain of his will I may be doing all my dayes and sweating out my life and yet losse my pains and oyl I say this word of the Lord that Isaiah calls to the people to hear V. 10. will at length judge you Your Religion will be tryed in the day of accompts according to it not according to your rules and methods ye have prescribed unto your selves Now if ye in the mean time shall judge your selves according to another rule and abâ—olve your selves and in the end God shall judge you according to this word and condemn you were ye not fools in neglecting this word The whole will of God concerning your duty may be summed up in two John hath one of them 1 Jo. 3. 23. And this is his Commandment that we shoud believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment And Paul hath another to
may sin no more but break off their sins It is indeed impossible for a man to amend his ways till he be pardoned for his sin stands betwixt him and God God is a consuming fire the guilt of it hinders all meeting of the Soul with God at least all influence from him But when an open Door is made in Christ that men may come and Treat with God notwithstanding of rebellions and have the Curse relaxed O now he may go about his Duty comfortably Am I escaped from Hell why should I any more walk in the way to it And now he hath the Spiriâ— given for the asking There are some Cessations from sin that are not real forsakings of it and ceasings from it You know men will abstain from Eating for a season that they may be made ripe for it another time Some do not cease from sin but delayes it only they put it not away but put it off only for another time till a fitter occasion and opportunity And this is so far from ceasing from it that it is rather an deliberat choice of it and Election of conveniency for it There may be some pure and simple ceasings from sin meer abstinence or rather meer absence of sin for a season that is not ceasing from doing evil The Christians ceasing hath much Action in it It is such a ceasing from doing evil that it is a putting away of evil It hath the Soul and Spirit joyned in that Cessation Sin requires violence to put it out where it hath haunted it is an intruding Guest and an usurping Guest It comes in first as a supplicant and beggar prays for a little lodging for a night and promises to be gone the temptation speaks but for a little time even the present time for a little one it seeks but litle at first least it be denyed but if once it be received into the Soul it presently becomes Master and can command its own time and its abode Then ye will not so easily put it out as ye could hold it out for it is now joyned with that wicked desperat party within you the heart and these united Forces are too strong for you According as a lust is one with a mans heart or hath nearer connexion with his heart and Soul it is the worse to put away for will ye drive a man from himself it is the cuting off an right hand or plucking out of an right eye To make a man cease from such evils it requirs that a stronger power be within him then is in the world Men may cease for a time for want of occasions or temptations to sin when there is no active principle in them restraining or keeping their Soul from such sins as appears after when no sonner occasion is offered but they run as the Horse to his course or the Stone falleth downward they conceive Fire as easily as dry Stubble That is not Christian ceasing which is that which the Soul argues it self to from grounds of the Gospel Should I who am dead to sin live any longer therein This is a principle of Cessation and this is true liberty when the Soul can abstain from present temptations upon such grounds and perswasions of the Gospel then it is really above it self and above the world then hath it that true victory Many men cease only from sin because sin ceases from them they have not left it but it hath left them The old man thinks himself a changed man because he wallows not in the lusts of the flesh as in his youth But alas no thanks to him for that he hath not ceased from his lusts but temptations to him or power and ability in him to follow them hath ceased there is no change in his Spirit within for he can talk of his former sins with pleasure he continues in other evils as bad but more suitable to his age In a word he is so inwardly that if he were in his body and occasions offering as before he would be just the same Some again cease from some evils from some principles but alas they are no Christian principles VVhat restrains the multitude of Civilians from grosse scandals Is it any thing but affectation of a good Name and report in the world Is it not fear of reproach or censure Is it not because possibly they have no particular inclination to sueh evils And yet there are many other evils of the heart al 's evil though more subtill that they please themselves in as Pride Covetousnesse Malice Envie Ambition c. VVhat shall all your abstinence be accompted of when it is not love to Jesus Christ or hatred of sin that principles it It is not the outward abstinence that will commend you Such it is as the principles of it are And these only are the true Christian principles of Mortification love of Jesus Christ which constrains men to live no more to themselves but to be new Creatures 1 Cor. 5. 14 15. And hatred of sin in its Nature as sin A Christian should have a mortal hatred at it as his mortal enemy It is not Christianity to abstain from some fleshly lusts if ye consider them noâ— as your Souls enemies 1 Pet. 2. 11. Ye that love the Lord hate evil Psal 97. 10. These are chained together Davids hatred was a Soul hatred an abhorency Psal 119. 163. I hate and abhore lying it is like the natural Antipathies that are among Creatures The Soul hates not only the person of it but the nature of it also Men often hate sin only as it is circumstantiate but Christian hatred is a hatred of the Nature like the deadly feuds which are enimities against the kind and name I will put enimity between thy seed c. It is a perfect hatred Psal 139. 22. And so it cannot endure any sin because all is contrary to Gods Holinesse and offensive to his Spirit I would think it easier to forsake all evil and cease from doing any evil I mean presumptuously with a willing minâ— and endeavour then indeed to forsake one for as long as ye entertain so many lusts like it they shall make way for it It were easier to keep the whole Commandments in an Evangelical sense then indeed to keep any one for all of theâ— help another and subsist they cannot one with out another so that ye take a foolish course whâ— go about particular reformations Ye scandalous sinners professe that ye will amend the particular fault ye are guilty of and in the meaâ— time ye take no head to your Souls and Lives Therefore it shall be either in vain or not acceptable How pleasant a life would Christians have if they would indeed be perswaded to be altogether Christians The halfing of it neither pleaseth God nor delights you Iâ— keeps you but in continual torment between God and Baal your own lusts usurpe over you and that of Christ in you challenges the Supremacy so ye are as-men under two Masters
the Living Fountain it proceedeth from There is no other thing can be made sure all besides this is uncertain and this only is worthy to be made sure Nothing besides this can give you satisfaction Are your hearts asking within you how shall this peace be attained If you desire to know it consider these words whose heart is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee It concerneth you much to know well what this is that your eternal peace depends on Trusting in God is the leaning of the Souls weight on God the Soul hath a burden above it heavy and unsupportable and this the truster casteth upon God And so he is a loadened and weary man whom Christ exhorteth to come to him and he shall find ease for his Soul Matth. 11. 28. Prov. 3. 5. Leaning to our self and trusting in God are opposed Psal 22. 10. Trusting is exponed to be a casting upon God Psal 25. 1. It is called a lifting up the Soul to him This one thing is included in the bosome of Trusting and Believing that a man hath many burdens too heavy for him which would sink him down The Believer is such a one as Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. 12. O Lord we have no might against this great company neither know we what to do O Lord I have an Army of iniquities against me a great company compasseth me about An Army of Cursâ—s al 's numerous as mine iniquities both are innumerable as the Sand of the Sea I have no might against them neither know I what to do Nay the Lord is against me his wrath is like the roaring of a Lyon what can I do agaiâ—st him The first beginning of trusting in God is distrusting our sâ—lves And untill a man see his duty and burden beyond his strength his burden greater then he can bear you will never perswade him to come to Jesus Christ and lean on him We will not preacâ— any such Doctrine as to discharge any to coâ— to Christ till they be wearied and loaden For when a man conceiveth that he wanteâ— that weariednesse whither shall he go to fiâ— it Is there any Fountain but one Jesâ— Christ both of Grace and preparations to it any such be But this we preach unto yoâ— that unâ—â—l you be wearied and loaden you wiâ— not cast your burden on Jesus We need nâ— discharge you to come till you be such for ceâ—tainly you will not come This is the desperâ— wickednesse of our hearts that we will neveâ— forsake our selves till we can do no better Utill men be as David I looked on the right hanâ— and there was none would know me refuge failâ— me certainly they will not cry to God Mâ— will look round about them before they wiâ— look up above them they will cast the burdeâ— of their Souls upon any thing upon their owâ— sorrow and contrition upon their resolution â— amend upon external Duties and Priviledge upon civil Honesty until all these succumb under the weight of their Salvation and then iâ— may be they will ask after him who bare oâ— griefs I would not willingly speak of preparations to Faith because it putteth men upoâ— searching something in themselves upon fashioning their own hearts and trimming them tâ— come to Christ wheras there is nothing caâ— be acceptable to him but what cometh froâ— him But I think all that men intend whâ— speak of preparations may be gained this waâ— by holding out unto men the impossibility oâ— â—oming to Christ till they be emptied of themselves Not that the one is a thing going before to be done by us but because they are all â—ne it is one motion of the Soul to come out of â—t self and in to Jesus It is one thing really to â—istrust our selves and to trust in him And by this means when the true Nature of Faith it â—elf is holden out men might examine themselves â—ather by it whither they have it nor by the preparations of it But to come to our purpose when the Soul is pressed under burdens of sin and misery of duty and insufficiency and inability to do it then â—he Gospel discovereth unto the wearied Soul a place of reposing and rest The Lord hath established Christ Jesus an ensigne to the people these who seek unto him shall find his rest glorious Isa 11. 10. When there is discovered in us all â—mptinesse and inability yea impossibility to save our selves or perform any duty then are we led to Jesus Christ as one who is come with grace and truth in whom it hath pleased the father all fulness should dwell And the turning of the Soul over upon him is trusting in him You would not mistake this trusting in the Lord in its first and most native acting is not always perswasion of his good-will and love in particular No the Soul meets first with a general promise holding out his good-will in general and the Soul closeth with this a thing both good and true as faithful in it self and worthy of all acceptatiâ—n This is it that we must first meet with an â—ll-sufficient Saviour able to save to the uâ—â—ost all that come to him and the Souls acâ—epting of that blessed Saviour on the termes he is offered this is believing in him and trusting to him as a compleat Saviour Now when the Soul hath disburdened it seâ— upon God and set to itâ— seal to the truth oâ— tâ— promises in the Gospel for Salvation If tâ— Light of the Spirit shine to discover this unâ— it that it hath laid hold on his strength whoâ— able to save to the utmost then it becometh peâ—swaded of his love in particular and this is râ—ther the Sealing after believing then believing â—self When once men have hazarded their Soâ— upon his word and trusted in him then thâ— may trust in him for all particulars He thâ— hath given his Son for us will be not with him gâ— all things This therefore is the continual â—course of a Believer from discovered emptineâ— and insufficiency in himself to travel unto tâ— fulnesse and strength of Jesus Christ that hâ— strength may be perfected in weaknesse Yâ— when all things seem contrary and his dispeâ—sation writes bitter things against us yet ouâ— we to trust in him Job 13. 15. There is a peâ— of wilfulness and violence in Faith that will loâ— allways towards his word whatever be threâ—ned to the contrary Now from this Faith in God floweth a câ—stant dependance and stayedness on him Tâ— are stayed on him because they trusted in him â— Faith discovereth in God such grounds tâ— it may lean its weight upon him without wâ—vering and changing It considereth his poâ—er his good-will and his faithfulness Hâ— able to perform he is willing to do it and he is faithful because he hath promised His greatness and power is a high Rock higher then we that Faith leadeth us unto His love and good will in Jesus Christ maketh an open entry and ready access to that Rock And faithfulness
come into the world first to Redeem his Spouse and so to Marry her And the Redeemer shall come unto Sion c. The Fathers Offer that he might not be wanting to help it forward is to Dispone by an irrevocable Covenant having the force of an absolute Donation His Word and Spirit to Christ and his Seed to the Church even to the end of the world vers 21. As for me this is my Covenant The Son hath done his part and is to express his infinit Love infinit Condescendency and stooping below his Majesty Now as for me I will shew my good will to it in my infinit Bounty and Riches of Grace to the Church he hath given himself for her I will give my Spirit and thus it cannot but hold We shall speak a word then of these three First what Estate and Condition Christ findeth his Church into out of which she must be taken to be his Spouse Then what way and course is laid down by the Counsel of Heaven to fill up the infinit distance between Christ and sinners and to close all we shall shew you the suitableness of these Promises and the wonderful fitness of this Doctrine to the Church at this time Isaiah Preached it and at all times The first is supposed in the words Redemption supponeth Captivity or Slavery Redemption of persons importeth Captivity and Slavery of these persons and Redemption of other things that belong to persons importeth Sale or Alienation of our right to them Of both Personall Redemption is the greatest and most difficult Yet both we have need of for our Estate and Fortune so to speak is lost For all men have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. That inheritance of eternal Life we have morgaged it and given away our right to it the favour of God and the blessedness of Communion with him was Adams Birthâ— right and by a free Donation was made hiâ— proper Inheritance and possâ—ssion to be transmitted to his Posterity But O how for how small a thing did he give it away for a little tast of an Aple he sold his Estate And both he and we may lament over it as the King that was constrained to render himself and all his Army for want of Water when he tasted it for how small a thing saith he have I lost my Kingdom Then our persons are in a state of Bondage in Captivity and Slavery Captives under the Wrath of God and Slaves or Servants to sin There needed no greater difference and difformity between Christ and us then this our servitude and bondage to sin which truely is the basest and most abominable Vassallage in the World The abasement of the Highest Prince to the vilest servitude under the basest Creatureâ— in his Dominion is but a shadow of that loathsome and ugly posture of our Souls This servitude doth in a manner unman us and transform us into Beasts Certainly it is that which in the Holy Eyes of God is more loathsome then any thing beside He seeth not that deformity in Poverty Nakednesse Sicknesse Slavery let a man be as miserable as Job on his Dung hill it is not so much that as the unseen and undiscerned Posture and Habit of their Souls that he abominateth Now what a Match is this for the Highest and Holiest Prince the Son of the greatest King and Heir of all things But if you add to this Slavery that Captivity under the Curse and Wrath of God that all men are shut up and inclosed in the prison of Gods faithful and irrevocable Sentence of Condemnation and given over by the righteous Judgement of God to be kept by Satan in everlasting Chains of Darkness He keepeth men now by the invisible Cords of their own sins but these Chains of Darkness are reserved for both him and men Now indeed this supperaddeth a great difficulty to the business the other may be a difficulty to his Mind and Affection because there is nothing to procure Love but all that may enforce Hatred and Loathing But suppose his infinit Love could come over this stay could leap over this Mountain by the freedom of it Yet there is a greater impediment in the way that may seem difficult to his Power and it is the Justice and Power of God enclosing sinners and shutting them up for eternal Wrath till a due satisfaction be had from or for them You see then how infinit the distance is betwixt him and us and how great the difficulty is to bring about this intended Union Angels were sent with flamming Swords to encompass the Tree of Life and keep it from man but man is environed by the Curse of the Almighty God the Justice the Faithfulness and the Power of God do Guard or set a watch about him that there is no access to him to save him but by undergoing the greatest danger and undertaking the greatest Party that ever was dealt withal and the strictest and severest too This being the case then the distance beiâ— so vast and the difficulty so great the dâ—stance being twofold between his Nature aâ—ours and between our quality and his an iâ—finit distance between his Divine Nature aâ— our flesh and besides an extream contrarieâ— between the Holiness of his Nature and thâ— finfulness of ours Such a repugnancy as theâ— is no reconciliation of them You know whaâ— Paul speaketh of the Marriage of Christiaâ— with Idolaters How much more will it holâ— here What communion can be between lighâ— and darkness between God and Belial Iâ— it possible these can be Reduced to Amity and brought to so near an Union Yet for all this it is possible But Loâ— and Wisdom must find out the way Infinit Love and infinit Wisdom consulting together What distance can they noâ— swallow up What difficulty can they noâ— overcome And here you have it the distance undertaken to be removed both by the Father anâ— the Son for all this while we can do nothing to help it forward Whill the blessed Plot is going on we are posting the faster to ouâ— own destruction and this is the way condescended upon First to fill up that wide gap between his Divine Spiritual Nature and our Mortall fleshly Nature it is agreeâ— upon that the Son shall come in our Flesh and be made partaker of Flesh and Blood with the Children And this is meaned by this Promise Tbe Redeemer shall come to Sion Which is plainly expressed by his own Mouth Joh. 16. 28. I come forth from the father and come into the world There being such a distance between his Majesty and our baseness Love maketh him stoop down and humble himself to the very state of a â—ervant Phil. 2. 7 8. And thus the Humiliation of Christ filleth up the first distance for Love and Majesty cannot long dwell together Nec in una sede morantur Majestas amor But Love will draw Majesty down below it self to meet with the Object of it This was the great
opening of the eyes But I add there is no true confession but it is particular the Spirit useth not to be wilder mens spirits in a general notion only and a wild field of unknown sins And such are many of your convictions You mourn for sin as you say and yet you cannot condescend on a particular that burdeneth your conscience you grant you have many sins but sit down to compt them and there is a short compt of them Now do you not reflect back upon former humiliations in publick and former acknowledgements of sins in private do you not yet return upon your own hearts to lay home this sad challenge I have never repented I do not yet repent must not all your solemn approaches be iniquity and abomination while your souls are not afflicted for sin while you can see so few sins c. The fasting dayes of Scotland will be numbered in the roll of greatest provocations because there is no real and spiritual conviction of sin among us Custom now hath taken away the solemnity and there remaineth nothing but the very name Is this the fast that the Lord chooseth No believe it this shall add to your provocation and rather hasten lingering judgement then keep it off we would beseech you this day pray for pardon of former abused fasts If you had no more to mourn for this might spend the day and our spirits both and exhaust all our present supplications even the wall of partition that stands between God and Scotland which all our former solemn humiliations hath built up a great deal higher then other sins could reach There is none that calleth upon thy Name Did not this people make many prayers Isai 1. 15. before the captivity And did they not cry which noteth some fervency in it And fast a little before it in Jeremiahs time Chap. 11. 11. and 14. 12. in the time of it Ezek. 8. 18. Mic. 3. 4. Zech 7. 3. How then is it that the Prophet now on the watch-tower looking round about him to take up the peoples condition and being led by the Spirit so far as to the case of the captives in Babel can find no prayer no calling And was not Daniel so too Dan. 9. 13. Lo then here is the construction that the Spirit of God putteth on many prayers and fastings in a Land There is none calleth on thy Name there is none that prayeth faithfully and fervently few to count upon that prayeth any It may be there are many publick prayers but who prayeth in secret and mourneth to God alone There are many prayers but the inscription is To the unknown God to a nameless God your praying is not a calling on his Name as a known God and revealed in the Word This then we would say unto you that there may be many prayers in your account and none in Gods There are many prayers of men that God counteth no more of then the howling of a dog First The cry of mens practices is often louder then their prayers and goeth up to Heaven that the cry of prayer cannot be heard When mens conversation is flat contrary to their supplications supplication is no calling on his Name but charming rather Sodoms abominations had a cry up to God Gen. 18. 21. So Ahels blood had a cry for vengeance which Cains prayers could not out-cry Thus the Lord would not hear many prayers Isa 1. 15. because hands and practices were polluted you that know no worship of God but in such a solemn duty your religion is summed up and confined within the limits of Temple-worship Family exercise and prayer Certainly the rest of your conversation must speak more God will not heat but such as worship him and do his will Joh. 4. 31. Your prayer is a dark parable if your conversation expone it not This I speak for this end to put many of you out of your false ground of Confidence you have nothing but your prayers to trust unto And for your conversation you never go about it effectually to reform it but goeth on in that which you pray against we declare unto you the truth your prayers are Abomination Pro. 28. 9. The wicked may have prayers And therefore think not to please God and flatter him with your mouths when your conversation is rebellion since you hear not him in his commands God will not hear you in your petitions Pro. 1. 24. 28. You stopped your ear at his reproof God will stop his ear at your request If you will go to heaven by your own righteousness I pray you follow more after it make the garment more to cover your nakedness the skirt of a duty is not sufficient Secondly When iniquity is regarded in the heart and idols set up in Gods place God will not own such a worship but sendeth a man to the Idols he serveth Psa 66. 18. Ezek. 14. 3. 4. Do you not often pray to God against a corruption when your heart cleaveth unto it and what your mouth saith your heart contradicteth Light and Conscience often extort a confession of beloved sins while the temper of the heart hath this language Lord grant not my request And therefore if there be a prayer for pardon of guilt yet there is no through resolution to quite the sin And as long â—â— a soul is not resolved to quite the sin there can be no ingenuous confession of it and no prayer for removing the guilt can be heard You cannot imploy Christ in his office of Mediatorship as a Priest to interceed and offer sacrifice for sin unlesse you as sincerely imploy him as a sanctifier and Redeemer And therefore prayer that separateth Christs offices and calleth not on whole Christ calleth not on his name for his name is Lord Jesus Christ How can the Lord be inquired of by such a one who cometh to mock him puteth up an Idol in the heart and yet prayeth against it or some other sin while he is not resolved to quite it Shall God be resolute to help when we are noâ— earnest in seeking it No wonder God answer you according to the Idol No wonder you be given up to serve Idols and your sin grow upon you as a plague for your hypocrisy when you ingadge your heart too much to any creature and comes to pray and inquire of the Lord in your necessity shall it not be righteousness with him to send you to your God when thou cryest let thy companies deliver thee Isa 57. 13. O man cry unto thy bosome idol and let it help thee since thou trustest to it and spendeth thy heart on it Deut. 32. 37 38. Where is the God that drunk the Wine of your offerings and eat the fat of your sacrifices where is the creature that you have made your heart an altar to to send up the flames of your choicest thoughts and affections to it let this rise up and help you now saith the Lord. Therefore we exhort you if you would have
your prayers a delight be upright in the thing you seek and see that you intertain no known sin give it no heart allowance Thirdly There are many prayers not heard not known because the mouth outcryeth the heart It is the sacrifice of the contrite heart that God despiseth not The prayers of this people were such Isai 29. 13. They drew near with the mouth but the heaâ—t was far away It is worship in spirit and truth that God loveth Joh 4. 23. Since Prayer is a communion of God with the Creature a meeting of one with God and speaking face to face God who is a Spirit and immortal must have a spirit to meet with a soul to speak to him Now do you not find your hearts gading abroad even in duty Is it not most about your Corns and Lands in the time of solemn worship Therefore God getteth no more but a carcasse to keep communion with He may have as much fellowship with the stones of the wall and timber of the house as he can have with your ears and mouths while you remove your hearts to attend other things And I would say more if your mind be present yet your heart is gone sometimes yea often both are gone abroad Sometimes the mind and thought stayeth but the affection and heart is not with it and so the minds residence is not constant Your thought may come in as a wayfaring man but tarrieth not all night dwelleth not Now speak to it even Christians may not your Prayers often have a contrary interpretation to what they pretend You pray so coldrifely and formally as God will interpret you have no mind to it we ask as we seemed indifferent whether our petition be granted or not Should the Lord be affected with your petitions when you your selves are not affected much Should his bowels of zeal sound within him when yours are silent It is fervent prayer availeth much Isai 5. 16. A heart sent out with the petition and gone up to Heaven cannot but bring back an answer If Prayer carry not the seal of the heart and soul in it God cannot own it or send it back with his seal of acceptation Fourthly Many Prayers are not calling on Gods Name And no wonder that when people pray yet the Spirit say None calleth on thy Name for Prayer is made as to an unknown God and God is not taken up according to his Name which are his glorious Attributes whereby he manifesteth himself in his Word To call on Gods Name is so to pray to God as to take him up as he hath revealed himself And what is the Lords Name Hear himself speak to Moses Exod. 33. 19. and 34. 6 7. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty Now to call on this Name is for the soul in Prayer to have a suitable stamp on it every Attribute of God taking deep impression in the heart And so Gods Name to be written on the very petitions And shortly we may say the Spirit should have the impression of Gods greatnesse and Majesty of his goodnesse and mercy of his terriblenesse and justice This is the order that God proclaimeth his Name into In the entry the supplicant should behold the glorious Soveraignty and infinite distance between God and the Creature that he may have the stamp of reverence and abasement upon his spirit and may speak out of the dust as it becometh the dust of the ballance and footstool to do to him who sitteth on the circle of the Heaven as his Throne And this I must say there is little Religion and Godlinesse among us because every man is ignorant of God Even Gods children do more study themselves and their condition then Gods greatnesse and absolutenesse Who searches Gods infinitnesse in his Word and Works till he behold a wonder and be drowned in a mystery O but the Saints of old did take up God at a greater distance from the Creatures they waded far into this boundlesse Ocean of Gods Majesty till they were over head and ears and werâ— forced to cry out Who can find out the Almighty to perfection All these are but parts of him his back-parts There is more real Divinity and knowledge of God in one of Jobs friends discourses one of Davids prayerâ— then now in twenty Sermons of gracious men or many prayers or conferences of Saints But withal you must study his goodnesse and mercy and this maketh up the most part of his Name The definition of God hath most of this so that it may be said truly that mercy is his delight mercy as it were swelleth over the rest God were not accessible unlesse mercy did temper it Behold then greatnesse to humble and goodness to make bold that you may have accesse As greatness should leave the stamp of reverence on your petitions so should mercy and goodnesse imprint them with faith and confidence And that the rather because as Christ is said to be the Fathers Face and tâ— image of his Person 2 Cor. 4. 6. and Heb. 1. â— So may he be called the Fathers Name and â— doth God himself call him Exod. 23. 20 21. Tâ— Angel that went before them in the wilderness wâ—â— voice they ought to obey his Name is in him aâ— this Angel is Christ Jesus Acts 7. 37 38. â— then Christ Jesus is Gods Name God as â— revealeth himself in the Word is God in Châ— reconciling the world unto himself 2 Cor. 5. â— And therefore Christians you ought to prâ— alwayes in Christs Name and this is to call â— his Name Not only encourage your selves â— come to God because of a Mediator becaâ— he is God in Christ but also offer up all yoâ— prayers in Jesus his Name that his Name caâ—led on them may sanctifie them otherwise yoâ— affection at prayers cannot be acceptable â— God for he loveth nothing but what comâ— thorow the Son Prayer must have an evil sâ—vour when it is not put in the Golden Censâ— that this Angel hath to offâ—r up incense with tâ— prayers of the Saints And likewise you woâ— know Gods justice and wrath that you mâ— serve in fear and trembling And when treâ—bling is joyned with the rejoycing of faith thâ— is acceptable service You ought to fear to â—fend his holiness while you are before him Lâ— Gods terribleness have a deep impression â— your spirit both to make sin bitter and to maâ— mercy more sweet Thus should Prayer asceâ— with the seal of Gods Attributes and then is a calling on his Name Now is there any câ—ling on his Name among us Who maketh â—udy to take up God in his glorious Names â—herefore you call not on a known God and â—nnot name him Now all of you take this â—le to judge your prayers by Think you not â—at you make many prayers You both think and
outward Dispensation can fall on that can affect this generation We know not what the Lord can have behind that can work on us Judgement hath had as much terror Mercies as much sweetness and as much of God in the one and the other as readily hath been since the beginning of the world Only this we know all things are possible to him which are impossible to us And if the Spirit work to sanctifie the Rod a more gentle Rod shall work more effectually his Word shall do as much as his Rod. The case we are now into is just this None calleth on thee It is a terrible one whither our condition be good or bad outwardly our peace hath put us asleep and the Word cannot put men to prayers Now the Lord hath begun to threaten as you have been still in fear of new troubles and a revolution of affairs again yet I challenge your own Consciences and appeal to them whom hath the Word prevailed with to put to prayer Whom hath the rumour of approaching trouble put to their prayers Whose spirit hath been affected with Goâ— fâ—ouning on the Land And this yet more aâ— gravateth your laziness In the time that Goâ— doth shew terrible things to his people in Irelaâ— giveth them a cup of wormwood and to drink â— wine of astonishment Are not you yet at eâ—â— when your brethren and fellow saints are scaâ—tered among you as strangers yet your heaâ— bleed not Well behold the end of it you case is a sad prognostick of the Lords hideing hiâ— Face and consuming us Nay it is a sure token that his Face is hid already When Jâ— friends would aggravate his misery they sumâ— it up in this thou restrainest prayer from God Iâ— is more wrath to be kept from much praying nor to be scattered from your own house Therefore if you would have the cloud of Godâ— anger that covereth the Land with blackneâ— go over you and pour out it self on others you would prevent the Rod hearken to thâ— Word and stirr up your selves to much prayeâ— that you may be called his remembrancers Oâ— how long shall prayer be banished this Kingdom The Lords controversie must be greaâ— with us for since the days of our first love therâ— hath been great decay of the spirit of prayer The Children of God should be so much in it as they might be one with it David was so much in prayer as he in a manner defined himself by it Psal 109. 4. I gave my self unto prayer In the original there is no more but â— prayer I was all prayer It was my Work my Element my Affection my Action Nay to speak the truth it is the decay of prayer that hath made all this defection in the Land Would you know the original of many a publick mans Apostacy and backsliding in the cause of God what maketh them so soon forget their solemn ingagements and grow particular seeking their own things untender in seeking the things of God Would you trace back the Desertion up to the Fountain head Then come and see Look upon such a mans walking with God in private such a mans praying and you shall find matters have been first wrong there Alienation and estrangement from God himself in immediat Duties and secret approaches hath made mâ—ns Affections cooll to his interest in publick Duties And believe it the reason why so few great men or none are so cordial constant and through in Gods Matters is this they pray not in secret They come to Parliament or Council where publick Matters concerning the Honour of God are to be debated as any Stas-man of Venice would come to the Senate They have no dependence on God to be guided in these Matters They are much in publick Duties but little in secret with God Believe it any mans private walking with God shall be read upon his publick carriage whither he be Minister or Ruler There is yet another thing we would have you consider to endear this Duty unto you and bind upon your Consciences an absolute necessity of being much in it and it is this Prayer and calling on his Name is often put for all immediat Worship of God especially the more substantial and moral part of Service This people was much in Ceremonials and they made these their righteousness Nay but there was little secret conversing with God walking humbly with him loving him believing in him Well then prayer is as it were a compend and summ of all Duties It contains in it Faith Love Repentance all these should breath out in prayer In a word if we say to you be much in prayer we have said all and it is more then all the rest because it is a more near and immediat approach to God having more solid Religion in it If you be lively in this you are thriving Christians if you wither here all must decay for prayer sappeth and watereth all othes Duties with the influence of Heaven That stirreth up himself to take hold on thee This expresseth more of their condition under the Rod and while God was threatning to depart and leave them none took so much notice of it as to awake out of his dream to take a fast hold of God It was but like the grip a man taketh in his slumbering that he soon quiteth in his sleep None awaketh himself as a bird stirreth up it self with its wings to flight None do so spread out their sails to meet the wind This importeth a great security and negligence a careless stupidity To take hold to grip strongly and violently importeth both Faith acted on God and Communion with God so that the sense is no body careth whither thou go there is none that stirreth up himself to take violent hold of thee Men ly louse in their interest and indifferent in the one thing necessary do not strongly grip to it No body keepeth thee by prayer and intercession so that there is no diligence added to diligence there is no stirring up of our selves in security First when the Lord seemeth to withdraw and when he is angry it is our duty to take hold the more on him and not only to act Faith and call on him by prayer but to add to ordinary diligence it should be extraordinary First then I say when the Lord is withdrawing and seemeth angry we ought not to withdraw from him by unbelief but to draw near and take hold on him And the Lord giveth a reason of this himself Isai 26. 4 5. because fury is not in me It is but a moments anger it is not hatred of your persons but sins it is not fury that hath no discretion in it to difference between a friend and an enemy It is but at least a fathers anger that is not for destruction but correction The Lord is not implacable come to him and win him let bim take hold of me and let him make peace with me if he will make peace He is a God whose
in God in the worst case and then ye might lay hold on him though he seemed a consuming fire It is then a time that calleth most for secureing your interest in him a time when there is no external advantage to beguile you a time when the only happiness is to be one with God Therefore the man who in such Calamities and Judgements is not a waked to put his eternal Estate out of question he is in a dangerous case For do not most part drive over their dayes and have no assurance of Salvation they dare not say either pro or contra It may be and it may not be And this is the length that the most part come a negative Peace No positive Confidence No clear concluding on sure grounds an Interest Alwayes ye are most called to this when God afflicteth the Land or you If ye do not then make Peace it is most dangerous 3. The Lord loveth Faith in a difficulty best it is the singlest and the cleanliest it is that which most honoureth him and glorifieth his Truth and Faithfulnesse and Sufficiency and Mercy for then it is most purely Elevated above Creatures and pitcheth most on God And therefore bringeth men to this No help for my soul but thou art my portion And this commendeth God most when he is set alone Prosperity bringeth him down among Creatures and secure Faith maketh little distinction But awakening Faith grippeth strongly and singly puteth God alone Secondly Oftentimes when God is departing none stirreth up himself to lay hold on him Although there may be praying and doing of many duties yet there is nothing beyond ordinary The varieties and accessions of new grounds of supplications doth neither make greater frequency nor more fervency This our experience may clear unto us both in duties and faith First There is very little diligence in seeking of God in the way and means appointed even when God seemeth to bid farewel to the Land and go away No body cometh in as an intercessor Men keep on their old way of praying and never addeth to it come what like Who is it that riseth above his ordinary as the Tide of Gods dispensation is There ought to be such an impression made by the changes of Gods countenance as might be read on the duties of his people There should be such a distance between your ordinary and such times as between a sleeping man and a waking man that whatever your attainment of access to God be ye might stir up and go beyond it according as matters call Will God count your publick Fasts a performance of this duty Alas we fast sleeping and none stirreth up himself to these things Is there any difference betwixt your solemn Humiliation and another Sabbath And is there any difference between a Sabbath and a week day save the external duty Is not this palpably our case Is there any wakening among us No security is both the universal disease and complaint And it is become an incurable disease since it became a complaint Doth any of you pray more in private then ye used Or what edge is on your prayers Alas the Lord will get good leave to go from us It feareth me that we would give Christ a Testimonial to go over Seas Hold him hold him Nay the multitude would be gladly quite of him they cannot abide his yoke his work is a burden his word is a torment his discipline is bands and cords And what heart can ye then have to keep Christ What violence can ye offer to him to hold him still All your intreaties may be fair complements but they would never rent his garment Secondly There is no up-stirring to faith among us and laying hold on Jesus Christ albeit all his dispensations warn us that it is now high time There are not many who are about this point effectually to stir up their faith or to secure their interest Think ye that conjectures will carry you thorow difficulties The multitude think they believe much but any temptation proveth their mistake The most part of Scotland would deny God and his Son Jesus Christ if they were put to it Alwayes it is a time ye would not ly out from your strong hold faith only uniteth you to Christ and if ye would be kept in any trial stir up faitâ— Thirdly Prayer and Faith diligence and laying hold on God must go together and help one another Not calling on his Name and not laying hold on him go together and have influence oâ—e upon another First Faith hath influence on Prayer Laying hold on God in Christ will make right calling on his Name it learneth men how to call God to call him Abba Father Faith useth to vent iâ— self in Prayer I say much consideration of God and claiming in to him and to the grounds of confidence in him must both make Prayer acceptable and carry the stamp and impression of Gods Name or Christâ— Nâ—mâ— oâ— it and also make much prayer for when a soul hath pitched on God as its only felicity and thus made choice of him it findeth in him all-sufficiency all things for all things There is no necessiâ—y but it findeth a supply in his fulness for it And therefore it applyeth a man to the fountain to draw out of the wells of salvation There is nothing can be so sweet and refreshing as for such a soul to pour out it sâ—lf every day in him to talk with him face to face Faith ingageth the heart to come to God with all things whereas many difficulties would have been and the secure or unsettled heart would have gone as many different wayes to help them Faith laying hold on God knoweth but one and bringeth all here And therefore access to God is a fruit of it access unto the grace wherein we stand by faith And again how can Prayer be acceptable as long as Faith doth not principle it It is but like a beasts groaning under a burden Laying hold on God himself makes a mans duties acceptable because he speaks and asks believing that he shall receive he trusteth God and doth not tempt him Where lively faith is not intertained there cannot be much affection which is the oyl of the wheels There may be in some bitterness of spirit much vehemency but that is not a pure flame of divine love that burneth upward to him and it is soon extinguished and lasteth no longer nor present sense and then the soul groweth harder as iron that had been in the fire Secondly when there is not much prayer and calling faith cannot be strong and violent for prayer is even the exercise of faith if you wear out of that faith rusteth There may be much quietness with little prayer but there cannot be much and strong and lively faith for where it getteth not continual imployment it faggs And indeed prayer is a special point of holding God fast and keeping him Therefore joyn these if ye would thrive in any one of