it for every thing which hath passed his hand carrieth God's Signature and Mark It sheweth that it came from a Being of Infinite power and Wisdome and Goodness but Man hath his Image and Likeness stamped upon him there you may discern God's tract and footprint but here his very Face In his first moulding of him he would plainly and visibly discover himself So again when this making of Man is explained Gen. 2. 7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. Before we read that Man was created here we see in what sort his Body was framed with great Art though of base Materials a handfull of dust did God inliven and formed into a beautifull Frame But for the Frame within he had a more excellent and perfect Soul than God gave to any other Creature by the union of both these man became a living Soul Heaven and Earth were married in his Person the dust of the Earth and an immortal Spirit which is called the breath of God were sweetly linked and joyned together with a disposition and inclination to one another the Soul to the Body and the Body to the Soul When he had raised the Walls of the Flesh and built the House of the Body with all its Rooms then he puts in a noble and divine Guest to dwell in it and both make up one Man 2. The making of Man now is the work of God as well as the making of the first Man was God's hands did not onely make and fashion Adam but David he saith Thy hands have made me and fashioned me The Body of Man is of God's framing Psal. 139. 15 16. My substance was not hid from thee when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my Members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them Our Bodies you see there though the Matter were propagated by our Parents yet his hands made them and fashioned them God is more our Father than our natural Parents are our Parents know not whether the Child will be male or female beautifull or deformed cannot tell the number of the Bones Muscles Veins Arteries this God appointeth and frameth with curious Artifice so that of all visible Creatures there is none in any sort equalleth Man in the curious Composition of his Body whether we look upon the beauty and majesty of his Person or take notice of the variety nature and use of his several Parts with their Composition and framing them together with a wonderfull order and correspondence one to another as if they had been described by a Model and Platform set down in a Book So secretly and curiously was the Matter framed in passing through all the changes in the Womb till it came to a perfect formation Then for the Soul God infuseth that Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall our dust return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit to God that gave it God gave the Body too but especially the Spirit because there he worketh singly and immediately therefore he is called the Father of Spirits they do not run in the Channel of carnal generation or fleshly descent Heb. 12. 9. So Zedekiah swore by the God that made his Soul So Zech. 12. He formed the spirit of man within him The Parent doth instrumentally produce Man in respect of his Body yet the Soul is from God and immediately created and infused into the Body by him and being put into that dead lump of Clay doth animate and quicken it for the most excellent Imployment 3. Man that was created by God was created to serve him He formed us from the Womb to be his Servants as well as the first Man Isa. 49. 5. Adam indeed was appointed for this use all other Creatures were made to serve God but Man especially by the design of his Creation other things ultimately and terminatively but Man immediately and nextly God made all things for himself Prov. 16. 4. and Rom. 11. 36. For of him and through him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Man is the Mouth of the Creation surely 't is but reason that God should have the use of all that he gave us that the Authour of Life and Being should have some glory by them that he should dwell in the House he hath set up he that made it hath most right to use it that we should glorify him with our Bodies and Souls which are his 1 Cor. 6. 20. Man is designed ingaged by greater Mercies furnished with great Abilities as at first endowed with God's Image he hath Faculties and Capacities to know and glorify his Creatour There are natural Instincts given to other things or Inclinations to those things which are convenient to their own Nature but none of them are in a capacity to know what they are and have and where they are they cannot frame a Notion of him who gave them a Being Man is the Mouth of the Creation to speak for them Psalm 145. 10. All thy works praise thee O Lord and thy Saints bless thee He was made to love and serve and glorify God The divine Image inclined him to Obedience at first 4. We are not now what God made us at first but are strangely disabled to serve him and please him Eccles. 7. 29. God made man upright but they have sought out many inventions There is man's original and his degeneration what he was once made and how far now unmade and departed from his primitive Estate his perfection by Creation and defection by Sin first made in a state of Righteousness without Sin and now in a state of Sin and Misery without Grace was created with an holy Disposition to inable and incline him to love please and obey God but now hath found out many Inventions put to his shifts Man was not contented to be at God's finding but would take his own course and hath miserably shifted ever since to patch up a sorry Happiness So Rom. 3. 23. All have sinned and are come short of the glory of God by glory of God is not meant his glorious Reward but his glorious Image Image is called glory 1 Cor. 11. 7. 'T is said of the Man That he is the image and glory of God as the Woman is the glory of the Man So compare 2 Cor. 3. 18. We beholding the glory of the Lord in a glass c. so here We are come short of the glory of God that is his glorious Image Hence it is that all our Faculties are perverted the Mind is become blind and vain the Will stubborn and perverse Conscience stupid the Affections preoccupied and intangled and we find a manifest disproportion in all our Faculties to things carnal and spiritual sinfull and holy In the Understanding there is a
him but when his heart was upheld in the ways of God So Col. 3. 3. Your life is hid with Christ in God They had a life visible as other men had but your life that which you chiefly esteem and indeed count to be your life is a hidden thing Here I shall enquire 1. What is this spiritual life 2. Shew that there is a spiritual life distinct from the natural 3. The excellency of the one above the other 4. When this spiritual life is in good plight 1. What is meant by spiritual life 'T is threefold a life of justification and sanctification and glorification First The life of justification We are all dead by the merit of sin When a man is cast at law we say he is a dead man Through one mans offence all were dead Rom. 5. 5. We are sensible of it when the Law cometh in with power Rom. 7. 9. we begin to awaken out of our dead sleep Gods first work is to awaken him and open his eyes that he may see he is a Child of wrath a condemned person undone without a pardon when the Law came sin revived and I died before he thought himself a living man in as good an estate as the best but when he was enlightned to see the true meaning of the Law he found himself no better than a dead man Now when justified the sinner is translated from a sentence of death to a sentence of life passed in his favour and therefore it is called justification of life Rom. 5. 18. and Ioh. 5. 29. He that believeth shall not enter into condemnation but hath passed from death to life that is is acquitted from the sentence of death and condemnation passed on him by the Law Secondly The life of sanctification which lyes in a Conjunction of the soul with the spirit of God even as the natural life is a Conjunction of the body with the soul. Adam though his body was organized and formed was but a dead lump till God breathed the soul into him so till our union with Christ by the communion of his spirit we are dead and unable to every good work But the Holy Ghost puts us into a living condition Ephes. 2. 4 5. We were dead in trespasses and sins yet now hath he quickned us There is a new manner of being which we have upon the receiving of Grace Thirdly Life eternal or the life of Glory which is the final result and consummation of both the former For justification and sanctification are but the beginnings of our happy estate justification is the cause and foundation and sanctification is an introduction or entrance into that life that we shall ever live with God 2. Now this life is distinct from life natural for it hath a distinct principle which is the spirit of God the other a reasonable soul 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a living soul the last Adam was made a quickning spirit Parents are but instruments of Gods Providence to unite body and soul together but here we live by the spirit or by Christ Gal. 2. 20. God and we are united together Then we live when joined to God as the fountain of life whence the soul is quickned by the spirit of Grace This is to live indeed 'T is called the life of God Ephes. 4. 18. not by common influence of his Providence but by special influences of his Grace Secondly It is distinct in its operations Unumquodque operatur secundum suam formam as things that move upward and downward according to their form so the new Nature carrieth men out to their own natural motion and tendency Walking as men 1 Cor. 3. 3. and walking as Christians are two distinct things The natural and humane life is nothing else but the orderly use of sense and reason but the Divine and spiritual life is the acting of Grace in order to communion with God as if another Soul dwelt in the same Body Ego non sum ego Old lusts old acquaintance old temptations knock at the same door but there is another Inhabitant Thirdly Distinct in supports Hidden Manna Meat indeed Drink indeed Ioh. 6. 55. There is an outward man and an inward man the inward man hath its life as well as the outward And as life so taste omnis vita gustu ducitur The hidden man must be fed with hidden Manna meat and drink that the world knows not of its comforts are never higher than in decays of the body 1 Cor. 4. 16. A man is as his delight and pleasure is it must have something agreeable Fourthly Distinct in ends The aim and tendency of the new Nature is to God 't is from God and therefore to him Gal. 2. 19. 'T is a life whereby a man is enabled to move and act towards God as his utmost end to glorifie him or to enjoy him A carnal man's personal contentment is his highest aim water riseth not beyond its fountain But a gracious man doth all to please God Col. 1. 11. to glorifie God 1 Cor. 10. 31. And this not only from his obligations Rom. 14. 7 8. but from his being that principle of life that is within him Ephes. 1. 12. A man that hath a new principle cannot live without God his great purpose and desire is to enjoy more of him 3. The excellency of the one above the other There is life carnal life natural and life spiritual Life carnal as much as it glittereth and maketh a noise in the world 't is but a death in comparison of the life of Grace 1 Tim. 5. 6. She that liveth in pleasure is dead whilst she liveth and let the dead bury their dead Luke 9. 60. and dead in trespasses and sins None seem to make so much of their lives as they yet dead as to any true life and sincere comfort So life natural 't is but a vapour a wind and a little puff of wind that is soon gone take it in the best Nature is but a continued sickness our food is a constant medicine to remedy the decays of Nature most men use it so alimenta sunt medicamenta But more particularly First Life natural is a common thing to Devils Reprobates Beasts Worms Trees and Plants but this is the peculiar priviledge of the Children of God 1 Iohn 4. 13. Therefore Gods Children think they have no life unless they have this life If we think we have a life because we see and hear so do the Worms and smallest Flyes if we think we are alive because we eat drink and sleep so do the Beasts and Cattel if we think we live because we reason and conferr so do the Heathens and Men that shall never see God if we think we have life because we grow well and wax strong proceeding to Old Age so do the Plants and Trees of the Field Nay we have not only this in common with them but in this kind of life other Creatures excel Man The Trees excel us for
the request We pray for giving success to such an enterprize why that we may serve God safely God will bring it about another way Fifthly If God do not give us the blessings themselves we ask yet he gives us many experiences by the by in the manner of asking one way or other something comes into the soul by praying to God as those in Psal. 84. their end was to go to Ierusalem but in passing through the valley of Baca they met with a Well by the way So we meet with something by the way some light or some sweet refreshing some new consideration to set us a work in the spiritual life By praying to God unawares unthought of by you there are many principles of faith drawn forth in the view of conscience not noted before some truth or other presented to the heart or some spiritual benefit that comes in with fresh light and power that was never aimed at by us USE 1. If God be so ready to hear his people Let us not throw away our prayers as children shoot away their arrows but let us observe Gods answer what comes in upon every prayer in every address you make to God put the soul in a posture of expectation Psal. 5. 3. I will pray and look up and Psal. 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people See what God speaks when you have been praying and calling upon him It argues a slight formal spirit when you do not observe what comes in upon your addresses To quicken you to this know 1. If you observe not his answer God loseth a great deal of honour and praise for 't is said Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in time of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Every answer of prayer makes for the glory of God and Col. 4. 2. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving You are not only to see how your hearts are carried out in prayer but watch for God's answer that you may gather matter of praise We should not be so barren in gratulation as usually we are if we were as ready to observe our experiences as to lay forth our necessities 2. You lose many an argument of trust and confidence Answers of Prayer are an argument against Atheism which is so natural to us and inbred in our hearts it perswades us that there is a gracious being Psal. 65. 2. O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come we have called upon him and found that there is a God and against the natural unbelief which doubts of his truth in his Promises Psal. 18. 30. The word of the Lord is a tried word he is a buckler to all those that trust in him Well saith the soul I will build upon it another time there is more than letters and syllables in it there is something that speaks Gods heart so Psal. 116. 2. The Lord hath heard my voice and my supplications because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Promises shall not lye by as a dead stock I will be pleading them 3. It encreaseth our love to God when we see how mindful he is of us and kind to us in our necessities it is a very taking thing Visits maintain friendship so when God is mindful of us it maintains an intercourse between God and us Psal. 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my supplications Therefore observe what comes in upon your prayers especially when your hearts are earnestly carried out by the impulses of his grace USE 2. To admire the goodness of God to poor creatures that he should be at leisure to attend our requests I declared my ways and he heard me When a poor soul that is of no regard among men shall come with conflicts and temptations and the Lord presently hear him it renders his grace truly admirable Psal. 34. 6. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles He doth not say this eminent Prophet or this great King but this poor man O! that such contemptible persons as we should have such audience For Great ones here in the world to let a poor man tell his tale at large that would be counted great patience much more if he finds relief in the case But beyond all this observe the goodness of God The more we declare our ways the sooner doth he hear us he doth not turn away from us when we tell him plainly we cannot believe in him or trust in him Come to a man and tell him You have made me great promises but I cannot believe you speak truth this will provoke him but when you come to the Lord and say Lord thou hast made a great many promises though we cannot trust him as we should yet we have declared our sins conflicts temptations yet Lord pity our weakness Thirdly Here is his Petition Teach me thy statutes First I observe David having been once heard of God expects to be heard in the like manner again Here Thou hast heard me and then comes with a new request Teach me thy statutes Doct. 1. Those that have sped with God in one address they will be dealing with God for more mercy For so doth David The reason is 1. Because God is where he was at first he is not weary by giving nor doth waste by giving but what he hath done that he can do and will do still I AM is God's name not I was or will be for ever remaining in the same constant tenor of goodness and power His Providence is still new and fresh every morning God is but one always like himself He hath not so spent himself but he can work again Creatures have soon spent their allowance but God cannot be exhausted There 's no decays of Love or Power in him no wrinkle in the brow of Eternity There was is and will be a God 2. Experience breeds Confidence the Apostle teacheth us so Rom. 5. 4. when we have had former experience of Gods readiness to hear us it is an argument that breeds confidence of the like audience for the future He that delivered me out of the mouth of the Lion c. God that hath been gracious surely will be gracious still for then Promises are sensibly confirmed and then former mercies are pledges of future By giving God becomes a debtor Mat. 6. 25. Is not life more than meat and the body than raiment Our Saviours argument this was If God give life he will give food if a body he will give raiment If he hath given grace the earnest of the Spirit he will give glory If he hath given us Christ he will give us other things together with him If he hath begun with us he will end with us Phil. 1. 6. One mercy is the pledg of another 3. We are endeared to God not only by
not stick so long as it doth but I speak now of such a want as remains in the Saints after they have begun with God and been put in a way of Obedience It is not enough that the Soul is once come to Christ but it is the business of our Lives we must be always coming 1 Pet. 2. 4. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious to whom Coming as unto a living Stone I you have Tasted then come to him for more they must be frequently renewing the Acts of their Faith and stirring up their Desires else there will be no growth of Grace no opposing Corruption for all our Strength is in him there is still something lacking to our Faith and all the Graces of the Spirit that are in us 2. Consider what a fulness there is in Christ. This incouraged the Prodigal that in his Fathers house there is bread enough So should this encourage us and awaken our desires there is enough in Christ if I will but go and take it and receive from this ever-flowing Fountain of Grace that God hath set up in our nature Iohn 1. 16. Of his fullness have we all received Christ hath not only plenitudinem vasis the fulness of a vessel but fontis the fulness of a Fountain The fulness of a Vessel that may be lessened the more we take fromit the less Liquor is in it but the more we take from a Fountain still there is the same overflowing fulness Such a fulness is in Christ therefore it is an encouragement to us to repair to him and enlarge our desires Look as it is with Beggars in the streets if they see a poor man meanly clad they let him alone but when they see a man of Quality and Fashion they rouze up themselves and besiege him with importunate entreaties and clamours and will not let him go until he hath left something with them Thus should we do Christ hath enough and to spare he hath the Spirit without measure therefore give him not over until he bestow something upon you he containeth more than we can receive whatever we get he is not lessened but as the Sea though we take never so much water out of it it remains in the same fulness so all the Saints may have supply for their wants without any deficiency in Christ. The Sun hath not less light though it communicate it freely to the inferiour World Christ is not spent for giving he hath enough to comfort and quicken us he needs not our fulness but emptiness The Prophet provided oyl enough to help the Widow She only provided empty Vessels We may be too full for Christ but cannot be too empty We may be too full of Self-righteousness and self-sufficiency Christ brings All-sufficiency to the Covenant and we bring all necessity Therefore since there is such an overflowing fulness in him we must still repair to him that we may receive more 3. Consider his readiness to give it you therefore come with hungring and thirsting after him Iohn 6. 37. Labour for the meat that endures for ever Mind the Graces of the the Spirit come to Christ for these things He was sent into the World and Commissionated for this end and purpose All the fullness in Christ is for our use As the Sun hath light not for it self but for the comfort of the World and a fountain hath water not for it self but for the use of man so Christ the head is the seat of Sence and Motion not for himself but for his whole body he is our store-house for the supply of our wants and he is cloathed impowered and invested with Offices to do us good O therefore enlarge your desires In other things you desire to be full why not of Grace Hypocrites are satisfied with a tast they may tast the good Word Temporaries are contented with a tast a little Religion they must have I but it is for the honour of Christ that we should be complete in him and filled with all the fulness of God and this is his grief when his Grace runs wast Look as when Breasts are full there 's a great pleasure in having them drawn or Children to have them sucking and the Lord hath as great a desire to impart his holiness as we to receive it Therefore come to him that we may have Grace for Grace that is for Graces sake Thus much for the First Point David appeals to God Lord I have longed after thy Precepts Doct. 2. Those that indeed long for Holiness will see a need of new quickning So David Quicken me in thy Righteousness A man would have thought he had been in a lively frame then yet quicken me in thy Righteousness excite and enliven me to all Acts of Obedience Here I shall Enquire 1. What is this quickning 2. Why they that long for Gods Precepts and a more perfect and ready Subjection to God are thus earnest for quickning First What is this quickning I shall not speak at large for it often occurrs in this Psalm It is used in Scripture for two things 1. For Regeneration or the first infusion of the life of Grace Ephes. 2. 1 5. Then we have Divine Qualities put into us that do encline and enable us to live unto God 2. It is put for the vitality and the vigour of grace when the Spiritual life is in good plight deadness of heart is apt to creep upon us therefore we need renewed excitations and quicknings that we may serve our God with chearfulness liveliness and zeal Christians should not only be living but lively 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye also as lively stones are built up a Spiritual House And we read of living Grace and lively Grace 1 Pet. 1. 3. And Christ came into the World that we might not only have life but have it more abundantly Iohn 10. 10. that is that we might not only be living but lively So that quickning is the actuation of the Spiritual life either in a way of Comfort or Grace There may be life where there is not this vigor and this vitality This quickning is mainly seen in the most operative and the two necessary Graces of the Soul to which the Gospel is sometimes reduced and they are Faith and Love These are the Graces wherein Life consists and as these are acted and excited to God so we are lively and when these decay we are dead When Faith is dead all Spiritual activity is lost Iames 2. 26. For as the Body without the Spirit is dead so Faith without works is dead also If men want Faith they cannot do any thing with any life So when Love is dead or Love grows cold Mat. 24. ââ¦2 Or when men have any abatement in their Love all languisheth and grows dead in the Soul Rev. 2. 4 5. But on the contrary it is said we live by Faith Gal. 2. 20. Grace is kept in good plight when Faith is strong and kept up in any vigor And Gal.
for ever I shall illustrate this Proposition by these Considerations 1. That God's Children are sometimes under deadness 2. That in such deadness the Word of God is the onely means to quicken them 3. Though the Word be quick and lively and powerful yet it is God that must bless it that must make it a support to the Soul 4. That whenever we have received these Comforts Quicknings and Supports from him they should ever be recorded and treasured up in the Registers of a thankful memory for the great uses of Christianity I. First God's Children are under deadness sometimes which hapneth to them for many causes 1. By reason of some Sin committed and not repented of or not fully repented of God smites them with deadness and hardness of heart and the spiritual life for awhile is greatly obstructed and impaired that it cannot discover itself and they have not those lively influences of grace as formerly Thus it was with David when he had strayed so greatly from God and begs God not to cast him off Psal. 51. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me As a wound in the body lets out the life blood and the spirits so these grievous sins are as a wound in the soul Sin against the conscience of a renewed man defaceth the work of the holy Spirit so that for a while he seems to be shut out from God's favor and his gracious abilitie are lessened and impaired he is like a wounded man till he be cured and made whole again The Spirit being grieved and resisted withdraws and the strength of the Soul is wasted and therefore be very tender stand in awe not only of greater but smaller sins 2. By reason of some good omitted especially neglect of the means whereby we may be kept alive fresh and lively in God's service Lazy fits of indisposition and omissions of duty do more frequently steal in upon Believers than positive out-breakings and commissions of sin and they are more ready to please themselves in them and lie still under them and so by this means contract much deadness of heart As a Lute that is not play'd upon but hangs by the wall and not used it soon grows out of keller for want of use so if we do not diligently and constantly exercise our selves in godliness our hearts grow dead and vain It is the complaint of the Church Isa. 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee If we do not stir up our selves to keep on a constant commerce with God and respect to God alas deadness creeps upon the heart unawares and we are commanded ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 2 Tim. 1. 6. To stir up the gift of God which is in us Surely a sloathful servant will soon become an evil servant Mat. 25. 26. Thou evil and sloathful servant Therefore our sinful sluggishness is one cause of our deadness for he that doth not trade with his Talents will necessarily become poor and if we do not continue this holy attendance upon God the heart suffers loss 1 Thess. 5. 19 20. Despise not prophesie quench not the Spirit The coupling of these two things together shews that if we despise Prophesie we quench the Spirit as fire goes out not only by pouring on water but by not stirring and blowing it up To expect help from God when we are sluggish is to tempt Christ and put him still upon a miraculous way to heal and cure our distempers Who will bring bread and meat to a Sluggard's Bed who will not arise to labor for it oâ⦠will not rise at least to fetch it Therefore if we will not attend upon God in the means of grace he will not bring us that help comfort and supply that otherwise we might have God worketh but so that we work also 2 Phil. 12. 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh c. God's working is not a ground of laziness but for more strict observance Since all depends upon God therefore take heed you do not offend God and provoke him to suspend his grace We must not lie upon a Bed of ease and cry Christ must do all for this is to abuse the power of grace to laziness It is notable that God bids his people do that which he promiseth to give them Psal. 31. 24. Psal. 27. 14. Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart As if he had said strengthen thine heart and he will strengthen thy heart The courage of Faith is both commanded and promised why God by this would shew how we should shake our selves out of our laziness and idleness that though God gives us grace and power yet he will have us to work as a Father that lifts up his childs arm to a burden and bids him lift it up Usually we complain of deadness with a reflection upon God he quickens the dead and therefore I am dead ay but what hast thou done to quicken thy self for grace was never intended that we might be idle you must complain of your selves as the moral faulty cause God is the efficient cause you do not meditate pray draw life out of the precious promises when the Spouse sleeps and keeps her Bed then Christ withdraws Cant. 5. 6. 3. Another cause is unthankfulness for Benefits received especially spiritual Benefits for God loves to have his grace acknowledged He stops his hand and suspends the influences of his grace when the creature doth not acknowledge his bounty Col. 2. 7. Be stablished and rooted in the faith abounding therein with thanksgiving The way to grow in Faith and get by Faith is to be thankful for what we have received that 's an effectual means both to keep it and to get more Therefore if we be always querulous and do not give thanks for the goodness of God to us for what he hath already vouchsafed to us in Christ no wonder that deadness and discouragement creeps upon our hearts 4. Pride in Gifts for we are told Iam. 4. 6. God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble The Garland we put on our own heads soon withers and those Gifts which we are pusst up with are presently blasted and have deadness upon them for he will teach us to ascribe all to himself 5. Some great and heavy Troubles We read ver 107. of this Psalm I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according unto thy Word O! when we are afflicted sore there 's a deadness upon the heart the spiritual life clogged with what alacrity did they go about good things before but then there 's a damp worldly sorrow deadens the spirit as godly sorrow quickens it and is a means to keep us alive to God 6. Another cause is Carnal liberty or intermedling with worldly vanities So much we may learn from that Prayer Psal. 119. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou
in thy way When we have been too busie about the vanities of the world or pleasures of the flesh when we have given contentment to the flesh and been intermedling with worldly cares and delights it brings a brawn and deadness upon the heart Luke 21. 34. Take heed that your hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this world c. I say by this the soul is distemper'd and rendred unapt for God Christians this is a disease very incident to the Saints this deadness that creeps upon them We have not such lively stirrings nor a like influence of grace we have not those earnest and lively motions we were wont to have in Prayer Now God he quickneth us how by exciting the operative graces as Faith Love Hope and Fear when these are kept pregnant and lively as we read of lively hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. There is living Faith and lively Faith and living Fear and lively Fear of God and living Hope and lively Hope All graces God makes them lively and vivacious that they may put forth their operations the more readily Well this is quickning in duties 2 There is quickning in afflictions and so it is opposed to fainting that fainting which is occasioned by too deep a sense of present troubles or by unbelief or distrust of God and his promises and the supplies of his grace O when troubles press upon us very sore our hearts are like a Bird dead in the Nest overcome so that we have no spirit life nor aptness for God's service my soul droopeth for very heaviness we have lost our life and our courage for God Well How doth God quicken us By reviving our suffering graces as our hope of eternal life and eternal glory patience and faith and so puts life into us again that we may go on chearfully in our service by infusion of new comforts He revives the spirit of his contrite ones so the Prophet saith Isa. 57. 15. He doth revive our spirits again when they are dead and sunk under our troubles O! it is very necessary for this Psal. 80. 18. Quicken us and we will call upon thy Name Discomfort and discouragement it weakens our hands until the Lord cheers us again we have no life in prayer By two things especially doth God quicken us in affliction by reviving the sense of his love and by reviving the hopes of glory By reviving the sense of his love Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is shed abroad like a fragrant ointment that doth revive us when we are even ready to give up the ghost Psal. 85. 6. Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in thee I say when he restores the sense of his love after great and pressing sorrow then he is said to quicken so when he doth renew upon us the hopes of glory Rom. 5. 2 3. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God Well you see what this quickning is 2 Secondly This quickning must be asked of God 1. Because it is his Prerogative to govern the heart of man especially to quicken us God will be owned as the Fountain of all life 1 Tim. 6. 13. I charge thee in the sight of God who quickneth all things It is God that quickneth all things All the life that is in the Creature all the life that is in new Creatures it comes from God it is he that giveth us life at first and he must keep in this life in the soul and restore it The meanest Worm all the life it hath it hath from God When Iohn would prove the Godhead of Christ he brings this argument Iohn 1. 4. In him is life There is not a Gnat but receives this benefit from Christ as God He hath the life of all things and this life is the light of Men much more the noble Creature Man hath this life from God much more the new Creature greater opââ¦ration of spiritual life more depends upon his influence and therefore if we would be quickned and carried out with any life and strength we must go to God for it 2. God as our Judge he must be treated with about it for he smites us with deadness therefore till he takes off his sentence we cannot get rid of this distemper it is one of God's spiritual plagues which must be removed before we can hope for any liveliness and any activity of grace again Under the Law God punished sins more sensibly as unhallowed addresses he punish'd them with death Under the Gospel he punisheth sins with deadness of heart When they seem careless in the worshipping of God they have a blow and breach as he smote Uzza and Nadab and Abihu dead in the place and now he smites with deadness Rev. 3. 7. He hath the Key of David that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth without his permission we can never recover our former lively estate again for there is a judicial sentence passed upon us Use. To press us to be often with God for quickning that we may obtain this benefit I have spoke of it at large upon another Verse if you would have this benefit rouze up your selves Isa. 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself And 2 Tim. 1. 6. Stir up the gift that is in thee A Man hath a faculty to work upon his own heart to commune and reason with himself and we are bidden to strengthen the things that are ready to die Rev. 3. 2. When things are dying and fainting in the soul we are to strengthen our selves therefore if we would have God to quicken us thus must we do chide the heart for its deadness in duty we can be lively enough in a way of sin chide the heart for its deadness in affliction Psal. 42. Why art thou cast down O my soul still trust in God And after you have done this then look up and expect this grace from God in and through Christ Jesus It is said Iohn 10. 10. I am come that they may have life and have it more abundantly Jesus Christ he came not only that we might have life enough to keep body and soul together but that we might not only be living but lively full of life strength and chearfulness in the service of God He is come into the world for this end and purpose expect it through Christ who hath purchased it for us And then plead with God about it according to his promise Ah Lord according to thy Word hast thou not said I will quicken a dead heart When thou art broken and tossed with affliction remember it is the high and lofty One that hath said he will revive the heart of the contrite ones Isa. 57. 15. and plead thus with God Ah Lord dost not thou delight in a chearful spirit Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in thee Psal. 85. 6. And then humble your selves for the cause of the distemper what 's the
resigned our selves to Christ and the hands of Consecration have passed upon us When Ananias had dedicated that which was in his power and kept back part for private use God struck him dead in the place Acts 3. 5. And if we alienate our selves who were Christs before the Consecration of how much sorer vengeance shall we be guilty Gods Complaint was just Ezek. 16. 20. Thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters whom thou hast born unto me and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured And if Satan hath a full interest in you by doing his lusts as he had in them by that Rite of Worship is not the wrong done to God the same 2. It is a sure note of a carnal heart For it is not only incongruous that a renewed man should let sin reign but impossible De jure it ought not de facto it shall not be The exhortation and promise Rom. 6. 12. with 14. verse 12. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies There is the exhortation while you have these mortal bodies sin will dwell in you but let it not reign over you God suffereth it to dwell in us for our exercise not our ruine Then the promise Verse 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace Let not shall not It is true sin remaineth in the godly but it reigneth not there 'T is dejectum quodammodo non ejectum tamen Cast down in regard of regency not cast out in regard of inherency Like the Beasts in Daniel Dan. 7. 12. They had their dominion taken away though their lives prolonged for a season Some degree of life but their reign broken The Israelites could not wholly expel the Canaanites yet they kept them under There will be pride earthliness unbelief and sensuality dwelling moving working in them but it hath not its wonted power over them Christ will not reckon men slaves to sin by their having sin in them nor yet by their daily failings and infirmities or by their falling now and then into foul faults by the violence of a temptation unless they make a constant trade of sin and be under the dominion of it without controul and set up no course of mortification against it 3. The reign of sin is so mischievous Sin when it once gets the Throne groweth outragious and involveth us in many inconveniences e're we can get out again Therefore they that know the service of sin as we all do by sad experience should use all caution that it never bring them into bondage again The work and wages of sin are very different from Gods work and wages The Apostle compareth them when he disswadeth them from the reign of sin Rom. 6. 21 22. For when ye were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness What fruit had you then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those thing is death But now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit to holiness and the end everlasting life You have had full experience of the fruits of sin of Satans work what fruit then before you had tasted better things before you had a contrary principle set up in your hearts you are ashamed now to think of that course now you know better things But what fruit then Satans work is drudgery and his reward death The Devil hath one bad property which no other master how cruel soever hath To plague and torment them most which have done him most continual and faithful service Those that have sinned most have most horror and every degree of service hath a proportionable degree of shame and punishment He is an unreasonable Tyrant in exacting service without rest and intermission The most cruel Oppressors Turks and Infidels give some rest to their Captives but sin is unsatisfiable Men spend all their means and all their time and all their strength in the pursuit of it yet all is little enough And what is the reward of all but death and destruction Now judge you to whom should we yield obedience and who hath most right to be Sovereign He who made us and redeemed us and preserveth us every day none but he can claim title to us he to whom we are Debtors by so many Vows so many Obligations Or else Satan our worst enemy who is posting us on to our own destruction 4. It is so uncomely and misbecoming the new estate wherein we have so many helps and encouragements to resist sin First For helps you have an opposite principle to give check to it the seed of God or new nature Since Christ hath put Grace into your hearts to resist sin 't is your Duty not to suffer it to be idle and unfruitful Rom. 6. 11 12. Reckon your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof You want no ability to encourage you have an observing witness to give check to it the Spirit of God who will help you in this work Rom. 8. 13. He will be your Second neither we without the Spirit nor the Spirit without us There is a life and power goeth along with every Gospel-Truth Laziness pretendeth want of power but what is too hard for this Spirit Then Secondly For encouragement In every war are two notable encouragements goodness of the Quarrel and hopes of Victory as David 1 Sam. 17. 36. We have these in our Conflict and Combat with sin First Our Quarrel and our Cause is good 't is the Quarrel of the Lord of Hosts which you fight We stand with Christ our Redeemer who came ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that he might destroy the works of the Devil He hath begun the battle we do but labour to keep under that enemy which Christ hath begun to slay and destroy Sin is not only an enemy to us but to him 'T is against him and hindreth his Glory in the World and the subjection of his Creatures and Servants Were it not for sin what a glorious Potentate would Christ be even in the judgment of the world Secondly Hope of the Victory Our strife will end and it will end well Those that are really earnestly striving against sin are sure to conquer Rom. 6. 14. Let not sin reign c. And it shall not If there be but a likelihood of Victory we are encouraged to fight here a Christian may triumph before the Victory Non aequè glorietur accinctus ac discinctus 1 Kings 20. 11. Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off There will come a good and happy issue in the end even a Conquest of sin For the present we overcome it in part it shall not finally and totally overcome us in this World and shortly all strife will be over Rom. 16. 20. The God of
and God is too Fatherly to deny it to his Children You may deny an Apple to a wanton Child but you will not deny Bread to a fainting Child The bowels of a Father will not permit you to do that you may deny them superfluities in wisdom but your love will not permit you to deny them necessaries Meat is not so necessary to revive and refresh the Body as Grace for the Soul and his Holy Inspirations to act and guide you And will God deny these requests 7. Know when you have received Quickning Many Christians look for rapt and extatick Motions and so do not own the work of God when it hath passed upon them they under-rate their own Experiences and so cannot take notice of Gods Faithfulness Sense Appetite and Activity are the fruits of life and quickning 1. We have the more sense of indwelling Sin as an heavy Burthen Rom. 7. 24. None groan so sorely as those that are made partakers of a new Life Elementa non gravitant in suis locis a delicate Constitution is more sensible of pain Wicked Men scarce feel deep wounds given to their Conscience nor have any remorse for gross sins Gods Children their hearts smite them for the smallest disorders and irregularities 2. Appetite after Christ his Graces and Comforts 1 Pet. 2. 2. the more life any have the more craving of Food to maintain it in being they are always hungering and thirsting after God Matth. 5. 6. our Appetite will be after the things that conduce to the maintaining and preserving that being which they have If a man lose his Appetite the body pineth and languisheth and strength decayeth desire prepareth the soul to take in its supplies Your Life is in good plight when that is desired ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and 't will be a means of Spiritual growth a kindly appetite after this Milk They are under a great decay who have lost their Appetite after the Gospel 3. Activity in Duties That we may honour Christ 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. To whom coming as a living stone ye also as lively stones are built up into a spiritual House Christ liveth and we live by him as the stones in the building carry a proportion with the corner-stone So Christians as the body with the Head It must needs be so because of Gods Spirit dwelling in us Ezek. 36. 27. Ioh. 7. 37. and because of the Graces in a Christian Faith and Love Faith working by Love is the great evidence of the new Creature If Faith and Love be strong it will quicken us to do much for God the apprehension of Faith doth enliven our notions of God Christ Heaven and Hell Faith puts Life into our thoughts of him Love is a notable pleader and urger 2 Cor. 5. 14. The Love of Christ constraineth us c. Secondly The Reasons why c. 1. They that have so much to do with God do see a need of it for he is a living God and will be served in a lively manner Rom. 12. 11. Not slothful in business fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. They that serve the Lord Negatively must not be slothful in business Affirmatively fervent in spirit God will not be served negligently coldly but with Life and earnestness The twelve Tribes served God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã instantly Act. 26. 7. Instantly serving God with the uttermost of their strength He that hath a Right to our all must have our best surely he will not be put off with every slight thing Now the Children of God that are sensible of this are earnest for quickning that they may serve God in such a way as becometh him with Life and Power and Zeal for the manner in every Duty is to be regarded as well as the matter A man may do many things that are good but there is no Life in what he doth He prayeth but without any life in Prayer dead in Prayer Heareth but no Life in Hearing dull of Hearing All things in a Christian may be counterfeited but Life cannot be counterfeited that cannot be painted 2. They are acquainted with themselves and observe the frame and posture of their own spirits Now they that know themselves will see a need of Quickning 1 Because of the instability and changeable frame of mans Heart it hardly stayeth long in the same state now 't is up and anon 't is down as the constant experience of the Saints witness Sometimes they have a forwardness and strong propension of Heart to that which is good at other times a lothness and dulness or unfitness to perform any spiritual service when their Will is more remiss and their Affections unbent 'T is not indeed the constant frame of their Hearts yet it is a disease incident to the Saints even good men may feel a slowness of Heart to comply with the will of God and some hanging off from Duty Spontancae lassitudines sunt signa imminentis morbi so is this laziness and backwardness of spirit a sign of some great spiritual distemper Sometimes they are carried with great largeness of Heart and full sail of Affections at other times they are in bonds and streights that they cannot pour out their Hearts before God Psal. 77. 4. I am sore troubled that I cannot speak sometimes they have great Life and Vigour at other times no such lively stirrings but are flat and cold and dead when with Sampson they think to go forth and shake themselves as at other times Iudges 16. 20. by sad Experience they find that their Locks are gone that their Understandings are lean sapless and their Affections cold and their Delight and Vigour lost Man is a sinful weak inconstant Creature his heart is as unstable as water and much of this levity and instability remaineth with us after Grace as is seen in the various postures of spirit that we are under 2 Because of the constant opposition of the Flesh. There is an opposite Principle in our Hearts Gal. 5. 17. The body of Death that dwelleth in us doth always resist the life of the Spirit in us and therefore God must renew the influences of his Grace to preserve Life There are desires against desires and delights against delights this must needs abate our Vigour The Spirit draweth one way the Flesh another 'T is drawing Iam. 1. 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed 'T is depressing Heb. 12. 1. Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a Cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us Carnal Affections hang as a weight retarding us in our Heavenly flight and motions 'T is warring Rom. 7. 23. I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin And therefore the Lord had need to cherish the new Creature and good seed which cannot but be weakned with this opposition 3 Because our outward condition doth
and are inclin'd to believe but when these truths soak into the heart to frame it to the obedience of his will When the Lord had spoken of practical obedience Was not this to know me saith the Lord Jer. 22. 16. And this is to believe So for Love Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might Every faculty must express Love to God Many will be content to give God a part God hath their Consciences but the world their affections Their heart is divided and the evidence of it is plainly this In their troubles and extremities they will seek after God but this is not their constant work and delight We are welcome to God when we are compelled to come into his presence God will not say as men you come in your necessity But we must then be sincere in our addresses and rest in him as our portion and all-sufficient good 2. For intention of Degrees To seek God with the whole heart it is to seek him with the highest elevation of our hearts The whole heart must be carried out to God and to other things for Gods sake As Harbingers when they go to take up room for a Prince they take up the whole house none else must have place there so God he will have the whole heart Again it may be considered as to the exaction of the Law and as a Rule of the Gospel 1. As an exaction of the Law and so Christ urged it to the young man that was of a Pharisaical institution to abate his pride and confidence Mat. 22. 37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind Certainly these words there have a legal importance and signification for in another Evangelist Luk. 10. 28. it is added do and live which is the tenor of the Law And Christs intent was to abate the Pharisees pride by propounding the rigor of the first Covenant The Law requireth compleat love without the least defect according to the terms of it a grane wanting would make the whole unacceptable As a hard Landlord when all the rent is not brought to the full he accepteth none It is good to consider it under this sense that we may seek God in Christ to quicken us that we may value our deliverance by him from this burden which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear a stragling thought a wandring glance the least out-running of the heart had render'd us accursed for ever 2. It may be considered as a Rule of the Gospel which requireth our utmost endeavors our bewailing infirmities and defects but accepts of sincerity There will be a double principle in us to the last but there should not be a double heart So that this expression of seeking the Lord with the whole heart is reconcilable enough with the weaknesses of the present state For instance 1 King 14. 8. My servant David who kept my Commandments and who followed me with all his heart and did that only which was right in mine eyes David had many failings and some that left an indelible brand upon him in the matter of Uriah yet because of his sincerity and habitual purpose God saith He hath kept all my Commandments So in Iosiah 2 King 23. 25. Like to him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart with all his soul and with all his might Yet he also had his imperfections against the warning of the Lord he goes out with a wicked King and dies in Battel So Asa 2 Chron. 15. 17. The high places were not taken away it was a failing in that holy King yet 't is said the heart of Asa was perfect all his days Well then when the whole heart is engaged in this work when we do not only study to know God but make it our work to enjoy him to rest in him as our all-sufficient portion though there will be many defects yet then are we said to seek him with the whole heart Secondly The reasons why God will be sought with the whole heart are 1. He that gives but part to God doth indeed give nothing The Devil keeps an interest as long as one lust remains unmortified and one corner of the soul is kept for him As Pharaoh stood hucking he would fain have some pawn of their return either leave your children behind no no they must go and see the Sacrifices and be trained up in the way of the Lord then he would have their flocks and herds left behind he knew that would draw their hearts back again So Satan must have either this lust or that he knows by keeping part all will fall to his share in the end A bird that is tyed in a string seems to have more liberty than a bird in a Cage it flutters up and down though it be held fast so many seem to flutter up and down and do many things as Herod but his Herodias drew him back again into the Fowlers net Thus because of a sinners danger 2. Because of Gods right By Creation he made the whole therefore requires the whole the Father of spirits must have the whole spirit We were not mangled in our Creation God that made the whole must have the whole He preserves the whole Christ hath bought the whole 1 Cor. 6. 20. Glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And God promiseth to glorifie the whole Christians it would be uncomfortable to us if God should only take a part to Heaven All that you have is to be glorified in the day of Christ all that you are and have must be given to him whole spirit soul and body Let us not deprive him of any part Use. Well do we serve God and seek after God with the whole heart The natural mother had rather part with the whole than to see the child divided 1 King 3. 26. God had rather part with the whole than take a piece Either he will have the whole of your love or leave the whole to Satan The Lord complains Hos. 10. 2. Their heart is divided Men have some affections for God many times but they have affections for their lusts too the world hath a great share and portion of their heart Q. But when in a Gospel-sense may we be said to seek God with the whole heart Take it in these short Propositions 1. When the setled purpose of our souls is to cleave to God to love and serve him with an intire obedience both in the inward and outward man when this is the full determination and consent of our hearts 2. When we do what we can by all good means to maintain this purpose for otherwise 't is but a fruit of conviction a free-will pang Act. 24. 16. Herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards all
to be discharged seriously A man is very careful that hath taken a trust upon him to preserve it No men that have given up their names to Christ but they have taken up this trust upon them to keep his precepts therefore we should do it with all diligence and heedfulness of soul. 6. We have no other plea to evidence our sincerity we are guilty of many defects and cannot do as we would where lyes our evidence then when we set our selves to obey and aim at the highest exactness to serve him with our best affections and strength A child of God he doth not do all that God hath required but he doth his best and then that 's a sign the heart is upright For what is this diligence but our utmost study and endeavour after perfection to avoid all known evils and to practise all known duties and that with as much care as we can Now this is an argument of our sincerity and then our slips are but failings which God will spare pity pardon Mal. 3. 17. I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him c. Where a man is careless and failings are allowed then they are iniquities A father out of indulgence may pass by a failing when his son waits upon him suppose when he spills the wine and breaks the glass but surely will not allow him to throw it down carelesly or willfully We have no other plea to evidence our sincerity but this Use. It presseth us whatever we do for the great God to do it with all our might Eccles. 9. 10. There is no weighty thing can be done without diligence much more the keeping the Commandment Satan is diligent in tempting and we our selves are weak and infirm we cannot do the least thing as we should And the danger of miscarrying is so great that surely it will require all our care Wherein should we shew this diligence and exactness when we keep all the parts of the Law and that at all times and places and that with the whole man 1. When we strive to keep the Law in all the points of it this was Paul's Exercise Acts 24. 16. To keep a good Conscience void of offence both towards God and man Mark here was his great business this is to be diligent when a man labours to keep a good Conscience always And saith he herein or upon this do I exercise my self that is upon this encouragement upon hope of a blessed Resurrection for that 's spoken of there There are wages and recompences enough in Heaven therefore we should not grudg at a little work that we may not be drawn willingly from the least part of our duty 2. When we do it at all times and places and in all company then it 's a sign we mind the work then are we diligent Psal. 106. 3. Blessed is he that doth righteousness at all times Not only now and then but 't is his constant course We do not judg mens complexions by the colour they have when they sit before the fire We cannot judg of men by a fit and pang when they are under the awe of an Ordinance or in good company but when at all times he labours to keep up a warmth of heart towards God 3. When he labours to do this with his whole man not only in pretence and with his body or outward man but with inward affections Rom. 1. 9. My God whom I serve in the spirit And the true people of God are described Phil. 3. 3. To worship God in the spirit When they labour to bring their hearts under the power of Gods precepts and do not only mind conformity of the outward man this is to keep the precepts of God diligently All this is to be understood not in exact perfection but it is to be understood of our striving labouring watching of our praying and of our exercising our selves hereunto that we may with our whole man come under the full obedience of the Law of God and may manifest it upon all occasions at all times in all companies and places and this is an evidence of our sincerity SERMON VI. PSAL. CXIX 5. O that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes IN the former Verse he had spoken of God's Authority now he beggeth grace to obey Thou hast commanded and Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes 1. Note That it is the use and duty of the people of God to turn precepts into prayers That this is the practice of God's children appeareth Ier. 31. 18. Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God God had said Turn you and you shall live and they ask it of God Turn us as he required it of them 'T was Austin's prayer Da quod jubes jube quod vis Give what thou requirest and require what thou wilt It is the duty of the Saints for 1. It suiteth with the Gospel-Covenant where precepts and promises go hand in hand where God giveth what he commandeth and worketh all our works in us and for us They are not conditions of the Covenant only but a part of it What God hath required at our hands that we may desire at his hands God is no Pharaoh to require brick where he giveth no straw Lex jubet gratia juvat The Articles of the New Covenant are not only put into the form of precepts but promises The Law giveth no strength to perform any thing but the Gospel offereth Grace 2. Because by this means the ends of God are fulfilled Why doth God require what we cannot perform by our own strength He doth it 1. To keep up his right 2. To convince us of our impotency and that upon a trial without his grace we cannot do his work 3. That the creature may express his readiness to obey 4. To bring us to lye at his feet for grace Now when we turn precepts into prayers all these ends are accomplished First To keep up his right If we have lost our power there is no reason God should lose his right A drunken servant is under the obligation and duty of a servant still he is unable to do his Masters work but he is bound to it It is unreasonable that another should suffer through my default Well then God may well command the faln creature to keep his precepts diligently Now when we deal earnestly with God about it it argueth a sense of his authority upon our hearts If we were not held under the awe of the commandment why should we be so earnest about it If men were more sensible of their obligation we should have more prayers in this kind This is the will of God and how shall I do to observe it 2. To convince us of our impotency and that upon a trial practical conviction is best We may discourse of the weakness and insufficiency of the Creature but we are not affected with it till we try A diseased man
cannot find such easie entrance when the Word is hid in our hearts and made use of pertinently 1 Ioh. 2. 14. I write to you young men because ye are strong where lies their strength and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one O it is a great advantage when we have the Word not only by us but in us ingrafted in the heart when it is present with us we are more able to resist the assaults of Satan Either a man forgets the Word or hath lost his affection to it before he can be drawn to sin The Word of God when it hath gotten into the heart it will furnish us with seasonable thoughts 6. It is a great relief in troubles and afflictions Our faintings come from ignorance or our forgetfulness Heb. 12. 5. Ye have forgotten the consolation which speaketh unto you as unto children My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him If we had an herb growing in our Gardens that would ease our smart what are we the better if we know it not There is no malady but what hath its remedy in the Word To have a comfort ready is a great relief 7. It makes our conference and conversation with others more gracious Mat. 12. 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks When we have a great deal of hidden treasure in the soul it will get out at the tongue for there 's a quick intercourse between the heart and the tongue The Tap runs according to the Liquor wherewith the Vessel is filled come to men of an unsavoury spirit pierce them broach them give them occasion again and again for discourse and you get nothing but frothy communication from them and vain talk But now a man that hath stored his heart with the Word he is ever and anon interposing for God Like a bottle filled with wine he must have vent As the Spouses lips are said to drop as honey-combs They are ever putting forth savoury expressions in their converse with others Col. 3. 16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs It will burst out presently if the Word of God dwell in your hearts Before I go to the second Reason let me answer an Objection But is not this to take from the Spirit and to give it to the Word and that to the Word not as written in Gods Book but as it is in our hearts will not this be to ascribe all to created Grace I Answer 1. Questionless it is the office of the Spirit to bring things to our remembrance and the great help of the Spirit of God is by suggesting such passages as may be of most seasonable relief to the soul in Temptations in Prayer and in Business Ioh. 14. 16. But what is given to the Scriptures and Grace is not to the wrong of the Spirit for the Scripture is of his inditeing and Grace is of his working yea we still reserve the chief honour to the Holy Ghost for he not only worketh grace but worketh by grace he not only indites the Scripture but works by it it is he that quickneth prayer and therefore it is ill trusting to our own understanding and memory for it is the Spirit that is the great remembrancer and impresseth upon the mind savoury and seasonable thoughts 2. I grant further The Children of God are subject to much forgetfulness of the truth that is impressed upon their hearts partly through the present cloud and mist which the temptation raiseth The Psalmist had truths enough to support him Psal. 73. 17. yet he saith Until I went into the Sanctuary of God I was foolish and ignorant I was as a beast before thee There is so much dullness upon the Children of God that they cannot remember seasonable thoughts as Hagar had a fountain by her yet she did not see it till God opened her eyes Gen. 21. So under the temptation all is benighted and the light that is in the understanding is obscured And partly through the little sense they have for the present of the need of the comforts which the Word propoundeth few so wise as to lay up for a dear year and partly through sloth and negligence being taken up with other things It is possible sometimes that we may be guided by the Spirit and act right meerly by the guidance of the Holy Ghost without any interposing and concurrence of our own understandings as Ioh. 12. 10. compared with the 14 and 15. They took branches of Palm-trees and went forth to meet him and cried Hosanna blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. These things understood not his Disciples at the first but when Iesus was glorified then remembred they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him Mark they were guided by the Spirit to do that they knew not for the present they had only a back-look but not a fore-sight they were ignorant of what they were doing until afterward thoughts came not in their mind but only in the review Ioh. 2. 22. When he was risen from the dead his disciples remembred that he had said this unto them They did not take up the meaning of them yet they were guided aright They did not carp against Christ as the Iews did They were guided by the Spirit in a case they were wholly ignorant 3. The Holy Ghost makes use of a sanctified memory bringing Scriptures to our remembrance as we have need It is made their act because the Holy Ghost made use of their memories They remembred that it was written The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up Joh. 2. 17. They that neglect to search and hide the Word in their hearts they have not such seasonable refreshment for God works more strongly with the strongest graces there where there is the greater receptivity there 's the greater influence those that are ignorant cannot expect such help as those that have the Word dwell richly in their hearts The second Reason is Therefore should we hide the Word in our hearts because God doth so in the work of Conversion Heb. 8. 10. I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts The mind is compared to tables of stone and the heart to the Ark and so this is required of us to write them upon the table of our heart Prov. 7. 3. and here I have hidden thy word in my heart How doth this follow because God doth so in conversion therefore it is our duty I answer 1 God requires what he works to shew the Creatures duty as well as the power of his own grace God is to convert and turn yet do you turn Circumcise your heart and I will circumcise Mortifie your members c. and yet If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body
must be used for God he made them bought them and if we belong to him we gave them up with other things to him We did not reserve our tongues when we resigned and surrendred our selves to the Lords use we did not make exception the same argument which holds good for the whole body why it should be possessed in sanctification and honour holds good for every part of it 1 Cor. 6. 12. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits which are Gods Thy whole is Gods thy spirit thy body and every part thy wit strength hand tongue is all Gods and therefore he expects to be glorified by thy tongue They were Rebels that said Psal. 12. 4. Our lips are our own who is Lord over us There is nothing we have that is ours but God's Our hearts are not our own to think what we will nor our tongues our own to speak what we will God expects service from the tongue otherwise we must be answerable for it when our Soveraign Lord calls us to an account Now it is strange God should have so clear a right to our speech and language and yet so little a share therein Give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars and unto God the things that are Gods Thy tongue and thy lips whose are they If thou couldst make thy tongue of thy self then thou mightst use it for thy self but since you had it from God you must use it for God But alas how little are men mindful of this Follow them all the day you get not one word of God from them they use their tongues as if they were their own not Gods 2. It is the glory of the tongue to serve God in this kind It is the most excellent member in the body when it is well used for the glory of God and edification of others therefore called our glory often in the Psalms Awake my glory that is my tongue and what is glory in the Old Testament is rendred tongue in the New Acts 2. Our tongue is our glory why because we have this advantage by it we may speak for God Therewith bless we God Jam. 3. 9. The benefit of speech it is our priviledg above Angels and Beasts Angels they have reason but no tongues and Beasts they have tongues but no reason to guide them and act them But now we have tongues and reason both that we may declare our Makers praise Surely this member and instrument was not given us to savour meats and drinks that is not the highest use of it but to express the senses and affections of the mind not to utter vain frothy frivolous things what an abuse is that but to comfort and instruct one another in the things of God It is our glory 3. Every creature hath a voice like it self and therefore so should the new creature have The Ox bellows the Ass brayeth Goats and Sheep may be known by their bleat and so is a man by the tenor of his discourse As the constitution of the mind is so are their words A wicked man hath a vain heart and therefore his discourse is idle and frivolous Prov. 10. 20. The tongue of the just is as choice silver but the heart of the wicked is little worth The antithesis shews it should have been said the tongue of the wicked is little worth but he would point at the cause of it the heart of the wicked There 's a quick intercourse between the tongue and the heart Now because the heart of the wicked is nothing worth all his thoughts and musings are vain he goes grinding chaff in his mind all the day his mind like a Mill is always at work not upon corn that it might be bread for his soul but upon chaff therefore because his heart is nothing worth his tongue is nothing worth The tongue of the just is as choice silver it brings in a great deal of treasure But take a wicked man all the workings of his heart his thoughts and discourses when summed up together the product and total sum at night is nothing but vanity The Lord seeth all their thoughts are but vain A vain heart will have vain speeches and so a cankered sinner will have cankered discourse as a putrid breath discovereth rotten lungs Every mans speech is as his humor is come to a covetous person he will be discoursing of Farms Oxen Bargains Wares and such like Come to an Epicurean Gallant to a Voluptuary and he will be telling you of Horses Games Dogs Meats Drinks merry company Go to the Ambitious they will be talking of Honours Offices and the like As they are of the flesh so their talk savours of fleshly things Every man hath a voice like himself he speaks according to the constitution of his mind Go to the discontented man he will be talking of his Adversaries telling of affronts wrongs and publick offences received But a godly man hath a voice too like himself he will be declaring the judgments of Gods mouth he will be speaking out of the word of God of things within his sphere and suitable to his kind Mat. 12. 35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth ' forth good things Still the Tap runs according to the Liquor with which the Vessel is fill'd and a mans speech bewrays him of what kind he is and therefore since every creature hath a voice like himself so should the new creature have 4. I shall argue from the nature of Good which is communicative and loves to propagate it self Omne bonum sui diffusivum Luke 22. 32. Thou being converted strengthen thy brethren He had had experience of a changeable heart now go strengthen others Fire turneth all things about it into fire Leven pierceth through the whole lump So grace seeks to propagate and diffuse it self Therefore when the work of God is written upon a mans mind and laid up in his heart he will be declaring and speaking of it to others Naturalists observe that Mules and creatures which are of a Mungrel race do not procreate after their kind so the false Christians are not for propagating and enlarging Christs interest they are not so warm spiritual and heavenly in their discourses Andrew when acquainted with Christ calls Peter and both call Nathanael John 1. 41 45. We have found the Messiah Iohn calls his Disciples As a Hen when she hath found a Worm or a Barley-corn clucks for her Chickens that they may come and partake of it with her so a man acquainted with Christ who hath tasted that the Lord is gracious he cannot hold he will be calling upon his friends and relations to come and share with him of the same grace As they have more of God they will improve it for the comfort of others and are willing to take hold of all opportunities to this end 5. It discovereth plenty of knowledg and a good esteem of the word 1. Plenty of
the letting in of inward comfort and spiritual reviving from the sense of Gods love so Psal. 80. 18 19. Quicken us and we will call upon thy name Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved The shining of Gods face or the sense of Gods love is the reviving of afflicted spirits 2. The actuation of grace there may be life where there is no vigor Now when we are stirred up to be lively in Gods service we are said to be quickned as in the 19. verse of the Psalm before quoted and often it is thus used in this Psalm as verse the 37. Quicken thou me in thy way The Point is this That Gods children need often to go to God for quickning because they often lye under deadness of heart and therefore should desire God who is the fountain of Grace to emit and send forth his influence They need this quickning 1. By reason of their constant weakness 2. Their frequent indispositions and distempers of soul. 1. Their constant weakness in this world 1. By reason of their inclination to sin 2. The imperfection of their motions towards that which is good 1. By reason of their inclination to sin Carnal concupiscence draweth us aside from God to sensual objects James 1. 14. A man is drawn away by his own lust There is a strong biass of corruption drawing us from Christ to present things Heb. 12. 1. Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us There is a carnal affection or corrupt inclination which carrieth us out inordinately to things lawful or too often to things unlawful this hangeth as a weight retarding us in all our heavenly flights and motions The love and care of the world which is apt to press down the soul and doth twine about us and insinuate with us the Apostle calleth it a law in his members Rom. 7. 23. a warning to us how when the flesh draweth us off so strongly one way to implore the Divine grace to draw us more strongly to the other 2. Because of the imperfection of their motions to that which is good though there be a purpose bent of heart and inclination that way Our gives are still about us we feel the old maim Grace is like a spark in wet wood that needs continual blowing 2. Their frequent indispositions and distempers of soul. Sometimes they feel a lothness in their souls and a shiness of Gods presence their hearts hang off the spirit indeed is willing but some fleshly thought or carnal excuse checketh the motion It is God alone that can make the soul willing he giveth both will and deed God bendeth the unwilling will as well as helpeth the fainting affections Again sometimes they find a great deadness there is no vigour or liveliness in their affections and they cannot follow after God with such zeal and earnestness though there be not a formal deadness such as usually is in the duties of hypocrites yet there is not always the same strength and agility of grace in the children of God their souls do not so earnestly reach after Christ. Now what can help but divine quickning therefore go to God for it We should rouse and stir up our selves God giveth out influences according to his will or pleasure but we must still stsr up our selves But to answer a case of conscience Whether we are to do duty in case of deadness and indisposition c. 1. The influence of grace is not the warrant of duty but the help 't is the efficient assisting cause not the ground or rule we are to do all acts of obedience on the account of Gods command Luke 5. 5. Simon answering said unto him Master we have toiled all the night nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net God is Soveraign and we are bound to obey whether disposed or indisposed Should the Husbandman never plow but when disposed to plow 2. Our sinful indisposition cannot excuse us In sins of commission our weakness to resist temptation is no excuse So also in sins of omission we cannot be allowed to say it was the Lord suffered me to sin No more will this plea be allowed The Lord did not quicken me to duty Grace is as necessary to prevent sin as to perform duty Gods suspension was no excuse to Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 31. Howbeit in the business of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon who sent to him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his heart This complaint of weakness hath an ill aspect complaining without labouring is rather a taxing of God But 3. Natural men are bound to pray and perform duties therefore renewed men That natural men are bound see Acts 8. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee And Psal. 14. 2. The Lord looked down from heaven to see if there were any that did understand and seek God It is charged as a crime that they did not but much more the renewed for to whom more is given of them more is required It is another talent wherewith they are entrusted Grace is not only donum but talentum Grace is not given as a piece of money to a child to play withal but as we give money to Factors to trade withal for us Now a renewed man should do more being capable of more 4. The outward act of a duty is commanded as well as the inward though they come not up to the nature of a perfect duty there is somewhat of the Ordinance of Christ in them Hos. 14. 2. Take with you words and turn unto the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips Though I cannot do all I must do as much as I can 5. We are to wait humbly in the use of means for the power of his grace When the door is shut knocking is the only way to get it open I will go and offer my self to God and see what he will do for me which is Gods usual way and to be used with the more caution and diligence because God doth all Phil. 2. 12 13. Wherefore my beloved as ye have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Seamen by tacking about get wind so far as you use the means you comply with Gods end A sad threatning there is to those that neglect the use of means that shut the dore upon themselves or if God withdraws are willing he should keep away 6. Acting in spiritual duties fits us for them Iter ad pietatem est intra pietatem Praying fits for praying
storm more and so lose that which they are so confident of keeping by their negligence and carelesness their spiritual comfort is gone And there 's another mischief the loss is more heavy because it was never thought of And therefore in preparation of heart we should be ready to lose our inward comforts as well as Estates and outward conveniences In Heaven alone we have continual day without cloudings or night but here there will be changes USE 3. Let us not judg of our condition if this should be our case that is if we should lye under pressing troubles such as do even break our spirits This was the case of the Son of God his soul was troubled and he knew not what to say Joh. 12. 30. My soul is troubled what shall I say And many of his choicest servants have been sorely exercised Heman an heir of Heaven and yet compassed about with the pains of hell Iob not only spoil'd of all his goods but for a time shut out from the comforts of God's Spirit Our business in such a case is not to examine and judg but to trust Neither to determine of our condition one side or other but to stay our hearts upon God and so to make use of offers and inviting promises when we cannot make use of conditional and assuring promises So Isa. 50. 10. He that walketh in darkness and seeth no light is directed let him trust in the name of the Lord. That 's our business in such a case of deep distress to make a new title rather than dispute the old one and stay our hearts on God's mercy Thus much concerning David's case which because it often comes under consideration in this Psalm I would pass over more briefly II. I come from David's Case to his Petition or Request to God Strengthen thou me according to thy word Where you have 1. The Request it self 2. An Argument to enforce it First The Request it self Strengthen me that 's the benefit asked Doct. 1. Observe this in the general He doth but now and then drop out a request for temporal safety but all along his main desire is for grace and for support rather than deliverance The children of God the main thing that their hearts run upon is sustentation and spiritual support rather than outward deliverance Psal. 138. 3. I called upon the Lord and he heard me and strengthned me with strength in my soul. Mark David judgeth that to be an audience to be a hearing of prayer though he had not deliverance yet he had experience of inward comfort that was it which supported him The children of God value themselves by the inward man rather than the outward What David here prays for himself Paul prays for others Eph. 3. 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his spirit in the inner man Yea they are contented with the decays of the outward man so that the inward man may encrease in strength 2 Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day The outward man in Paul's dialect is the body with the conveniencies and all the appurtenances thereof as Health Beauty Strength Wealth all this is the outward man Now this is not a Christian's desire to encrease in the world or to make a fair shew in the flesh no but his heart is set upon this to grow stronger in the Spirit that the soul as furnished with the graces of the Spirit may thrive this is the inner man To insist upon this a little 1. It is the inward man that is esteemed with God and therefore that 's it the Saints mainly look after God doth not look upon men according to their outward condition pomp and appearances in the world but according to the inward endowments of the heart 1 Sam. 16. 7. Mans eye is upon the outward appearance but God regards the heart and the hidden man of the heart that is said to be an ornament of great price with God 1 Pet. 3. 4. Intellectual beauty is that which is esteemed in heaven and Spiritual wealth is only currant in the other world Poor creatures that are led by sense they esteem one another by these outward things but God esteems men by grace by the soul how that is cherished and strengthened and though we are otherwise never so well accomplished we are hated if we have not his Image stampt upon us 2. The everlasting welfare of the whole person depends upon the flourishing of the inward man when we come to put off the upper garment of the flesh the poor soul will be destitute naked and harbourless if we have made no provision for it 2 Cor. 5. 3. and then both body and soul are undone for ever when the soul is to be thrown out of doors whither will it go if it hath not an eternal building in heaven to receive it The soul is the man the body follows the state of the soul but the soul doth not follow the state of the body The life of God which he doth begin in the soul does in time renew and perfect the body too The Apostle saith Rom. 6. 11. The spirit that now dwelleth in us will raise up our mortal bodies But now those that seek to preserve the outward man with the neglect of the inner in time ruine both body and soul. Well then here 's their care 3. The loss of the outward man may be recompenced and made up by the strength of grace that is put into the inner man but the loss of the inner man cannot be made up by the perfections of the outward man A man that is afflicted in his outward estate God makes it up in grace if he makes him rich in faith in the experiences of his favour the loss is made up and supplied more abundantly and the children of God can comfort themselves in this that their inward man is strengthened and renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4. 16. So that a man may be happy not withstanding breaches made upon the outward man But when there 's a wounded spirit and God breaks into the inward man then what good will riches estate and all these things do they are as unsavoury things as the white of an egg 4. The outward man may fit us for converse with men but the inward man with God We need bodies and Organs of speech and reason and present supplies which fit us to converse with men but we converse with God by thoughts and by grace and by the perfections of the inward man this fits us for communion with him 5. The life and strength of the inward man is a more noble thing than the strength of the outward man or the bodily life for it draws nearer to the life of God as the life and strength of the body draws nearer to the life pleasure and happiness of a beast By the bodily life we eat drink labour sleep
strength that is he observes all our temptations our conflicts how weak we are and he intercedes with God night and day he stands at God's right hand to get out this strength and the Holy Ghost applies it to our heart in the Ordinances for so it is said Eph. 3. 16. To be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man USE To press us to be dealing with God for this strength what shall we do 1. Be weak in your own sense and feeling The way to be strong is to be weak 2 Cor. 12. 10. When I am weak then am I strong The Bucket if we would have it fill'd with the Ocean must first be empty Saith Austin Nemo erit à Deo firmus nisi qui seipsum sentit infirmum God strengthneth those that are weak in their own feeling and sense of their own nothingness Heb. 11. 34. Out of weakness they were made strong out of weakness felt and apprehended 2. There must be a full reliance upon God's strength alone Psal. 71. 16. I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God And Eph. 6. 10. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might And 2 Tim. 2. 5. Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Iesus Whatever is in God and in Christ is for our use it is forth-coming for our encouragement and help We have firm grounds for this reliance the infinite power of God and the merit of Christ which is of infinite value What cannot the power of God do the strength of God is ingaged for our relief and succour 3. Use the power that you have and then it will be increased upon you The right arm is bigger than the left why because of Exercise it 's fuller of spirits and strength To him that hath shall be given Mat. 13. 12. and he shall have abundance The more we exercise grace the more we shall have of it Prov. 10. 29. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright The more we walk with God the more strength 4. Use the means for they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength Isa. 40. 31. Because God doth all O it 's the greatest engagement that can be to wait upon God in the use of means that we may draw out treasures of grace in Gods way Phil. 2. 12. Work out your salvation for it is God that worketh in you c. See that you keep not off from God why for he doth all 5. Avoid sin that lets out your strength as bleeding lets out the spirits of the body When you grieve the Spirit of Christ which is to strengthen you you cast away your strength from you Let us then wait upon God for help for when all things fail God faileth not II. I now come to the Argument Strengthen me according to thy word Gods word binds him to relieve his people in distress There are two promises one is 1 Cor. 10. 13. God will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able A good man would not over-burden his beast certainly the gracious God will not suffer temptations to lye upon us above measure Another promise is in Isa. 57. 15 16 17. To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones He hath promised comfort and relief to poor broken-hearted sinners you are called by name in the promise it is spoken to people in your case Again Upon such a word and promise of God is Davids prayer grounded A Prayer grounded upon a promise is like to prevail you may put an humble challenge upon God plead his Word to him It is strange fire else you put in the censer when you beg that which God never undertook to grant David often saith according to thy word Again The word of God is the only cure and relief for a fainting soul. When David was languishing away under deep sorrow then Lord thy word did bring strength 1. This is the proper cure Natural means cannot be a remedy to a spiritual distemper no more than a fine suit of apparel to a sick man or a posy of flowers to a condemned man Natural comforts carry no proportion with a spiritual disease nothing but grace pardon strength and acceptance from God can remove it They that seek to quench their sorrows in excess and merry company take a bruitish remedy for soul-diseases Oh foolish creatures that think to sport away or drink down their troubles it is as foolish a course as to think that to sew up a rent in the garment will cure a wound in their body And 2. it is an universal cure we have from the word life comfort strength It is the word that must guide us and keep us from fainting quicken us and keep us from dying This is a full remedy in conjunction with the power of God and makes the sore joyful in the midst of outward troubles Psal. 56. 10. I will rejoyce in God because of his word Lastly This word must be applied to the conscience by God himself Strengthen thou me according to thy word He goes to God that he would apply his word that it might be for his strength for we can neither apprehend nor apply it further than we receive grace from God The word is Gods instrument and worketh not without the principal Agent SERMON XXX PSALM CXIX 29. Remove from me the way of lying and grant me thy Law graciously THERE are two Parts of Christianity destructive and adstructive the destructive part consists in a removing of sin the adstructive part makes way for the Plantation of Grace there 's eschewing evil and doing good We are carried on in a forward earnestness in the way of sin but there 's a great backwardness and restraint upon our hearts as to that which is good The one is necessary to the other we must come out of the ways of sin before we can walk in the ways of God In this prayer David respects both 1. In the first he instanceth in one sin the way of lying not only lying but the way of lying as being conscious to himself of his too often sinning in this kind Now he would not have this setled into a course or way therefore he beggeth remove it the guilt the fault of it 2. As to the adstructive part for the regulating of his conversation he begs the favour and grant of the Law and that upon terms of grace David had ever the book of the Law for every King of Israel was to have it always by him and the Rabbies say written with his own hand But grant me thy law graciously that is he desires he might have it not only written by him but upon him to have it imprinted upon his heart that he might have a heart to observe and keep it That 's the blessing he begs for the Law and this is begged graciously or upon terms of grace meerly according to thine own favour and good pleasure
just is as the shining-light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Therefore when a man doth heartily apply himself to the things of God and acknowledging his defects doth go on from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. from love to love and from obedience to obedience Heb. 6. 10. and doth study to bring his heart into a farther conformity to God not looking back to Sodom or turning back to Egypt God accepteth of these desires and constant and uniform endeavours and will spare us as a man spareth his only son that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. as a son an only son that is obsequious for the main though he hath his failings and escapes There is in them integrity but not perfection all parts of holiness though not degrees As in the body every muscle and vein and artery hath its use thus all Israel is said to seek the Lord with their whole desire 2 Chron. 15. 15. And all Iudah rejoiced at the oath for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire 'T is said of Asa That he sought the Lord with his whole heart yet the high places were not taken away Now the Reasons why we must keep the Law with our whole heart are these following 1. He that giveth a part only to God giveth nothing to God for that part that is reserved will in time draw the whole after it The Devil keepeth an interest in us as long as any one lust remaineth unmortified as Pharaoh stood hucking he would fain have a pawn of their return first their children then their flocks and herds must be left behind them He knew this was the way to bring them back again So Satan hath a pawn and knoweth that all will fall to him at last Hos. 10. 2. Their heart is divided now shall they be found faulty halting between God and Idols When men are not wholly and solely for God but divided between him and other things God will be justled out at last Grace is but a stranger sin is a native and therefore most likely to prevail and by long use and custom is most strongly rooted Herod did many things but his Herodias drew him back into Satans snare A bird tyed by the leg may flutter up and down and make some shew of escape but he is under command still So may men have a conscience for God and some affections for God but the world and the flesh have the greater share in them Therefore though they do many things yet still God hath no supreme interest in their souls And therefore when their darling lusts interpose all Gods interest in them signifieth nothing As for instance A man that is given to please the flesh but in all other things findeth no difficulty can worship give alms findeth no reluctancy to these duties unless when they cross his living after the flesh which in time swalloweth up his conscience and all his profession and practice A man addicted to the world can deny his appetite seem very serious in holy duties but the world prevaileth and in time maketh him weary of all other things 2. The whole man is God's by every kind of right and title and therefore when he requireth the whole heart he doth but require that which is his own God gave us the whole by Creation preserveth the whole redeemeth the whole and promiseth to glorifie the whole If we had been mangled in Creation we would have been troubled if born without hands or feet If God should turn us off to our selves to keep that part to our selves which we reserved from him or if he should make such a division at death take a part to Heaven or if Christ had bought part 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods If you have had any good work upon you God hath sanctified the whole in a Gospel-sense that is every part 1 Thes. 5. 23. And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Not only conscience but will and affections appetite and body And you have given all to him for his use I am my beloveds not a part but the whole He could not endure Ananias that kept back part of the price all is his due When the world pleasure ambition pride desire of riches unchaste love desire a part in us we may remember we have no affections to dispose of without Gods leave 'T is all his and it is sacriledg to rob or detain any part from God Shall I alienate that which is Gods to satisfie the world the flesh and the Devil It is his by Creation Redemption Donation when our flesh or the world or Satan detain any part this is with Reuben to go up unto our fathers bed Use 1. Is to reprove those that do not give God the heart in their service 2ly Not the whole heart 1. Not the heart but content themselves with outward profession Jer. 12. 2. Thou art near in their mouth but far from their reins God is often in their speech but they have no hearty affection never was there an Age higher in notions and colder in practice of Christianity The heart is all it is the Terminus actionum ad intra fons actionum ad extra It is the bound of those actions that look inward The senses report to the phantasy that to the mind and the mind counsels the heart If wisdom enter the heart Prov. 2. 10. It is the well-spring of those actions that look outward to the life Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Mat. 15. 19. and Prov. 4. 4. Let thy heart retain my words keep my commandments and live Then other things will follow 2. It reproves those that do not give God the whole heart for he requireth that and surely all is too little for so great and so good a master God will have the heart so that no part of it be lest for others or for our selves to dispose of as we will the true mother would not have the child divided 1 Kings 3. 26. God will have all or nothing he will not part stakes with Satan but Satan if he cannot have all will be content with a part But who are they that do not give God the whole heart 1st Those that are for God in their consciences but not in their affections Conscience many times taketh Gods part their affections are for the world but their consciences are for God as convinced men that do some outward work commanded in the law but they have no love to the work this will not serve the turn for whatever is done by constraint or the mere compulsion of a natural conscience can never hold long Nature will return to its byass again however men force themselves
our works for us Isa. 26. 12. Now this actual help is necessary 1. Partly to direct us Psal. 74. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory We need not only a principle within and a rule without but need also a guide Though we have grace in our hearts though we have the Law of God to direct us yet we need also a guide upon all occasions the Rule is the Scripture and the Guide is the Spirit of God 2. Partly to quicken and excite us by effectual motions The heart of man is very changeable and it is like the eye easily discomposed and put out of frame Deadness creeps upon us and we drive on heavily in the work of God Psal. 119. 37. Quicken thou me in thy way God doth renew the vigor of the life of grace upon all occasions 3. Partly to corroborate and strengthen that which we have received and make it encrease and grow in the soul and more firmly rooted there Eph. 3. 16. The Apostle prays That God would strengthen you with might by his spirit in the inner man the inward man the frame of grace that we have received needs to be strengthned encreased and be more deeply rooted in the soul. So 1 Pet. 5. 10. The God of all grace make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you Many words are used to shew how God is interested in maintaining and keeping a foot the grace he hath planted in the soul. 4. Partly in protecting and defending them against the incursions and assaults of the Devil The regenerate are not only escaped out of his clutches but appointed to be his Judges which an envious and proud spirit cannot endure therefore he maligneth assaulteth and besiegeth them with temptations daily therefore Christ prays Joh. 17. 11. Keep through thy own name those whom thou hast given me When a City is besieged fresh supplies are sent in they are not kept to their standing-provision so it is not the ordinary power of God that doth preserve and keep us from danger there 's new relief and fresh strength We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 2 Pet. 1. 5. Now we experience the help we have from God partly by the change and frame of our heart when we are acted by him and when we are not When God by the impulsions of his grace doth quicken and awaken our hearts we are carried on with a great deal of earnestness and strength but at other times we seem to be much bound and have not those breathings from the Spirit of God to fill our sails and carry us on with the same life and strength Yea in the same duty how is a Christian up and down carried out sometimes with a great deal of zeal and warmth but if God withdraw that assistance before the duty be over how do the affections flag So that we are like the wards of a Lock kept up while the key is turned but fall again when the key is turned the other way While the work of grace is powerful we are kept in a warm and heavenly plight Thus as to duties we need spiritual relief Likewise in temptations when we are ready to fall into such a sin with great proneness of heart and the Lord quickens and excites us by his grace It is often with a Christian as with David Psal. 73. 2. My feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt even carried away by the violence of Satan and importunate motions of our own lusts then the Lord gives grace to help in a time of need Heb. 4. 16. in the Original it is no more but this seasonable relief God vouchsafeth Object I but are we to do nothing when we are indisposed This case is often traversed in this Psalm 1. The Precept of God falls upon us as reasonable creatures and doth not consider whether we are disposed or indisposed and God's influence is not our rule but our help We are to stir up our selves the Lord complains Isa. 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of me And Timothy is bid to stir up the gift of God which is in him 2 Tim. 1. 6. God's assistance will be best expected in a way of doing Up and be doing and the Lord will be with thee 2 Chron. When we stir up our selves and set our selves to the work in the conscience of our duty we can better expect God's help and assistance 2. In great distempers there may be some pause Elisha would not prophesie when he was under a passion of anger therefore he calls for a Minstrel to sing a Psalm 2 King 3. 13 14 15. and as he plaid upon an Instrument the Spirit of the Lord came upon him He was under a passion offended with the King of Israel therefore he would not prophesie until his spirit was composed Certainly we are not to run head-long upon duties in the midst of these distempers Sailing is more safely delayed in time of an extreme storm When the heart is put into some great disorder in a great storm of spirit the distemper should first be mourned for and prayed against The Reasons why that from first to last he must make us to go in the way of his Commandments 1. God keeps this power in his own hands that his grace might be all in all and 't is the glory of his actions always to set the crown upon graces head Not only those permanent and fixed habits which constitute the new man but those daily supplies without which the motions and operations of the spiritual life would be at a stand are for grace When the Lord reckons with his servants about the improvement of their talents he doth not say My industry but Lord thy pound Luke 19. 18. He puts all the honour upon grace So 1 Cor. 16. 10. Not I but the grace of God So Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me So that still they are giving the glory to grace Acts are more perfect than habits therefore if we had only the power from God and acts from our selves we should not give all to God That acts are more perfect than the power is clear it is more perfect to understand than to have a power to understand power is in order to the act and the end is more noble than the means 2. This is a very great encouragement to us to set upon the exercise of grace in the midst of weaknesses and several difficulties and temptations wherewith we are encompassed because God will enable and assist us he will not leave us to our standing strength but he concurs Phil. 2. 12 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling why for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure When God will concur to the will and to the deed to both when we have wind and tide he is very lazy that will not take his
a greater portion of worldly things and that sets you upon carking and if you have not this you cannot see how you and yours can be provided for Cure this how by Gods Promises 1 Pet. 5. 7. Cast all your care upon him for he careth for you Cannot you trust God upon security of a Promise Cannot you go on in well doing when the Lord hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Cure it by observing the usual course of Gods Providence God provides for the young Ravens he clothes the Lillies It is Christs argument will he be more kind to a Raven than a child Will he take more care of a flower than of a Son one that is in Covenant with him Cure it by holy maxims and considerations Remember all dependeth upon Gods blessing Luk. 12. 15. Take heed and beware of covetousness How should we do so For a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth Alas all is in Gods hand both being and well-being life and estate and all things else God can soon blast abundance and can relieve us in the deepest wants He can give you a sufficiency in your deep poverty 2 Cor. 8. 2. If you should go on carking and caring and feathering your nests God may take you off or set your nests on fire A little serves the turn to bring us to Heaven And when our desires are moderate God will not fail Prov. 16. 8. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right 2. For discontent with your portion that you may not always be craving more meditate upon the baseness and vanity of worldly things They do but deceive us with a vain shew they cannot give us any true joy of heart or peace of Conscience or security against future evil they cannot give you health of body nor add one cubit to your stature nor one day to your lives now should we disquiet our selves for a vain shew shall there be such toil in getting such fear of losing when they are of no more use to us in the hour of death When you need strength and comfort most all these things will leave you shiftless helpless if they continue with you so long Nay reason thus the more estate the more danger the greater charge lyeth upon you Larger gates do but open to larger cares There is more duty more danger more snares more temptations When you have more you will be more difficultly saved It is a truth pronounced by the Lord of Truth That it is a hard matter for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven It will be more hard to keep the flesh in order to guide our spirits aright in the ways of God If you must needs be coveting labouring and carking you are called to better things Ioh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life Covet the best gifts 1 Cor. 12. 31. Be as passionate for grace as others are for the world If once you were acquainted with these better things it would be so with you you would never leave the fair and fresh pastures of grace for the barren heath of the world If you did once tast the sweet of Heavenly things then let dogs scramble for bones and scraps you have hidden Manna to feed upon the sense of Gods love to look after hopes of everlasting glory wherewith to solace your souls If once you did tast of these everlasting riches you would do so 1 Tim. 6. 10 11. There are many that through the love of mony have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows But thou O man of God flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness Let the men of the world whose portion and happiness lyeth here scramble for these things but you that profess your selves Children of God follow after all the gifts and graces of the Spirit let that be your holy covetousness to increase in these things SERMON XLII PSAL. CXIX Vers. 37. Turn thou away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity and quicken thou me in thy way DAvid still continueth his requests to God for Grace and intituleth him to the whole Work He had prayed before that God would incline his Heart Now that he would Turn away his Eyes from beholding worldly Vanities In this Prayer there are two Branches the one concerneth Mortification the other Vivification 1. Turn away Then Quicken c. The first request is for the removing the Impediments of obedience the other for Addition of new degrees of Grace These two are fitly joyned for they have a natural Influence upon one another unless we turn away our Eyes from Vanity we shall soon contract a deadness of Heart Nothing causeth it so much as an inordinate liberty in carnal Vanities when our affections are alive to other things they are dead to God therefore the less we let loose our Hearts to these things the more lively and Chearful in the work of Obedience On the other side the more the Vigour of Grace is renewed and the Habits of it quickned into actual exercise the more is Sin mortified and Subdued Sin dieth and our Senses are restored to their proper use These two requests are fitly joyned Let us consider them asunder 1. Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity There observe 1. The Object Vanity 2. The Faculty mine Eyes 3. The Act of Grace desired The removing of this Faculty from this Object 1. The Object Vanity Thereby is meant carnal and worldly Things worldly Pleasures worldly Honour worldly Profits all these are called Vanity because they have no solid happiness in them and do so easily fade and Perish Thus 't is said Prov. 31. 30. Favour is deceitful and Beauty is Vain The same is true of any other Transporting Object Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity Eccle. 1. 2. and Iob. 15. 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in Vanity for Vanity shall be his recompence Rom. 8. 20. The Creature is made Vanity By vanity there is understood the vain things of the World which do so often deceive us as to the happiness they promise 2. The Faculty is mentioned the Eye t is Imployed and commanded by the Heart But this inkindleth new Flames there and as it is set a work by it so it sets the Heart a work again It is the Instrument of increasing Sin in us 3. The act Turn away Our evil delight is too apt to fix it and become a Snare to us till God cureth both Heart and Sense by Grace He prayeth not from beholding it altogether but from beholding as a Snare Doct. It concerneth those that would walk with God to have their Eyes turned away from worldly things I shall give you the meaning in these Propositions 1. He that would be quickned carried out with Life and Vigour in the ways of God must first be Mortified dye unto Sin The
or the Infusion of Grace 2. For the renewing the vigour of the life of Grace the renewed Influence of God whereby this Grace is stirred up in our hearts First for Regeneration or the Infusion of Grace Ephes. 2. 1 2. When we were dead in Trespasses and Sins yet now hath he quickned us then we are quickned or made alive to God when we are new born when there is an habitual Principle of Grace put into our hearts Secondly Quickning is put for the renewed excitation of Grace when the life that we have received is carried on to some further increase and so 't is twofold either by way of Comfort in our Afflictions or enlivening in a way of Holiness 1. Comfort in afflictions and so 't is opposed to fainting which is occasioned by too deep a sense of present troubles and distrust of God and the supplies of his Grace when the affliction is heavy upon us we are like Birds dead in the nest and are so overcome that we have no Spirit nor Courage in the service of God Psal. 119. 50. This is my Comfort in affliction for thy word hath quickened me Then we are said to be quickened when he raiseth up our hearts above the trouble by refining our suffering Graces as Faith Hope and Patience Thus he is said to revive the Contrite one Isa. ââ¦7 15. To restore comfort to us and to refresh us with the Sense of his Love 2. There is a quickening in Duty which is opposed to deadness of Spirit which is apt to creep upon us that is occasioned by Negligence and sloathfulness in the business of the spiritual Life Now to quicken us God exciteth his grace in us An Instrument though never so well in tune soon grows out of Order A Key seldom turned rusts in the Lock so Graces that are not kept a work lose their Exercise and grow Luke-warm or else 't is occasioned by carnal Liberty or intermeddling with worldly things These bring a Brawn and deadness upon the Heart and the Soul is depressed by the cares of this World Luk. 21. 34. Now when you are under this Temper of soul desire the Lord to Quicken you by new influences of Grace 2. Let me shew the necessity of this quickening how needful ' t is 1. 'T is needful for without it our general standing is questionable whether we belong to God or no 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye are living stones built up into a spiritual House t is not enough to be a stone in Christs building but we must be living Stones not only members of his body but living members I cannot say such a one hath no grace but when they have it not it renders their Condition very questionable a man may be living when he is not lively 2. Without it we cannot perform our Duties aright Religion to a dead heart is a very irkesome thing When we are dead-hearted we do our Duties as if we did them not in our general course of obedience we must go to God Psal. 119. 88. Quicken me after thy loving Kindness so shall I keep the Testimonies of thy Mouth Then we do good to good purpose indeed t is not enough for us to pray but we must pray with life and Vigour Psal. 80. 18. Quicken me and I will call upon thy Name so we should hear with Life not in a dull Careless Fashion Math. 13. 15. 3. All the Graces that are planted in us tend to beget quickening as Faith Hope and Love these are the Graces that set us a work and make us lively in the Exercise of the spiritual Life Faith that works by Love Gall. 5. 6. It sets the Soul a work by apprehending the sense of Gods love whereas otherwise t is but a dead Faith 1 Iam. 2. 16. Then for love what is the Influence of that it constrains the Soul it takes the soul along with it 2 Cor. 5. 14. and Rom. 12. 1. And then hope 't is called a lively Hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. all Grace is put into us to make us Lively not only the Grace of Sanctification but the Grace of Iustification is bestowed upon us for this end that we may be cheerful in Gods service Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our Consciences from dead works that we may serve the living God Sin and guilt make us dead and heavy hearted but now the blood of Christ is sprinkled upon the Conscience and the sentence of Death taken away then we are made cheerful to serve the living God Attributes are suited to the case in hand he is called the living God because he must be served in a living manner 4. All the Ordinances which God hath appointed are to get and increase this Liveliness in us Wherefore hath God appointed the Word Isa. 55. 3. Hear and your Souls shall live t is to promote the Life of Grace and that we may have new Incouragment to go on in the ways of God Moses when he received the Law is said to receive the lively Oracles of God Acts 7. 38. 10. So the doctrine of Christ they are all Spirit and Life and serve to beget Life in us As the redemption of the world by Christ the joys of Heaven the torments of Hell they are all quickening truths and propounded to us to keep us in Life and Vigour The Lords supper why was that appointed There we come to tast the flesh of Christ who was given for the Life of the world Iohn 6. That we might sensibly exercise our Faith upon Christ that we might be more sensible of our Obligations to him that we might be the more excited in the diligent pursuit of things to come Use 1. Is reproof David considereth the Dulness and Deadness of his Spirit which many do not but go on in a cold Tract of duties and never reguard the frame of their Hearts It is a good sign to observe our spiritual Temper and accordingly go to God Most observe their Bodies but very few their Souls If the body be ill at ease or out of Order they complain presently but love waxeth cold and their Zeal for God and delight in him is abated yet they never lay it to Heart Secondly To exhort us to get and keep this lively frame of heart 1. Get it Pray for it liveliness in obedience doth depend upon Gods Blessing unless he put life and keep life in our Souls all cometh to nothing Come to God upon the account of his Glory Psal. 143. 11. Quicken me O Lord for thy Name sake for thy Righteousness sake bring my Soul out of Trouble His tender Mercies Psal. 119. 156. Great are thy tender Mercies O Lord quicken me according to thy Iudgments Come to him upon the account of Christ Iohn 10. 10. I am come that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly And John 7. 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers
5. 6. Faith which worketh by Love Well this quickning that I may most sensibly demonstrate it depends upon these two things 1. The Vitality of Grace that depends upon the degree and measure of our Faith For to speak nothing as to the mystical use as it is a means of our Function of Life but to speak only now as to its moral use as it acts by the sight of invisible things keep Faith alive and all is alive in the Soul Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the evidence of things not seen it doth make things absent and things not seen to act as if they were present therefore it must needs be a very enlivening thing Without Faith our notions of God Christ Heaven and Hell are never practical and lively in operation for this is the evidence of things not seen and this convinceth us of all Spiritual and unseen things to make them have a force and operation upon the soul. We do but hear read and discourse litterally until Faith puts life into our apprehensions and thoughts of them For Faith will affect us as if we did see the invisible God and will put the same affections into us as if Christ were Crucified before our eyes Gal. 3. 1. What is the reason the Mistery of Redemption is a wild story to some lively to others Faith affects the heart as if he were crucified before our eyes and his Life dropt out from him by degrees So Faith makes us hug and embrace them as if we were in the midst of the Glory of the blessed ones Take it only in its moral use it is an enlivening thing And as Faith is kept up in any Vigour so the spiritual Lise is kept up 2. For Love When we have a fresh and warm Sense of the Love of God upon our Souls we are quickned to do for him answerable to such a Love and our Souls reasons What hath God done so great things for us in Christ and we do nothing for God again Then we see we cannot do any thing too much Love hath a law upon the Soul that stirs up lively and Zealous motions towards God 2 Cor. 5. 14. The love of Christ constraineth us 1 Ioh. 5. 3. His Commandements are not grievous Then every thing goes on Pleasantly and runs upon it's Wheels Secondly Why will they that long after Gods Precepts see a need of quickning 1. Because of the Diseases incident to the renewed Estate There 's a constant weakness by reason of in-dwelling Corruption The flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gall. 5. 17. They cannot serve God with that Purity and Liberty they desire Then there are frequent indispositions of Soul sometimes they feel a slowness and loathness and dulness in their Souls Good men may yet be slow of Heart to heavenly things Luk. 24. 25. Look as the Physitian saith weariness that comes of its own accord is a sign of some Disease upon us Laziness in Duty comes from a remiss Will Sometimes too they find great Deadness that they cannot follow their work so close and with that Life and Earnestness And sometimes they are in Bonds sometimes in Straits that they cannot enlarge and dilate themselves towards God Psal. 119. 32. When thou shalt enlarge my Heart I will run the ways of thy Commandments Now they that mind their work they will be Sensible of this and call upon God to quicken them David complains of the dulness and deadness of his Spirit but many do not but go on in a Cold track of Duties and rever regard the frame of their Hearts But now a good man observes the Temper of his Soul Most observe their Bodies but few their Souls If their body be ill at ease and out of order they Complain presently but Love waxeth Cold Zeal for God and delight in God abateth men grow weary in Well-doing grow flat have this remiss Will this Deadness and Slowness of soul in the love of God they can satisfie themselves in this Frame and Temper 2. Because too without this supervening and quickning Grace they can never serve God cheerfully nor do any thing to purpose in the Heavenly life our general work of Obedience goes on slowly Psal. 119. 88. Quicken me so shall I keep the Testimony of thy Mouth then I shall do good to purpose But Religion is an irksome thing when we are Dead-hearted For particular Duties it is not enough to Pray but it must be with Life Psal. 80. 18. Quicken us and we will call upon thy Name It is not enough to Hear but to hear with Life Mat. 13. 15. It is a judgment to be dull of hearing 3. As it is uncomfortable to themselves to Act without quickning Grace so it is a thing very hateful with God a cold luke-warm Temper Rev. 3. 16. I will spew thee out of my Mouth This dull and stupid Profession is contrary to God and hateful to God and such as content themselves with this dead Profession God will spew them out of his mouth And it is contrary to all the provision God hath made for us Christ is set up as a fountain of Grace in our nature Iohn 10. 10. I am come that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly The Lord hath justified us by his Grace sprinkled our Hearts that we might serve the living God serve him in a living manner for Titles given to God imply the qualification in hand Heb. 9. 14. and he hath sanctified us planted Grace in our Hearts on purpose to maintain the life given us that there might be a lively Hope And all hearing is for Life Isa. 55. 3. we come to lively Oracles that we may be quickned The joys of Heaven Redemption by Christ Hells Torments these Doctrines are all quickning truths And the Lord hath given his flesh not only to God for a sacrifice but to us for Food that we may live Iohn 6. 51. Therefore to be cold it is Odious to God Use 1. For Caution 1. Let us take heed we lose not quickning through our own default that we lose not this enlivening Grace We may lose it by any hainous Sin of ours for by grieving the Spirit we bring on deadness upon the Heart Psal. 51. 10 11 12. When David sinned hainously he begs the Lord to quicken him and restore his free Spirit and the joy of his Salvation The spirit is a tender thing Every hainous sin is as a wound in the Body which lets out the life Blood and so we contract a Deadness upon our selves 2. Take heed of immoderate Liberty or Vanities of the world or Pleasures of the flesh if you would not lose this quickning The Apostle tells us 1 Tim. 5 6. The woman that liveth in Pleasure is dead while she Liveth Pleasures have a strange infatuation they bring a brawn and deadness upon the Heart and hinder the Sprightliness of spiritual and Heavenly affections Psal. 119. 37. Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity And quicken thou me
in thy way These two Prayers joyn'd together speak thus much if you be too busie about Vanity it will bring on a Brawn and Deadness and so you need to go to God for quickning And Christ tells his disciples Luke 21. 34. Take heed of being over-charged c. The soul is mightily distempered by too free a Liberty of the delights of the Flesh for Surfeiting and Drunkenness must not be taken there in the gross Notion 3. Let us take heed that we do not lose it by our Sloathfulness and Negligence in the spiritual Life Isa. 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee As in a Watch one Wheel protrudes and thrusts forward another so when we are diligent all is lively in the Soul but when we are not active and serious in a Godly course all goes to Rack An Instrument though it be never so much in Tune yet laid by and hung up it grows out of Order Wells are sweetet for draining Our Graces if we keep not them awork lose their Vitality if we do not stir up the Grace of God 2 Tim. 3. 6. they are quite quenched when we grow careless and neglectful of our Souls we lose this Activity of Grace 4. Vain and Dead-hearted Company and Converse are a very great means to damp the Spirit and quench the Motions of the heavenly Life We should Provoke one another to good Works Heb. 10. 24. There is great Provocation in good Examples but we grow Lazy Formal slight by imitation Others profess Knowledg yet are Vain Dead-hearted so are we we have adopted it into our Manners and leven one another by this means There should be a holy Contention who should be most forward in the ways of Godliness and excel in our Heavenly calling this keeps Christians lively Saul when he was among the Prophets he Prophecied but when we converse with Dead-hearted company it breeds a great Damp. You read in Isa. 41. 6. 7. how the Idolaters encouraged one another it was when the Isles was to wait for the Messiah that they should not faint but get up their Idols again after Christ had got a little footing among them and shall not the Children of God encourage and keep up the life of Zeal one in another Use 2. Exhortation It presseth you to divers Duties 1. To see a need of quickning Though life received gives Power to act yet that Power must be excited by God No creature doth subsist and Act of it self All things Live Move and have their Being in God There is a Concurrence necessary to all created things much more to the New-creature Partly because of the internal indisposition of the Subject in which it is alas Grace in the Heart is but like fire in Wett-wood Partly by reason of External impediments Satan is ready to cast a Damp upon thy Soul so that the Lords grace is still necessary for us 2. Ask it of God All life was at first in him Originally and ' it s an Emanation from him The Apostle proves Christs God-head from this because In him was Life Iohn 1. 4. But is this a good Argument Doth that prove therefore he was God may we not say of the meanest Worm in it is Life but he means Originally he was the fountain of Life And still he keeps it in his own hands and conveys it to all Creatures every moment even to the lowest Worm Iohn 5. 26. For as the Father hath life in himself So hath he given to the Son to have life in himself The Power of quickning and keeping of life it belongs to God He hath it Originally from himself he gives it to others 1 Tim. 6. 13. he that quickneth all things Worms Men that gives Life to them is God 3 Except this Grace in and through Jesus Christ who hath purchased it for us who gave his Flesh to be meat indeed and his Blood drink indeed Iohn 6. 55. Who rose again that we should walk in newness of Life Rom. 6. 4. Who ascended to pour out the Spirit upon us Iohn 7. 38. 39. Therefore when we find Deadness Spiritually look to receive this life from Christ. 4. Rouse up your selves There are Considerations and Arguments to quicken us Certainly a man hath power and faculty to work truths upon himself to stir up the Gift and Grace that is in us 2 Tim. 1. 6. We must not think Grace works necessarily as fire burns whether we will or no that this will enliven us but we must rouze and stir up our selves as Psal. 42. 5. There are many considerations by which me may awaken our own Soul from the Love of God from the Hopes of Glory by which Christians should stir and keep their Spirits awake and alive towards God and Heavenly things Use 3. If quickning be so necessary it presseth us to see when ever we have received any thing of the vitality of Grace Sence Appetite and Activity we may know it by these things when there 's a sence of Sin in-dwelling as a Burden Life is strong then when it would expel its Enemy Rom. 7. 24. When there is an Appetite after Christ and his Graces and Comforts When there 's a greater Activity a bursting and breaking forth towards Religious Duties it is a sign Grace is strong in the heart for the Spirit is to be a fountain of living waters always breaking out Iohn 7. 38. When we are more fruitful towards God when it is ready to discover it self for the Glory of God then the heavenly life is kept in good plight For these things we should be thankful to God for he it is that awakeneth you SERMON XLVII PSALM CXIX Verse 41. Let thy Mercies come also to me O Lord even thy Salvation according to thy Word IN this Verse you have the Man of God in Straights and begging for Deliverance In this Prayer and Address to God you may observe 1. The Cause and Fountain of all Thy Mercies 2. The Effect or thing asked Salvation 3. The Warrant or Ground of his Expectation according to thy Word 4. The effectual Application of the Benefit asked Come also unto me The Sum of the Verse may be given you in this Point Doct. That the Salvation of God is the fruit of his Mercy and effectually dispensed and applied to his People according to his Word There is a twofold Salvation Temporal and Eternal 1. Temporal Salvation is Deliverance from Temporal Dangers Exod. 14. 13. Stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord. 2. Eternal Deliverance from Hell and Wrath together with that positive Blessedness which is called Eternal Life Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him The Text is applicable to both though possibly the former principally intended 1. I shall apply it to Salvation Temporal or deliverance out of Trouble Then observe 1. the cause of it Thy Mercies Gods Children often fall into such streights that
Apostle of our Profession The Christian Religion is a Confession not a thing to be smothered and kept in secret or confined to the Heart but to be openly brought forth and avowed in Word and Deed to the Glory of Christ If a man should content himself to own God in his heart what would become of the Church of God and all his Ordinances and the Assemblies of his People among whom we make this open Confession 1. This Confession is necessary as well as the inward Belief because God hath required it by an express Law which Law is confirmed by a Sanction of great weight and moment the greatest Promises on the one hand and the greatest Penalties and Threatnings on the other That there is an express Law for Confession besides what hath been said already see 1 Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifie the Lord God of Hosts in your Hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh you a Reason of the Hope that is in you with meekness and fear where they are required not only to revere God in their Hearts but to be ready to own him with their mouths and to give a Testimony of him when it should be demanded Yea that sanctifying God in their Hearts is required in order to the Testimony given with their Mouths that having due and awful thoughts of God they may not be ashamed to own him before men Now this is backt with the greatest Promises and on the other side with the severest Threatnings God hath promised no less than Salvation to those that confess him Matth. 10. 33. Whosoever will confess me before Men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven Father this is one of mine he will do them more honour than possibly they can do him and Rom. 10. 10. With the Mouth Confession is made to Salvation Salvi esse non possumus saith Austin nisi ad salutem proximorum etiam ore profiteamur Fidem We cannot be Saved unless we profess the Faith that we have On the other side the neglect of Profession either out of Shame or Fear is threatned with the greatest penalties Mark 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my Words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with his Glorious Angels Then when all shadows flee away and we would crouch for a little favour that Christ should be ashamed of us these were Christians but cowardly and dastardly ones I cannot own them to be of my Flock and Kingdom Oh how will our faces gather blackness the same is Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my Words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in his own Glory and in his Fathers and of the holy Angels So for Fear 2 Tim. 2. 11. If we suffer we shall also Reign with him if we deny him he will deny us So that you see it is not a matter of small moment whether we confess or no but a thing expresly enjoyned by God and that upon Terms of Life and Death 2. This Confession is of great use as conducing much to the Glory of God and the good of others 1. The Glory of God which should be the great scope and end of our Lives and Actions is much concerned in our confessing or not confessing what we believe When we boldly avow the truth it is a sign we are not ashamed of our Master Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my Body whether it be by Life or by Death Ministry or Martyrdom he calls this a magnifying of Christ whereas flinching concealing halfing the Truth denying Confession it is called a being ashamed of Christ Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words as if his Name were a thing base unworthy not to be owned 2. The Good of others and their Edification is concerned in our confessing or not confessing No man is born for himself and therefore is not only to work out his own salvation but as much as in him lieth to procure the salvation of others and to bring God and his Truth into request with them therefore not only to believe with the heart that concerneth himself but to confess with the mouth that concerneth the good of others when we own the Truth though it cost us dear that tendeth to the furtherance of the Gospel Phil. 1. 12. 13. For I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel so that my Bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace and in all other places c. But when we dissemble that is a scandal and a stumbling block to others whom we justifie and harden in a false way as Peter fearing them of the Circumcision dissembled and the Iews dissembled with him insomuch that Barnabas was carried away with their Dissimulation Gal. 2. 12 13. Men of publick Fame and Favour when they are not men of courage and of self-denying Spirits their temporizing may do a great deal of hurt and like a Torrent or Stream carry others with them Oh! let us beware of this Zuinglius saith Ad aras Iovis Veneris adorare sub Antichristo fidem occultare idem est As well worship before the Altars of Jupiter and Venus as hide our Faith under Antichrist Fear and weakness excuseth not the Fearful and Unbelieving are put with Murderers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and sent together to the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Revel 21. 8. Use 1. To reprove them that think it to be enough to own the Truth in their Hearts without confessing it with their Mouths This Libertinism prevailed at Corinth where they thought they might be present at Idols Feasts as long as in their Consciences they knew that an Idol was nothing The Apostle argueth against them 2 Cor. 6. and concludes his Argument thus 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these Promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit To pretend to serve God in my heart whosoever thinks so mocketh God and deceiveth himself he that warreth with the Enemies of his Prince and is as forward in Battel as any of the rest can he say I reserve the King my Heart and Affections Or when a woman prostituteth her Body to another will the Husband be content with such an Excuse that she reserveth her Heart for him God is not a God of half of a man he made the whole Body and Soul and will be served with both he bought both 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore Glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirits which are Gods Therefore you should not only
6. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his Servants ye are whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Now Man rightly constituted his Actions are thus governed The Understanding and Conscience prescribe to the Will the Will according to right Reason and Conscience moveth the Affections the Affections according to the command and counsel of the Will move the bodily Spirits and Members of the Body But by Corruption there is a manifest Inversion and Change Pleasures affect the Senses the Senses corrupt the Phantasie Phantasie moveth the Bodily Spirits they the Affections and by their violence the Will is carried captive Man blinded and so Man goeth on headlong to his own destruction The corrupt Passions are like wild Horses that do not obey the Driver but draw to Precipices for his destruction Therefore Basil of Seleucia calleth a carnal Man a Slave that runs after the Chariots of his own Passions and corrupt Affections 3. Consider the great tyranny and power of Sin it leaveth us no right and power to dispose of our selves and our Actions and so Men cannot help themselves when they would as is sensible in them that are convinced of better and do worse they see what they should do but do not do it being drawn away by their own Lusts. Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor Sin hath gotten such a deep interest in their Actions and command over their Affections that they cannot leave what they know to be naught or follow that which they conceive to be good And this Bondage is more sensible in them that have some kind of remorse and trouble with their Convictions either from temporal inconvenience shame or loss and yet cannot leave their Lusts and so in despair resolve to go on and make the best of it Ier. 18. 12. And they said There is no hope but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart Jer. 2. 25. Thou hast said there is no hope no for I have loved strangers and after them will I go Yea further that have a kindly remorse from the conviction of the Spirit Ier. 31. 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke And so Paul Rom. 7. 14. I am carnal sold under sin 4. Consider how this Bondage is always increased by Custom which is a second Nature or an inveterate Disease not easily cured Ier. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good who are accustomed to do evil The more he continueth in this course the less able to help himself the more he sinneth the more he is inthralled to sin as a Nail the more it is knocked the more it is fastned in the Wood. First a man yields up himself to Sin as a Servant by Covenant Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey that is gives up his principal Time Actions and Employments Then a Servant by Conquest 2 Pet. 2. 19. While they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage A Sinner is under the dominion of Sin as an hired Servant and a Captive We first willingly and by our own default run into it and after cannot rid our selves of it Ligatus eram non ferro alieno sed mea ferrea voluntate velle meum tenebat inimicus me mihi catenam fecerat constrinxerat me Lord I am bound not with Iron but with an obstinate Will I gave my Will to mine Enemy and he made a Chain of it to bind me and keep me from thee Quippe ex voluntate perversa facta est libido dum servitur libidini facta est consuetudo dum consuetudo non resistitur facta est necessitas Aug. Confes. lib. 8. cap. 5. A perverse Will gave way to Lustings and Lustings made way for a Custom and a Custom let alone brought a Necessity upon me that I can do nothing but sin against thee And after that Reformidam quasi mortem consuetudinis mutationem Aug. Confes. lib. 8. cap. 7. Thus are we by little and little enslaved brought under the power of every Toy Things are lawful as subordinate helps but we contrary to the Law of Reason and the Inclinations to true Happiness immoderately desire them and these Desires being excessive get a compleat Victory over our Souls and at length we are brought under the power of every Creature 1 Cor. 6. 12. All things are lawful but I will not be brought under the power of any 5. There is one thing more that maketh the Carnal Life to be a meer Slavery and that is the Fear and Terror which doth arise from the consciousness of Sin the fear of Death and Damnation and Wrath to come which doggeth Sin at the heels When Adam sinned he was afraid Gen. 3. 7. And carnal Men are all their life-time subject to bondage through the fear of death Heb. 2. 15. There is a Fire smothering in the bosom of a Sinner and sometimes it flashes out in actual gripes and horrors they have grievous damps of heart so that Sinners are so far Bond-men that they dare not seriously call themselves to an account for the expence of their Time and Employments which every one should do nor think seriously of Death or God's Judgment or Hell He that is always under the check of a cruel Master cannot be said to be a Freeman Now so is every Man that is not in Christ let him be never so great and mighty and powerful he is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã subject to bondage in danger of hidden fears easily awakened in his heart Well then call you this a Free Life As jolly and jocund as wicked Men seem to be or as great as they are it is a liberty of the Flesh taken by Men not given by God the quietness of the Flesh but bane of the Soul 2. On the contrary The true Liberty is in the ways of God 1. There we are directed how to attain to our great End which is true Blessedness Mat. 7. 14. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it A way of Sin seemeth broad and easie to the Flesh but it is strait and hard to the Spirit and the way of Duty strait and narrow to the Flesh but because it is to Life it is broad to the Spirit or new Nature I shall walk at liberty To a renewed Heart the Divine Commandments are not grievous 1 Iohn 5. 3. for by this means they come to enjoy God and walk to their own Happiness and attain to the End for which they were made A poor heart goes home chearfully
2. In loving fearing praising serving God the noblest Faculties are exercised in the noblest and most regular way of Operation The Soul is in the right temper and constitution they are the highest Actions of the highest Faculties elevated by the highest Principles about the highest Objects The Objects are God Christ Heaven the great things of Eternity The Principles are the Love and Fear of God the Faculties Understanding and Will not Sensitive Appetite these exercised in thinking of God and chusing of God II. The second part of the Demonstration is That there is liberty given to walk in that way Ever since Adam's Fall every Man is a spiritual Slave under the Dominion and Power of Sin and Satan and the Curse of the Law but now where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. true Christian Liberty or a power given us to walk familiarly with God and chearfully and comfortably in his Service By Grace a Man is freed 1. From the yoke of oppressing Fears And 2. The Tyranny of commanding Lusts. 1. We are freed from the Bondage of Sin Rom. 8. 2. The law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath made us free from the law of sin and death John 8. 36. If the Son therefore shall make ye free ye shall be free indeed There is a Liberty in that which is good Psal. 119. 32. I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart 2. We are freed from those Doubts and Fears and Terrors which accompanied the state of Sin Iob 36. 8. If they be bound in fetters and be holden in the cords of afflictions Job 13. 27. Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks Lam. 3. 7. He hath hedged me about that I cannot get out he hath made my chain heavy so that the meaning is I shall walk at liberty be chearful and enlarged in heart for I seek thy Precepts III. There is Liberty in that walking It is the fruit of strictness There is a twofold Liberty 1. Outward Deliverances out of Straits and Afflictions Psal. 118. 5. I called upon the Lord in distress the Lord answered me and set me in a large place And Psal. 18. 19. He brought me forth also into a large place he delivered me because he delighted in me So Psal. 4. 1. Thou hast inlarged me when I was in distress Affliction is compared to a Prison where the poor afflicted Creature is as it were confined committed by God and must not break Prison come out by the Window but the Door When we are let out by God upon submission and supplication urging the Satisfaction of Christ as we are sent thither by God's Authority so we come out by God's Love Now God doth this for those that obey him as all those Places manifest 2. Inward Confidence ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith Chrysostom on the Text An holy Life is the ground of Liberty and holy boldness 1 John 3. 9. If our hearts condemn us not then have we liberty towards God We have delight and pleasure and contentment Till we defile Conscience we have a great deal of boldness and courage against opposition yea a boldness to go to God himself who otherwise is a consuming Fire Use 1. Is to take off that prejudice that we have against the Ways of God as if they were strait and hard and not to be endured Oh no all Gods ways are for our good Deut. 6. 24. The Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always And the Duties that he requireth of us are honourable and comfortable we never walk more at large than when we have a Conscience of them Man acteth like himself when he is holy just temperate sober humble Grace puts all things in the right frame and posture again it puts Reason in Dominion and maketh us Kings in governing our own Hearts and this breedeth sweetness and peace Pax est tranquillitas ordinis when all things keep their place then is there peace As when the Humors of the Body are in order and the Spirits move tuneably there is a chearfulness ensueth so the fruit of Righteousness is Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost If a Man had no Rule to guide him and God had left him without a Law yet if he were well in his wits he would prefer the Duties which he hath enjoyned before Liberty and of his own accord chuse to live according to such an Institution there is such a sutableness in all those things to the Reasonable Nature What do Men aim at Pleasure Honour or Profit For Pleasure Prov. 3. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace None have such a sweet life as they that live vertuously and as God hath commanded All the Sensualists in the world have not such a dainty Dish to feed on as they that have a good Conscience they have a continual Feast that never cloyeth You never come away from your Sports with such a merry heart as they come away from the Throne of Grace If Men would consider their Experiences after the discharge of their Duties and when stragling to carnal delights after saddest Duties there is a serenity in the Conscience Who ever repented of his Repentance 1 Sam. 1. 18. Hannah went her way and did eat and drink and her spirit was no more sad Prayer giveth ease but sensual Pleasures leave remorse and a sting If you count Liberty to consist in hunting after Honours and great Places can there be a greater Honour than to serve God Who hath the better Service he that attendeth on the uncertain will of Men yea of the greatest Princes or he that waiteth on the Lord Your Work is more Noble Prov. 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour What an unprofitable drudgery is the Service of the greatest Prince in the World in comparison of the Work of a poor Christian that liveth in Communion with God We serve a greater Prince and on surer terms Then for Profit Where is there more gain as to our Vails and Wages than in God's service Well then he that liveth holily hath much the sweeter and happier life than they that serve Covetousness Ambition or any other Lust. Certainly this should perswade us to put our neck under Christs yoke it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Mat. 11. 29. His yoke is easie and his burden is light If it be grievous it is to the Flesh and we have no reason to indulge the Flesh Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can it be The Command to an unfound Conscience is as a light Burden laid on a sore Back Men that are soaked in Pleasures are incompetent Judges of the sweetness of the Heavenly Life On the other side What a miserable Servitude is there in Sin how disabled for their great End for which
sheweth that we are all Strangers here for if here we do not live for ever and yet we have Souls that will live for ever there must be some other place to which we are tending The Body is dust in its Composition and Resolution Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall the Body return to the Earth as it was Nature may teach us so much but Faith that assureth us of the Resurrection of the Dead doth more bind this Consideration upon us We are Mortal and all things about us are liable to their Mortality and therefore here we must be still passing to another Place 2. Here we have no Rest Micah 2. 10. Arise and depart hence for this is not your Rest that is hereafter Heb. 4. 9. There remaineth therefore a Rest for the People of God Our Home we count the place of our Repose Now there is no Rest and Content in this World which is a place of Vanity Misery and Discomfort Yea to the Children of God there are stronger Motives than Crosses to drive them from the World daily Temptations and our often falling by them Crosses are grievous to all but Sin is more grievous to the Godly and nothing makes them more weary of the World then the constant indwelling and frequent outbreaking of Corruption and Sin Rom. 7. 24. Oh miserable Man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death The Apostle was exercised with many Crosses but this doth make him complain in the bitterness of his Soul not of his Misery but of his Corruption which he found continually rebelling against God Many complain of their Crosses that complain not of Sin to loath the World for Crosses alone is neither the Mark nor Work of Grace a Beast can forsake the place where he findeth neither Meat nor Rest but because we are sinning here whilst others are glorifying God this is the trouble of the Saints 3. They believe and look for a better Estate after this life is over 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens No Man can be a right Sojourner on Earth who doth not look for an abode in Heaven for that which doth most effectually draw off the heart of Man from this World is the Expectation of a far better State in the World to come 2 Cor. 4. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal Heathens could call the World an Inn but they had onely glimmering Conceptions of another World A Christian that believeth it and looketh for it on God's Assurance he is onely the joyfull Stranger and the Pilgrim Common Sense will teach us the necessity of leaving this World but Faith can onely assure us of another they are Believers and Expectants of Heaven 4. They do not onely look for it but seek after it We reade of both looking and seeking Heb. 11. 14. They declare plainly that they seek a Country Heb. 13. 14. Here we have no continuing City but we seek one to come Seeking implyeth Diligence in the Use of Means all the Life of a Christian is nothing but the seeking after another Country every day advancing a step nearer to Heaven and therefore their ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã their Conversation is said to be in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. This is their great business upon Earth to doe all to eternal Ends all other Works and Labours are but upon the bie and subordinate to this Their main care is to obtain this blessed Condition therefore they use Word Sacraments that they may grow in Grace Faith Repentance New obedience Every degree in Grace is another step towards Heaven Psal. 84. 4. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose hearts are the ways of them vers 6. They goe from strength to strength every one of them in Zion appeareth before God Some of the Sains are in Patria others in Via still bending homeward 5. Because they are so the Children of God are dealt with as Strangers Difference of scope and drift will procure alienation of Affection 1 Pet. 4. 4. Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of Riot speaking evil of you And Iohn 15. 19. If ye were of the world the world would love its own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Other cannot be expected but that the Servants of the Lord should be ill-rewarded and treated here not onely out of the Worlds Ignorance they know not our birth breeding expectations hope 1 Iohn 3. 2. Beloved now are we the Sons of God but 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 but Enmity as the different Carriage of the one puts a disgrace upon the course of Life which the other do affect the one fixeth their home here the other looketh for it elsewhere and the World is sensible this is an Excellency and therefore those that are at the bottom of the Hill envy and malign those that are a-top Use. Are we thus minded There are two sorts of men in the World the one is of the Devil and the other is of God for all men seek their Rest and Happiness on Earth or Rest in Heaven Naturally Men were all of the first Number for the Rational Soul without Grace accommodateth it self to the Interests of the Body but when sublimated and transformed by Grace the World cannot satisfy it and it can find nothing there which may finally quiet its desires for the new Life infused hath other aimes and tendencies As Saints are new born from Heaven so for Heaven and therefore the new Nature cannot satisfy it self in the injoyment of the Creature with the absence of God The Apostle saith while at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 6 7. In this Life we are not capable of the glorious Presence of God it is not consistent with our Mortality And our being present with him in the Spirit is but a Tast that doth provoke rather then cloy the Appetite Rom. 8. 23. Our selves also which have the first-fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body These Tasts do but make us long for more they are sent down from Heaven to draw us up to that place of our Rest where this Glory and Blessedness is in fullness Now which sort are you of the City of God or under the Dominion of Sathan and the power of worldly Lusts 1. There are some that take up here and never consider whence they are nor whither they are
2. Providences these do more awaken us God's daily Benefits should bring him to our Remembrance Acts 14. 17. Nevertheless he left not himself without Witness in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitfull Seasons filling our hearts with food and gladness Deut. 8. 18. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for he it is that giveth thee power to get Wealth especially the sanctified Remembrance of God's dealing with his People is the way to keep the heart in the Faith Love and Fear of God and the forgetting his Works is the cause of all Defection and falling off to carnal Courses and Confidences Psal. 78. 11. They forgat his Works and Wonders that he shewed them Psal. 106. 21. They forgat God their Saviour which had done great things in Egypt Judges 8. 34. And the Children of Israel remembred not the Lord their God who had delivered them out of the hands of their Enemies on every side It is a base Ingratitude not to remember prize and esteem God for all this 3. Ordinances Ministry was instituted to put you in Remembrance and give you still new and fresh Occasions to think of God 2 Pet. 1. 12. I will not be negligent to put you always in Remembrance our business is not always to inform you of what you know not but to inculcate and revive known Truths there being much Forgetfulness Stupidness and Senselesness upon our Spirits 2 Pet. 3. 1. That I may stir up your minds by way of Remembrance The Impressions of God on our Minds are soon defaced we need to quicken and awaken your Affections and Resolutions to choose and cleave to God 1 Tim. 4. 6. If thou put the Brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Minister of Iesus Christ. So Sacraments are instituted to bring God to Remembrance 1 Cor. 11. 24. This doe in Remembrance of me that we may remember his Love and our covenanted Duty The Sabbath was instituted for a Remembrance and Memorial of his creating redeeming Goodness 4. The great office and work of the Spirit is to bring to Remembrance Iohn 14. 26. He shall bring all things to your Remembrance We are apt to forget God and Instructions and Rebukes in their Season the Holy Ghost is our Monitor 3. God will not forget them that remember him he will remember them at every turn Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord harkned and heard it and a book of Remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name if he do not openly reward you with temporal Deliverances yet he taketh notice of every thought and every word you speak for him and taketh pleasure in you It is upon Record if you have not the comfort of it now you shall have it in a little time because they thought of him they spake of him and owned him in an evil time and therefore God is represented as hearing and booking and the books shall one day be opened and then you shall have your publick reward 2. Doctr. God is best Remembred when his Name is studied 1. When is his Name studied In the general when we look upon him as he hath manifed himself in his Word and Works More particularly God is discovered sometimes by the Name of his Essence sometimes by his Attributes 1. By the Name of his Essence When Moses was very inquisitive to know his Name and God can best tell his own Name let us see what answer was made him Exod. 3. 12 13. When they shall say unto me What is his Name and God said I Am that I Am. God was sending Moses upon a strange Message he was giving him Commission to go and speak to a King to dismiss and let go six hundred thousand of his Subjects to lead them to a place which God should shew now Moses thought for such a Message he had need have good Authority therefore desireth a significant Name I Am that I Am the form of the words sheweth it was a wonderfull incomprehensible Name Ask not my Name for it is Wonderfull Judg. 13. 18. This is enough to satisfie sober Inquiry though not wanton Curiosity enough for Faith to work upon the great I Am hath sent me It sheweth his unsearchableness It is our manner of speech when we would cover any thing and not answer distinctly we say It is what it is I have said what I have said Finite understandings cannot comprehend him that is Infinite no more than you can empty the Sea with a Cockle-shell 2. He is the great and onely Being in comparison of which all else is nothing Isa. 40. 19. All Nations before him are nothing they are counted less than nothing and vanity You have not a true and full Notion of God if you conceive him onely as the most eminent of all Beings no Being must appear as Being in his sight and in comparison of him As long as you onely conceive God to be the best you still attribute something to the Creature for all Comparatives include the Positive The Creature is nothing in comparison with God all the Glory Perfection and Excellency of the whole World do not amount to the value of an unite in regard of God's Attributes join never so many of them together they cannot make up one number they are nothing in his regard and less than nothing All created Beings must utterly vanish out of sight when we think of God As the Sun doth not annihilate the Stars and make them nothing yet it annihilates their Appearance to our sight some are of the first magnitude some of the second some of the third but in the Day-time all are alike all are darkned by the Sun's glory so it is here there are degrees of Perfection and Excellency if we compare one Creature with another but let once the glorious brightness of God shine upon the Soul and in that light all their differences are unobserved Angels Men Worms they are all nothing less than nothing to be set up against God this magnificent Title I Am darkneth all as if nothing else were God did not tell Moses that he was the best the highest and the most glorious but I Am and there is none else besides me nothing that hath its Being of it self nothing that can be properly called their own thus the incomprehensible Self-existence of God puts Man into his Original nothing none but God can say I Am because all things else are but borrowed drops of this Self-sufficient Fountain other things are near to nothing God most properly is who never was nothing never shall be nothing who may always in all difference of Time say I Am and nothing else but God can say so The Heaven and Earth for six thousand years ago could not say We are Adam could once have said I am as to his existence in the compounded nature of Man but now he cannot say
Thirdly That which a man would make his Portion if he were free to choose it should be a proper and suitable Good our own Good The heart of man aims at not onely bonum Good in common but also bonum congruum a suitable fitting Good Every Element moveth to its own place and every living Creature desires Food proper to it self so man is not onely carried to Good but Good that suits to his Capacity and Necessity the Soul being a Spirit must have a Spiritual Good Indeed as it acts in the Body and accommodates it self with the Necessities of the Body and seeks the Good of the Body so it may be carried out to Honours Pleasures and Profits for these are the conveniencies of the bodily life but as it is a Spirit and can live apart from the Body it must have something above these a spiritual Object and as it is Immortal it must have an Immortal Good Now for a spiritual Immortal Good do we grope and feel about until we finde it and then there 's a great deal of satisfaction Acts 17. 27. That they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and finde him So we are groping and feeling about as the blinde Sodomites did for Lots door for some Good that may suit the Capacity of our Souls we were made for God and therefore cannot have full contentment without God But I speak not now of man as man but suppose him to have a new Nature put into him that carries him after satisfaction we are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. It is called so because it comes from God and tends to Him Now there must be something suitable to this Nature pleasure is when those things are enjoyed that suit with us when the Object and the Faculty are suited when every Appetite hath a fit dyet to feed upon then a marvellous deal of Pleasure and Contentment results from thence Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the Flesh do minde the things of the Flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit All things seek a suitable Good Now they that are after the Spirit that have a new spiritual Divine Nature put into them renewed Souls they must have an Object proper and therefore must have something above the concernments of the Body and above the fleshly Nature for every thing delights in that which is suitable as a Fish in the Stream and an Ox to lick up the Grass and Man must have a suitable Good as a rational Being but as a spiritual being must have another Good Grace restores us to the inclinations of Nature when it was innocent therefore the Soul that came from God must center in God and it cannot be quiet without him Fourthly That which a man would make his Portion it must be sufficient to supply all his wants that he may have enough to live upon Now saith the Lord I am God Alsufficient Gen. 17. 1. Sufficient for the necessities of this Life and that which is to come He is the Fountain of all Blessings Spiritual Temporal Eternal not onely their Power for ever but their Portion for ever satisfied with him now and in the Life to come Psal. 142. 5. Thou art my Portion O Lord in the Land of the Living They expect all from Him not onely Peace and Righteousness Grace and Glory but Food Maintenance Defence to bear them out in his Work The Creature is but Gods Instrument or as an empty Pipe unless God flow in by it If God help them not the Creature ââ¦annot help them These are Streams that have Water onely so long as the Spring fills them Well then here is a Portion that is every way sufficient All other Portions are accompanied with a want but this alone sufficeth all Some things give Health Wealth O but not Peace Some things give Peace but not Honour But God is all to us Health Wealth Peace Honour Grace and Glory All things are yours because you are Christ's and Christ is God's so runs the Christian Charter there is omne bonum in summo bono all things in the chiefest Good So Rev. 21. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things how so for I will be his God He that hath God hath him that hath Power and Command of all things and therefore shall inherit all things for I will be his God And that 's the reason of the Apostles Riddle 2 Cor. 6. 10. As having nothing yet possessing all things that is all things in God when they have nothing in the Creature Many times they are kept barâ⦠and low but God carries the Purse for them all things are at his dispose and we are kept more bare and low that we may be sensible of the strange Supplies of his Providence Alas without him in the midst of our Sufficiencies we may be in straits Fifthly That a man would choose that for his Portion wherein he may be contented satisfied and sit down as having enough Now this is onely in God When we choose other things for our Portion still our Sore runs upon us there are some crannies and vacuities of Soul that are to be filled up if we could satisfy our Affections we cannot satisfy our Consciences nothing can content the desires of the Soul but God himself other things may busy us and vex us but cannot satisfy us All things are vanity and vexation of Spirit If a man would make a critical search as Solomon did he set himself to see what Pleasures and Honours would doe to content the Heart of Man and what Riches and Learning would doe he had a large Estate and Heart and so was in a capacity to try all things to see if he could extract Satisfaction from them yet he concludes all is vanity and vexation of Spirit Whosoever will follow this Course will come home with Disappointment But in this Portion there 's Contentment we need no more but God and there is nothing besides him worth our desire Necessities that are not supplied by him are but fancies it is want of Grace if we want any thing else when we have God for our Portion Psal. 17. 14. From the men of the world which have their Portion in this life and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid Treasure A Carnal man's Happiness is patched up with a great many Creatures they must have dainty Fare costly Apparel this and that and still their Sore runs upon them they have a fulness of all things and yet they are not filled But now saith David As for me I will behold thy Face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness Though God do not make out himself in that Latitude and Fulness as he will hereafter yet at present to have Communion with God is enough I shall be filled There are some desires that are working after God but they will be filled hereafter It is true we are not now perfect but
are not to defraud a poor Servant nor to delay him but to make him quick payment and shall we defraud our great Creator of the debt we owe to him and put him off from day to day Use 2. To exhort us with speed to turn to the Lord and to comply with his motions Let us not put off God from day to day I shall urge it 1 as to the general case 2 as to particular Duties which are prest upon you First As to the general Case Oh go and bethink your selves how do matters stand between God and thy Soul Debate it seriously that if you have neglected God and his Salvation already you may now turn to him without delay Let me preââ¦ââ¦ou further 1. You can never part with Sin soon enough it is a cursed Inmate that will surely bring mischief upon the Soul that harbours it It will set its own dwelling on ââ¦ire If there be a moat in the Eye a thorn in the Foot we take them out without delay and is not sin a greater mischief and sooner to be looked into and parted with certainly the evil of sin is greater then all evil and hereafter the trouble will be greater therefore we can never soon enough part with it 2. Let thââ¦s move you sin must have a quick dispatch and shall not God It would defeat temptations if we would but delay them it would stop the furies of anger and suppress the motions of Lust. Augustus the Emperour advised those who were angry to repeat the Greek Alphabet meaning that he might take time to consider So for uncleanness and other sins if the Practice and Execution of many Lusts were but delayed we would not be so frequent in them as we are to the dishonour of God and scandal of Religion Prov. 7. 22. it is said of the young man enticed by the Harlot that forthwith he went after her When our Lusts are a gog all the checks of Conscience and perswasions of the World will not prevail for a little respite Now shall sin have a more ready entertainment then God Will you rush upon the practice of sin like a Horse into the battle and come on in the Service of God like a Snail Will you be so eager and passionate upon the impulsion of every Lust and so hardly be entreated by the Spirit of God and by the word of God 3. If you be not ready God is ready How ready is he on the one hand to receive you and on the other hand to punish you The one quickens us by hope and the other by fear For the consideration which works upon hope God is ready Matth. 22. 4 5. Come to the Wedding all things are ready He hath a Christ ready to receive you a Spirit ready to sanctifie and cure all your Soul distempers he hath pardoning Mercy to forgive all your sins he hath power of Grace to remedy all your distempers and will not you be ready Luke 15. 20. The Prodigal said I will go to my Father Mark his Language I will go the Father ran When we do but relent and with brokenness of heart come and lie at the feet of God Loves pace is very swift and runs to snatch us out of the fire therefore will you not be ready to cast your selves into the Armes of his Compassion Cant. 2. 8. Christ is represented as leaping upon the Mountains and skipping upon the Hills Christ thinks he can never be soon and early enough with a returning sinner to revive a poor broken hearted sinner therefore if God ââ¦e so ready so should you On the other side to work upon your fear if you delay God is ready to punish you The wrath of God hangs over your heads like a sharp sword by a slender thread and will you sit still and keep your place The Iudge is at the door he is ready to judge 1 Pet. 4. 2. are you ready to be judged God is ready to condemn to execute and are not you ready to implore Mercy to seek the Lords Favour ready to fall flat and beg terms of Grace in and through Christ Iesus Rahab when the Lord had by his Messengers threatned destruction to Iericho onely Rahabs house was to be safe she hanged out a scarlet thread ere the Spies were departed Ioshua 2. she did not delay till the Army came and the city was surprized When the Lord is marching against sinners with vengeance and fury you cannot come soon enough to God to prevent it Luke 14. 32. That King that had twenty thousand marching against him doth not stay till they were in his quarters but while the other is yet a great way off he sendeth an Ambassage and desireth conditions of peace God is ready to execute all his vengeance and Curses of the Law therefore while you may O seek conditions of peace You have been spared long it may be for the next sin you may pay for all A Thief that hath long escaped when he is taken at length all his villany is recompensed into his Bosome if he had not stolen the last time he had escaped God hath spared you hitherto it may be upon the next sin he will strike you and hold his hands no longer If God now strike in what a wofull case would you be 4. There was never any that came to God too soon many have come too late the foolish Virgins are an instance When they brought little Children to Christ Christ received them There are none so little but the great God can form and fashion them into a temple for himself Usually God chooseth his People from among the Youth There may be some converted in Old-age but few usually 't is in our Youth or as soon as we come to our Maturitie Reason thus I may be too late I cannot be too early let me no longer dally with God Secondly As to the particular duties which are prest upon you let me caution you and direct you I. By way of Caution 1. When you have any stirrings of heart any anxious thoughts about your Eternal condition beware you do not believe the Devil that hereafter will be a more convenient season I shall give directions suitable to the grand Enemies of our Salvation the Devil the World and the Flesh. Now do not believe the Devil This was Felix case Paul was reasoning of Justice and Temperance Graces that he was little acquainted withall and Paul quickens all by a remembrance of Judgment to come and then Felix trembled but how doth he put off this Heart-work Hereafter we shall have a more convenient season Acts 24. 25. O never will it be better with you than now when the Waters are stirred Still there is something in the sinners way when God hath any business for him When young we want Wisdom when old we want strength in the middle of business we want leisure in the midst of leisure we are corrupted and want a heart We are lazy and then every Mole-hill seems
good Deut 6. 24. And the Lord commandeth us to doe all the Statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always that he might preserve us alive as it is at this day That he may with honour perform and make good all that he hath promised Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to doe justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him The Obstructions removed and Grace flows out freely 2. Tryals sent by him are not above measure 1 Cor 10. 13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to men but God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Isa. 27. 8. In measure when it shooteth forth wilt thou debate with it he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East-wind He dealeth with much discretion and moderation not according to the greatness of his Power or the hainousness of their sin but observeth our strength what we are able to bear 3. His Punishments are not above Deservings Ezra 9. 13. Seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve Job 11. 6. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth 4. He is not hard to be pleased nor inexorable upon every failing Mal. 3. 17. And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Many think God watcheth occasions to destroy them or at least to molest and trouble them no he passeth by many weaknesses or else what would become of the best of his Children pardoneth many sins where the heart is sincere 2 Chron. 30. 18 19. The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the preparation of the Sanctuary 4. If he doth not give them the good things of this world he giveth them better in lieu of them While they are here in this world they have those things not onely that are good but make them good which cannot be said of all the things of this world they may easily make us worse but they cannot make us better He giveth them such things as tend to the enjoyment of the chiefest Good which is Himself As he is a good God he pardoneth their sins Psal. 25. 7. Remember not the sins of my youth for thy goodness sake O Lord. That is one of the effects of his Goodness to them He directs them in the way of Life Psal. 25. 8. Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way He beginneth carryeth on and compleateth their Salvation 2. Thess. 1. 11. Wherefore also we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of his calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his Goodness and the work of Faith with power Thus he giveth the best things though he deny some common things which are no arguments of his special Favour and it is dangerous to have our eyes fastned upon other wants when we have these things and to repine against God who hath dealt graciously with us in the higher expressions of his Love 5. The evil things of this World which are not good in themselves he turneth to good Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God He is able to bring Light out of Darkness or give Light in Darkness or turn darkness into light to give inward joy and comfort under all calamities to support and sustain under all heavy pressures and to deliver out of all distresses 6. He doth give them so much of the good things of the World as is convenient for them Psalm 34. 9. Oh fear the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that fear him Psal. 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly He giveth Protection when it is necessary Nahum 1. 7. The Lord is good a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth those that trust in him Ezra 6. 22. The Hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him He hath a great inclination to diffuse his Benefits 7. His doing good is chiefly in the World to come Iohn 12. 26. If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant be if any man serve me him will my Father honour Here he is with them in Troubles there they shall be with him in Glory here he can put marks of Favour upon them and distinguish between those that serve him and those that serve him not Mal. 3. 17. They shall be mine saith the Lord in that day when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him there he will manifest his Favour in the face of all the world Use 2. To perswade you to become the Servants of God you will have a good Master if you be what you profess to be Every Christian should say as Paul did Acts 27. 23. The God whose I am and whom I serve He is God's and serveth God 1. He is God's by Creation for he made him out of nothing Psal. 109. 3. Know ye that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made us and not we our selves we are his People and the Sheep of his pasture Col. 1. 16. All things were created by him and for him by Redemption 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your Body and your Spirit which is God's by Covenant Isa. 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and sirname himself by the name of Israel Ezek. 16. 8. I sware unto thee and entred into covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine And so voluntarily he is God's wicked men are God's in right but against their wills the Godly are willingly God's A man will never be hearty in his obedience and subjection till he look upon himself as God's See an instance in the Wicked whose ungodliness and rebellion against God cometh from looking upon themselves as theâ⦠own Psal. 12. 21. Who have said with our tongues will we prevail our lips are our own who is Lord over us Their time their own wealth their own interest their own Bodies their own Souls their own and therefore think they may imploy all these things as they please On the other side Take an
instance of Self-denial why so carefull to serve and glorifie God Rom. 14. 8. For whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords they have given up themselves to be employed at his Command 2. Him they serve How do they serve him 1. They must serve God with the Spirit as well as the Body Rom. 1. 9. God is my Witness whom I serve with my Spirit in the Gospel of his Son So Phil 3. 3. We are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit Rom. 12. 11. Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Rom. 7. 6. That we should serve in newness of Spirit When the heart is ââ¦enewed disposed and fitted for his fear and service there is an honest purpose and endeavour to serve him 2. You must serve him faithfully devoting your selves to do his Will and to seek his Glory Your intention trade and study must be to honour God and please him that if it be asked for whom are you at work for whom speaking or spending your time whose Business are you doing you may answer all is for God If the pleasing oâ⦠the Flesh be their work or scope they are said to serve their own Bellies Rom. 16. 18. They that are such serve not the Lord Iesus but their own Belly 3. Chearfully having so good a Master let us take pleasure in our Work here is all good Good Master good Work good Wages certainly the more Good any man findeth God to be and the more good he himself hath received the more good he ought to be the Goodness of God should melt us and awe us There are two Questions every one of you should put to your selves What hath God done for you and what have you done for God When you thus serve God you may plead it to God as David Psal. 116. 16. O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant You may expect relief and protection and maintenance Servants have their dole and portion from their Masters hands Psal. 123. 2. As the eyes of Servants look unto the hand of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistress so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God untill that he have mercy upon us He that doth Gods Will shall have his Protection and Blessing you have a sanctified Interest in all that falleth to your share 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Lastly God will now and then visibly put some marks of distinction on them Mal. 3. 18. Then shall ye return and discern between the Righteous and the Wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not For a while their Glory may be clouded they may be hardly dealt with in the world but God hath his times of presenting all things in their own colours but the chief time of manifestation is hereafter when the Servants of Christ come to receive their full Reward then they find him to be a good Master indeed Iohn 12. 26. If any man serve me him will my Father honour 2. Doctr. That the good which God hath done for us should be thankfully acknowledged We should not be always craving always complaining there should be a mixture of thanksgiving Col. 4. 6. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving together with the expression of our wants and desires there must be Thanksgiving for Favours already received 1. There is a time for all things for confessing Sin for begging Mercy for thankfull Acknowledgments though in every Address to God there should be somewhat of all these yet at certain seasons one is predominant In a time when God is offended Confession of sin in a time of great wants and streights Prayer in a time of great receivings Thanks The times that pass over us bring upon us many changes every change of dispensation must be sanctified by a sutable Duty As no condition is so bad but a good man can find an occasion of praising God and trusting in Him so no Condition so good but matter of Humbling and Self abasing will arise yet there are special Occasions that require the one or the other Opus diei in die suo James 5. 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing Psalms Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me 2. It is a disingenuous spirit to ask Mercy for supplying our Wants or delivering us from troubles and not acknowledge Mercy when that supply or deliverance is received Prayer is a work of necessity but Praise of mere Duty Self-love will put us upon Prayer but the Love of God upon Praise and Thanksgiving we pray because we need God we praise because we love God and have a sense of his Goodness to us Luke 17. 15. One of them when he saw that he was healed with a loud voice turned back and glorified God Most turn back upon the Mercy-Seat do not give Glory to God when their turn is served 3. It is for the glory and honour of God that his Servants should speak good of his Name When they are always complaining they bring an ill report upon the Ways of God like the Spies that went to view the Promised Land But it is a great invitation to others when we can tell them how good God hath been to us Psal. 34. 8. Oh taste and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him This doth draw in others to come and take share with us 4. It is for our profit the more thankfull for Mercies the more they are increased upon us As vapours return in showers The sea putteth out of her fulness into the rivers and they again refund into the Sea the water received thence Psal. 67. 5 6. Let the People praise thee O Lord. Then shall the Earth bring forth her increase When the Springs are low we pour in a little water into the Pump not to enrich the Fountain but to bring up more for our selves It is not only true of outward Increase but spiritual also Col. 2. 7. Be ye rooted in the Faith and abound therein with Thanksgiving If we give thanks for so much Grace as we have already received it is the way to increase our store we do no more thrive in Victory over Corruption or the increase of divers Graces because we do no more give Thanks 5. It prevents many sins I shall name two 1. Hardness of Heart When we are not thankfull for Blessings they prove an occasion to the Flesh and so our Table is made a snare Psal. 69. 22. and our welfare a Trap. Men go on stupidly receiving Blessings but do not acknowledge the Donor but when we own God upon all occasions
God to command and how reasonable it is that we should obey the supreme being His will is the Reason of all things and who should give Laws to the world but the universal Sovereign who made all things out of nothing Whatsoever you are you received it from the Lord and therefore whatsoever a Reasonable Creature can doe you owe it to him you are in continual dependance upon him For in him you live and move and have your being Acts 17. 28. And he hath redeemed you called you to life by Christ 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. What know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's You owe all your time and strength and service unto him and therefore you should still be doing his will and abounding in his work 3. He injoyneth nothing but what is good Deuter. 5. 29. Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them and with their children for ever Deuter. 6. 24. And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always that he might preserve us alive as it is at this day God hath tempered his sovereignty towards the Reasonable Creature and ruleth us not with a rod of Iron but with a Scepter of Love He draweth us with the Cords of a man Hos. 11. 4. That is with Reasons and Arguments taken from our own happiness Man being a rational and free Agent he would lead and quicken us to our duty by the consideration of our own benefit and when he might say only Thus shall ye doe I am the Lord yet he is pleased to exhort and perswade us not to forsake our own Mercies or to turn back upon our own happiness and to propound rewards that we may be encouraged to seek after him in that way of duty which he hath prescribed to us The reward is everlasting glory with the mercies of this life in order to it Heb. 11. 6. God is and he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him 4. How indispensibly Obedience to his Commandments is required of us As long as the heart is left loose and arbitrary such is the unruliness and self-willedness of mans nature Rom. 8. 7. The Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be The Carnallist will not be held to his duty but leave that which is honest for that which is pleasing and be governed by his Appetite rather than his Reason therefore Faith hedgeth up his way sheweth him that without holiness it is impossible to see God Heb. 12. 14. That there is no coming to the End unless we take the way that there is no hope of Exemption or excuse for the breaches of his Law allowed but the plea of the Gospel which doth not evacuate but establish Obedience to God's Commands requireth a renouncing of our former conrse and a hearty Resolution To serve God in holiness and righteousness all our days Luke 1. 74 75. Our duty is the end of our deliverance In the Kingdom of Grace we are not our own Masters or at liberty to do what we will Christ came not only as a saviour but as a lawgiver he hath his Laws to try our obedience Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Authour of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him He came not to lessen God's Sovereignty or Man's Duty but to put us into a greater Capacity to serve God he came to deliver us from the curse and indispensible rigours of the Law upon every failing not from our Duty nor that we might not serve God but serve him without fear with Peace of Conscience and joy of Heart and requireth such a degree of Grace as is inconsistent with any predominant Lust and Affection 5. That God loveth those that obey his Law and hateth those that despise it without respect of persons Acts 10. 35. In every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Psalm 5. 5. Thou hatest all the workers of Iniquity Prov. 11. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an Abomination to the Lord but such as are upright in their way are his delight The more obedient the more God loveth us the less obedient the less God loveth us Therefore unless we love what God loveth and hate what God hateth doe his commands carefully and avoid the contrary we cannot be acceptable with him for God would not make a Law in vain but order his Providence accordingly 6. That one day we shall be called to an account for our conformity and inconformity to God's law There are two parts of Government Legislation and Execution the one belongeth to God as King the other as Judge Laws are but a shadow and the sanction a Mockery unless there shall be a day when those that are subject to them shall be called to an account and reckoning His threatnings are not a vain Scare-Crow nor his Promises a golden Dream therefore he will appoint a day when the Truth of the one and the other shall be fully made good and therefore Faith enliveneth the sense of God's Authority with the remembrance of this day when he will judge the World in Righteousness II. The Necessity 1. The Precepts are a part of the Divine Revelation the object of Faith is the whole Word of God and every part of divinely inspired Truth is worthy of all belief and reverence The word worketh not unless it be received as the Word of God 1 Thess. 2. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of Men but as it is in Truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Now we cannot receive the Word as the word of God unless we receive all there are the same reasons to receive one as the other therefore if any part take good rooting the whole is received There may be a superficial affection to one part more than another but if there be a right Faith we receive all 'T is the engrafted Word that is effectual to the saving of our Souls Iames 1. 21. if we would ingraft the Word the Precepts must stir up answerable Affections as well as the Promises Every part must affect us and stir up Dispositions in us which that part is apt to produce if the Promises stir up Joy and Trust the Precepts must stir up Love Fear and Obedience The same Word which calleth upon us to believe the free Pardon of our Sins doth also call upon us to believe the Commandments of God for the regulating and
to enjoy him hereafter Rom. 1. 12. Comforted by the mutual faith both of you and me Doct. That God's mercies bestowed upon some of his Children should be and are an occasion of joy and comfort to all the rest When David was a pattern of Gods gracious help and deliverance he saith they that fear thee will be glad when they see me I shall give you some Scriptures Psal. 142. 7. The righteous shall compass me about for thou shalt deal bountifully with me When any one of Gods Children are delivered all the rest flock about him to assist and joyn in thanksgiving and to help one another to praise the Lord. So Psal. 34. 2. My Soul shall make her boast in the Lord the humble shall hear thereof and be glad that God had preserved and reserved David still So Psal. 64. 10. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and trust in him and the upright in heart shall glory that is when David was delivered when God had shewed mercy to him then all the upright would come and make their own profit and advantage by such an experience and deliverance The Reasons of the Point 1. They are all members of one Body they are all called into one Body and the good and evil of one member is common to the whole this reason is rendred by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 25 26. But that the Members should have the same care one for another And whether one Member suffer all the Members suffer with it or one member be honoured all the rest rejoyce with it v. 27. Now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular The meaning of that place is That the Church all together is the Body of Christ and every several person a Member and every Member should be as sollicitous for one another as for it self they have the same common Interests and Concernments whether of suffering or rejoycing You know in the natural Body when the Toe is trod on the Tongue cryeth out You have hurt me We are concerned in the Good or Ill of our fellow Members their Joy is Joy to us and their Sorrow Sorrow to us to this sense some expound that place Heb. 13. 3. Remember them that are in Bonds as bound with them and them that suffer Adversity as being your selves also in the Body Some understand it of Christ's mystical Body when they suffer our Souls are bound with them but I think it bears another sense there to be in the Body is to be in the Flesh during which state we are liable to many Vexations and Miseries and therefore if God doth so order it that the whole Body or all the Members of the Church should not be afflicted at one time but whilst some are afflicted others are free and when we are not involved by Passion there may be Compassion while we are in the Body we are obnoxious to the same Adversities and should pity and comfort them as our selves and use all means to do them good but if it be not the Truth of the Place yet 't is a Truth the more any patrake of the Spiritual life the stronger is Spiritual Sympathy They Rejoyce with them that Rejoyce and Mourn with them that Mourn Rom. 12. 15. Are bound with them that are in Bonds and inlarged with them that are inlarged one part of us is in Bonds when they are in Bonds one part of us is inlarged when they are inlarged still we should have common Interests and Affections with our Brethren and for those that fear God to be selfish and senseless of the condition of others 't is a kind of self-Excommunication or an implicite renouncing the Body because we are in the Body we should be affected as they are Look as there was the same Spirit in Ezekiel's Vision in the living Creatures and the Wheels I say the same Spirit was in both when one moved the other moved so there is the same Spirit in Christ's mystical Body we should be affected as they are 't is a kind of depriving our selves of the Privileges of the Mystical Body if we are not 2. 'T is for the Honour and Glory of God God hath most Glory when praised by many Therefore they flock together 2 Cor. 1. 11. That for the Gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many in our behalf God loveth to have us act with joynt Consent both in Prayer and Praise because he would interest us in one anothers Mercies and Comforts and so knit our hearts together in more holy Love Prayers made by many are mighty with God when we come to God with many supplicants make up a great party to besiege Heaven so Praises rendred by many are the more honourable to God and acceptable with him 1 Cor. 4. 15. That the abundant Grace might through the Thanksgiving of many redound to the Glory of God When many are ingaged and many are affected with it God's Glory is the more diffused the Revenue of the Crown of Heaven increased One string maketh no Musick when there are many and all in tune there is Harmonie There are three things in it many Righteous persons and joyning together with one Spirit in the same work then the Lord hath more Honour than he could have in a single person In Heaven God is praised in consort We are brought all together that we may make one Body and Congregation to Laud and Praise and Serve God for evermore So here they that fear God and hope in his mercy they often flock together to congratulate and joyn in thanksgiving for the Mercies which any one of them hath received when Christ was born there was a whole Consort of Angels Luke 2. 13. A multitude of the Heavenly host praising God saying Glory to God on high on earth peace good will towards men 'T is a kind of Heaven upon Earth when all the People of God are led by one Spirit to praise and glorifie God a Closet prayer or thanksgiving is not so honourable as that of the Congregation 3. 'T is for the Profit and Comfort of all partly because by this means they come to understand one anothers experiences for their mutual support and edification what God is to one that feareth him he is to all that fear him sincerely affected to them all therefore the goodness of God to one Believer bringeth joy and comfort to all the rest They are Spectacles and monuments of Mercy for the Saints to look upon that they may learn thereby to depend upon God Look as in converting Paul a Persecutor the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 1. 16. Christ did shew forth all long-suffering in me for a Pattern to them that should after believe on him in pardoning so great a Sinner in saving such a distressed Soul to invite others to Christ So in all other cases when God delivereth one he inviteth others to the same hope they are Presidents of Mercy to the rest as David implyeth
may discern much of faithfulness in their Afflictions this will appear to you by these Considerations 1. In the Covenant of Grace God hath promised to bestow upon his People real and principal Mercies those are promised absolutely other things conditionally God doth not break his Covenant if he doth not give us temporal Happiness because that is not absolutely promised but onely so far forth as it may be good for us but eternal Life is promised without any such exception unto the Heirs of promise Eternal Promises and Threatnings being of things absolutely good or evil are therefore absolute and peremptory the Righteous shall not fail of the Reward nor the Wicked escape the Punishment but temporal Promises and Threatnings being of things not simply good or evil are reserved to be dispensed according to God's Wisdome and good pleasure in reference and subordination to eternal Happiness It is true 't is sad 1 Tim. 4. 8. That godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come but with this reference that the less give place to the greater if the Promises of this life may hinder us in looking after the Promises of the life to come God may take the liberty of the Cross and withhold these things and disappoint us of our worldly hope A man lying under the guilt of Sin may many times enjoy worldly Comforts to the envy of God's Children and one of God's Children may be greatly afflicted and distressed in the World for in all these Dispensations God looketh to his end which is to make us eternally happy 2. This being God's end he is obliged in point of fidelity to use all the means that conduce thereunto that he may attain his eternal purpose in bringing his holy ones to glory Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God Good what good it may be temporal so it falls out sometimes a man's temporal good is promoted by his temporal loss Gen. 50. 20. Ye thought evil against me but God meant it for good they sold their Brother a slave but God meant him to be a great Potentate in Egypt It may be spiritual good Psal. 119. 71. 'T is good for me that I have been afflicted but to be sure eternal good to bring about his eternal purpose of making them everlastingly happy And in this sense the Apostle saith all things are yours 1 Cor. 3. 22. Ordinances Providences Life Death all dispensed with a respect to their final Happiness or eternal Benefit not onely Ordinances to work internal Grace but Providences as an external help and means for God having set his end he will prosecute it congruously and as it may agree with man's nature by external Providences as well as internal Grace see Psal. 125. 3. The rod of the wicked shall not always rest upon the back of the righteous God hath power enough to give them grace to bear it though the Rod had continued and can keep his People from iniquity though the Rod be upon them but he considereth the imbecillity of man's nature which is apt to tire under long Afflictions and therefore not onely giveth more Grace but takes off the Temptation He could humble Paul without a Thorn in the Flesh 2 Cor. 12. 7. but he will use a congruous means 3. Among these means Afflictions yea sharp Afflictions are some of those things which our need and profit requireth they are needfull to weaken and mortify Sin Isa. 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged to increase and quicken Grace Heb. 12. 10. But he chasteneth us for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Without this Discipline we should forget God and our selves therefore that we may return to God he afflicts us Hos. 5. 6. In their afflictions they will seek me early and come to our selves Luke 15. 17. The Prodigal came to himself Afflictions are necessary for us upon the former Suppositions namely that God hath ingaged himself to perfect Grace where it is begun and to use all means which may conduce to our eternal welfare that we may not miscarry and come short of our great hopes 1 Cor. 11. 32. When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world The carnal reprobate World are left to a looser and larger Discipline Brambles are not pruned when Vines are New Creatures require a more close inspection than others do Self-confidence and spiritual Security is apt to grow upon them therefore to mortify our Self-confidence to awaken us out of spiritual sleep we need to be afflicted and also to quicken and rouse up a spirit of Prayer We grow cold and flat and ask mercies for forms sake Isa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them And that we may be quickened to a greater mindfulness of heavenly things the best of us when we get a carnal Pillow under our heads are apt to sleep secure God will not let us alone to our ruine but afflicts us that we may be refined from the dreggs of the Flesh and that our gust and relish of heavenly things may be recovered and that we may be quickened to a greater diligence in the heavenly Life Look as earthly Parents are not faithfull to their Childrens Souls when they live at large and omit that Correction which is necessary for them Prov. 29. 15. The rod and reproof give wisdome but a Child left to himself bringeth his Mother to shame The Mother is mentioned because they are usually more fond and indulgent and spare many times and marr the Child but our heavenly Father will not be unfaithfull who is so wise that he will not be blinded by any passion hath such a perfect love and does so fixedly design our eternal welfare that he rebuketh that he may reform and reformeth that he may save 4. God's faithfulness about the Affliction is twofold in bringing on the Affliction and guiding the Affliction 1. In bringing on the Affliction both as to the time and kind when our need requireth and such as may doe the work 1 Pet. 1. 6. Ye are in heaviness for a season if need be When some Distemper was apt to grow upon us and we were straggling from our Duty Psal. 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray Some disappointment and check we meet with in a way of Sin which is a notable help in the spiritual Life where God giveth an heart to improve it 2. As to guiding the Affliction both to measure and continuance that it may doe us good and not harm 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it Violent Temptations are not permitted where the Lord seeth us weak and infirm as Iacob drove
compared with all that may be called life Life is either Natural Spiritual or Eternal Compare it with life Natural and there the Psalmist will tell you Psal. 63. 3. Thy loving-kindness is better than life life is not life without it without the feeling of this love or the hope of feeling it it is little worth To have the light of the Sun which is the comfort of the senses without the light of God's Countenance which is the comfort of the soul is a sad and dark estate especially to the Children of God that know they are made for another world and for this onely in their passage thither Natural life onely giveth us a capacity to injoy the comforts of sense which are base dreggy and corruptive but the special favour of God lets us into such consolations as perfect the Soul and affects it with a greater pleasure than our natural faculties are capable of life natural is a frail brittle thing but these saving effects of Gods mercy lay a Foundation of eternal happiness Life natural may grow a burden but the love of God is never burdensome the days may come in which there is no pleasure Eccl. 12. 1. Job 33. 20. his life abhorreth bread and his soul dainty food in sickness and age in troubles of Conscience Men do pretty well with their worldly happiness till God rebuke man for sin then all the glory profit and pleasure of the creature doth us no good Psal. 39. 11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth Iudas halter'd himself when filled with the sense of Gods wrath Iob chose strangling rather than life At death when all worldly things cease and are of no more use to us the sense of Gods love will be of great use to us All the world understand the worth and value of Gods love when death cometh then a child of God feeleth it Oh saith he I would not for all the world but that I had made sure of the love of God before this hour how terrible else would it have been to leave all and leap out into an unknown world Ier. 17. 9. The unjust man at his latter end shall be a fool and Iob 27. 8. What is the hope of the Hypocrite if he hath gained when God cometh to take away his Soul 2. Life Spiritual the Soul hath no life but in communion with God who is the fountain of this new life now the more sensible and close this is the more they live the vitality of this life lyeth in the sensible participation of the effects of his special grace and mercy then we have it more abundantly Iohn 10. 10. not onely living but lively 3. For eternal life a comfortable sense of Gods mercy is the beginning and pledg of the true and heavenly life Rom. 5. 4 5 6. The shedding abroad the love of God in the heart of a believer maketh this his hope sure and certain he needeth not be ashamed for he hath earnest beforehand 2. Gods favour furnisheth us with a remedy against all evils and miseries i. e. wants troubles sins The want of other things may be supplyed by the love of God but the want of the love of God cannot be supplyed with any thing else if poor in the world yet we may be rich in faith Iam. 2. 5. if afflicted destitute yet this loss may be made up by the presence of God in the Soul 2 Cor. 4. 16. As our outward man decayeth our inward man is renewed day by day If they want the creature they have God there is no want of a candle when they have the Sun if they want health the Soul may be in good plight 3. Epist. Iohn 2. as Gaius had a healthy soul in a sickly body If they want liberty they ly open to the visits of his grace the Spirit of God is no stranger to them nor can his company and comforts be shut out Tertullian telleth the Martyrs you went out of the prison when you went into it and were but sequestred from the world that you might converse with God the greatest prisoners are those that are at large darkened with ignorance chained with lusts committed not by the Proconsul but God If they want the favour of men they have the favour of God God smileth when the world frowneth they may be Banished but every place is alike near to God and Heaven Some climates are nearer and some further off from the Sun but all alike near to the Sun of Righteousness Ibi pater ubi patria that is our Country where God is we are harrassed beaten afflicted in sundry manners but the sting is gone therod that is dip'd in guilt smarteth most but a pardoned man may rejoyce in tribulations Rom. 5. 1 2. But now on the contrary suppose a man high in honour wallowing in wealth spending his time and wealth in ease and pleasure but after all this God will bring him to Judgment the world is his friend but God is his enemy and he is all his life time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 14. not always felt but soon awakened and during the time of his comfort and delight he is danceing about the brink of hell liable to an eternal curse and there is but the slender thread of a frail life between him and execution a few serious sober thoughts undoe him 2. Sin that is the great evil both as to the guilt of it and the wages of it the guilt and obliquity of it no creature can provide a plaister for this sore to get our Consciences setled and our natures healed this is the special fruit of Gods mercy in Christ his business is to save us from sin Matt. 1. 21. Acts. 3. 26. God having raised up his son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquity Rom. 11. 26. There shall come out of Zion the deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Iacob have Gods Image repaired and restored to his Grace and Favour those that have felt sin a burden nothing will satisfie till the Lord looks graciously upon them 3. The favour of the Lord is the fountain of all blessings Get an interest in his special mercy and then all things are yours you have God for your God who commandeth all things 1 Cor. 3. 22. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all things are yours Matt. 6. 33. First seek the Kingdome of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you Prov. 10. 22. The blessing of the Lord maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it 4. It sweetens every Comfort a piece of bread with the love of God is a plentifull feast A little that a righteous man hath is better than the revenue of many wicked Quid prodest regium alimentum si ad Gehennam pascat What profiteth it to be fatted
Isa. 26. 8. Yea in the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee c. Our affections are bribed when desired comforts are presently obtained God will see if we purely love him 4. For a close to this Point Our Sufferings are like to be long I speak not as determining but to awaken a Spirit of Prayer that they may be shortned when Christ made as if he would go farther they constrained him to tarry Luke 24. 28 29. These are sad symptoms of it First When Reformation is rejected and Corruptions are setling again upon their own Base Hos. 7. 1. When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered c. Ezek. 24. 13. In thy filthiness is lewdness because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee This Crime is not only chargeable on them who opposed the Reformation but on those who by multiplied Scandals dishonoured the Cause of God Instance in Papists in Queen Maries time who got in by fraud and violence not by miscarriage of the Protestants Then 't was sharp ãâã short ours is like to be tedious and long 2dly When our Deliverance is liââ¦ly to prove a mischief and a misery when we are not prepared to receive it God will not give us things for our hurt And we may fear as much from our Brethren our mutual bickerings as from Enemies when God promises Restauration he promiseth Unity Zeph. 3. 9. For then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Zech. 14. 9. And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his Name one The Dog is let loose when the Sheep scatter 3dly When there is a damp upon the Spirit of Prayer and Men give over seeking to God for deliverance as an hopeless thing God is near when the Spirit of Prayer is revived Ezek. 36. 37. Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will increase them with men like a flock And Jer. 29. 12 13. Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Dan. 9. 19 ââ¦0 and Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear Et passim Alibi 4thly When God is upon his Judicial Process and there is not any course taken to reconcile our selves to him God hath been judging his People judging the Nation wherein they live Judgment began at the House of God what notable Humiliation and Reformation hath it produced there There is God's whole work to be done upon Mount Sion If. 10. 12. What fruit of all those terrible Judgments Incorrigibleness sheweth our Stripes will be many our Judgments long 5. When Dispensations tend to the removing of the Candlestick or look very like it Rev. 2. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick cut of his place except thou repent That is done either by destroying Judgments taking away the subject matter of the Church or by their own Apostasie and spiritual Fornication or sad Errors and Confusions ill treatment of God's People opposing his Interests by his Enemies and the sinful Miscarriages and Apostasies of professing Friends will help to wear out an unthankful murmuring Generation II Doct. When Salvation is delayed or Deliverance long a coming the Soul fainteth I shall shew 1. The Nature of this Fainting 2. The Causes of Fainting 3. The Kinds of Fainting 4. The Considerations which may preserve us from Fainting 1. For the Nature of this Fainting Here we must inquire what is meant by the Fainting of the Soul Fainting is proper to the Body but here it is ascribed to the Soul as also in many other places the Apostle saith Heb. 12. 3. Lest ye be weary and faint in your minds Where two words are used Weariness and Fainting both taken from the Body-Weariness is a lesser Fainting a higher degree of deficiency in weariness the Body requireth some rest or refreshment when the active power is weakned and the vital spirits and principles of motion are dulled but in Fainting the vital power is contracted and retireth and leaveth the outward parts liveless and sensless When a Man is wearied his strength is abated when he fainteth he is quite spent These things by a Metaphor are applied to the Soul or Mind A Man is weary when the Fortitude of his Mind his moral or spiritual strength is broken or begins to abate when his Soul sits uneasie under Sufferings But when he sinketh under the burden of grievous tedious or long Affliction then he is said to faint when all the reasons and grounds of his comfort are quite spent and he can hold out no longer 2. The Causes of Fainting The Fainting of the Body may arise either from Labour Sickness and Travel or else from Hunger and Thirst. So the Fainting of the Soul is either first from the tediousness of present Pressures or 2dly from a fervent and strong desire First From the tediousness of present Sorrows and Pressures as Jer. 8. 18. When I would comfort my self against my sorrow my heart fainteth within me And why because of the length of their Afflictions ver 20. The harvest is past the summer is ended and we are not saved Sorrow doth so in vade their spirits that they are by no means able to ease themselves expectations of this side and that side are cut off they long look for help and relief but none appeareth So Lam. 1. 22. My sighs are many and my heart is faint They are overwhelmed with grief and cannot bear up with any courage 2dly It may be caused by a fervent and strong desire Psal. 84. 2. My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of God Vehement desires cause a languor So 't is taken here 't is long O Lord that I have waited and attended with great desire for deliverance from thee Those who vehemently desire any thing are apt to faint Where Love is hot Desire cannot be cold The benefit of the Church liberty to serve God do strongly move the Saints yea the Spirit of God increaseth the vehemency of these motions For he maketh intercession for the saints with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8. 20. He concurreth to the vehemency of the desire but the fainting is from our selves from our weakness The Soul is so earnestly fixed in the expectation of God's salvation that it can no longer keep any equal tenour so that this Fainting
not by glances and wishes for the worst men may have some of these in their good mood and sober thoughts but by frequent deep and ponderous meditations You do not eye the mark Phil. 3. 14. nor mind your scope and great end 2 Cor. 4. 18. Certainly that which must be intended in every righteous action either formally or virtually that is by some noted explicite thought or by the unobserved act of some potent habit should be oftner thought of and longed for you do not live by Faith else For what is living by Faith but withdrawing the mind from present things to things to come looking beyond and above the world to eternity 2 Cor 5. 7. Heb. 11. 11. You are not acquainted with the insluence of the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation For he openeth the eyes of the mind Why That you may look above the Mists and Clouds of the lower World to those good things which we are to enjoy in Heaven Eph. 1. 17 18. and 1 Cor. 2. 12. Alas we are taken up with trifles and childish toys have our thoughts little exercised about these nobler objects Therefore is it that our diligence is so little for if they were oftner minded they would be more diligently sought after Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus Therefore is our patience so little for the bitterness of the Cross would be more sweetned if our minds and meditations were oftner set about Heaven and heavenly things Rom. 8. 18. Therefore are our Conversations so worldly Phil. 3. 19. our desires and longings so cold and weak so little mind to get home Phil. 1. 23 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã USE 2. To press us to eye the promised Blessedness more than we do The Promise is our warrant and the thing promised is the comfort solace and support of our Souls The Promise must be laid up in the heart with a firm strong assent and the thing promised ever kept in view I shall give you the Qualifications of this Expectation 1. It must be a serious and earnest Expectation Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation that in nothing I shall be ashamed Earnest expectation is that which exciteth the heart to be ever looking and longing for the things promised Our eyes are always looking to Heaven which is the seat and solace of our happiness David describeth his earnestness notably Psal. 130. 5 6. I waââ¦t for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more then they that watch for the morning I say more then they that watch for the morning The Priests that officiated in their turns never mist the performance of their daily offices there So David was still awakening his desires continuing his daily attendance on God and renewing his longings and hopes 2. It is a lively expectation 1 Pet. 1. 3. Begotten again unto a lively hope 'T is called lively from the effect such as will put life into us in our damps of spirit and greatest discouragements quickneth us to hasten home apace being animated by some chearful foretastes of what we expect 3. It is a constant and unconquerable Expectation not broken with present difficulties but sustaineth the Soul till our full and final deliverance cometh in hand Psal. 123. 2. As the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their masters and the eyes of maidens unto the hands of their mistress so our eyes wait on the Lord our God until he have mercy on us They never give over waiting and looking till God shew mercy 1 Pet. 1. 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Iesus Christ. And Heb. 6. 11. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end 4. It is a sure and certain Hope as being built on God's truth and faithfulness 't is compared to an anchor sure and stedfast Heb. 6. 18. Why because of God's Word and Oath God is the Supreme Verity who can neither deceive or be deceived therefore we should rest satisfied with his Promise To a Promise that it be certain and firm three things are required that it be made seriously and heartily with a purpose to perform it That he that promiseth continue in this purpose without change of mind That it be in the power of him that promised to perform what is promised Now of all these things there can be no doubt if we believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God First Certainly God meaneth as he speaketh when he promiseth to give eternal life to the faithful Servants and Disciples of Jesus Christ. There is no question but that he is so minded when he who is Truth it self hath told the world of this for what needed God to court the Creature or tell them of an happiness which he never meant to bestow upon them If an honest Man hath promised any thing in his power we look he should be as good as his word Yea we have his Oath which is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He sent his Son with a Commission from Heaven to assure us he is Amen the faithful Witness Rev. 3. 14. He wrought miracles to confirm his message dyed rose again and revived 1 Pet. 1. 21. Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God This message afterwards was confirmed by all kinds of signs and wonders wrought by them who went abroad in his Name to assure the world of this Not to believe God is serious is to make him a Lyar. Secondly That God doth continue his purpose there can be no doubt in them who consider his unchangeable Nature he may change his Dispensation but not his purposed Will Jam. 1. 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord I change not therefore the sons of Iacob are not consumed Thirdly That he is able to perform it since he can do what he will Rom. 4. 21. And being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform So Phil. 3. 21. According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself The most difficult thing in our Hope is the raising of our Bodies after eaten by Worms and turned to dust 'T is a thing incredible and to flesh and blood wholly impossible but nothing is impossible to God 'T is within the reach and compass of Divine Omnipotency Well then the thing is sure in it self let us labour and suffer reproach wait with patience renounce the desires and delights of the flesh and with
Providence His special goodness in the channel of Redemption and Renovation by Christ. 1. He is a Benefactor to all Men he hath given them an immortal spirit that shall abide for evermore Eccles. 12. 7. The dust shall return to the earth as it was and the spirit to Godthat gave it There is an immortal Soul that dwelleth in a mortal Body The Body was made of corruptible Principles was Dust in its composition 't is true God can annihilate it but the Soul as it is a Spirit hath no corruptible Principles in it it is a thing that cannot be killed or destroyed by any created power Now this divine spark which cannot be quenched is a pledge and effect of God's Eternity for he that giveth Immortality certainly is Immortal himself Nothing can give what it hath not And besides because our Souls are immersed and sunk into matter and forget their divine original therefore God by the blessings of his Providence seeks to raise them up to look after this supreme and spiritual Being and giveth us all kind of comforts and mercies whose creatures we are that we may seek the Lord if haply we may feel after him and find him Acts 17. 27. That we may own him as the first Cause or Father of Lights by whom this spark was kindled in us or seek him as the chief good in whom alone this restless soul of ours can find contentment and satisfaction 2. He is a Benefactor in a way of grace and recovery by Christ. This also sets forth his Eternity the first rise and bottom cause of all this grace and favor that stirred and set all the causes on work which concurred to it was God's everlasting love Iohn 3. 16. And Christ saith Prov. 8. 31. I was set up from everlasting and this grace was given us in Christ before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. Before the foundation of the world was laid this business was transacted with Christ for our benefit and then the way how 't was brought about it was by an everlasting Redemption Heb. 9. 12. of an eternal force value and efficacy and the grace wrought in us 't is called incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. There is an eternal principle in our hearts and that is the reason why a Believer is so often said to have eternal life abiding in him because of the beginning seed and principle of it that is sown in his heart and the comfort and fruit of it that we have here is called everlasting consolation 2 Thes. 2. 16. He hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope thorough grace 'T is not bottomed on any poor fading thing but on matters of an eternal Duration the happiness itself is the eternal fruition of the ever blessed God 1 Thess. 4. 17. We shall be ever with the Lord. So that we are made eternal also both in body and soul whence you see how abundantly God discovereth his Eternal Being in all his gifts and graces by Christ. 5 When the Creatures are spoken of as eternal it must be understood it is a communicated dependant half-eternity and so no derogation to this perfection which is proper to God First 'T is communicated to us for originally God only hath Immortality 1 Tim. 6. 16. We have it by derivation God hath it originally in himself and from himself God dispenseth and measureth out the duration and continuance of all other things their Races and Stages when they shall begin and when they shall end And that Immortality which the Angels and the Souls of Men have 't is ascribed to us by participation we have it from God because he was pleased to give it to us 2dly 'T is a dependant Eternity for every moment we depend upon God if he take away his Spirit we are gone Man or Angel We assert the Immortality of the Soul because it hath not the principles of corruption in it as the body hath but yet we cannot must not cut off the dependance upon the first Cause Fountain of Being in his hand is the breath of all living and he is often called the God of your life and the God of the spirits of all flesh 'T is but an half-eternity we sometimes were not God is from everlasting to everlasting but we are appointed to eternal life and time was when we lay in the womb of nothing we are but of yesterday poor upstarts that had but an existence and a new Being given us of God if he will lengthen it out and continue it to all eternity 't is not such an eternity as he hath but an half-eternity not an eternity without beginning but only without ending 6. This Eternity of God is not seriously and sufficiently enough thought of and improved till it lessen all other things in our opinion and estimation of them and affection to them Two things should especially be lessened the time we spend in the world and the things that we enjoy in the world First The time we spend in the world Alas what is this to God's Eternity Psal. 39. 5. Behold thou hast made my days as an hand breadth and mine age is nothing before thee Whether our days be spent in prosperity or adversity they are but short an hand breadth a meer nothing compared with God's Eternity Psal. 90. 4. A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past or as a watch in the night A thousand years compared to Eternity are but as a drop spilt and left in the Ocean or as time insensibly past over in sleep Forty Fifty or Seventy years seemeth a great time with us yet with God who is infinite Ten thousand years is no considerable space but a very short and small duration 2dly As time so the things of the world 2 Cor. 4. 18. The things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal They are short as to continuance and use As to continuance he calleth the honours and delight of Pharaoh's Court. Heb. 11. 25. The pleasures of sin for a season Whatsoever is temporal a Man may see the end of it be it evil a Man in the deep waters is not discouraged as long as he can see banks but in Eternity there are neither banks nor bottom if good Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection The most shining glory will shortly be burnt out to a snuff it wasts every day Eternity maketh good things infinitely good and evil things infinitely evil If it be temporal whatever paineth us is but a flea-biting to eternal torments Whatever pleaseth or delights 't is but a may game to eternal joys so for use too 't is but for a season Deut. 23. 24. the Law gave an indulgence to eat of his Neighbors grapes for refreshment but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel 1 Tim. 6. 7. For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out The Manna was
me in thy way O! when the children of God let loose their minds to vanity and take immoderate liberty in the delights of the flesh there 's a deadness comes upon them for therefore he goes to the cause Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity Immoderate liberty in earthly things or in gratifying the flesh brings on a deadness upon the heart The Spirit withdraws when the soul is taken off from other comforts and is more addicted to vain pleasures Iude v. 19. Sensual not having the Spirit As we are enlarged to the flesh we are straitned to the Spirit As sensuality encreaseth so the life and vitality of grace decays II. Secondly In such Cases the Word of God is the onely means to quicken us Why the Word For two Reasons 1. Because the Word contains the most quickning considerations and the affections are wrought upon by serious and ponderous thoughts for there God interposeth in the way of the highest authority straitly charging and commanding us under pain of his displeasure and there he reasons with us again in the most potent and strong way of Argumentation from the excellency of his commands their suitableness to us as we are reasonable creatures from his great love to us in Christ whom he hath given to dye for us from the danger if we refuse him which is no less than everlasting torment from the benefit and happiness in complying with his motions which is no less than eternal and compleat blessedness both for our bodies and souls and all this is bound upon us by a strict day of impartial accounts O! what a company of quickning considerations are there to set us a work with life vigor and seriousness when we are to answer for our neglects or else to receive the reward of our diligence now what will quicken us if this will not If the high and glorious authority of the supreme Lawgiver awe us not if the reasonableness of God's commands invite us not if the wonderful love of God in Christ constrain us not if the joys of Heaven do not allure us and the horrors of everlasting darkness do not preserve upon us a lively sense of our duty what will work upon us if this do not and gain us to a constant diligent care and serious preparation for our own happiness and salvation Out of what Rock was the heart of man hewen that all this shall be brought to him in the most persuasive way as it is in the Word of God and will not work upon him Again If the deadness should arise from our negligence in our duty the Word of God how powerfully doth it quicken us But if the deadness should arise from sorrow and discomfort is not the Word as powerful to raise and quicken the soul to a delight in God as to inforce our duty What puts a damp upon us Is it fury of men we have a living God to trust to who will remain when they are gone who will pardon our sins help us in all our straits who will lay upon us no more than we are able to bear who will never leave us utterly destitute but will sanctifie all and make all work together for the best for our everlasting salvation and finally bring us into his glorious presence that we may live for ever with him Here 's comfort enough whatever our heaviness be such a powerful God to stand by us in all our troubles and make all work for good that at length we may be brought home to God If this Word did but dwell richly in our souls it would keep us fresh and lively and we need not fear Man or Devil Col. 3. 16. Again 1 Iohn 2. 14. The Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one We need fear nothing for whoever trouble us they are something under God Whatever is our misery and whatever befalls us it is something less than Hell which we have escaped by Christ and will all be made up in Heaven The first sight of God and the first glimpse of everlasting glory will recompence all the sorrows of the present life and as soon as we step into Heaven all shall be forgotten In short God's particular Providence Fatherly love and care the example of Christ the promise of the comforting Spirit the hopes of Glory should revive us in all our languishings So that if deadness comes from backwardness and slowness in our duty in the Word there are most quickning considerations or if from troubles we have enough in God Christ the Covenant the promise of eternal life to support us This is the first Reason the Word of God is the onely means to comfort us because it contains proper quickning considerations that may keep life and vigor in us if either carnal distemper invade the heart or worldly sorrow and fear which is apt to perplex us 2. The quickning Spirit delights to work by this means The ordinary Chariot that carrieth the influences of Grace is the Word of Grace The Spirit that speaks in the Word speaks his own lively comforts to us Alas they are but cold comforts we can find elsewhere The Spirit of God rides most triumphantly in his own Chariot The Word and the Spirit are often associated to shew they go together The Word goes with the Spirit Isa. 59. 21. My Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart c. Isa. 30. 20. When God promiseth Their eyes shall see their Teachers it is promised also They should hear a voice behind them saying This is the way God would afford the Word and Spirit in times of their affliction The Spirit works still in concomitancy with the Word that it may the better be known to be a Revelation from God If God will set up a Word and Revelation of his mind distinct from the light of nature it is fit it should be owned and that 's done by a concomitancy of his grace and powerful operations of his Spirit that goes along with his Word Iohn 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth We find the Word to be truth because it 's associated and accompanied with the operations of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 22. Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit The Spirit still goes along with the truth of the Gospel and with God's Word His Word 't is the Sword of the Spirit God will not bless any other Doctrine so much as the Word to quicken revive and comfort the soul and therefore here we should busie our selves for it contains the surest grounds of Comfort and the Spirit is associated with it and goes along with it to bless it to our souls III. Thirdly Though the Word be the means yet the benefit comes from God For with them thou hast quickned me Life comes from the fountain of life The Gospel is a sovereign Plaister but it is God's hand that must apply it and
Law but the doctrine of the Gospel As if he had said Stick to that Doctrine where you have been quickned comforted revived and your hearts setled for God hath owned that doctrine He appeals to their own conscience and to their own known experience that they should not quit the doctrine of Faith but prize and keep close to it for surely that which hath been a means of begetting grace in our souls that should be highly prized by us If God hath wrought grace and any comfort and peace stick there and own God there and be not easily moved from thence Another Apostle reasons Iam. 1. 18 19. God hath begotten us by the word of truth wherefore be swift to hear that is O! do not neglect hearing take heed of forsaking or neglecting the Word for then you go against your own known experience you know here you had your life quickning comfort strength and will you be turned off from this for many times a Seducer may turn off a Believer from the Word which hath given him his first knowledge of Christ. There are three Causes which carry Saints to the Word and other Ordinances viz. Necessity Natural Appetite and inward Inclination and Experience Necessity they cannot live without the Word Natural Appetite and inward Inclination they have hearts suited to this work the Spirit which wrought in the heart hath put a nature in them sutable to the work And Experience they have found benefit by it These are the three grand Causes of respect to the Word and they are all implied or exprest in that 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word there 's natural appetite for the Word we have them come as new born Babes and there 's necessity you cannot live nor keep nor increase what you have unless you keep to the Word and there 's Experience if so be you have tasted you have had powerful impressions and quicknings by this Word We should engage our hearts upon experience the comfort life and light that we have had by the Word of God 3d Reason Our own spiritual Estate will sooner be discerned by these Experiences the comfort and quickning received from the Word in the way of duty for experience worketh hope Rom. 5. 4. If your experiences be observed and regarded this works a hopeful dependance upon God for everlasting glory your evidences will be more ready and sooner come to hand The motions of our souls are various and through corruption very confused and dark and this is that which makes it so difficult upon actual search to dââ¦cern how it stands between us and God it 's for want of observation But now if there be constant observation of what passeth between us and God how he hath quickned comforted and owned us in our attendance upon him and what he hath done to bring on our souls in the way of life these will make up an evidence and will abundantly conduce to the quickning and comforting of our hearts Use I. For Information It shews us 1. The Reason why so many neglect and contemn God's Word because they never gâ⦠benefit by it they find no life in it therefore no delight in it Those that are quickned ãâã knowledge the mercy and improve it they esteem the Word and have a greater cââ¦science of their duty It is not enough to find truth in truth not to be able to contradâ⦠it but you must find life then we will prize and esteem it when it hath been lively in its operations to our souls 2. It shews the Reason why so many forget the Word because they are not quickned You would remember it by a good token if there were a powerful impression left upon your souls and the reason is because you do not meditate upon it that you may receive this lively influence of the Spirit For a Sermon would not be forgotten if it had left any lively impression upon your souls 3. If we want quickning we must go to God for it and God works powerfully by the influence of his grace and so he quickens us by his Spirit and he works morally by the Word both by the Promises and Threatnings thereof and so if you would be quickned you must use the means attend upon Reading and Preaching and meditating upon the Word As he works powerfully with respect to himself so morally by reasonings Use II. By way of Reflection upon our selves Have we had any of these Experiences David found life in God's Word therefore resolves never to forego it or forget it Therefore what experience have you had of the Word of God surely at least at first conversion there was the work of Faith and Repentance at first you will have this experience How were you brought home to God what have you had no quickning from the Word of God Case But here 's a Case of Conscience Doth every one know their Conversion or way of their own Conversion Christians are usually sensible of this first work There is so much bitter sorrow and afterwards so much rejoycing of hope which doth accompany that surely this should not be strange But though you have not been so wary to mark God's dealings with you and the particular quicknings of your souls yet at least when the Lord raised you out of your security and brought you home to himself you should have remembred it 1 Thess. 1. 9. They themselves shew of us what manner of entring we had unto you The entrance usually is known though afterward the work be carried on with less observation Growth is not so sensible as the first change God's first work is most powerful meets with greater opposition and so leaves a greater feeling upon us and therefore it were strange if we were brought home to Christ and no way privy and conscious to the way of it as if all were done in our sleep I say to think so were to give security a soft Pillow to rest on And therefore what quicknings had you then Can you say Well I shall never forget this happy season and occasion when God first awakened me to look after himself Many of God's Children cannot trace the particular Footsteps of their Conversion and mark out all the Stages of Christ's Journey and approach to their Souls ãâã are not alike thus troubled But yet that men may not please themselves with the ãâã position of imaginary grace wrought in them without their privity and knowledge let ââ¦e speak to this grand Case this manner of entrance of Christ into our souls how we are quickned from the dead and made living 1. None are converted but are first convinced of their danger and evil estate God's first work is upon their understandings Ier. 31. 19. After I was instructed I smote upon the thigh c. There is some light breaks in upon the Soul which sets them seriously a considering What am I Whither am I going What will become of me And Rom. 7. 9. When the
mind of man is restless and cannot lie idle therefore it is good to set it a work upon holy things It will be working upon somewhat and if you do not feed it with holy thoughts what then Alll the Imaginations of the heart will be evil only evil and that continually Gen. 6. 5. These are the natural products and births of our spirits And Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts c. When the heart is left to run loose then we shall go musing of Vanity and sin therefore by frequent meditation this evil is prevented because the mind is preoccupied and possest already by better things nay the mind is seasoned and vain and carnal thoughts grow distastful to us when the heart is stored with good matter 2. The more these thoughts abide with us the more the heart is seasoned and fitted for all worldly comforts and affairs It is hard to touch pitch and not be defiled to go up and down with a serious heart in the midst of such temptations Nothing makes you awful and serious so much as enuring your minds with holy thoughts so that you may go about wordly businesses in a heavenly manner God's Children are sensible of this therefore they make it their practice to begin the day with God Psal. 139. 18. When I awake I am still with thee As soon as they are awake they are seasoning their minds with somewhat of God And they not only begin with God but take God along with them in all their comfort and business Prov. 23. 17. They are in the fear of the Lord all the day long Why do vain thoughts haunt us in duty because it is our use to be vainly occupied A carnal man goes about heavenly business with an earthly mind and a godly man goes about earthly business with a heavenly mind A carnal man's thoughts are so used to these things that he cannot take them off but a Godly man hath enured his mind to better thoughts 3. Thoughts will enflame and enkindle your affections after heavenly things It is beating the stèel upon the flint makes the sparks fly out So by serious inculcative thoughts we beat out affections these are the bellows to blow up the coals it is a very deadning thing to be always musing on vanity Cant. 1. 3. Thy name is as ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee When a box is broken and the ointment poured out when the name of God is taken in by serious thoughts that stirs up affection 4. By holy thoughts we do most resemble the purity and simplicity of God We do not resemble God so much by speech and course of our actions as we do by our serious and holy thoughts for his spiritual nature and being is best exprest by these operations of our own Spirits You can conceive of God as a spirit always beholding himself and loving himself and so you come nearer as to the being of God the more your thoughts are exercised and drawn out after holy things 5. By these holy meditations the soul is present with God and can solace it self with him The Apostle saith We are absent from him in the Body but present with him by the spirit present with him by the workings of our thoughts This is the way to get into the Company of the spirit to be with him Psal. 139. 18. How with him By our thoughts and by serious calling him to mind God is not far from us but we are far from him God is not far from us in the effects of his Power and goodness but we are far from God because our thoughts are so seldom set a work upon him This is the way to solace our selves with God to be much in these holy things SERMON CIII PSAL. CXIX VER 98. Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies for they are ever with me IN the former Verse you shall find the Man of God had exprest his affections to the VVord O how I love thy Law Now he renders the reason of his great affection because he got wisdom thereby a benefit of great value as being the perfection of the reasonable nature and a benefit highly esteemed in the world Those which care not for the reality of wisdom yet affect a reputation of it Iob 11. 12. Vain man would be accounted wise though he be born like the wild asses colt Though he be rude and brutish yet he would fain be accounted wise Knowledge was the great bait laid for our first Parents and so much of that desire is still left with us that we had rather be accounted wicked than weak and will sooner entitle our selves to the guilt of a vice in morals than own any weakness in intellectuals no man would be accounted a Fool. VVell then David's a ffection is justified he might well say O how I love thy law because he got wisdom thereby and such wisdom as carried him through all his trouble though he had to do with crafty Adversaries as Doeg Achitophel and others that excell'd for worldly policy yet O how I love thy Law For through thy Commandments c. In which words you have 1 The Benefit gotten by the VVord Wisdom 2 The Original Author of this Benefit Thou 3 The Means Through thy Commandments 4 The Benefit amplified by comparing it with the wisdom and craft of his Enemies the Politicians of Saul's Court men advanced for their great wisdom and subtilty Thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies 5 The Manner how he came to obtain this Benefit For they are ever with me Doct. That God through his Commands doth make his People wiser than their Enemies It is but David's Experience resolved into a Proposition I shall 1. Illustrate the Point by explaining the circumstances of it 2. Then prosecute it I. First The Benefit obtain'd is Wisdom Mark 1. It is not Craft or Wisdom to do evil that 's to be learned in the Devil's School but Divine wisdom such as is gotten by study and obedience of God's Laws Gen. 3. 1. The Serpent was the subtilest of all the beasts in the field Satan's Instruments are very acute in mischief wise to do evil but to do good have no knowledge Jer. 4. 22. Cunning enough in a way of sin but to seek in every point of duty your souls must not enter into their secrets This wisdom should rather be unlearned better be Fools and Bunglers in a way of sin than wise to do evil 1 Cor. 14. 22. Brethren in malice be ye children but in understanding be ye men And Rom. 16. 19. I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple concerning evil Simplicity here is the best wisdom 2. It is not worldly Policy or a dexterous sagacity in and about the concernments of this life There are some which have the spirit of the world 1 Cor. 2. 12. And a genius or disposition of soul which wholly carrieth them out to riches
understanding in all things And Psal. 50. Consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver And Luke 2. 19. Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart Here I might shew 1. What this is 2dly What a notable means this is for spiritual improvement and growth in knowledge to debate things with himself who made him and for what end he was made But of this you may see at large ãâã 15. SERMON CVI. PSAL. CXIX VER 100. I understand more then the ancients because I keep thy precepts MAN is a rational Being and should close with things more or less as they do perfect and polish his understanding Now among all the inventions of Mankind to remedy the defects of Nature not one of them can compare with the means which God offers for curing of the blindness and darkness of the mind which is introduced by the Fall Man hath round out Grammar to rectifie his Speech Rhetorick to adorn it and make it more cogent and powerful in persuasion Logick to revive Reason Medicine or Physick to preserve the health of the Body Politicks for Government of humane Societies and for ordering our converse with others in the world oeconomicks for prudent ordering of Families Ethicks for the tempering of each Man's spirit that it may live under the dominion of natural reason But mark for Commerce and Commnnion with God wherein our happiness lies there all the inventions of Man are very short and only the Word of God can guide us and furnish us with this wisdom and because of this is the Word so desirous and precious to the Saints O how they love the Law of God! for it is their wisdom Well David having shew'd how it prevail'd with his own heart O how I love thy Law for thereby I get spiritual wisdom and understanding To draw in other Men to love and study the Word and to make this motive strong and pressing upon them he doth compare the wisdom that Men may get by the Word with other things that look like wisdom he compares it with the sagacity of Enemies the speculation and knowledge of the Teacher and the prudence we get by age and experience 1. With the sagacity of Enemies whose wit was sharpned with their own malice there he shews that a Man that taketh counsel of the Word to sââ¦ure his great interest by getting into the favor of God and walketh by the plain Rule of the Word without consulting with flesh and blood hath the advantage of all other Men and will be found to be the wisest Man at length 2. He compares this wisdom he got by the Word with the speculations and knowledge of Teachers He that doth not content himself with the naked Rules deliver'd by them but labours with his own conscience to make them proââ¦able to his own soul he will see more by his own eyes as to the particular duties and coââ¦ments of the spiritual life than his Teachers could ever direct him unto 3. He compares it here in the Text with the wisdom of the Ancients or men of long experience By the Elders or Ancients may be meant either Men of former times or aged Men of the same time 1 Men of former times Heb. 11. 2. by it the Ancients or Elders obtain'd a good report that is the holy Patriarchs of their time If this be meant of Men in former times then Thou hast made me wiser than the Ancients recommends this observation to us viz. The Church of God is growing always and one Age sees more than another A Dwarfâ⦠upon a Gyant 's shoulders may see further than he The Ancients had their measures of light so hath the present Age Ioel 2. 28 29 30. In the latter days meaning the times of the Gospel all that efflux of time which was between Christ's Ascension and his second coming is call'd the latter days I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions c. The knowledge which younger ones shall get under the New Testament is exprest by Visions Dreams Prophecy these three were the ways of God's revealing himself to the old Prophets therefore it implies that those very Truths which the Prophets and holy Men of God had by Visions Dreams and Prophesies by such extraordinary ways of Revelation will then be commonly known by Preaching and Catechising and other means of instruction in the Church of God and thus I have more understanding than the Ancients Succeeding Ages may see more into the mind of God therefore Antiquity should not sway against Truth and former Ages should not prescribe to succeeding which grow up to a further latitude and increase in knowledge 2 Rather let us take it I have more understanding than the Ancients that is than many old Men of the same age They that are slow and dull of conceit yet by long use they grow wise and having smarted often they learn by their own harms to become circumspect But here 's the excellency of the Word that it made a young Man wiser than those that are Men of age and experience Youths well studied in God's Law may exceed Men of great experience and knowledge in Arts and Sciences True zeal and piety and the defects of his age and want of experiences are recompenc'd by the exactness of his Rule that he takes to guide him if he will but wholly subject and give up himself to the directions of this Rule he will not need much Experience he hath enough to guide him I understand more than the Ancients because I keep thy precepts In which words you have 1 The Benefit that we get by God's Precepts that is understanding 2 This Benefit is amplifi'd by comparing it with the understanding that is gotten by age and experience I understand more than the Ancients 3 The manner of obtaining this more excellent Benefit by a diligent heed and practice I understand more than the Ancients Why Because I keep thy precepts So that from hence three Points are to be observ'd 1. That understanding gotten by the precepts of the Word is better than understanding gotten by long experience I observe this because David doth not speak this so much to commend his own proficiency as to set forth the exactness of our Rule and goodness of the Word of God therefore this Point lies couched here 2. That young ones may sometimes have more of spiritual wisdom than those that are ancient I observe that because David instanceth in his own Person though young that he exceeded many not only of his Equals but of his Seniors 3. The way to increase in spiritual understanding is to be studious in practical holiness I observe this because the Reason render'd was his own diligent practice I understand more than the Ancients Why Because I keep thy precepts Doct. 1. That understanding gotten by
but purpose not only purpose but put it into a promise or declared resolution and not only resolve but bind this resolution by an Oath why For you have more reason to expect God's assistance this way than any other because this is the appointed means practised by all the People of God when they expected the grace of the Covenant surely God's blessing is best expected in his own way and the greatest Engagement to God the more apt ââ¦o hold us to our duty than a looser Engagement 5. Consider the Necessity as well as the Profit 1. Laziness is the cause of our backwardness and hanging off from God We are loth to come to God are off and on hang between Heaven and Hell we have many loose and wavering thoughts until we come to a firm purpose and determination but that engageth the heart Ier. 30. 21. Who is this that engageth his heart to draw nigh to me When you lay a Command upon your selves We are weak and wavering in our purposes and wishes but it puts an end to this when we come once to a full and firm purpose Acts 11. 23. He exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Austin in his Confessions tells us how he would dally with God and how long he struck in the New Birth until he was resolved until he bound himself firmly to shake off all his carnal courses and mind the business of Religion 2. Because of our fickleness and the strength of temptations that will draw us off from God He that is not resolved cannot be constant Iam. 1. 8. The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways Christians when an unconstant and rebelling heart meets with temptation without all our wishes and cold purposes will come to nothing but we shall give out at the first assault and be unstable in all our ways but when we are firmly and habitually resolved then Satan is discouraged ãâã While we are thinking and deliberating what we shall do the Devil hath some hope of us we lie open to temptation but when he seeth the bent of the heart is fixt and setled and we have firmly bound our selves to God his hopes are gone He that is in a wavering condition is easily overborn when temptation comes but a fixt man is safe Papers Feathers and things that lie loose upon the ground are tost up and down by every blast and puff of wind but those things that are fastned to the ground though the wind blows never so strongly they remain Many set out towards the ways of salvation but are discouraged and turn back again to a course of sin but when you solemnly give up your selves to God then you will not have so many temptations as before Look as Naomi was ever dissuading Ruth that she should not be a companion with her in her sorrows but go back to her own Countrey but when she saw she was resolved and stedfastly minded to go with her then she left speaking unto her Ruth 1. 18. or let me take another instance Acts 21. 14. The Disciples were persuading Paul that he should not go to Ierusalem though they did even break his heart they could not break his purpose but when they saw that he was so set that he went bound in the spirit then they said The Will of the Lord be done Thus will Tempters be discouraged from importuning and setting upon us to draw us off from God when once our bent is fixt By resolution we are quickned to more seriousness and diligence for when once we come under the Bond of the holy Oath the awe of an Oath will still be upon us and quicken us to more diligence and seriousness to make a business of Religion whereas otherwise we make but a recreation and sport of it and but a business by the by Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after When we have laid firm Bonds upon our selves this makes us aweful serious and resolute in a course of obedience Thus it directeth us to resolve For the manner of entring 1. It must be a resolution of heart rather than of the tongue Ier. 30. 21. Who is this that engageth his heart to seek the Lord Acts 11. 23. He exhorted them that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Resolutions are not determined by the tenor of our language so much as by the bent of the heart therefore empty promises signifie nothing unless they be the result of our very souls and not only of a natural Conscience Deut. 5. 29. The people did not dissemble certainly when the Lord appeared to them by the sound of a Trumpet and those mighty Earthquakes but saith the Lord O that there were such a heart in them to fear me always That there were a heart and such a heart that is that this were not meerly the result of an awakened Conscience but the resolution of a renewed heart So Psal. 78. 37. Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant Surely they did not dissemble in their distress but their heart was not right with him that is it was not a sanctified heart it was only the dictate of an awakened Conscience for the present 2. When you thus engage your selves to God let it not be a weak broken but full resolution cold wishes are easily overcome by the love of the World and an half purpose Acts 26. 28. Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Carnal men although they are not converted yet they have a kind of half-turn almost but not altogether Upon a lively Sermon or in sickness they have their purposes and wishes but it is not a full strong bent of heart and love must be a serious bent 2 Chron. 22. 19. Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God 3. It must not be a wish but a serious resolution such as is advised all difficulties well weighed In a sit and pang of devotion men will resolve for God but it will never hold Iosh. 24. 19. Ye cannot serve the Lord for he is an holy God he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins and therefore you must reckon what it is to serve this holy God you must sit down and count the charges what it is likely to cost you that this dedication of your selves to God may be grounded upon serious consideration do you know what lust of the flesh you must renounce what interest of yours you must lay at his feet 4. It must be a through absolute and perfect resolution whatever it cost as he that sold all for the pearl of price Mat. 13. 46. A Marriage even made may be broken off some will take up Religion by way of Essay to try how they like it as men go to Sea for pleasure but will not launch so far into the deep but that they may be sure easily to
sincerely with him 5. It directeth us how to expect this blessing in what manner only in the way and manner that it is promised Zeph. 3. 3. Seek righteousness seek meekness it may be you shall be hid not absolutely but as referring it to Gods will There is the keeping of the outward man and the keeping of the inward man As to the outward man all things come alike to all the Christian is safe whatever becomes of the man the Lord will keep him to his heavenly Kingdome 2 Tim. 4. 17 18. That which the Christian desires mainly to be kept is his Soul that he may not miscarry and blemish his profession and dishonour God and do any thing that is unseemly I say we cannot absolutely expect temporal safety The righteous are liable to many troubles therefore in temporal things God will not always keep off the temporal stroke but leave us to many uncertainties or at least hold us in doubt about it that we may trust his goodness When we trust God we must trust all his Attributes not only his Power that he is able to preserve but his Goodness that he will do that which is best that there may be a submission and referring of all things to his will as David 2 Sam. 15. 26. If he say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do unto me as seemeth good unto him God will certainly make good his promise but this trust lies not in an absolute certainty of success However this should not discourage us from making God our refuge because better promises are sure enough and Gods keeping us in suspence about other things is no evidence he will not afford them to us it is his usual course and few instances can be given to the contrary to have a special regard to his trusting Servants and to hide them secretly They that know his name will find it that he never hath forsaken them that put their trust in him Psal. 9. 10. It is the only sure way to be safe whereas to perplex our souls with distrust even about these outward things that 's the way to bring ruine and mischief upon our selves or turn aside to crooked paths Well then you see what respect the word hath to this priviledge that God is a shield and a hiding place The word discovers God under these notions the word invites and encourageth us to put God to this use the word assures us of the Divine protection it directeth us to the qualification of the persons that shall enjoy this priviledge they that can trust God and walk uprightly with him and it directeth us to expect the blessing not with absolute confidence but leaving it to God III. The third thing I am to do is to shew this word must be applied by Faith I hope in thy word Hope is not strictly taken here but for faith or a certain expectation of the blessing promised What doth Faith do here Why the use of Faith is 1. To quiet the heart in waiting Gods leisure Psal. 33. 20. Our soul waiteth for the Lord he is our help and our shield If God be our help and shield then faith is quietly to wait the Lords leisure till he sends deliverance the word must bear up our hearts and we must be contented to tarry his time Isai. 28. 16. He that believeth shall not make hast will not out-run God 2. In fortifying the heart against the present difficulties that when all visible helps and interests are cut off yet we may encourage our selves in the Lord. When they were wandring in the wilderness and had neither house nor home then Moses the man of God pens that Psalm and how doth he begin it Lord thou hast been our dwelling place in all Generations Psal. 90. 1. What was wanting in sense they saw was made up in the alsufficiency of God And so here 's the use of Faith when in defiance of all difficulties we can see an alsufficiency in God to counterballance that which is wanting in sense So doth David Psal. 3. 3. Lord saith he thou art my shield and glory and the lifter up of my head Look to that Psalm it was penned when David was driven from his Palace Royal by Absolom when he was in danger God was his shield when his Kingdom and Honour were laid in the dust God was his Glory when he was under sorrow and shame and enemies insulting over him when the people rose against him and he was in great dejection of spirit God was the lifter up of his head This is getting under the Covert of this shield or compass of this hiding place 3. The use of Faith is to quicken us to go on cheerfully in our duty and with a quiet heart resting upon Gods love power and truth so David Psal. 131. 5. Into thy hands I commit my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth David was then in great danger the Net was laid for him as he saith in the former verse and when he was likely to perish what doth he do he casts all his cares upon God and trusts him with his life Into thy hands I commit my spirit that is his life safety c. Use 1. Admire the goodness of God who will be all things to his people if we want a house he will be our dwelling place if we want a covert he will be our shield our hiding place whatever we want God will supply it There 's a notable expression Psal. 91. 9. Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge even the most high thy habitation Mark that double Notion a habitation is the place of our abode in time of peace a refuge the place of our retreat in a time of war Be it peace or war God will be all in all he will be a fountain of blessing to us in a time of peace he will be our habitation there where we have our sweetest comforts and then in time when dangers and difficulties are abroad God will be a refuge and a place of retreat to our souls Use 2. To perswade us to contentation in a time of trouble Though we have not a Palace yet if we have but a hiding place though our condition be not so commodious as we do desire yet if God will vouchsafe a little liberty in our service we must be content if he will give us a little safety though not plenty for here is not our full reward And therefore it is well we can make this use of God to be our shield and hiding place though we have not that ample condition which a carnal heart would fancy God never undertook in his Covenant to maintain us at such a rate nor thus to enlarge our portion if he will vouchsafe a little security and safety to us during the time of our pilgrimage we must be content Use 3. This should more encourage us against the evil of sin since God assures us of protection and
from God that we may stand against his batteries and assaults Thirdly Because of the great impression which our temporal condition makes upon us We are now happy anon afflicted Now as unequal uncertain weather doth afflict the Body so do our various Conditions distemper the Soul To abound and to be abased to be up and to be down to carry an equal hand in unequal conditions is very hard and will call for the supporting strength of Gods spirit So the Apostle Phil. 12. 13. I know how to be abased and how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me From that place let me observe something 1. That we are subject to change of Conditions in outward things sometimes in credit sometimes in disgrace sometimes rich sometimes poor cut short by the Providence of God sometimes sick sometimes in health sometimes enjoy all things comfortably at other times reduced to great necessity Now it is very hard to go through all these Conditions not to be dejected on the one side or puffed up on the other 2. Observe again from that place Either of these conditions have their snares so that we need all the Grace that possibly we can get to avoid them Some think that snares and temptations lye but on one side namely they think it is easie to be rich and to maintain hope and comfort in God then but it is hard to be poor and to be destitute of all things when they have nothing to live upon they cannot see how they should live by faith or keep from murmurings repinings or uncomely dejections and sinkings of heart On the other side some think it easie to be poor and religious but how to keep a good Conscience in a full estate where there is so much to draw them from God to keep down pride and security and to live under a lively sense of the Comforts of the other world to do this in the midst of opulency this is hard There are indeed temptations on both hands 3. Observe again some that have held well in one condition have failed in another One sort of temptations have a greater force upon some spirits than others have When God hath kept men low they have been modest and humble but when they have been exalted then they have shewed themselves their pride their disdain their forgetfulness of God their mindlesness of the interest of Christ. On the other hand others have carried it well in prosperity yet when the bleak winds of adversity are let loose upon them they are withered and dryed up Some cannot encounter terrours others blandishments As the Prophet saith of Ephraim He is a Cake not turned that is baked only of the one side very dough on the other so it is with many men on one side of Providence they seem to do well but when God puts them in another condition they have foully miscarried 1 Kings 13. The young Prophet that could thunder out judgment against the King when the old Prophet enticed him he is gone 4. Nay and which is more to have these conditions to succeed one another makes the temptation the greater To be cast down after that we have got on the top of the wheel and have tasted of the worlds happiness is the greater tryal And so on the other side to be lifted up after extreme misery sudden changes affect us more Now to possess things without love or lose them without grief to be temperate and sober in the enjoyment of worldly happiness or to be meek and patient in the loss of it or to exercise a Christian moderation as to all these dispensations it 's a very hard thing to keep the heart steady and right with God and therefore we need the influence of Gods special Grace as the Apostle presently addes I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Use. To press us to look after this upholding and sustaining Grace that as we come to God so we may keep with God In some Cases perseverance is more difficult than Conversion it is a harder thing to persevere than to be converted at first In the first Conversion we are mainly passive if not altogether but in perseverance active It is God that plants us into Christ but when we are in Christ we ought to walk in him As an Infant in the Mothers Womb before it is born lives by the life of the Mother and is fed and grows by the Mothers feeding without any concurrence of its own but when born indeed it is suckled by the Mother still but the Child sucks it self and applies nourishment to it self and the more it grows the more the care of its life is devolved upon it self So the first Conversion is chiefly Gods work and when converted we cannot persevere without his help but the care of the spiritual life is more devolved upon us than before God doth give perseverance as well as conversion 2 Pet. 1. 5. We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation but so that more is required to be done by us when converted than in Conversion it self Ephes. 2. 10. the Apostle tells us that we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works there 's an action required of us What is Conversion A consent to the terms of the Gospel-Covenant that 's the great act of Conversion on our part But now perseverance is the fulfilling of the duty of this Covenant now it is more easie to consent to the terms than to make them good As in the matrimonial Contract the promise of the duties proper to that relation is more easie than the performance so the consenting to Gods Covenant all the business is to make it good because of our unstable Nature manifold temptations and great discouragements in the way of holiness Certainly to keep in the life of Grace in the soul is a very hard thing The Israelites after they were brought to consent to receive Moses for their Captain to lead them to Canaan yet when they came out of Egypt and had tryal of the difficulties of the way and were exposed to so many dangers they were ever and anon desiring to return So it is with us it is hard to hold out against all assaults many things will be interposing and breaking your resolutions and taking you off from God The flesh will be interposing so that you must often say as Rom. 5. 12. We are not debtors to the flesh to live after the flesh to fulfil it in the lusts thereof And the world will be threatning and you must say as they Dan. 3. 16. We are not careful to answer thee in this matter Dangers will grow upon us and encrease and then we must say as Esth. 4. 16. If we perish we perish Friends will be solliciting and you must say us Paul Act. 21. 13. What
not the device of mans brain So none understand by their proper skill and invention There are such knots as cannot be untyed and loosed but by imploring the help of the Spirit Use 1. To press us to be often with God for this teaching and make it our great request to him A gracious heart would fain learn the right way to Heaven Psal. 43. 3. O send out thy light and thy truth Directionâ⦠how to carry our selves is a great Blessing 2. The blindness of our understandings should make us more earnest with God We are apt to mistake our way through the natural weakness of our understandings especially when lusts and interests interpose Ier. 10. 23. Lord the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps As Man understandeth not events so easily mistaketh present Duties 3. Our present estate The world is a dark place 2 Pet. 1. 19. compared with the light of Glory 't is but like a light that shineth out of a Room where a Candle is and a Room where a Candle is not seen the glimmerings of the Anti-Chamber of eternity Our own reason the counsel and example of others will easily misguide us So the more we depend upon God the more he will undertake to teach us Prov. 5. 6. Those that make their own bosomes their Oracle God is disengaged from being their Guide they need him not but the snares they run into will soon shew them how much they need him 4. How unapt we are to see Conclusions in the promises and to apply general Rules to particular Cases and times which most Christians cannot do ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in their inferences Rom. 1. 21. Are vain in their imaginations have their foolish hearts darkened 5. To bind all upon the heart and to lye under the Conscience of our Duty maketh the difficulty the greater many imprison the truth in unrighteousness Well then beg the constant direction and illumination of Gods holy Spirit cast your selves upon him in the sense of your weakness and see if he will refuse you say I am blind and ignorant Lord guide me 'T is dangerous to be left in any part of our Duty to our selves II. If we consider the words with respect to the Context And first the remoter Context where David speaketh like a man under trouble and oppression verses 121 122. Let not the proud oppress me c. Lord shew me what to do in this time of my oppression Doctr. Direction how to carry our selves in trouble till the deliverance cometh is a great mercy and should be earnestly sought of God Reasons 1. From the parties oppressing They that oppress watch for our halting as Ieremiah complained Ier. 20. 10. They accused the Prophet unto the Ruler and so to work his ruine if they could find him tripping in any thing Now when we are watched we need special direction that God would teach us to walk warily and safely Psal. 27. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies Or those which observe me they watch to get some advantage therefore that they may have no advantage against us we should not trust to our own single wisdom 2. Because the danger of sin is a greater inconvenience than the danger of trouble In times of tryals and troubles we are in danger of soul-losing and sinning as well as bodily danger therefore we have need to beg wisdom of God to carry it well under trouble because we are so apt to miscarry unless God guide us continually in our dark condition and take us by the hand and help us over our stumbling Blocks There are many sins incident to our condition First Uncomely passion and unadvised speeches therefore David prayeth in his trouble Psal. 141. 3. Set a watch before my mouth keep the door of my lips In our oppression we are under a temptation to hurt our own Cause by unadvised and passionate speeches when we have too great a sense of the temptation something or other breaketh out to Gods dishonour Secondly Some indirect course to come out of trouble Psal. 125. 3. Men that make haste out of trouble carve for themselves break prison before they are brought out Necessity is an ill Counseller and will soon tempt us to some evil way for our own ease some sinful compliance or confederacy The Devil tempted Christ when he was an hungry Matth. 4. 3. hoping to work upon his necessity Thirdly Private revenge or meeting injury with injuries We are apt to retaliate 2 Sam. 16. 9. Why should this dead Dog curse my Lord the King let me go over I pray thee and take off his head Revenge is soon up No man is troubled if a shower of Rain falleth upon us but if any cast a Bucket or Bason of Water upon us we are in a rage presently We can better bear any trouble from God than injuries from men Oppression maketh a wise man mad A revengeful spirit is contrary to our heavenly Calling Fourthly Waxing weary of our Duty and quite tired and discouraged in Gods service Heb. 12. 3. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners lest you be weary and faint in your minds Weariness and fainting belong properly to the Body and they differ gradually weariness is a lesser and fainting a higher degree of deficiency as when a man laboureth hungers or travelleth it abateth his strength and abateth the active powers or toileth the Spirits the principle of motion And from the Body 't is translated to the Mind to a less or higher degree of defection and is thus When troubles are many and long continued then we begin to grow faint and wax weary of the faith and service of Christ and sink under the burthen 'T is the Devils design to make us weary and tire us out in the service of God Fifthly Another evil is despairing and distrustful thoughts of God David after all his experiences of God though he had conducted him up and down 1 Sam. 27. 1. I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul He had a particular promise and assurance of the Kingdom and had seen much of Gods care over him yet after all this David doubteth of the Word of God Psal. 31. 22. I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou heardest me As if he should say God hath no care of me nor thoughts of me and at that instant deliverance was coming Sixthly Questioning our interest in God by reason of the Cross. Our Lord hath taught us to say My God my God in the bitterest agonies when he was upon the Cross but few learn this Lesson Iudg. 6. 23. If God be with us why hath all this evil befallen us Sometimes we question the love of God because we have no affliction and anon because we have nothing but affliction as if God were not the God of the Valleys as well as of the Mountains
of preservation He is Lord alone because he preserveth all things Neh. 9. 6. Thou even thou O Lord alone thou hast made heaven and the heaven of heavens with all their host the earth and all things that are therein the sea and all that is therein and thou preservest them all At whose Table are we fed at whose cost and expence are we maintained upon whom do we depend every moment for being and operation Acts 17. 28. In him we live and move and have our being Heb. 1. 3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his power he doth every moment continue what he gave at first Things were not made that they should act and subsist of themselves as the house abideth when the Inhabitant is dead and gone A daily influence is necessary As the Beams depend on the Sun so do we every moment upon God every day we are bound to serve him If God should turn us off for preservation to our selves how soon should we return to our original nothing God is disengaged if we serve him not If out of indulgence he continues our Beings what vile ingratitude is it not to serve him Isai. 1. 3. The Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Would you maintain a Servant to do his own work Since we live upon God we should live to him 3. A right by redemption 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. And ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which is Gods If a man had bought another out of slavery all his time and strength and service belonged to the Buyer Christ hath bought us from the worst slavery with the greatest price and shall we rob him of his purchase This was his end he did not redeem us to our selves but to God not to live as we list to exempt us from his dominion that is impossible Saul promised to make him free in Israel that would destroy Goliah 1 Sam. 16. 25. But to be free from Gods dominion cannot be that was not Christs end in redeeming us but that we might be put into a capacity to serve God Well then when God hath such a right in us we ought to obey him Secondly Consider what an honour 't is to be Gods servants Servire Deo regnare est The meanest Offices about a Prince are honourable No such honourable employment as Gods service both in respect of the person whom we serve the Great God and the service it self 't is a service of righteousness and holiness Luke 1. 74. This is no drudgery our Natures are ennobled the liberty and perfection of humane Nature is preserved by this service And then for the quality of our reward there is no such wages no such reward in any service Iohn 12. 26. And where I am there shall my servant be If any man serve me him will my father honour Here is true honour fitted for great spirits that will not stoop to trifles and indeed Gods servant is the only great spirit The most eminent Servants in the Court of Kings have but a splendid and more gaudy slavery in comparison of God Thirdly What an happiness as well as an honour both in respect of our present Communion with him and future Fruition of him The Queen of Sheba said of Solomon's servants 1 Kings 10. 8. Happy are the men and happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom Happy those indeed that serve God they are friend-servants Iohn 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I call you friends for all things that I have heard of my father I have made known unto you In regard of intimate Communion they are treated as Sons though they be servants Now 't is very comfortable to be taken into Gods bosome and to have access to him upon all occasions Besides the reward and wages in the life to come Gods Servants have great Vales Our Earnest is better than the Worlds Wages Consider Fourthly What an hard master we were under before Rom. 6. 17. But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin You have obeyed many masters Tit. 3. 3. Ye were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures You that were at the beck of every bruitish lust and were carried to and fro with so many contrary passions and affections that have left so many wounds in your Consciences alarmed by terrours every day when you denied your selves nothing thought nothing too much or too dear to spend or part with in a sinful course Fifthly If once we come to chuse his service we shall find a difference between the Lord and other Masters 2 Chron. 12. 8. Nevertheless they shall be his servants that they may know my service and the service of the Kingdoms of the Countries The sorrow of the one the sweetness of the other the misery of the one the blessedness of the other the bondage of the one the liberty of the other they that forsake or refuse Gods service shall soon find worse masters God hath ways enough to punish our stragling from Duty and slighting his service either by putting us under hard task-masters some that shall turn the edge of authority against us push with the horns of a Lamb a barbarous enemy making us to be mutual oppressours of each other or by giving us over to Satans power or our own hearts Iusts Sixthly Christs service is not hard nor heavy Matth. 11. 28. My yoke is easie and my burthen light notwithstanding all your prejudices against it These men live as they list they think this a sweet liberty to be guided by their own wisdom and live according to their own wills according to their own ends and that it 's better than to be curbed Psal. 2. 3. But after a little while they have other thoughts they will find the bitterness of such a Course On the contrary the more we try the service of God the sweeter we shall find it to be 1 Iohn 5. 3. And his Commandments are not grievous And Prov. 3. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Our work is wages and our very work carrieth a reward in the bosome of it So sweet and comfortable it is Now for directions 1. If we would be Gods servants we must sincerely wholly and absolutely give up our selves to do his will and never more to look upon our selves as our own masters to do what we please but wholly to study what will please God Isai. 56. 6. they joined themselves to the Lord to serve him to love the name of the Lord and be his Servants Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey There is a solemn dedication made we take up his service
Secondly Of all affections desires are most earnest and vehement for they are the vigorous bent of the heart to that which is good the motion and endeavour of the soul after it As to good the will chuseth it and the heart affects an union with it or desires to obtain it This affection of union simply considered is love which is an inclination of the soul to good it presseth the heart to it but as it is an absent good it is desire which exciteth to pursue it earnestly Desire doth all that is done in the world for it lifteth up the soul to action that we may possess those things that we desire I desire it and therefore I labour for it Therefore the main thing that God craveth is the desire Prov. 23. 26. My Son give me thy heart which is the soul of desires and therefore the people of God plead their sincerity Isai. 26. 8 9. The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee with my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early Get but a desire to good things to God to his Word and it will be a great help to you in spiritual things Prov. 11. 23. The desire of the righteous is only good It is well when the soul is set right this is a strong active commanding faculty Thirdly Of all desires those which carry us out to holy things should bear sway and be the greatest For affections are not rationally exercised unless they bear proportion to the objects they are conversant about Now the Word and things contained therein are the most noble objects and so most suitable for our desires if we would act rationally that appears upon these accounts First Spiritual things are more noble partly because they concern the soul whereas carnal things concern only the outward man Our liveliest affections should be exercised about the weightiest things Can we desire riches and honours and pleasures which only concern the body and shall we not desire comforts and graces which are necessary for the soul It is irrational for by this means we grow brutish and sensual If our appetite desire only food and good pastures and propagation of our kind these desires soon exceed and grow tempestuous and hurtful to the soul Rom. 13. 14. Make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof There is a lawful care for the Body but this desire should not be chief because the Body is not the chief part of a man Matth. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto you The ennobling of the soul with Grace the setling of our Conscience the assuring of our everlasting estate these things deserve our chiefest care Partly because these things are only useful to us in our passage and so for a time they are not useful to us in our home and so for ever Deut. 23. 24. When thou comest into thy neighbours vineyard thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel We have these things for our use when here but we carry nothing with us when we go hence They who did occasionally pass through their Neighbours Vineyard might take for their necessity but they must carry none home and therefore as to these things all our acts must be non-acts 1 Cor. 7. 30 31. Rejoice as if we rejoiced not desire as if we desired not Affections here need a great deal of guiding and a great deal of curbing lest we sin in these less-noble things but in spiritual heavenly things we can never do enough Secondly Common and ordinary affection will not become God or any thing that cometh from God or concerneth our enjoyment of him or our Communion with him Surely we are to love the Lord our God with all our hearts and with all our might and with all our souls Deut. 6. 5. And as we are to love God so in proportion his Word which is the means to enjoy him therefore here we should stretch our desire to the utmost Thirdly An earnest bent will only do us good and make us hold out in the pursuit of heavenly wisdom It doth us good for the present as it fits us to improve the Word as an appetite to our food To eat with a stomach maketh way for digestion 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby And it is zeal will only bear us out Besides the difficulties and oppositions from without our hearts are full of contrary qualities and desires The flesh lusteth against the spirit so that nothing but a strong affection is for our turn The greatest vehemency is but enough to bear us up in the prosecution of what is good a weak desire will be soon chilled Herod had some good desire so have many but not strong desires He that affects Grace should affect nothing so much as Grace A carnal man may be affected with what is good but there is something that he affects more vanities profits pleasures Well then spiritual desires should be drawn out to the utmost because the object is more noble These desires cannot degenerate nor this affection be corrupted and a common and ordinary affection doth not become these things Nothing else will serve the turn Fourthly Whereever these desires bear sway it will be sensibly discovered by the effects both to our selves and others A man may have a little joy or a little grief or a little anger and no body see it but none of these affections can be in any strength and vigour but we shall feel it and others will observe it for strong affections cannot be hid Can a man carry fire in his bosome and hide it So there will be some expression of what thy heart affects Can a man be under terrours and not shew it in his face A concealed affection is no affection Men may hide their hatred but cannot hide their love Prov. 27. 5. Open rebuke is better than secret love These things tye body and soul together move the spirits So desire will shew it self yea spiritual desire What desire doth in other things it will do in this If there be longing there will be fainting gaping breathing for strong desires are hasty and impatient of satisfaction Ahab's eager desire of Naboth's Vineyard cast him upon his Bed The Spouse was sick of love Cant. 5. 8. I charge ye O ye Daughters of Ierusalem if ye find my beloved that ye tell him that I am sick of love What! desire and no body see it What! desire and you never feel such a strong urging affection Surely there will be secret deep and frequent sighs there will be striving with God in prayer and constant attendance upon God Such an active affection cannot be hid Most men desire so little it cannot be known whether it
nothing There we must begin They that have not the favour of God are left to their own sway and their own hearts and counsels but those whom he loves know his secrets and are guided by his Spirit 3. The connexion He prays not for one but for both for God giveth both together consolation and direction and we must seek both together for we cannot expect God should favour us while we walk in a wrong way and contrary to his will First Let me speak of the first Petition Where I might observe First The matter of the Petition Make thy face to shine Secondly The Person Upon me Thirdly The Character by which he describeth himself Thy Servant First As to the matter Make thy face to shine It is a Metaphor taken from the Sun When the Sun shines and sheds abroad his light and heat and influence then the Creatures are cheered and revived but when that 's obscured they droop and languish What the Sun is to the outward World that is God to the Saints Or else here 's a Metaphor taken from men that look pleasantly upon those in whom they delight And so the Lord gives a smile of his gracious countenance upon his people indeed it alludeth to both For the allusion to the light and influence of the Sun is clear in the word shine and the allusion to the pleasant countenance of a man upon his child is included in the word face The phrase may be understood by what is said Prov. 16. 15. In the light of the Kings countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain That place will illustrate this we have in hand Look what the smiling and pleasing aspect of the King is to those that value and stand in need of his favour that is the favour of God to the Saints The same form of speech is used in other places as in the form of the Priests blessing Numb 6. 25. The Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee And in that prayer Psal. 67. 1. God be merciful unto us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us Selah Well then the thing begged is a sense of Gods love Secondly For whom doth David beg this For himself Cause thy face to shine upon me David a man after Gods own heart But did he need to put up such a request to God 1. Possibly God might seem to neglect him or to look upon him with an angry countenance because of sin and therefore he begs some demonstration of his favour and good will David had his times of darkness and discomfort as well as others therefore earnestly beggeth for one smile of Gods face 2. If you look not upon him as under desertion at this time the words then must be thus interpreted He begs the continuance and encrease of his comfort and sense of Gods love Gods manifestations of himself to his people in this world are given out in a different degree and with great diversity Our assurance or sense of his love consists not in puncto an indivisible point it hath a latitude it may be more and it may be less and Gods Children think they can never have enough of it therefore David saith Lord cause thy face to shine If it did shine already the Petition intimates the continuance and encrease of it Thirdly He characterizeth himself by the notion of Gods servant as Psal. 31. 16. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant save me for thy mercies sake We must study to approve our selves to be the Lords servants by our obedience If we would have his face shine upon us we must be careful to yield obedience unto him The Points are four I. The sense of Gods favour may be withdrawn for a time from his choicest servants II. The Children of God that are sensible of this cannot be satisfied with this estate but they will be praying for some beams of love to be darted out upon their souls III. They that are sensible of the want or loss of Gods favour have liberty with hope and encouragement to sue out this blessing as David did Lord make thy face to shine upon thy servant IV. Gods Children when they beg comfort they also beg Grace to serve him acceptably I. The sense of Gods favour may be withdrawn for a time from his choicest servants David puts up this petition in point of comfort There 's a twofold desertion in appearance and in reality First In appearance only through the misgivings of our own hearts We may think God is gone and hides his face when there is no such matter as through inadvertency we may seek what we have in our hands Thus a Child of God thinks he is cast out of the presence of God when all the while he hath a full right and place in his heart Thus David Psal. 31. 22. We think God hath forgotten us neglects us casts us off hath no respect for us when in the mean time the Lord is framing an answer of Grace for us One chief cause is misinterpreting Gods Providence and our manifold afflictions The Lord sometimes frowns upon his Children as Ioseph upon his Brethren when his affections were very strong so the Lord covers himself with frowns and anger the visible appearance of it speaks no otherwise Secondly It may be really when he is angry for sin Isai. 57. 17. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth As the Fathers of our Flesh shew their anger by whipping and scourging the Bodies of their Children so the Father of our Spirits by lashing the Soul and Spirits by causing them to feel the effects of his angry indignation Or else withdrawing the Spirit of comfort suspending all the acts and fruits of his love so that they have not that joyful sense of communion with God as they were wont to have Now the reasons why Gods people may want the light of his countenance are these 1. God out of Sovereignty will exercise us with changes here in the World Even in the inward man there we have our Ebbs and Flows that we may know Earth is not Heaven He hath an Eternity wherein to reveal his love and to communicate himself to his people therefore he will take a liberty as to temporal dispensations Isai. 54. 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer He hath an everlasting love and kindness for us therefore here in the world he will exercise us with some uncertainties as David concealed his love towards his Son Absolom when yet his bowels yerned towards him Here he takes liberty to do it because he will make it up in Heaven All your changes shall then be recompenced by an uninterrupted comfort 2. To conform us to Jesus Christ. We should not know the bitter agonies our Redeemer sustained
But Justification is but a relative It rendreth us amiable in the eyes of God God hateth sin more than misery Sin is against Gods very nature God can inflict punishmeââ¦t but he cannot infuse sin Gods interest and honour is to be preferred before our comfort and personal benefit In sanctification besides our personal benefit which is the perfection of our natures Gods honour and interest is concerned in our subjection to him Justification is a pledge but Sanctification is not only a pledge but a beginning 't is removens prohibens We love him for pardoning but he delighteth in holiness he delighteth in us rather as sanctified than pardoned We love much because much is forgiven Luke 7. 47. But God delighteth in the pure and upright Prov. 11. 20. Such as are upright in their way are his delight Use. 1. For reproof of three sorts First Of those that would have ease and comfort but care not for duty would have the love of God to pacifie their Consciences but never mind this to have their hearts directed in Gods ways Hos. 10. 11. Ephraim is as an Heifer that is taught that would tread out the Corn but not break the Clodds It yielded food Deut. 25. 4. They would be feasted with priviledges yet abhor service when they prize comfort To these we may argue not only ab incongruo how disingenuous it is to separate duty and comfort to be so ready to expect all from God and so unwilling to do any thing for him 'T is contrary to the disposition of Gods Children Tit. 2. 11 12. and Rom. 12. 1. But ab impossibili Will God ever delight in you till you be conformed to his Image Christ came not to make a change in God but in us not to make God less holy but us more holy 'T is not agreeable to the reasonable nature to conceive that God should be indifferent to good and bad or a friend to those that break his Laws Would you think well of that Magistrate that should let men rob and steal and beat their Fellow-Subjects and not only connive at them but receive them into his bosome You that have but a drop of the Divine Nature cannot delight in the company of Sinners 2 Pet. 2. 8. Secondly Those that would have the favour of God but expect it should be shewed to them in temporal things Alas these things are promiscuously dispensed to all Can be no evidence of his special love God is behind-hand with none of his Creatures Eccl. 9. 1 2. sometimes evil things to good men and good things to evil men Iosiah dyed in wars as well as Ahab Is Abraham rich so is Nabal Is Ioseph honoured by Pharaoh so is Doeg by Saul Hath Demetrius a good report of all men 3 Iohn 12. so have false Teachers Luke 6. 26. Hath Caleb health and strength Iosh. 14. 11. so have wicked ones No bands in their death Psal. 73. 4. Their strength is firm Was Moses beautiful Acts 7. 20. so was Absolom 2 Sam. 14. 25. Did God give learning and wisdom to Moses and Daniel c. Dan. 1. 17. so to the Egyptians Acts. 7. 22. Long life to Ishmael Gen. 25. 17. as well as to Isaac Gen. 35. 20. Thirdly The Children of God that murmure and repine at their sufferings when others ignorant of the mind of God and the strictness of his ways fare better Psal. 17. 14. 'T is often seen That he that encreaseth knowledg encreaseth sorrow Eccl. 1. 18. Drones and Sots have their ampler revenues but we should not be thereby discouraged 'T is their portion Prov. 3. 31 32. Envy thou not the Oppressor and chuse none of his ways for the froward are an abomination unto the Lord and his secret is with the righteous They are hateful to God while they flourish 'T is a greater evidence of Gods favour and friendship to understand his counsel in the Word and to be acquainted with the mysteries of godliness than to enjoy all the power and greatness in the world the knowledg of a despised hated truth than to flourish in opposition against the ways of God through ignorance obstinacy and prejudice Use 2. Is direction to us 1. For strict walking If we would have a comfortable sense of Gods love we must resolve upon a strict course of holy walking Gal. 6. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of God and Psal. 85. 8. and Ephes. 4. 30. 2. If we would walk strictly we must go to God for continual direction Psal. 86. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name Psal. 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness Especially when blinded with interest or apt to be carried away with temptations 3. Gods teaching is not only directive but perswasive it prevents sin Psal. 119. 133. quickens to Duty Psal. 119. 33 34 35. Teach and keep and make me to go for that 's the difference between literal instruction which we have from man and spiritual instruction which we have from God Gods teaching is drawing ââ¦ohn 6. 44. 45. SERMON CLI PSAL. CXIX VER 136. Rivers of water run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law MOST of the Sentences of this Psalm are independent and do not easily fall under the rules of method so that we need not take pains in clearing up the Context the Verse needs it not the time permits it not only you may observe this That often in this Psalm David had expressed his great joy and now he maketh mention of his exceeding grief There is a time to rejoyce and a time to mourn as times vary so do duties We have affections for every condition Indeed in this Valley of tears mourning is seldome out of season either with respect to sin or misery for our selves or others David that did sometimes mourn for his own sins and watered his Couch with tears Psal. 6. 6. He took also his time to mourn and bewail other mens sins Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law In the Words observe David's grief is set out by 1. Constancy and greatness of it Rivers of tears run down mine eyes 2. The goodness of the cause or reason of it Because they keep not thy Law Rivers of tears He compares his tears to a Stream and River always running The same expression is used Lam. 2. 18. Let tears run down like a River day and night let not the apples of thine eyes cease When affections are vehemently exercised the Scripture is wont to use such kind of expressions The will of a godly man is above his performance it is wont to do much more than the body can furnish him with abilities to express He had such a large affection that he could weep Rivers Because they Some referr it to eyes the
of Hosts 5. Want of Faith Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest The Woman of Canaan that would take no denial Christ saith O woman great is thy Faith The blind man cryed after the Son of David as we run to a Rich man that is Charitably disposed for an Alms. If we were perswaded that we should be the better for coming to God we should not be so slight and careless in our approaches to him 2. Use. Is to press you to this crying or Holy vehemency in Prayer The Apostle biddeth us to continue instant in Prayer ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã continue with all your might in Prayer Col. 4. 12. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Labouring fervently in Prayer for you The word signifieth to be striving in a Battel and in an Agony for them It hath life in it But what is it 1. When the Heart worketh in prayer as before 2. When you follow the suit and will not give over praying Luk. 18. 1. He spake a Parable to them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint Luk. 11. 8. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Because of his Importunity he will rise c. The Prophet telleth God plainly what he would do Isa. 62. 1. For Zions sake will I not hold my Peace and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest c. So Iacob Gen. 32. 26. I will not let thee go unless thou Bless me Absque te non recedam 3. When deaf to disappointments and discouragements from without from within from himself from God himself 1 Sam. 12. 23. God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you c. Notwithstanding the many Objections in his heart what God would do to a Rebellious People So Elijah when the Heavens were as Brass and the Clouds as Iron And blind Bartimeus Mark 10. 48. Many charged him that he should hold his Peace but he cryed the more a great deal thou Son of David have mercy on me When God seemeth to cast out prayer to give no answer or a contrary one So Daniel when forbidden to pray Dan. 6. 10. When Daniel knew that the writing was signed he went into his House and prayed three times a day as afore-time He doth not make one suit the less or abate one Jot of his Zeal To cleave to God when he seemeth to Thrust us from him Iob 13. 15. This is an Holy Obstinacy very acceptable unto God The Woman of Canaan standeth fending and proving with Christ till he giveth her satisfaction Then be it unto thee as thou wilt When we turn discouragements into arguments and motives of believing and draw near to Christ the more he seemeth to drive us from him however God wrestle with such for a while it is with a purpose to give Faith the Victory and to yield us himself to do for us what our Souls desire of him You pray and God keepeth silence He answered her not a word Matth. 15. 23. 'T is not said he heard not a word but he answered her not a word these two differ Christ often heareth when he doth not answer his not answering is indeed an answer and speaks this Pray on and continue your Crying still the Door is kept bolted that you may knock again afterwards a Rebuke First he answereth not a word then giveth an answer to the Disciples not to the Woman I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel and then it is not meet to take the Childrens bread and to cast it to dogs But she turned the discouragement into an Argument And she said Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the Crumbs which fall from their Masters Table 4. Holy fervency and vehemency will be argumentative and plead with God as Abraham Gen. 18. 25. Shall not the Iudge of all the earth do right So Iacob Gen. 32. 9. Iacob pleadeth Gods promise Return unto thy Fathers house I will deal well with thee Lord I undertook not this Journey but upon this incouragement The little honour God hath by the Churches Calamities Psal. 44. 12. Isa. 52. 4 5. The Praise God will have from his People Psal. 142. 6. do it as David in the Text I will keep thy Statutes The chief Arguments are Gods Covenant Psal. 74. 22. Arise O God plead thine own Cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily Have respect to thy Covenant The Merits of Christ. Lord hear for the Lords sake Desire is witty to find out Arguments and Reasoning to enforce the things we sue for But how shall we get it 1. Have a sincere desire to the things asked we will cry for what we value and earnestly desire Prov. 2. 3 4. If thou cryest for knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding if thou seek for her as for silver and searchest for her as for hid Treasures Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God 2. Be perswaded of the Lords willingness to hear and power to help A Rich and Bountiful person a Beggar will not let him go if he see onely a Rich man Matth. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst It is in the power of your hand to help us But is not God willing also Suppose it be an uncertainty yet cry mightily unto God who can tell that he will not repent Ionah 3. 8 9. If there be but a possibility yet try what importunity will do Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high unto God who performeth all things for me He hath heard once and will again 3. Beg the Assistance of the Spirit our necessities are not sharp enough to quicken our Affections they need the secret influence of Grace it is his work to set us a groaning and crying to God How well are we provided for with an Advocate and Notary Rom. 8. 26. Iude 20. 4. Let us rowse up our selves Isa. 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee Psal. 57. 8. Awake up my glory awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake early We must ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã stir up the gift of God which is in us 2 Tim. 1. 6. 5. Let us take heed we do not Quench the Spirit 1 Thes. 5. 19. bring deadness on our Hearts by carnal liberty So much enlarged as we are to the Flesh so much streightned in the Spirit where desires are after other things there will be little delight in Prayer 6. The way to be fervent is to be frequent and often with God A Key seldom turned rusts in the Lock The fire of the Sanctuary was never to go out by great interruptions we lose what we have wrought The way of the Lord is strength to the upright but destruction shall be to the Workers of Iniquity Prov. 10. 29. I come now to the Second Qualification With my whole Heart
Morning Gen. 22. So for bad things if a man be Worldly his Worldly Desires and Affections compel him to rise early for their satisfaction Psalm 127. 3. The Drunkard is thinking early of his morning draught to be filled with Wine Isa. 15. 11. Wo to them that rise up early to follow strong drink The People when they were mad upon the Calf Exod. 36. 6. They rose up early in the morning and offered burnt-offerings to it Whatsoever hath secured its Interest in the Soul will first urge us so if Prayer be our chief pleasure it will urge us to be up betimes with God our Delights and Affections sollicit us in the Morning 3. 'T is the choicest time of the day and therefore should be allotted to the most serious and necessary imployment 'T is the choicest time partly with respect to the Body because the Body is then best refreshed and our Vigour repaired which is lessened and spent with the business of the day Our Memories quickest Senses readiest natural Faculties most acute And partly with respect to the Mind our Morning thoughts are our Virgin thoughts more pure sublime and defecate usually free from Worldly Cares which would distract us in prayer and will more incroach upon us by our Worldly business and the baser Objects which the necessity of our life ingages us to converse with and be imployed about Certainly the best time should be taken up about the best business not in recreations to be sure for this is to knit pleasure to pleasure and to wear away the sithe in whetting not in working They are brutish Epicures that rise up from sleep not to service but to their sensual Delights and Vanities as the Scripture brandeth them that eat in the Morning not for strength but Excess Eccl. 10. 16 17. The Morning is the fittest time for business now what business should we do but the most weighty and that which requireth the greatest heedfulness of Soul which is our communion with God 4. Consider 'T is profitable to begin the day with God and to season the heart with some gracious exercise as David Psal. 139. 18. When I awake I am still with thee It sanctifieth all our other business as the offering the first fruits did sanctifie the whole lump and to whom should the first fruits of our Reason and Sense restored be consecrated but to him that gave us all and is the Author and preserver of them When the World gets the start of Religion it can hardly overtake it all the day the first thoughts leave a powerful Impression upon it Mich. 2. 1. They devise evil upon their beds and when the morning is come they practise it With carnal men sin beginneth in the morning stayeth in the Heart all day playeth in the fancy all night but if you begin with God in the Morning you take God along with you all the day to your business and imployment 5. This will be some recompence for the time lost in sleeping half our lives are consumed in it our time is parted between work and sleep 'T is the misery and necessity we are subject unto whilest we are in the body that so much of our time should be spent without doing any thing for God or shewing any act of Love and thankfulness to him None of the other Creatures ever stand still but are alwayes executing and accomplishing the end for which they were made And in heaven the blessed Spirits are alwaies beholding the face of God and Lauding and Blessing his Name and need not those intermissions which we bodily Creatures do Now though this be our Necessity and so no sin to need the refreshings of sleep yet because so much of our time is lost by way of recompence the least that we should do is to take the next season and if health and bodily constitution will permit to prevent the dawning of the Morning and to be as early with God as we can All the time we can well spare should be given to God do but consider since thou wentest to bed the Sun hath Travailed many thousand miles to give thee light this Morning and therefore what a shame it is that the Sun being continually in so swift motion should return and find him turning and tossing in his Bed like a door upon the hinges Prov. 20. 14. after Nature is satisfied with sleep And that we should not rise and own Gods Mercy in the Rest of the Night and sanctifie the Labours of the day by some serious address to him This Meditation is enforced by Augustine Indecus est Christiano si radius solis eum inveniat in lecto posset enim dicere sol si potestatem loquendi haberet amplius laboravi heri quam tu tamen cum jam surrexerim tu adhuc dormis So Ambrose on this Text Grave est si te otiosum radius solis orientis in verecundo pudore conveniat lux clara inveniat occulos somnolento adhuc corpore depressos III. 'T was a Vehement and Earnest Prayer for saith David I cryed Observe Doctrine 'T was earnest though private and 't was earnest though he could get no satisfactory Answer 1. Earnest though Private in all our Addresses to God we must be serious whether men see or hear or no God seeth and heareth An Hypocrite hath a great flash of gifts in Company but is streight when alone but Gods Children are most earnest in private when they do more particularly open their hearts to God without taking in the necessities of others Christ when he was withdrawn from his Disciples then he prayed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã more earnestly Luk. 22. 44. Iacob sent away his Company to deal with God in good earnest and then wrestled with him ille dolet vere qui sine teste dolet Peter went out and wept bitterly so a Christian trieth it out between God and him when he hath a mind to plead for his own Soul or for the Church therefore hath no outward reason to move him but Conscience and spiritual Affection The Pharisees would pray in the Synagogues and corners of the streets but Christ saith go into thy closet and shut the door and pray to thy father in secret Matth. 6. 7. This is the love and confidence we express to our Father in secret A man may put forth himself with great Warmth and Vigour before others that is slight and careless in secret Addresses to God In these secret intercourses we most taste our spirits and discern the pure workings of Affection towards God A Woman that only bemoaneth the loss of her Husband in Company but banisheth all thoughts of him when alone might justly be suspected to act a Tragical part and to pretend sorrow rather than feel it Some will pray in secret but customarily utter a few cold words but David saith I cried Remember there is one seeth in secret as Christ saith I am not alone Iohn 16. 32. And Mal. 1. 14. He is a God of
work a great change in us A Christian should and in some measure doth carry an equal mind in all Conditions and keep the same pace whither he goeth up-hill or down-hill and have his heart fixed in God whatever falleth out Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. But alas we are much discomposed oftentimes especially at the first onset by our outward estate when under great Afflictions it puts a damp upon our spirits and we cannot serve God so chearfully Levit. 10. 19. And Aaron said unto Moses Behold this day have they offered their sin-offering and their burnt-offering before the Lord and such things have befallen me and if I had eaten the sin-offering to day should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord. So Hezekiah it is said of him 2 Chron. 32. 25. When Hezekiah was sick unto death and he prayed unto the Lord and he gave him a sign that Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up We are too apt to be dejected and cast down with worldly Troubles or exalted and puffed up with worldly Comforts and both bring on deadness upon the Heart both worldly sorrow and carnal complacency It is not requisite that a Child of God should be without all sense of his condition and it cannot be supposed that this sense should always be kept within bounds and under the Coercion and Government of Grace considering our weakness and therefore a Christian receiveth some Taint from the changes he passes thorow as the water doth from the soil through which it runneth He is sometimes in Credit sometimes in Disgrace sometime Rich sometimes Poor sometimes sick and in Pain at other times in Health and firm Constitution of Body Now though it argueth small strength to faint in ordinary Afflictions Prov. 24. 10. and a light spirit to be puffed up like a bubble with every slight blast yet when Troubles are heavy and pressing Gods best servants have been ready to dye and faint and in a full estate it is hard to keep down carnal rejoycing By both the freedom of following Gods service chearfully may often be interrupted 4 Because we sin away our life and strength and by our careless walking contract deadness and hardness of Heart The Mind like the Eye is soon offended and out of Temper we forfeit the quickning influences of his Spirit upon which the activity of Grace dependeth To correct our sinful rashness and to teach us more Watchfulness and Caution God withdraweth Phil. 2. 12 13. Be the sin a sin of Commission especially if grievous and hainous as David found a shrewd abatement of Life and Vigor after his foul sin Psal. 51. 11 12. Or a sin of Omission when we neglect God or serve him slightly if we give way to deadness Isa. 64. 6. rest in the work wrought and are more willing to get a Duty over than to perform it with any Life and Vigor God suspends his quickning If you do not mind the work why should God quicken you in it 3. Reason Is taken from the Nature of Gods Dispensation They do often and earnestly ask quickning because God giveth out by degrees and would keep us in constant dependance In him we live move ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and have our being Act. 17. 28. both as Creatures and new Creatures There is a constant Concurrence of his motions and influences by their beings and operations God will indear his Grace to us by bringing us daily under new debt and therefore he doth not give us all our stock and portion in our hands lest we neglect him as the Prodigal did his Father By multiplyed and renewed Acts of Grace he doth more commend his love to us every day he must quicken us and in every Duty If so much Rain fell in a day as would suffice the Earth for seven years the Commerce between the Air and the Earth would cease Or if a man could eat so much at one meal as to go in the strength of it all his Life there would be no ground to pray for daily bread therefore God doth dispence his Assistances so as you must still wait upon him and be calling to him He keepeth Grace in his own hand that he may often hear from us Doctrine II. The main Argument which Gods Children have to plead in Prayer is his own favour and loving-kindness I shall shew I. That this is a Modest Humble and Pious Argument II. This is a Comfortable and Incouraging Argument I. 'T is a Modest Argument and 't were good if we could learn this modesty of David He was one much in Prayer diligent in keeping Gods Statutes abundant in all Acts of Devotion spent nights in Meditation and yet after all this placeth all his hopes in the Mercy and Loving-kindness of God and desireth onely to be heard according to mercy But in us there is a secret carnal notion of God as if he were our Debtor if we act for him or suffer any thing for him we carry it as if God were obliged to us Isa. 58. Wherefore have we fasted c. We cannot be at a Fast give a little Alms or make a Prayer but we think we have merited much at Gods hands Oh this is against all reason Alas what profit can we be to God Iob 35. 6 7 8. God is above the injuries and benefits of the Creature what miss had he of Angels and Men in those innumerable Ages of duration that went before any Created Being And as it is against Reason so it is against all the declarations God hath made of himself to us Ezek. 36. 32. Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord of Hosts Be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes So Tit. 3. 4 5 6. But after that the kindness and love of God our saviour towards man appeared not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our saviour In short no worth in us or Righteousness of ours is that Merit and Righteousness by vertue of which we are accepted with God Our Works and Righteousness are not that Condition by which we receive and apply this Merit that 's Faith No Works or Merit are a motive or the first inducing Cause to move God to give us that Faith but all is from his Loving-kindness and readiness to do good to the Creatures Again 'T is contrary to the practice of the Saints and Children of God who though never so Holy and never so good yet still they plead Mercy and this by direction from him who knoweth what plea is fittest for Creatures to use to God Luk. 17. 10. As it is not the merit of one part of the Earth that it lyeth nearer the Sun than another onely the Creator would
us and we are called by thy name leave us not Thus God is said to be nigh because he dwelleth in the Churches and walketh in the midst of them but those that are Converted indeed are in a straighter Union with God all those that are Members of the Visible Church and are united to Christ by a visible and political Union they have great Priviledges for they are a Society under God's special care and government and enjoy the means of Grace and the offers of Salvation and great helps by the gifts bestowed upon the body and so have God nearer to them then others though they have not the saving fruits of Union with Christ and Communion with God Once more a People that are nigh unto God visibly and politically may be cast off as Ier. 13. 11. For as a girdle cleaveth to the loines of a man so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Iudah saith the Lord that they might be unto me for a people and for a name and for a praise and for a glory but they would not hear yet I will cast them away as a rotten girdle that is good for nothing ver 10. These words are the Application of a charge given to Ieremiah to get him a girdle and hide it till it was rotten and then to bring it forth and tell the People the meaning of this Ceremony he was to get a Girdle not Leathern nor Woollen such as were commonly worn by the ordinary sort but a Linnen Girdle such as the better sort of Persons were wont to wear he was not to wet it or put it in water to imply that neither God not ought from him had been the cause of the general Corruption and Destruction of this People but to hide it in a dry place near Euphrates till it was Corrupted Thus God would lay visibly before their eyes their own state they were as near about him girded as close to him as a girdle about a man's loins yet then good for nothing But for those to whom God is near by saving benefits they cannot be lost for where the nearness is really begun it will continue and never be broken off You may as well separate the Leaven and the Dough impossibile est massam a pasta separare c. 5. In those that are living Members of Christ's Mystical Body we must distinguish between a state of nearness and Acts of nearness by Converting Grace we are brought into a state of nearness unto God and in Worship we actually draw nigh unto him and he to us The state of nearness is the state of Favour and Reconciliation with God into which we are admitted who were before strangers and Enemies Col. 1. 21. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled And also our participation of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust or Life of God from which we were formerly alienated by Sin Eph. 4. 18. Having their understandings darkned being alienated from the life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart For these three do alwayes go together the Favour of God the Image of God and Fellowship with God when Adam lost one he lost all when he lost the Image of God he also lost the Favour of God or Fellowship with God or nearness to him So then our state of nearness lyeth in the recovery of the Favour of God and the Image or Life of God when we stand right in his grace and live his life they are both great Mercies and both the ground of our Fellowship with God or nearness to him Oh Christians think with your selves is it not a great priviledge for poor sinful Creatures that could not think of God without horror or hear him named without Trembling or pray to him without great dejection of Heart to look upon God as reconciled and willing to receive us and bless us So for the Life of God to have a life begun in us by the Spirit of God and maintained by the continual Influences of his Grace till all be perfected in Glory what a Priviledge is this None but they that live this Life can have Communion with God Things cannot converse that do not live the same Life as Adam had no Companion or meet-help but was alone though all the Creatures came and subjected themselves to him Trees Beasts Men c. Gen. 2. 18. And the Lord said it is not good for man to be alone I will make him an help meet for him But besides this state of nearness there are special Acts of nearness both on God's part and ours he is nearer to us sometimes than at others when we have more evidences of his Favour inward or outward inward Evidences when he quickens comforts supports the Soul filleth the heart with Joy and Peace in Believing at such a time God is near we feel him sensibly exciting and stirring up his own work in us The Soul alwayes dwelleth in the Body but it doth not alwayes act alike it is ever equal in point of Habitation but not in point of Operation So Christ doth always dwell in the heart by his Spirit but he doth not alwayes act alike but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã according to his good Pleasure Phil. 2. 13. God is not alike always present with his People but never withdraweth that Influence that is necessary to the being of Grace Psal. 73. 23. Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand So outwardly sometimes God hideth himself sometimes seemeth not to mind the affairs of his People at other times all the World shall know that they are near and dear to him he that toucheth them toucheth the Apple of his Eye those that will not see shall see and be ashamed for their envy at his people Isa. 26. 11. So on our part there is a standing Relation between us and God but our hearts are more or less towards him in Worship we especially then draw near unto him though there be a communion in walking with God in our whole course these things must be distinguished for actual intercourse may be interrupted or suspended when our state of nearness to God ceaseth not 6. The Grounds and Reasons of all nearness or the way how it cometh about are these four I. God's Covenant with us II. Our Incorporation into Christ. III. The Inhabitation of the Spirit in us And IV. Mutual Love between God and us These are the Reasons why God is near us and we a People near unto God I. His Covenant with us or Confederation in the Covenant God promiseth to be our God and we to be his People Ier. 32. 38. And they
answerable to your hope 1 Thes. 2. 12. On the other side Hope study Promises Rom. 15. 4. The God of hope fill you with joy in believing he is not only the Object but the Author of it SERMON CLXXXII PSALM CXIX VER 167. My soul hath kept thy Testimonies and I love them exceedingly THE Man of God goeth on in his plea in the former verse he had spoken of the influence of his hope upon obedience Now of the influence of his Love and so more expresly and directly maketh out this Qualification or Title to the Promise mentioned verse 165. Before we go on let me Answer a Question or two First How can a gracious Heart speak so much of it self and insist so much upon the plea of Obedience Is not this contrary to our Saviours Doctrine who in the Parable of the Pharisee and Publican that went up to pray Luk. 18. Teach us to make use of the plea of Mercy not of Works 1. I Answer As to that part of the scruple which concerneth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that cannot be imagined to be faulty in David who was a Prophet and therefore to instruct the World propoundeth his own instance and setteth forth himself as a pattern of obtaining comfort in the way of Godliness 2. As to the plea of works they may be produced by way of Evidence not by way of Merit as they prove our interest in the Promises not as the ground of self-confidence The Pharisee he came not to beg an Alms but to receive a debt and therefore went away without any mark and testimony of the Divine favour and approbation But Holy Men plead this to God as expecting Mercy and Favour at his hands not in regard of any merit in themselves or of reward deservedly for the same done to them for they acknowledge all that they do or can do to be but duty and due debt But in regard of his Gracious Promise freely made unto them in an humble and modest manner they dare appeal to God himself for the sincerity and integrity of their hearts for their serious care and sedulous endeavours to please him and approve themselves to him Secondly But why is this plea reiterated for three verses together Answer Too much care cannot be used in making out an interest in so sweet a Promise and teacheth us this Iesson that we had need examine again and again before we can put in our claim Jesus Christ puts Peter to the question thrice Iohn 21. 15 16 17. Peter lovest thou me So here 't was Davids plea thrice repeated for the more assurance I have done thy Commandments my soul hath kept thy Testimonies and again I have kept thy Commandments and thy Precepts after a believer hath found marks of saving grace in himself it is Wisdom for him to examine them over and over again that he may be sure they are in him in Deed and in Truth the heart is deceitful our self-love is great our infirmities many and our graces so weak that we should not easily trust the search Truly such an holy Jealousie doth well become the best of Gods Children and doth only weaken the security of the Flesh not their rejoycing in the Lord. In the Words you have the Testimony of Davids Conscience concerning the sincerity of his Heart evidenced by two Notes I. The Sincerity of his Obedience my soul hath kept my Testimonies II. His exceeding love to the Word I Love them exceedingly or if you will by the manner of his Obedience and the principle of it I. The Spirituality of his Obedience my soul hath kept thy Testimonies mark the notion by which the act of Duty is expressed is varied in the former verse it 's I have done thy Commandments here it is I have kept thy Testimonies done more exexpressely noteth his sedulity and deligence kept his Constancy and diligence perseverance notwithstanding Temptations to the contrary And how kept them Saith he my soul hath kept them not with outward observance only but with inward and hearty respect My Soul that is my self a part for the whole and the better part I with my soul and so it sheweth his sincerity 't is an usual expression among the Hebrews when they would express their vehement affection to any thing to say they do it with their souls as Psal. 103. 1. Bless the Lord O my Soul and Luke 1. 45. My soul doth magnifie the Lord. As on the contrary vehemency of hatred Isa. 1. 14. Your New Moons and appointed Feasts my soul hateth that is I hate them with my heart The note is Doctrine God must be served with our Souls as well as our Bodies David saith My soul hath kept thy Testimonies 1. Because he hath a right to both as he made both and therefore hath required that both should serve him he that organized the body and framed it out of the dust of the ground did also breath into us the breath of Life and framed the spirit of man within him therefore since God may challenge all 't is fit he should have the best my son give me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. Look upon it whose Image and superscription doth it bear Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods he hath redeemed both 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God both in your body and spirits which are Gods Shall we rob God of his purchase so dearly bought We would not rob a man of his Goods and will you rob God He challengeth a peculiar right in Souls all Souls are mine and therefore they should be used and exercised for his glory If we use them for our selves only and not according to his direction we do as Reuben did that went up into his Fathers bed To withhold the Heart from God is Robbery nay Sacriledge which is the worst kind of Robbery For Gods right in Redemption is confirmed and owned by our Personal dedication in Baptism Once more God hath right to the Service of both body and soul because he offereth to Glorifie both and Reward both in the Heavenly Inheritance the Body and the Soul are Sisters and Co-heirs as Tertullian speaketh If we expect wages for both we must do work with both if God should make such a division at Death as men do all their Life to him can they be happy if any part of them be excluded Heaven If the Body and lifeless trunck were taken into Heaven and the Soul left in Torments what were you the better But that cannot be God will have all or no part therefore your whole Spirit and Soul and Body must be kept blameless unto the coming of the Lord Iesus Christ 1 Thess. 5. 23. Otherwise your souls cannot be joyned to God in Heaven if they be divided from him on Earth 2. Because this is service suitable to his nature when we serve him and obey him with our souls God is an All-seeing Spirit and
in rugged ways though we oftentimes stumble yet if our soul be with him we may have comfort Use. I. This is for the Conviction of divers Persons that they do no more serve God in their Souls do not keep his Testimonies 1. There are some that neither serve God with body or soul as all loose Persons who do not so much as make a shew of his service they are all for their brutish Pleasures their souls to hunt them out and their bodies to pursue and follow them Their Souls is a cage of unclean Birds and a stye of all filthiness and their Bodies only a strainer for Meats and Drinks to pass thorough or a Channel for Lust to run in so that they have nothing at all to spare for God The Soul is an ill guide suggesting all manner of evil and the body a ready instrument to accomplish it These are those that yield up their Members to Uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity Rom. 6. 19. Oh! time will come when God will tear them in pieces and rend the guilty Soul from the imbraces of the unwilling body A sad time 't will be for these the Soul will curse the Body as an ill Instrument the Body the Soul as a corrupt Guide and curse the day of their first union when they cannot expect but to meet again in flames 2. Some that give their Bodies to God but withhold their Souls from him How may this be done Answ. 1. Generally When Men content themselves with a naked Profession of Christianity and some external Conformity thereunto 'T is a stupid Religion that consists in outward Actions Iudas was externally a Disciple but Satan entred into his heart Luk. 22. 3. Ananias joyned himself to the People of God but Satan filled his heart Acts 5. 3. Simon Magus was Baptized but his heart was not right with God Acts 8. 22. Many Men may not only make Profession but perform many good Actions Be as to external conformity blameless yet till their hearts are subdued to God they should not be satisfied with their Condition Though you pray with the Pharisee Luk. 18. Pay thy Vowes with the Harlot Prov. 7. Offer Sacrifice with Cain Fast with Iezabel sell thine Inheritance to give to the Poor with Ananias and Saphira 't is all in vain without the heart Many Hypocrites are all Ear to Hear all Tongue to Talk all Face to Appear but not an Heart to Obey Something must be done for Religion for Fashion sake and shame of the World yea though thou dost not dissemble do many things yet if your hearts be not renewed and changed all is nothing you do not keep the Testimonies of the Lord with your Souls 2. And more Particularly When Men make conscience of Ceremonies and outsides rather then sincere Obedience As the Pharisees Matth. 23. 25 26. They make clean the outside of the cup and platter but within are full of extortion and excess Pretend great purity in eating their Meat but care not with how great Iniquity they purchase it Papists think they have done enough if they mutter over a few idle Words without Spirit and Life the most part of their service 't is but that of the body without the soul they Worship in a strange Language not knowing what they do or say and nearer home draw nigh with their Lips when their Hearts is far from him Matth. 5. 8. These leave their Hearts at home the Devil findeth them other work that suffer their Hearts to straggle and to be like the Fools Eyes in the corners of the Earth when with their Bodies they are ingaged in serious and solemn Duties of Gods Worship Use. II. Is to press you to serve God with your hearts and souls as well as your bodies 1. This is the Character of true Worshippers Rom. 1. 9. My God whom I serve in the spirit And 2 Tim. 1. 3. God whom I serve with a pure conscience This was peculiar to Paul alone 't is the description of the spiritual Circumcision Phil. 3. 3. For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh These are such as are true Worshippers 2. God will accept of no other for he looketh for the heart and knoweth whether we give it him yea or no Men care not for fawning and the obsequiousness of empty Courtships but look for reality if they could discern it 2 Kings 10. 15. Is thy heart right as my heart is with thy heart 't was Iehu's question to Ionadab the Son of Rechab Dost thou as really affect me as I do thee And Men do not look to the Matter of the Gift but the Mind of the Giver and will God think you who can infallibly Judge and will one day bring the hidden thoughts of the heart to Light 1 Cor. 4. 5. will he be put off with shows and empty formalities Well then see that your Souls be in it otherwise he will not accept of Rivers of Oyl and thousands of Rams All your Pomp and Cost upon outside services is lost But 't is not every soul that will keep Gods Testimonies when the People said all that the Lord hath spoken we will do it Deut. 5. 29. Oh that they had such an heart It must be such an heart for man is naturally averse from God sin sets up its Throne in the Heart and thence diffuseth its Venom into his Actions Gen. 6. 5. It must be 1. A Broken Heart 2. A Renewed Heart 3. An Heart purified by Faith 4. And Acted by Love 1. A Broken Heart it must be Psal. 51. 11. for before that all that we do is forced and superficial We are never serious till acquainted with brokenness of heart but serve God in a slight careless fashion That bruising is to cast into a new Mould 't is a preparative to the New Heart Wheat is not Bread till it be Grinded and a crack'd Vessel cannot be renewed till it be melted in the Furnace Nor we formed anew till we be first melted humbled and broken for sin 2. The Heart must be Renewed by Grace for 't is a Renewed Soul only that keepeth the Commandments Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put into you and then I will cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my Iudgments to do them The Hearts of the Sons of men are fully set in them to do evil till God change them and renew a right Spirit within them Prov. 10. 20. The heart of the wicked is nothing worth A vain sottish sensual careless heart will never do God any service there must be Life before there can be Action A supernatural Principle before there can be supernatural operation for all things act according to their form All that we do else is but like Adulterating Coin Guilding over Copper or Brass 3. An Heart purified by Faith Acts 15. 9. There are
idle Words Matth. 12. 36. I say unto you that for every idle word that men speak they shall give an account thereof in the Iudgment Men esteem little of their Words yet when they are put into Gods Ballance they may weigh heavy not only wicked Words but even idle Words such as serve for no good purpose or for no lawful end and in your account they will come in as so many sins and sit heavy upon you if you have not received Pardon before it is a strict Sentence But what is this Idle Discourse such as wanteth the solidity and substance of truth such as tend to no use and benefit de jure God may Condemn you for these though de facto upon Repentance he pardoneth greater sins Or possibly such are idle Words as come from a vain idle frame of heart for he had spoken before in the 35 Verse that a Good Man out of the good Treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an Evil Man evil things Now such idle words are a Note of the wickedness of the man of the evil Treasure that is in his heart for these he is responsible at the Day of Judgment as for a vain Conversation and the unfruitful works of Darkness However we must not open a gap to Licentiousness as when the Apostle forbiddeth Prophane discourse he enjoyneth Profitable discourse as the only remedy Eph. 4. 29. Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers As much as may be holy Conference should be mixed with all our Discourses and Converses otherwise they are accountable to God And 't is very notable the Apostle forbiddeth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã foolish jesting Eph. 5. 4. Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which is not convenient but rather giving of thanks As he condemneth filthiness or words contrary to Christian Gravity Decency or Modesty so he condemneth foolish Talking which is impertinent superfluous and vain Discourse And then jesting not all honest Mirth or use of Wit but an intemperate Use when men give up themselves to a frothy Vanity that they cannot be serious or too tart Reflections upon the personal Imperfections of others or to impious justs by wresting the Scripture to express the conceptions of a vain and wanton Wit In the General there must be a great guard on all jesting lest it degenerate and that we entertain one another with Thansgiving and discourses of the Love of God and his manifold Mercies to us for 't is not an easie matter to keep within bounds of cheerful and allowed mirth Hearts that are kept sensible of Gods goodness are desirous to express it to others whenever occasion offereth and vain and idle Communication is nothing so pleasing to them 2. Positively We are to edifie one another as David professeth here that his Tongue should speak of Gods Word his Conferences and Discourses should be filled up of no other matter 1. Because our Tongue is our Glory Psal. 10. 9. My heart is glad and my Glory rejoiceth Compare Acts 2. 26. My heart rejoyceth and my tongue was glad Now why is our Tongue our Glory not only as 't was given us for the use of tasting meat and drink so the Tongues of the brute Beasts serve them but because thereby we must express the Conceptions of our Minds So Speech is the excellency of man above the Beasts but Christianity giveth us an higher Reason because thereby we may express the Conceptions of our Minds to the Glory of God and the good of others Iam. 3. 9. Therewith we bless God even the Father That 's our Glory that we cannot only think of God but speak of God his Word and Works 2. Because Conference and edifying Discourse is one means of spiritual Growth and spiritual improvement to our selves and others To our selves Prov. 16. 21. The wise in heart shall be called prudent and the sweetness of his lips increaseth learning The more he venteth what he knoweth the wiser himself groweth and learneth by teaching others for the more he draweth forth his knowledge the more 't is impressed upon his own heart 'T is a Truth he that watereth shall be watered and our gifts as the Loaves are encreased in the breaking or as the Widows giving Oyl to the Prophet was inriched by it not only as we occasion others to draw forth their knowledge but as our own is confirmed and strengthened by using it as to him that hath shall be given Matth. 25. 29. As venting of sin and folly increaseth sin and folly so doth venting spiritual knowledge still increase it 2 Others 't is a great benefit to them when we communicate our experiences to them Luk. 22. 32. When ââ¦ou art cââ¦verted strengthen thy Brethren When he was Converted by Repentance he should be more careful to convert and strengthen others that they fall not in like manner or help them to recover out of the Mire of Sin And the Apostle saith 2. Cer. 1. 4. That God comforteth us that we may be able to comfort others in trouble by the comfort wherewith we are comforted of God The Lord Comforts one that another may be Comforted as in the Coelestial Bodies whatever light and influence the Moon and Stars receive they bestow it on these inferiour Bodies they have their light from the Sun and they reflect it again on the Creatures below Or as the Official part in the Body as the Heart and Liver receive and convey and derive the Bloud and Spirits to all the other parts so a Christian when he is strengthened in himself ought to convey his Comfort and strength to others 'T is mighty edifying when we have found the usefulness of the Word to speak of it to Gods Praise if we have gotten direction in doubtful Cases or benefit by it in the Mastery of our Lusts and the Promises have affoorded any support and deliverance in our distresses we are debtors of the Comfort and Experiences we have and are stewards to dispence it to others Many take a glory that they have Cordials Strong-waters and Medicines in their Closets and Repositories that may be a relief to the Bodies of others So should we delight to refresh their Souls with what hath done us good The Humiliation and brokenness of Heart which thou hast found may be powerful to perswade others of the bitterness of Sin David when he had smarted for sin saith Ps. 51. 13. I will teach transgressours thy ways and sinners shall be converted into thee He had found it how bitter a thing it was to provoke God by Sin and he could tell them such stories of it as would make their hearts to wake and cause them to hate it The Faith and Knowledge which God hath given thee may direct and preserve others thy Temptations may conduce to the succouring of others who are Tempted 3. 'T is a mighty comfortable Duty that hath much
like lost Sheep We have not alwaies so clear and so deep a sense of our duty as we ought and find not such lively Powerful and Effectual thoughts of God and Heavenly things and so clear a sense so that the directive part fails us Then for our Wills which should command us where the Imperial Power resides they are imperfect There is I confess in the Regenerate a sincere Will to please God in all things but it is not a perfect Will so that our Willing and Nilling our Consent and Dissent is not so powerful as it ought to be but the Will being tainted by the Neighbour-hood of a distempered sense it yields a little and bends to the Flesh and gives way to Evil and many times it opposeth that which is good at least we are often overtaken in a Fault being inconsiderately and suddainly surprized as the Apostle useth that expression Gal. 6. 1. If a man be overtaken in a fault Though a Regenerate man hath a new Light put into his mind he is renewed in the Spirit of his mind though he hath a new bent and biass put upon his heart yet the Imperial and Directive Power have Flesh in them still and the Wisdom of the Flesh is so ingrain'd and kneaded into our Natures that it cannot be totally dispossessed no more then we can sever the Leven and the Dough when once they are mingled together If there be a defect in the Governing and Leading part of the Soul there will be disorders in the Life and Conversation Come we now from the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the leading faculties to the faculties which should be commanded and directed Alas they are by sin grown Obstinate and Masterly and are so eagerly set upon their objects carnal vanities that they will not be reclaimed but rebel against the Direction of Conscience and inclinations of the renewed Will The Apostle speaks of a Law of his Members warring against the Law of his Mind Rom. 7. 23. In the lower in the more sensitive faculties there is much head-strong opposition against the directions of the Will We have but a slender feeble Guide The leading part of the Will is defective and thereis much of the Wisdom of the Flesh there 'T is a trouble to the Flesh to be restrained from what it desires and inclines us to as a head-strong Horse is loath to be governed therefore we yield and suffer our selves to be transported and led away by our passions and carnal affections Now though the rebellious and disobedient disposition of the Appetite and Senses is in a great measure broken and subdued in us by the Power of Grace yet the best have somewhat of inordinate sensuality and weakness and being imperfect are tempted by the World and Sense as well as others Well then ever weigh in your mind for your direction these two grand Reasons of all the weakness that is in the Saints there is the debility and the weakness of the Leading and Commanding part and the rebelling of the inferiour faculties which should be Ruled and Commanded 1. The Debility and Weakness of the Leading and Commanding part of the Soul And thence is it that we are so inconsiderate so dull of apprehension have such dark and ineffectual thoughts of God and Heavenly things and thence is it that the Will doth not so potently and rulingly Command the directive faculties but is apt to yield to that it doth not stand upon its Authority as it was wont to do 2. The other part is the Rebellion of the Inferious faculties and stubbornness of our sensual and carnal inclinations Look as in a Kingdom and Common Wealth where are Rebellious Subjects and a Feeble Empire things must needs run into disorder so here the Reyns are managed very weak there 's a Feeble Empire in the Soul and here are strong Rebellioââ¦s desires not easily controul'd and so draw the Soul away To make this more evident a little I shall shew the order of all Humane Operations if rightly constituted Their actions are Governed in this manner The Understanding and the Conscience they are to guide and direct the Will the Will according to right Reason and Conscience moves the Affections the Affections according to the Councel and Command of the Understanding and Will move the Bodily spirits the Bodily spirits they move the Senses and Members of the Body but now by Corruption there is a manifest Inversion and Change for Bodily pleasure doth affect the Senses the Senses corrupt the Phantasy the Phantasy moves the Bodily spirits and by them the lighter part of the Affections the affections by their violence and inclination Captivate the Will and Blind the Mind and so the Man is carried head-long to his own destruction Now though this servitude be in a great measure broken in them that are called into the Liberty of Gods Children they are not Slaves to their Lusts and the vain pleasures of this Life Yet too too often the Senses are too Masterly and too too often transmit Objects into the soul in a Rebellious way against the command of Sanctified Reason and Conscience Affections are stirred by Thoughts and Thoughts by Objects thus represented I am the larger in this that you may more perfectly understand the Reason of the Weakness of the Saints 2. The violence of Temptations As Sheep may be driven out of the Pasture by the Wolfe so is a poor Soul hurried into Evil to commit known Sin or omit known Duty by the incursion and shock of Temptations though for the main he doth adhere to Christ by Faith Love and New Obedience Thus Peter was drawn to deny Christ and many are drawn in the violence of a passion to do things which their Hearts do utterly condemn and disallow In a storm it is hard for a skilful Pilot to stear aright and though it be dangerous to dash against the Rocks yet Christians come off without a total Shipwrack though they may be sore bruised and battered In such hurries Gods Children may go astray but God will not suffer them to be totally lost David wandred far as well as Saul but God sought David again he would not lose him so A strong Temptation may drive us out of the way as sheep when Thieves come are driven out of the Fold whither else they would not have gone 3. The Lord may withdraw himself for just and wise Reasons and then when the Shepherd is gone aside we have neither Wisdom to direct our selves nor Strength to defend our selves As when Moses went away for a while how soon did Israel corrupt their way So if God be gone we see how little we can keep our selves God left Hezekiah to try him 2 Chron. 32. 31. God will shew us what is in our hearts and that our standing is not of our selves We represent our selves to our selves in a feigned likeness and therefore God will truly shew our selves to our selves we do not know what pride and passion and carnality lies hid
Reason p. 67. They are to be applied-p 288 They are to be made familiar to us p. 67 They make God a debtor p. 324. 831 They are Gods Testimonies and why p. 741 They are more than simple Declarations p. 831 They are to be prized on a double account p. 545 They are made to perseverance p. 342 They are most certain on a threefold account p. 575 They are 1. Good 2. Sure p. 1084 Three things in Promises 1. Truth 2. Faithfulness 3. Righteousness 830 There is usually some time between the Promise and the Performance p. 324. 835. Reasons of the delays in performing Promises p. 324 835. 525 Properties of God 1. To do good 2. Keep his Word p. 831 Prosperity makes us goe astray p. 462. Takes off Affections from heavenly things p. 463 Prosperity of the wicked should not dismay us p. 795 936 Proud men denotes two sorts of persons p. 559 None should be Proud because he hath more than others p. 647 Who are the Proud p. 829 336 Protection is the priviledge of the Saints God is their hiding-place and shield p. 763 765 766 767 Vid. Hiding-place Protestant Religion its Excellencies p. 199 200 Providences seem contrary to those that are most obedient p. 667 Providence the belief of it a good help to keep a good Conscience p. 418. Providence vindicated p. 936 937 It 's seen in fulfilling Promises and Threatnings p. 424 Observation of Providence ãâã ãâã ãâã us we have more Cause to bless God than up ââ¦mplain p. 423 Providences must not be racked to make them speak what we would have them p. 796 797 798 Providences well observed will cause gracious Souls to love the Word of God more than ever p. 806 Reasons thereof p. 806. They are to be considered p. 511 They are reconcileable to the Word v. a Commentary on it p. 39. 465 Providence executes the sentence of the Word p. 974 975 Providential Care and Conduct the priviledge of them that walk closely with God p. 7 Providential Wisdom seen 1. in the Seasons 2. the Kind 3. the Manner of Gods afflicting his Children p. 463 Providence is either 1. Common or 2. Special p. 472 Providence takes care of all that love and please God p. 1033 Provisions for the Flesh should be cut off p. 867 Proving his people a ground of Gods forbearing Enemies p. 856 Prudence when we are tempted to sin it 's great prudence to chain our selves to the contrary duty p. 421 Prudence required in applying general Rules to particular Cases p. 449 450 Punishment in this Life for breach of Gods Law p. 39 Punish God has a time to punish Sinners tho' he bear long with them p. 856 Purity of the Word of God what it implies p. 857 Purity of Heart from the Purity of the Word p. 857 858 Purpose of the heart settled in seeking God p. 16 It must be universal to all Commandements and accompanied with Affections and Endeavours p. 34 Purpose to please God habitual and actual p. 152 Purposes of Obedience must be made with the greatest seriousness p. 915 Reasons thereof p. 915 916 Purposes of heart against Sin when defective p. 1009 Q. QUalifications of those that have God for their Hiding-place 1. they that believe 2. they that obey 3. they that seek it in the way that God has promis'd it p. 767 Qualifications are to be cleared in our pleading Promises p. 327 328 317 Qualm of Conscience may beget lean Affection to the Word of God for a season p. 122 Questioning our Interest in God an usual sin in sharp and tedious Afflictions p. 565 Some times we question Gods Love because we have no Afflictions and some times we question it because we have nothing but Afflictions p. 556 Quiet Great Quiet to the Minds of Gods people under sad dispensations to consider the Justice and Faithfulness of God in them p. 508 Quickning Grace promised in the New Covenant both in general and in particular p. 941 Quickning two fold 1. when of dead we are made Alive 2. when of dull we are made lively and active p. 596 717 718 281 Quickning by the Word obliges us to remember it for ever p. 597 Quickning is only from the Word Why 1. the word contains the most quickning Considerations 2. the Spirit delights to quicken us by the word p. 598 599 719 Quickning denotes 1. the renewing of comfort 2. the actuating of Grace p. 159 933 281 311 Great need to go often to God for quickning 1. because of our constant weakness in this World 2. because of ourfrequent indispositions of Soul to duty p. 159 160 934. and the oppositions of the flesh c. p. 935 936 937 718 719 Quickning of the Soul to duty by holy Zeal p. 853 Quickning denotes either 1. restoring to happiness or 2. renewing of grace p. 933 717 311 312. Quickning and Sharpening of prayer by the fear of God p. 811 Quickning is one blessing which Gods Children have often need to beg of God p. 933 Sense Appetite and Activity are the fruits of the Spirits quickning p. 935 314 Quickning is necessary on many accounts p. 282 Labour to get it beware of losing it p. 282 283 312 How quickning Grace may be lost p. 313 R. RAshness a great troubler of the Church p. 451 Ready God is Ready to receive returning sinners and as ready to punish them that refuse to return p. 410 God is always ready to hear prayer p. 168 Reasonable Creatures are made for eternity p. 571 Reason is supplied by Faith p. 541 Reason depraved cannot judge of spiritual things p. 3 Reasonings against Gods Soveraignty are usually in the points of the Imputation of the sin of the first Adam Election Providence c. p. 757 Reasons and Grounds of Religion are to be inquired into p. 195 Rebellion to decline Gods Government p. 585 Rebukes of Providence against impenitent sinners are of great use to the Saints p. 135 136 Reclaiming sinners p. 132 Reconciliation and Atonement only in the word discovered p. 54 624 Non opus divinae naturae sed liberi consilii p. 624 Records ought to be kept of our Comfortings Quicknings and Supports by Gods Word and why p. 597 600 379 380 Recreations are notto swallow up Religion p. 927 Redeemer is the Head of the renewed Estate p. 320 Redeemed Sinners shall have their judgment p. 321 Redeemer requires Obedience p 320 He is honoured by obedience p. 321 Reduce God reduces straying sinners by some smart Providences p. 1107 Reflection upon our selves and ways implies 1. an Examination of our past course of Life 2. a careful watch over them for the future 3. a Consideration of the event p. 397 Regeneration goes before new Obedience p. 497 Regenerate Persons may be discerned from unregenerate p. 18 19. how they differ p. 673 674 Reign of sin is either 1 general or 2 particular either more gross or more secret p. 918 919 Rejoycing in Gods Testimonies greater than in all Riches
converting power of the Word they are a secondary confirmation of the truth of the Word to us I tell you why I put in that Word a secondary confirmation they are not a primary for we must believe the Word before we can feel its efficacy and find it to be effectual to us and therefore the primary grounds of Faith are the impressions of God upon the Word the secondary are the impressions of God upon the heart now I have felt the vertue and power of the truth upon my soul and all the world shall not draw me from it I must have a primary confirmation of the truth of the Word before I can believe and before it can work in me The ââ¦stle saith 1 Thess. 2. 13. Ye received the Word not as the word of man but as the Word of God which effectually worketh in you that believe First I receive it as the Word of God by some Marks and Notes and Characters some impress of God upon his Word somewhat God hath left of himself in the Word and that awes my heart to reverence it there I receive it upon my heart but when it works in me mightily I have a secondary confirmation When I have eyes to see the impress of God upon the Word then I feel the power of it and when I have felt the power of it it 's confirmed in my soul 1 Cor. 1. 6. When we feel the blessed effects the quicknings and comforts of the Word it 's a mighty help to Faith So 1 Iohn 5. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself What is that witness in himself why the witness of the Spirit applying the blood of Christ to the Conscience sanctifying and quickning the heart then he hath the witness in himself and is more confirmed that Jesus is the Christ and the Word of God is true and cannot easily be divorced from it he hath felt the effects of it in his own heart Col. 1. 5 6. For the hope that is laid up for you in heaven whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel and knew the grace of God in truth We guess at things before and have but a wavering Faith such as may let in some work upon the Soul then we know it in truth then it is more fully made good to us by the convincing comforting and sanctifying Spirit that evidenceth it to our Souls and this can be no other but the truth of God this makes our Faith more strong and rooted and we may be confirmed in the hope and belief of the Gospel and may not easily be removed therefrom 2. Take Faith in the other Notion for a dependance upon God for something that we stand in need of every manifestation of his grace it should be kept as an experience by us for afterwards when that frame may be away when God may hide his face and all dead in the soul. As David in his infirmity remembred the years of the right hand of the most High and former experiences of God Psal. 77. 10. As he in an outward case for outward deliverances remembred the former help and succors he had from God so we may remember former grace and former quickning There are many ups and downs in the spiritual life for even the new Creature is changeable both in point of duty and in point of comfort Now it 's a mighty confirmation when we remember what God hath done First In point of duty Sometimes you shall find you are dull and heartless under the Ordinances of God in reading and hearing you find little life lazy and almost indifferent whether you call upon God in secret or hear the Word or join in the communion of Saints no relish in any duty do it almost for custom-sake or at best but to please your Consciences you must do it and you drive on heavily not for any great need you feel of them or good you find by them or hope you expect from them Now it is of great use to remember how I have waited upon God formerly and he hath quickned refreshed and comforted me and therefore it is good to try again to keep up our dependance upon his Ordinances when this dulness seizeth upon the soul and this listlesness when Conscience is sleepy and the heart hangs off from God remember I have been quickned 2. If it be in point of comfort fears and sorrows why is there no Balm in Gilead no Physician there Hath not God relieved in like straits before and given in fresh consolations when you have bemoaned your selves and opened your case before him There are none acquainted with the spiritual life but have many experiences both of deadness and comfort Now one is a great help against the other that our hands may not wax faint and feeble God that hath comforted may comfort again and why should I neglect his appointed means No I will continue there and lie at the Pool where the waters have been stirred 2. They are of Use again to stir up our affections to God and his Word 1. To increase our love to God O! we should keep the impression of his kind manifestation still upon the heart that the mercy may be continually acknowledged surely 't is a favor that God will manifest himself to us and own us in our attendance upon his Word and other duties The Lord Jesus promiseth it as a great blessing Iohn 14. 21. He that loveth me and keepeth my commandment shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Now then when any such sensible favor is vouchsafed to us we should not forget it but lay it up as a continual ground of thankfulness and love to God Cant. 1. 4. We will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy love more than Wine When God hath treated us most magnificently in his Ordinances either at his Table or Word and God hath refreshed and revived our Souls O! we will remember this and lay it up for the honor of God and knit our hearts in a greater love to God 2. It is of great Use to increase our love to the Word for the excellency and worth of the Word is found experimentally by Believers so that their love and estimation of it is more fixed and setled upon their hearts so that they purpose to make use of it always for their Comfort and direction it is a great encouragement when formerly they have found comfort and life thereby The Apostle to settle the Galatians that began to waver that were apt to be overcome by their Judaizing Brethren to settle them in love to the Gospel he puts them to the question Gal. 3. 2. This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith The Spirit of Regeneration with all his comforts and graces are not conveyed to you by the doctrine of the